Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Cyborg Superman
DC Comics
Burnet, Blaine & Leisten

The Sinestro Corps War has four main bad guys teamed with Sinestro: Parallax, Cyborg Superman, Anti-Monitor and Superboy. Each has their own one shot. With the Parallax one already out and largely a letdown in my book we move to the second one: Cyborg Superman.

This issue is a HUGE improvement over the Parallax one-shot. First of all it actually ties directly into the main series. Imagine that? Secondly, it gives background on the villain prior to being that villain AND what made the villain. Lastly, it develops the character and moves the overall plot which is a staple of reading something, anything and everything. The Parallax one-shot only touched these elements…..barely.

We start off with Sinestro and Cyborg having some interaction. This is interesting because we see some distrust and even a little tension between the two. Then we launch into the Cyborg's flashbacks and his origin.

The origin is the bulk of issue, but it is fantastic. We see point by point why the Cyborg hates Superman. I'd even dare to say we can sympathize with the man…er…robot…cyborg. Once we learn all there is to know about Cyborg we see two gruesome images. First, the people getting incinerated at Coast City and second, he digs up his wife's corpse and rips it in half. Say again? Rips the dead body in two - down the middle. What is this a zombie title? Sure looks like it to me. Then again we are dealing with a part robot-part man.

Finally, the manhunters, led by the Cyborg invade the JLA watchtower. Who knew it was still around based on reading the JLA title, but that's just a silly detail called continuity. The JLA gets a beatdown when Sinestro and his Corps arrive. Incidentally, many of the Sinestro Corps that show up seemed to have been in the Green Lantern Corps title that had a battleground of Mogo….hmmmm. Continuity? Mistake? Twins? You decide.

Oh and did I mention Cyborg has Superman hanging in a metal contraption in the end?

This issue says "Continued in Green Lantern #24" and I would disappointed if it isn’t. They wouldn’t just re-hash all this JLA battle in the GL title would they? On the other hand if you were reading the main Green Lantern titles how mad would you be if you found out this one shot had such a plot development as the JLA getting beaten?

Anyway, this issue is an excellent stand-alone issue. You can pick it up and read it and get a lot of info with a nice cliff-hanger ending. And if you are involved in the Sinestro War you'll love this fill-in-the-gap issue prior to the invasion of Earth.

4 out of 5 geek goggles.


Tales Of The Sinestro Corps Cyborg Superman #1