Superman #14

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Artist: Joe Prado, Ivan Reis Publisher: DC Comics Release Date: August 28, 2019 Cover Price: $3.99 Critic Reviews: 15 User Reviews: 40
7.5Critic Rating
5.3User Rating

Lex Luthor is back in Metropolis--and he's ready to wreak havoc! First stop, the most dangerous woman in the DC Universe: Lois Lane! Alone, her family a galaxy away, will Lois be tempted by Apex Lex's offer? What does Lex have that this reporter can't turn away from? Don't miss this shocking new twist in the Superman mythos!

  • 9.0
    Black Nerd Problems - Brandon Lawrence Aug 30, 2019

    My favorite part of this comic was definitely Superman and Zod fighting Rogol. Ivan Reis murdered those pages. I felt that double uppercut and the glare that they give Rogol is deliciously visceral. I had a flashback to the team-up fights with Naruto and Sasuke. It is refreshing to have a Bendis book driven primarily by the art. That's not to say I didn't enjoy Jor El continuously trying to be the voice of pragmatism just to be utterly ignored by Superman. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    But Why Tho? - Charles Hartford Aug 28, 2019

    Superman #14is an excellent piece of the continuing narrative for this series. I once again find myself eagerly waiting to see where this amazing creative team will take the man of steel next. Read Full Review

  • 8.9
    The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally Aug 28, 2019

    Ivan Reis provides some beautiful art in this issue. There are several beautiful pages throughout filled with characters and details especially the big group shot in the issue and towards the end. Read Full Review

  • 8.8
    Sequential Planet - Ethan Maddux Aug 30, 2019

    Superman #14 is possibly the strongest issue of the Bendis and Reis run so far. It hasn't quite hit the highs of Action Comics, but that gap is closing faster than ever. The creative team's plans are beginning to fully form, and it's exciting. The occasional awkward bit of dialogue isn't enough to hold back an issue so full of fun and fresh ideas. Read Full Review

  • 8.4
    Comic Watch - Cody White Aug 30, 2019

    Read the beginning of the end of the beginning of The Unity Saga in Superman #14 (Bendis, Reis) as the United Planets is formed and some guests arrive to celebrate Unity Day! Read Full Review

  • 8.4
    Supergirl Comic Box Commentary - Anj Sep 2, 2019

    And the Zaar reveal as a Kryptonian is too cryptic and confusing. We better learn more. But consider those pebbles in the shoe. The Legion is back!! Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    ComicBook.com - Christian Hoffer Aug 28, 2019

    My main concern is that the ramifications of this arc will overshadow the mystery that mainly drove it"I want to see some resolution to this Rogol Zaar arc since Bendis has pushed it for almost a year"but I love that the ramifications of this arc to both the Superman line and the wider DC Universe. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    DC Comics News - Derek McNeil Sep 3, 2019

    Honestly, this story has been a bit of a slog to read, and I have strong reservations about many of Bendis' changes to the mythos, but Bendis ended this turbulent flight with a smooth landing. Hopefully, is signalling an improvement that will continue as Bendis moves into the next storyline. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield Aug 28, 2019

    The problems I have with this issue are two-fold " first, Rogol Zaar is still boring, and two, the eventual decision of Jon to leave with the Legion just feels like the conclusion to Bendis' ongoing trouble with writing Superman as a dad. Still, this is one of the better issues of the run in scope and powerful scenes. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Comic Book Revolution - Rokk Aug 29, 2019

    Overall: Look, all that matters about Superman #14 is that the Legion of Super-Heroes is officially back! And even if it is written by Bendis and even if this is a fourth alternate version of the Legion, the fact remains that it is always a good thing to see the Legion of Super-Heroes in the pages of a DC comic book. I am really excited to see where Bendis goes from here with the Legion. Do I have my concerns? Of course. But, I prefer to remain hopeful that my beloved Legion will be the source of some fun and entertaining stories. Long Live the Legion! Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Newsarama - Justin Partridge Aug 29, 2019

    Big, splashy, but still somehow slower than you would expect Superman #14 might need some energy, but it definitely has promise. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    You Don't Read Comics - David Harth Aug 28, 2019

    Superman #14 is a disjointed affair. Critical elements to the plot just seem to happen out of nowhere, and it makes the whole thing suffer. Maybe Bendis is going to reveal things down the line, but not doing it here leaves so many questions that it almost ruins the entire thing. However, the art is fantastic, and the ending is a great feel-good moment for fans of the LoSH, bringing them back in grand fashion. The ups and downs of the quality of the writing hurt this issue, though. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles Aug 28, 2019

    Theres another chapter to this story, which should effectively write Jon out while advancing little with Rogol Zaar even after a seemingly major bombshell gets revealed and promptly ignored this issue. Bendis has written a strong prelude for the Legion, but his Superman run on Superman still lacks any great understanding and care of its title character. Read Full Review

  • 5.0
    Forces Of Geek - Lenny Schwartz Aug 29, 2019

    Ivan Reis did a great job here and on the other issues. It's too bad too. This could have been amazing. Instead, it never felt as if it got off the ground. Read Full Review

  • 5.0
    Weird Science - Eric Shea Aug 28, 2019

    While the art seems to slip at times in my mind, it's still the highlight of this really forced issue where Brian Michael Bendis has one idea in mind and he'll jam whatever he needs in or out to get there, leaving everything we've been dealing with for months now feeling pointless. Read Full Review

  • 7.5
    egonnn244 Aug 31, 2019

    "No offense, Superman"

    Good issue.

