Warning: The
following post contains spoilers.
Action Comics #957
“Path of Doom, part
one”
Writer: Dan
Jurgens
Artist: Patrick
Zircher
Publisher: DC
Synopsis: Lex
Luthor has set himself up as Metropolis’ new defender in the wake of Superman’s
death. Upon seeing this, pre-New 52 Clark decides that the world needs a real
Superman and reveals his existence.
Overview: With
last week’s Superman Rebirth #1
getting any readers who haven’t been reading the Superman titles – in particular Superman:
Lois and Clark – up to speed, Action
Comics #957 is able to quickly establish the new status quo.
Firstly, we have Lex Luthor. Lex has been acting like a
superhero since helping to save the world in Forever Evil, first by blackmailing his way onto the Justice
League, and now trying to become Superman’s replacement. What’s interesting
about Lex’s current “superhero” phase is that it’s genuine. It’s driven by all the wrong reasons, to be sure – Lex
isn’t doing this out of any sense of altruism or the desire to help people and
make the world a better place, it’s just that beating people and getting
acclaim for doing so feeds his narcissism. But this isn’t, as far as we know so
far, some evil plan to take over the world or destroy the Justice League from
within. Lex truly believes he’s a hero –he just has no idea what that word
means.
 |
| "Lex Luthor has everything under control" |
Which is what makes his fight with Clark in this issue so
compelling. We understand why Clark is so appalled by Lex usurping the symbol
of Superman, and all that it stands for, just to feed his own ego. Lex talks a
good talk, but some of it is outright lies, such as:
Lex: I am honoured to
have called him my friend.
And the rest feels like Lex simply using Superman’s
sacrifice to justify his new position, claiming that Superman “inspired” him,
bastardising a eulogy into a boast. Lex talks about the dead Superman, but the
subject of his speech is himself,
what Superman meant to him, and how he will protect Metropolis from now on.
Lex: I was proud to
work with Superman… I stand in awe of what he did on our behalf… Now, though,
it’s time for Metropolis to turn to one of its own… Your Superman is here.
Plus Clark has seen this all before. He’s seen Lex stand up
in front of Metropolis, in front of the world, and call himself its hero. He
refuses to believe that Lex, in any reality, is even capable of doing good, let
alone being a successor to a fallen Superman.
Clark: You and I both
know what Luthor is, Lois. He
destroys lives. Inflicts chaos.
Clark: I’m the man
who isn’t buying one bit of the lie you’re selling. You’re evil. A murderer and
agent of destruction. I won’t let you do whatever it is you’re trying to do by
wearing that shield.
Clark is convinced that Lex must have an ulterior motive.
Which he does, but like I said, as far as we know it’s nothing more than fuelling
his own ego, Lex does think he’s a
hero. Clark’s cynicism and mistrust of Lex is well-founded and probably
justified, but the fact remains he is letting it affect his judgement.
Heck, it’s Superman who starts the fight, grabbing Lex’s
armour and setting off its automated defences. Lex, for all his arrogance –
artist Patrick Zircher gives Lex a fantastically punchable smirk – does comes
off as the reasonable one here. Lex believes that this Clark is an imposter –
not an unreasonable theory, given the circumstances – but doesn’t immediately
treat him like a threat. When we get this exchange –
Clark: Making it look
like I attacked you? Tricky as ever, Luthor.
Lex: But that’s
exactly what you did.
It’s hard not to agree with Lex, Clark does come across as
the aggressor here. We know that Lex will eventually embrace his dark side once
more, but it’ll be interesting to see whether it’s Clark’s own paranoia that
helps turn Lex back into the monster that Clark is already convinced he is.
Speaking of monsters, Doomsday is back! The build up to his
reveal is brilliantly done. In a containment unit stolen by a group of masked
thugs from a vault in a building belonging to “Geneticron” – clearly a genetic
labs of some kind – we get a slow build-up throughout the issue as Doomsday
frees himself, finally confronting Clark and Lex clad in the green containment
suit he wore back when first introduced in 1993. It’s a shame that all the
great shocking reveals – the appearance of Doomsday, Lex being the “Superman”
who takes down the masked thugs at the beginning of the issue and the fact that
the Daily Planet reporter covering the event is Clark Kent – were all spoiled
by press releases or the cover itself.
Yeah, let’s talk about that last one. The appearance of
“Clark Kent” is an intriguing mystery, one of many we’ve got at the moment in
the Superman titles. Who is this
“Clark Kent”? Does he have superpowers? Doomsday’s healing ability may explain
how he’s back from death, but how did he get into that vault? Who is the
mysterious Mr. Oz, introduced in DC
Universe Rebirth #1 and seen in a cameo here, and what is his connection to
the man of steel?
And, of course, the super-elephant in the room. So far, the
Clark and Lois from the pre-New 52 have been treated like alternate-universe
doppelgangers, and until DC Universe
Rebirth #1, it seemed pretty straightforward that’s what they were. Except
that according to Wally West in DC
Universe Rebirth #1, the New 52 universe is the same universe as the pre-New 52 one, the only different being that
ten years were stolen from the universe by Doctor Manhattan. Both DC Universe Rebirth #1 and this week’s The Flash Rebirth seem to confirm that
the New 52 Barry Allen is the same man as he was pre-New 52, minus ten years
and some of his memories. So why do we have two separate Clark Kents, and two separate
Lois Lanes? Shouldn’t they be the same people, just minus the missing years and
memories? It’s a headscratcher, to be sure, and hopefully something that will
be explored as Rebirth continues.
But what did you think? Did you enjoy Action Comics #957? Excited for the new direction DC Rebirth is
going in? Miss the New 52 Superman? Any theories on the mysterious? Feel free
to comment below.
Best Line: Lois:
Sometimes we need to do what’s right and accept the good – or bad – that comes
with it.
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