Future State: Superman - Worlds of War #1
- WRITER
- Michael W Conrad, Becky Cloonan, Brandon Easton, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Jeremy Adams
- Artist
- Valentine De Landro, Siya Oum, Mikel Janín, Gleb Melnikov
- Letterer
- Dave Sharpe, Travis Lanham, Gabriela Downie
- Cover Artist
- Mikel Janín, Riccardo Federici
- Publisher
- DC Comics
- Price
- 7.99
- Release Date
- 2021-01-19
- Colorist
- Marissa Louise, Jordie Bellaire, Hi-Fi
The first wave of Future State titles, showcasing possible alternate timelines for the DC Universe that will inform the upcoming Infinite Frontier era, introduced a new generation of superheroes taking up the DCU's most iconic roles. And as the Superman of Metropolis miniseries examines a void left by Clark Kent as heroes step up to defend the famous DC city, the latest miniseries Superman: Worlds of War reveals what exactly happened to the Man of Steel while taking the action beyond Metropolis to embrace the cosmic side of the Superman mythos in a quartet of short stories.
The lead story, by incoming Superman ongoing series writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson along with Mikel Janín and Jordie Bellaire, has Smallville reflect on a world without Superman before the whereabouts of the original Man of Tomorrow are revealed. Brandon Easton, Valentine De Landro and Marissa Louise pick up the baton from their Superman of Metropolis story to show a more sci-fi tinged story starring Mister Miracle. Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, Gleb Melnikov and Bellaire follow Midnighter as he unravels a dark mystery. And closing out this opening issue has screenwriter and incoming Flash scribe Jeremy Adams team up with Siya Oum and Hi-Fi to introduce a new Black Racer to the DCU.
Johnson and Janín's lead story is definitely the strongest of the bunch in this debut issue, asking the fundamental question of what Superman means to the people and how they react without him. Working with Bellaire, Janín's artwork is a real highlight, from the streets of Smallville to fiery arenas of Warworld while Johnson scripts a genuinely gripping tale. Easton, De Landro and Louise's story certainly picks up with their action-packed take on Mister Miracle but is perfectly accessible for anyone that may have missed their previous story in Superman of Metropolis #. It leans more more in darker shades as Miracle faces more of a shadowy mysterious than a high-flying action set piece.
Cloonan, Conrad and Melnikov's tale is the most violent of the set; which is definitely appropriate given Midnighter's brutal reputation and methodology. There are times when Melnikov's line work feels reminiscent of Frank Miller's Ronin, with its hard-hitting, cyberpunk sensibilities -- a distinction made all the more visible by some of the designs on the cybernetic warriors battling Midnighter -- while Melnikov makes it all his own, elevated by Bellaire's color palette. Adams and Oum's closing story is as hard science fiction as any of the tales in the issue, as the new Black Racer embodies the sense of hope and inspiration often associated with Superman in a story that feels inspired by stories like Battle Angel Alita as one young woman steps up to lead her own oppressed society.
Superman: Worlds of War continues Future State's winning streak while offering an intriguing look at the more science fiction-oriented side of the DCU. Offering a look at Superman and what endures about the character, no matter what fantastical situations the superhero finds himself in. The other three stories are also expertly crafted, delivering more bombastic action than the lead story, often veering into cyberpunk and harder sci-fi. And while the $7.99 price tag may seem a little steep for a single comic book issue, all four creative teams are firing on all cylinders that establish interesting directions for the DCU moving forward, with Superman and the DCU in good hands under their care during Infinite Frontier.