REVIEW: Superman #29
Superman #29, “Legion of Darkseid Part Two: Legion Lost” brings Superboy-Prime into the fray that pays tribute to a post-Crisis on Infinite Earths situation. However with anything dealing with Prime, is he here to help Superman or Darkseid, or is he aware of a third outcome? Only time can tell as things start looking grim for The Man of Steel.
The standard cover is by Dan Mora. A somber scene of Superman mourning the loss of the Legion he knew. Depicted here in a graveyard where a tombstone sits in their honor, Clark is seen slumped on his knees in sorrow. It’s definitely a teaser for what to expect inside even if the cover doesn’t actually appear in the issue.
David Aja’s variant is a minimalist take on Superman flying through Metropolis. Only using a few details and colors, Aja captures the heroic feeling of seeing Superman up in the sky. It’s truly a very striking piece.
The Artist Spotlight variant is by Bruno Redondo. Forever known for his Eisner work on Nightwing, this cover makes it easy to see why he deserved the award. Keeping with the minimalist style, Redondo has Superman dramatically standing on the ledge of a building. It’s fascinating how little is needed to capture the awesomeness of this character.
This issue has three other great variants by Ariel Olivertti, Eddy Barrows & Eber Ferreira & Alejandro Sánchez, and Tula Lotay. There’s also a foil variant of Dan Mora’s standard cover.
As to be expected, Dan Mora and Colorist Alejandro Sánchez do a fantastic job with the interior art. Superboy-Prime tends to be a bit wordy, but they keep his exposition in check with some great visuals. There’s some fun Easter Eggs to look out for as Prime is shown both reading old comics and punching through realities to get to their destination. The lighthearted tone stops so abruptly you can feel it when Prime and Clark arrive in the future. The subtle changes to the art at this point makes you think multiple artists contributed to the interiors, but it’s just a nice flex on Mora and Sánchez’s talent.
Joshua Williamson, lettered by Ariana Maher, once again showcases his vast knowledge of DC lore in ‘Superman #29’. As we learned last issue, Time Trapper has recreated the pocket dimensional Earth he once used against The Legion (circa. 1987) to safe harbour Superboy-Prime since his last appearance in “Dark Knights: Death Metal”. Swearing to be fully reformed, Prime convinces Clark to team-up and save the future. They arrive too late and only witness the aftermath of a loosing battle against The Legion of Darkseid. We also learn why no one has cared to locate or contact Booster Gold since his disappearance in “DC All-In Special”. Somehow time has completely forgotten him, yet in true Booster fashion, he seems to be a critical factor against Darkseid’s plans. Things keep going from bad to worse as not one, but two betrayals are revealed before the final page. Needless to say, next issue can’t get here soon enough!
(9/10) In general, I’m not a huge fan of how Superboy-Prime is utilized in most stories. However, Williamson does an expert job finding the right style of voice and direction for the character. Of course the art and visuals are spectacular. I don’t think Mora could do a terrible looking book if he tried. Another great issue by one of DC’s more talented creative teams.
