Review: Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #1
March 10, 2010
“Part One: Invaded”
Brainiac is back: his scary spaceship-head-o-doom hovers ominously over New Krypton and the inhabitants on the streets are under attack from the waves of terminator-drones. The Kryptonians are making a better show of defending themselves this time with superpowers, but some are still being killed (and it will get much worse). Zod’s response is immediate and devastating: he attempts to penetrate the ship’s forcefield through brute force by using the “global defense cannons” – without giving anyone enough time to get out of the way. The Kryptonians surrounding the ship are vaporized as everyone watches in horror.
That’s it. Kal-El can no longer work under Zod – he rips off his military uniform to once again become Superman. (He was wearing his Superman costume underneath his skintight uniform? That’s…wow. Superman can do anything!)
Kara fights side by side with her mother briefly, but more drones appear and she sends her mother to safety, to meet with Zod and request protection for the council which is being targeted. (Kara protecting her mom is awesome!) The fight turns nasty, as Supergirl realizes that the terminator-drones have been upgraded with palm-mounted “red sun” beams (gah! there is no such thing as “red sunlight”!) and are therefore able to slaughter superpowered Kryptonians. Kara gets a welcome hand when Superboy, Mon-El, and the group of Legionnaires who have been working undercover in the 21st century (see Adventure Comics #8) show up. Hurrah!
Zod is totally uninterested in their help, of course. He not so subtlely insults Mon-El (Superman’s “spy”) and Superboy (“Commander El’s clone) – anyone associated with Superman is a “terrorist” in his eyes. Kara vouches for Superboy, not getting Zod’s hostility when he says she and Kal-El are “thick as thieves”. Superboy is touched when Supergirl refers to him as her cousin – it’s nice to see Kara thinking of Connor as family.
Zod sends Supergirl off to fight the Brainiac drones and Mon-El joins her. The moment they’re gone, Zod orders his guards to arrest the Legionnaires. Ooooh!
Meanwhile, Superman has found a way to slip through Brainiac’s forcefield, but of course Brainiac is waiting for him. Along with Lex Luthor. Dun dun DUH!