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3.37 AVERAGE
3.37 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Summary
On the outside, Clark is a typical teenager in a small town. He used to be a star on the football team but dropping the sport made him a traitor to his former teammates, which hasn't helped his social life. What no one knows is that he has abilities even he doesn't understand. Abilities that made it necessary to quit football before his skill made people ask questions ... or led to him accidentally hurting someone. But when big corporate comes to town and migrant residents begin to go missing, Clark may have a compelling reason to put his abilities to use. The string of sinister events may lead him to learning more about himself than he bargained for.
My Thoughts
Unfortunately, this book didn't hold my attention well, causing it to take a LONG time to finish it. I kept forgetting about it. However, if I was part of the intended middle grade audience, I think I would have been much more engaged. As an adult reader, there was too much explained and not enough revealed (if that makes sense). There was also some minor swearing, which I don't typically expect in a middle grade books.
On the plus side, it was a fun take on Superman's origin story and the sympathetic angle to migrants was an interesting and welcome twist as well.
On the outside, Clark is a typical teenager in a small town. He used to be a star on the football team but dropping the sport made him a traitor to his former teammates, which hasn't helped his social life. What no one knows is that he has abilities even he doesn't understand. Abilities that made it necessary to quit football before his skill made people ask questions ... or led to him accidentally hurting someone. But when big corporate comes to town and migrant residents begin to go missing, Clark may have a compelling reason to put his abilities to use. The string of sinister events may lead him to learning more about himself than he bargained for.
My Thoughts
Unfortunately, this book didn't hold my attention well, causing it to take a LONG time to finish it. I kept forgetting about it. However, if I was part of the intended middle grade audience, I think I would have been much more engaged. As an adult reader, there was too much explained and not enough revealed (if that makes sense). There was also some minor swearing, which I don't typically expect in a middle grade books.
On the plus side, it was a fun take on Superman's origin story and the sympathetic angle to migrants was an interesting and welcome twist as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Kidnapping
Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing
1,5 stars
Superman: Dawnbreaker is the most disappointing read in the DC Icons series.
The characters are so bland. Clark is perfect, righteous and feels guilty about everything that he can't control and that's what Superman is all about. However, what makes Superman interesting is how he deals with the burden of his powers and his responsibility. I expected Superman: Dawnbreaker to deal with Clark figuring out who he is and dealing with his new found powers and added responsibilities, but he remains extremely underdeveloped. I was expecting Superman: Dawnbreaker to have a vibe similar to Smallville (one of my favourite TV series) where Clark has the potential to be Superman but he's still a relatable and imperfect teenager.
The secondary characters which consists of Lana, Gloria, Bryan, Lex and a bunch of random football players are also bland and underdeveloped. The secondary characters and the villains could have been replaced with cardboard cut-outs of themselves and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. The dialogue between the secondary characters is also cringy.
The plot revolves around current issues, mainly immigration and racism, but these issues are not fully unpacked and feel forced and out of place in Superman: Dawnbreaker.
Too much is going on at the same time in Superman: Dawnbreaker. There's Clark trying to deal with his new found powers, immigration and racism, people going missing, Mankins Corporation, weird science and military-like activity and a romance that has no chemistry. Superman: Dawnbreaker tries to achieve too much and fails.
Superman: Dawnbreaker is predictable and unsurprising. I knew exactly where the story was going and the plot twists are visible from miles away. I don't mind a predictable plot if I'm enjoying the book and I love the characters, but Superman: Dawnbreaker contains neither of those aspects.
Superman: Dawnbreaker isn't terrible, but it's extremely boring. I could have stopped reading at any point and I would be totally okay not knowing how Superman: Dawnbreaker ends. It's a good thing that I read this book during hell week because it's so putdownable.
"He could never turn back. Not now that he knew the truth."
Superman: Dawnbreaker is the most disappointing read in the DC Icons series.
The characters are so bland. Clark is perfect, righteous and feels guilty about everything that he can't control and that's what Superman is all about. However, what makes Superman interesting is how he deals with the burden of his powers and his responsibility. I expected Superman: Dawnbreaker to deal with Clark figuring out who he is and dealing with his new found powers and added responsibilities, but he remains extremely underdeveloped. I was expecting Superman: Dawnbreaker to have a vibe similar to Smallville (one of my favourite TV series) where Clark has the potential to be Superman but he's still a relatable and imperfect teenager.
The secondary characters which consists of Lana, Gloria, Bryan, Lex and a bunch of random football players are also bland and underdeveloped. The secondary characters and the villains could have been replaced with cardboard cut-outs of themselves and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. The dialogue between the secondary characters is also cringy.
