REVIEW: Superman Unlimited #1

Superman Unlimited #1 is finally here and continues the ‘Summer Of Superman’ in a big way! We had the opportunity to speak with Dan Slott about this series and his take on Superman and since then, we have been very excited to pick up the issue itself!

On first glance, the cover by Rafael Albuquerque is really sleek, and invokes a “summer-blockbuster movie” vibe (which I’m sure was intentional). However, when you look a little closer, there’s a few components that don’t align with anything in the issue itself, and I can’t tell if that’s intentional foreshadowing or just a mix-up, and either way it feels odd for a first issue.

Frank Quitely’s variant features Superman in Quitely’s iconic style and detail. I love the flow and appearance of the cape, it gives a mid-air flight feeling with a slightly elevated look up to Superman.

It’s hard to deny Dell’Otto’s amazing talent, and this variant cover is certainly a poster-ready image. Whilst I feel this design would work much better on merchandise, the detail is incredible and it is so great to see Krypto by Superman’s side.

There are also other variants available by Leinil Francis Yu & Romulo Fajardo Jr, Seba Fuimara, Dave Rapoza, Christian Ward, Dan Mora, Sozomaika and Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair.

If I had to sum up Superman Unlimited #1 in one word, it would be: overwhelming. However, I mean that as both a compliment and a criticism, because there is just SO MUCH happening in this story it’s hard to tell what to focus on. DC has made it clear that each of the 3 ongoing titles is focused on Superman’s past, present, and future, and this one is definitely setting up a lot in the present. But an entire third of the issue is Superman’s origin story retold, which feels excessive. I get that it’s a new #1 (and that I’m a seasoned Superman reader), but if DC wanted to retell that story, why not do it in the Summer Special from last month instead of eating up pages in a new series with a new writer?

Additionally, the story itself feels disjointed, the entire issue feels like a jerky carnival ride – which is an apt comparison because there’s also a LOT of fun stuff in here. Writer Dan Slott writes some moments incredibly well, and he definitely has some insights into these characters. But it’s whiplashed by moments of grandiose, dramatic wording that come out of nowhere, and what seems to be at least 3 different stories, plus an origin issue, all smushed together into one issue. I WANT to like it, and I think there’s some good stuff here. But I can’t seem to figure out what the story is supposed to be, so it’s hard to know if the good stuff is the byproduct or the point. And for a brand-new series (and a longtime reader), that’s not a good place to start off.

Rafael Albuquerque’s art in this issue is good, but it doesn’t take my breath away. There’s some panels that really make you wonder if he was rushing, but there are also others that are really nicely done (Krypto is adorable). It’s a bit chaotic, but it’s not overly distracting. I just wish it (and the story) was cleaner.

(7/10) Superman Unlimited #1 certainly has potential and I want to see if some of the problems I see can be worked out. But I also have concerns, and given how it turned out the last time a major Marvel player came over to DC, I worry that we’re not starting off strong enough.