Rating: ****

Wow! Fantastic! For someone who didn’t grow up reading the Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes stories, I have nothing to compare this issue to. However, I must say that this is a great story that I think longtime fans of those stories will agree that it can stand alongside those classic tales. If you didn’t read issue one, first off, go now to your comic store and get it; second, this issue can stand alone as a great story with some amazing art work. The creative team once again is Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. They introduced us to a teenage Clark Kent living in Smallville adjusting to his super powers and discovering where they came from. We’re also introduced to a teenage Lex Luthor who has an abusive, alcoholic father whom Luthor tries kill in the beginning of our second issue.

The issue opens with Lionel Luthor driving down a highway. There is rubble on the road and he tries to swerve and hit the breaks - unfortunately the breaks are out thanks to Lex. Lionel’s car goes over the side of the highway and is about to plunge into the water when Superboy saves the day. A beautifully drawn scene by Frank, but my one complaint is that I think Superboy looks more like a 10 year-old than a teenager in that scene. Lionel survives, but not for long as Luthor is successful in murdering his father at the end of the issue.

As per the original story that was first presented in Adventure Comics, three members of the Legion of Superheroes - Lightening Lad, Cosmic Boy, and Saturn Girl - travel back in time to meet up with a young Superman. Clark is feeling a bit lonely here as knows that he is an alien from another planet and he can not relate to anyone else on Earth. The members of the Legion comfort Superboy by telling him they are all from different planets, too.

They then all take a trip and travel forward in time to Smallville in the 30th century. They battle it out with a group of human supremacists. The Science Police show up, which causes them to leave as the Legion are non-sanctioned heroes. We then meet up with Brainiac 5 and other legion members. Brainiac is angry that Superboy has been brought here, as it could effect the space time continuum.

The Legion return Superboy to the present and debate whether to continue visiting him. They realize it will be difficult, considering they know his future and have to keep from discussing that information. They mention future events like Doomsday, but they also mention some interesting things like the Earth/New Krypton war and the death of Lex Luthor. Now it’s easy to talk about the future and the death of Luthor because he’s human and he will die, but is there something more here? Will the death of Luthor truly be something significant like Superman is responsible for that? Will we ever see that story? The Earth/New Krypton war sound like a teaser to the next DC mega event that Johns will probably be involved in after Blackest Night. 

Superboy returns home to discuss his adventures with Ma and Pa Kent when another spaceship crashes in the Kansas fields - only this time there isn’t a baby on board, but instead a dog! Krypto joins Geoff John’s new origin of Superman. We end with the previously mentioned scene where Luthor finds out his father is dead. Behind closed doors, he laughs with joy and proclaims that today is is last day in Smallville as a book on Metropolis lays on his desk.

Great story. I love the relationship that Geoff is building between Luthor and Clark. Clark just wants to be friends, and Luthor is too narcissistic to accept the hand that Clark is reaching out to him in friendship. I hope Geoff brings the Legion back in the end of this series. He left me wanting more Legion after this. On a side note, does anyone think on the cover of this issue that Saturn Girl looks a lot like Cathy Lee Crosby from That’s Incredible?

When I read old comics from the 40s and 50s, I get a sense of old fashion Americana. I feel that same way when I read Geoff Johns’ Superman. It’s good old fashion American storytelling. The next issue will feature Metropolis. The next issue’s cover features Clark Kent and the Daily Planet staff, so we are going to be jumping a head a bit. That’s disappointing because I would prefer more Superboy than Superman. Is it out of the question to have Geoff Johns return to Superman’s days in Smallville? I would love it. See you soon!