Mark Millar is the definition of a hit-or-miss writer. He has written some of the best comics of the decade (Ultimates), but has also written some of the worst comics as well (Blade vs The Avengers). His creator-owned stuff suffers from the same problem, sometimes it can be great (Kick-Ass), and sometimes...not so much (Nemesis). His latest work has him teaming with artist Lenil Francis Yu to bring us Superior. But is this comic truly superior? Did you see what I did there?
Now that I've made the obligatory terrible pun, it's time to get on with the review. Superior is a story Simon Pooni, a twelve year old boy with multiple sclerosis. Since his disease has made it impossible for him to play sports or really do anything fun outdoors, Simon has become a fan of comic and movie character Superior. Superior is a very obvious rip-off of Superman, but that's what the character is supposed to be; I'm sure if Millar could have used Superman, he would have instead of creating a new character. Simon and his only friend, Chris, watch the Superior films in theaters and debate whether or not he's a cool character; you know, classic nerdy stuff. One night, Chris is awoken by a talking monkey in a space suit (yep) and granted a single wish, plucked from his subconscious, and Simon becomes Superior. The mystery of who the monkey is and what cost Simon must pay to keep these powers (there's always a catch) eventually becomes the primary conflict of the story.
Contrary to Millar's usual stories, which are filled with gratuitous violence, Superior is actually a pretty heartfelt story. A kid suffering from a terrible disease suddenly getting superpowers makes for a nice little tale that tugs at the heartstrings. There are quite a few legitimately poignant moments, like when Simon vents his frustration at his disease when learning to use his super-strength. Superior is actually an innocently fun comic. Simon doesn't have ulterior motives for becoming a hero, his intentions are genuinely good, and he doesn't have a slew of hidden psychological problems (like in the Ultimates). He just wants to help, no questions asked.
The story is narrated by a reporter character who gets exclusives from Superior (Lois Lane, anyone?). She starts off as a really bitchy, jaded, and at times annoying character, but by the end of the story you come to love her after seeing her tender side. Superior is just like Superman, he shows us the good in everything.
This book was a fun and heartwarming tale in which Mark Millar actually tries to write a good story (happens less often than you might think). Lenil Yu's artwork is probably the best I've seen of his since Secret Invasion, and it really looks grand and heroic. And the big battle in the last issue is fantastic.
There is, of course, some bad in it though. Mark Millar makes some odd pacing choices. That's not to say that the book is badly paced, but still odd nonetheless. Mark Millar dedicates an entire issue to Simon learning to use his powers, but then shows us Superior saving everybody and doing good deeds from an outsider perspective in the next issue, so we never really see what's going on in Simon's head while all this is happening. In fact, we don't really get inside Simon's head from issues 3 to five; in issue two we get to see what he's thinking and in the last two issues we get to see him consider dealing with the monkey, but between those we just kind of see Superior do things, without knowing why he feels the need to do all these things. Of course, I guess the same can be said about a lot of superhero stories. I should also note that there really isn't any action until the final issue, but that isn't a problem for me.
Overall, Superior is a pretty good comic. Its nothing revolutionary, but its a touching a happily innocent superhero book that is a breath of fresh air in a cynical and increasingly gritty world. Personally, I hope the studios hold off on the Nemesis film and make this instead. If they tone down some of the language it could be a great PG-13 family film.
8/10