Review: Superman: Warworld Apocalypse

Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1 came out this week, the ending of the Warworld Saga. It was brilliant. 

Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson has given us a story arc for the ages, one were Superman inspires the masses to do good, who infuses people with hope, and who despite being depowered wins the fight. Call me impressed. I was blown away by this book. Even in the scenes where Superman isn't physically present, he is felt. While the super-family remain on Earth, the Authority is here. And each member has a moment in the sun. Remember, there are some bad folks on this team. Somehow Superman has turned them into agents of good. And there is a moment in the middle of the book where I honestly got goose bumps. That is writing.

Moreover, this whole saga reminds me of my cardinal rule. I want good stories. When this whole thing was announced, with Superman off world and Jon taking up the mantle, I was against it. I wanted Superman in Metropolis, interacting with his supporting cast. It became clear that this was going to be an incredible Superman story early on. Don't give me what I want. Give me what I need.

The art is a mash-up of artists who have been doing Action issues recently - Will Conrad, Miguel Mendonca, Brandon Peterson, and Max Raynor. Because we have seen their work throughout the arc and because they each deal with one subplot, the art sings. Everything is big and bold, like a finale should be.

Let's get into some of the specifics I loved.

Review: Action Comics 2022 Annual

Action Comics 2022 Annual came out this week and was a very good, very entertaining issue which just bolsters the Warworld Saga by instructing the reader about Superman and Mongul. This is Mongul's secret origin as the cover states but it also a contrast tale. Superman isn't Mongul and Mongul isn't Superman. And a lot of that difference is based on the values they were raised with. 

Writers Si Spurrier and Phillip Kennedy Johnson throw us a little bit of a curveball here. We get flashback stories of Superman and Mongul's younger years. So much of Superman's values are given to us in the form of 'Pa Kent Wisdom'. We know about Mongul's lineage is based on sons killing fathers and taking up the mantle of Mongul. Now in this issue we get what might be the biggest dose of Ma Kent Wisdom I have ever seen. We see how Mongul's mother raised him to never love and always think of himself. So both parents have impacted their sons' lives. That is pretty brilliant.

The art is a wonderful mix. Dale Eaglesham brings his thicker line and grittiness to the Mongul pages. Meanwhile Ian Churchill brings his finer line to the Smallville pages. The bright Kansas pages differ from the red-soaked Warworld pages. Both styles are different enough to contrast but somehow similar enough to keep the book's flow intact. Even the cover, a rougher looking picture by Francesco Francavilla adds to the feel. Here Mongul is separating Superman from his family (albeit it the Kryptonian parents) perhaps to show how important family is.

If you're looking for a story to inform you of who these opponents are but more importantly why they are who they are, this is a great story. 

On to the particulars.

Review: Action Comics #1042

Action Comics #1042 came out this week and was another crackling chapter in the Warworld Saga. The plot gets pushed forward. Some crumbs for future plot points are revealed. And most importantly, Superman acts like Superman, defending the helpless, inspiring, and showing how his humble upbringing can lead to the being a hero. 

Anyone who thinks Superman and his ethics and morals and passion for justice is 'boring' needs to read this arc. They will never think it again. That is about the highest praise I can give.

Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson continues to show us a revolutionary Superman, fighting Mongul on Warworld and calling to arms the slaves and barbarians who have been slowly indoctrinated into this culture. I love the dialogue has Superman saying, showing how much he cares. And, as usual, there is some excellent Lois happening here. She is not forgotten.

Last issue took place over months, such that I thought it was almost an overview of Midnighter's role throughout the story. I was wrong. Johnson has rolled us through those months. Suddenly this story feels like a sprint!

 The art by Riccardo Federici is this wonderful sketchy work which evokes John Carter Warlord of Mars and Gladiator. This issue is a startlingly beautiful mix of monsters and mayhem. Beautiful mayhem! 

This book is one of the best on the racks right now. 

On to some particulars.

