I am not sure if I am excited by writer Dan Slott's Kryptonite Evermore main plot but this issue he brings in a couple of interesting kernels. A sunstone buried in the Kryptonite meteor is intriguing. It seems almost impossible to think this particular sunstone would make its way to Earth. But given the fact that a massive Kryptonite meteor covered in intertron was sent on a path to Earth makes me think this is a villain's plot. It is the sunstone element that has a potential problematic plot thread but we'll get there.
I also think that Slott is having some fun with the DC Universe bringing back a beloved vehicle for us old time readers.
Rafael Alburquerque continues to bring a muddy style to the book as well. There are some battle scenes in the Kryptonite mines of El Caldero where it seems to work best.
On to the book.
We start out with Lois doing a 'holographic' Zoom meeting for all the Daily Planets around the globe. El Caldero's Kryptonite is still changing the world. Juba is using it for energy. America is dealing with criminals trying to hoard it. And El Caldero is being secretly invaded the Kobra Cult.
But most importantly, somehow Batman has heard that a Kryptonian sunstone in the Green K mountain. And this is a Richard Donner sunstone, capable of creating a Fortress and replicating Kryptonian tech. It can't fall into wrong hands.
How did Batman learn about this? Who knows.
I do have to say that I like that Slott is showing the world-wide impact of Kryptonite by giving us these world blurbs.
Off to El Caldero flies Superman ... but in The Super-Mobile! Hooray for us seeing the wonderfully goofy Supermobile with the extendable arms. But then he makes the Supermobile meaningless by having Superman fly around in a suit that protects him from the Kryptonite radiation. So I think it was only put in to put it in. It doesn't play out in the story ... at least for now.
Initially, Superman thinks that he will be received as an enemy but instead there is a ticker tape parade for him. They love Superman. Now that is interesting for me. A Kryptonite powered nation that loves Superman.
Superman claims the Sunstone as his own but the President says it belongs to El Caldero.
There is a bit to unpack here. El Caldero is already flourishing from the K-business. Giving Superman the sunstone might be a decent political move. But he doesn't bringing some friction to the proceedings despite the warm welcome.
The character of President Castilho is going to get more complex and complicated as this issue goes around. He is definitely 'gray' which makes him very intriguing.
Superman senses the stone is being unearthed so the decision is made to head to the Sunstone. So Superman, the President, some Krypto-Knights, and Ron Troupe and a female cameraperson head into the mine.
Throughout their interactions, President Castilho keeps asking Superman if he remembers them meeting before.
I found this also a decent hook wondering if Superman just didn't remember interacting with El Caldero politics before. But it gets even better ...
It turns out that when the Kryptonite hit El Caldero, Superman was pinned underneath it. The President was then just a leader of a mining team. It was the President who dug Superman out of the green K. That is their past. They're linked in this moment.
How did he go from simple miner to President in such a short time? Did he live a rebellion? Did he use Superman as a role model? Was it a violent takeover? Why would people vote him in?
We better get a lot more of this backstory! This is a mystery I want to learn more about.
Kobra is already there in numbers and gets the Sunstone. They take aim at the President forcing Superman to dive in front of a drill, saving the President but cracking Superman's containment suit.
Superman is basically out of commission for the rest of the issue as the Green K weakens him.
And then the potentially problematic plot twist.
The President beats the Kobra agent to a bloody pulp and grabs the Sunstone. It mentally links to him, showing a message from Jor-El saying that Els know some 'hidden truths' they have kept from the Science Council. It is truly Superman's crystal.
First off, it seems rather specific for something that belonged to the Els to make it to Earth after all this time, especially in an intertron-covered K-meteor. This was sent to Earth by someone. Given the intertron casing, I assumed that the Element Lad from the Darkseid Legion was involved. Could this be a Sunstone from the Absolute universe, truths from that place and not our Superman's home world? I almost hope so.
Because I am sort of sick of Jor-El being put through the wringer. First as Mr. Oz. Now as someone with 'hidden truths'? I suppose I should learn what they are before I judge.
But the President is going to claim the sunstone and doesn't want witnesses. He murders the Kobra agent. And then he goes to kill the Planet cameraperson only to discover it is Lois in disguise.
While this is a decent cliffhanger, Lois in peril at the hands of a murderous Castilho, this was the hardest part for me to believe. Am I suppose to believe that Lois was that close to Superman and somehow he didn't know it? Doesn't he always have some part of him listening for her?
Anyways, is President Castilho a populist leader who rose from the mines to bring his nation prosperity? Was he inspired by Superman? Or is he the murderer we see here, willing to kill anyone to amass more power?
There was enough plot movement and curveballs here to keep me invested in the issue, making this my favorite issue of this title. Even Alburquerque's art is solid here.
Overall grade: B
1 comment:
This is indeed the least dissatisfying issue yet. I only got it because of Mart's own review after deciding I was done with it. There was still some problematic things but I did like Clark showing up. One way I've been dissatisfied is it seeming like he's been Superman twenty-four seven. And did the un ston tell everyone there it's message? The Kobra killer had it coming though. And yeah, the super brain is definitely out of the power set if Lois did this without Clark noticing.
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