Review: Superman Unchained #1

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Jim Lee
Published by DC Comics

An unknown force is disabling satellites and sending them hurtling towards Earth. Only one man can save the day - Superman. Or could there be another?

Superman has always been a particularly difficult character to write, especially in the New 52. His self-titled series has floundered from the get-go, at first under the "guidance" of George Perez and then the omnipresent Scott Lobdell. 'Action Comics' fared slightly better with Grant Morrison's big concepts set in the Man of Steel's early days (essentially rehashing his origin for the billionth time), but has sputtered to a halt due to creative differences that saw top tier talent Andy Diggle leave after only one issue.

'Superman Unchained' is DC's chance to start all over again, giving us the Superman book we should've had in September 2011. Taking their top writer in Scott Snyder and pairing him with their top artist Jim Lee, DC are hoping to give this franchise a super kick up the behind.

I'm loathe to judge a series based solely on one issue, but so far this hasn't been the knockout blow that the publisher was intending. If anything, it's a fairly by-the-book Superman yarn. He performs a few herculean feats of strength, checks in with his supporting cast of Lois and Jimmy (despite no longer working at the Daily Planet) and butts heads with life-long nemesis, Lex Luthor. Even the new threat introduced at the end of the issue failed to illicit any real reaction from this humble writer.

The initial action sequence featuring Superman saving astronauts from a falling space station was quite fun, but nothing terribly original. My favourite part being Superman activating the falling station's heat shield with his eyes to protect the astronauts in their free fall. Having astronauts survive re-entry from space in only their standard issue suits was always a big question mark, so I'm happy to see it addressed and solved somewhat.

Big Blue's interaction with Lex Luthor was another fun scene, with our hero accusing the supervillain of orchestrating the issue's events, even from behind bars and without any evidence whatsoever. I've always been a big fan of the antagonistic relationship between the two characters and in this respect the issue was no letdown. I can't remember the last intelligent confrontation between the fan favourites, so the more Snyder mines this dynamic, the better.

I won't write this series off straight out of the gate, but it does no better job of attracting interest in Superman than his other two ongoing series. Which personally, I find hugely surprising, given the talent involved. In this week's batch of comics alone, Scott Snyder had two absolute masterpieces in Batman #21 (the beginning of Zero Year) and his American Vampire one-shot, The Long Road to Hell. To see him turn in a story so generic is a genuine mystery. Maybe his take on Superman will simply take a few issues to gain traction, but this one makes for a rare stumble on the prolific writer's resume.

6 out of 10

Review: Superman Unbound

Starring: Matthew Bomer, Stana Katic and John Noble
Director: James Tucker
Studio: Warner Premiere

After a deadly probe crashes to Earth, Superman must venture out into the Universe to stop the looming alien menace of Brainiac and save his adopted homeworld once again. Hearing tales of the cybernetic despot abducting entire cities from unsuspecting planets, could Krypton's capital, Kandor, be amongst them?

Adapting Geoff Johns' renowned Action Comics arc from 2008, this film marks a distinct departure from the DC Animated features which precede it. For acclaimed 'Batman: The Animated Series' producer Bruce Timm is no longer involved in these ongoing DVD releases. Replacing him is long-time colleague, James Tucker, who has an equally impressive resume featuring the likes of 'Legion of Super-Heroes' and 'Batman: Brave & The Bold'.

The difference in styles, both visually and creatively, between the two teams is immediately apparent. Where Timm had been aiming slightly more adult in his latest offerings 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Parts 1 & 2', Tucker brings us back to a more innocent family friendly vibe. A ridiculous statement considering this film features the massacre of multiple civilisations at the cold robotic hands of Brainiac, however, the plot is almost an afterthought, instead relying upon an endless stream of action scenes. After you've seen Superman (and Supergirl) punch something, the thousandth variation isn't going to do much more for you.

White Collar's Matthew Bomer takes on the role of Superman this time around, offering his usual blend of caring charm. Having been rumoured to play the big screen equivalent for several years, it's fitting that he should have his turn at bat, even with the change in medium. As such, he practically disappears into the role, as if it were one he were born to play. The fight scenes don't leave him much to do besides grunt, but he gets several juicy scenes with Supergirl and Brainiac.

Castle's Stana Katic, who you would imagine would make for a tremendous Lois Lane, simply did not have the material with this script. The opening scenes featuring her kidnap were surprisingly tiresome, as the disaffected Lane refused to fear for her safety, knowing either Superman or Supergirl would rush to her rescue at any moment. It's meant to be played as cool, calm and collected in the face of the danger, yet when even a hostage doesn't care about her plight, the audience struggles in turn. Similarly, her character beats whilst engaging with Bomer's Clark Kent failed to spark, leaving the feisty reporter coming across as nagging the poor hero.

John Noble makes for an intimidating Brainiac, with any sympathetic human tones being hidden behind a terrifying voice synthesizer. The visuals are equally as scary once the signature villain exits his technological cocoon, managing to swat Superman as if he were nothing but an insignificant bug. Which I was hugely grateful for, as the initially daunting robot probes quickly proved ineffective and our Kryptonian survivor was left with nothing but the true mastermind to challenge him.

'Superman Unbound' makes for an unspectacular debut for incoming producer James Tucker, his sensibilities far more blunted and child-friendly than recent classics from the very same DVD series. This adaptation failed to engage me in the same way that Geoff Johns' story did five years ago and the visuals were also too generic and lightweight for me to invest in any meaningful way. Not even attempting to match the stunning sights of Gary Frank's art. Think of this film in the same vain of 2007's 'Superman: Doomsday' i.e. big dumb fun, lots of fights and explosions, but lacking the heart and punch of the original material.

5 out of 10