Superman killed...again...

I tend to read a lot of graphic novels - just a little more respected term for comic book collections, also known from time to time as trade paperbacks (TPB). I'll read just about anything, including most of the Superman, Batman, and Justice League books at my local library. Just so you know...

Superman's never quite done it for me. He's a little too powerful, a little too unbeatable that when writers try to bring him down to Earth, it rarely seems to work. In this TPB, the artwork shines like few issues do. The people are drawn really well, and the fight scenes seem to leap from the page (sorry, cliche, I know). But the storyline is one that I felt like I'd been dropped into the middle of (something about Clark Kent being demoted to lowly beat reporter), moves along well (Superman fights big, strong guy who seems to be from the future), comes to a head (Superman dies - again - and comes back to life), and then sort of stalls without a resolution (Clark and Lana talk a bunch while he recouperates). It's a problem that I'm finding more and more with recent Superman story lines. They cross back and forth, rarely resolving themselves before some other huge villian comes in an has to fight for a while before disappearing with any sort of difinitive resolution.

Others have been even worse about this without the cool artwork, but the art alone can't save this one. If you know what's been happening with Superman of late (Godfall, etc.), check it out. If not, I'd flip through and look at the pretty pictures.