This issue only skirted all the dense mythology and focused really on one side adventure, Otho trying to save Superman by outracing the Black Racer. Yes, there are elements of the mythic setting in this tale, details you need to just take as comic book science/religion. As a result, I understood the stakes and characters' motivations here more than usual. Understandably, this was my favorite issue of the mini so far.
Maybe because I liked the story so much, I thought Scotty Godlewski's art was strongest here. The space action is pretty slick. And his style seems to be veering a little to anime-esque which works here.
This issue is really Otho-centric but the cover is Osul, trapped behind the S-symbol of the Red King Pyrrhos, estranged son of El. Nice cover for sure. But the Pyrrhos S-shield is sort of different. Some elements feel like political symbols of hammer/sickle. But also maybe a snake wriggling through the classic S? It reminded me of Gene Ha's Corporate Superman symbol.
On to the book!
We set the table by reminding everyone that the Phaelosians live in a star system called Izaya's belt, a treacherous 5 star system with nebula and even a red sun giant. But this is where they fled from Kryl-Ux. But it also means they are trapped.
Izaya's belt makes me think this is sort of in the Fourth World area of space, New Genesis and Apokolips. It adds to the mythic nature of the story. And it again emphasizes that the Phaelosians feel beholden to Superman.
Gorgeous coloring here.
You might remember that Superman got beaten to a pulp in the last issue and is in some stasis. The Black Racer is coming to claim him. And the Phaelosians and Otho are designing a plan to save him.
The Black Racer's belt is the Wrath of Olgrun horcrux. Otho needs to grab it, fly to all the suns to 'light it' and then wrap it around Superman to revive him. The Phaelosians will try to run interference. No one has outraced the racer before. No one has slowed the racer before.
How will this work? I don't know. How do they know this will work? I don't know.
But it is clearly a heroic mission, a probable suicide mission, but all to save the person who saved them. So I drank it up. It isn't the hows that sway me. It's the why.
We get a little hint about the ending of this issue with a blurb about the Racer defending the belt. Here they mean Izaya's belt.
But in a throwaway line we hear that to outrace the Racer means you become the master of life and death. Hmmm ...
The first and most important step is Otho snagging the belt from the Black Racer and take off. And she does it!
But I love how Johnson really hammers home how Otho values the lives of others over herself, selfless heroism taught to her by Superman. Remember she was the one enmeshed in Warworld culture, eager for chains and having a bit of a temper. She has grown so much. One of the reasons I love her as a character.
After igniting two of the sections of the belt she heads into the cloud nebula Bjoltr, whose radiation elicits hallucinations.
To remind us of the bigger story, Otho sees Kryl-Ux. Remember he is gathering the aspects of Olgrun. The belt is one of them. And in an ominous sounding vision, she sees a towering Kryl-Ux saying Otho will help him reach his ultimate goal. Perhaps he didn't think he could do this against the Black Racer himself.
The race is on. The Phaelosian Valkries use chains made of Source Wall material to keep the Racer off Otho and help swing her by the Red Giant Star without her losing her powers or falling into it's gravity well.
It is a stressful race. I like this scene where it looks like the Racer is going to stop Otho, grabbing her leg, only for her to blast him with heat vision. Nice tough for the leg of her uniform be burned away by the death touch.
But thanks to her and the team's bravery, she does it, lighting the belt entirely.
Remember that throwaway line from before.
Otho outraced the Black Racer. That means she becomes the master of life and death. She becomes the new Black Racer.
Such an unexpected turn. Such a great thing for this character. Such a cool design.
But if you think of it, it means now both she and Osul are harboring aspects of Olgrun, putting a bullseye on their back.
As the new Black Racer, she is as much a bringer of life as she is of death. She revives Superman.
Such a wonderful panel, her hugging Superman with abandon, energy rippling out like a heart. Great work by Godlewski. You feel that hug.
This is what comics really should be. A race against death to protect and save the innocent. A dangerous mission where the hero's life is on the line but the press on because it is the right thing to do.
That makes this the best issue of this story so far.
But wait, there is more.
In a closing scene we see Osul trapped by the Red King Pyrrhos, who you might remember as the 'bad guy' from the House of El Future State story, a 'pure blood' sort of fascist..
This whole series has been about saving Osul but he has been mostly absent from the book. So glad to see him here.
This feels like a sort of done-in-one adventure in the middle of this bigger tapestry. Glad to see Otho grow and shine.
Overall grade: B+
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