Man of Steel #5 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis / Artist: Adam Huges, Jason Fabok / DC Comics Man of Steel #5 is beautifully illustrated and the opening sparring match between Superman and Rogal Zaar is breathtaking. As the two battle to the brink in the void of space, all limitations Superman tries to keep have been removed. This is no hold barrels type of brawl. This is a beautiful brutal bash. Hughes creates a sense of immense gravity and weight and I adore the fight. Yet, all of this spectacle is overshadowed by my ambivalence to the other narrative threads in this series. The mystery of Jon and Lois has continued to progress predictably, and it feels like Bendis had such a clear conception of the stories he wanted to tell with Superman and it feels very clear that those stories did not involve Superboy or the World’s Greatest Detective (yes. That would be Lois. Superman has made this clear) so they’re getting written out so Clark can have more things to stress over. The circumstances are at least plausible, but as someone who was very fond of the Superfamily dynamic (and someone who keeps seeing Bendis talk about how this is family-centric Superman) it seems weird to temporarily write them out of the greater narrative. Especially when the new fire chief takes up that space and gets more dynamic screen time.

My very deep set opinions of the Superfamily dynamic aside, I found myself enjoying the sequences with Supergirl. Her presence is a welcome counterbalance to the story, and she provide…