Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor #3: Super Lex

After over a year, the Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor miniseries concludes and it does not disappoint. When Lex Luthor comes to the Man of Steel to ask him to help him find the cure for whatever is causing his rapid death, Superman makes the selfless choice to help save his greatest foe. While the world is against this decision, Superman will go to the ends of the universe, through different dimensions, and across time to save his greatest enemy. The two band together when they learn that Brainiac is behind their demise and is set on taking over Earth.  Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor #3, written by Mark Waid with art by Bryan Hatch and Kevin Nowlan and colors by David Baron follows the two greatest foes as they work together to save the day. Why does Superman want to save the person who’s spent his life trying to destroy him? And can the two work together to stop Brainiac? Find out in the long-awaited epic finale of Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor.

Superman is clearly Mark Waid’s favorite character and you can tell by the fantastic way that he writes him and his stories. The relationship between Lex and Superman in current comics is rather nonexistent as Lex has his memory wiped, so this has been a refreshing issue that explores the new dynamic between the two. I’m happy this issue gets to establish Lex more as a character since the current Lex stuff has come off a little one-note. This issue focuses on the relationship between Lex and Superman, and we get some pivotal and poetic moments between the two. The exploration of Superman’s no-kill rule and the arguments against it from popular characters is also fascinating and makes this issue shine. The dialogue and narration of this story are standouts in this issue, and it makes the 48 pages feel substantial. Waid really brings the emotion with this issue, as we see the impact that Superman has had on Lex’s life. The wait for this finale was definitely worth it, and the story feels incredibly special. Superman stories have been getting a special spotlight at DC and I look forward to incredible things for the Man of Steel that are to come. Waid writes a fantastic Lex and Superman dynamic, and it makes for a wonderful comic.

The art in this issue is great, and Bryan Hitch and Kevin Nowlan manage to balance their styles well. The art style is classic comic book art and it’s perfect for a classic Superman/Lex Luthor comic. This issue was a full deep dive into their relationship and the emotion behind that is conveyed perfectly in the art. They also do some amazing background work as they develop immersive worlds as the pair travel through time and space. The last page in particular is something that will stick with me for a while. From the dialogue to the art, this issue is exciting.