Superman Unlimited #17 Review

 

Superman Unlimited #17 Review

Writer: Dan Slott

Artist: Montos

Colorist: Ivan Plascensia

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Cover Artists: Lucas Meyer & Giuliano Peratelli

Variant Cover Artists: Mark Spears; V Ken Marion & Veronica Gandini; Vincenzo Riccardi

Editors: Jillian Grant & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/$5.99 US Card Stock

Release Date: September 16, 2026

 

Dru-Zod may be dead. Yet despite Power Girl’s efforts to contain it, Zod’s Kryptonite infection spreads across the Earth. In El Caldero, Mary Marvel, Martian Manhunter, and Kara’s Super Force are in prison. Kal-El's Super Family is struggling. Even after studying how Zod weaponized Kryptonite, John Henry Irons and his niece Natasha don't know how to reverse the deadly infection.

 

Can anyone save the world from Zod's attempt to rebuild Earth into a New Krypton? And will Ursa destroy the timeline by preventing Krypton's destruction? Let's find a phone booth, leap into Superman Unlimited #17, and see!

 

Story

On Krypton, Kara tried to warn Zod of Krypton's impending doom. Yet her admission that Jor-El was right about their ailing planet infuriated Zod. Still, his discovery of their time bubble lends credence to her story. So, Zod forms a plan. But the general specializes in destruction.

 

While Superman Unlimited #17 begins on Krypton, the story then shifts to Earth. Like the Humans of his adoptive planet, Superman is in pain. Shielded by the lead-lined tunnels, the pain doesn't drive him out of his mind. Instead, he looks back at the origins of his dilemma. Superman thought he had prevented an extinction event. Even though it hampered his efforts to protect the Earth, Superman thought the Green-K meteorite could benefit Humanity. Yet despite temporarily gifting people a better life, he only delayed Earth's destruction.

 

While Dan Slott’s story follows Superman, it also shows how El Calderan Green-K affected people worldwide. As Superman attempts to do what Steel could not, people from all walks of life realize how much he sacrifices for them. Just as working on a difficult task brings a sense of empowerment, Clark’s belief that he can save the Earth fills him with a sense that a greater destiny awaits him. Yet as Clark acts to counteract Zod’s poisoning of his planet, some people will lose, and others will have to adjust to new lives in Superman Unlimited #17.

 

Art

Dru-Zod and Batman may be worlds apart. Still, he uses grapplers to capture the people who threaten his world. A one-page collage rewinds the clock to reveal the events that led to the spread of weaponized El Calderan Green-K. But when he realizes how to protect the Earth, an upshot shows Superman standing apart from his group, while his son, as Tomorrow Man, stands at the center of those nearby.

 

As Montos uses double-page layouts to portray Superman’s efforts to save communities, and single-page layouts to intervene with individuals, Ivan Plascensia adorns Superman Unlimited #17 with a vibrant palette. On Krypton, red fills the air as Zod advances on those bearing his enemy's family crest. Yellow fills the background as Kara reacts to prevent his interference in the timeline. Zod's grapplers link his captives with the gleaming city of Kryptonopolis. Yet on Earth, another color attacks green.

 

Dave Sharpe shows Eradicatrix’s white uppercase dialogue in black balloons, while black narrative boxes reveal another character's thoughts and follow Superman's attempt to save Earth. As Krypton saps his super-abilities, the symbols < and > highlight young Clark's inability to interact with its citizens. Broken balloon borders reveal lowered voices, while a character with a big intellect speaks with lowercase letters. Sound effects enhance a desperate flight, sizzling energy, and destructive impacts as the heroes fight over the future of two planets. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.  

 

Final Thoughts

The world can be a scary place. People in small towns and big cities all over the world are suffering and dying from unprovoked chemical warfare. In El Caldero, a populist president has vanished. Soldiers in unfamiliar armor stalk their streets. The Kryptonite that elevated them to a world power is killing them. Yet after Zod and Ursa tried to stamp out weakness while preserving the purity of the Kryptonian race, Superman (and his younger self) strive to safeguard everyone in Superman Unlimited #17.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see Superman Unlimited #17 Preview. 

 

For more in the Kingdom Of Zod storyline:

For General Zod's rise to power, see Action Comics #1100: End Of Reign Review. 

For the mission to El Caldero, see Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1 Review. 

For the battle in El Caldero, see Action Comics #1101: Kingdom of Zod Part 2 Review. 

For how Superman takes the fight to Zod, see Superman Unlimited #16 Review.

For Zod's revival of Ursa see Superman #41: Kingdom Of Zod Part Four Review 

For Ursa, Kara, and young Clark's arrival on Krypton, see Supergirl #17: Kingdom Of Zod Part 5 Preview 

For what happens when Ursa, Kara, and young Clark meet Zod on Krypton, see Action Comics #1102: Kingdom Of Zod Part 6 Preview.