The plot revolves around current issues, mainly immigration and racism, but these issues are not fully unpacked and feel forced and out of place in Superman: Dawnbreaker.
Too much is going on at the same time in Superman: Dawnbreaker. There's Clark trying to deal with his new found powers, immigration and racism, people going missing, Mankins Corporation, weird science and military-like activity and a romance that has no chemistry. Superman: Dawnbreaker tries to achieve too much and fails.
Superman: Dawnbreaker is predictable and unsurprising. I knew exactly where the story was going and the plot twists are visible from miles away. I don't mind a predictable plot if I'm enjoying the book and I love the characters, but Superman: Dawnbreaker contains neither of those aspects.
Superman: Dawnbreaker isn't terrible, but it's extremely boring. I could have stopped reading at any point and I would be totally okay not knowing how Superman: Dawnbreaker ends. It's a good thing that I read this book during hell week because it's so putdownable.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A young Clark Kent is just trying to get through high school when strange people turn up in Smallville looking to buy the Kent farm.
Who are they and why are they so interested?
When trying to find out, Clark discovers he has weird abilities and the truth about where he came from.
Out of all the D.C. icons books, this was probably my least favourite as I found it to be really slow in places. I liked that Clark develops friendships and that his friendship with Lana Lang never faltered. It did read like a teen drama which was both good and bad.
Having Lex there as a friend of Clark didn’t feel right and I think this is why I dropped a star as he disappears later on.
It was good, and once Clark started using his powers I got more into the book.
I can definitely see the influences from the Smallville TV show rather than the comics.
3/5 stars.
Was just very slow moving.
Who are they and why are they so interested?
When trying to find out, Clark discovers he has weird abilities and the truth about where he came from.
Out of all the D.C. icons books, this was probably my least favourite as I found it to be really slow in places. I liked that Clark develops friendships and that his friendship with Lana Lang never faltered. It did read like a teen drama which was both good and bad.
Having Lex there as a friend of Clark didn’t feel right and I think this is why I dropped a star as he disappears later on.
It was good, and once Clark started using his powers I got more into the book.
I can definitely see the influences from the Smallville TV show rather than the comics.
3/5 stars.
Was just very slow moving.
3.5 stars. I liked how the issues surrounding immigration were tied to Clark's discovery about his origins.
Superman Dawnbreaker was well written and has an engaging storyline. It takes a little while to settle into but once the action starts, you don’t want to put it down. The language makes it easy to read and follow. IMatt DeLa Peña doesn’t follow exactly the typical “Superman” storyline but certainly lives up to his ideals. The book also feels all too relatable to what’s happening in the American society today.
All in all a good read.
All in all a good read.
Honestly I was the most skeptical about this book. Of the other 3 in the DC Icons this was the one I knew the least about. I had never read anything by this author (that's going to change fyi) and Superman is just a school boy in every sense. But oh my smol boi Clark.
To address something everyone else seems to be saying that Clark is "Too Perfect" hello do none of you know anything about comics? Superman is too perfect he is the OG over powered super. Does it make it a little harder to connect with him a tad. But we have Lana and Gloria to make up for that.
I just really enjoyed this book. He give Clark the young adults narrative where he is just coming in to his powers and seeing the world. Personal I enjoyed seeing him like this and having a valid existential crisis.
To address something everyone else seems to be saying that Clark is "Too Perfect" hello do none of you know anything about comics? Superman is too perfect he is the OG over powered super. Does it make it a little harder to connect with him a tad. But we have Lana and Gloria to make up for that.
I just really enjoyed this book. He give Clark the young adults narrative where he is just coming in to his powers and seeing the world. Personal I enjoyed seeing him like this and having a valid existential crisis.
Another great addition to the DC Icons series.
In this one we are introduced to Clark who is slowly coming to understand what and why he has powers. He is a young man who cares for people and doesn't understand what is happening to him. It takes people disappearing from his town for him to realise his full potential and learn what it is to be Superman.
At the same time, he has normal teenage issues with best friends, the football team and a potential girlfriend. Add to that, he finds that his parents aren't his parents and that he comes from another planet and there is so much more chaos added to his life.
Matt has introduced us to a Superman that is so much more relatable than we are used to and I believe it is because he has gotten into the mindset of a young Superman just on the brink of discovering his sense of self.
In this one we are introduced to Clark who is slowly coming to understand what and why he has powers. He is a young man who cares for people and doesn't understand what is happening to him. It takes people disappearing from his town for him to realise his full potential and learn what it is to be Superman.
