Review: ‘Superman’ #17 Gets To The Heart Of Its Hero
by Tony Thornley
Absolute Power has hit few heroes as hard as it’s hit Superman. In Superman #17, though, we get to see why even powerless, Clark Kent is still the world’s greatest superhero.
Joshua Williamson, Jamal Campbell, and Ariana Maher take Superman down a dark winding way.
Although powerless, Superman hasn’t given up hope. With Zatanna’s help, he may have found a way to stop Amanda Waller and help restore the world’s greatest heroes. It will require the duo to take a dark path, face some horrifying magic, and just maybe make a deal with the devil…
Absolute Power has brought the heroes of the DCU to probably the lowest that I’ve seen them. Williamson uses that to explore what Superman is really capable of. Even without powers, he’ll do his best to help others, to inspire others to be better. It’s a very Superman way to handle a challenge, and Williamson nails it. It never felt overwrought or cliche. It’s just Clark Kent doing the right thing, which Maher captures as well by pacing the dialogue and captions perfectly across the page.
Campbell makes it look great. I’ve missed his work on this title. Even without the bright colors of Clark’s red and blue costume, he always makes sure Clark is the focal point of the scene. He’s the character standing up the straightest and holding himself with the most confidence. The fantastical worlds Clark and Zee walk through are brought to life in a way that they’re both believable and still fantastic and unreal.
Superman #17 is available now from DC Comics.
Overview
This is good Superman storytelling, even in the midst of the big event. This run continues to get better and I’m glad for that each time I pick the series up.