    We're one step closer to learning what exactly is the deal with this whole Krypton conspiracy and it was just a fun read all around with a really good-looking art.

    The ending was like a little cherry on top, that I sadly knew was coming.

  • 7.5
    Anotherfan Aug 29, 2019

    Yes, the Galactic Union is naive. But is it really a problem ? It is not because we are not able to make it work properly that it can't inspire other to do good.
    Yes, the introduction of the Legion may be too easy, but the Legion is back.
    Zaar story advance and the twist was clever and i'm intrigued for what comes next. Even if his writing's not that good,i like Bendis ideas and addition to the Superman mythos

  • 7.5
    rayonymous Aug 29, 2019

    A good conclusion, not what I expected but still good.
    Rogol Zaar is a Kryptonian?! That's a big reveal.
    Level of respect that Superman and his family receives from Thanagarian Black Squad command is on point. And the so called 'United Nations-like proposal to unite several races of advanced alien civilisations was not very touching as it should have been, it failed to relate to the obvious.
    I don't know what Bendis tried here but his hand at inspiration didn't work out really well. So much lost potential for a Superman comic. Legion of Super-Heroes has arrived as planned. Looking forward to Millennium, I hope it delivers.

  • 5.0
    M1sf1r3 Aug 29, 2019

    Prelude:
    Never really liked Bendis' cosmic Superman story. Let's see if this was worth the delay.

    The Good:
    Reis as always delivers on his art. But that's it.

    The Bad:
    Everything else. I'm just going to cut it short.

    Conclusion:
    While I originally liked this issue, further pondering has really diminished that opinion. There really was nothing of note here and it was delayed of all things.

  • 5.0
    allenquanobi Aug 29, 2019

    I read this because I was told by my LCS that it's important to the Legion storyline coming up. There is a small tease towards it at the end, but nothing too insane. While I'm here though I'll get my thoughts about Bendis Superman. I've read the first couple issues of both Action Comics and Superman, and it has never captured my attention. Rogol Zaar might be the worst DC character since Doomsday. At least Doomsday could kill Superman in a major book. Everyone and their mom knows who Doomsday is, even people who haven't read a comic in their life. There are some people I talk to about comics who don't know who Rogol Zaar is without having to go through effort to remember who he is. That's my main complaint about this run. Another c more

  • 5.0
    Nihilist Aug 28, 2019

    If only United Nations was what Jon claims it to be - a collective defending innocent people, fighting against violence, poverty, famine and oppression. Tell that to Iraqi, Palestinians or Syrians, all being actively ignored by the UN, whom at best wages their index finger at the US and Israel, teeling them it's not very nice to perform genocides and they should stop being naughy bullies.
    And granted, it's a Superman comic, which should be simple and inspirational, but I can't not smirk while reading it, thinking how naive and cliche this ending is.
    Bendis tried to create as many comics and possible, and then connect everything, with Superman being tied to Supergirl and now Legion of Superheroes, Young Justice crossing over with N more

    + LikeComments (4)
  • 4.0

    I really don't like that this is how the Legion are introduced... talk about giving yourself a tug by claiming something you wrote is the most important moment in a shared universe's future. What about all the other cosmic books where war across the galaxy still happens? Hell, Omega Men had planets already form a United Planets type deal and all it took was one fascist planet to create despair and war.

  • 2.0
    Spacey Medicine Sep 5, 2019

    How long do you think they rehearsed that team speech?

  • 2.0
    Amazing Psycamorean Sep 3, 2019

    What a stupid issue.

  • 1.5
    CaptnAmerca Sep 1, 2019

    Oh my God, I thought Action Comics was bad. This is worse.


    Bemdis' big lame villain, who he wasted all these issues with is, just arrested, off-panel, like a jewelry store thief.

    Oh, and just like Action Comics, it ends on a cliffhanger that is actually a commercial for another Bendis project.

  • 1.0
    PeteRick Aug 30, 2019

    Hahahaha Man i'm just waiting for those guys who said: blah you don't understand bendis blahh you have to wait until the story unfolds, it's to complex to grasp at this point, well NOW i can say i told you so, he's not a genius, he's just a moron!!

  • 1.0
    RBL Aug 28, 2019

    It’s rare to see a single issue this astoundingly dumb be published. It pretty much botched the introduction of a concept and entire team of people in spectacular fashion.

  • 1.0
    KFuqua Aug 28, 2019

    The Legion has always been my absolute favorite and I've been anxiously waiting for their return. Now I see that the Legion isn't what I have loved for so many years. Why change the characters that have been around for so long?

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