Superman: Man of Tomorrow #1: The Very Hangry Parasite by Eric Carle

Quarantines continue and the majority of the comics industry remains in stasis but that’s not enough to stop the very underrated Robert Venditti from cranking out a nearly perfect, self-contained Superman with Paul Pelletier on pencils. This book would have been extremely comfortable in the Triangle era of the 90s and early 2000s. The premise is as stripped down to core Superman as possible– the Parasite is in town and his insatiable hunger has caused a city-wide blackout. In the midst of all the chaos in the city, Superman inspires the city to look out for one another while seeking to help Parasite, treating poor hungry Rudy as a victim of his powers rather than a villain. Classic. Superman.

Pelltier and Hennessy’s artwork likewise is classic and clean. This book could have sat on the stands next to any classic Jurgens and Breeding book and be just as accepted then as it is today. This issue is straight-forward, character-driven narrative from start to finish and other than the fact that I have always hated the character design for Parasite, I can’t find anything to complain about at all. The consistency is even throughout.

The timing of this book is worth noting. We, as a species, are facing something incredibly unfamiliar with the COVID-19 pandemic. With social distancing in place (and hopefully you are all observing these recommendations as best as possible), Superman’s message of “if everybody looks out for somebody, everybody will be looked after” really resonates. As we hunker down in our homes in an unprecendented manner, pre-quarantine problems do not cease to exist. Check in on your neighbors, Skype your loved ones, write emails and make those phone calls. It’s more important than ever that we look after each other.