The Road to DC Universe Rebirth- Final Days of Superman

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Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!

   When I heard that DC Comics was yet again relaunching their titles I was skeptical. I had not been a fan of the New 52, and I was not too impressed with Convergence. But slowly I began to see bits and pieces of Rebirth begin to surface. One story that was surprisingly riveting was the Final Days of Superman.


  
This story ran in single issue form in Action Comics #51-52, Batman/Superman #31-32, Superman/Wonder Woman #28-29, and Superman #51-52.  All chapters were written by Peter Tomasi and drawn by Mikel Janin, Ed Benes, Paul Pelletier, and Doug Mahnke. As the story begins we see a Man of Steel who has fought many battles and has faced many odds. After a series of tests he knows that he is now dying. Kal-El is not preoccupied about his mortality, but what his leaving will do to those he loves. He also worries about what will happen to the world when it no longer has a Superman. This, to me, embodied the Superman that I have always known and loved.

  To prepare for his demise, Superman looks to Supergirl to continue the legacy that they have formed. But he must first find the Girl of Steel, who has mysteriously vanished. He ventures to Gotham City to ask Batman to find Kara. But soon they are embroiled in a battle with creatures that appear to be of the Chinese Zodiac. During the attack, one creature draws Superman's blood and flies off. With the information that Batman has given him, Superman flies off to National City to find Supergirl, only to be confronted by the Department of Extra-Normal Operations. Meanwhile in another part of the world, Denny Swan (a clever homage to Denny O'Neill and Curt Swan) is on the run from the police. A recent parolee, he has not checked in and is a wanted man. Taking the police on a car chase, Denny is blinded by a mysterious light that sends his car careening off of a bridge. When he emerges from the crash he claims that he is Superman, his body a living solar flare. After wrecking havoc and killing innocent people, he is pursued by Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman. The DC Trinity track a solar flare signature to China, only to come face to face with the Great Ten, a league of Metahumans. What they discover in China adds more to the puzzle. And an encounter with Clark White and his family in California leaves our heroes stunned. Can the Man of Steel stop his dangerous imposter before more lives are lost? What experiment was Dr. Omen working on in China? And who is the mysterious Clark White, and why does he look like Superman? Find out by reading the Final Days of Superman.  

 When I went into this book I was not aware of how personal this story would be to each of the characters. Writer, Peter Tomasi, managed to delve deep into the existing relationships of the New 52 DC Universe. The story was paced very well, with many cameos that did not congest the narrative. I was not a fan of the Wonder Woman/ Superman romance when it was introduced. I have always believed that Lois and Clark belonged together. But the New 52 romance between them was actually presented in a touching way here. I was equally impressed with the four artists given reign of the artwork. Their beautiful art worked well together and evenly flowed with the story. Mikel Janin's contributions were a definite stand out to me. His amazingly clean art made me want to start to check out his other works.

  I was pleasantly surprised with the structure of this ambitious tale. I gave this story five out of five stars. It is a recommended read that pulls you in from page one and does not let go until the tear-jerking final page. Amazing!

  The Final Days of Superman was released in hardcover form on November 1, 2016, and can now be found also in paperback and digital form.


  Have fun reading this week. Let me know in the comments below what comics you are reading.  Also please follow me on my social media platforms, and enjoy shopping with me at eBay and the Book Depository.
  
    
  Because there is always time to read,
   Xepherus3 






My Amazon Wish List: https://amzn.com/w/3J58FXCH0Y44F


All written content (c) Copyright 2017 by Thomas Bahr II
Superman image (c) 2017 by DC Entertainment


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