Review: SUPERMAN: UP IN THE SKY #2

Decisions. From tripping while running away, to investigating creepy sounds in dark places, When a killer is hot on your heels or a ghost has materialized out of nowhere, the stress and adrenaline hit alone are probably enough to turn the mind to pudding. But we don’t expect that to happen to Superman. In SUPERMAN: UP IN THE SKY Tom King begs to differ. These stories by Tom King with art by Andy Kubert were originally published in SUPERMAN GIANT #3 and #4.

In the previous issue of SUPERMAN: UP IN THE SKY #1 a young girl recounted to Superman about how her foster sister was kidnapped by some form of spaceman in front of her own eyes. Green Lantern was able to track an energy signature called Zeta beam related to the spaceman to a far-away planet of a Rann which turned out to be counterfeit. The technology to counterfeit the Zeta Beam can be traced to an Inter- galaxy trafficking ring but, he has too many responsibilities on earth to just go off Galaxy hopping without a solid lead. Superman is hooked up to the computer that tracks the forensic data for the Zeta Beam and finds out that not only was the girls taken to the Bode’s galaxy (Possibly the Bodace galaxy from Superman vs Muhammed Ali #0). What’s even more important to him, is the fact that the girl is hold out hope that he will come save her.

In the current issue of SUPERMAN: UP IN THE SKY #2, the hunt for Alice is still on but the path goes though Mighto. Mighto has new information on the child, and will only give it up if Superman can beat him in a boxing match. Who’s Mighto you might ask? Mighto is Superman’s adopted brother! 1st appearance in Superboy #108, Mighto and his parents had shown up at Kent farm looking for work. Shortly afterwards, it was found out that Mighto and his parents are aliens banned from their homeworld, Ulbar, for being evil for tyring to take over the planet. They had tried to enact the same plan on Earth but they died in a quicksand bog, and the Kents had adopted their son Mighto but later forgot because they were hypnotized.

In part 4 Superman gets a little closer, to finding the girl but something happened that puts his life in danger as he was left wandering through the oblivion of space. He is picked up by what I am guessing is a Bodacian rescue ship, alive but barely. The healer onboard has the ability to bring him back but it would be at the cost of his own life. It at this point there’s a huge moment of clarity for Superman. Superman is at a loss for what action to take, no matter what he chooses, someone will die can sometimes lead to dire consequences for others, and this case the cost was the life of a first responder.

Andy Kubert delivers some detailed and beautiful art throughout the issue. There is a Frank Miller-ish quality to the art; however I feel cheated on the boxing panels with Mighto. There seems to a lost opportunity to delivers some iconic art here Clayton Cowles’ choices of blending the lettering into the story were interesting, and didn’t always works well and were sometimes confusing. It doesn“t take away from anything happening on the page but sometimes the errant narrator dialogue didn“t really add to the reading experience either.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Writer: Tom King
Penciler: Andy Kubert
Inker: Sandra Hope
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letters: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: August 7th, 2019