This was a fantastic issue. I absolutely love that J Micheal Straczynski has taken over the writing on this book. And right away he has Superman doing something that he's never done before . . well, he kind of has, but not to this extent. He's decided to walk the Earth and view it's problems as any other man would . . the 'human' perspective. And it's great to see him just walking down the street . . listening, talking, helping with the minor things, and even assisting with a serious problem or two. All the while the press is hot on his heals trying to figure out what he's doing. They think it may be Red-Kryptonite, or magic, or something. They even speculate that maybe he's lost his powers. But occasionally, through his actions, he shows them that he hasn't. The problem is . . because of recent events with New Krypton, and his lack of attendance of late . . he feels, and knows, that he's lost the trust of the citizens of Earth. He knows that they still respect him, and are in awe of him, but . . that's not what he wants. He wants them to think, to know, to feel . . that he is one of them. He's not just some alien from outer-space who's come to live among them, and occasionally solve their problems. This is his home . . as it is theirs. And he wants to see it . . revel in it's chaotic nature, not from some lofty perch in the clouds, but as everyone else sees it . . experiences it . . by walking among them. Really, this whole issue comes down to what Superman tells a man who asks him why he's not off being a 'hero'. 'To be a hero . . and I'm not saying I am one, I'm just saying . . is to live your life in a small cell whose bars are the principles and rules that define what you will and won't accept. Injustice. Cruelty. Murder. On the night they threw Henry Thoreau in jail for civil disobedience, a friend came to see him, saying, 'Henry, what're you doing in there?'
Thoreau said, 'No, the question is, what are you doing out there?' If I am lucky enough, privileged enough to live in that cell, to serve in that box with the word 'Hero' written on it . . then I say to you, from somewhere deep inside that box . . what are you doing out there?' I thought it was a brilliant story. I loved it. Not very often do I read a book that feels like it's teaching me something. It's entertaining, but . . at the same time it's showing me what it means to be a part of the human race . . to care, to love, to empathize. Some stories, or books come close. But only JMS can do it like this. Also, Eddy Barrows art looks fantastic. And both covers by John Cassaday are incredible. I think this is probably the closest I've seen to a perfect book.
This was a fantastic issue. I absolutely love that J Micheal Straczynski has taken over the writing on this book. And right away he has Superman doing something that he's never done before . . well, he kind of has, but not to this extent. He's decided to walk the Earth and view it's problems as any other man would . . the 'human' perspective. And it's great to see him just walking down the street . . listening, talking, helping with the minor things, and even assisting with a serious problem or two. All the while the press is hot on his heals trying to figure out what he's doing. They think it may be Red-Kryptonite, or magic, or something. They even speculate that maybe he's lost his powers. But occasionally, through his actions, he shows them that he hasn't. The problem is . . because of recent events with New Krypton, and his lack of attendance of late . . he feels, and knows, that he's lost the trust of the citizens of Earth. He knows that they still respect him, and are in awe of him, but . . that's not what he wants. He wants them to think, to know, to feel . . that he is one of them. He's not just some alien from outer-space who's come to live among them, and occasionally solve their problems. This is his home . . as it is theirs. And he wants to see it . . revel in it's chaotic nature, not from some lofty perch in the clouds, but as everyone else sees it . . experiences it . . by walking among them. Really, this whole issue comes down to what Superman tells a man who asks him why he's not off being a 'hero'. 'To be a hero . . and I'm not saying I am one, I'm just saying . . is to live your life in a small cell whose bars are the principles and rules that define what you will and won't accept. Injustice. Cruelty. Murder. On the night they threw Henry Thoreau in jail for civil disobedience, a friend came to see him, saying, 'Henry, what're you doing in there?' 
Thoreau said, 'No, the question is, what are you doing out there?' If I am lucky enough, privileged enough to live in that cell, to serve in that box with the word 'Hero' written on it . . then I say to you, from somewhere deep inside that box . . what are you doing out there?' I thought it was a brilliant story. I loved it. Not very often do I read a book that feels like it's teaching me something. It's entertaining, but . . at the same time it's showing me what it means to be a part of the human race . . to care, to love, to empathize. Some stories, or books come close. But only JMS can do it like this. Also, Eddy Barrows art looks fantastic. And both covers by John Cassaday are incredible. I think this is probably the closest I've seen to a perfect book.
I agree. This is one of the best comics that I've ever read.
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