Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Aaron Kuder
Colorist: Arif Prianto
ZERO YEAR: ‘STORMBREAKER’
The premiere issue for the new creative team of Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder! In this Zero Year tie-in we witness the birth of the Man of Steel as we see him learn what it means to be a super man.
The Ups: Greg Pak tells the story of one of the defining moments in Superman’s history. This issue is simple in terms of plot, but in classic Superman fashion the story is more about morals and a demonstration of Superman’s courage and will than any plot details. The most satisfying part of this issue is that we see Superman in his early years, a little unsure of himself and not nearly as powerful or in control of his powers as he is now. We see this early Superman struggle with what he wants to do with his powers and while we’ve seen this before Greg Pak makes sure to make this young Superman story different and worth reading. Aaron Kuder’s art is simple yet effective, while the characters aren’t visually complex they’re drawn with clear emotion and movement. Arif Prianto’s colors have a sort of dull pastel palette and draw attention to the action while making the art easier on the eyes.
The Downs: Because this is a Superman story expect the plot to be very straightforward and a little heavy-handed with its lessons. Depending on your stance on up-lifting heart-warming stories you may either find this quite enjoyable or you might find it to be a little corny. I personally don’t mind this seeing as this is basically an origin story and we should all expect some morals to get shoved in our faces, so long as you’re prepared for it you should be able to enjoy this issue without feeling like the story is trying too hard to get its message across.
Overall: All in all this was a nice Superman story. It told a new and interesting story about a young Clark Kent who was just starting out as Superman. The issue can be a little corny at times but to be fair you should be expecting this issue to be that way since not only is it a Superman story, but it’s also a pseudo-origin story which means we need to see Clark learn the lessons that turn him into Superman. If you can look past the story being a little corny the issue is a nice read.
Grade: 3 of 5
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