Convergence: Superboy #2 Review

Not all of the players in Convergence have chosen to follow the rules of combat and “fight for your right to party survive.”  Unfortunately, the disillusioned Superman of the ‘Kingdom Come’ future and the impetuous, angry Superboy whose Superman has just died, aren’t among the dissenters.  Diagnosis: Kaboom!  Your Major Spoilers review of Convergence: Superboy #2 awaits!

CONVERGENCE: SUPERBOY #2
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciler: Karl Moline
Inker: Jose Marzan Jr.
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Editor: Marie Javins
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99

Previously in Convergence: Superboy: Created by Project Cadmus in case Superman ever died, the clone known as Kon-El was activated early, leaving him permanently a teenager with most (or at least some) of the powers of a Kryptonian, as well as some additional abilities, such as his tactile telekinesis, a power he loves to explain.  After a year under the dome, Kon is frustrated and ready to slap some people around…

…unfortunately, his opponent is an older and much more cynical version of the man who donated half his genetic code: Superman!

KABOOM

This issue starts with chaos, as two Kryptonians (or mostly-Kryptonians, whatever) engage in hand-to-hand combat in the middle of Metropolis airport, with predictable results: Explosions and chaos.  The elder Superman of the ‘Kingdom Come’ future actually spends most of the story trying to talk Kon down, trying to convince the very prideful teen that he needs to surrender so that Superman and his friends can try to figure out who is behind the whole mess, and what they can do as a team to stop it.  To his credit, Superboy isn’t willing to give up on his city, arguing that, as the last protector of his Metropolis, the last thing he would ever do is give up the never-ending battle.  It’s a difficult argument to take sides in, save for the fact that the fight is talking place IN Superboy’s Metropolis, and Dubbilix (telepathically watching from the underground base at Project: Cadmus) estimates that the battle should utterly devastate the city in less than 30 minutes.  While the heroes fight, Red Robin and the Flash try to save Superboy’s people, rushing them out of the line of fire and getting them to help as necessary, leading to the big confrontation of the issue…

WHAT *WOULD* SUPERMAN DO?

No, not the battle between Supers, man and boy, but the appearance of Lois Lane, still mourning her husband.  KC Superman is shocked by her appearance, and I have to say it’s a very effective moment for both of them, one that is both sweet and tragic, only cut short by an attack by Superboy.  Lois is badly injured by debris, causing Flash to rush her off to help, and giving Kon-El his first pause of the battle.  Finally, Superman’s words get through to him, and Superboy realizes that his own fighting is the biggest threat to the people he wants to protect.  He agrees to take the fall for the greater good, and the issue ends with Red Robin and Superman agreeing that he has earned the right to be called SuperMAN.  Artwise, it’s an okay issue, with one big problem: Superboy’s 90s Tom Grummett aesthetic and the fully-painted Kingdom Come art of Alex Ross are diametrically opposed, meaning that neither character looks particularly like his historical incarnation, and Superboy’s hair never quite looks anything less than goofy.  Still, the battle-sequences (especially at the airport) are pretty impressive work by Marzan, and the full-page shot of Superman landing a punch is tooth-rattling…

THE BOTTOM LINE: AN AWKWARD ENDING

Sadly, it all comes to a screeching halt right when we SHOULD theoretically be learning something, with any and all answers about what may or may not be going on ensconced in the core book.  I enjoy it when a book like this can stand alone, but this story feels like a vignette to me, ending at the point where a natural third-act break would be, making it feel fragmented and incomplete.  Convergence: Superboy #2 does good work artistically, and serves its main character well within the boundaries of the story being told, but can’t quite nail the landing, earning 3 out of 5 stars overall.  I liked what we got, but I don’t want to HAVE to buy the main book to find out how it all shakes down…