REVIEW: ‘Kneel Before Zod’ Issue #2

Kneel Before Zod #2 is published by DC Comics, written by Joe Casey, art by Dan McDaid, colors by David Baron, and letters by Troy Peteri. After the first attack on his planet, General Zod looks for answers and makes plans for the next wave of enemies.

The issue continues the assertion that there are no heroes within this issue. The protagonists are heavy metal, brutal soldiers with conquest in their hearts. The first scene is a torture sequence, with the sole survivor of the attacking force being interrogated by Zod and Ursa. It’s an intense and unrelenting scene that keeps the barbarism of the series high. From there comes the intelligence. Zod develops a plan for the defense of New Kandor, serving as a reminder of his strategic brilliance. And yet how he addresses this conflict is what causes Kneel Before Zod #2 to witness a real sea change. A sea change in the book is an absolute shock and literally hits Zod from behind. The pacing of this issue is slow with so much strategy and deliberation, but that twist is a sudden injection of adrenaline and confusion.

The lack of heart within this issue is the most gripping asset of the plot. Both Zod and Ursa are cut from the same cloth. They are brutalistic and have souls forged in fire. Even whilst pregnant, Ursa takes the lead in many of the duo’s insidious actions, longing for violence just as much as her husband. But there is a huge difference between the couple emerging as the issue progresses. Zod is showing more restraint. He protects his home and his people. But Ursa is ferocious and still possesses a thirst for conquest and domination. It is a set of values that isn’t a problem at the start of the issue but begins to fragment and become much more of an obstacle deeper into the book. It is incredibly strange to go through a story that purposefully lacks emotions that aren’t built around rage.

The art is tremendous, always capturing the brutality of the planet and the protagonists. The buildings are all displays of Zod’s grandiosity, but the creativity is based on arrogance and self-aggrandizing. The rest of the planet is hostile and cruel. Warriors and robots that have been created solely for war. The torture scene is grim and powerful, but it is not overpoweringly gory. But there are uses of Kryptonian powers that are certainly disturbing. The characters themselves cement the assertion that New Kandor is a rough place to live. Both Zod and Ursa have hardcore and cold exteriors. A scowl is their most positive emotion, and it only gets more dramatic from that point.

The colors feature more variety than in the first issue. The torture scene takes place under an oppressive and burning red, created by the heat vision of the Kryptonians. During a space battle. Energy blasts and fire introduces brief glimpses of green, but black, white, and red continue to be the primary shades of the series. Within Zod’s palace, the walls are a cold blue. Outside, the planet’s surface is buffeted by an orange sun that instills the world’s hostility. The lettering has a smaller font than usual, but it fits within the art style and is still easy to read.

Kneel Before Zod #2 is an interesting experiment. It explores what happens in a world without heroes. New Kandor may have Kryptonians, but they aren’t nice Kryptonians. The issue is void of empathy, softness, or care between a couple on the verge of another childbirth. In the first issue, Zod looked supreme. No one could challenge him, and his power was absolute. But it becomes clear in this chapter that reigning supreme can sometimes lead to complacency, allowing another usurper to make a claim. It adds two threads that run parallel to each other and split Zod’s concentration, which could split the whole planet in half.

Kneel Before Zod #2 is available where comics are sold.