Rating:  -
A common theme in superhero stories, especially since the advent of angst, is whether or not the protagonist is in fact beneficial for society, or heaven forbid, actually does more harm than good. This self examination and subsequent recriminations is endemic to all heroes, but arguably is most appropriate with Superman. Due to his alien status, he is constantly fighting an emotional and intellectual battle on two fronts, both from within due to his own thoughts and fears of isolation and loneliness, and from without, with Lex Luthor leading the parade with his jingoistic bleatings and obsessive paranoia directed toward him. Kurt Busiek's intricate script explores both areas; the first, involving his personal demons, occurs during an encounter with a fellow alien captured at birth and kept in seclusion for experimentation purposes. In spite of their initial combative predicament, the two form a mutual understanding of their kinship, inspiring Superman to ponder "What if this had happened to me?" The second element, regarding his efficacy or detrimental effect on Earth, is touched on in the last page, where the central theme is finally broached. Indeed this trade unfortunately does end where many begin. The premise that history requires down cycles to insure future prosperous ones, and that Superman is impeding this natural development due to his frequent interventions, is intriguing, although academicians and people who lived through various dark periods of history would probably disagree. The use of flash forward to show a desolate future, with Superman inferred as being the cause, is rather ineffective and overly lengthy; it takes the reader out of the ongoing narrative without laying the foundation or giving us cause for investing emotions into an obvious "what if" scenario. One thing is certain, Kurt definately provides the reader with a wordy script, and kudos to him for producing an enjoyable and thought provoking comic that actually takes more than ten minutes to read.
Rating:  -
I had read this story when it first came out in comics. Arion, Lord of Atlantis shows Superman a nightmare, yet logical future which may come about by his continued interaction; or some might say interference with the affairs of mankind. That one story alone is worth the price of the book and in my opinion is one of the best Superman Stories ever written, which is not to say the rest are shabby.
Pick it up and enjoy a story where the world must struggle to the bitter end without a Superman. Chilling and enjoyable at the same time.
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