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. 

 

Superman Unlimited #16 Review

 

Superman Unlimited #16 Review

Writers: Dan Slott & Joe Casey

Artists: Rachael Stott & Dan McDaid

Colorists: Giuliano Peratelli & David Baron

Letterers: Dave Sharpe & Troy Peteri

Cover Artist: Guillem March

Variant Cover Artists: Aco & Taurin Clark

Foil Variant Cover Artist: Mark Spears

Editors: Jillian Grant & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/$5.99 US Card Stock

Release Date: August 19, 2026

 

No one can choose where they come from. But they can decide who they want to be. Ultraboy didn't realize he belonged on Earth-3. Still, when given a choice of the person he could become, he opted to emulate Jon Kent, rather than his biological parents.

 

Young Superboy may be gone now, but mentoring him has changed Jon Kent. He realizes new possibilities await him as Tomorrow Man. But first, Jon must tackle the weaponized Green-K that threatened Smallville. How will Tomorrow Man aid Supergirl, his mother, and the Super Force in El Caldero? And can Steel and his family protect their world from General Zod? Let's find a phone booth, leap into Superman Unlimited #16, and see!

 

Story

While Lois, Jonathan, and Martha found the proliferation of Superboys concerning, Dru-Zod finds it positively offensive. So, after hurling Superboy-Prime and Conner Kent from his Kryptonian Castle, Zod pursues them to trim their numbers. But as Zod attacks two members of the House of El, Superman and Superboy battle the Kryptonite infection. While Booster Gold regards Kryptonite as an essential part of young Clark Kent’s education, Mary Marvel objects to both his insensitivity and spilling potentially future-altering insights. Still, Eradicatrix is around to ensure Booster doesn’t reveal too many spoilers.

 

Supergirl’s Super Force traveled to El Caldero to claim the Kryptonian Sun Crystal and prevent her people’s technology from getting into the wrong hands. Booster Gold intended to reach the Justice League Watchtower. Once again, the currents in the timestream took him elsewhere. But for General Zod, all these unexpected arrivals are a Rao-sent opportunity. In Superman Unlimited #16, fate gives Dru-Zod what he wants most: the chance to destroy the House of El.

 

Events from Joe Casey's Kneel Before Zod series introduce the story. Then, Dan Slott frequently shifts perspective to keep tabs on all the heroes. Although Zod has created the perfect trap, he must also take measures to protect himself against a city designed to kill him.

 

In Dru-Zod's absence, heroes battle the forces of El Caldero or flee for shelter from the infection-laden air. Heroes meet each other for the first time or seek to reverse Green-K’s devastating effects. After losing his divine powers and nearly losing himself in the timestream, Superman seems more susceptible to El Calderan Green-K. Still, he must demonstrate why he is Earth's foremost protector and the preeminent member of the House of El in Superman Unlimited #16.

 

Art

As Dan McDaid shows Zod adrift in space, the surviving Kryptonian enters an irising portal. The circle of white evokes the destruction of his adoptive planet. Then, Rachael Stott's overhead shot shows another globe. As El Caldero's inhabitants gaze up at the figure defying a plummeting meteor, the spikes jutting from their heads suggest demons gathering before the god. Then streaks of light race toward them, shattering the symbol of a planetoid that reshaped their world and allowed them to dream of a better life.

 

Following New Kandor’s destruction, Zod enters the yellow-and-brown spaceship. David Baron applies faint shades of blue, red, yellow, and green to Zod's new beginning. Then, Giuliano Peratelli employs bright hues as green-clad Zod battles the Superboys in their blue, red, and yellow costumes. Ironically, Martian Manhunter's green skin and blue apparel emulate the green buildings rising beneath a blue sky in Superman Unlimited #16. Yet both J’onn and the Emerald City struggle for willpower and hope as Zod’s weaponized Kryptonite attacks everyone.

 

After Troy Peteri uses white uppercase letters to convey events from the Eradicator Archives, Dave Sharpe shows Eradicatrix’s dialogue using white uppercase letters in black balloons. While black uppercase letters in white balloons convey most of the dialogue in El Caldero, Red Tornado utters red words in the Justice League Watchtower. The letters grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices. Both letters and balloons grow shaky as characters fight the effects of Kal-El's devastated homeworld. Sound effects enhance the battle for Earth, while yellow letters with red outlines celebrate places, words, and people of power. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.  

 

Final Thoughts

Until now, readers have viewed El Caldero through the lens of its Human leader. When Presidente Eduardo Castilho expelled Superman to profit from Kryptonian technology, the people were silent. But after their charismatic leader vanishes, an interloper usurps the throne, and Kryptonite poisoning runs rampant, the inhabitants of the Emerald City make their voices heard in Superman Unlimited #16.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Superman Unlimited #16. 

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Superman Unlimited #15. 

