Superman #14: He’s Really the Main Man

It’s the second part of Joshua Williamson & Rafa Sandoval’s House of Brainiac crossover between Action Comics & the solo Superman book, and it is cram packed with everyone and their cousins are there. Will the impending showdown between the House of El and the House of Brainiac cause a cataclysmic showdown, or will the story fizzle? Regardless, let’s get on with the show.

Picking up from where they left us at the end of last issue, with Lobo trashing one of Guy Gardners’ Warriors Bar in Coast City, when Superman comes crashing in. There’s the usual broo ha ha, and Superman is able to explain what’s going on. They decide to team up, and go after Brainiac and save Superman’s family and friends. So I’ve been a fan of Williamson’s run on the Superman solo, although not every storyline has been a stone groove hit. I was extremely excited to see that Williamson was going to tackle Brainiac, because he’s my favorite Superman villain, and I can’t wait to see what he’s going to do with him. Unfortunately Lobo’s in this story. There are few characters that I loathe, and unfortunately Lobo is among that category.

Lobo is just one of those characters, like Deadpool, who has become like nails on a chalkboard. There’s just something about them that has turned me off, so you can only imagine my reaction when we not only get Lobo in it, but a whole city’s worth of Lobos. It completely drains my interest in the story, despite the interesting take on Brainiac. No longer is he using his shrinking technology in his search for knowledge, but now he’s on the search for power, which explains why he’s shrank and stored Superman’s friends and foes alike. This is a story that should be up in my wheelhouse, but the presence of Lobo has negated a lot of my interest in the story.

Joining Williamson on this journey is superstar artist Rafa Sandoval, who is no stranger to Superman, as he just came off of a celebrated run on Action Comics with Phillip Kennedy Johnson, so seeing him here is a pleasure. His depiction of Superman and his family feels like we’re coming home, and I especially love seeing how depicts Brainiac. He’s menacing, and he looks like he could pose a real threat, whether it be physical or mental, and that’s how he should be portrayed. While Superman looks to be powerful, and caring for the victims of Brainiac, regardless if they’re his family or foes. He’s here to help, and save those who can’t save themselves, and Sandoval depicts that pitch perfectly here. It’s a joy to see him back on Big Blue, so I wonder where he’s going after this story is over and done.