Superman #25

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Artist: Ivan Reis Publisher: DC Comics Release Date: September 9, 2020 Cover Price: $5.99 Critic Reviews: 14 User Reviews: 37
7.5Critic Rating
5.2User Rating

New Villain Alert: Introducing Synmar!
A colossal new threat to Superman, the planet Earth, and the DC Universe arrives on the scene in this special issue! The unique warrior called Synmar was created to represent an entire alien race. He’s trained his entire life-but for what purpose? As the antithesis of everything Superman stands for, Synmar launches his aggression toward Earth-to destroy the Man of Steel and every being on the planet! This is what Superman was born to protect us from!

  • 9.0
    Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles Sep 8, 2020

    This could be an arc where Bendis has everything lined up nicely to deliver a quality storyline. Lets hope he doesnt get disinterested midway through what has the makings to be one of his strongest arcs. Read Full Review

  • 8.8
    Comic Watch - Cody White Sep 8, 2020

    Perhaps less of a villain that originally announced, Synmar is introduced inSuperman #25(Bendis, Reis, Ferreira, Miki, Sinclair, Sharpe) and it is clearly poised to be a complex threat moving forward. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    ComicBook.com - Christian Hoffer Sep 9, 2020

    This is an interesting issue, although it serves mostly to set up a new arc than deliver any stunning revelations on its own. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    DC Comics News - Derek McNeil Sep 10, 2020

    Bendis' writing has been all over the place since he took over as steward of the Superman titles. Sometimes he produces a pretty good story and other times it seems barely comprehensible. Some of his changes have been great ideas and others are disastrous. But Superman #25 is one of the better issues. it's an interesting story, and introduces a new enemy that shows potential as a Superman villain. And he managed to connect the villain to Superman's past without awkwardly retconning him into Superman's origin story. Overall, I would rate this as one of Bendis' better issues. I just wish he could make them all this good. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Supergirl Comic Box Commentary - Anj Sep 11, 2020

    As someone who loved the preceding teams of Dan Jurgen and Tomasi/Gleason, I think Bendis has surpassed them. Yes, not every story has been perfect. But this has felt like Superman. And for the first time in a while, I feel like the supporting cast has been loved as well. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    On Comics Ground - Timothy Quail Sep 9, 2020

    The over-sized 25th issues kicks off a new arc, and a great jumping on point for new readers. Bendis has some interesting ideas here, and it looks like he is going to incorporate events that took place outside his run. The new threat also seems like a worthwhile addition to the Superman rogues gallery. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield Sep 8, 2020

    Overall, this issue has some compelling dialogue, but feels more like a preview for things to come. Synmar definitely feels like a stronger villain out of the gate than Rogol Zaar did, at least. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Chuck's Comic Of The Day - Chuck Sep 12, 2020

    Despite a slight stumble, I'm anxious to see where it all goes and what Bendis does in the few months he has left on the series. What can I say - I'm a fan Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Forces Of Geek - Lenny Schwartz Sep 9, 2020

    Sadly, this issue doesn't do much to impress and Bendis just seems to be continually treading water over and over again. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Weird Science - Eric Shea Sep 8, 2020

    While some of the writing still feels off like you've been getting out of this title, the themes, ideas that are presented here actually get me excited about what could be coming out of this book in the future. Overall I enjoyed the art and got the optimistic idea that Bendis might be trying for some sort of cohesive storytelling that lets the fans know what is actually going on with the Superman Family of characters. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally Sep 8, 2020

    Ivan Reis does a fantastic job visually with this issue. The characters look great and there are some impressive details throughout. I loved the brightness and energy of the Smallville interlude as well as the depictions of Superman and Lana. The Synmar look great and have a distinctive and beautifully alien look to themselves and their environment. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Newsarama - Pierce Lydon Sep 8, 2020

    The Synmar are being introduced as a new threat for Superman, but will they match up to the evil-doers on Newsarama's list of the best Superman villains ever? We'll see. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    You Don't Read Comics - David Harth Sep 10, 2020

    As far as it goes, this issue works well enough to get a reader to come back, but it isn't anything special. Read Full Review

  • 5.0
    Razorfine - Alan Rapp Sep 15, 2020

    The other half of the comic delves into the friendship between Lana Lang and Clark Kent as he invites his old friend to the Kent Farm for an interview hoping to help put the world at ease. There are some nice individual moments here, such as the apparently oblivious Lana realizing how lonely Clark was as a kid, but like the Synmar storyline things never develop past the initial stage. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    cincyfan Sep 25, 2020

    I really enjoyed this and look forward to issue 26! I have loved the run by bendis however the previous arc wasn’t for me but this issue was a huge improvement! Ivan Reis on art is always fantastic

  • 7.5
    Frank61 Sep 14, 2020

    Ivan Reis...he's so good! Buy it just for his art.

