Superman #21(Bendis, Reis) continues to push the Superman to new heights as "The Truth" continues. Read Full Review

Superman #21 is a tour de force. While the beginning is a Bendis cliche, the rest of the issue makes up for it. Bendis uses his page space efficiently, focusing on the action in the sections of the story with Superman and the drama on Earth in the Lois Lane parts. Reis makes the whole thing look great. The ending sets up the next issue expertly, as well. This issue is a lot of fun and an exemplar of what a good issue of Superman should be. Read Full Review

Brian Michael Bendis continues to make Superman a standout title. Clark Kent's big reveal is more than a publicity stunt, and is making for some interesting comics. The United Planets storyline is now completely intertwined with the main plot and it seems that this title is heading toward some interesting places. Read Full Review

It's a fast and furious issue - and a lot of fun. And I didn't see that ending coming. Read Full Review

This issue could have easily been unapproachable. With Superman hosting alien peace talks, at a certain point, it feels hard to connect. But the creative team included responses from Lois and Earth, giving readers a bridge into the story. The stakes are high, but they're also personal. We see with each new issue how Superman has been redefined as a character. Read Full Review

I definitely liked the idea of the UP actually organizing rather than dissolving in the face of the Mongul attack. But the sneaky 'Warworld to Earth' side threat is a great hook! And Lois being tasked for her ethics is fascinating. Add to that the really sparkling art and I really liked this issue. Read Full Review

It's interesting that Bendis likes to keep Superman and Lois apart " not separated emotionally, but with their close bond as a married couple constantly tested by physical distance. Read Full Review

Ivan Reis delivers some beautiful art in this issue. There are some great action beats throughout and the fight between Superman and Mongul is visceral and well staged. At the same time, the scenes with Lois and fantastic as well and utilize some great, dramatic angles in the reveals. Read Full Review

Superman #21 is a good showing for Brian Michael Bendis, but a great one for Ivan Reis. Read Full Review

Ah well. The fights are great again here, but once those are over, the reader is left with very little. Read Full Review

Bendis' Superman stories are very hit-and-miss. When he's good, he's fantastic, but some of his stories can be a bit of a slog to read. The parts of with Lois and the gorgeous art save Superman #21 from being the latter. Hopefully, Superman's upcoming encounter with Mongul will be more exciting. Read Full Review

The art like usual is the best part of this book, but even that has its problems at times, but beyond that, we're just dealing with what we had the last issue, just extended a bit, where all it does is lead to a new character to the story.  Like previously, the Superman part of this issue was the weakest link and it's a shame when I don't even want to deal with Superman in his own book. Read Full Review

Bendis Superman remains a discombobulated mess and Reis is doing his best to balance it out with some well crafted pages. Its at the point where DC head honchos seriously needs to figure out how to rein Bendis in or transition him to another title like Tom King with Batman. Read Full Review

"Superman" #21 is a great example of how decompressed storytelling can ruin the momentum of a fascinating story premise. Read Full Review

"They started it!"

While Action Comics had started to majorly suck for some time now (that art, it haunts me), Superman had been consistently good since The Truth started.

And speaking of art. Reis, Prado and Sinclair are going above and beyond in this issue. There is a lot of double-page spreads in here (they make the issue a very fast read) that look really, really good. That brawl with Mongul and the battle in space... It's good.

The story has Superman reflecting a bit on himself and basically being the guy who tries to do something good while everyone around him, Mongul, muck things up. All this, while his dear wife on Earth is trying to deal with the fallout of "The Truth". Just like in the previous issues, Bendis is not being his usual self and provides a cohesive, easy to follow dialogue without any of his "signature" moves.

It's a shame he can only do that for one book at a time. more

Batman and I were the only ones to realize from the start that Superman going public with his identity was a bad idea. How long till the state department comes after him for not being born on American soil? While the art is as good as I'd expect from Ivan Reis, the plot is rather dull. I'm already bored with this United Planets crap. Let Mongul's attack kill the idea so we can keep Superman on Earth so he can see how dumb a thing it was he did. Lois is already paying and others will as well soon enough. There are a ton of super foes out there wetting themselves at the thought of getting to him through those he cares about. And even he can't stop them all. I think it's high time DC should tell Bendis it's been fun, but it's also done.

Some bad dialogue but the story isn’t as bad as everyone says. Reis is great as usual.

Prelude:
Superman has been on an upward trend recently. Let's see how that goes.

The Good:
Reis' art is always great.

Some interesting aspects of Superman's reveal.

The Bad:
Bit of Bendis-Speak.

The Mongul stuff just doesn't work.

People are being overly antagonistic.

Conclusion:
There are some interesting parts, but not enough to make the issue worth it.

Just read it. The only good thing about this book is the art.

The writing is a mess; some things don't even make sense... A pretty mediocre comic.

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Batman Jones - Mar 13, 2020

Same. Exactly.

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Oh my god, why does Superman suck so fucking much?

This is a really stupid storyline and I just hate it so much.

Bendis is going to Bendis. They need to put him out to pasture...Art is great but SO many elements of the story are not needed.

So Mongul is able to go to a standstill against Superman, take out a number of the leaders of the "Space Model UN", and they still decide to stop fighting when he shows up? Yes, I believe this. Cue facepalm.

The Lois Lane B-plot is pointless, as if people who have worked with Lois for so long would suddenly doubt her ability just because of "the truth", and Superman 'King of the Earth' that is just about the dumbest thing I've seen put to page; scratch that having bendis make Barry Allen respond "poo poo caca" to something is, and it happened in this same title.

Blarf.