Superman: Lost #1 (of 10)

AIPT

Priest, Pagulayan, Paz, and Cox unite as a tremendous force, crafting a beautiful story that tests Lois and Clark's relationship while showing fans how wild their world can be. A Superman shaken to his core and estranged from his wife seems to be a welcoming story for the Man of Tomorrow.

The Newest Rant

Basically, Superman leaves for a mission and then seems to be back quickly...but he proclaims it has actually been 20 years. How did he go missing, how did he get back, what impact will this have on the relationship with Lois, and what was up with the mysterious political scandal the comic mentioned in the first half and how it might relate to all this? These are some of the questions Priest and Pagulayan raise for us and I am excited to watch as the complex twists and turns being set up see answers. Between some fantastic writing and gorgeous artwork, this comic was a treat--and that's coming from someone who doesn't usually read many Superman-centric stories. I'm eager to read more and already feel like this series is going to be quite the treat!

Supergirl Comic Box Commentary

Whew! Some first issue! A political intrigue plot. A great Justice League mission! The foundation of the story, the 20 year return, laid out. All with fabulous art. I want more. Always the best sign!

Lyles Movie Files

The best part of the first chapter of Superman Lost is this Superman story provided readers with a classic style Justice League adventure we haven’t seen in years. (...) Priest shows he’d have zero trouble tackling the classic Justice League juggling Green Lantern, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Batman and Martian Manhunter as they join Superman in responding to the threat. Artist/co-plotter Carlo Pagulayan has long been one of DC’s brighter talents, but seeing his take on the Justice League shows he really should be working on one of the top titles. Pagulayan, with inker Jason Paz, fully capture the League members’ personalities in action. Colorist Jeromy Cox gives the art a bold big screen cinematic presentation with intense primary colors. Like the title suggests, the rest of the series looks to focus on those missing years for Superman, but this installment makes a strong case for the creative team to headline a new Justice League title.

The Comicbook Dispatch

Superman: Lost #1 sets up Superman’s crisis situation that will be the focus of this mini-series and even shows a bit of the after effects on him also. I’m looking forward to this mini-series and seeing Superman in an isolated situation that’s going to push him to his limits. If you’re a Superman fan, make sure to grab this up and get on the ground floor of this epic story.

Geek Dad

Priest is one of the most introspective writers in comics, loving to delve into the complex family dynamics and psychological hangups of his characters. That works really well when dealing with flawed antiheroes like Deathstroke or Black Adam—but how will it work with Superman? This time-bending saga seeks to answer that, and it’s off to a promising first start.

Monkeys Fighting Robots

Superman: Lost #1 is a fantastic opening chapter to this new limited series from the acclaimed former Deathstroke creative team. Christopher Priest takes a familiar science fiction premise and wonderfully applies it to a Superman story, all while offering emotional intensity and his signature brand of geo-political bantering. The visuals from Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz, and Jeremy Cox are absolutely stunning and expertly sequenced, making for one of the best-looking DC comics to come out this year so far. Be sure to grab this debut chapter today!

The Super Powered Fancast

The Story: Priest crafts an engaging and intriguing mystery in this first issue. The story has a great beginning highlighting the domestic life of Lois and Clark before transitioning into a mystery that immediately got my attention both in its quiet unfolding, but also in how Bruce becomes a part of it. The action with the League is fantastic and I am excited to see what happened to Clark and how he returns. I’m also excited to see how his journey changes him. The Art: Pagulayan delivers some beautifully detailed and action packed art throughout the issue. There is a great tease towards the end of some strange and dazzling visuals to come that I am looking forward to.

Weird Science DC Comics

Superman: Lost #1 is an intriguing start. This first issue is all setup, delivered with an uncharacteristically clean and clear plot by Christopher Priest, but I like what I read, and I'm curious to see where it goes. (...) That's it. Again, the plot is super straightforward, but Priest delivers a granite-solid setup that's clear, makes sense, and cleverly displaces Superman from the main continuity to tell a story that last decades while only appearing to be gone for a few minutes from Lois's perspective. Of course, the success of this mini-series will depend on what happens next, but I like what I see so far. The art from Pagulayan, Paz, and Cox is likewise rock-solid. The overall look of the comic is a bit dark, but the line work and figure work is excellent, the JL action scene is a lot of fun, and the colors are outstanding. (...) Superman: Lost #1 delivers a super-simple but a granite-solid setup for a Superman adventure that pulls him out of time and space for years without anyone realizing it. The plot is clear, concise, and to the point, and the art is equally good. You'd be right to complain about the excessive cover price for a standard-sized comic, but the story (so far) is worth your money.

