Superman: The Coming of the Supermen #3

   OK, I think I've figured out this series.

   Legendary writer / artist Neal Adams is the creative force behind Superman: The Coming of the Supermen.

   The series (as near as I can tell) focuses on three men who arrive on Earth in a spaceship. They're all wearing Superman costumes and each has his powers.

   Almost immediately, the evil forces of Apokolips attack, led by Kalibak. Their purpose is difficult to figure - they just seem to be there to give the Supermen (and Superman) something to punch.

   In this issue, Superman and Lois Lane travel to the home of the Supermen (whose origin apparently involves an event we weren't witness to) and fight the bad guys some more.

   Like last issue, the issue is loaded with strange dialogue, oddly-behaving characters, events that don't make a lot of sense, quite a bit of yelling and lots of fighting.

   But I think I get it. I think Adams is doing his best to channel Jack Kirby's style and dialogue - though the art is all Adams (with Buzz and Josh Adams assisting on inks). So you get crazy, over-the-top-and-then-some action (the full page splash of the attack on New Krypton feels like a Kirby creation). And the dialogue also feels like the unique, oddly-paced but somehow endearing style Kirby used.

   I'm still not sold on the series - it has some really odd moments (the scene with Luthor and Darkseid defies description), but at least it's trying to give us a big, booming tale - so it deserves some credit there.

   But it is one odd comic.

Grade: B

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