Superman #32
Superman and son find a way to stop the Shadowbreed in Superman #32, by writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson, artist Scott Godlewski, colorist Gabe Eltreb, and letterer Dave Sharpe. In the backup, by writer Sean Lewis, artist Sami Basri, colorist Ulises Arreola, and letterer Dave Sharpe, Jimmy and company figure out a way to stop Projectress. While the main story is pretty great, the backup is merely okay. It hurts the issue a bit, but it’s overall pretty good.
The main story starts off with a flashback explaining how the Shadowbreed took over Thakkram. Jon fights against them in the present, saving who he can, as a giant mech controlled by them and all of the billions which the Shadowbreed have taken over. Superman breaks free and helps his son. Qarath O Bakkis tells Jon that Faldr’s fusion bomb was based on Superman’s heat vision but on a different frequency that only Jon can reach. As Superman holds the mech back, Jon uses his heat vision to stop the Shadowbreed and save the day. In the backup, Jimmy and company come up with a plan to defeat Projectress. Working together, they defeat her.
Johnson has been setting something up unique with this story, working up to Jon finally doing something his father hasn’t been able to do. It’s a great hero moment for Jon, one that feels earned. Since Johnson took over, he’s been telling a particular story about fathers and sons, and this issue is the culmination of it. Jon has always been a unique character, and it has been fun watching him grow over the years. While this issue isn’t the end of it, it’s just cool to see him push his limits and for Superman to recognize just how great of a hero he is and will be.
Beyond that, this is just a cool Superman story. It kind of has everything- great action, a cool backstory, and a great ending. There’s really not much more to say about it. It’s entertaining and just sort of screams Superman, even if most of it is about Jon. The backup, on the other hand, isn’t great. It’s honestly not been a wonderful part of the book since it began, and this last part just feels long and kind of drawn out. It’s almost as long as the main story, and it’s just not as interesting.
Godlewski’s art is pretty good throughout. The moment where Superman breaks free of the Shadowbreed looks terrific, as does the reveal of the Shadowbreed mech. Jon saving the day with his heat vision is yet another highlight, and the last few pages really capture the emotion of the script. In the backup, Basri’s art is the best part; while the story does drag a lot, it looks incredible, so that’s a plus for what is otherwise kind of disappointing.
Superman #32 is definitely a book with two different stories of varying quality. The main story is a lot of fun, just a great Superman story that boosts Jon. Johnson and Godlewski do a wonderful job throughout. Lewis and Basri’s backup isn’t nearly as good. It’s a bit too long, and it feels like it, but at least the art is good. It hurts the book overall, which is a shame.
