REVIEW: Superman: The World
We often tend to think Superman is relegated to being just a superhero who operates only in the US. Afterall, his famous line “Truth, Justice and The American Way!” became something that has engrained itself into the character for a very long time. However, the character is known for exploring the world and fighting injustices worldwide, and not just in states, even if it causes rifts with the US Government. Mark Waid’s Superman: Birthright showed Clark traversing the world and interacting with folks of various cultures and backgrounds to better understand the place he chooses to protect. No matter the difference in culture, language, or belief system, that red and yellow crest is known across the globe. Superman: The World, By Dan Jurgens, is an anthology written, drawn, and colored by dozens of artists to show their love and admiration for good ol’ C.K. There’s a lot of amazing stories packed in this book, and I’m going to be breaking down my five favourites that, to me, embody what has made Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s creation so enduring.
The cover, illustrated and inked by Lee Weeks, shows Superman’s triumphant hand on the hips pose, with the iconic Daily Planet globe behind him, emanating light. It’s an extremely expressive and eye-catching image that will inevitably end up on the lists of fans’ top favorite cover adapting the big blue boy scout.
To begin our super stroll across the beautiful blue marble that is planet Earth, The first story we get is one that takes place in the land of Uncle Sam, The United States of America in “Shoot First, Think Later” written by Dan Jurgens, penciled and inked by Lee Weeks, Colored by John Kalisz, Lettered by Tom Napolitano and is a tale that perfectly demonstrates Superman’s immense empathy in the face of apathy. We see a begrudging Clark sitting alongside Lois on a long and grueling flight, when news hits about missiles hurdling towards Metropolis. Superman leaps into action out of the plane to see what would’ve caused such a hostile response. That reason being big scary aliens near the city. The story unfolds in a beautiful way, reminding readers that appearances aren’t everything, and to do our best to read situations more carefully, and not always resort to fear mongering. Lee Weeks’ artwork here shines, feeling almost like a modern remix of José Luis García-López. My favorite line from this one shot is when we see Superman hovering in front of the face of the Jack Kirby-esque creature, with his arms outstretched as he says “ Help me understand”. It’s a fresh and vibrant story and will leave the reader feeling more inspired than they were fourteen pages earlier.
Another country that has a red, white and blue flag is none other than the country that contains the city of love, France. In “Superman in Paris” written by Sylvain Runberg, art and cover by Marcial Toledano Vargas, and lettering by Cromatik, We find our delightful DC couple, Lois and Clark have decided to take a break from dealing with supervillain shenanigans and take a vacation in, you guessed it, Paris. While they attempt to settle in, a certain finned foe arrives to take a bite out of everyone’s plans. I love the emphasis on the color pink and blue really makes it feel like a Valentines Day story. The writing here is wry and wholesome, while also keeping the stakes high during the action sequences. Usually in comics, when the hero’s relaxation time gets interrupted by the villain of the week, they tend to put their nose to the grindstone again, throwing away any possibility of making time for themselves. But here, it wraps up nicely with Clark and Lois finally able to enjoy each other’s company, without their day being bogged down by bad guys. If you’re looking for a light and easy Superman story that’ll help tune out the world for a few minutes, this one’s for you. Even Superman needs a break every once in a while.
In the next globe trotting adventure, we enter the story “Superman in Granada” written, illustrated, and cover artwork done by Jorge’ Jimenez , colors done by Aljenandro Sanchez, and Ferran Delgado behind lettering. We meet Superman after he has successfully re-directed a meteorite from crashing into Earth’s atmosphere, and now has a face full of snow after landing in the snowy tundra of Nevada. He chats with his brooding bat-friend Bruce as he tries to help him navigate his way back to Metropolis. Superman, after interacting with the mountainous meteoroid, has found himself feeling de-powered and unable to conveniently go up, up and away. Jorge’s writing and illustrations, helped by Alejandro’s vibrant colors, epitomizes the character, showing his earnest charm, bravery and showing his most powerful trait of all-his humanity. Not only do we get plenty of slice of life super-saves, but also down to earth moments in which he fully embraces being a tourist and being enthralled in Spanish culture. It’s a wholesome breezy tale that will no doubt leave you smirking just as much as big blue himself.
We all, in a way, much like our favorite heroes and villains, have our own origin story. We have all had events take place in our lives and people who’ve entered our circles who help inform who and what we want to be. But what happens if life feels meaningless? What happens when you look back upon your struggles, and the course of history, and wonder if life is not the laid out, meticulous tapestry you thought it was, and might just be complete and utter randomness? That our trials and tribulations were for nothing? Stepan Kopriva asks a similar question in the story “If nihilism is the answer, what is the question?”, with art, lettering, colors and cover by Michal Suchanek. Deep in the future and in the vast reaches of space, a czech republic space station is visited by a much older and wiser Supes, rocking a suit that feels like a blend of the new 52 and what Superman wore in Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex. He’s both met with enamoring fans and hostile critics. He eventually encounters a man who is in possession of a kryptonian crystal that was found inside a meteorite during a meteor storm, containing a fascinating insight into Kal-El’s birth parents. I’ve never been a fan of a bearded Superman, but Michal’s artwork has sold me on the look of this particular version. The shadows in the artwork really help the bright colors pop on the page, to help contrast against the almost apocalyptic and melancholy tone of the story. The conversation between Supes and the Scientist, especially towards the end, is extremely poetic. Without the readers even knowing what these characters have been through, you feel as though they are living, breathing characters. It’s a wonderfully introspective one-shot that will help remind you on the darkest days, that you are in fact, here for a reason.
Oh boy, this one got my waterworks running. “To be a hero” written by Rana Daggubati, artwork and cover by Sid Kotian, and lettering by Aditya Bidikar. This time around, we’re turning the clock back to the 1930’s when the Man of Tomorrow was first introduced. Superman, after one year of crime fighting, feels as though his battle for truth and justice is indeed neverending, and begins to doubt if he truly does make an impact at all. In search of an answer, he flies off to visit Madras, India to get back in touch with the world around him, and stops colonists from stealing the priceless Blue Granite Idols. Speaking of blue, the color palette here is mainly black and white, but incorporates a really great use of the color blue throughout, whether showing it in the twinkle of Clark’s eyes, or the character Savi’s purse she carries throughout the story. It’s truly an endearing little story that is a nice homage to the golden age of Superman and reminding readers how he was, and still is the champion of the oppressed.
(10/10) Superman is a man of the people, whether he’s near soaring above Washington DC, or zipping past the Taj Mahal in India, he’s always looking out for us. No matter where we come from. ‘Superman: The World’ is worth picking up at your local comic shop.
