SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #2 [Review]: Melting the Man of Steel!

In more ways than one.

You see, Superman has been everywhere lately. Released on Blu Ray just a couple days ago. Feeling superiorly Unchained with Scott Snyder and Jim Lee. Playing the lead in the Injustice video game. Bickering bromance with his buddy Bruce and a batch of toy clones. Slaughtered by the hands of Ultraman. Saving Gotham in the recent Zero Year issue of Action Comics…only before he — presumably, too — goes on to destroy said town in the Batfleck’d sequel to Man of Steel.

I like when Thor plays our favorite song.

Is Red & Blue the New Black? If not for nothing, DC is trying really hard to push the farmboy back into the lead. What Superman does have at the current moment over his slightly more popular World’s Finest teammate, however, is an interesting romantic scenario: an ongoing title with his own girlfriend! Call the Superman/Wonder Woman comic pure competitive drive, an urge to impress, sand to the beach, shitting where you eat, or plain-out.. this Diana Prince warrior goddess woman is hot, man! Either way, I’d argue Superman has a tougher task at hand trying to fend for both the livelihood of his New Girl and the good of the world (or Themyscira). It’s one thing to keep tabs on a news reporter who’s holding down her hustle in a cubicle; but, try worrying about a gal whose Wednesdays consist of tripping over Doomsday. Thought so.

“I’ve never been hit that hard, Clark.”

Oh, that first real argument is going to be something.

If I couldd flyyy onnn waterrrr…I could findd sommme wayyyy…

As for right now, Superman/Wonder Woman are spring chickens, and is the hottest piece of superhuman romance you’ll find at your LCS. Even that notion is bound to clash with the respective nature of their origins. Charles Soule (Swamp Thing, Thunderbolts, Red Lanterns) has the job of scripting two dynamics: keeping the action in this action comic flowing with fists of fury, and slowing down the panels enough for the more tender, touching moments. Literally. And, who knows how long those bits will last? As if Clark wasn’t already melting at the heels of the latest babe in his life, here comes her brother.. why, the God of the Sun, of course.

“You don’t know very much about me, do you?”

While that very quip aims at the never-more-than-naive Ruler of Mount Olympus, it could just the same provide a subtle message to comic fans who’ve been exposed one too many Dark Knights. It helps that Soule’s humorous bits following the “fight” make the family matters all the more worth it, albeit abruptly, seeing how Apollo’s creed is nowhere near enough to protect the sake of his sister-god. And that particular way Clark deals with these gods is as comical as the first time you witnessed our Smallville with humans. Just wait ’til this new dynamic duo goes public.

Artist Tony Daniel also continues his good streak of superb Superman art from the brief run on Action with Andy Diggle, laying out a wondrous array of oceans, volcanoes, and deserts. Nothing is ever too small in this book about a relationship between a Super Man and a Wonder Woman, so you can thank Daniel for widening the scope and conveying the correct emotional beats. In addition to what is deemed as some of his finest work to date, Superman/Wonder Woman #2‘s final page delivers an interesting new costume design to one of Supes’ most famous rogues, to boot.

In all, Superman/Wonder Woman #2 might be a symbol of hope that this comic can give that other Big Blue Boy Scout team-up a run for its money. Soule and Daniel do more than just make them the greatest mixed tag-team in the world; the creators use this seemingly beautiful relationship to further humanize characters that have always been known to be “bigger than life.” With rumors of his current comic babe hitting the big screen in 2015, there’s no better time than now to be a fan of Superman…even if his latest ventures lately have been harder to track than a lone Wolverine.

4 (out of 5) Bibles.

• Oh, I’m not done yet. You didn’t think with the rise of the new hit Thor: The Dark World movie I was going to leave the newest issue of Thor: God of Thunder alone, did ya? Issue #15 delivers more of Malekith the Accursed, in far more sadistic ways than even the movie can recount. No longer does the Dark Elf depend on any demonic brethren, as writer Jason Aaron’s version of the villain offers more quips, and, perhaps, a bigger resemblance to the Witcher. While I enjoyed Malekith‘s Vaderesque moments of monotone destruction in the film, Aaron gives the comic a frontman who can talk the talk with Thor (“What next? A well-dressed dwarf? An intelligent human?”) and match the Odinson’s League of Realms with his own titanious troupe. God of Thunder #15 is also one hell of a fantastic-looking comic, as Ive Svorcina’s wide and bright palette no doubtly matches the spectacle of penciler Ron Garney’s massive matter at hand. While “The Accursed” arc started off a tad slow in comparison to the previous “God Bomb,” maybe the creators’ own screening of the film has inspired some much needed unrest to the title. Luckily for us, this Thor comic has flying sabretooth tigers, befallen bow-and-arrow giants, and plenty of MEAD. 4.5/5 Bibles.

Do you wanna ride in the backseat of my Batty?

• One of my favorite panels at New York Comic-Con last month was the featured plans of Zero Year. With Batman #25, a lot of those same hints, Greg Capullo preview panels and notorious Scott Snyder spoilers are now coming to fruition. “Dark City” has everything from GCPD zeppelin blimpies from “Batman: The Animated Series” to an all-new flying BatRODmobile. Not only is Capullo great at sketching a comic that meshes the poppiness of the cartoon with the wounded grittiness of the films, he always seems to find the right angle at the right time. Stiff, this is not. The artist also captures the horror of a blacked-out Gotham City, with madness on the metro and scientists shifted to shrubbery. Although the book feels a bit short for $4.99 — even with the mini-origin tale of Harper Row and brother Cullen adding a few pages in the rear — Poison Ivy’s presence, Nygma‘s continued riddles (cool seeing the infamous questionmarked villain referred to his last name ala Arkham Origins), and the final shock reveal all make the price worth it. And that’s one hell of a beautiful bat-armored cover, too. 4/5 Bibles.