Superman: World of New Krypton #2
Apr 13th, 2009 | By PoP! Contributors | Category: DC, Reviews
Writers: James Robinson & Greg Rucka
Pencils: Pete Woods
It must be an off week for me and DC Comics because I wasn’t really feeling this issue either. I do think its great DC is at least trying something different with Superman by taking him off world though… Yeah, yeah, I know he’s been MIA on Earth before, during the “Superman: Exile” arc, but c’mon, that was TWENTY YEARS ago.
In this issue, we get to see more head butting amongst Superman (known as Commander El on New Krypton) and New Krypton’s leader, General Zod. Zod sends Superman to handle some rampaging thought-beasts by any means necessary, but Superman humanely found a way to end their destruction of the planet’s atmosphere generators.
Both Superman Commander El and General Zod have very different ideas of how to operate. Thankfully, Rucka & Robinson have Zod ask the question that I felt need to be addressed - why won’t Superman leave New Krypton if he dislikes working under Zod so much? Superman tells Zod he’s not going anywhere and then Zod tells Supes that he knows he’s only there to keep “friends close and your enemies closer”.
A small faction of members of the Labor Guild takes members of the Science Guild hostage, demanding to be recognized and an equal to all other guilds. Just as Zod is about to dispatch Superman to head up the situation, a soldier lets Zod know Commander Gor is already on the scene and has assumed control. He plans to execute 30 Labor Guild member that he has rounded up if the hostages aren’t released. Superman thinks this is an insane plan, but General Zod fully supports it, and so the issue ends with Zod telling Gor to fire at will.
I dunno, I just wasn’t feeling any of this. I’ve never been a fan of any take on General Zod and I think a New Krypton is maximum overkill when even having a Supergirl around was pushing it, in my opinion. But hey, this is Robinson & Rucka. They’ve got ten more issues to go, so I’ll give them more than the benefit of the doubt that they can make this interesting.
This issue though? 2 thought-beasts out of 5.
“… I think a New Krypton is maximum overkill when even having a Supergirl around was pushing it, in my opinion.”
I’m willing to bet that in a few years we’ll be back to just Kal, Kara & Krypto. Maybe Chris Kent & Zod too, but I don’t think a planet of Kryptonians will be around too long.
Isn’t having Krypton around and/or many other Kryptonians showing up, beat the whole “Last Son of Krypton” idea? A big chunk of Superman’s essence?
Exactly, which is why I’m positive things will eventually revert back to the status quo. But it could be a fun concept to play with for a couple years.