In 1993, the comic book world was rocked by The Death of Superman, in which the Man of Steel perished while fighting Doomsday. What really sold Superman’s death was the comics titled “World Without a Superman,” signaling that the DC Universe would never be the same. In Superman #36, Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora attempt their own spin on this as Superboy-Prime steps up to be the Earth’s protector following Superman’s disappearance at the end of DC K.O.
This is a shocker for a number of reasons. First up is the fact that Prime comes from a world where DC’s characters are fictional, and he was the only superhero. Second is that Prime descended into supervillainy in recent years, including brutally murdering Conner Kent in Infinite Crisis and joining the Sinestro Corps. Simply put, this isn’t the person you’d want to take Superman’s place. Williamson doesn’t lean away from that, but rather leans into it by showing the pains Prime is taking to change.
For starters, there’s the very first page, where Prime starts speaking to the reader. He says that he wants to “have a bunch of fun, go on a hero’s journey, and maybe learn some important life lessons along the way.” That’s put to the test during a battle with the villainous Ignition, yet Prime manages to overcome his more murderous impulses and beats the bad guy without shedding a drop of blood. He also manages to get a job – though not at the Daily Planet, as he lampshades that somebody who looks like a young Clark Kent would draw plenty of questions.
DC
Williamson also retains the fourth-wall-busting nature of Prime’s personality, which remains a mixed bag. Sometimes there’s a bit that’s actually hilarious, like Prime saying he could be the Jason Todd of the Superman family. Others, like the fact that so many of DC’s heroines find him attractive, feel way too on-the-nose. Grounding all of the metafictional malarkey is Prime’s surprising bond with Lois Lane, as she’s the one person willing to go to bat for him while also helping him adjust to life on Earth-0. Williamson understands better than most that the best Superman stories often feature Lois in a key role, and that remains the case no matter what Superman’s in the lead role.
DC fans will also be happy to know that Mora has returned to art duties on Superman, and he doesn’t disappoint. The battle between Prime and Ignition sends cars flying, splits the street into a shower of concrete, and creates impact lines wherever they go. Mora also makes the best use of the metafiction aspect; one whole page is designed to look as if he’s still drawing it, shifting from fully completed art to black-and-white sketches, panel by panel. It’s a great way to showcase readers how the art process works, and how important Alejandro Sanchez’s colors are in that process, while also reminding them that Prime isn’t like other DC characters.
Superman #36 marks a new era in the wake of DC K.O. and shows a new side to Superboy-Prime while toeing the line between fiction and metafiction. With a last page reveal that raises plenty of questions, it looks like Prime is here for the long haul – here’s hoping he doesn’t break reality in the process.
You must be logged in to post a comment.