Comic Recap/Thoughts: Superman: The Final Days of Superman

 I have a goal. That goal is to read every comic in the DC Rebirth era of Comics. All characters, all stories, and anything considered canon. (I will be reading some non-canon ones for fun.)

To achieve this goal I have to start somewhere. For me that somewhere is this road to Rebirth collection.

Superman: The Final Days of Superman 

Superman: The Final Days of Superman collects: Superman #51-52, Action Comics #51-52, Batman/Superman #31-32 and Superman/ Wonder Woman #28-29. (Not included but recommended is Justice League #52.)

This recap is going to be a little bit long because these events lead to a ton of events in Rebirth and I feel poor 52 Superman deserves a proper recap. 

Part 1: Superman Issue #51: Superman's first line, "I'm dying." The Fortress of Solitude gives us a history of all the fights poor Superman has had. The fire pits of Apokolips, the Kriptonite chamber room at A.R.G.U.S, and his battle with Roa are the reasons for his sudden decline. He is obviously upset because he is totally letting the world down. Meanwhile someone named Dr. Omen is up to something. Clark goes to visit his old pal Lana Lang, they push each other on a swing and I honestly love it. He then tells her that he is dying. That thing that Dr. Omen is up to, maybe sends a beam to somewhere in Minnesota hitting a criminal...who catches fire and then declares himself Superman. We end part one with Superman meeting up with Wonder Woman. 

Part 2: Batman/Superman # 31: Superman is hanging out in Gotham with Batman. After beating a bad guy, they go to the Batcave. Of course Bruce already figured out that Clark is sick, but Clark is actually looking for his cousin Kara. There is also a nice exchange with Alfred as Clark leaves. Followed by Bruce showing how upset he really is by smashing up a keyboard. Meanwhile in Metropolis, the on fire guy who thinks he is Superman saves some kids and then chats with Jimmy Olsen, who has no idea who he is. Next fire guy crashes into a roof, reverting back to criminal from Minnesota, pushes a kid off the roof...then saves the kid. Back to Gotham, Batman and real Superman are talking about Kara then get attacked by The Four Pillars, the embodiment of The Chinese Zodiac. The Zodiac are losing so they just, you know, blow up. A big bad shows up and makes Superman bleed his own blood, then dashes away. We end with a shot of Supergirl looking like she is in trouble.

Part 3: Action Comics #51: In National City, Superman breaks into the facility that appears to be holding Supergirl. Turns out she didn't need help and is also having power issues. She was at the D.E.O trying to get her powers. Superman sort of says sorry, but then drops the dying bomb. We cut to China again where the zodiac monster is checking in with Dr. Omen. She cuts the monster's hand off to take some of Superman's blood. Seems like overkill to me. Cut to fake Superman wandering into the Daily Planet. No one knows who he is. As he greats them all, he goes from normal to his eyes burning. Eventually the cops show up and he laser eye kills them...getting real mad that no one knows him. Lois the consummate badass, double stun guns the guy. We meet back up with Clark and Kara in the Fortress of Solitude. Clark gives Kara the full keys to the Fortress and we see his virtual head promising to always be there for her after he is gone.

Part 4: Superman/Wonder Woman #28: Turns out Superman has not yet told Wonder Woman about his impending death. She heard it from Batman. Supergirl scoots, leaving the two to talk about it. They share a nice moment and kiss before they are interrupted by Lois and Jimmy telling them about Fake Superman. They pop over to Stryker's Island. We get a fun cameo from Colonel Steve Trevor. Fake Superman is glowing and we flash back to the fight between Superman and Ulysses (I didn't read this, so I have no idea who this guy is). Fake Superman calls real Superman a fake and is mad at Wonder Woman for not loving him. We see Ulysses (Guy is naked for some reason) in another cell. He and OG Superman are chatting and Fake Superman breaks out. It gives Ulysses a chance to break out too. Fake Supe flies off and WW goes to help her Supe out, but the fight is already over. Ulysses says there is no need to kill him, because he is already dead. Harsh.

Part 5: Batman/Superman #32: The Trinity (Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman) are on the search for Fake Superman. Some cute exchanges happen. They get pulled down to the ground by The Great Ten in China. It is not a warm welcome and the two groups fight. They fight a lot. Eventually they stop and head off together to the base of Dr. Omen. Turns out she is brewing a Superman of her own but assures everyone that her Superman didn't go on any adventures. Of course right then test tube Superman busts out. Team China says they got it and wish the trinity luck with their own extra Superman problem. Fake Superman shows up at Lois Lane's place on fire. They share an awkward wave. 

