Volume 29

For viewers who followed all ten seasons of Smallville, this comic series is a belated "season eleven." When the show ended, Clark had just learned to fly, put on glasses and walked into the Daily Planet; the comics pick up half a year later, when he has finally put on the suit but still faces the old question of what it means to be Superman. This book is best read as an extension season of the show rather than as a standalone superhero comic. Miller was a longtime writer on the series, so the characters' voices and the handling of relationships carry over the tone of the original show; familiar characters appear in familiar ways, while DC elements such as Batman, Martian Manhunter and the Legion of Super-Heroes are brought in, making the scope far larger than the first ten seasons. The digital-first pacing keeps each chapter short and ending on a hook, which suits reading in short bursts. A note for Chinese readers: this is a multi-volume numbered series, and volume 29 is not the starting point. Newcomers should begin with volume 1 (Guardian). In addition, different editions collect the material differently, so check the volume number on the back cover and the copyright page before buying.