Review: Action Comics #1040

Action Comics #1040 came out this week and was another great chapter in the Warworld Saga. Now this is a saga, meaning many chapters. And this issue read like the beginning chapter of the next arc within the saga. This was a world-building issue, showing us more Warworld culture, some Warworld history, and some great character moments.

Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson is doing a wonderful job here. The foundation of this story is Superman freeing the slave of Warworld through inspiration and sweat. But there is so much more here. This is like reading history. Johnson is really making this feel like a deep, complex, three dimensional, well thought out universe. I am completely impressed with how fully formed this all sounds. It is just incredible.

Artist Riccardo Federici continues to shine here. There is a soft pencil feel to his work. There is almost a storybook quality to the work which gives this story a feel of grandeur. But like Johnson, I love the world building Federici is doing here. From the alien clothing to the monstrous beasts, this really feels like a fully-formed culture here.

I have been loving the Warworld Saga. This issue is another great link in this narrative chain.

On to the specifics.

Review: Action Comics #1039

Action Comics #1039 came out this week and was another superb chapter in the Warworld Saga. Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson is not only giving us a Superman we need right now, but he is also building a complicated and multilayered new world for us to explore. 

The main plot is a depowered Superman playing Spartacus in the arena of Warworld, inspiring hope and ultimately I assume revolution. That part of the plot is impeccable as we see a Superman sticking to his ethics while supposedly in deathmatches. We see him turning people's hopelessness around. It is fantastic. 

But Johnson is really world building here, both metaphorically and more literally. We are starting to learn about Warworld itself, it's origins and layers. We have already learned about the culture and patriarchy of the Mongul clan. Now we are also learning about the traditions and lives of the arena fighters. We see snippets of hymns sung to Thaklis. We learn about the Phaelosians.  Meaty stuff.

This also marks the beginning of Riccardo Federici on art. Every artist on the Warworld Saga has been spectacular and Federici is no exception. His work brings a very detailed finely penciled look to it that sings off the page. Every sinew, every tendon, every crag on a warrior's face is visible and palpable. It reminds me of the ultra-rich Sunday comics of yesteryear. It isn't exactly Hal Foster or Alex Raymond but it evokes the lushness of them.

As I have said many times on this blog, I want good stories. If you tell a good story, even if it is in a direction I didn't think I would like, you still got me. I didn't know I wanted an Earth Elemental Swamp Thing until I got it. I didn't know I needed a flame-winged Matrix Supergirl until I got it. I didn't think I wanted Superman off-Earth on Warworld when I first heard it. But I am thrilled I am getting it. This is great storytelling.

On to the specifics.

Review: Action Comics #1038

Happy New Year to all!

What better way to ring in the new year than by posting my review of Action Comics #1038.  Action Comics has really been hitting on all cylinders recently and this chapter of the Warworld Saga is no exception. 

Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson is bringing in a multi-layered epic that will probably stand up for years to come. He has taken Superman off-world. He has weakened him. These things I am usually wary of. But Johnson also is bringing us new myths to the Superman legend, the Phaelosians and their culture are at the very least Krypton-adjacent. He is showing us a truly inspirational Superman, bringing hope to the lives of the downtrodden. Add to this some insane action, appropriate for this title, and you have a winner. The ending of this issue gave me goose bumps.

Miguel Mendonca's art is perfect for the arc. Somehow Mendonca gives us polished art that is somehow at the same time gritty. That works for a storyline set on the dingy arena world of the Warworld, filled with grime and blood while also elevating Superman as a hero. Clean and gritty? How?

On to the specifics.

Review: Action Comics #1037

Action Comics #1037 came out this week and was the epitome of the title's name. This was all action. And I ate it up with a spoon. There are few comics which leave me in a pulse-pounding, 'what the heck', giddy mood. This was one of them.

