Superman #41 review

It’s the middle of the Kingdom of Zod but don’t expect the usual water treading here. As Superman battles General Zod in the Kryptonite Kingdom, a prediction made by the Time Trapper a while back comes true.

So unnecessary. Superman had appealed to the Phantom Zone criminal to resume their uneasy truce.

After Superman is whisked away by Superboys Kon-El and Prime, Zod joins the new Eradicatrix, and we learn where the dead Ursa is.

And it works. Ursa returns – but the reunion isn’t so much Sleeping Beauty as Bride of Frankenstein.

Ursa, it seems, feels her husband has gone soft, and is of no more use to her. Unlike her metallic ‘sister’, the Eradicatrix.

So that’s Superman down and Zod out… but there are other members of the Super Family still in good enough shape to fight the threat to Earth represented by whatever’s happened to Green Kryptonite. Steel John Henry, Steel Natasha and Superwoman Lana Lang are looking at the science of it all.

Supergirl and time-tossed Superboy Clark Kent, meanwhile, are in the dungeons under the Kryptonite kingdom of El Caldero, getting to know one another as they look for Kara’s Super Force friends.

And while she’s lost the super-powers she unknowingly borrowed from Zod, Lois Lane, who’s with son Jon, the recently Christened Tomorrow Man, is super-determined.

I would not bet against Lois.

So yes, far from being the traditional space-filling middle chapter, Superman #41 is full of meaty incidents, from a brutal Superman vs Zod battle to the marital spat between Ursa and Zod. Seeing the individual characters of our heroes during the battle was a treat, and I’m looking forward to the Steel family arriving… just imagine teenage Clark meeting grown-up, green-glowing Lana, married to someone who’s not him!

One thing that especially intrigues me in Joshua Williamson’s sharp script is the detail about the Green K. Who sent the ‘sleeper agent’ asteroid to Earth? I’m assuming it wasn’t Zod given he’s only recently returned to health… I expect we’ll find out at the end of this crossover, cueing up a new storyline.

Superman’s eye injury looks very painful, like a DC on-brand Cyclops. The sooner that gets fixed, the better.

Behind the excellent visuals are artists Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira. The power wielded by Superman and Zod is palpable, the determination of the good guys, the sense of place – excellent. The only problem is a massive panel in which Superman punches Zod right out of his warsuit. Well, that’s my guess, it’s not terribly clear.

Everything is beautifully coloured by Ulises Arreola and lettered by… I dunno, for the second week running the credits page is missing, Superman will likely have his eye back before the Amazon elves fix it. Feel free to tell me!

The latest slice of Guillem March’s cover is rather good – I take it that’s Smallville Superboy.

This issue closes with one heck of a cliffhanger involving Supergirl and Superboy that will be taken up next week in, appropriately enough, Kara’s own comic. And if that chapter is as good as this one I will be very happy.