It’s the penultimate part of the nine-part crossover event and things are cooking. The Green Kryptonite plague is over, giving the Superforce – Supergirl’s ad hoc allies – a chance to escape the dungeons of El Caldero. Princess Shark is first to take her chance.
Superman returns from his golden voyage and learns that the Zod he knows is dead.
As Superman, Tomorrow Man and Lena Luthor strive to learn who the killer was – psst, it was Ursa – Superboy Prime pops up with an apology.
While Superman doesn’t question Prime – who prefers CK – too closely, fellow Superboy Kon-El doesn’t look thrilled at the easy acceptance of his onetime killer.
Booster Gold, trussed up by Zod, calls out for help and is freed by Superman. The Justice Leaguer reveals that Ursa stole his time bubble and zoomed to the past in a bid to save Krypton from destruction. As everyone is trying to get their heads around this, said time transport returns, with the aforementioned trio.
And the younger Zod from Krypton’s final years.
Superman’s response to the arrival of his young old enemy is surprising, but makes sense in the circumstances. Rather than instigate a fight, he opens dialogue. But he’s never going to give Zod what he wants…
There are some nice moments this issue – as well as the scenes with Prime and Booster, Princess Shark‘s enthusiasm and Kon-El’s attitude to CK, there’s good use of Lena, an understandably snide comment from Lana, and my favourite line, as Superman responds to J’onn J’onzz’s frustration.
Once again, writer Joshua Williamson shows the faith Clark has in his cousin.
There’s not a lot of story movement. It’s mainly reunions and explanations, with all the big stuff saved, presumably, for the upcoming crossover-concluding Kingdom of Zod Special. So, concentrating on what we do get, I’ll say Williamson’s dialogue sizzles, the art by the teams of Eddy Barrow & Eber Ferreira, and Eduardo Pansica & Júlio Ferreira is classy. The two-thirds drawn by the first team is powerful yet nuanced, while the hyper-energetic rest is perfect for the climax, as things really kick off.
The colouring throughout by Ulises Arreola is bright and beautiful, the letters by Ariana Maher emphatically good, while the final section of Lucas Meyer and Giuliano Peratelli’s triple cover image is a winner.
So, not the most significant chapter in the Kingdom of Zod crossover, Superman #42 is always entertaining.