For what happened before that, see my review of Superman Unlimited #14.

For what happened even before that, see my review of Superman Unlimited #13. 

For what happened even before that, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #12.

For how the era of Tomorrow Man began, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #11. 

 

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. 

 

Action Comics #1100: End Of Reign Review

 

Action Comics #1100: End Of Reign Review

Writer: Dan Slott

Artist: Lucas Meyer

Colorist: Giuliano Peratelli

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Cover Artist: Ryan Sook

Variant Cover Artists: Mark Spears; David Talaski; Jim Cheung & Jay David Ramos; Rahzzah; Daniel Sampere & Tomeu Morey

Editors: Jillian Grant & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99 US/$6.99 US Card Stock/$7.99 US Foil

Release Date: July 22, 2026

 

As a meteor headed toward Earth, Superman fought to alter its trajectory. Then he discovered that, beneath the surface, the tiny planetoid was composed entirely of Kryptonite. Although he couldn’t stop it from striking the Earth, Superman prevented a mass extinction event.

 

When Eduardo Castilho pulled Superman from the impact crater, he realized that his hero had unwittingly helped his country thrive. How has Kryptonite transformed El Caldero? And what are the ramifications of relying on this heaven-sent element? Let’s leap into Action Comics #1100: End Of Reign and see what happens!

 

Story

He hailed Superman as his nation’s hero. But when they unearthed the Sun Crystal, Eduardo sent Superman packing and forbade his return. The Sun Crystal has gifted his country a castle filled with alien technology. But as Presidente Eduardo Castilho inspects his new source for El Caldero’s exports, ghosts of a dead planet tell him that he is the one who doesn’t belong.

 

Action Comics #1100: End Of Reign demonstrates Castilho’s love for his country. As he rose to power, he helped transform El Caldero into an economic powerhouse. Castilho may be an opportunist who wants everything his way. Still, his Kryptonite supply has benefitted the entire world.

 

Just as Lois Lane cannot operate the Daily Planet's global news agency without an army of supporters, Presidente Eduardo Castilho could not have harnessed the vast power of Kryptonite without help. Dan Slott’s story reveals who has helped him build his kingdom. Yet, it also highlights a new aspect of El Calderan Green-K.

 

Despite Castilho's optimism, Action Comics #1100: End Of Reign is a tragedy. Dan Slott’s story evokes Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne discussing alternative careers on the eve of DC K.O. Yet, it also recalls a historical mystery that has stirred writers' imaginations throughout the ages.

 

Art

Giant green crystals form an enormous lattice structure. A statue outside the building portrays Superman slowing the meteor's descent. Inside Castilho's castle, holograms of Kryptonian leaders dwarf El Presidente. When a Krypto-Knight lifts a crystal from a control panel, the speakers bend and vanish like ghosts. Yet after Castilho’s friend summons a holographic monitor, Lucas Meyer retracts the camera, portraying an act of violence via silhouettes.

 

Giuliano Peratelli adorns Action Comics #1100: End Of Reign with a vibrant palette. Amid the luminous green surroundings, Castilho shines in red and gold. A Green-and-Black Krypto-Knight nods to a cluster of soldiers arrayed in violet armor before responding to Castilho's call. A yellow sun behind Castilho's profile shines as he recalls the events that shaped his country. The sun projects light rays edged with orange, dividing his memories into wedges.

 

Black uppercase letters fill white dialogue balloons, while the alien technology summons green symbols, and the unwanted ghosts speak with green letters. As Castilho’s eloquent off-camera dialogue appears in green narrative boxes, letters grow bold for intonation and swell when voices rise. Sound effects accompany technical difficulties, and a change in direction for El Caldero. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

So far, Presidente Eduardo Castilho has had everything his way. But times are changing. After the events at the Steelworks facility in Smallville, the honeymoon between El Caldero and the mountain of Kryptonite that transformed it seems destined for a troubled marriage. As Action Comics #1100: End Of Reign builds on events in Superman Unlimited, it also paves the way for the upcoming Kingdom Of Zod crossover event.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For Kara Zor-El's preparations to retake the Sun Crystal, see Action Comics #1100: Game Night Review. 

 

For Booster Gold's search for his friend, see my review of Action Comics #1100: Superman Meets Superboy. 

 

For Superboy's battle to regain his superpowers, see my review of Action Comics #1100: Mission Failure. 

 

For Kara and Lesla's battle to free Kandor, see my review of Supergirl #15. 

 

For events at the Steelworks facility in Smallville, see my review of Superman Unlimited #15. 

