Reviewer: Mathan “Where’s Ron Troupe” Erhardt
Story Title: That Healing Touch: Part 1
Written by: Greg Rucka
Penciled by: Matthew Clark
Inked by: Andy Lanning
Lettered by: Rob Leigh
Colored by: Richard and Tanya Horie
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Publisher: DC Comics
The issue opens with Alex and Alexandra Allston (twins) looking pretty worse for the wear. Ruin, the major baddie in this book, drops of a still living body in front of them. He wants them to feed on it. Not like cannibals, but like parasites. Alexandra gives in first, and then her brother does as well. They suck the life out of him.
Then we see Clark Kent arriving at his apartment building. The doorman greets him, and then when he gets upstairs he finds his sister and mother in-laws and his mother all there to help pamper the recently shot Lois Lane. He then takes his nephew and goes to visit Lois.
Lois is talking to Perry about getting back into the field. Perry is against it and leaves. Lois and Clark spend their time alone, apart. She’s self absorbed and he’s meek and mild mannered.
Later Lupe tries to interrogate Xlim as to the whereabouts of Ruin and the twins. Her tactic doesn’t work, but Supes has a better way. He gets the information that he needs. Lupe and Supes have a moment where he confesses that Ruin knows all of Superman’s vulnerabilities, and made his hideout Superman proof. But knowing that he’s looking for someplace that he can’t see into or hear, makes it stick out. Supes finds it, but too late.
Meanwhile Lois is saying good-bye to Lucy and Sam, when the two new Parasite twins arrive looking for a snack. To be continued.
This is my second favorite Super book in terms of writing. Rucka is doing some fine work here. The scene between Lois and Clark was kind of difficult to witness, yet it still had cute moments, like Sam’s unmasking of Clark Kent. And Lupe making statements about aliens and Supes taking offense was a nice touch as well. I can’t wait until next month.
This is my favorite Super book in terms of art. Clark and Lanning make a solid team. The colors are also crisp. Watching the parasites transform is very creepy, but their body language really conveys how reluctant they are. And again the scene between Lois and Clark is rendered perfectly.
