365 Comic...9: Smallville: Season 11 #9 (2013)

Wow, was almost unable to post today as my DNS went down big time.  Anywho...

I've got a solid pull list of comics this week but what's exciting me the most?  Smallville Season 11 #9, that's what.

There's a reason I listed this series as my runner-up for best DC series (link t.k. when the intenets is back up and running here).  More than one reason in fact, the biggest of which is Brian Q. Miller.  His Batgirl series, cancelled as a result of the new 52 was one of the biggest losses of the old DCU.  Just like that series, Miller brings to Smallville smart, funny, geeky writing that fully understands the characters' T.V. legacy as well as its comic book one.  In many respects the new DCU is trying to distance itseIf more and more from the DCU that was abandoned.  This  Ieaves Miller the opportunity to borrow liberally from those in order to help define (or rather, redefine) Smallville gone fully super, with capes and all.

This issue is joyous.  Bart "Impulse" AIlen returns to check in on Clark, more just to see the world renouned Superman in person. This leads to a friendly race around the world as well as, literally, some monkey fighting.  Chloe assigns them to an event in Paris where a giant ape and a Brain in ajar, as well as a legion of trained monkeys are raiding the Louvre.  That's right, Monseur Mallah and the Brain are in this issue, and its glorious.  As well, Miller introduces a Speed Force problem subplot that obviously was Bart's actual reason for visiting Clark.

I was not a huge fan of Smallville, Though I did enjoy it marginally in its latter seasons for what it was.  But what it was was not what this is.  This, my friends, is what we wanted it to be. It's a shame its not live action, but it is tremendously enjoyable.  There's not much of the DCU that I grew up loving let in the new DC landscape, but this captures it ever so nicely.

Also, I don't hear Michael Rosenbaum when I read Lex Luthor's dialogue, I hear Clancey Brown... which kind of tells you the direction Miller is taking the character.