The finale to The Man of Steel brings mysteries to a close in a phenomenal way.
Last week was another attempt by the man of steel taking down Rogol Zaar. Unfortunately, as we have seen building up to this, he is incredibly difficult to fight. Their battle leaves Superman badly beaten on the moon with Rogol preparing to destroy Earth. As Supergirl brings him back, we learn through flashback what has happened to Jon and Lois. The machine that appeared in their home a few issues back was Jor-El, offering to teach Jon of the galaxy. The only way to properly get this teaching, however, is to go on a trip around it. Knowing his son and Earth won’t be safe with Rogol Zaar still out there, Superman springs into action. How will the man of steel defeat such a monster?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
Superman finds Rogol Zaar preparing a bomb in the center of the Earth to destroy the planet as he did with Krypton. Superman quickly takes the weapon away from the planet, believing it is his responsibility alone to stop this. Rogol quickly catches up to the man of steel, but before he can set off the bomb, Supergirl comes in to assist. The Kryptonians separate the alien from his weapon, allowing Supergirl a chance to send him into the Phantom Zone. The miniseries ends by answering the question laid out during the build-up, including the fates of Jon and Lois.
While there are some flaws in the plot, I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy. The action is very entertaining, and there is plenty of character moments that will tug at readers’ heartstrings. One moment that is done very well is Superman in the aftermath of the battle. He returns home, goes to Jon’s room and sits there, coming to grips with the fact Rogol destroyed his only way to talk to his family. His family will be back, as we learned in the flashbacks, but it is depressing to see Superman hit this emotional low. The issue also set the stage for the series to come, with the mystery of the Metropolis arsons taking an unexpected turn. As it stands, this issue and the miniseries opened the door for Bendis’ Superman, and I can’t wait to see where we go now.
Art:
Jason Fabok, who has been illustrating the flashbacks of the miniseries, has stepped up for this issue. His artwork makes the story feel cinematic and larger than life, especially with the fight against Rogol. You can feel the intensity with every blow thanks to the fantastic detail in every drawing. Alex Sinclair’s colorwork compliments Fabok’s style masterfully, allowing the world to feel more alive and real. The team went above and beyond to try and deliver an excellent looking finale, and they succeeded.
Conclusion:
While it had its missteps, the finale to the Man of Steel miniseries is a good read overall. It had exciting action, interesting character moments, and sets up the coming series. The art team has stepped up to deliver art to send the miniseries out right. This is a great ending to a fantastic miniseries.
