It’s time for Superman to go big, literally, in Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #2 when he tries out another new kryptonite. The first issue stretched readers’ imaginations by playing with time, and things nearly went sideways, but not as badly as they did in the second issue. It’s the kind of catastrophe that makes you wonder if Superman should quit testing things without knowing the results!
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #2 opens right in the thick of Superman’s rage-fueled attack on Metropolis. He’s as big as a skyscraper and is being held back by Atom. Screaming things about the climate crisis, he seems angry at the citizens for what they’ve done to the city. After some sparring and superhero stuff, like Green Lantern reporting on getting people out of a building, the story cuts to “earlier” where Superman is totally calm. It seems he’s getting larger by the minute, but the rage isn’t part of the side effects.
And so begins another issue of thinking fast while Lex Luthor complicates things for Superman. It’s a similar vibe as the last issue in that regard, though the embiggening of Superman is a fresh element. That includes an excellent double-page splash by Martín Morazzo showing Superman crashing through the Fortress of Solitude.
Big boy.
Credit: DC Comics
Much of the issue is devoted to Batman and Superman trying to figure out how to stop Superman from constantly growing, with a nice sprinkling of Alice in Wonderland references. Things go from weird to weirder when an underutilized villain crops up, which adds a nice kookiness to the issue. Throw in a subplot involving a finance executive at a random company who is obsessed with her spreadsheets, and there’s a lighthearted silliness to it all.
Something lacking in this issue compared to the last is the creative visuals, stretching what we’ve seen in comics storytelling. Instead, this is a rather straightforward problem that’s filled with dialogue about how to resolve things or how Lex hates Superman. It’s overall pretty thin on the main conceit of the series, though the conclusion promises a fun twist and likely a new kryptonite to explore.
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #2 delivers a larger-than-life premise with moments of fun and silliness, but it doesn’t reach the same creative heights as the debut issue. Still, the cliffhanger promises more surprises ahead as the series continues to explore the wild possibilities of kryptonite.
You must be logged in to post a comment.