Neal Adams is back, for a six issue series, this time turning his gaze upon the Last (?) Son of Krypton, and ancient Egypt. Naturally. Let us join hands, and make the leap past the jump in a single bound.

Superman: The Coming Of The Supermen #1
Story/Art: Neal Adams
Words: Neal Adams and Tony Bedard
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Assistant Editor: Andrew Marino
Group Editor: Eddie Berganza

It’s been a few years since the absolute bat-shit insanity that was Batman: Odyssey and when I saw the solicits for this book, I had the same reaction I’m sure many people did, “Sweet Jumpin’ Jesus! Neal Adams is doing a Superman book! Sign me up, NOW!” And then I almost forgot about it. But I picked it up awhile ago and finally had some time to sit down and crack it open.

Like Odyssey this book is outside of continuity and Adams is set free to do what he wants. But instead of, I don’t know, Man-Bats, wizards, dinosaurs, and shirtless, hairy chested Batman homoerotic, banana eating, hollow Earth craziness, this book seems it will be going in a New Gods, ancient Egypt, new Kryptonian direction. I’m in.

The story opens with three men, dressed in pretty close to classic Superman costumes arriving on Earth, at the same as a Boom Tube opens in Metropolis, bringing parademons and Kalibak to Earth to attack Lexcorp.

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Superman though, is in the Middle East, involved with saving a family from some sort of conflict, and befriending a young boy named Rafi and his dog. Oh, and some sort of green, winged man with time manipulation powers. Or something, he isn’t named this issue.

Superman returns to Metropolis, with Rafi, and enters the fray, turning back Kalibak and the Parademons, and for some reason avoiding the other Supermen. He sees the winged man again and they mentally, travel through time to ancient Egypt. Here we get the big reveal of the issue so consider this a SPOILER WARNING. The pyramids were built by Darkseid’s Dad.

There we go. That’s what I’m looking for.

The book moves fast, sets up a few mysteries, and ends on sort of a cliffhanger. And it being Neal Adams, means it is beautiful. Although there is still something I find just a bit off about modern coloring techniques with such a classic art style. That’s not at all a knock on Alex Sinclair, just a preference on my part.

Anyway, I’m all over this book for the next 5 issues, if for nothing else than the art, and pure curiosity to see where it goes.

-Kris