Superman: Doomed – Superman / Wonder Woman #10 Review
By Steve Lam
Writer: Charles Soule
Artists: Paulo Siqueira, Pascal Alixe, Hi-Fi
Action Comics #33 Recap
Lana boards Steel’s spacecraft to investigate the signal being emitted from Smallville’s coma patients. In an unknown region of space, Superman is greeted by Kara Zor-El. She baits him to the other side of the galaxy where she makes Superman witness the destruction of the Char’s home world by a being known as Harak. Superman unleashes his Doomsday powers to fight Harak and save the escaping Char ships from being destroyed. Back on Steel’s spacecraft, Lana discovers that the signal being emitted from Smallville is now getting an answer back which means the coma will spread to Metropolis. Calling Lois, Lana makes the discovery that Lois has been taken over by the same person behind the comas and is also the one who turned the people of Earth against Superman. We leave off with Cyborg Superman flying towards Steel’s spacecraft.
Spoiler-Free Reaction
Action-filled pages with more conspiracy revelations and how Brainiac is linked to the events.
Plot Details and Spoilers and Deaths: Oh My!
500,000 miles inside the orbit of Jupiter, Steel’s spacecraft is under attack by automated ships. In a last-ditch effort, Lana and Steel send a message out to Superman for help. Right before a missile is about to strike the spacecraft, Superman appears and shields the craft. An inner-conflict arises with Superman telling Clark that they are able to let loose because the enemy ships are automated and no lives will be at risk. Clark agrees with Superman which initiates Superman to start to tear the enemy ships apart.
In Metropolis, the city has suffered the same fate as Smallville — with all the residents falling into a coma. Lois walks through the city unhindered and “Jedi mind-tricks” all the soldiers she encounters. She is then quickly surrounded by robotic beings that disassemble themselves and cocoon her. In a matter of seconds, the techno-cocoon shell breaks and she is revealed with Brainiac’s features — green skin, techno-suit, and a Brainiac symbol on her forehead. Wonder Woman appears and offers Lois help. Lois explains to Wonder Woman that she’s not in control of her body. Before she can warn Wonder Woman, she psycho-blasts Wonder Woman.
Near Jupiter, Steel informs Superman that the ships chasing them were part of a larger fleet headed towards Earth. Superman questions why Steel risked Lana’s life and brought her along. Steel tells Superman that Lana had discovered a signal originating from deep space that is now being beamed into Metropolis. Superman quickly takes off towards Earth.
Back in Metropolis, Lois uses her Brainiac powers to torture Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman fights back by lassoing her. Bound, Lois uses her new ability to create an AI instance of John Corben inside Metallo’s robotic body.
Inside Mars’s orbit, Cyborg Superman prepares for his invasion of Earth. We discover that he is also serving Brainiac and that Superman’s Doomsday infection was a conspiracy engineered by Brainiac and the Phantom King. Cyborg Superman then sees Superman approaching his ship.
In Metropolis, Wonder Woman and Metallo fight. Wonder Woman gains the upper-hand when she lets out a blast from her silver bracelet. Commanded by Brainiac to leave, Lois dismantles Metallo’s head with the Corben-AI still active and takes off to the secondary staging location.
In space, Cyborg Superman tells Superman that the ships are too numerous to be stopped. Inside Superman’s mind, Superman tells Clark that Cyborg Superman is most likely not exaggerating about not being able to stop all the ships. Superman tells Clark that the only path to beating Cyborg Superman is to allow the Doom half to completely take over.
Wrapping It Up
What I’m finding to be more and more interesting is that the Doomsday Superman, or Superdoom, is gaining a personality of his own. Since his first appearance, Superdoom seems to be more and more in control of himself and is still very much Superman. It’ll be interesting to see how Superman will rid himself of this Doom virus if Superdoom proves to also be a hero. I’m guessing that Soule may pose this dilemma that Superdoom is very much a sentient life-form now. Should we be expecting a new anti-hero to come out of this?