So first off, I have to give kudos to writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson. There is the old chestnut about how creators shouldn't give the audience what they want, they should give the audience what they need. When this whole storyline was just being hinted at, I lamented the idea of Superman being off world for a long period of time. That isn't what I wanted. Now, as this whole Warworld saga unfolds, I realize that this is one of the strongest arcs I have read in a while. I didn't want it but I definitely need it. 

Superman and his new Authority arrive on Warworld to find that the new Mongul and his squad are prepared and ready. That leads to some moments that left me gobsmacked. On top of that, there is a new subplot involving the new United Planets that is a wonderful side angle that intrigues me. How can Superman even survive this issue?

Miguel Mendonca is on art for the issue and brings high energy to the whole proceeding. There are some brutal, gory images in this, perfect for an issue which takes place on something called Warworld and visually shows us what the stakes are. Add to that the hazy, bloody tones of  Adriano Lucas and the whole book sings.

Hope you all aren't missing out on this. On to the details.

Review: Action Comics #1036

Action Comics #1036 came out this week, the first chapter in the much anticipated Warworld Saga. Between the events in the Future State Superman mini-series and the current storyline, we knew this is where it would be heading. I guess the bigger question is where it will be ending. That Future State Worlds of War mini-series felt like it was many years in the future given the gray hair on that Superman. But maybe ... just maybe ... that was a near future state.

Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson has really been hitting it out of the park recently on this title. This Superman, dying from breech radiation, being proactive in the need to free the Warworld slaves, and mystified by (perhaps) an offshoot of surviving Kryptonians, has been a compelling character. Perhaps more compelling than I can remember. Whether it is slamming his fist on the JLA table to be heard or organizing a misfit band of near-heroes and villains to be his strike force, this is an incredibly determined hero, perhaps racing the clock to do one last great deed. Invading Warworld? Incredible.

But as impressive as that is, the fact that Johnson (for the most part) seamlessly ties this book into the metatextual romp of the recent Grant Morrison Superman and the Authority mini-series, is a feat. I have to admit I didn't see it coming. I thought this was just going to be a 'don't think about it too hard' sort of timeline.

On top of this, Daniel Sampere is bringing startlingly great art to the proceedings. There is a panel here that is haunting that I just stared at for some time. There is a splash page that is inspiring that I stared at for a long time. But he also has to show us Durlans, the Authority space ship, and monstrous aliens too. Everything works together beautifully.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #1035

Action Comics #1035 came out this last week and was another solid chapter in this Warworld arc. We are moving to the next stage and we are closer to Clark being offworld for what could be a long time given the Future State-ness of it all.

Even though I like my Superman on Earth, I have to give writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson a lot of credit here. He has crafted a very quality story that I am very engaged in. I want to see where this is going. He has written a highly ethical, highly moral, heroic Superman. I want to read more. I want the next issue in my hands right after I finish the current one. 

Daniel Sampere continues to give us stellar art on the title. And Johnson is putting him through the paces, going from major super-power brawls, to crowd shots with the JLA, to a romantic interlude with Lois right before he heads off world. It all shines.

I don't have much to complain about here. But as Superman does his goodbye tour, it would have been great to see him say his farewells to Kara. I worry that we won't see her in this book anymore. Pity since Johnson treated her so well.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #1031

Action Comics #1031 came out this week and was a crackling second parter to the Warworld Rising storyline by creators Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Daniel Sampere.

I have to say this is probably my favorite issue by Johnson to date. The ever-present Father/Son musings have been muted here. The 'Superman is dying'/'Jon is becoming Superman' plot has also been put on pause a bit. I need to be clear. I don't mind those story bits. But at time in the Johnson era they have been a bit heavy-handed. I needed a breather and I got one.

And what a breather. The Warworld refugees plot is pushed forward significantly. But there are still some mysteries here, enough to make me stroke my chin and ponder a bit. A new subplot with Atlantis is put into play. 

Plus, and shame on me for burying the lede, Supergirl shows up and is smart, bright, optimistic, and caring. Pencil in some moment from this issue into the 'best of 2021' list. If this is how Johnson views Kara, shame on DC for making her drunk and vengeful. Let her stay here.

