REVIEW: ‘Superman: Red & Blue,’ Issue #2

Superman: Red & Blue #2  is an anthology series published by DC Comics.  Following in the footsteps of the first issue, it gathers a new set of all-star creators. This time, the focus is turned toward the Man of Steel’s allies and enemies, as well as a different version of Superman.

There are five stories in total. “Own” is written by Steven T. Seagle, illustrated by Duncan Rouleau, and lettered by Pat Brosseau; “Into The Ghost Town” is written by Chuck Brown, illustrated by Denys Cowan and John Stanisci, colored by Chris Sotomayor and lettered by Dave Sharpe; “Patience…” is written and illustrated by Dan Panosian; “My Best Friend, Superman” is written by Stephanie Phillips, illustrated by Marley Zarcone, and lettered by Rob Leigh; and finally “S is for Cyborg” is written and illustrated by Jason Howard and lettered by Tom Napolitano.

“Own” is the most touching story in the issue, as it centers on Ma Kent discussing why even though Clark is adopted, she treats him like her own. Seagle had previously written the graphic novel It’s A Bird… which broke Superman down to his bare essentials; as such, he has possibly one of the more unique perspectives on the Man of Steel. And Seagle understands that more than anything else, the reason Superman decided to become a hero is because of the influence the Kents have had on him. This heartfelt story is perfectly paired with Rouleau’s art, which features a Superman who seems to tower over everyone and gives Martha a warm, inviting face. In keeping with the book’s color scheme, the story is presented in mostly reddish-pink and deep blue, with the latter color reserved for Martha’s memories of Clark.

“Patience…” is another standout, as it centers on Lex Luthor thinking up the multiple ways he can kill Superman with a shard of Red Kryptonite. Panosian lets his imagination-and by extension, Luthor’s-run wild, illustrating images that include a giant robot and a boxing match that draws visual inspiration from the classic Superman vs. Muhammad Ali one-shot. His lettering is also jagged, with green and purple word balloons that match Luthor’s classic power armor as well as his twisted ambition.  The ending of the story is rather unorthodox, but fitting how Superman and Luthor’s confrontations usually turn out.

Finally, “My Best Friend, Superman” and “S is for Cyborg” present unique takes on different aspects of Superman. The former features a girl named Ava who brings a piece of rubble from one of the Man of Steel’s battles to her class for show and tell, while the latter features a confrontation between Supes and Hank Henshaw-better known as the Cyborg Superman. Phillips’ script, combined with the simple yet eye-catching art of Zarcone, makes for an immensely heartwarming story. “S is for Cyborg” feels like it was ripped right out of the 90s-especially given the characters involved and the fact that Superman is sporting a mullet. Howard previously worked on Super Dinosaur and The Astounding Wolf-Man for Image Comics, which felt like they would belong right at home with the 90’s era of superheroes-so it’s only fitting that his story would take place in that era.

Superman: Red & Blue #2 continues to let comic creators from all walks of life tackle the Man of Steel, telling tales that feature his friends and foes. I hope that the next issue continues to have this variety, as there are multiple characters in the Superman mythos that could benefit from their own tale.

Superman: Red & Blue #2 is available wherever comics are sold.