Superman #23 – Joshua Williamson, Writer; Dan Mora, Artist; Alejandro Sanchez, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: Josh Williamson’s arcs have always been filled with big action and deep lore, but this one might be the most over-the-top yet. Doomsday showing up always brings a bit of gravitas to the story, but this one provides double – the current Doomsday, a rampaging beast who has beaten his way into being king of hell; and the future Doomsday, who has evolved into the Time Trapper and is desperate for a way to escape his endless cycle of immortality. The latter has provided manipulative choices to Superman and now to Superwoman – while the former is unconscious and is currently being claimed by a cult of Doomsday survivors led by the Radiant, the last member of a species made out of light. Mad with rage, the Radiant is laying waste to Metropolis and aims to punish Superman for his resistance by targeting Jimmy Olsen. And this gives Superman and Lois only split seconds to respond.
Dan Mora’s art is incredibly well-suited to a fast-paced issue like this, combining big monster action with real emotional stakes. Pretty much everyone gets a moment to shine, including the
Luthor clan as questions continue to build about who is exactly at Lex’s driver’s seat. But as the issue goes on and we don’t see any sign of a certain character, it becomes clear that some bad news is coming. Not only is a beloved character left in rough shape, but another might be trending back towards villainy. And as the issue wraps up, Doomsday and his enemies are neutralized for now, but a far larger threat is looming in the future. This book is probably the best run I can remember at capturing the vibe of the 90s comics that got me into Superman way back in the day. While the action and stakes are sky-high, it has that human touch and enough focus on the supporting cast to really make Metropolis feel like a living, breathing city.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