Daniel Sampere's art (with great colors by Adriano Lucas) really pops this issue. The opening battle sequences given energy, the quiet exposition moments given care. I wouldn't mind seeing him on something Supergirl in the future if the stars aligned.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #1030

Action Comics #1030 came out last week and once again showed how new writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson has a nice understanding of the inherent goodness of Superman. His Superman has acted and has sounded like the way I want Superman to be.

Even in Future State, Johnson showed us a true Superman, selfless in his never-ending battle to free the slaves of Warworld. We were told as fans that the events of Future State were possibilities but more and more it seems like they are destined to pass. One thing that I sort of don't like is how quickly we are dealing with those Future State arcs. Already it seems Superman is going to be heading off Earth to Warworld and Jon is going to take the mantle. I would have loved to give Johnson maybe 6 months to settle into his style before closing the Future State gap.

As with his earlier issues, Johnson is also leaning heavily into father/son relationships. Here we get to see contrasting relationships of this nature in an interesting way. It also made the hair on the back of my head stand up, fearful of a possible plot turn. Please ... this time ... let's hope I'm wrong.

Daniel Sampere provides the art. His stuff is beautiful. This issue runs the gamut from dungeon to space, from rooftop discussion to open sea robot battles. It all looks gorgeous. Sampere really has some range.

On to the details.

Future State: Superman Worlds At War #2

Future State Superman Worlds At War #2 came out this last week and was another good issue showing us one potential destiny of the Man of Steel. I have to say, between his stint in Imperious Lex and his death brawl with Darkseid in Immortal Wonder Woman, this Superman gets around.

For me, this series was a key one to read. Phillip Kennedy Johnson is on writing. He is writing the Superman books after Future State and so this is a peek into what he thinks of our hero. I was pretty impressed with the first issue and I thought this one was also very good. There is no doubt that Johnson thinks of Superman as an inspirational and pure hero. This issue's telling is a bit ham-fisted in driving that home. But it shows why Superman believes in humanity. He is us. He learned from us. And as a result, we need to be like him.

Mikel Janin's art is, as always, beautiful. This is more impressive because the story jumps back and forth from two teenagers talking in a field and a barbarian brawl in space. In both settings he shines. My one slight complaint on the art is how the Warworld bits are colored only in tints of red or orange. It started to feel almost monochromatic after a while.

This also ends with a solid cliffhanger. Inspiration indeed!

On to the book.

Review:Superman #22

Superman #22 came out this week, the finale of The Truth arc in which Superman reveals he is Clark Kent to the world and accepts the role of Earth Representative to the United Planets.

Just like Mongul to come crash the party with Warworld.

This is one of those comic issues that really made me smile, yet another reminder of why I still read comics after all these years. As usual it is one of those perfect storms of art and words that make this medium so compelling to me.

We'll start with the writing. The book basically is split between a massive brawl in space between Superman and Mongul. Here, Superman's internal dialogue spells out his thoughts on Mongul and his people. He also recalls a Supergirl moment from (maybe) another continuity and respects Kara for her ingenuity. Perfect. While she isn't here, it is a Supergirl moment to shine.

The other half is a more pitched grounded battle of wills between Lois Lane and Cameron Chase as Lois deals with the fallout of Clark's reveal. It is both tense and relaxed in tone, a wonderful representation of the power and cool of these women.

And then there is the art by Kevin Maguire. It is brilliant. For one, the page layouts for the space battles are varied between long vertical panels, cramped horizontal wide screen panels, and splash pages. Each page of that fight is palpable and dynamic and the cramped or open layouts help add to the feel. Meanwhile, the Lois pages play out with more normal panel sizes, perhaps a cue to make us differentiate the two struggles. It is just fantastic.