Part 6: Action Comics #52: Wonder Woman and Superman are holding hands. They are back on the hunt for Fake Superman. Our poor Superman is not doing well. He can't fly for long and hitches a ride in the Batplane. Fake Superman and Lois are chatting. He wants to show her a secret. Cut to a family having breakfast in California. Fake Supe and Lois barge in. We meet Clark White...Who looks a lot like Clark Kent, with a beard and a wife who looks a lot like Lois Lane. They have a kid named Jon. Fake Supe asks if this man thinks he is Superman. Then proceeds to attack him revealing he is wearing a black Superman suit. They fight. The Trinity is flying around and real Superman gets a headache that tells him where to find the Fake Superman. The mom and son flee the fight that is wreaking their home. The Trinity shows up and now we have Fake Superman, Real Superman, and Bearded Superman in Black. Superman in Black hears his family in trouble, so he flies off to save them. Last panel we see Fake Superman asking about joining the Justice League. 

Part 7: Superman/Wonder Woman #29: The Trinity gears up for a fight as Lois Lane wanders out of the woods. Naturally the bad guy attacks her and Supe saves her. He fights with Fake Supe. Somewhere in Colorado, Superman in Black is flying off with his family. Turns out he has his own Fortress in the mountains. Seems they have a lot to tell their son. Back to the fight, Fake Supe turns back into a guy for a sec and tells us his name is Denny Swan from Minnesota. He then, you know, blows up again and beats up the now very worn out Superman. Flash to Kara in National City, still trying to get her full power back. Her "Parents/Handlers" tell her about a huge fight happening in Cali, so she jets off to help. 

Part 8: Superman #52: Superman is getting his butt kicked by Fake Superman. Real Supe tries to reason with him, but they mostly just fight. Supergirl shows up to to help, but takes a hard hit. Batman crashes his plane into the guy to buy them some time. It doesn't work for very long though. Superman decides to fly the guy up really high, but is struggling. Lucky for him Superman in Black shows up to help him out. In classic Superman fashion he punches Superman in Black in the face to, you know, protect him. Then Real Superman and Fake Superman have a real intense staring contest. A very large explosion appears to kill Fake Superman. Everyone rushes to catch the now falling real Superman, but it is the Superman in Black who gets there first. Lana Lang shows up with John Henry Irons. She runs up the glowing green Supes. She is joined by Lois Lane. Superman says goodbye to everyone in turn, Wonder Woman last. He then sort of shoots out lightning and turns to ash. (Lana and Lois both get hit, but seem okay.) Superman in Black flies off saying he will be in touch. We end with the world receiving the news of Superman's Death.  

Epilogue: Justice League #52: Meet the new Man of Steel in the form of Lex Luthor wearing Superman's crest on his super suit. Superman's cape is hanging in a display at the Daily Planet. Luthor wants to know how that happened. Since Clark has no family it gets turned over to his job. (That tracks right?) All the the Justice League show up wondering wtf is with his new outfit. Guess Lex had been chilling in Apokolips but decided to pop back. Luthor wants to know what happened and they sort of explain leaving out the new bearded Superman. Lex decided to wander around the city pondering a world without Superman. Naturally he stumbles upon a crime that escalates pretty quickly. One guy takes a hostage and Lex does his best to be the creepiest hero ever. He does manage to save the lady, but she is really scared of him. He doesn't care at all. Next we see him visiting his sister in the hospital who appears to be in a coma. Guess she shot him, going to venture he deserved it. Lex buys the Daily Planet and they have to give him Superman's cape. He declares himself the new Superman.

             

Okay this is a lot longer that I initially planned. It feels like a lot of important things happen in this volume to set up the Rebirth Super family and friends. I have not read a lot of Superman in general. I did read all of the New 52/DC You run of Batman/Superman and the Superman/Wonder Woman, but outside of crossovers did not read the whole of Superman or Action Comics. I know that a lot of people did not like the New 52 Superman and were very unhappy with his relationship with Wonder Woman. Personally I was not that vested in anything Superman was doing. I think they were a bit harsh in killing Superman. I really only read this because I spent a lot of time reading all of Convergence (A post for an other day) and was really curious how they were going to deal with two Supermen. I should have assumed death was the only choice. I did enjoy reading this sad story of many Supermans and for the first time look forward to reading more about the new mystery Superman and his family.

Best line from this collected Volume goes to Clark. 

Next week I will cover Superman: Lois and Clark, another Road to Rebirth story and the History of our good pal Bearded Superman in Black.

Note: All images belong to DC™