Review by Ian Keogh

A second Adventures of Superman collection showcases assorted creators attempting to sum up who Superman is via a single story, except there are only seven contributions this time, five fewer than Volume One.

Bizarro, Brainiac, Darkseid, General Zod, Metallo, Mongul, Toyman… A fair few of Superman’s enemies appear, Luthor only in passing, some with larger roles, and some twice, but none of them as often as Doctor Emil Hamilton from S.T.A.R. Labs. The result is a selection of viable stories, but only a couple that really stand out.

David Lapham (sample art) both writes and draws a tale of a Superman cult whose members test the loyalty of their unwilling leader by jumping off buildings so that he’ll save them. It’s a daft idea, and perhaps not originated entirely seriously, but Lapham doesn’t take the obvious route of ridicule, and instead has Superman attempt to understand the underlying causes. There are a couple of smart moments, especially the ending to what’s a satisfying investigation and original approach.

The second highlight is from Christos Gage and Eduardo Franciso, exploring what the world might be like if Bizarro’s thought processes could be modified to something approaching normal. The level of invention is apparent from the start when Superman defeats Bizarro by exploiting his compulsion to be Superman’s opposite and pointing out they’re both awake. As with Lapham’s contribution, there are moments where comedy would have been the easier route, but Gage avoids it in producing a touching story about the great emphasis placed on how people look.

There are good moments in the remaining content, such as the mystery of Krypton set up by Marc Guggenheim, but with stories for one reason or another not matching the highlights.

Sometimes the art’s responsible. Sean “Cheeks” Galloway has an appealing style of digital cartooning, but his storytelling lets him down, while Victor Ibáñez is technically good, but not the right artist for Superman. His rough edge is at odds with Superman’s usual clarity. Elsewhere there’s solidity from Marcus To on an ordinary opening plot supplied by J.T. Krul, Mike Norton is more at home with scenes of children than superheroes, and Joe Bennett is superhero reliability personified.

This isn’t as strong a selection as Volume One, but not without enjoyable moments.