Its a big issue so we’re going to discuss this full spoiler style.  If you don’t want to know what happens in this issue keep moving on.

For those of you who do, read along and discuss with me!

 

This is the big issue.  The one that we were all told would have something big happening within.  Marketing comic books this way is wrong.  For one, it ruins the joy of reading the story.  In this issue this happens!  Read all about it in USA Today!  Well then why am I buying the comic book?  The big twist has been revealed and honestly USA Today costs less and provides more to read.  Its a shitty way to market books.

Plus when one issue is singled out it lessens everything else that has come out since the last big media reveal.  “This story matters!”  Oh, so none of the other ones do?  Then why the fuck did I spend my time and money reading them?  Its like when wrestling shows say “this is real”  It exposes everything else as not being real and thus not being relevant.

On to the book.

Hey, does everyone remember when Doctor Light became the most despicable man in all of the DC Universe?  Well he’s a different person now thanks to the New 52 so lets bring him back and we’ll all try to forget.  Which only puts more emphasis on him.  He’s a family man, which only reminds us more of the rape story.  He draws light away which again reminds us of the dark acts he committed.

Then there is Pandora.  Who looks a lot like the old WildCATs member Zealot.  In fact, so much so (and even more so with the guns) that it only confuses the reader.  Is this Zealot?  Is it meant to be?  Am I supposed to be reminded of this other character?  See, the whole point of New 52 was to get new readers in.  This issue is too complicated to be anyone’s first issue.  Too much for a new reader of any age.

This issue requires knowledge of Doctor Light, the other Justice League team, all the solo books, the first year of New 52 to see where and when Pandora showed up.  Plus previous to new 52 stuff to make it matter.  Madam Xanadu, The Phantom Stranger, The Question all are only important characters thanks to old DC stories.  Thus for this story to have any weight it requires knowledge of stories that DC has told us don’t matter anymore.  Except for when they do.

Also, its time to move beyond the misunderstanding leads to fistfight plot device. Shazam is trying to explain himself.  Granted he’s a bit cocky but he’s trying.  Nope, taste my fist of steel kid!

I know, its all supposed to be set up to understand that Superman is just not himself.  He’s possessed.  He’s doing things he wouldn’t normally do because of Pandora, or Despero, or this Outsider pulling strings, or because there was space available in a national newspaper.

All of that is to lead up to the twist.  Superman kills.  Doctor Light absorbs Superman’s solar energy, Superman tries to defend himself and whatever thing is controlling him causes the Man of Steel to go too far and extinguish the Light.

Look, I don’t know what the hell is going on at DC but Superman doesn’t kill.  He doesn’t.  I know I know.  He has.  But in ways where his struggle was shown and he only did after great debate and with great regret after.  I don’t care that he’s possessed.  Possess someone else for this story.  Superman needs to be an example.  People and heroes are supposed to feel stronger in his presence.  There’s a reason the yellow lantern ring didn’t go to Superman.  He is not a force of fear like Batman.  Superman is hope.  How can anyone feel comforted or hopeful around this being who is just as corruptible as the rest of us?

In the effort to make Superman more relatable for modern day readers everything Super about the Man has been stripped away.  I don’t want to read about a guy who is just like me.  I want to read about someone who always is better no matter how hard that is to do.