Reviewer: Mathan “R.I.P. Human Target” Erhardt
Story Title: Repo-Man part two
Written by: Chuck Austen
Penciled by: Ivan Reis
Inked by: Marc Campos
Colored by: Guy Major
Lettered by: Comicraft
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Publisher: DC Comics
Last issue a holiday feast on The Kent’s farm was interrupted by: The Repo-Man. A kid who gets picked on is empowered by Gog to inflict some serious damage. Superboy and Superman try their best to stop him, but were getting beaten pretty soundly when the last issue ended.
This issue opens in a jet plane where two pilots discuss new safety measures. Suddenly they see Superman’s body hurtling towards them. Superman lands in St. Louis where tourists worry about what could hurt Superman like that.
Back in Smallville, Jonathan Kent and Superboy try to attack the gigantic Repo-Man. To give you an idea of the depth of the villain; Superboy questions his intelligence. He tosses Superboy aside and sets his sights on Jonathan Kent.
Meanwhile, back in St. Louis, Superman leaps into the air with a determined look in his eye. On the Kent farm, Repo-Man grabs Jonathan by his arms and prepares to break him like a wishbone. Fortunately Superboy calls in the reserves; Krypto.
Superman flies into Repo-Man at full speed. As he pins Repo-Man down and pulls his fist back, Repo-Man begins a tirade and beings to return to this scrawny state. As Repo-Man threatens Kal’s family, Kal KO’s him by flicking him with a finger.
With the threat averted, Superboy discovers the kryptonite that Gog gave to Repo-Man, and they toss it in a hole that Krypto digs for it. Then everyone begins to notice that Superman is looking a bit older, with graying temples. Superman heads off to S.T.A.R. Labs to find out why.
With Clark getting a check up, the Kents try to have dinner. Martha even manages to prevent a verbal fight between Lana and Lois. Then we get an interlude of Doomsday stomping through a city. Then we find ourselves in Preus’ city, with Jimmy Olsen. Jimmy finds a beaten Martian Manhunter. Preus arrives and Jimmy questions how he beat J’onn and Preus offers to show him how. To be continued.
I didn’t like this book. I don’t like Austen’s writing. We don’t really know why Repo-Man gets large, thus we don’t know what causes him to revert to normal. Any creative plot twists (graying temples, new kryptonite) is undermined by inane dialogue (anytime Superboy, Lana, Lois or Martha opens their mouths) and foolish actions (burying kryptonite?) This issue also features two two-page spreads, and a splash page. And there are a whopping eight pages with little or no dialogue whatsoever.
The art is a saving grace. Seeing a Superman beaten is a jarring image, yet that’s how the book begins. Repo-Man is grotesque, but he rage on Superman’s face is very sincere. And the subtlety of the graying temples was a nice touch (even if the coloring was off on the first two panels of page #17.) Doomsday does look threatening and seeing J’onn strung up like that is kind of creepy.
