REVIEW: Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand #1
We saw Superman’s eventual return following his disappearance in DC K.O. in last week’s special anniversary Action Comics #1100. This week, we finally find out what the Man of Steel was up to during his absence in Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand #1: “The Return of Superman.” This journey through time and Superman’s legacy comes from writer Joshua Williamson, artist Eddy Barrows, colorist Adriano Lucas and letterer Ariana Maher. The secondary story “Legion Found” features Williamson, artist Yasmine Putri and Maher.
After becoming King Omega, Superman restored those who had been eliminated, reshaped reality and imparted visions upon some contestants. But what has Clark been doing since his disappearance, and what did he learn? Before getting to that, let’s look at these incredible covers.
The standard cover by Barrows and Alejandro Sánchez showcases Superman as King Omega, surrounded by Darkseid and battles across the timestream. The subtitle, “Whatever Happened to the Omega Champion?” cleverly nods to the legendary 1986 story “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” by Alan Moore.
Superman is presented almost as a god in Mario “Fox” Foccillo’s stunning variant cover. Light pours from his hands in an image that reminded me of Renaissance artwork. With his glowing crown, translucent body and flowing cape, Superman looks like a figure pulled from mythology. The stars, clouds and framing complete a masterpiece worthy of an art gallery.
Mark Spears’ variant gives us a much different Superman. Clark appears unsure of the tremendous power he now possesses. His expression made me think of “heavy is the head that wears the crown,” inspired by Shakespeare’s “uneasy lies the head that wears a crown” from Henry IV, Part 2.
Together, these covers say something important: Clark may possess godlike power, but he never treats that power casually. There are also variants available by Ariel Olivetti and Pressy & Alex Eckman-Lawn.
In the main story, Barrows, Lucas and Maher do a masterful job taking us through King Omega Superman’s journey following DC K.O. Every page feels like it is crackling with energy and life, while Clark’s memories carry real emotional weight. The destruction and cosmic scale are powerfully conveyed, while quieter moments breathe. And the splash pages are divine. Some pages here deserve to be printed on massive canvases and hung throughout my home.
In the secondary story, Putri and Maher deliver an equally impressive visual experience. Putri makes the characters and action leap off the page with detailed designs and tremendous scale. DC Comics needs action figures based on these designs because I would absolutely buy them.
I know I often talk about how Mark Waid truly understands Clark Kent and Superman, but Joshua Williamson gets him too. Williamson’s Superman is every bit the farmboy from Smallville who loves life and will do everything within his power to save it—even when that means saving people who were once evil or may still be evil. Clark’s greatest power has never simply been what he can do. It is his heart, compassion and unwavering determination to do what is right. Give Superman enough power to become a god, and deep down he is still Clark Kent.
And then there is Lois Lane. In The CW’s The Flash, Barry Allen described Iris West as his “lightning rod”—the person who grounded him and helped him find his way back. So, if Iris is Barry’s lightning rod, Lois is Clark’s sunlight. The thought of her, who she is and what she means to him, keeps Superman charged. She reminds him who he is beneath the cape, the symbol and all that power. That connection is especially powerful in a story dealing with Superman across time and reality. No matter how far Clark travels or how powerful he becomes, something profoundly human remains at his center.
Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand #1 also does something I wanted following DC K.O.: it gives Superman’s disappearance real weight. I’m thankful Williamson was given the opportunity to show us what Superman has been doing rather than reducing this monumental journey to vague references in future issues. For anyone who followed DC K.O., this annual feels like essential reading. It works almost as an epilogue to that massive event while opening the door to something much bigger.
(10/10) Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand #1 is an incredible chapter in the story of Superman—past, present and future. Williamson understands that Superman stories can involve gods, collapsing realities and threats to the entire timestream, but none of that matters unless Clark Kent remains at the center. This annual celebrates Superman’s power without forgetting his humanity. It reminds us that Clark’s greatest strength will always be his heart, compassion, love for Lois and refusal to stop believing that lives are worth saving.