  • 7.0

    This is surprisingly a more bearable issue than most by Bendis. Maybe because Ivan Reis is finally back. He does such good work. I liked that view from the Daily Star where you could see the Daily Planet and the Lexcorp building. It reminded me of the '80s and '90s where you'd see them both all the time while Superman was in the sky fighting or just flying.
    Superman's history has been so twisted over and over since "Infinite Crisis" that I don't know what I knew about is still part of it and what's been forgotten. So this issue's trip through history was all new to me. I see Bendis is a big fan of the first movie, making Clark less than I remember him being in his youth. I guess that completely erases the existence of the Supervillain more

  • 7.0
    Watchtower022 Sep 13, 2020

    The interaction between Lana and clark was actually good. I enjoyed them together as old friends. Reis is always solid and continues to prove himself here. Fantastic work!

    Why does the Synmar talk like everyone else we’ve seen before from Bendis? Again, Bendis seems to go back to one type of dialogue for characters. I’m not sure if he thinks it’s clever or funny, and it can be, but not when it’s applied to every character.

  • 6.5
    allenquanobi Sep 10, 2020

    Not as bad as I thought. I still don't know why I put myself through Bendis Superman, but here I am. The only highlights of the series so far are whenever Ivan Reis draws and the character interactions. Unfortunately the plot is so nonsensical and bad that each issue is a pain to read. This issue was ok to read because of the cute moments Superman had during his interview, which felt pretty in character. But the overall plot is still dumb and I hate Bendis for doing what he has done to Superman.

  • 5.5
    Darrow Sep 9, 2020

    At least the art is good. Action comics is really a garbage.

    + LikeComment
  • 5.0
    Liem Duong Sep 8, 2020

    So jumping onto this heap of garbage since it was an over-sized " anniversary " and has some spec potential . First off, for as atrocious Bendis Superman has been, Ivan Reis still kills it on the art as well as Ferreria's colors. Sad to see it wasted on this run.

    But even with great art and colors, just from reading the first 3 pages of this comic, I already was not enjoying this new arc. Bendis's style of dialogue is unnecessarily verbose and pesky, it makes the Synmar needlessly peckering at each other. Titles like Flash has these problems as well, but it doesn't cover tons of space like this book does.

    Here, almost all the Synmar dialogue is just weighing down the story told. I am still very uncomfortable that Supe more

  • 3.0
    Briton Sep 15, 2020

    Bendis must fall.

    + LikeComments (1)
  • 2.5
    Spacey Medicine Sep 25, 2020

    Everybody says so much, and yet... nothing.

  • 2.0
    RKS Sep 16, 2020

    Meh. Seems to little too late to be starting a story when we know Bendis is going to be leaving in December. Anyone know what happened to Rogal Zaar? Wasn't he to be a big time villain in the Superman universe? Guess not, so we get Synmar? I guess he's supposed to be interesting although Bendis kills that really quick with dialogue bubbles everywhere so you have to spend a few seconds each page figuring out who is speaking. Then you have the return of Lana Lang remembering when they gave her super powers? Anyone enjoy that story? Nope, I didn't think so but Bendis is going to Bendis and reintroduce a powerful female character that no one really cared about. If they really wanted to improve this book they would make it about Superman and more

  • 2.0
    Psycamorean Sep 8, 2020

    I want to drop this so badly, but I can't because it's Superman.

    + LikeComments (15)
  • 1.5
    Prodigalson16 Sep 9, 2020

    AhhhaaahahahaaaaahhAAAHHHHHHAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

  • 1.0
    PeteRick Sep 18, 2020

    WHAAT?? From the stories featured on superwoman comics it shows that Lana liked Clark, he's just deconstructing everything he sees in front of him, this is just pure garbage, you know he's out of ideas, at least the good ones

  • 1.0
    ComicMan Sep 17, 2020

    Thank god bendis is off superman soon.

  • 1.0
    CaptnAmerca Sep 15, 2020

    An extra sized wet fart.

  • 1.0
    Halodystroyer44 Sep 9, 2020

    F

  • 1.0
    Dave Sep 8, 2020

    A new villain for the speculators, nothing for the Superman fans typical Benfis

  • 10
    EdNothIng Oct 18, 2020

  • 10
    Bruno Mael Oct 14, 2020

  • 10
    hedevil Sep 10, 2020

  • 10
    Comic Dreamer Sep 10, 2020

  • 9.0
    Brideshead Dec 26, 2020

  • 9.0
    sebastianorellana95 Sep 8, 2020

  • 8.0
    Sunspots Nov 4, 2020

  • 8.0
    KittyNone Sep 10, 2020

  • 6.5
    Julhin Mar 22, 2021

  • 6.5
    ActionCity Sep 10, 2020

  • 6.0
    Swift Planet Jan 14, 2021

  • 6.0
    Bananaknight Sep 13, 2020

  • 6.0
    Ollie44 Sep 9, 2020

  • 5.0
    ed1138 Feb 11, 2023

  • 5.0
    Adsun22 Dec 8, 2021

  • 4.0
    Justin Ray Oct 5, 2020

  • 4.0
    Radar Sep 11, 2020

  • 3.0
    Gorr Sep 8, 2020

  • 2.0
    Magik Sep 9, 2020

  • 1.0
    KErtneY Sep 8, 2020

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