Pop! Goes the Icon

So I finally received the copy of the Superman: Camelot Falls hardcover I won by knockout from Bahlactus in the mail yesterday. Instead of doing something more productive like studying for grad classes or working out tonight, I decided to read the collection by Kurt Busiek, Carlos Pacheco and Jesus Merino.

I’ll have to say that overall, I was pleased with the story, though as I hate to review anything (concerts, CDs, films, comic books …), I’ll simply link to a decent review here. Pacheco’s art is bold and pops off the page as always, and Busiek explores both the mundane and cosmic implications of superheroing as only he can do — though I will say, as expected from the creator of Astro City and Marvels, the more “everyday,” city-level scenes are handled with much more flair by the writer.

It was good to read a Superman story, especially for someone who hasn’t bought a Superman comic since the early 1990s, that maintains a continuity I recognize: references to John Byrne’s revised ’80s origin, Intergang criminal activities, connections to the updated Superman: Birthright origin. And Busiek, for the first part of this book, at least, writes Superman as he should be: both smart and powerful, tempering his mighty powers with careful strategism — and yet, Kal-El’s limits are shown, both in the midst of battle and in his role as Clark Kent.

That is, of course, until the end, when ageless Atlantean pretty-boy Arion makes the Big Red S feel like a Class A chump, calling him all sorts of nasty names and blaming him for the downfall of the planet. And at that point, you see echoes of Batman’s earliest interactions with Superman (at least, in the modern continuity), where Kent’s alter-ego is made to feel terribly stupid to both himself and us readers by the Dark Knight.

However, I got to the end of the book, with Arion’s ominous declaration that in order for the world to survive its impending doom, Superman and his ilk must stop trying so hard to avoid the apocalypse, I was severely let down. Why? I JUST THEN REALIZED THERE IS A SECOND “BOOK” TO THIS STORY!!

Arrgh!

I checked DC Comics’ website, and it looks like, coincidentally, Vol. 2 of Camelot Falls is coming out today in hardcover. Go figure. Is it worth spending $20 on? Well, I sure want to read the conclusion of the story, and to buy all five original issues would cost more than that anyway. I don’t suppose DC just wants to send it to me to review, DO YA DC?

Didn’t think so.

But what WILL I be buying this week? Captain America No. 35, of course. X-Men Legacy No. 208. And possibly Kick-Ass No. 1, because, well, with a title like that (and art by John Romita, Jr.!), how can you go wrong? And a little part of me wants to pick up All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder No. 9, just because I goddamn can.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Pay attention! If you’re a regular Pop! Goes the Icon reader, you’ll be here anyway. If you’re a newbie, bookmark, subscribe, whatever, because we’re going to start GIVING AWAY COMICS right here! I’m going to start running a weekly contest with free comics as the prize, and we’re going to start this week. Trick is, you have to come back to find out how, what and why. Suckers.