Superman #29: Superboy Prime

Darkseid’s Absolute Legion is running rampant through the timeline, and Superman must count on an unlikely ally to save the past, future, and present. Superman #29 continues the epic new Superman event that pits Superman against his own friends. Since the All-In event, Darkseid has been watching Superman, and his now evil versions of Saturn Girl, Lighting Lad, and Cosmic Boy are attacking Superman. What does Darkseid have in store for the Man of Steel? And is the Man of Steel too late to save the future he saw as a kid? Find out in this astonishing issue of Superman by Joshua Williamson with art by the astounding Dan Mora.

All hail the Superman greats! It’s so exciting to have another long run of Superman, and this new arc is the center of this summer’s next big event! This issue focuses heavily on the plot, and it wouldn’t be a Williamson plot if it weren’t a little complex. Williamson doesn’t hold back with his storytelling and brings in shocking twists and turns. The inclusion of Superboy Prime in this arc is really fun, and his fourth-wall breakage helps Williamson trick the reader. It’s a clever storytelling device, and it’s no wonder Williamson is a Superman all-star. The way he has reimagined the Legion of Superheroes and how their powers can be used for evil is so interesting. It feels like a spin on the “evil Superman” trope, as these are extremely powerful characters using their abilities for evil and torture. I am happy that this storyline is tying into the earlier Superman issues and the Absolute universe, but it feels a little disconnected to the last couple of issues. Where is Superwoman and her now missing powers? What happened to the red kryptonite? Hopefully, these questions will be answered. This issue is short but brings a lot of important topics to the table. It makes for an exciting start to the new event, and I am excited to see what happens.

The art in this issue is absolutely incredible. Mora is universally loved, and it’s for a good reason: his art is stunning, and he is unbelievably talented. The artwork by Mora and Alejandro Sanchez complements the story beautifully, with dynamic action sequences that leap off the page. This issue is action-heavy, and Mora and Sanchez do an amazing job at conveying what is happening scene to scene. This issue is also full of beautiful splash pages that are so good I want to print them and frame them on my wall. This is an all-star creative team, and it feels like they are not holding back their talents at all with this arc.