REVIEW: Superman And The Authority #2

Superman and The Authority #2 is finally here and since reading the first issue of this series, I am hooked! I really enjoyed the first issue and can’t wait to see where the story goes from there.

But before we get into the issue itself, let’s take a look at the covers. The first cover is by Mikel Janín and it showcases yet another tease regarding the slightly tweaked lineup of The Authority. Each and every character looks great, showcasing their unique poses and costume designs. This is a really striking cover and the use of red as the background really entices a feeling of danger.

The variant cover is by Trevor Hairsine and Rain Beredo and I absolutely adore it. For me this cover really instills hope and that is down to the colours, I love how Superman is looking up to the sky, it’s quintessential Superman. I love the detail on each of the characters, it really goes to show that this team is really diverse in terms of power set, personalities and their way of thinking. This is a great cover and I have to say it’s my favourite of the two.

Superman And The Authority #2 really starts to bring together this ‘team of weirdos’ as Manchester Black describes them. I loved the brief introductions to each character, even if you aren’t particularly familiar with one of them this introduction goes a long way to show readers who they are and what they are all about.

I really like the way that Grant Morrison has presented these characters, in their own mini-stories within this very issue. It’s really effective and really allows readers to use their imagination with these characters and the same can be said for the numerous creative teams who have contributed to this issue.

Once again Manchester Black brings us the laughs, usually I’m not a big fan of the representations of this character, it always feels like a British cliche which is incredibly inaccurate in my opinion. But I love him in this series, I think that is down to the fact that Grant Morrison is British so it really feels authentic here, and I love his cockiness.

Like I’ve said before, I really like this take on Superman. This is a tactical Superman who knows exactly what needs to be done. I also love how Midnighter and Apollo refer to him as the “sexy dad Superman”, and as weird as it sounds I’ve seen a lot of people agree with this statement on social media, myself being one of them!

I also don’t ever recall seeing Superman workout in comics, especially in these very inventive ways that Morrison and Janín have put on display. It’s really imaginative in terms of how he is working out and also shows that he is having to train himself in order to keep up with himself and his loss of power. With that said, this situation that he finds himself in is a perfect excuse to bring back an iconic form of transportation and I am very glad that Morrison has done just that. I also really love the updated design, which is of course tweaked to fit in with Superman’s new look.

Like I said we see the introduction of more Authority members and I love the fact that Natasha Irons is diagnosed with ADHD in this issue, and the way that she handles it. It is not a hinderance to her, it is part of her superpower and that will be a huge inspiration to those that have the same condition.

I have to say that I am very impressed with the diversity of the characters featured in this series. First of all we have Natasha Irons who is black, and we are also introduced to Apollo and Midnighter, not to mention Manchester Black who are all LGBTQ+ characters. I really love the diversity here and I cannot wait to see their interactions going forward.

Just like the first issue, I love that Morrison has included snippets of real life within the pages of this series, it really makes it feel believable and it really grounds the storyline and also these characters. In this particular issue there is mention of Covid, but the thing that stuck out for me was the mention of online trolls and clickbait. I really enjoyed how that was brought to life, it really reminded me of the seven deadly sins in the Shazam film, which I thought was a great way to showcase them. That really worked here too, especially when it came to the online trolls.

The artwork in this issue is fantastic and there is such an array of it as there are multiple artistic teams involved for each introduction to this brand new line up of The Authority. Of course we have artwork by Mikel Janín and Jordie Bellaire, but we also have art by Fico Ossio, Evan Cagle, Travel Foreman, Sebastian Cheng, Dave Stewart and Alex Sinclair.

The change up of the artwork really keeps the issue fresh, and like I said really gives you a feel and taste of the characters, which I thought was a great touch. I cannot fault the pairing of the creative teams and the characters, it is perfectly matched and each talent really give it their all.

Superman And The Authority #2 is an excellent follow up issue. With varied yet incredible artwork and writing, this issue really gives you a taste of who this new lineup of The Authority are and I cannot wait to see where this series goes from here.

Haven’t picked up Superman And The Authority #2 yet? You can get the standard cover by Mikel Janín here (UK), or here (US).

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