Superman - The Last Son!

Just finished reading Superman - The Last Son. The five part story arc's first three parts were published in Action Comics #844 through #846. The next parts were delayed to give Kubert sufficient recovery time from health problems he did not wish to disclose. Because of this, the fourth part was delayed and released with issue #851. The eleventh annual of Action Comics, released in May 2008, completed the story-line. Because the better part of 19 months passed between the publication of the first part and the final installment of the story, much criticism has been centered on the creative team and DC Comics in general.

I read the first part in Gotham Comics, published in India, last year. I liked it, but after that issue, Gotham Comics stopped publishing comics in India. They have done it earlier and they did it again! We in India don't have any other option but to get the comics online, if you want to read it. An all Indian creative team is creating comics like Ramayana Reloaded, Devi, Saadhu, India Authentic, Budha etc for the international market, and we are deprive of reading these. I think such issues are responsible for piracy initially. Well, that's not what I wanted to write about today.

The story is really good, and it challenges the creativity of Superman story writers to the limit. How can you go about the Super-hero who can not be harmed? The start was good, a child from Krypton landed on earth, much like Superman himself, but this time in downtown Metropolis. Superman bound to feel emotional and his judgment will be impacted with his anger on government over the child custody and experiments they wants to conduct. But very soon, this turn into a Superman fights prisoners of Phantom Zone under Zod's command. That turn was also good, the child turn out to be Zod's son. But, Superman joining hand with Lex to defeat them looks like hurried attempt to end the story.

In my opinion, it could have been a masterpiece with Superman turning against government for the custody of this child, and rather than Zod with other Kryptonians, it should have been Govt with Lex verses Superman.

What i like most out of it is characterization of Superman. He struggles to figure out what to do with the child. There are elements of Superman that this story draws out in a emotional way, his sense of feeling alone and isolated. Its like a minority trying to live among people not his own. He also tries to relate to his father and people, whom he has never seen in reality. Superman's wish to have a family and to make a connectivity with his people. These are portrayed in a beautiful way in this comics. I read it on net, but soon they are coming up with hardcover edition, I think I will buy it for my collection.

I think that's it for today, will be back with more later.