REVIEW: ‘Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow,’ Issue #2

Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow #2 is published by DC Comics, written by Kenny Porter, with art and colors by Jahnoy Lindsay and Lucas Gattoni. Just as Superboy thinks a new group, the Cosmoteers, are there to give him backup against the Dominator, he finds out they are just as eager to fight him.

This story is brilliant. Almost split into two halves, the action from the previous chapter is not ready to let up yet. It’s a rollercoaster of twists and changing allegiances, as Superboy faces both the newcomers and the villains that were on the planet to begin with. It’s a fight on three sides and the battle is charged with energy. But then the comic actually allows for a breather as it leaves the planet and heads deeper into space. The age-old values that Super characters tend to possess are called into question as Superboy is trying to stop others from killing their enemies. That leads to the next piece of action, which is entirely different in style. The pacing is fast on both sides of that middle point and the sense of adventure is enthralling.

Superboy is a fantastic main character and Porter presents that beautifully. Full of righteousness, he carries the heart that Superman, Supergirl, and others all have. However, there is still that insecurity that he possesses and he is always comparing himself to others. But what is excellent about this book is he is distanced from all of them, so now it is all on him. In high-pressure situations, it falls to Superboy to save the day and do what is right. The narration is brilliant, providing a terrific commentary to contextualize the action.

Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow #2 also brings in new figures to share the space with Conner. The Cosmoteers are a loud and arrogant group but are the correct choice to add to the book. Superboy was an outsider to the battles, with no real dog in the fight. He was just there to save people. To contrast, the Cosmoteers have an actual backstory with Dominator X. They are incredibly strong personalities and their dialogue with Superboy is especially fun.

The art matches the phenomenal fun that can be had as the three Cosmoteers are brought in. Although they are two human-looking figures and one alien when out of combat, they all are given more when they use their powers that show amazing transformations. The other monsters that the Dominators use are magnificent. Each one is unique, wholly individual, and completely changes the parameters of the fight. The battles are filled with movement, and the speed of the combat is implemented superbly by Lindsay. This book moves at 100 miles an hour and that is demonstrated on the page, which is extraordinarily difficult to execute. There are some lovely uses of different patterns and angles, with cocky posturing on all sides.

The colors are gorgeous. There is such a wonderful vibrancy that comes from now just Superboy’s costumes, but his powers as well, but all of the combatants bring new hues and shades. They are great because the rest of the comic can be gloomy and dull, creating amazing contrasts. The lettering is very to read and there are some tremendous uses of SFX.

Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow #2 is utterly brilliant from start to finish. Brimming with action and storytelling, the comic feels like a long read due to just how much content inside. It’s a space adventure that is stunning to look at and has energy rippling out of every page.

Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow #2 is available where comics are sold.