Adventures of Superman: Book of El #4 came out last week meaning the first third of this epic sequel to Warworld is done. As a reader, I feel like I am still learning about this future and these characters as writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson continues his world-building. So I do feel not lost. Maybe grasping at the plot threads to pull them together.
It was just announced that Phillip Kennedy Johnson signed an exclusive contract with Marvel meaning this is his last bite at the DC apple, at least for a while. So I am not surprised to see him playing with all his toys. So not only Kryl-Ux and Phaelosians from Warworld Saga, not only Rowan and Ronan Kent from Future State, but we also get Ellie Stewart from Green Lantern War Journal. I don't blame Johnson for using all the great things he has brought to the DCU. But I don't know if I completely understand what is happening in the Kent family or what the power structure of the universe writ large is. I am seeing all the parts and I trust Johnson to bring it all together.
Scotty Godlewski really gets to stretch his legs in this issue on art. This universe feels mythic and Godlewski embraces it with haunted castles and knights in armor in sprawling fanciful lands. His art brings you into the world and it made me pause on some pages to just drink in the art.
Still no Osul or Otho! Hope we see them soon!
We start out with Kryl-Ux brooding in his version of the Fortress of Solitude, called the Fortress of the Chained Conquerer.
You want things to feel big, like legends people whisper about. Look at this page and read the words. It is a blackened crystal Fortress in the space where Krypton was, surrounded by the dead Phaelosians. Looks like dementors circling an ice castle. It looks and reads like myth.
Despite wielding 5 of the 7 aspects of Olgrun, Kryl-Ux isn't happy that Superman is back.
Johnson certainly bring the horror. Kryl-Ux has the animated lower mandible of Mongul in the Fortress. And Mongul is taunting him. Creepy! (Edit: Misread, thought it said enemies, not allies ... so who is this??)
And the taunt? That Kryl-Ux would become the killer he has. Kryl-Ux responds that he has done all he has to bring back his kids.
I really loved this scene. It is almost like Kryl-Ux wants to be Superman, or wants to be like Superman. But this is like a blighted Fortress. He wears a sort of corrupted Kryptonian house sigil. It sets up the contrast between these two characters.
Meanwhile Ronan and Superman head to Lanternholm. Superman wants to learn more about his descendent but before he can, the defender of Lanternholn, Rowan Kent, heads out to keep them out.
Rowan wields one of the aspects of Olgrun, The Will of Olgrun.
And she is quite powerful, having Ronan swallowed by green energy giant beast and holding Superman off.
Cool design by Godlewski.
Cool design by Godlewski.
And this is Lanternholm, a grouping of Green energy lands united at the site of the destroyed Oa and created by Ellie Stewart, one of the Lightborn.
This is just really imaginative world-building by Johnson. Why not put all his DC ideas on the paper. It looks so cool with that circular energy invoking a 'lantern' feel.
When the initial fighting subsides, the Kents confront each other. Ronan is upset that his sister has abandoned her old life for this position defending Lanternholm. We don't know what Ronan did to upset Rowan.
I do like that Superman both here and earlier realizes he doesn't know enough about his future generations, wanting to ask and ultimately asking for some back story.
How can the Kents defeat Kryl-Ux if they are squabbling.
We then get more exposition as Rowan describes Lanternholm.
Some of the 'Lightborn' are like Ellie, taking on humanoid form and living their lives. But there are more abstract lightborn. And there are some that are so advanced they are universes.
I don't know if these existential layers of Lanternholm are going to impact the story that much. Is this Johnson just emptying the tank of his DCU.
Now everyone in the universe knows that Rowan wields one of the Olgrun aspects. So why didn't Kryl-Ux just invade and try to grab it. We learn that he tried once and was failed. Interesting. That does that mean Olgrun's will is the strongest aspect? One of the strongest?
What Kryl-Ux did do instead? Set up a monitoring satellite and promise Rowan he wouldn't invade. But Ronan knows what that means. Lanternholm is a prison for Rowan and Kryl-Ux did this to keep an eye on where the Will is.
This is interesting. I think we learned Kryl has 4 aspects in his body. Rowan has another. Otho has another. Meaning there is one more out there.
Great cliffhanger. Perhaps Superman and Ronan being in Lanternholm has raised the perceived threat level for Kryl-Ux because he sends out one of his big guns ... a living Sun-eater. Godlewski gives it a sort of old gods feel. Very Kirby.
I think I am seeing the framework of this universe but I don't know if I understand it all. But I trust Johnson to put it all together.
Overall grade: B
Thanks for trying to explain things, I’m pretty lost - so many names and realms, the kind of thing that meant I could never get through Tolkein. I never did get how dead sister Ellie could be revived/homaged as a sentient, never diminishing Lantern construct, and now we find she’s a Green Lantern corpse who gave birth to a universe in death?
ReplyDeleteAnd what are Sun Eaters at DC these days? For decades they were big cosmic things that ate stars, in Green Lantern books lately ‘Sun Eater’ seems synonymous with the Starbreakers, and now here’s one with a giant body?
Was that mouth Mongul? I thought the script said it was one of Superman’s fallen allies.
I missed the text pages this time, that’s where I’ve been learning the story!
Ack!
ReplyDeleteIt did say allies!