REVIEW: Superman #31
Superman #31, “Man of Apokolips: Part One” dives into the details of Superman’s plans leading up to the final events of ‘DC K.O.’ #1. While this is definitely a tie-in story, Williamson does an excellent job detailing what’s been happening in the greater DCU before bringing in elements purely unique for this book. Superman may be busy off world, but the turn of events this issue should make him feel less absent.
The standard cover is by Dan Mora. It’s a fascinating piece as Superman cradles what appears to be the literal heart of Apokolips. Trying to come to grips of what has transpired, Clark is on his knees in quiet contemplation. ‘DC K.O.’ is a difficult situation for Superman and Mora expertly captures Clark’s inner turmoil.
David Aja’s variant is an elegant take on Superman’s phone booth quick change scene. It almost appears like he’s knocking his own hat off his head as he launches from the booth which just adds a fun nuance to the piece. Aja has been doing fantastic work on these variants and has become a name to keep tabs on.
The variant by Sebastian Fiumara could nearly act as a companion piece to Dan Mora’s cover. Superman flies amongst various patches of fiery scenery against a white background. There’s definitely a Firepits of Apokolips feel to the artwork and Superman looks ready to take on whatever is thrown at him.
Ariel Olivertti and Jorge Fornés also have great covers that showcase more of the Legion of Darkseid that’s sure to continue to plague this title.
Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira return as interior artists, along with Colorist Alejandro Sánchez. This art team has shown time and again how great their work is and ‘Superman’ #31 is no exception. There’s palpable moments of tension between Superman and Mercy even though they’re putting aside their differences to save the world. Genuine unease can be felt as the uncertainty of the Justice League’s plans linger over the characters. We also get some amazing visuals as we see The Fortress for the first time since ‘Absolute Power’ which culminates in the final pages as the cliffhanger excitingly unfolds.
Joshua Williamson, lettered by Ariana Maher, gives us a moment of respite before the DC K.O. event kicks into full gear. Detailing Clark’s final days leading up to the “elimination round”, we see him struggling with the enormous weight of the situation. It’s a brilliant story of the greatness of Superman as he believes in the best of even his enemies to safeguard Earth. Clark’s faith in humanity has been constantly tested over the last several story arcs and has met every challenge. Still, for what they’re up against, Williamson makes sure to give this a truer sense of a leap of faith. This isn’t just a story focused on Superman, however, as Lois’s reporter instincts kick into overdrive and discovers a hidden algorithm within The Fortress’s databanks. Not much gets gleaned from it though as the ending takes an abrupt turn that could drastically shake things up.
(9/10) Superman #31 could have easily played out as a detailed “downtime” issue that happened between panels of another story. Instead we get major insight into Clark’s feelings and motivations, and a continuation of events outside the main DC K.O. title. Even if you’re not keeping up with the company wide crossover, this issue is still important to the overall story Williamson has been telling the entire series.
