REVIEW: Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #2
‘Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #2’ is the second of a five-issue DC Black Label comic book limited series, written by W. Maxwell Prince, art by Martín Morazzo, colors by Chris O’Halloran and letters by Good Old Neon. I’ve been anxiously awaiting this next issue after zipping through the first with such glee, hope and nostalgia since the recent Superman movie release.
As I said in my review of the first issue in this series, this book is a great way for those unfamiliar with Superman and just got into the character following James Gunn’s movie to learn more about the Man of Steel. I love how each issue has slowly unraveled the basics about Superman, who he is, who’s in his inner circle and what the biggest threats to him are.
Morazzo and O’Halloran embrace surreal exaggeration in the standard cover, giving us Superman as an overwhelming force of nature. The Man of Steel towers above, his massive hand reaching down like a cosmic titan, while Atom Smasher, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Lex Luthor, is his war suit, stand dwarfed in below him. Even though the reader can’t see their faces, you can instantly tell that everyone, except for Batman, is either scared or startled by Superman’s size. The colors are warm yet uneasy, suggesting a story where power itself becomes something to question.
Juan Ferreyra delivers a dazzling psychological portrait in his variant cover, scattering Superman’s world into hundreds of illustrated fragments—Lois, Lex, Clark Kent, the Daily Planet, his rogues, his allies—all orbiting around the Man of Steel. Superman stands at the center, his face lit with a mix of determination and unease, as if he’s being broken down to his most essential pieces. The shards fall toward a looming burst of kryptonite, threatening to shatter him completely. It’s a brilliant metaphor for identity and vulnerability, rendered in Ferreyra’s luminous, painterly style that makes every shard feel alive.
In his variant cover, Alex Eckman-Lawn transforms Superman into something mythic and unsettling—a colossal figure hovering among the clouds, so immense that a commercial airliner has to veer mid-flight to avoid colliding with his leg, as a flock of birds fly by. The scale alone makes the cover breathtaking, shifting Superman from savior to spectacle, a force of nature that humanity must adapt to rather than the other way around. It looks like a photograph taken in the 50s or 60s, captured for historical documentation.
Morazzo and O’Halloran continue their great art collaboration as they continue to bring more characters to life in this Superman’s world. And the colors, just like in #1, are important and are just as important as the art and story. Everything compliments each other.
Prince masterfully paces the story, never allowing a moment to be wasted. In just a few pages, he reintroduces supporting characters, reminds us of the threads from last month’s debut, and grounds us in the urgency of the present situation—all while reinforcing the hopeful spirit of this world’s Superman. This Kal-El isn’t weighed down by fear of what may happen to him; instead, he moves forward with the conviction that he will give everything he has to save the day. And if he should fall short, he trusts his friends will rise in his stead.
It’s a refreshing echo of the Silver Age Superman—a hero who threw himself into danger for the sake of others, who leaned on the strength of his allies, and who, in those classic pages, would break the fourth wall with a wink, as if to reassure readers directly. That subtle gesture carried a timeless promise: no matter how chaotic or uncertain life became, Superman was still here, still fighting, still reminding us that hope was never out of reach.
‘Superman: the Kryptonite Spectrum #2’ is a great second chapter to this series and is even better as we learn more about this Superman, his friends, his villains, and his outlook on life. Even when he is exposed to additional elements, his outlook is focused on what could have been better. The story is wonderful, the characters are fleshed out and this world is believable and one I can’t wait to read more about next month! Can the writing team create more kryptonite variants to expand these mini-series out to at least 10 issues? I want this world to stick around for a while. This series makes believing and trusting in those who are reliable and trustworthy contagious. It also unveils a world where superheroes truly have each other’s backs and work effectively and efficiently together.
(10/10) The only downside of reviewing ‘Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum’ each month is having to wait for the adventure to continue. In the meantime, I’ll imagine what could be next in this great series!
