COMIC BOOK REVIEW
DC Elseworlds
Superman: Last Son of Earth
By Munawar Mobin
Superman's Elseworlds seem to be the finest (subjectively, of course) and thus the incessant amount of reviews concerning our not-so-red-underwear-anymore superhero. No apologies though. Superman's cool.
This Elseworld, written by Steve Garber and penned by Doug Wheatley, comes in two issues. The story makes for an interesting read with the basic backdrop of the trademark Elseworld twist, i.e. Superman's origin is completely reversed.
Superman's human parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, move out of Smallville and into Metropolis, with Jonathan becoming a famous meteorologist. The panels start with Martha bursting into Kent's office and announcing her pregnancy. What follows is the face of Jonathan as he is horrified and shocked and then tells us why: the world's going to get blown up. A giant meteorite is about to hit earth in just about nine month's time (see what they did there?).
The inevitable happens: Earth gets crushed by said meteorite, but just before it happens, Kent liquidises all his assets and uses all his money to make a spaceship for little Clark Kent, just a new born at the time. The ship takes off, crashes into Krypton where Jor-El finds the human and takes him into his home. Surprisingly, Clark doesn't have any powers on Krypton and spends six years living in a bubble (literally) so that his body can adjust to the atmospheric change. When he's out, he's so weak that he requires an exoskeleton to function properly. Things really start spinning when he learns about his actual home and - with some messed up luck - finds Krypton's Green Lantern and Ring. He eventually finds his way to Earth to discover survivors of the apocalypse, now under Lex Luthor's reign. You can tell what happens in the end.
There are three reasons why you should want to read this comic. Firstly, since Krypton doesn't suffer from destruction, they turn out to have their own battles and wars and, as a result, grow out to be a society that lives in fear of everything, which ironically makes sense. The second thing is how comic book writers love to make Hitler references. Lex Luthor has a Hitler like ambition in this book, something one isn't allowed to miss. The constant World War II references with these Elseworld comics are something this writer has grown quite fond of.
And thirdly, you get to watch Superman use the GL ring. He has a cool blue and white suit too. Highly recommended that you get yourself a copy soon!
Last week we had Flies. This time quiet a few good stories turned up, but this one for its enigmatic nature stood out. For next week, our topic will be: In through the window. Submissions need to be sent to ds.risingstars@gmail.com by Sunday noon. Word limit: 350-500 words. Good luck......................................................................................................................................................
It Flies
By Tanzia Tasnim Usha
"It flies!" said the man. I was renewing the legal documents for this old client. He was a man not more than 46 years old and by then I had learned to ignore half the stuff he said. But that single statement grabbed my attention. The man was suffering from amnesia. But the way he said it somehow stood out from his usual rants.
"It flies! For heaven's sake come take a look at it!" he said it eagerly. He grabbed my hand and forced me to run with him to the garden. He looked up at the blank sky as if his naked eyes were trying to pierce through the sky to unlock the secrets within them. "What is it?" I asked curiously. "Shh. Look, all around us. It's flying. Oh, Joy! Can't you see it? Look at it! It flies!" The more excited he got, the more uncomfortable I felt. I was feeling an urgent need to call the ambulance and take him to the hospital. I looked at the man with pity. The man kept saying "It flies!" He was laughing when suddenly he put his hands on his chest and fell down gasping. I ran for the phone and called the ambulance immediately.
The man was staring at me through the glass walls. I had talked to the doctor - it was a simple stroke he suffered. He looked up at the ceiling with an awed expression. As I entered the room, he got excited again and said, "You didn't tell him, did you?" He was desperate for an answer. "No. They wouldn't have believed you. Would they?"
The man seemed to ease a bit. But still he looked tired and a little haunted. "I promise I saw it. It was flying. It is not a thing, it shines - it - it is light. A light which calls people to walk down to their death. I tried my best to stay away from that book. But I couldn't help it. You see, I accidentally read the book. And then I started seeing things which was absurd to the human world. I am not mad, I would show it if I oh, if only you could see it. I have figured it out. When a person is about to die, it flies. It flies around them, as it is now." I looked at the yellow pallor of the man, frustration and unease gnawing at me. "Look, you are okay. Nothing has happened! You will be fine."
"It's too late. Remember Joy, not every book is meant to be read." There was a curious twist in his face. Then the monitor overhead registered a flat line. He was dead. I stood there and thought about the death and visions. Did the light in the room glow a little brighter or was it just my imagination?
