Day of Doom

Library Journal

Ty Duffy, rookie reporter for the Daily Planet, is assigned to write an anniversary retrospective on Superman's "death" at the hands of the monster Doomsday-the story of which gained national media attention when published in 1992. Ty sees little promise in the assignment, and as he reluctantly interviews members of the Justice League and others involved in the crisis, he also must deal with personal demons from that time. Meanwhile, someone is retracing Doomsday's path of destruction into Metropolis, staging disasters along the way. Readers who feel that Superman's death was only a cheap ploy to sell comics will find this book unnecessary and overwritten, but others may find substance in the tale, as Superman comes to terms with the other tragedy of those days: the millions of others killed who did not come back from the dead as he did. Unfortunately, the book ends without revealing Ty's conclusions on the matter. The book is lifted above the ordinary by the strong contribution of Sienkiewicz (Elektra: Assassin). His inking over the powerful figures in Jurgens's pencil art results in a striking look: rough, grainy, and vigorous. Recommended for mid-sized and larger collections. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.