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tawfek's review
3.0
by reading superman 24 i finish this volume it was good i liked how they exposed superman's gravest weakness even though they worked around it to get the victory
coolnameguy's review against another edition
2.0
That was disappointing. The last volume's worth had been really great in my opinion. However, this was kinda dumb, and boring, and dumb. It's not terrible, but it was stupid and uninteresting and a big step back.
rhganci's review against another edition
3.0
I was hopeful for this volume, a chance for Superman and his creative teams to get away from this Earth-shaking chaos-filled collapse mania with Helspont and H'el, and for a while, it was headed that way. The story get very character heavy, with some great development of the threads that had been, at best, seeded but not really grown at all. For a long collection (8 issues in this one), things start fast, with a catchy, cold-open hook, and then develop steadily towards a showdown...that doens't end up being much of a showdown after all.
The problem, then, with Superman Vol. 4: Psi War is the Psi War itself.
The redeeming quality of this collection really is in the development of the relationship between Superman and Lois Lane. We know, and Lobdell reminds us, that Lois is in a relationship with a foreign-war correspondent, and of course, Superman is currently involved with Wonder Woman. Both of those relationships factor into some of the collection's best moments, as the characters interact along their lines of altered perception as Hector Hammond, the H.I.V.E. Queen, and a mysterious group called the Twenty. We're not sure what's real and what isn't, and if things are out of joint, we can chalk it up to the mystery of the psionic conflict at hand and wait for the resolution.
Unfortunately, the resolution never comes, and as one state of altered percetption gives rise to another, the arc changes writers, from Scott Lobdell to Mike Johnson. As soon as the Psi War begins in earnest (the last three "climactic" issues of this volume), the story ceases to make a lot of linear, plot-based sense, becomes muddled with too many villains and not enough Superman. He seems a bystander in this massive-threat-to-Metropolis, and the final pages of the colletion, and of the Psi War event, seem like an exploration into an aspect of Superman's character--specifically, his self-concept--that got called off as soon as it got going.
The volume itself isn't the least enjoyable that New 52 has offered up starring the Man of Steel, but it isn't the kind of high-profile, captivating read that DC's flagship character should really be starring in regularly. His own book just hasn't found its legs in the New 52 yet, and with another plot involving the Return of Krypton coming up in August, it stands to reason unless the creative teams can find a way to balance Superman's super powers with his quest to find a place on Earth among humans, his eponymous book will struggle to tell captivating stories. Psi War isn't a must-pass by any means, but it certainly isn't a must read, either.
The problem, then, with Superman Vol. 4: Psi War is the Psi War itself.
The redeeming quality of this collection really is in the development of the relationship between Superman and Lois Lane. We know, and Lobdell reminds us, that Lois is in a relationship with a foreign-war correspondent, and of course, Superman is currently involved with Wonder Woman. Both of those relationships factor into some of the collection's best moments, as the characters interact along their lines of altered perception as Hector Hammond, the H.I.V.E. Queen, and a mysterious group called the Twenty. We're not sure what's real and what isn't, and if things are out of joint, we can chalk it up to the mystery of the psionic conflict at hand and wait for the resolution.
Unfortunately, the resolution never comes, and as one state of altered percetption gives rise to another, the arc changes writers, from Scott Lobdell to Mike Johnson. As soon as the Psi War begins in earnest (the last three "climactic" issues of this volume), the story ceases to make a lot of linear, plot-based sense, becomes muddled with too many villains and not enough Superman. He seems a bystander in this massive-threat-to-Metropolis, and the final pages of the colletion, and of the Psi War event, seem like an exploration into an aspect of Superman's character--specifically, his self-concept--that got called off as soon as it got going.
The volume itself isn't the least enjoyable that New 52 has offered up starring the Man of Steel, but it isn't the kind of high-profile, captivating read that DC's flagship character should really be starring in regularly. His own book just hasn't found its legs in the New 52 yet, and with another plot involving the Return of Krypton coming up in August, it stands to reason unless the creative teams can find a way to balance Superman's super powers with his quest to find a place on Earth among humans, his eponymous book will struggle to tell captivating stories. Psi War isn't a must-pass by any means, but it certainly isn't a must read, either.
sans's review against another edition
3.0
I've decided to just let the weirdness happen in New 52. There's no escaping it and I'm pretty sure everyone was on drugs during those years.
birdmanseven's review against another edition
3.0
None of the New 52 Superman books have really clicked for me, and this was no exception. There were elements I liked, particularly on the Clark Kent side of things, but on the whole it never really took off. Also, Hector Hammond is the worst character ever.
hobbes199's review against another edition
3.0
Theme of brain over brawn done before, but also used well here. Such a shame that the plotting and structure is all over the place. Pointless inclusion of Diana and Orion.
civreader's review against another edition
2.0
Unfortunately, this REALLY didn't do it for me. The artwork is ok, if inconsistent.
As with the first volume of the New 52's SUPERMAN series, I enjoyed the components that looked at the state of the media, and changes in that aspect of the characters' lives was interesting - for example, Clark is now a blogger, after he got fired from the Daily Planet for... well, telling the truth about the evolution of news into infotainment.
Overall, this book felt choppy, barely focused, and tied together rather half-heartedly. I'm not sure I'll be reading any more of the series. At the very least, I'm not going to be rushing to do so. I will, instead, stick to some of the older, self-contained Superman stories.
As with the first volume of the New 52's SUPERMAN series, I enjoyed the components that looked at the state of the media, and changes in that aspect of the characters' lives was interesting - for example, Clark is now a blogger, after he got fired from the Daily Planet for... well, telling the truth about the evolution of news into infotainment.
Overall, this book felt choppy, barely focused, and tied together rather half-heartedly. I'm not sure I'll be reading any more of the series. At the very least, I'm not going to be rushing to do so. I will, instead, stick to some of the older, self-contained Superman stories.
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