At the same time, he has normal teenage issues with best friends, the football team and a potential girlfriend. Add to that, he finds that his parents aren't his parents and that he comes from another planet and there is so much more chaos added to his life.
Matt has introduced us to a Superman that is so much more relatable than we are used to and I believe it is because he has gotten into the mindset of a young Superman just on the brink of discovering his sense of self.
This is the fourth book in the DC Icons series with each of the books being standalone novels. This book is a reimagining of Superman, who is one of my favorite super-heroes, so I was really looking forward to reading this.
Superman: Dawnbreaker follows a young Clark Kent who's still living at home with his parents and struggling to keep his powers a secret. There are three main streams of intrigue in the story: 1) certain people are fighting to pass a law that would allow police to pull over anyone at any time to verify their immigration status, 2) a large corporation is buying up land around town and 3) people, mostly Mexican men, from Smallville and surrounding cities are disappearing without a trace. Clark also discovers strange men on the Kent farm trying to break into the barn which Clark's father keeps locked, leading to some interesting questions and subsequent revelations.
So once people begin disappearing, Clark along with his best friend Lana Lang take it upon themselves to investigate and get to the bottom of the town's mysteries. In the process, they encounter deadly foes and meet people who are not as they seem. When danger strikes, Clark needs to decide whether to keep his superpowers a secret or risk exposure to save the town.
Given that the story takes place on the Kent farm while Clark was still in high school, the book has a "Smallville" vibe to it and reminded me of the television show. But regardless, the author did manage to give Clark Kent/Superman a new spin in this modernized retelling set in 2019. The story mainly focuses on immigration and racial issues, which the author blended into Clark's story. I also thought the topic of immigration/illegal aliens in light of Clark being an alien from another planet was clever.
As an origin story, it was fun seeing Clark learn about his past and what he is capable of. I enjoyed watching him as he came into his powers and ultimately accepting who he is.
The story definitely got better during the last 25% of the book. I thought the beginning was boring as not a whole lot happened during the first part of the book. The story is also incredibly political which many people might find preachy or at the very least polarizing.
With its weaving in the theme of racism and immigration into the Superman origin story, the book felt a tad over ambitious and forced to me. I ended up feeling mostly underwhelmed by the end; I guess I was just hoping for a little bit more from a Superman origin story. The book never really explored the personality of Clark Kent and what he is all about, so his character ended up falling a bit flat for me.
Now I didn't dislike the book; it was an okay read. I just didn't love it as much as I had hoped and I ended up giving it 3 stars.
Superman: Dawnbreaker follows a young Clark Kent who's still living at home with his parents and struggling to keep his powers a secret. There are three main streams of intrigue in the story: 1) certain people are fighting to pass a law that would allow police to pull over anyone at any time to verify their immigration status, 2) a large corporation is buying up land around town and 3) people, mostly Mexican men, from Smallville and surrounding cities are disappearing without a trace. Clark also discovers strange men on the Kent farm trying to break into the barn which Clark's father keeps locked, leading to some interesting questions and subsequent revelations.
So once people begin disappearing, Clark along with his best friend Lana Lang take it upon themselves to investigate and get to the bottom of the town's mysteries. In the process, they encounter deadly foes and meet people who are not as they seem. When danger strikes, Clark needs to decide whether to keep his superpowers a secret or risk exposure to save the town.
Given that the story takes place on the Kent farm while Clark was still in high school, the book has a "Smallville" vibe to it and reminded me of the television show. But regardless, the author did manage to give Clark Kent/Superman a new spin in this modernized retelling set in 2019. The story mainly focuses on immigration and racial issues, which the author blended into Clark's story. I also thought the topic of immigration/illegal aliens in light of Clark being an alien from another planet was clever.
As an origin story, it was fun seeing Clark learn about his past and what he is capable of. I enjoyed watching him as he came into his powers and ultimately accepting who he is.
The story definitely got better during the last 25% of the book. I thought the beginning was boring as not a whole lot happened during the first part of the book. The story is also incredibly political which many people might find preachy or at the very least polarizing.
With its weaving in the theme of racism and immigration into the Superman origin story, the book felt a tad over ambitious and forced to me. I ended up feeling mostly underwhelmed by the end; I guess I was just hoping for a little bit more from a Superman origin story. The book never really explored the personality of Clark Kent and what he is all about, so his character ended up falling a bit flat for me.
Now I didn't dislike the book; it was an okay read. I just didn't love it as much as I had hoped and I ended up giving it 3 stars.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A