Chances are if you’ve read a superhero story, you’ve probably run into a certain set of tropes: the heroes fighting each other before teaming up, the villain who’s a dark reflection of the hero, finding a career in law enforcement or journalism…nearly every possible variation has been done over dozens of titles. One of my personal favorites is when a hero has to save the day, but is stuck in a situation where they can’t fully suit up. Think of when Matt Murdock had to fight off bank robbers in Daredevil: Born Again, or Peter Parker getting kidnapped by someone who wants Spider-Man. Dan Slott and Mike Norton put this trope to good use in Superman Unlimited #10, which closes out the “Die Laughing” two-parter.
“Die Laughing” began with a deadly new Prankster seeking to humiliate and kill Perry White, but Superman intervened…and then Clark Kent took the wind out of his sails by attributing the assassination to another supervillain. An angry Prankster decides that Kent must die, while his uncle, Oswald Loomis – the original Prankster – finds himself in Intergang’s crosshairs as they hired him to kill Perry. Superman now has to figure out how to stop the new Prankster without revealing his secret identity.
Slott wrings a good amount of humor, not to mention some good action pieces, out of Superman Unlimited #10. Chief among them is a moment where Clark Kent, following an anonymous tip, is ambushed by a car full of killer clowns. Yes, really. To get out of the situation, he quickly uses his arctic breath to send the car skidding away from him, then changes at super speed as the killer clowns pile on him, keeping his identity safe. It’s not the only time Clark has to use quick thinking, but I’m glad Slott is one of the writers who remembers that there’s more to Superman than punching things.
DC
When Superman does get to punch things, it looks really good – especially where Mike Norton is concerned. Norton knows how to draw the Man of Steel in action: when he uses his super speed, he turns into a whirling red and blue tornado, while his arctic breath is depicted as a stream of frozen air. Marcelo Maiolo also brings a unique color palette to the picture, as Superman’s signature red and blue are offset by the various shades of green and yellow used by the Pranksters. It’s not just limited to their costumes, though: a booby trap contains a bucket of bright green acid, and a blast of colors when the OG Prankster puts his own spin on the “never-ending scarves” trick.
Where the book falters is in the subplot surrounding Jon Kent and Mr. Mxyzptlk, especially regarding Jon’s mysterious “arch-enemy”. I get that Slott and Norton are setting up for the “Reign of the Superboys” storyline, and that Jon doesn’t have much in the way of foes, but this all feels like hype instead of substance. Good villains show who they are through action, not through words, so if this mysterious enemy wants to live up to said hype, he has some stiff competition ahead of him.
Superman Unlimited #10 finds inventive ways for Clark Kent to save the day, wrapping up its Prankster story with wit and plenty of action. More Superman villains could use a similar treatment, especially since the Man of Steel has a deep bench of foes.
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