Plot: J. Michael Straczynski
Script: Chris Roberson
Penciller: Allan Goldman
Inker: Eber Ferreira
Why should fans care about a comic when the company producing the book can’t even keep a creative team together! The last four issues of Superman have featured a revolving door of different artists and writers. This is a supposed to be one of DC’s premiere characters, yet the book comes out on no regular time schedule and can’t keep a creator interested that’s not trying to get his foot in the door. “Grounded” was a storyline that held the promise to do something offbeat and down to earth with Superman. It’s turned out to be a stale mess from a group of creators that could care less about the story, so now it’s got to be saved by a bunch of pinch hitters. This is not a “big league” product, so don’t waste your money.
Is this comic awful? That would be unfair. It’s a serviceable attempt presented in a ham-fisted manner. The entire story could have been told in 2 or 3 pages if DC wasn’t pumping out corporate pablum. Superman journeys to Des Moines where he saves workers from a plant caught in a fiery imbroglio. After the save, we learn the plant is poisoning the environment. A confused Superman agrees with management and the workers who say it’s okay because the chloride they are pumping into the environment will only hurt plants and animals. Zoiks! Captain Planet he ain’t, but Superman should be better than this! I don’t think all corporations are evil, but I am offended by the message that messing up the environment in small doses is okay since it’s the only way to keep jobs.
Beyond the vile message this book sends, I found the writing to be extremely weak. I lost a ton of respect for Straczynski when he bolted from Superman and Wonder Woman recently. The comic industry is the only business in the world where people so often simply don’t do the job they were hired for. The book was caught in a morass of lateness and who knows why Straczynski actually left, but it was unprofessional in any event.
Chris Roberson is the man who gets stuck with J. Michael’s mess. Roberson is an accomplished sci-fi writer, but he’s fairly new to the comic world. I read the first issue of iZombie from Vertigo and didn’t find it very interesting. I’ve got to tell you Roberson is not impressive here either. The dialogue is decent, but nothing jumps off the page. The story is credited to Straczynski, so it’s hard to heap too much blame on Roberson. In any event, nothing Roberson does seem to mitigate the disaster that his title has become. Here’s hoping that I read a book by Mr. Roberson down the line that I actually like, but I can tell you, it won’t be another copy of Superman.
Artistically “Grounded” was off to a great start when Eddy Barrows was involved. Clearly, Barrows has never been able to stay on a monthly title for long and we’ve been subjected to a revolving door of artists each issue. None of the art has been awful, but none has risen above mediocrity either. I’m sure most of these professionals would put forth a better product if given the chance to work on the character for longer than a fill-in duty.
Allan Goldman does not deserve scorn for his work this month, nor should he be heaped with praise. Goldman does some solid work with Superman and his ‘heroics” saving the factory. I especially liked page 8 when Superman in multiple places, seemingly at once, fused girders into the factory to maintain it’s structural integrity. Unfortunately, his rendition of Lois Lane is possibly the worst in the history of the character. She looks like a shameless hootch out walking the streets soon to be picked up by Dog the Bounty Hunter for violating parole. Apparently, Eddy Barrows is coming back next month, but who knows considering DC doesn’t really give you what they solicit.
Seriously, if none of the creators care enough to work on this book, why should I buy it? It’s been seven months and “Grounded” hasn’t taken off. The end of this issue has a group of people called the Superman Squad showing up and promising answers. I could care less where this is going. You can dig in the quarter bins somewhere or buy a Showcase collection and read far superior Superman comics for next to nothing. The next time I’ll give Superman a thought is when the trailer for Zack Snyder’s film hits.
