REVIEW: Superman Unlimited #2

Superman Unlimited #2 continues Dan Slott’s brand new run on the character. The ending of the first issue gave us a glimpse into what we were dealing with and had so much potential, and since then I have been eagerly awaiting the second issue.

But before we get into the issue itself, let’s take a look at the covers. The main cover is by interior artist Raphael Albuquerque and it perfectly capture the story and also the situation that Superman finds himself in. I love that it is from the perspective of the villain and it really shows how much danger Superman is in. The detail is really great here and the use of lighting and atmospheric shade goes a long way.

Steve Beach is always a favourite of mine and his variant cover for this issue is no exception. Again we see the real sense of danger that Superman faces… literally drowning in Kryptonite. The detail is absolutely incredible and almost photorealistic – that goes for Superman and also the Kryptonite Crystals that we see. This is a cover that will really stand out on the shelves.

Ashley Wood’s variant is truly unique. I love the line art for shading and the darkness of it all is really intriguing. In terms of the leafy mass above him, I read this as him having his world turned upside down though that is open to interpretation, which I what I love about this piece.

There are also variants available by Tony S. Daniel & Tomeu Morey, Leinil Francis Yu & Romulo Fajardo Jr, and Christian Ward.

Superman Unlimited #2 opens up with Lois and Ron Troupe attending an opening of a statue with who we know to be ‘The Kryptonite King’… the statue made out of pure Kryptonite, made to honour Superman for saving the city of El Caldero. The grand opening is unsettling as it is, but it doesn’t go to plan as they find themselves in the middle of a siege. As we get to see more of El Caldero, cracks start to show and we see how much they value and rely on Kryptonite and as the issue goes on, we also see how it starts to affect people.

We see yet another heist, but this time those who carry it out are prepared for Superman, with so much Kryptonite available in El Caldero, it was only a matter of time, but with Superman’s new ability on show for the world to see, they didn’t have the upper hand for long. In this issue we also get more insight into what those new powers of Superman are, what they mean and what the affects are and it isn’t all good news. Alongside this unfolding, we also see the introduction of The Creeper, which as someone who doesn’t know a great deal about the character, was really enjoyable.

Dan Slott as a writer is extremely thoughtful in each and every moment, both issues so far almost feel like a tribute to Superman and this issue is no exception as we see Metropolis back in 1938, the year it all started for Superman. There are some great moments of classic Superman dialogue in this issue too, which I adored. Letters are done by Dave Sharpe. This issue is also where the Daily Planet vs Data Scream starts to come into play, which from what we have seen so far, could be interesting!

Personally in the first issue there were aspects of the artwork that didn’t always stick with me, I think it was the characters eyes, they had a really emptiness to them, they were almost creepy. I’m very glad to say that for the second issue I did not feel that and Raphael Albuquerque and Marcelo Maiolo’s work was great for the issue. It shows the stakes, the emotion and had some really great Superman and Clark moments.

(8/10) Superman Unlimited #2 continue the story perfectly, giving us just the right amount of information we know at any one time. So far I am really enjoying this series and it is totally fresh and a unique take on Superman. If the final page is anything to go by the next issue is going to be really fun!