A review by billyjepma
Superman: Lost by Christopher Priest

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was great; an almost-but-not-quite classic Superman story, at least for me, but still consistently great. Priest and Pagulayan understand that Superman is at his best and most interesting not when he has to fight a powerful enemy, but get out of an impossible situation. When your character is as powerful as a god, it’s not enough to give them a punching bag—if you want real drama, give them a problem only they can solve. While part of me wishes the story in this book was a little tighter in some areas, as Priest introduces quite a few threads that don’t all hit as hard as others, each new element has a purpose and effectively pokes at different parts of Superman’s psyche. The supporting cast is equally as strong, and I like how Priest writes Lois and Luthor. The latter doesn’t come into the story until the latter half, and his presence doesn’t always feel necessary, but he acts as a terrific foil for Lois’ role in the plot, and Priest clearly understands what makes him such a compelling, chilling villain. Some of the other supporting characters are less impressive but no less interesting in the roles they play in Superman’s story. It’s a story of terrific ideas executed really well, and even when the plot gets shaky, there’s enough going on that works to keep it from collapsing. 

Carlo Pagulayan’s artwork is also great, succeeding in the spectacle just as well as the characterizations and expressions. The substitute artists that come in occasionally, especially in the final issues, are fine, but the change in style doesn’t have much narrative purpose and isn’t as seamless as I’d like. It’s unfortunate that the road to the conclusion—where the plot is at its densest and most slippery—is ever-so-slightly affected by artwork that disrupts the momentum. 

But yeah, I liked this a lot. It’s a story occupying a similar space to Tom King’s Up in the Sky, which is exactly where I want my Superman stories to be. The storytelling doesn’t quite stick all its landings, but the emotional, thematic, and dramatic underpinnings are strong enough to make the journey worthwhile. I’ll definitely be adding the collected edition to my shelf.