SUPERMAN ’78 #1
“Superman ’78” is a sequel to the 1978 Richard Donner-directed film Superman. Just like Sam Hamm and Joe Quinones’ “Batman ’89” (that I also reviewed a few weeks ago) took us back to the Burtonverse, this limited series takes us back to the Donnerverse, in a story that takes place between the first and second movies. This book focuses on Superman fighting Brainiac, who wants to add the Last Son of Krypton to his collection.
By: DC Comics
Written by: Robert Venditti
Art by: Wilfredo Torres
Colors by: Jordie Bellaire
Letters by: Dave Lanphear
In the first issue, we are reintroduced to Clark, Lois, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White. While we don’t see much of it, their dynamics are really interesting, and I love how the book focuses not only on Superman’s adventures but also on Clark Kent and the Daily Planet. The main plot, however, hasn’t really hooked me yet.
That said, I feel like the pacing is maybe a bit off. The plot moves way too fast for me, personally, and I would’ve preferred to see a slower approach to the story, especially considering that the original movie doesn’t move that fast. That said, this is a comic book, so it is natural that it’s paced differently from a movie.
The best thing about this book, however, is the art. Wilfredo Torres’ artwork is fantastic, and it just fits so well into this world. It has a major old-school vibe that is super immersive. It really takes us back to that world. The character designs are also very interesting. Similar to Joe Quinones in “Batman ’78”, Torres also takes inspiration from real actors when drawing his characters, which is a very nice touch. Here, in addition to Christopher Reeve’s Superman and Margot Kidder’s Lois, we have Yul Brynner as Brainiac, whose character design is fantastic. It is really reminiscent of Richard Donner’s Superman movies, and I can totally picture that design in live-action.
Overall, “Superman ’78” was off to an exciting start. The next issue will bring Lex Luthor back, and I’m curious to see how he’ll fit into the storyline. Here’s hoping they can improve the pacing in the next few issues.