Super League Part 7: Superman / Wonder Woman #29 Review

Superman and Wonder Woman unleash an all out brawl on the man who claims to be the real Man of Steel. And pre-Flashpoint Superman reveals something special to Lois and Jonathan.

Super League Part 7: Superman / Wonder Woman #29

Story and Words: Peter J. Tomasi / Artist: Jorge Jimenez / Colors: Alejandro Sanchez / Letters: Rob Leigh / Cover: Karl Kerschl

The penultimate issue of the eight-part Super League series has Superman and Wonder Woman going up against the super-powered imposter calling himself the Man of Steel. Peter J. Tomasi hasn’t wavered from his great characterization of Superman, and Jorge Jimenez’s art is lean and bright, making it a perfect complement to the straightforward storytelling.

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We start off with the imposter Superman about to attack Lois. Superman jumps into action and shields her from the enemy’s deadly solar flare. Our Man of Steel soon requests that Batman bring Lois to safety while he and Wonder Woman teach the imposter Superman a lesson.

Meanwhile, pre–Flashpoint Superman/Clark brings Lois and Jonathan to the Fortress of Solitude. Lois is disappointed that Clark has kept this secret from her. She wonders if he has other things he’s not telling her. Superman assures her that he did it for the safety of her and Jonathan.

Back in the forest, Superman and Wonder Woman continue their assault on the imposter. At one point, they get an upper hand and the imposter powers down—just enough for him to reveal that he’s a prisoner at Minnesota State Penitentiary and that his name is Denny Swan. The introduction is interrupted when Denny quickly transforms back into the super-flare being.

The imposter ignites the full force of his solar flare and knocks both Superman and Wonder Woman out. He finally abducts Superman, carrying him away by his throat.

In National City, Supergirl is still being treated and studied for her weakening state. The researchers inundate her cells with solar radiation, hoping to get her power levels back to normal. Receiving news about power spikes in California, Supergirl—still not fully charged—flies off to help her cousin.

As a testament to the adeptness of Tomasi’s writing, the jumping around of each subplot never felt disparate or segregated from the overall story. The juxtaposing of the violent battle with that of the peaceful visit to the Fortress of Solitude also gave great balance to this issue.

What made this issue stand out from the rest of the installments was the lack of self-reflection and introspection. Does that mean it’s an issue devoid of any heart or humanity? Definitely not. Tomasi speaks a different language here to convey the essence of Superman—it’s the language of action. I guess Tomasi wants to hit home that his Superman may still be a boy scout, but that doesn’t mean he can’t throw down with the best of them.

As for the art, I think I have a new favorite team in the form of artist Jorge Jimenez and colorist Alejandro Sanchez. Jimenez’s characters are long and lean. He definitely seems to be from the school of “less is more.” My favorite panel in this issue is in the single two-page spread where Superman is shown in his famous one fist out flying pose. Because Jimenez’s art is so clean, the colors have to complement it without overpowering it—which brings us to Sanchez’s colors: fresh and airy, but never washed out.

As a whole, this was a very lean issue in terms of storytelling. It’s a quick one-two gut punch. There’s a perfect reason why too. The next issue will be the final one—which leads right into Rebirth. With Superman caught at low point, there really is nowhere to go, but up.

Next: Super League Part 6: Action Comics #52 Review

Overall, this issue steps away from the heavy introspection and self-reflection of past Super League installments. Instead, Tomasi shows a versatility in his storytelling abilities and uses action to convey the narrative. Jimenez and Sanchez elevate this issue with some very clean art, which is at its highest when Superman is in battle and flying about.

If you’ve been collecting and reading Super League, this is another issue that’s worth your attention. After all, it’s quickly leading into Rebirth, so you definitely want to see how Superman will undergo his change.