Superman #30 has a lot going on.
Not only is it closing out the “Legion of Darkseid” story arc that pits the Man of Steel against a warped version of the Legion of Superheroes, but it’s also dovetailing into events that take place in Justice League Unlimited. That’s not even getting into the fact that seeds for DC K.O. are sprinkled throughout the issue…and that it finally reveals where Lex Luthor’s been following his escape from prison.
That would be a lot for any writer to juggle, yet Joshua Williamson handles it with ease. Part of the reason why Superman #30 doesn’t feel like it’s overloading the reader is due to Williamson’s script slowly unfurling each connection. He begins by showcasing the twisted origin of the new Saturn Girl, and also hints at the stakes for DC K.O. when Superboy-Prime tells Superman that this is one of the few fights in which he can’t hold back. There’s even a major revelation surrounding Booster Gold and why the Legion kept him prisoner, which hints at bigger things ahead for the time-traveling hero.
Williamson’s best moments involve Superboy-Prime himself, which is a sentence I never thought I’d be typing. While other writers have used Prime as a scapegoat to express their frustrations in dealing with fans, he shows that Prime has evolved past his more selfish desires and has become his own kind of hero. It also means that he still gets some of the best lines, whether he’s standing up to a corrupted Lightning Lad or telling Superman that “Batman can suck eggs.”
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Williamson isn’t the only creator pushing himself here, as Dan Mora takes his art to a new level with Superman #30. Massive splash pages are spread throughout the issue, letting Mora depict a variety of visuals. A two-pager features the entire Legion of Darkseid ganging up on a weary Superman, while another splash page once again puts Prime’s “reality punch” to good use – shards of existence spreading out around Superman as he tumbles to Earth-0.
The kicker is a major page that features a character I wasn’t expecting to see in these pages. Yet it also shows how far Darkseid’s influence has spread across the DC Universe, and the larger scope of Williamson and Scott Snyder’s plans for the “All In” saga. It’s also stunning to look at. Mora’s proven himself to be one of the strongest artists in the comic world, and the images he inserts in Superman #30 make me even more excited for his upcoming run on Transformers, not to mention the upcoming Batman: Knightfight series which sees him and Williamson joining forces again.
Alejandro Sanchez and Ariana Maher also deserve their flowers, as their work gives Superman #30 plenty of life. Sanchez’s colors mostly consist of reddish orange and black, reflecting the hellish influence Darkseid’s had on the Legion – Superman’s red and blue outfit stands out like a sore thumb. Maher’s lettering goes big and bold in the right places, adding touches of despair or joy at the right scene.
Superman #30 manages to juggle a heaping helping of plot points with ease, setting the stage for DC K.O. If the Man of Steel thought fighting his former friends was tough enough, he, and readers, are in for a gauntlet unlike any other.
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