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Action Comics #993 came out last week, the second part of an arc where Superman goes back in time to investigate Krypton's destruction and the first part of the story 'Booster Shot' guest starring Booster Gold. After all, who messed with time to pluck Mr. Oz/Jor-El away?
I have never been a huge fan of Booster Gold. And I have never really been a huge fan of stories where Superman visits Krypton before its destruction. There are always too many questions that need to be answered. Does he lose his powers immediately? Or do they gradually wear off? How does he get off Krypton if he is powerless? And what is he hoping to get out of such a visit?
And so I enter this story already a bit on edge. At the very least, this Superman is only hoping to get a peek at Krypton's destruction from afar and only ends up on the ground because of a glitch.
But to add to the mix, there is a continuity error in this book which I feel is almost unforgivable. And that also sort of soured me. Writer Dan Jurgens should know better. But the editor should definitely know better. It may end up being that 'Rebirth' or 'Reborn' has changed things. Or maybe some of the anomalies we see here are new truths. But if it has no one but DC knows it.
Jurgens is also on art with Joe Prado inking which gives this issue a very classic feel to it.
There is a long way to go in this arc and maybe it'll grab me a bit more moving forward.
The book starts where last issue ended. Booster Gold appears in the JLA headquarters to try to stop Superman from going back in time. But he arrives too late. Superman has already used the Cosmic Treadmill to head back to Krypton's destruction.
As he is trying to see what point was last entered on the treadmill, the Flash shows up. So, of course, the two have to fight. Flash, probably given what he knows about Flashpoint, doesn't want anyone playing with time. Luckily Booster defeats Barry so he can track Superman.
This seemed a bit too much of a trope to feel necessary. Don't these two know each other. Couldn't they just discuss it. And can Booster really defeat the Flash?
Anyways, we see that Booster is still a media hound, telling Skeets to upload video of his beating the Flash on all social media networks.
I just can't latch onto Booster. None of his antics amuse me.
He immediately sees what he thinks is the truth. Only "one ship was ever built ... mine." To him, history says only one ship rocketed off Krypton.
But unless things have changed, that's wrong.
Because in the New 52, which is still the backbone of the continuity, Supergirl was also rocketed off Krypton. It's just that her rocket got delayed in reaching Earth and she remained in suspended animation. Heck, that is the origin the show uses.
Here are a couple of panels from Supergirl #0 from the New 52 and my review:
http://ift.tt/2kGLFcf;
Seriously, the editor of the Super-books should be aware of the histories of the major players. Unless things have changed and they haven't told us. While Argo City did survive a bit, Kara was long gone.
I'm sorry. This irked me.
I will say, the other half of the splash did intrigue me. Here is where I think we see other histories or timelines.
In one we see a fleet of space arks head off Krypton. In another, Superman grows up on Krypton. We see a black haired woman wearing an S-shield? A Goth Kara? Or did Superman marry Ursa? Is that Kal's sister? And in one, we see Superman palling around with Zod.
At least those are my reads on these possibilities. It really does feel like Hypertime. And I think puzzles like these are fun to try to unravel.
Regardless, the visions end and Superman finds himself on Krypton.
I don't know. Can I just be tired of this story?
Meanwhile, if anything cements my sort of blase attitude about Booster Gold it is that he is Steve Lombard's favorite superhero. Only a poser would hero worship a sort of poser.
Maybe that is too harsh.
But I do find it interesting that the blowhard and narcissist Lombard likes a self-promoter like Gold. And I doubly love Jon wanting nothing to do with it.
And in another subplot, Jon overhears Perry and Lois talking about his grandfather General Lane.
Sam was leading a black ops team into Logambo (the nation in civil war turmoil in The Oz Effect) and was captured. The US Government has plausible deniability. A public execution has been scheduled.
No doubt what is happening next. Jon is going to try to free his estranged grandfather from certain death.
I don't think Jon has met him before so this will be very interesting. And I don't think Sam knows Clark is Superman so this could be doubly captivating.
Meanwhile, back on Krypton, Superman just happens to land in a spot near where Zod and Jor-El are meeting. I suppose whatever caused the chronal storm and whatever shoved him planet-side probably purposefully dropped him off here. I do hope we get that backstory.
Superman is surprised to see the two working together. I don't know how long before the planet blowing up this is. Shouldn't Zod be in the Phantom Zone?
Or is this another timeline completely?
I don't know if this Jor-El physically looks like the one we saw in Mr. Oz's origin.
Anyways, Superman is seen skulking around. Kryptonian police must shoot first and ask questions later. And, of course, he is powerless under the red sun of Krypton, something he shouldn't be surprised about.
So it might be up to Booster to save the day. Will we get an explanation why Krypton's gravity doesn't effect him? Legion flight ring I suppose.
Okay, I shouldn't be flippant. I just have read so many 'time travel back to Krypton' stories that if you retread it has to be exceptional. And yes, I realize that this is probably a lot of people's first 'time travel back to Krypton' storyline so maybe I should look it from their viewpoint.
But between the forced Flash-fight, the overlooked Supergirl origin, and the return to Krypton, I sort of winced my way through this. The other histories look interesting. Now that we are here maybe the plot will blossom.
I can hope.
Overall grade: C
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