Superman Unlimited #5 – Dan Slott, Writer; Rafael Albuquerque, Artist; Marcelo Maiolo, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: It honestly feels like the four Superman ongoings being published by DC right now are in an arms race for who can raise the stakes the highest. Dan Slott’s book, the newest entry, is definitely keeping up as it’s time for Superman to enter the Kryptonite Kingdom for the first time. El Caldero, the small Latin American country that was ground zero for the Kryptonite meteor, is under attack by terrorists from Kobra, looking to create a superweapon – and it’s revealed that the source is a Kryptonian Sun Crystal. This is the composite that helped Superman build the fortress, and it could be deadly in Kobra’s hands. So along with on-site reporter Ron Troupe, Superman (complete with anti-Kryptonite armor), heads into the place that can kill him instantly. He’s greeted as a friend and savior by the eccentric President, but there’s one problem. The President wants the crystal safe too – but he wants its power for himself.
This series does a great job of keeping us guessing about the President’s true intentions. He doesn’t seem hostile to Superman and seems beloved by his country, but he’s intensely protective of its resources. He has a sympathetic backstory and seems to admire Superman, but can turn on a dime. The back half of this issue, which is a claustrophobic thrill ride inside a mine composed entirely of Kryptonite, has some of the best action Slott has written in a while, and the visuals by Rafael Albuquerque are excellent – particularly in its use of the sickly green palette to make things more challenging for Superman to navigate. There’s a reveal about the Sun Crystal that will likely bring about some flashbacks from the recent movies, and a great twist that raises the stakes at the end. This is one of the best status-quo-upending twists we’ve seen in a new DC book in a long time.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