And I would be remiss if I didn't also comment on the smashing cover by Ivan Reis, a sort of reverse homage to the loving protector of Earth cover of All Star Superman #10.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #21

Superman #21 came out this week, the fourth chapter in The Truth. The book itself is split into two storylines. First, Superman is in an outer space brawl with Mongul, trying to keep the fledgling UP together. The second is Lois being confronted with the news that Superman declared himself the representative of the Earth in the UP. Both are pretty rollicking threads with great turns.

Brian Michael Bendis again has a good handle on dialogue here. First we have a Superman who worries about how he sounds when he takes charge or angry. That is an interesting little look into his persona and how he wants to be perceived. Just as interesting is Lois' quick switch from being surprised by a question to turning the table deftly and showing how strong her personality is.

Outside of dialogue, the action is well done with good banter. There is a slight deus ex machina that jolts the proceedings. But otherwise the story here is strong.

Ivan Reis and Joe Prado really do a great job on the art this issue. From particular pages with narrow vertical panels to show tremendous action to interesting angles in the Lois sides, things are just beautiful. And the cover has a sort of Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 vibe.

On to the book!

Review: Superman #20

Hard to believe that we are basically 2 years into the Brian Michael Bendis Superman era and that we are still firing on all cylinders.

Superman #20 is another very good issue in a series of excellent arcs. The issue is basically split in half. As with the Superman title, it focuses on Superman's heroic efforts not only on Earth but also in the intergalactic stage. The United Planets are formed. Mongul is there to crash the party.

But the other half of this issue is dedicated the the Daily Star, the Daily Planet's rival. We have seen a lot of Planet Pit drama in Action Comics. So I think it was an interesting choice to put so much rival newspaper in this title.

And much of this has to do with Superman's recent reveal to the world of his secret identity. Now I admit that I am still not sold on the long term viability of this reveal. But unlike the last bite at this plot apple, I think Bendis' roll out has been better thought out and for the most part better plotted. He is asking or touching on all the things that weren't discussed in The Truth from a few years ago. And at least this time, Superman is the one who made the decision.

Add to that the return of one of my favorite supporting characters in Superman lore and this issue is a winner.

Ivan Reis shines on art as usual. He has always impressed me but the space scenes here, the brutal battles against Mongul, are very well done, in widescreen format.

On to the issue.

Review: Superman #19

Superman #19 came out this week, the second chapter in The Truth and another gripping read by the team of Brian Michael Bendis and artist Ivan Reis.

The issue opens in the Daily Planet as Superman's friends (or pals as Jimmy keeps correcting) come to grips with the new reality of Clark Kent being Superman. I am glad Bendis gives this topic some time. For a paper that touts itself as the model of integrity, to learn that Superman was among them and that Clark and Lois wrote articles about him is hardly objective. I don't know if I quite understand why Perry does one thing he does there, but the sentiment is nice. And there is a lot to chew over here. I doubt this conversation is over.

The back end begins a new arc with Mongul and the United Planets which shows that isn't going to be as smooth a ride as Superman may have anticipated. Of course, Mongul is a rabble rouser and certainly can bring out the worst in people. And when you have an uneasy alliance between empires, things are hardly stable. I don't mind seeing Superman unleash his full power against bruisers who can take it so I hope we see some brawls.

I don't know if I can praise Ivan Reis any more but his work here moving from quiet office discussions to intergalactic war is exemplary. We have a little bevy of inkers here - Joe Prado, Danny Miki, Julio Fereira, and Oclair Albert. You can see some subtle differences in pages, some look 'softer' than others. But the art still shines.

On to the book.

Back Issue Review: DC Comics Presents #43

Over on the Supergirl show, the Legion of Super-Heroes have traveled back in time and are (for now) stuck in the 21st century. When Reign attacks, the Legion are initially reluctant to join in the battle. After all, they shouldn't interfere with the timeline any more than they need to, if at all. Eventually, the team decides that they are heroes who help people regardless of the time they are in.

With that background, I decided that I should thumb through the back issue boxes to find a Legion story to showcase and what better issue than 1982's DC Comics Presents #43, an issue in which the Legion travels back in time to save the Earth in present day from a major threat. And while DCCP is a Superman team-up book, there is a Supergirl cameo which means this is the perfect book to cover here.

There are any number of bonus reasons to include this. Brainiac 5 is one of the Legionnaires, linking this again to the show. Wildfire, my favorite Legionnaire, is a big part of this story. Mongul is the villain, trapping Superman in one of his wonky shrinking cube traps! And, of course, it sports a Brian Bolland cover, one of Bolland's earliest DC works. I mean, that is one gorgeous cover! Bolland is incredible.

Superman and the Legion, together in the present, fighting Mongul and a sun-eater? Sounds like a winner to me! On to the book!

Review: Action Comics #982

Action Comics #982, the next chapter in Revenge, came out last week and was a perfect middle chapter, moving the pieces on the board, building momentum to the finale, and adding a few new mysteries. This book ends with a truly phenomenal splash page, a great cliffhanger, and a moment I feel I have been waiting for since the New 52 happened. If this comic was only that page, I would probably give it a high grade. Trust me ... we'll get there.

Writer Dan Jurgens certainly keeps the plot moving along. He has a lot of moving parts to deal with in this story. The Revenge Squad is 6 members deep. He has Lois, Jon, and Superman to write. And we get the other guests that come on board. That sounds like a Legion of Super-Heroes comic. But Jurgens takes the time to make sure we know each character's motivations and to make them unique.

The art is done by Jack Herbert and Jose Luis and both bring great emotion and action to the proceedings. There are a number of panels here which struck me. One has become my Twitter header. And that ending page! It all works well.

This issue ended and I immediately wanted to read the next part. That is the sign of a great middle chapter.

On to the book!

Review: Superman/Wonder Woman #11

Superman:Doomed ....

Will it never end!

I must admit that my interest in this mega-arc has waned dramatically over the last couple of weeks. As the plots spin out of control, as the infection waxed ... waned ... waxed ... and then was cured because Baka believed in Superman (an overly easy answer to such a key plot point), I have just grown fatigued with reading this story. There is too much happening, too many plots and subplots, and too many feints by the creators. I don't know what is important. And I can't believe that the Doomsday virus was cured by good feelings.

This week Superman/Wonder Woman #11 came out, one of the final chapters of the arc, and writer Charles Soule basically continues the cycle I have described above. Last week's cliffhanger turns out to be a fakeout (like the Cyborg Superman cliffhanger was something of a fakeout, like the incurable Doomsday virus has been something of a fakeout). There is some action sequences that seem like filler. And yet another new plot element is added. Does DC think this bloated storyline is going to be easily wrapped up in this month's Superman:Doomed #2?

Tony Daniel is sadly not doing art on this book, most likely because he is hard at work on the new Deathstroke comic. So newcomer Thony Silva does interior. Silva's art is stylized. His characters look gangly and angular. And Superman oddly never has pupils. I think I would rather see this style on something like Deathstroke and bring Tony Daniel back.

The last issue of Doomed ended with another cliffhanger ... Non and Mongul leaving the Phantom Zone! Yet another new element added to this incredibly overly complicated mega-arc!

But I should have remembered some of the other cliffhangers in this arc, threats or events which quickly downshifted or disappeared. Here Non and Mongul see that Earth is being overrun by Brainiac. And despite their combined might, neither of them wants to face that threat. They actually retreat back to the Phantom Zone! So much for that cliffhanger.

I suppose I should be happy that they weren't added given my concern that there are too many moving parts here.

I did like how Mongul tries to explain to Non that he isn't scared of Brainiac as he is retreating.

And Lana continues to become smarter and smarter. Somehow she is able to figure out that Brainiac is draining neurological energy from the populace of Earth. But it is a progression from higher thinking to the most primitive neurologic impulses until everyone is dead.

Now how an electrical engineer can figure out an alien genius' neurologic draining mechanisms I don't know.

Look ... I love this Lana. But let's not make her too unbelievable. I would have had less of a complaint if Shay Veritas said this line.

Superman realizes that he needs to head to the Fortress and reorganize the few troops he has left. So Steel, Lana, J'onn, and Superman all head to the north pole to try to figure out a plan.

In one of the nicer moments, Cyborg stays behind to hold off the tough Brainiac drones so the others can leave. It is a nice page and a nice moment ... albeit brief. Very quickly, Brainiac adapts his mechanism to drain Vic's half robot brain as well.

If you count it up, only 7 free minds remain on the planet - Superman, J'onn, Steel, Lana, and these three: Bruce, Diana, and Lois.

Batman realizes that it simply isn't enough to defeat Brainiac. They need help.

So I don't know why Lois is green here when she had her normal coloring last issue.

It would have been nice to see some of the other telepaths on the planet to see how they fared. The fact that J'onn and Lois can shield people makes me wonder why others couldn't do the same.

But if it is true that only 7 are free and they need more firepower there are only a couple of places they can turn.

Superman turns to the mentally caged Doomsday. Why not let the monster take control again? After all, despite issue after issue of hearing how the virus was spreading, how this was an infection, all it took was the Ghost Soldier to tell Superman that people believed in him for the Man of Steel to cure himself.

I am so confused about this infection. Is it an infection? Like a disease? A mental problem? How can good feelings cure it? How can Superman willingly suffer the relapse? This whole ending of the Doomsday virus threat weakens the foundation of the entire conflict of this arc.

I also don't know why Silas never drew Superman with pupils.

And Wonder Woman goes searching for more firepower by heading into the Phantom Zone. Looks like she will try to lure Mongul and Non out to help fight for the cause. I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.

And it looks like Wonder Woman is willing to use Warworld as a bargain chip to get Mongul into the fold. Boy, I know that Warworld is a Death Star analogue. But this sure does look like a certain 'fully operational battle station'.

Well, another chapter down. The plot moved forward a bit. And we are set up for the final part (outside of the Supergirl crossover issue). Superman:Doomed #2 will be out soon and this arc will be over. And I will be thankful. I am hoping this will erase the last bits of Lobdell plot threads from the super-titles. I am hoping that Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder can get back to the sort of stories they were doing before this arc. And I hope I never have to think about what this Doomsday infection was all about. Because my head hurts from trying to figure it out.

Overall grade: C

Back Issue Review: Action Comics Annual #2

In Superman #32, Geoff Johns shows us a mysterious cloaked man observing Superman in battle, talking about teaching Clark. Johns then has his quasi-Superman Ulysses talk of Klerik, someone who spoke of Earth being destroyed. It seems to me that Johns is updating the character of Cleric, a key character in the Superman mythos during the Byrne reboot, a key part of the Eradicator's story.

Even though I might be wrong, I thought I would take a look back at the introduction of Cleric to the DCU in Action Comics Annual #2 from way back in 1989. This was an absolutely fascinating part of Superman's narrative at the time. He had exiled himself to space after executing the Phantom Zone villains from the pocket universe (a story that introduced the Matrix Supergirl to comics). He was trying to overcome his guilt from killing the villains and, in doing so, trying to resolidify his belief that Superman should not kill. Indeed, it is that Pocket Universe execution story that was used by defenders of Goyer and Snyder's Man of Steel as proof that Superman has killed.

Here in this Annual, a weakened Superman is found in deep space and brought to Warworld. Forced to fight in gladiator games for the world's leader Mongul, Superman continues to refuse to kill the opponents he defeats. While Superman fights, reaffirms his beliefs about killing, and discusses Kryptonian history, we are introduced to the Cleric and his part in Krypton's history.

Superman's part of the annual is drawn by Jerry Ordway and Curt Swan. But the Cleric's story is drawn by Mike Mignola!  The book itself is group written by Ordway, Roger Stern, and George Perez!

After identifying Superman as a Kryptonian, a worker in Warworld's arenas flies out to one of the prison asteroids nearby ... The Pariah Penitentiary. There the worker approaches 'The Cleric', telling him of the wondrous sight ... a living Kryptonian.

Note the glowing light in the background, a key element and artifact in this story.

But the Cleric is perplexed and the agitated when he hears that there is a Kryptonian alive. It is clear that this is more than a history lesson for him. He is too emotional. To scream that they are all dead, to say it is a plot to drive him insane, things are personal here.

I love seeing Mignola's work. Even here, the slow opening of eyes, the brightening of art shows the awakening energy within the Cleric.

In a series of flashbacks, clearly exposition, the Cleric tells the prison worker his history on Krypton.

He was sent by his order to preach on Krypton, to proselytize the holy words of the 'divine deity', imbued with mystic powers by his Sacred Tribunal. And he came to Krypton when their civilization was on the brink. Krypton had always cloned themselves, using the clones for medical purposes. But a segment of the populace thought this was horrific and wanted the clones to have rights.

And so the Cleric preached of equality and love and communing with nature. And there were ears eager to hear these words.

He preached against cloning, against the love of science. He called it the 'foulest of all blasphemies' and an 'affront to all creation'.

And, as is often the way, those in charge felt that the Cleric was a threat to the established way of life and therefore wanted him eliminated.

But the Cleric's power and influence continued to grow. In fact, he began to threaten not only the science of cloning but the recognized religion of Rao on the planet. The Church of Rao united with the scientists to proclaim the Cleric a threat. The next step was going to be violence.

I love this panel by Mignola, the empty space of the walls utilized for the text, the Cleric, bathed in light at the center, his flock listening intently.

Despite his message of peace, the Cleric's followers were willing to lay down their lives for him.

This was no mere threat to the Cleric. A weapon had been built specifically to kill him. That weapon? The Eradicator! A weapon of unbelievable and indescribable power.

And so we are introduced to the Eradicator, a device that played a major part in the Superman stories for all of the 90s.

The whole thing is a powder keg. And it eventually explodes. The army arrives and blasts the Cleric with the Eradicator. A firefight erupts between the Cleric's acolytes and the pro-clone contingent. Hoping to end the conflict, the soldier wielding the Eradicator accidentally disrupts its matrix resulting in a massive explosion killing most in the vicinity. This incident was marked as The Day of Intolerance in Kryptonian history.

Somehow the Cleric survives the blast. While many of his followers have died, many have survived. It is time for the faithful to leave Krypton and join the throngs of the Divine Deity's followers.

And the Cleric will take the Eradicator with him as Krypton cannot be trusted with such a weapon.

Building a huge space ark, the Cleric gathers his flock and flies to join his holy commune. But once in space, his whole congregation dies. Kryptonians are tied to their planet. To leave the planet results in death. And so the Cleric is responsible for the death of all his Kryptonian followers.

The Cleric's light is the Eradicator, kept safe all these years.

As I said, throughout the book, Kal is telling Jor-El's story, centuries after the Cleric's time on the planet. The politically charged clone topic leads to acts of terrorism, the destruction of Kandor, and the poisoning of Krypton's core by Black Zero. It is this act which leads to Krypton's destruction.

It is interesting that Jor-El, knowing the link Kryptonians have to their planet, removes that 'weakness' from Kal while the baby is still 'in utero' in the matrix pod. This allows Kal to be rocketed away. It is also interesting to see the resemblance between Superman's rocket and the Eradicator design.

And so this Cleric was deeply involved in Krypton's history. Later in this arc, he merges minds with Superman. Both see their moments of biggest failure (the death of the acolytes, the execution of the Zone villains) and heal.

Johns' Klerik may be a warped version of this character, based in the 4th dimension and involved in Ulysses' history as opposed to Kal's. That said, he 'taught' Clark. So what does that mean?

Now, of course, I may be wrong and Klerik may have nothing to do with the Cleric. But it seems too convenient. I bet there are some similarities. I guess I'll have to wait and see.