Review: Superman Unlimited #8

Superman Unlimited #8 came out this week and was a fun semi-'done in one' story involving an overworked Lois, a spaceship, and Guy Gardner. Last month I complained about how the issue was a side trip, taking away from the main 'So Much Kryptonite' story. I want that story done so much, I complained about that diversion.

This month I decided to not let that hinder my enjoyment of a good story. Dan Slott seems to be exploring this new universe he is in, bringing in guest stars and giving us his take on them. It helps he has Jeremy Adams' steadying hand to help this issue as well. I like the classic feel of this Guy Gardner and how the League sort of tricks him into helping. And Superman is handled very well here, showing how much he loves Lois and how close they are.

So the character things work well. But the plot? Well, don't think about it too long or it unravels. 

The art is by Lucas Meyer whose work I have seen cropping up all over the place. He has a very clean feel, almost like Fernando Pasarin. He should definitely be put on a monthly.

Does this fun story mean we aren't done with the King of Kryptonite stuff? Yes. But the issue entertained. On to details.

Sebastian Stagg (Simon's son?) is pulling on Elon Musk, flying his experimental faster-than-light rocketship into space with billionaires, influencers, and Lois on board.

Yes, the 1% get to go on a joyride. 

But Stagg is a Stagg. We see he is smuggling three aliens in similar spacesuits on board. Something nefarious is happening. I guess the Stagg apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 

Someone has to make sure it all goes well. The Corps and the League somehow decide that Guy Gardner is the right person.

I don't know if the Corps is obliged to do it but don't care enough to send someone important to guard the influencers or if they know it would irk Guy, but he is their choice.

I do love how the sort of bamboozle him into doing it through flattery. Not that they hide that they are shining him on by laughing in the background. Love that last panel a ton, Carol and Jessica Cruz busting a gut over tricking Guy.

Meanwhile, Clark is worried that Lois is over-extending. She promises she'll call for help but when he reminds her she never would, she substitutes the word 'xylophone' for help.

I have read enough comics to recognize 'Chekov's code word'. I was waiting for it to play out.

The rocket launch goes well, zooming at faster than light and reaching Pluto quickly, with Guy flying side saddle. 

You have to love the narcissist influencer on board, snapping a selfie with Guy in the back and equating her buying a ticket on this thing to being a super-hero. 

So much of this is akin to recent real-life events.

But just outside our solar system, the ship gets attacked by an alien armada. The distress signal is fired and Clark is off.

I love the words here, with Clark saying his biggest fear is not being able to move fast enough when Lois is in danger.

And Meyer really sells it with inset, helter-skelter panels showing how fast he actually is, the tie and glasses still floating in mid-air as he flies off.

That touching moment is then immediately followed by exasperation that the Lantern assigned to protect the rocket is Guy. 

"YOU'RE the GL on the case?" Hilarious.

But Guy is surprisingly effective battering the alien ships pretty easily. Great action sequence by Meyer with great scope and magnitude.

Still the Stagg rocket gets buffeted by fire, forcing Lois and two others to run to the back of the ship only to be met by the three smuggled aliens who turn out to be shape-shifters .. .Durlans (!!), quickly adopting the real passengers looks. But Lois is smart enough to grab the influencer's green lipstick and put it on so her doppelganger will have that too.

Ready to unpack the insanity?

How did Lois put on the lipstick? Take her helmet off in the ship rapidly losing oxygen because the hull is smashed?? I guess so.

Stagg wanted three aliens to impersonate Lois, a billionaire, and an influencer so he created a lightspeed rocket, set it up to be attacked by aliens, in hopes that in the rescue the aliens could take over their identities while the real passengers died ...

As Dr. Evil said 'overly elaborate'. 

Why not just kill the influencer on Earth and imitate? Isn't Stagg at just as much risk of dying in this scheme? What was he hoping to achieve with these doppelgangers? 

The plot ... don't think about it too much.

Still it ends well.

Clark knows Lois would never wear green lipstick ... Kryptonite triggering?

And when he says 'xylophone', the third act usage of the first act secret word, the Durlan is confused.

The jig is up with the Durlans captured and Guy returning to Earth with the rescued real Lois and gang.

There isn't much in this issue to tie into the main 'so much Kryptonite' arc outside of the rocket being powered by Kryptonite engines made by the Toyman. So we are still puttering along. I almost wish Slott was doing a sort of Superman Confidential style book, just telling fun stories with no real impact on continuity. That is what seems to suit him.

Overall grade: B