Summer of Superman Special #1: Past, Present, and Future

Summer of Superman Special #1 is a three part narrative that kicks off the summer festivities for the lead up to the new Superman film by James Gunn, delivering an interconnected story that leads into three separate Superman titles coming soon. The crux of the issue is that Lana Lang and John Henry Irons are getting married and Clark is reminiscing about his relationship with Lana. This is told from three distinct points, 1. A flashback to Clark’s time as Superboy, 2. The buildup to the wedding, and 3. The wedding itself and the wrappup of events.

Framing this special issue around Lana Lang’s wedding is a perfect setup to the narrative structure of this issue, since Lana has such a poignant relationship with Clark during almost all periods of his life. She is an excellent focal character for this as the exploration of their relationship reveals a lot about who Clark is and what has changed in his life over the course of decades.

The first story here is from Mark Waid, showcasing the day in Clark’s history when he decided to reveal his feelings to Lana. Of course, this comes with the typical Superman shenanigans, but more so, it really showcases that early, Superboy era of the hero that often gets relegated to the Silver and Bronze Age of the hero. While many writers and artists have explored that era, it has been a while since that time period received some significance, with this issue reminding readers what made it so special. There is also a plot point that occurs in this story that acts as a retcon, but is done in such a brilliant way that you will undoubtedly applaud Waid’s writing.

The second story is from Dan Slott, who will be writing the upcoming Superman Unlimited series. If anyone is looking for reassurance that Slott understands this character, this is the story for you. Sandwiched between two stories by current Superman writers, this story jumps to the modern day and showcases a now grown up Clark and Lana discussing her pre-wedding jitters, which of course are interrupted by yet another fight. The way Slott is able to jump into this continuity with such ease is exemplary of his skill as a writer who lives and breathes in this medium, even when working on a character that he is not overly well known for.

The final arc is by the current Superman writer, Joshua Williamson, and does the most to contextualize the events of this issue into the ongoing, DC All In narrative. Williamson’s Superman has been a focal point of this publishing initiative and (no spoilers) this story definitely has a connection to what has been going on in the DC Universe.

This issue would not be nearly as great as it is without Jorge Jimenez delivering some of the best artwork of his career. The narrative of this issue allows Jimenez to draw many different aspects of Superman that really show off his unique and popular style. This is also a very jam packed action issue which is right up Jimenez’s wheelhouse. Overall, if you are on the fence about buying Jimenez’s art book, this issue will definitely make you pull that switch.