The double-edged sword of superhero comics is that the heroes’ enemies almost always come back to haunt them. Part of this is due to the cardboard nature of some prisons. I and others have joked that Arkham Asylum might be more like a revolving door than a prison. However, there is also the question, “Why don’t heroes kill villains?” question. The answer to that tends to be twofold. Because heroes are heroes, they act on a higher level of morality, and from a story perspective, if they kill the good villain, there is no conflict.
Superman #22 brings such a conflict to the Man of Steel. After their date night, Clark Kent and Lois Lane are confronted by a large fleet of warships in Metropolis. This fleet is called the Aftermath, the last survivors of the world Doomsday ravaged, and they have a proposition for Superman and Superwoman. If they give Aftermath an end, they will eliminate his threat once and for all. If we fail, the Earth will be lost.
With four issues in now, it’s safe to say that Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora are proving to be quite the creative team. Maura feels like she’s going to go bankrupt over every issue. The opening pages depict a wide spread of Aftermath ships floating above Metropolis, hinting at both the power these invaders command and the destruction Doomsday is capable of. Radiant, the leader of The Aftermath, is also a sight to behold. Mora depicts him as a pulsating being of energy, and Alejandro Sánchez provides a blue-white light that fills almost the entire page.
dc comics
But if it’s Mora’s work that draws you in, it’s Williamson’s writing that keeps you there. Williamson draws on deep knowledge of the DC Comics history of Radiant and Aftermath, which grew out of the Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey miniseries by Dan Jurgens, as well as a new way to depict the Clark and Lois dynamic. I keep finding out. Since Clark is Superman, he is able to converse with the Radiant, but Lois uses her greatest superpower (reporter instinct) to focus on the fact that he is not being honest with them. I’ll guess. I admire writers who are willing to try new things, but also understand why these characters work.
Superman #22 also touches on several running subplots. Some feel it’s designed to move the plot forward, like Jimmy Olsen trying to get a picture of Superwoman. Other works, like the budding romance between Lex Luthor and Mercy Graves, fall into Williamson’s wheelhouse of pushing characters in unexpected directions. But this ending brings back the age-old question of having villains at our disposal, and also, “What would you do if you had Superman’s powers?”
While Superman #22 puts the Man of Steel at a crossroads, Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora continue to solidify one of the most unique creative partnerships in modern comics. Works like this remind us that it’s possible to create a great Superman story, regardless of what some of the fanbase thinks.
“Superman” #22 asks difficult questions.
Superman #22
While Superman #22 puts the Man of Steel at a crossroads, Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora continue to solidify one of the most unique creative partnerships in modern comics. Works like this remind us that it’s possible to create a great Superman story, regardless of what some of the fanbase thinks.
Not only does Williamson have a deep knowledge of DC Comics, but he also knows how to take characters, especially Clark and Lois, in new directions.
Mora tackles each issue individually, especially when it comes to action sequences.
Superman faces an apocalypse that leads to a thought-provoking cliffhanger.
Lex Luthor and Mercy Graves are the power couple I never knew I needed.
Jimmy Olsen’s plotline feels like a treadmill.
