REVIEW: ‘Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow,’ Issue #1

Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow #1 is a new series published by DC Comics, written by Kenny Porter, with art and colors by Jahnoy Lindsay, and letters by Lucas Gattoni. With so many Kryptonians already on Earth, Superboy is finding it hard to find a purpose. So he heads off-world to find people to save.

The plot of this first issue is enjoyable. It sets the scene for what might have changed since the last time Connor Kent was truly active on Earth. There are more supers than ever before. They have things covered. With that, Porter sends the protagonist in a direction of his own. The book moves quickly, never dwelling on moments but without losing the thread of the story. Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow #1 is action-packed, with the speed of the first page carrying on for almost the entire issue. Once Connor goes to another planet though, the battle doesn’t stop. There is a near-constant elevation of stakes and enemies heading for him, always challenging him further. The sense of adventure throughout the comic is high.

One of the more neglected Kryptonians in recent years, Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow #1 is about Superboy trying to find somewhere he can be a hero, stepping out of the shadow of Kara, Jon, or Clark. He is different from the others, with much more variety in his upbringing and his powerset. What he lacks is the confidence the more established names have. He has the positivity that seems to ooze out of that family and his cockiness comes back when he is the savior flying onto another world to save the day. The dialogue is fantastic and always on theme in the narration. The villains are a nice deep cut. I last saw them in an Arrowverse crossover. There is a large amount of variety to them, but they are cut from a similar cloth as Superboy. 

The art is incredible. The energy of the character and the book as a whole is captured beautifully. Suporboy’s youth is clear to see through his very expressive eyes and famous hairstyle. His costume is crazy, with the leather jacket, but it is way more interesting than any other member of the Super family. The battle at the end is phenomenal, with a unique concept for each individual being Superboy faces. The fights have a permanent sense of movement and speed to them.

The colors are tremendous. There is a brilliant vibrancy to Superboy’s costume. When the characters fly, there is a faint trail of red and blue behind them, apart from Conner who is much more vibrant. The blending of visual tones in the backgrounds is awesome. The planet Superboy travels to is given sickly shades in the sky. The lettering is fantastic and always effortless to read.

Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow #1 is a great example of how to give a character space. Earth may have been too crowded for another ultra-powerful Kryptonian, but there is a whole multiverse in need of hope. All of the creators involved are top-class, filling every page with joy and energy. It is great to see Superboy at the helm of his own comic again.

Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow #1 is available where comics are sold.