REVIEW: Superman #41

Superman #41, “Kingdom of Zod: Part Four” takes a jaw dropping turn as part of Zod’s plan completely backfires and his threat goes from global to temporal. In a truly unexpected turn of events, this crossover launched itself into the most unique Zod story we’ve ever experienced. How this story plays out is now in the realm of unpredictability which makes it a fun, new, and exciting reading experience.

The standard cover is by Guillem March and finishes off his connecting work for this first half of “Kingdom of Zod”. Featuring a battered and beaten Superman being carried by assumably Jon Kent, we get a sense of dire repercussions going into Part Four. Although the situation escalates drastically this issue, not everything is as grim as this cover suggests.

Mark Spears also continues his trading card stylized variants. Superman is seen here with a kind expression and standing heroically with his fists against his hips. All in all, another great piece by Spears.

The variant by Vincenzo Riccardi is a colorful rendition if Zod blasting his heat vision while enraged. For a character decked out in dark tones, this cover is anything but, in the best ways possible. Honestly, it would make for an awesome black light poster but at least we can appreciate it as a variant.

Other great variants are by Mike Choi, Christian Ward, and a “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” homage to ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ #7 by Jason Badower. We also continue to get snippets from ‘Kneel Before Zod’ by Joe Casey, Artist Dan McDaid, Colorist David Baron, and Letterer Troy Peteri.

Artists Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira have returned from a long hiatus alongside Colorist Ulises Arreola. This issue is brutal and these guys do not shy away from it. It feels as though they’ve pushed the line as far as they could while maintaining a mainstream comic sensibility. That is to say it isn’t especially graphic, but there’s no subtlety to the outcome of each violent encounter. It truly is a perfect balance of shock and awe which isn’t surprising considering how long this art team has worked together.

Joshua Williamson, lettered by Ariana Maher, delivers a truly unforeseen twist to an already epic tale in ‘Superman’ #41. It’s honestly hard to talk about without spoilers but any predictably on how this event will end or what could happen next is completely gone. What can be said is not only do we get a devastating fight between Zod and Superman, Zod’s forces also get their hands on Booster Gold’s time ship. Fortunately Supergirl and Suberboy (Young Clark) are present to try and stop them from using it, but they’re too late as the issue ends on a cliffhanger leading into ‘Supergirl’ #17.

(10/10) I was genuinely stunned with how Superman #41 played out. There’s some pretty major developments I’m not sure they’re going to back away from making this a must read issue regardless of its placement within the crossover.