Review: Smallville Season 11 – Chapter 2

I’ve got some plot details and a juicy spoiler or two for you, but first let’s take a look at whether the book is meeting my expectations. The continuity is great. I know every comic should be expected to meet that requirement, but it can be hard. You also have to remember that early on Smallville was very episodic. A lot of episodes could be described as fillerish and could have easily been dropped anywhere in the season. It wasn’t until much later on that the storytelling became more deeply layered. I love how Bryan Q. Miller is addressing everything from the finale, instead of letting the show’s loose threads fall into oblivion. There are little touches, like what became of the wedding presents, and much larger issues are tackled like the death of Tess and how Lex Luthor perceived it, or at least how it was spun. We won’t be allowed to just shrug off the fact that Clark has recently “pushed a planet out of orbit,” and we find out that the citizens of Metropolis (and, thanks to modern technology the whole world) got a better glimpse of Apokolips than previously suggested. There’s a great awareness of Superman lore and the genre in general, when Clark points out that “they got the ‘S’ wrong” on Lois Lane’s Superman shirt. She responds with, “Can you blame them? This thing is impossible to draw the same way twice.” Maybe I just read too much into things, but I believe it to be a reference to the way his emblem has changed over the years, and maybe even draws comparison to the occasional fan outrage over it. The change is functional too; Clark redesigned and reformed it out of lead to shield his heart from kryptonite bullets. Don’t you just love when your superheroes are smart?!

Clark may have stepped out into the light as Superman, but for now his alien heritage is being kept in the dark. That status quo may change soon though, because Clark is toying with the idea of revealing that to the world as well. Lois is urging caution, but I have a feeling she may be writing a very famous article sooner than we think. General Sam Lane makes an appearance, and in that scene we get a good idea of what Lex’s plans and motivations are, some more great continuity, and some exposition on the first major plotline of the series. The characterization of Lex fits well, and I can hear Michael Rosenbaum’s voice in every line. This continues into his first meeting with Clark Kent, an interaction that might’ve been the highlight of the issue if it weren’t for the shocking appearance of someone thought long gone. I can’t wait to see the implications of their return, and am also anxious to see what Lex is hiding under that gloved hand. Stay tuned for more, and don’t forget that you can talk Smallville with my crew and I live on Sunday nights!

Please buy Smallville and don’t pirate this book. Remember, we vote with our purchasing power, and it only costs 99 cents to flex your consumer muscle on this one. Also, let’s make sure to give credit where credit is due: