DCU Comic Book Reviews

JSA KINGDOM COME:  SUPERMAN

Kingdom Come Special:  Superman

January 2009

Written by Alex Ross

Pencils by Alex Ross

Inks by Alex Ross

Covers by Alex Ross & Dale Eaglesham

Synopsis

[continued from Justice Society of America #20]

In Metropolis, KC Superman punches New Earth Superman and wonders how he became the bad guy.  Earlier, Superman is talking to Cyclone explaining how things got so bad on his world.  She remarks it sounds like something out of the book of revelations.  The biblical reference reminds Superman of Norman McCay.  Suddenly, Superman hears a distress call.  He rushes to Daily Planet where he finds the building engulfed in a Kryptonian cloud.  Superman dispatches the goons and in the melee punches New Earth Superman.  KC Superman realizes what he has done, apologizes, and flies away.  Later, Superman visits this Earth’s Norman McCay, but it is not the same person and he offers no new insights.  At JSA headquarters, Lois Lane talks to KC Superman, who explains how his Lois died at the hands of the Joker.  Lois wonders how long it has been since he was simply Clark.  He tells her, Clark died when Lois died and will never return. [continued in JSA Kingdom Come:  Magog] 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This is an interesting issue.  There is gorgeous artwork from Alex Ross, who doesn’t paint his own pencils, but rather uses a unique technique to ink his pencils while Alex Sinclair provides the colors.   And while there is an intriguing story, the problem I have is that it is not really a complete story, nor is it really part of something else.  It is neither here nor there.  The here is the current story in the Justice Society of America book during which much of the action in this issue takes place.  The there is the Kingdom Come mini-series from a number of years ago, which the flashbacks and Superman’s state of mind are directly related to.  So we’ve got all the plot details in one place, but the character in another place.  In the current continuity of the DC Universe, we get nothing on the overall plot of “One World Under Gog”, other than Superman talking to various people about his situation and getting no answers.  It is frustrating because I would like to see more of Gog and the JSA than flashbacks to Kingdom Come.  Despite what I have just said, I still think this is a beautiful, well done comic book.  Not only for the art, but also for Ross’ writing and the way he captures Superman’s state of mind, his feeling of loss at what happened to his world, and the feeling of hopelessness and what he is watching unfold before his eyes.  This issue is a great examination of the Superman character and adds depth to someone who has been mostly in the background of the main Justice Society of America book.  Hopefully, this will lead to more of KC Superman as “One World Under Gog” unfolds. 

The only misstep is the use of Lex Luthor, who has been in jail for awhile now, only reappearing recently in Action Comics.  So it doesn’t quite work in current continuity to have Lex Luthor attempt to smoke out the Daily Planet, but I’m sure to most people, this won’t matter (or even be noticeable.  And, frankly, the minor point doesn’t detract from the issue anyway.