Publisher: DC
Writer: Max Landis
Artist: Jae Lee
Colourist: June Chung
Editor: Alex Antone
Release Date: OUT NOW!
Price: $3.99

In Superman: American Alien #4 young adult Clark Kent has won a Daily Planet contest and has arrived in Metropolis to claim his prize. However, also in town are a group of power brokers, all his age, including industrialist Oliver Queen, whom Clark met earlier by accident, prodigal son Bruce Wayne, fellow contest winner Lois Lane and future archenemy Lex Luthor.

Ollie gives Clark some good advice: “You can be more than who you are…growing up is…becoming a greater version of yourself.” And that notion sums up Superman: American Alien #4 in a nutshell.

In Superman: American Alien #4, with Oliver Queen’s help, Clark snags an exclusive interview with moneybags Luthor.  Luthor is currently spouting themes like Jung’s man of tomorrow and Randian rational self-interest. Lex Luthor is some latter day super John Galt. “People aren’t important. Not as a whole,” he proclaims. Unwittingly summing himself up.

Superman: American Alien #4 is one of the best Superman stories in a long time and one of the best DC titles currently available. Max Landis’s plot and dialogue skillfully and entertainingly divulge a story with depth and meaning. Jae Lee’s art remains among comic books’ best and together with colourist June Chung every panel is a music piece, ultimately combining to make Superman: American Alien #4 a beautifully played out symphony.

The reader reality of Superman: American Alien #4 is the next issue simply can not come soon enough. And if that is not the hallmark of a good comic book, well, the ed says he’ll eat his red kryptonite.

 

Reviewer: Joe Lovece
Reviews Editor: Steve Hooker