Review: Superman #29

Superman #29 came out this week and was one of the strangest and darkest and funniest and inspiring and entertaining reads I have read in a long time. And that makes it one of the toughest one for me to review.  But writer Joshua Williamson and artist Dan Mora just bring it this issue. It is complex and wonderful and sad.

Let's start with the darkness. Everyone knows that I am a huge Legion of Super-Heroes fan. It is hard for me to see DC sort of miss the boat with the IP for some time. They just don't know what to do with the team. And now we have Darkseid's Legion, a vicious, brutal, killing team. They are inspired by Darkseid and are more terrifying than people like Vermin Vunderbar and Kanto. What's worse is they kill the 'real' Legion, members from all the Legions we have seen. This isn't the Legion I want to read. But maybe it is darkest before the dawn.

Superman is still inspiring, rallying the ragtag remaining team and talking about hope. And I am here for the Superman and that works.

But the strangest and funniest part of this issue is Superboy Prime's presence. I really despise what DC did to the original kid back in Infinite Crisis. He became dreadful in multiple other events. He got a reprieve in Dark Metal. But here, he is hilarious, breaking the fourth wall, talking about the comics, and winking at us. I actually found him charming! That is saying something!

Meanwhile, Dan Mora continues to crush it. From the mournful cover to the multiple looks of Legionnaires (both Darkseid and others versions) to a very young looking Superboy Prime, Mora is crushing it. 

This was a hard read for Legionnaire fans. But a good read. 

On to details.

Superman isn't too happy that he is supposed to team up with a killer like Prime. But earlier in the issue we got a primer on all of Prime's high points. And here he points out his killing days were 'two reboots ago'! And almost everyone he killed is back!

That's comic book science! I chuckled.

I love how Mora makes Prime look so young!

Doomsday says the two need to head to the future to help the Legion and Booster Gold. The Legion won't know about Prime and they will be monitoring the time stream. So they need a back door.

Time to punch time and space! Superman looks completely baffled. Mora sells it with the splintered panels. It is perfect.

Heck ... there's even a pocket universe mention!

I laughed out loud here. Prime 'punching reality' back in Infinite Crisis was pretty cringe-worthy. But here Williamson seems to acknowledge the goofiness of it, even calling it similar to the Silver Age. 

This is great writing, acknowledging the wonkiness of the power and basically embracing it.

They punch to their way to the future.

I again love Prime's talk here. He talks the way I think while reading a comic. 

For sure this is going to lead to a major brawl between the evil Legion and the 'Legions of three worlds'. That's the way I think as a reader. Prime was a comic reader.

But as good as all this fourth-wall breaking talk is, Superman questioning it ('who are you talking to?', 'my friends aren't characters') makes it even better.

Unfortunately, the two arrive to a devastated 31st century. The whole place is in rubble. Dead Legionnaires dot the rubble. Chilling.

Now I don't know how to jibe all the timey-wimeyness of it. If the Darkseid Legion is from our world and only know him, does that mean Superman was never part of the team? Why are there remnants from other times Legions hiding on this world? Why are these Legionnaires still noble? Why do they know Superman? Or is it that the Darkseid Legion is from the Absolute Universe?

Anyways, it is fascinating to see 4 different Brainiac 5s! There is Dawnstar and Kinetix and Gold Lantern ... all from different timelines. 

But <sigh> it makes me want Dan Mora to draw a Legion book. Check out that Dawnstar! (I want Dan Mora to draw every book.)

But these are a battered, beaten Legion. Star Boy, in particular, has given in to despair.

And then we get a classic Superman moment. Striking a pose, he talks of inspiration and light defeating darkness. 

Now that is Superman!

The plan is easy, sneak in and rescue Booster Gold. 

But it is a trap.

And the Dark Legion shows up, in numbers, and start wiping people out.

So long Brainiac Five. I hardly knew you. 

But it shows the threat level of this Darkseid Legion.

But I am still struggling with the timey-wimey.

Booster leapt into the Darkseid rift in the All-In Special. But somehow that erased him from everyone's memory. Superman doesn't know Gold, or his powers, or why he is important. 

But maybe a time travelling hero means things can be set straight in the past.

And then a decent cliffhanger with Prime seemingly turning heel ... but I know it's a fake-out. 

Dystopia! She-Hulk level fourth-wall breaking humor! Headache inducing timelines! Inspiration in the darkness! Insane art!

I mean it is all there and somehow works. 

Overall grade: A