I haven't bought a regular continuity SUPERMAN title since, oh, four or five years ago, shortly after the "Death and Return of Superman" epics.  After those two staggering arcs, everything else was a complete letdown.  Besides, the fact that you needed to buy four SUPERMAN titles every month just to follow the action got annoying fairly quickly.  So I jumped ship.  And I never regretted it.  And, after reading this issue, I don't think I'll be hopping aboard.  To be completely fair, this probably ISN'T the best issue to try and jump-on.  But I'm still not convinced that the SUPERMAN titles deserve $10 of my money.  

Superman, sent to the Earth of the 853rd Century in DC ONE MIL #1, encounters the bizarre amalgams of super-beings that make up the population of the Metropolis in the 853rd Century while facing his Challenge in an arena.  Supes also meets Platnium (of the Metal Men) and the HawkGuard, futuristic enforcers.  

This issue illustrated the biggest flaw of the DC ONE MIL cross-over-the unnecessary tie-ins.  If this issue (one that DC promoted as being "vital" to DC ONE MIL event) is hopelessly pointless filler trash ... what's the point of having books like RESURRECTION MAN or CHASE participate in it ?  I think that their books, particularly those that are being cancelled with the #1,000,000 issue, would be served tying up loose ends and continuing plots in those books.  Let the books starring members of the JLA (the four SUPERMAN books, the three BATMAN books, AQUAMAN, WONDER WOMAN, FLASH, GREEN LANTERN, MARTIAN MANHUNTER and STARMAN-as Starman is a member of the Justice Legion A) tie-in with the DC ONE MIL mini-series, if they must, but leave the others out . . . Sadly, that isn't going to be the case with DC ONE MIL.  

This book did not further the DC ONE MIL cross-over whatsoever.  At least, not that I could see.  Superman comes, fights boring "solid matter" androids, escapes arena, encoutners "futuristic" people, jumps into portal.  Yawn.  So . . . what did he learn ?  Nothing.  What did the readers learn ?  That this future can be pretty dull.  Solaris continues to remain a completely uninteresting villain; the populace of the future seem to be insane (how else to explain Negative Gorilla Queen ?); the HawkGuard is just as boring as the present-day Hawkman; and the Metal Men apparenlty live forever (who cares ?).  

Scultz, ACTION COMICS new regular writer, turns in some less than inspiring work here.  His portrayal of Superman is competent enough, even if Supes is a bit too prone to expository writing, but everyone else in this book is completely worthless.  The populace is give surface-level characterization; the members of HawkGuard are given *no* personalities; and Platnium isn't very interesting ,either.  Nor is Schultz's characterization of Solaris particularly innovative or interesting.  He seems like any other generic, "evil computer" villain we've been subjected to.  

Lim and Marzan's art suits Schultz's writing perfectly; it's every bit as mediocre as the writing.  His Superman looks pretty much like the Silver Surfer with hair; in fact every male character looks about the same.  As do his female characters.  It's all so ... blah.  Even his scenes of the future aren't very visually stimulating; they'reven more silly and boring than Semiek's in DC ONE MIL #1.  

Pathetic.  the Super-books desperately need new blood, but I doubt very much that Schultz is going to revitalize them.  
 

Score:  C   
  

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