REVIEW: ‘Future State: Superman of Metropolis,’ Issue #2

Future State: Superman of Metropolis #2 is published by DC Comics, is written by Sean Lewis and Brandon Easton, with art by Cully Hammer, Michael Avon Deming, Valentine de Landro, and John Timms, and colors by Gabe Eltaeb, Marissa Louise, and Laura Martin, with letters by AndWorld Design and Dave Sharp. Realizing that he was manipulated into shrinking Metropolis my Brain Cells, Superman now fights a desperate battle to undo his error and save his city. But Brain Cells knows Jon Kent well and is more than willing to exploit his unique weaknesses. Plus, the heroes trapped in Metropolis struggle to maintain order during the crisis.

With the story now well underway, Future State: Superman of Metropolis #2 manages to successfully deliver on the overcrowded narratives its predecessor begins. With Jon facing Brain Cells in space, and Kara doing her best to catch up to the fight, this story cleans up the plot nicely, delivering a strong narrative finish.

As Jon attempts to right his previous error in judgment, he discovers that Brain Cells has cooked up a special surprise for our Superman: clones of his father, each picked from a different point in time. Whether it’s nazi bashing Clark or recently-returned-from-the-dead Clark, numerous distinct eras of the Man of Steel are present here.

I love this concept. Not only does it work great for the story itself, as Jon would have to be even more than a Superman not to have insecurities where comparisons to his multiverse-saving father are concerned, but it also ties into the themes of Future State as a larger concept. I think this plot point by writer Lewis is an extremely clever and apt idea.

As Jon struggles with his cloned dad’s, Kara rushes to try to arrive in time to aid her nephew. But chasing down Brain Cells’ ship is easier said than done. Clearly, he doesn’t wish to be disturbed during his moment of triumph.

The back half of Future State: Superman of Metropolis #2 continues to follow the struggles of Mister Miracle and The Guardian as they each try to help the trapped denizens of Metropolis. With Mister Miracle on the run from unknown robotic sentinels, he must use every clever trick he has in his arsenal to survive. Meanwhile, after recovering from his near-death, The Guardian must rally Metropolis to help him save Jimmy Olsen from the clutches of Honest Mary.

Both of these stories do a good job of delivering solid superhero plots. While neither ever reaches the level of exceptional, both serve as interesting side stories to the issue’s main event.

The standout in the art side of Future State: Superman of Metropolis #2 is Timms’ work on the main story. As the stakes rise, Timms does an excellent job of letting Jon grow from the self-doubting boy we met in the last issue to a true Superman here.

The two other stories in this book receive solid showings from the art. Both do a wonderful job of delivering looks that fit their stories. This is true from the lines to the colors, as the street level struggles in Metropolis are brought to life.

The only real complaint I have with the art in Future State: Superman of Metropolis #2 is how it fails to align with each other. As the story closes, the resolution is seen in a couple of the narratives, though the presentation is drastically different. While this shortcoming doesn’t do any real harm to either story, it would’ve been nice to see it conveyed consistently.

The last element to our stories is the lettering. The lettering here does a skillful job of delivering the various stories within this issue in a clear and easy-to-follow manner.

When it all comes together, Future State: Superman of Metropolis #2 manages to wrap up its short storyline in a way that feels satisfying. The reader gets to see Jon experience some strong growth as he becomes a true Superman.

Future State: Superman of Metropolis #2 is available on February 2nd, wherever comics are sold.