In the wake of DC K.O., Superman rebuilt the world as it was before, destroying the Heart of Apokolips and restoring Earth to all its non-lava glory. Since then, however, Clark has been missing, leaving with his “King Omega” powers to prepare for the fight ahead. This may sound like it would be an issue for the mainline Superman comic, helmed by Joshua Williamson with art (most of the time) by Dan Mora, but rest assured, this creative team has the answer for you. It’s Prime Time.
The Complicated Legacy of Superboy-Prime
Superboy Prime has had a complicated history in the comics. He was in a world much like ours, was a huge comic nerd who happened to look like Clark Kent, got powers, came over to the DC universe, lost HIS universe, punched reality a bunch of times (you’re welcome, Jason Todd), and has ping ponged between good, bad, and every morality in between. It’s a history that is hard to ignore, and Williamson is not afraid to wear it on his sleeve.
The book acknowledges early on that most are not going to be ready to welcome Prime with open arms. Furthermore, some of the more cautious Justice League members, like Mr. Terrific, are especially concerned with his knowledge of the DC Universe. After all, it’s not the super strength or laser vision that makes him a risk; it’s his near encyclopedic knowledge of all the heroes and their secrets. With this being a major concern, Mr. Terrific asks Lois to keep an eye on him in Metropolis. Prime, meanwhile, is just happy to be living in the DC Universe and is confident that he has what it takes to be the Superman Metropolis needs. But between British ghosts, reality-altering shenanigans, and his own anger issues, it seems like it’s going to be anything but easy.
Writing the Fourth Wall: Redemption or Delusion?
This first issue of Superboy Prime’s arc is nothing short of masterful. The character feels more realized when written by Williamson, who seems to take the challenge of his complicated character with ease. Initial concerns of overly obnoxious fourth-wall breaks are quickly swept aside as references are kept mercifully in universe and tone appropriate.
Furthermore, the internal conflict set up for Prime is phenomenal because it’s not just the League that he’s trying to convince of his rehabilitation, but seemingly himself. In a moment of anger, he kills a villain in Metropolis, but quickly freezes. That isn’t him anymore, that’s not what he’s supposed to be. And all at once reality seems to rewrite itself around this vision, erasing that it ever happened. Though Prime easily writes it off as something that just happened in his head, it seems like there is far more going on than meets the eye. It promises a story about redemption, about fighting against your worst instincts, and maybe even fighting against the narrative itself. It’s clear Williamson isn’t aiming for Deadpool here; instead, the vibe feels much closer to Christopher Hastings’s Unbelievable Gwenpool.
Visual Spectacle: How Dan Mora Breaks the Page
Ah, Dan Mora. There’s a reason why his art will go on to define this era of DC Comics, and Superman #36 shows why. The characters are so expressive, with Superboy in particular having such a charm in the way Mora draws him that I almost forget all of the horrendous acts he’s done. The action is also intense and kinetic; every hit feels like it has weight, and every blast feels powerful.
These are all things that we’ve come to expect from Dan Mora’s gorgeous art, but beyond that, the obvious standout here is the page that breaks the fourth wall the most. In the moment where Prime kills a villain and has to stop himself, the borders of the page disappear, showing the trim of the comic page and an even more deconstructed panel of Prime with no color, no ink, just pencils. It’s such a brilliant stylistic move to communicate reality-breaking, and it’s no doubt the kind of quality we can expect going forward in the book. Alejandro Sanchez deserves a similar amount of praise for the colors. I particularly love the colors on Prime’s suit. I had never really thought of Prime’s suit as “iconic” before, but since he’s been reintroduced, I can say that has changed.
Final Verdict: A New Era for the Man of Tomorrow
Well and truly, this is the most I’ve enjoyed a Superman book in some time. That’s truly saying something, given that this run was already really well written and well-illustrated from the very beginning, but this is a sign that Williamson and Mora are not looking to step on the brakes anytime soon. Superman #36 is a prime example of what makes comics so fantastic (pun fully intended).
Read More from KPB Comics:
‘Superman’ #36 | The Redemption of Superboy-Prime Begins!
Well and truly, this is the most I’ve enjoyed a Superman book in some time. That’s truly saying something, given that this run was already really well written and well-illustrated from the very beginning, but this is a sign that Williamson and Mora are not looking to step on the brakes anytime soon. Superman #36 is a prime example of what makes comics so fantastic (pun fully intended).
