Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #1: A puzzle falling into place one piece at a time

Smallville, KS, several years from now. The streets are crowded with tourists and vendors alike, each trying to hold onto, purchase or peddle pieces of the town’s most famous former resident. Do you want a piece of Superman? This is the place to get it – a necklace made of stones from the field where his rocket landed, a mock cape, a tour, that’s all available for the right price and a moment of your time. It’s all a little lurid, a little uncomfortable to watch, if understandable nonetheless… but Sadie doesn’t want any part of that. She is looking for something else – perhaps like minds. Perhaps people who have had more genuine connections with the person who draws them all here.

Either way, when she wanders into the field where Kal-El became Clark Kent, she hopes she’s found it in the form of a group telling stories at the edge of town. But has she?

According to the DC Nation special that introduced these concepts at length, Superman: Worlds of War #1 takes place in 2030, though the book itself does not give specific dates. What’s clear is this: Superman has disappeared, and no one knows why. In his absence the question of his disappearance and, by extension, his presence before that, becomes a rorschach test onto which each individual person projects their dreams, fears and assumptions.

It is these things, shared like campfire stories in the dark between people who largely only ever knew him as an abstract, forms the heart of S:WoW.

Writer Phillip K.Johnson envisions the effects of Superman’s identity reveal as Smallville has become a reflection of real world towns famous for certain people or events with souvenir shops and Superman tours. Johnson, previously known for his work on titles like The Last God and Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Hush never fails to create completely believable and realistic (within the parameters of the genure) worldbuilding so it’s hardly surprising that he made a 24/7 fan convention out of Smallville as that is absolutely what would happen. That said, it’s still a little embarrassing for the poor town, and it’s hard not to think of how uncomfortable it would make Clark if he were there to see it.

When it comes to the visuals, the magic that is Mikel Janin cannot be overstated – the story is constructed almost as a showcase for Janin’s spectacular artwork with splash pages and double-page spreads that exhibit his gift for the epic. That said, those familiar with him from his Batman run won’t be surprised to find his ability with quieter, human moments is no less impressive.

With Jordie Bellaire on board as well, this is a truly beautiful book and, when you finally see Clark as he is now, it’s like a visual punch to the face.

Like most of the major books in Future State, Superman: Worlds of War comes with backups as well. In this case we have three. Unlike many others, however, these features interlock and weave through one another (and even, to a lesser degree, the other major Superman title, Superman of Metropolis), with Midnighter making a brief appearance in Mister Miracle, and each story taking place in the same general location and seemingly on a similar timeline..

The first of two 10 page stories, Mister Miracle features the familiar team of Brandon Easton, Valentine de Landro, Marissa Louise and Dave Sharpe from the MM tale included with Superman of Metropolis #1. Despite sharing a team, however, this is not part two of that tale, but rather starts a new Shiloh Norman story.

Easton’s quick thinking and witty Shiloh is a pleasure to follow even standing in a mass grave populated by the corpses all manner of species. Alone and unsure of the circumstances that brought him there, Shiloh is low on power and high on confusion as he works out where he is, and how to leave.

De Landro and Louise’s work really stands out here, revealing the team’s versatility as they effortlessly move from action to horror… because, honestly, what else can you call coming to awareness to find yourself in a mass grave?

Our lengthiest back up feature belongs to Midnighter by Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, Gleb Melnikov, Jordie Bellaire and Travis Lanham. Once past a slightly upsetting flashforward that finds Midnighter near death, we join him in his “present,” our future, on a mission undertaken on Superman’s behalf. His internal computer is not working at present, but fortunately for him, he has received something of a helper in the form of the digitized voice of someone he can’t quite place. This voice claims to be his “best friend,” which really ought to be a red flag since Midnighter doesn’t actually have many friends. But under the circumstances, Midnighter decides to mostly trust his guide.

“Trust.” Not “listen to.”

Now, I’ll be honest: Midnighter’s story is slightly confusing to me. He makes a brief appearance in Mister Miracle where it is obvious that he is somewhat out of sync with Shiloh’s perception of time, and here a person that Midnighter certainly ought to know mentions that they’ve met, but also that Midnighter would not remember them. I assume this is intentional and that the nature of whatever is happening will reveal itself in time, but for the moment I’m a little puzzled, though also intrigued.

Cloonan and Conrad capture Midnighter’s voice with all its cocksure cynicism, though there are other characters appearing that I’m less sure about. More on that, presumably, next month. But the Midnighter feature, more than anything else, leaves me with the impression that both of the primary Superman books are interwoven in telling the same larger story, much of which will remain obscured until all of the pieces come together.

The artwork and colors by Melnikov and incredibly prolific color artist Bellaire feel reminiscent of early Image designs, but the body-horror cyborgs that form obstacles for Midnighter’s mission remind me more than anything of enemies in a Resident Evil-esque space horror game. They’re a bit disturbing to look at, but effective. Neither artists nor writing team shy away from the wetworks that are inevitable when Midnighter is on a case, which is… nice? Really, it is!

The second 10 pager is perhaps my favorite of the back up stories. The Black Racer by Jeremy Adams, Siya Oum, Hi-Fi and Gabriela Downie.

Tanda, the titular Black Racer, arrives on Warworld following one of several deaths – it’s a long story. That she arrives “dead” gives the reader a look into the darkest horror of Warworld. Fortunately she recovers fairly quickly. Tanda has a history with Mongul and the Warworld, and through her we are given a glance into what Warworld really is, and the damage it wrecks on the universe, one planet at a time.

I’m not familiar with either Adams or Oum, and I’m not exactly a New Gods connoisseur, so I wasn’t sure what to expect of this feature. However, Adams and Oum have created an instantly likeable heroine to serve as our eyes, with a striking and memorable character design. Consider me hooked.

All told, Worlds of War is one of the strongest entries into the Future State landscape yet… if you can tolerate a little confused curiosity. Though really, Future State as a whole has been somewhat like starting comics all over again for me – you pick up an issue and try to piece together what you’ve missed. Which is to say, if you can’t enjoy a little confused curiosity, I’m not sure how you’ve been reading this event to begin with!