Multiversity Comics

“Superman: Lost” #1 has some ups and downs, but the ups certainly outweigh the downs. It sets up the story well, drawing us in with the question of Clark’s journey and what comes after, while utilizing great artwork that adds to the story. Will it be able to keep this momentum? We’ll have nine more issues to see. A strong start to the mini-series that establishes the story and draws us in with its mysteries.

ComicBook.com

Superman: Lost #1 introduces readers to a new miniseries reuniting writer Christopher Priest and artist Carlo Pagulayan, the critically-acclaimed Deathstroke creative team, focused upon Superman returning from a 20-year voyage that takes fewer than 24 hours on Earth. While the first issue is oriented toward laying out the premise, characters, and various sub-plots, it clearly invokes the rich thematic work that made Deathstroke a stand out series for years. That potent foundation combined with Pagulayan's stunning work with figures and faces makes for a promising start to what could prove to be a highlight of modern Superman lore.

Graphic Policy

Superman Lost #1 is an intriguing start to the series but as a whole, something feels rather off. Things start that way and then get more odd as the issue progresses. First, there’s the issue of a possibly crooked politician. While it absolutely makes sense Lois would be all over the story and suspicious over things, Clark’s dismissal of it all still feels rather off. No speeches about believing in the best of people and the money can be explained. No doubt at all. He’s almost aloof in this sense, coming off as rather disconnected from reality and Lois. It’s not until moments before he runs off that you feel a connection between Clark and Lois. From there, it’s rather paint by numbers with the Justice League with Priest’s Superman coming off a bit more stiff as usual and that’s compounded on his return home. Yes, he’s been gone 20 years but it’s almost body snatchers like with no emotional read as opposed to someone who has missed his wife and comes home to her, finding her unchanged. There’s again a weird emotional disconnect. As a whole, the comic feels like a shock, like bad news has dropped from the beginning, leaving everyone hard to connect with. The art by Carlo Pagulayan is fun. With ink by Jason Pax, color by Jeromy Cox, and lettering by Willie Schubert, the comic has a classic feel about it. The action has each Justice League member having their moment with over the top action that’s somewhat cinematic. Then there’s the quieter moments, especially the end of the comic, where a feel of dread pervades the comic. There’s an ominous aspect to it. Superman Lost #1 is an oddity of a debut. The concept of the comic is great. The idea of Superman thinking he’s been gone for decades and returning home to find things hasn’t changed is a solid idea. But, the characters feel really off. It’s like they’ve been replaced with body doubles. The only one that feels right is Lois. Maybe there’s an explanation for all of that but as a beginning, it’s a bit of a headscratcher.

Comic Watch

This issue is visually stunning to be sure, unfortunately, it seems to take more time to tell the reader how we got here than give a compelling reason for the reader to stay. Christopher Priest as a writer can pace things somewhat glacially. Generally, the payoff is well worth it, but without more in this initial issue, I can’t say whether the premise lands as it should. Of course, within 10 issues Priest should be able to give us the development we need; there just isn’t much to latch onto for a first issue. If you’re looking for an exciting space odyssey, this issue isn’t it, sadly. The lineart by Priest’s Deathstroke collaborators Carlo Paguiayan and Jason Paz is spectacular, heavy, and dark in a way not often seen in Superman stories, almost better suited to a noir setting. A good half of the issue features a full Justice League roster, and the team looks great, especially in the brief “action” moments, which aren’t so much action as active. Nonetheless, the intent of Priest’s tight paneling and scripting style is flawlessly conveyed; it’s no wonder this team is seen together so often; their chemistry is seamless. (...) A gorgeous issue that doesn't give us much to sink our teeth into. I'm hoping next issue gets moving.

Superman Homepage

I found this to be a weak story. We start with some overly cute banter between Lois and Clark as Lois writes her story. It's nice to see their comfortable back and forth but it's also off putting. They're trying to establish their relationship in this story but it feels forced. Lois continually blaming Bruce for what happened is annoying, especially after Clark keeps telling her it was his own decision. It was nice to see the classic Justice League working together but it's just an excuse to show how Superman disappeared. Whether the plot line with the Senator has any importance remains to be seen. And of course the question of what happened to Superman will be the crux of the next nine issues. This was not a bad first issue, it just fell a little flat. I can see where this story could pick up steam in the issues to follow.