REVIEW: ‘Superman’ Issue 29

Superman Issue 29 is published by DC Comics and written by Joshua Williamson, art by Dan Mora, colors by Alejandro Sánchez, and letters by Ariana Maher.

This is the second part of The Legion of Darkseid. Superman is forced to team up with Superboy Prime as they head into a devastated future.

This issue takes Superman as far from his safety zone as possible. It pits the kindest Kryptonian on the same side as the most unstable and perhaps the most evil of them all. The first segment of Superman Issue 29 provides a great explanation of who Superboy-Prime is and how he has returned. And with the fourth wall-breaking element of the character, you don’t need much. He can just be back. By having a vicious killer alongside Superman, the issue creates tension and a sense of threat from the start. 

Alongside that, they’re heading into an apocalypse. It’s a really harrowing world where Darkseid’s legion rules. It’s not entirely desolate, and there are a few flickers of friendly faces. But the setting and scenarios are desperate and bleak. Even with a perceived savior in Superman, the danger remains high.

The end of the issue is a rescue mission at the heart of the dark empire, and spending more time in the dystopian 31st Century is always going to make the heart rate spike. The ending is something that could have been anticipated from the beginning, but the speed and suddenness with which it unfolds are still surprising.

Superman Issue 29 draws the darkness out of all the characters. Initially, Superman lacks a faithful ally. With a futuristic version of Doomsday and an evil version of himself, he has to be as serious and domineering as possible. Seeing the dark future and the bodies of his friends strewn around the place, Superman has to dig deep to find hope. Next to him, Superboy-Prime creates a dark humor. He’s jovial and excited for the adventure, not recognizing the severity and instead having fun.

This isn’t the most unstable version of the Superboy-Prime character. He’s able to reason and converse without resorting to violence – he even sniffs out a traitor. The nature of Superboy-Prime opens doors and allows for changes in the plot that Williamson couldn’t get away with for the regular Superman.

Superboy-Prime can break the universe to get to the future. He views this as a story and plot, discussing structure, reboots, and other meta elements. The surviving Legionnaires have been through unbelievable trauma and a war that has torn them apart. They are relieved to see Superman, but it’s too little to reinstate any hope.

The art is beautiful in its depiction of devastation. The 31st Century has often been presented as a place of hope and positivity, reveling in the hard sci-fi and technology. But now it’s a wreckage, the results of a monstrous battle between countless Legions and the Legion of Darkseid. It’s not just broken buildings; there are bodies. They’re fresh, hot off a cataclysmic battle.

Mora excellently diversifies the two Kryptonians. Superman is older and bigger, with broader shoulders and a face that carries the drama of the comic. Superboy-Prime is younger, with a cheeky grin, boyish hair, and armor that makes his chest appear larger. It’s not just the world that breaks around him, but the comic itself.

The remaining members of the legion have their recognizable costumes and designs, expertly illustrated by Mora, but they’ve been through hell. They’ve not got much left, and are all haunted. The first Legionnaire we see in Superman Issue 29 is there to bury their dead. The fighting is brutal, with the beloved legionnaires just there to be cannon fodder and torn apart. It’s all alarming to see.

The colors try to add some Silver Age magic to the darkness. There is a brilliant contrast between the fresh suburbia and countryside in which both Supermen were brought up, and the absence of light in the broken future. There are even flashbacks of what the future should look like, which is intensely bright and positive. Instead, it is murky, with the only light coming from burning flames.

The once vibrant costumes of the Legion of Superheroes are now covered in grit. Colors brighten only when they think there is a chance of success with Superman by their side. The lettering is very clear and easy to read.

Superman Issue 29 shows a future where everything ends. It’s ferocious and fearsome, turning the 31st Century into a hellhole. It’s very rewarding to finally see another hero reach the future that was first glimpsed at in the All-In Special, connecting the points in time and perhaps providing safety to the captive Booster Gold and saving the few Legionnaires left.

But then Joshua Williamson adds in the unpredictable curveball that is Superboy-Prime, who both helps and hinders Superman. More chaos is added to an impossible, fractious future. The level of darkness is fascinating and haunting because there doesn’t seem to be a bottom to it, and it can still get worse.

Superman Issue 29 is available where comics are sold.