DCU Comic Book Reviews

SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #5

Part Five

September 2009

Written by Greg Rucka and James Robinson

Pencils by Pete Woods

Inks by Pete Woods

Covers by Pete Woods and Tang Eng Huat

Synopsis

Kal-el and Lieutenant Asha Del-Nar are being held for treason when they refused to kill an escape prisoner, per the orders of General Zod.  At the trial, Lieutenant Nar attempts to take the fall by admitting she disobeyed orders, but Kal-el tells the council that he ordered her not to obey General Zod.  Based on his Kal-el’s admission, Zod demands the council find Kal-el guilty with the punishment of death.  That night, Tyr-Van visits Kal-el.  Tyr-Van places a bomb near the prison entrance, telling Kal-el he’ll only have minutes to escape after it goes off.  However, when the bomb does go off, Kal-el remains in his prison cell.  Elsewhere, Zod watches Kal-el’s actions with interest.  The next day, the council finds Kal-el guilty.  However, Zod offers the council and Kal-el the chance for the religious guild to wip away his sin and absolve Kal-el of his crime.  The religious guild agrees and Ka-el is free to go.  Later, Kal-el and Zod join the celebration as the protective dome is removed around the city.  Moments later, Zod is shot through the chest. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This was an utterly fascinating, captivating, and brilliant, issue.  There are absolutely no action scenes, and no big fights.  This is (almost literally) the definition of a “talking head” comic book with characters talking to each other on page after page after page.  And it is still better than some of the knock ‘em out issues of non-stop fighting.  The reason is that the issue has conflict, it has suspense, it has surprises, and it has some great characterization.  The trial contained logical arguments and the final outcome with Zod’s decision was also very logical.  In short, it has some beautiful writing and Woods’ art is the perfect match.  I don’t know whose idea it was, but the use of the monochrome coloring (by Brad Anderson) during the trial is a great choice, showing the starkness of the council and the trial and evocative of the first Superman movie. 

I have always heard it said that writers often take the easy way with Superman by always giving him an opponent that is bigger, stronger, and faster because it is easier to write action-driven conflict.  Introduce villain, have Superman confront villain, have them fight, wham! you’ve got a story.  Rucka and Robinson have taken the opposite approach, creating a plot-driven (and character-driven) conflict between Zod and Superman.  The conflict between these two is complex, with twists and turns around every corner.  What is amazing is that Superman is the character that we’ve always known him to be, the one who is morally driven to do the right thing.  He is the ultimate Boy Scout, refusing to let someone take the fall and refusing to escape prison, even in the face of death.  Superman has a moral code and will stand up for what he believes no matter what.  That is part of the character of Superman and it is on display here.  Rucka and Robinson haven’t changed or altered Superman for this story.  In a world where his strength and power has been neutralized, we are learning what truly makes Superman great and that his is moral fortitude. 

So, with Superman who he is, the conflict in this story comes from Zod.  He tests Superman at every corner, finding a weakness, finding a way to defeat the biggest threat to whatever plans Zod may have.  Rucka and Robinson have they built upon Johns’ characterization as someone who straddles the line upon good and evil.  Zod is an enigma.  He clearly sets up Superman by giving an order he knew Superman would not carry out in order to sentence him to death at the trial, yet when he gets what he wants, he gives Superman a way out.  The question becomes, do we believe him when he explains the reasons to Superman or is there something else going on that we have learned yet.  Based on the ending, we may not find out. 

Actually, thinking about the ending, it is not that farfetched to suggest that may be Zod really was killed.  While Zod is an iconic character, he is also fairly recent to the DC universe (and originally started in the movies), so he could be fodder for the larger story.  However, I doubt that will be the case.  My guess is that Zod will be unconscious until the shooter is found.   

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