Superman #31: The Return of Superwoman

DC’s biggest event of the year has launched, and with it comes all new problems for the Man of Steel. With the start of the DCKO event, Superman and the Justice League members are set out to fight in a no-holding-back tournament to crown the next King Omega to take down Darkseid. But is Superman sure this plan will work? Superman #31 ushers in an epic new arc that follows the Super Family as they prepare for DCKO. After his fight with Darkseid and his Absolute Legion, Superman has returned to his timeline with Booster Gold. But now, he must fight his friends to save the world and defeat Darkseid. Will he be strong enough to do it? Or will he have help from the people he loves? Find out in this astonishing issue of Superman by Joshua Williamson with art by the astounding Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira.

This run of Superman has been excellent, and Joshua Williamson has done an exceptional job at tying in everything from his run into the big DCKO event. This issue focuses heavily on the plot, and it wouldn’t be a Williamson plot if it wasn’t a little complex. Williamson tends to play big: powerful cosmic forces, moral dilemmas, allied heroes & villains, threats that touch multiple parts of the DC Universe. Williamson doesn’t hold back with his story telling 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 cleaver storytelling device and it’s no wonder Williamson is a Superman all-star. The way he is able to tell the DCKO storyline through the eyes of so many characters is impressive Since this is part of a crossover (DCKO) this issue probably spends more time building tension, setting up threats, raising questions, rather than delivering completely resolved conflicts. So readers may find it heavy on setup. Side-plots or coming moral stakes will likely matter more than here-and-now resolution. Since this issue is ingrained to a larger event, it’s less accessible to new readers as there are several issues from other series you need to catch up on. If you miss just one book you might be a little lost. However, if this event is executed well, it will leave a strong impression and make readers eager for the next chapter.

The art in this issue is standard, but the Mora touch is definitely missing. Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira do an alright job, but after seeing Mora’s work in this book it’s hard to celebrate anything else. I’m not the biggest fan of how Lois is drawn in this book, she looks scary almost. I also think some of the shadows are too dark for a Superman book. That being said, this issue feels grand and the splash pages pack a punch. This is an all-star creative team, and it feels like they are not holding back their talents at all with this arc.