Superman: The Stranger #1: Comrade Superman

Go back in time to the first days of the Man of Tomorrow with Superman: The Stranger, the new six-issue DC Black Label comic book series written and illustrated by Wes Craig. Set in an Art Deco-inspired 1938 Metropolis, this series reimagines Superman’s earliest adventures through a modern storytelling lens while drawing heavily from the visual language of DC’s Golden Age of comic books and the Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons. We get to see Superman at the very beginning of his journey. During the day, Clark Kent is doing what he can to make ends meet in the bustling city of Metropolis, but when the sun goes down, he leaps into action to keep the city streets safe. As Superman, Clark fights for a better tomorrow, but he feels like he’s not affecting change. The rich keep getting richer, and the poor struggle to survive. Can Superman truly save the downtrodden? And are those stealing to make ends meet the true villains of Metropolis? Find out in this inspiring new series! 

This series has been teased for a while, and I am so glad that it has finally been released because it comes at the perfect time in American history. Superman: The Stranger takes readers back to 1938, a time that reflects the current American political shift to “the old days.” This setting is perfect because it plays on nostalgia while also offering subtle context on the current political climate. It also juxtaposes Joshua Williamson’s current run on Superman, which imagines a Metropolis more technologically advanced than our current society. It’s nice to return to form for Superman. Getting to see Superman in the early stages of his powers is always fun, and Wes Craig writes a really introspective and thoughtful Clark. The premise and action of this story parallel the current American political climate as well. Superman fighting against billionaires and helping the poor during the Great Depression is the perfect Superman story. Superman’s morals and values are spot on in this story, and his motivations are clear. It’s a Superman story in its simplest form. I’m interested to see the changes that Craig is making to the Superman story, since it seems like the Kents are not in the picture and there’s a foreboding death that Clark has yet to reveal. While I would prefer a classic Superman story, this change may be interesting and help frame this story as distinctly Craig’s. 

Wes Craig is doing more than just writing a beautiful Superman story; he’s also drawing a beautiful Superman story. It’s hard to imagine so much talent on one page, but Craig’s artistic talents shine on the page with the art deco theme. Each page feels like a work of art pulled straight from the 1930s. Craig gives this issue a muscular, dramatic quality that immediately sells the scale of the threat. Characters feel powerful without losing their humanity, and the environments have enough detail to make this conflict feel considerably larger than a physical threat.