Review by: Tim Sheridan
“Blame and Remorse”
Story: Greg Rucka, Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina Weir
Pencils: Darryl Banks, Karl Kerschl & Adam Dekraker
Inks: Wayne Faucher, Cam Smith, Robin Riggs
Colors: Tanya & Richard Horie
Letters: Pat Brosseau
Assistant Editor: Jeanine Schaefer
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Overall, this was a good issue. Over the past six months or so, the Superman books have been picking up steam, and have been better than they have been for a while. It seems like every year, the Superman creative teams are shuffled, and with this latest re-tooling, they are really hitting the mark. A lot has to do with the whole Infinite Crisis thing. The books here have a real purpose, a goal they are aiming towards. So the writing is crisp and full of verve, even moreso than the usual Greg Rucka-penned tale.
The one way this issue fails though is in the art. None of the art is bad, but the fact that there are three different artists in these 22 pages is a bit jarring. I understand that things these days are a bit rushed within the halls of DC Comics, so it’s forgivable. At least this book is not late. But, of course, it would have been nice to have one artist for the whole issue. Nice, but not necessary.
Anyways, back to the issue.
This is a really great example of how to do a crossover correctly. Within these pages there are a number of references to the various other goings-on in the DCU, with Villains United, JLA, O.M.A.C. Project, and Wonder Woman plots showing up. But above all, this is a Superman comic, and it continues the story that has been building in this comic for the past year and a half. Rucka balances all this and makes it very accessible who may be picking up the issue and are just interested in the crossovers. The argument between Superman and Zatanna is particularly harsh, but in this age of a “darker” DCU, it’s quite apt.
The latter part of the issue deals with the Toyman. Now, the Toyman has never been a favorite villain of mine. It’s tough to make someone with that name interesting, but this was the first time since Dan Jurgens’ run on Superman 10 years ago that I felt he was dealt with correctly. Not only that, but for the first time, I felt a little sorry for him.
The end here is yet another portent of things to come, and it’s just enough of a tease and just enough of an ending to be satisfactory.
