Superman Unlimited is aiming to change Superman’s status quo from the jump, especially with its big reveal in issue #1: a massive meteor made of Kryptonite has landed on Earth, providing the criminals of the world the edge they need to take on Superman. But the Man of Steel has a surprising ace up his sleeve: a new power that gives him the edge against Kryptonite. In a world where anyone can weaponize Kryptonite, what does it mean for Superman and his family?
Dan Slott continues to unfurl plot developments that reshape Superman’s entire life. Not only does he have a new superpower, but a new duty as Clark Kent. The Daily Planet is expanding worldwide, meaning that nearly every location in the DC Universe has its own branch. There’s a Planet in Gotham City. There’s a Planet in Markovia (aka the home of Geo-Force). There’s even a Planet in Gorilla City, and the idea of a race of intelligent apes running a newspaper is the kind of nutty you’ll only get in comics, which I love. That’s not even getting into the fact that there’s an actual nation made of Kryptonite (more on that later.)
This also speaks to why Clark Kent’s job as a journalist is important. In one scene, where Jack Ryder, better known as the Creeper, is interviewing someone who claims their goat was mutated by Kryptonite. Enter Clark, who quickly fact checks the story and pokes enough holes to deflate it. It’s a great example of what a reporter’s job should be, and shows that Slott is willing to tackle all the aspects of Clark’s life. I’ve always felt that the best Superman stories have a balance between Superman and Clark Kent, so that’s a good thing.
DC
Superman Unlimited #2 sings thanks to Rafael Albuquerque’s artwork, which veers between the action packed and the awe-worthy. The latter is established early on, as we see a series of Daily Planet globes being erected throughout the cities; they immediately stand out, whether it’s in Gotham’s shadows or the lush vegetation surrounding Gorilla City. Superman himself continues to be a major draw, especially when he stands tall in the face of a robbery or is talking to Batman on the Justice League Watchtower. In contrast, the scenes featuring the Creeper have him leaping and moving with inhuman agility, while he remains hunched over while standing still.
Colorist Marcelo Maiolo permeates nearly every page with the color green, representing how Kryptonite’s spread across the DC Universe. It’s in the verdant armor of the “Krypto-Knights”, the defender of the nation of El Caldero where the Kryptonite meteor landed; it’s in the weapons that are now finding themselves in the hands of robbers, from knives to bullets to Kryptonite knuckles; and it’s even in the Creeper’s skin…not to mention his words, which letterer Dave Sharpe makes, well, creepy.
Superman Unlimited #2 continues to shake up Superman’s world, whether it’s with a new power or the new threat of a world lush with Kryptonite. It also teases the reappearance of a classic Superman foe, who will probably prove to be an unexpected menace for the Man of Steel.
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