It’s certainly an engaging read and a joy to look at. This issue solidifies a unique take on Clark Kent. He is unsure of himself, his mission, and his place in the world. He remains so even after having been at it for a decade. The more he doubts though, the more he digs deeper into his humanity. He connects with people, falls in love, gets married, has a kid. This is contrasted with Bruce Wayne, who also has his doubts, but gets more nihilistic as we progress, blowing up his own tower to rid his company of corruption. The characterizations remind me a bit of Clark & Bruce in the Snyder movies. Far from carbon copies, but there are some similarities in characterization.
You can also contrast this Clark with the one we currently see in Action Comics. That Clark exudes confidence and charisma, stands in front of the United Nations and addresses the world in an effort to inspire us to be our best selves. This Clark stumbles when Lois or Bruce question his purpose or what he does, repeatedly saying “I saved the Earth from an asteroid”, to a pretty good comedic effect.
Speaking of comedy, it’s there. Present enough to elicit a smile or two, and subtle enough so as not to overpower the narrative. It doesn’t just come from Clark, but from other Justice League members, especially Flash, as they themselves ponder their actions in somewhat dysfunctional team meetings. The story offers something for them to coalesce around though, in the form of the big threat from Brainiac, foreshadowing the even bigger threat of Anti-Monitor.
Mike Allred’s art is great. The whole thing is just beautifully rendered with its bold lines and exquisite colors. Clark flies a lot here, and the gracefulness of his flight is captured in every panel. Bruce does a lot of Batmaning, and those shots really capture the dynamism and action. There’s a couple different designs to Batman’s costume and his Batmobile too, and I like Allred’s takes on ‘em all the same.
This books has had me thinking since I finished it last night, and that’s always a sign of a very well done comic. I have more thoughts, but this post is getting overly long already. I may post again later. To answer the ”is it a modern classic” question though… it could be, depending on where they go with the third act. I do think it will end up deserving to at least be in the conversation, based on the questions it brings to the forefront about Superman, and the fantastic artwork.