Review: Superman #20

Superman #20 came out last week and was a crackling issue. This one sizzles. Kudos to all involved.

I guess you don't need to read the rest of the review because you know what I think. But there is a lot of goodness in this issue. A LOT of goodness. So please keep reading.

I have really enjoyed Joshua Williamson's run on this book. But he is firing on all cylinders here. I will start with the obvious. He has made Doomsday interesting. The reveal last issue that Doomsday is intelligent and the Time Trapper makes perfect sense. We see both that future Doomsday and the current mindless marauder in this issue. But there is a lot of ideas built on top of even that great idea. What does the Time Trapper Doomsday really want? What about all the hints about the future he drops? Real seeds for upcoming arcs? 

And what about Superman's Red Energy? Superwoman? What about Doomsday's origins and how that is going to impact things based on a killer cliffhanger? What about amnestic Lex doing good? 

There is a lot of great plot happening here but it is wrapped in solid super-hero action. Brilliant.

Not to be forgotten is Dan Mora being on the book. Mora is my favorite current comic artist. He dazzled on World's Finest. So to see his take on the skinny Time Trapper Doomsday, the current hulking Doomsday, Superwoman, even Superman in the total Liefeld-90s Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey mini-series makes my eyes smile. Incredible work throughout, no surprise. Slap a gorgeous Dan Panosian variant cover of Lois and you have a treasure trove of visual sizzle.

I wanted to read the next part when I finished this book. 

On to the details. 

Last issue, the Time Trapper revealed himself as Doomsday.

This issue we get a quick primer on Doomsday's history. How he was born out of a hateful experiment. How he was last killed by the Legion of Infinite Worlds. 

Check out this two page spread by Mora. Check out that Calaton-based armor from Hunter/Prey. Only Mora could make that look good. But the rest of the composition, layering in past events, is fantastic.

And yet another Legion reference in the DC book. It is only a matter of time until we get a Legion book on the shelf.

But why is this being from the end of time here in the present when his past version is rampaging? He cannot evolve past this form.

He wants Superman to kill him. He believes that the next level in evolution is godhood and he wants that power to break the cycle of death and rebirth.

The idea of a Doomsday god is chilling. But again, given what we know about this character, it makes sense that at some point he has to evolve beyond simple physical wrecking machine. Even this intelligent, svelte Doomsday is an upgrade.

I love that his goal is godhood. That makes him interesting.

And this nugget. At some point Zod returns to Earth and Superman loses his right eye. 

Is this a feint by Williamson? Or a planned story? This stuff intrigues me, keeps my interest.

We haven't seen Zod since the sudden ending of Kneel Before Zod. He is due for a return to the Superman books.

And then more hints. Doomsday says that horror is coming to Earth. Superman lives. His friends die. 

Don't let his gaunt look fool you. This Doomsday is strong too. When Superman tries to attack him, he dispatches our hero quickly, telling Superman that all will be better if he helps the next time they meet.

It was also good to see this Doomsday knock Superman around a bit, lose his temper a bit. We needed him to still be a physical threat and not just a philosopher.

With time starting back up, Superman sees the raging, Hellfire-powered Doomsday wrecking the city. In a great piece of art, we see him fly around the planet to build up the velocity to lay this punch.

Now that is a double-page, 'THOOOOM'-worthy panel of Superman putting every ounce of strength into that haymaker.

Mora is a marvel.

What about Lex? 

He isn't hiding. He is running the streets trying to help people!

I still don't know if I trust Lex to not be faking all this. But I doubt the 'old Lex' would put himself in this much danger as a feint.

Hmmm...

With Superman and Superwoman still brawling with Doomsday and a cadre of 'heavy hitter' Justice Leaguers waiting in the wings, LexCorp unleashes their secret weapon ... The Parasite.

Now, a good guy, the Parasite starts to drain Doomsday only to be ripped in half, literally, by the monster.

We know as readers the threat that Doomsday represents. But every so often it is good for us to see it played out, blood and guts and organs splattered on the page. 

Again, Mora crushes it. Both this hulking Parasite and the evisceration.

That drives Superman into a frenzied attack which knocks out the weakened Doomsday.

But it also seems to have put Superman into a red-fueled berserker mode. 

This was hinted at last issue. So my guess is this isn't a solar flare build-up of energy but a complete loss of control. I mean this rage-fueled Supes bloodies his fists here.

Is this Red Lantern energy? Something else? 

I suppose an out of control Superman would be a good weapon to point at an out of control Doomsday.

Lois comes and calms our hero who returns to normal. 

It turns out that between Parasite and Superman, Doomsday was weak enough to be pumped full of Black Mercy and stay comatose.

Black Mercy venom is a cool idea.

After all that ... the opening discussion, the brawl, the death of Parasite, the reddening of Superman ... we needed a scene to recalibrate.

Williamson gives us a great scene of a battered and bruised Lois and Clark recovering in their apartment. We still don't know how Lois got her powers, what their limits are, when they will be gone. So it was pretty heroic for her to wade in.

But this is also about Superman worrying about Lois. And worrying about all that forewarning Doomsday gave him.

Seriously, after a 'pedal to the floor' issue, I needed this 'Lois and Clark' time to exhale and contemplate. Seeing them contemplate added to the power of the preceding events.

No surprise, Mora draws and incredible Lois.

Then we get a great cliffhanger. We know that the Doom-Trapper warned of horrors to come.

Well, what about the survivors of Calaton looking for revenge. 

Remember, the royal family of Calaton fused to kill Doomsday as The Radiant only to die themselves. It was the Radiant who garbed Doomsday in his green suit we first saw him in. So who is this being in Calaton? 

Excellent ending to whet my appetite. Heck, it made me want to pull out Hunter/Prey!

I thought this was a great issue from top to bottom. Nothing decompressed here. Just story, action, and fantastic art.

Overall grade: A+