Superman: Leviathan Rising is 1) a Bendis Superman comic and 2) a Bendis event tie-in comic which, to me anyway, can only mean it is not going to be good. So I am pleasantly surprised to say that this is, almost shockingly, a really good comic!
The reason why it’s such a bumper issue is because it’s not just a tie-in to the Event Leviathan storyline but it’s also the launchpad for several Superman-related spinoff comics: Greg Rucka’s Lois Lane series, Matt Fraction’s Jimmy Olsen series, and some Supergirl rubbish, all of which began a couple months after this issue.
And let’s get the crap brushed aside right away: Supergirl continues to be shite. It’s the only bad part of this comic. She’s doing something vaguely tied into Leviathan and that’s it - no part of her story here was remotely interesting. I doubt I will ever enjoy a Supergirl comic if this is any indication of the best that title can offer. Bah - begone!
Brian Bendis’ Superman stuff is, typical for him, mostly dialogue between characters - in this case a guy with an electronically-morphing mask and a powerful business lady - but it was nonetheless quite compelling to read. Meanwhile, Superman is intrigued to find there are men looking to kidnap Clark Kent and allows himself to be taken to find out who’s after him.
Yeah, Bendis uses the kryptonite trope and Leviathan looks like another Darth Vader wannabe but for all that I didn’t dislike any of it. It’s well-written, compelling - a fine lead-in to the larger story. It doesn’t hurt that Yanick Paquette’s art is beautiful and I liked the easter egg of the powerful business lady having the car from the cover of Action Comics #1 as an art piece in her place.
Bendis writes Superman and Lois’ dialogue really nicely - you buy that they’re not just a good couple but actual best friends too - and I liked the reveal of who Robin Goode was (I knew she couldn’t just have been Lois’ token PC replacement at the Daily Planet!).
Greg Rucka’s Lois Lane short was a great complement to the main story as Lois reaches out to Superman’s super-friends to help find the missing man of steel - before, in true Lois fashion, deciding to do it herself.
Matt Fraction’s Jimmy Olsen was really fun. Jimmy’s out promoting his new photography book in Gorilla City, in a gorilla bookshop, drinking gorilla champagne and winds up at a gorilla hotel. Yup, it’s Fraction alright! He hooks up with a lady who isn’t all she appears and has an encounter with Dex-Starr, the feline Red Lantern, who makes a surprising appearance.
I’m not sure if the rest of Event Leviathan will live up to this great preamble (and, having read the first issue, I’m not that optimistic) but at least we’ve got this. Superman: Leviathan Rising is a really entertaining read full of fine short stories featuring classic characters.
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