It’s not often that indie comic creators get to stab with two big heroes like Superman, but that’s exactly what W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo do on the Cryptonite Spectrum, the Superman. The new DC Black Label series is an off-beat, out-of-box creative team (look at Ice Cream Man) and suggests there are even more varieties of Kryptonite, but what are they doing? That’s a big question that Superman and Batman understand in a healthy and creative first problem.
Soon, Superman: Kryptonite Spectrum #1 is very new leader friendly. The first two pages summarize the origins of Superman and the concepts of multiple kryptonite types. There are four known colors that affect Superman in many ways, but Superman and his trustworthy Solitary Robot fortress fight the asteroids in an entirely new spectrum. To crack the mystery behind each, Superman enlists Batman to help him.
Pacing in this opener is a special issue, accidentally even and takes aggressive time. For example, you stay with Batman fighting Professor Pyg and see him fight Superman on the page and talk. After establishing the reason Batman needs, he is the greatest detective after all, and once you set up Lex Luthor, the test must progress. The first color of the kryptonite? Purple!
Batman always makes calls while fighting!
Credit: DC Comics
It’s not too much of a spoiler to reveal that the first Cryptonite fragments influence Superman’s notion of time. More specifically, he looks at the future in turn, but he sees it now. This specifically deals with the battle with Grandi. It’s also difficult to pull off the beautiful concepts that Prince and Morazzo do.
Starting with a calendar where dates are all mixed together, the creative team sprinkles future beats on panels and dialogues, eventually showing the battles that sequence between panels. In the end, all these panels will return in the right order on one page. This quickly retains the beauty of the comic’s sequential storytelling and serves as a victory moment as Superman gets all these memories in the right order.
If I were to describe writing and art in a word, it was robust. Morazzo adds fine details to the outfit, face and background, reminding readers of his candid cute style, but everything about himself. Prince, meanwhile, makes this world feel bigger with his important scenes with Jimmy Olsen and Lois. Rex also has a support cast, but he’s a sad worker who is awkward and sad. It all reads in a very lively and natural way.
The dialogue is strong, each character has a good voice and lettering to back it up with good old neon. Prince sometimes evokes All-Star Superman, so I thought I might be reading Grant Morrison’s dialogue.
Chris O’Haloran’s colour is also lively, especially with Superman’s skin, and is alive and warm. The entire scene is coloured in a variety of ways that will help you track the transition as the plot progresses.
Superman: Cryptonite Spectrum #1 is the clever, warm and visually original debut of Superman, while also experiencing a new imaginative mystery to readers. W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo Channel guide the mind and wonder of an All-Star Superman while offering concepts that celebrate the unique possibilities of comic book storytelling.
“Superman: Cryptonite Spectrum” #1 is smart and warm
Superman: Cryptonite Spectrum #1
Superman: Cryptonite Spectrum #1 is the clever, warm and visually original debut of Superman, while also experiencing a new imaginative mystery to readers. W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo Channel guide the mind and wonder of an All-Star Superman while offering concepts that celebrate the unique possibilities of comic book storytelling.
Ingenious use of the Kryptonite concept with fresh mystery hooks
A clever time-splitting sequence that introduces sequential storytelling
A powerful, in-letter dialogue with a warm, live feel
Even pacing may feel a bit slow for readers looking for high octane actions
The first issue focuses on setup and leaves tension in later installments
