Superman: Action Comics Annual 2023 #1 – Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Writer; Max Raynor, Artist; Matt Herms, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s run on this title has been nothing short of groundbreaking—expanding Superman’s family, his role in the universe, and his role in Metropolis like few writers ever have. It all wraps up here as Johnson prepares to head on to his next big project—so it’s fitting that for his last act, he’s going back to one of his first DC stories. The main villain of the final arc is Sister Shadow, aka Bruce Wayne’s twisted daughter from a world where the Al Ghul empire rules with an iron fist. Impersonating the human bigot Norah Stone, Sister Shadow has kidnapped Superman’s adopted daughter from Warworld, Otho, with the intention of twisting her into her superpowered heir and getting the girl to unleash her full power and rage. Superman has recruited Constantine along with allies Etrigan and Bloodwynd (a new version who is not Martian Manhunter) on a multiversal rescue mission.
With her conquest foiled, Sister Shadow plays the only card she has left—invading Metropolis from Earth Al-Ghul with one final assault. This roughly double-sized final issue of the run has so many great moments in it, from Superman’s legacies convincing the empowered members of Blue Earth to switch sides and fight, to Superman’s quiet conversation with his daughter where he pulls her back from the brink, to the return of a character who first appeared at the start of this arc in the final scenes. Both Johnson and Williamson understand that Superman’s greatest superpower isn’t his abilities—it’s the way he can convince people to become their best selves and try to follow his example, whether they’re his family or strangers. This entire run, and the Warworld Saga in particular, are going to go down as classic Superman stories, and the odds are some of the events of this run will sill be referenced decades from now.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
