Superman '78 #1

 Writer: Robert Vinditti

Artist: Wilfredo Torres

Rating: 6 of 8

Superman '78 #1

They say nothing lasts forever - but what if something could? With time, will and effort, even the strangest things can happen. So who's to say that some things can't last forever? Throughout his lives, that's exactly what Brainiac tries to do, but on a much grander scale. He travels throughout the galaxy, capturing planet after planet, shrinking them down to bottle them.

As bizarre as this sounds, he's actually doing it for a good reason, even if it isn't justified. You see, he's only capturing worlds that seem to be nearing extinction and he does this in order to save them and to preserve their history. Given that this doesn't kill the planet's people, I'm not fully sure why it's a bad thing - though, it might come down to the age old question: is it better to have freedom, or safety?

Wilfredo Torres does a fantastic job in recreating just how various characters looked in the Superman films. Whether it's Chris Reeve's Superman, Margot Kidder's Lois, or even Jackie Cooper's Perry White, you're sure to be pleased with what he does here. He also perfectly recreates the period, down to the clothes, which is a great attention to detail. There are a few shortcomings to his art, though, as often he removes the full detail of a character's eyes, instead only showing their pupils and it's because of this that Jimmy Olsen gets shortchanged.

Aside from that, though, this is a wonderful comic, that has a lot more going for it than against it. Lois is just as intrepid as ever, while the lead has a perfect sense of duality. As Clark, he's just as bumbling and awkward as you'd expect, but as Superman, he's incredibly resolute in his quest to protect Earth and it's people. Meanwhile, Perry pushes Clark to do better than he is, knowing that in this job, there are risks he has to take. 

Overall, this is a fantastic debut, that's one of the best Superman comics I've read in a long time. Whether you're a fan of him, or of the Richard Donner films, I heartily recommend it.