 

 

 

Superman Unlimited #15 Review

 

Superman Unlimited #15 Review

Writer: Dan Slott

Artist: Lucas Meyer

Colorist: Giuliano Peratelli

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Cover Artist: Taurin Clarke

Variant Cover Artists: Zoe Thorogood & Fernando Blanco

Editors: Jillian Grant & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: June 15, 2026

 

Jon left Lois Lane as a boy, but returned a man. She missed watching her son grow up. But when a masked man brought Jon back to her, de-aged to how Lois last saw him before he returned as an adult, her journalistic instincts kicked in. Lois isn't alone in doubting that young Jon is her son. As Jon Kent disguises his features, "Tomorrow Man" struggles to see himself in the boy. Yet, Jon's return hits Damian Wayne hardest. He lost his friend. And when young Jon returned, he showed no interest in resuming their friendship.

 

Regardless of how others feel about him, young Jon seemed committed to being a hero. Then he saw what Lois and John Henry did to Beppo. And suddenly, the boy realized what the people responsible for protecting him planned to do to him. Can anyone control an enraged Superboy? And how are John Henry and Lana doing after the accident at Steelworks? Let's stop by a phone booth, leap into Superman Unlimited #15, and see!

 

Story

While Green Kryptonite can exert a toxic effect on Humans, it doesn’t normally empower them. Yet when Dabney Donovan’s clones injected Beppo with a Green-K serum, the chimpanzee became stronger than Jon Kent. After how Ultraman tortured him, Superboy identified with the chimpanzee. But instead of returning him to Bibbo Bibbowski, John Henry Irons incarcerated Beppo in a red sun enclosure. So, when young Jon discovers that Irons and his “mother” plan to incarcerate and experiment on him, the boy who was tortured in a volcano grabs John Henry’s hammer and attacks Tomorrow Man.

 

While Jon Kent tries to reason with his younger self, Superboy feels betrayed in Superman Unlimited #15. Jon suspects that this boy isn’t him. Yet they look the same and share similar fears after Ultraman tortured them both in a volcano. While young Jon feels betrayed by Tomorrow Man and Lois Lane, Damian Wayne is also outraged. When Jon Kent returned older after a trip through time, Damian felt like he had lost his best friend. Damian sees the boy as an imposter who defiles his memories of Jon and likely intends great harm to his world.

 

While young Jon experiences the pain of betrayal and rejection, Beppo's blood sample spurs explosive growth in John Henry's stockpile of El Calderan Green Kryptonite. The results of John Henry's scientific research endanger Lana, altering his wife's metahuman form. Just as young Jon demonstrates unrivaled superstrength when angry, Dan Slott’s action thriller reveals the dangers of El Calderan Green K. Far from being gifts to Jon and Humanity, young Jon and the mountain of Green K threaten to extract a heavy toll on Earth in Superman Unlimited #15. 

 

Art

As Superboy attacks Jon Kent with his hammer, John Henry Irons activates the controls to ensure Beppo doesn’t break free of his containment. Yet crystals sprout from the floors, walls, and ceilings of the building. While threatening everyone, a blast shield traps Beppo in a windowless container where he can be impaled without warning. Agitated, Lois's breath condenses inside her transparent helmet as she speaks into her cellphone. Jonathan and Martha listen to the landline receiver in their home. As Krypto and the Supermobile soar into the sky, Jonathan touches a tablet, activating nearby severe weather sirens.

 

As giant Green-K crystals also erupt from the ground outside, Giuliano Peratelli adorns Lucas Meyer’s apocalyptic visions with vibrant color in Superman Unlimited #15. While the red containment field imprisons a raging Beppo, Superboy’s eyes glow red as his hammer hurls Tomorrow Man into red shadow. Yet when Superboy’s ire cools, his blue suit links him with Batman as two people who suffered childhood trials and wish to protect others from experiencing similar horrors. While red links Robin and other heroes, the green portions of his suit shine as vibrantly as Lana Lang. Yet in this story of overcoming obstacles and transformation, the shape of Robin's cape and its interior color indicate that Tomorrow Man was thinking of yesterday when he chose his new costume.

 

Dave Sharpe places uppercase black dialogue in white dialogue balloons and offscreen dialogue in colored narrative boxes. Words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Shaky lines of text and slithering arrows suggest shock and fatigue. Sound effects accompany hammer blows, midair collisions, and alerts as laughter fills the air. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.  

 

Final Thoughts

Jon Kent risked a reality-threatening paradox to mentor a younger version of himself. Yet Batman, who suspected young Jon’s identity all along, congratulated his son for recognizing a villain in disguise. As “Superboy” unleashes his anger on “Tomorrow Man” when he believes he betrayed him, heroes confront the dangers of seeing ourselves in others in Superman Unlimited #15.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Superman Unlimited #15. 

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Superman Unlimited #14.

For what happened before that, see my review of Superman Unlimited #13. 

For what happened even before that, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #12.

For how this story arc started, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #11. 

 

Superman Unlimited #14 Review

 

Superman Unlimited #14 Review

Writer: Dan Slott

Artists: Lucas Meyer & David Messina

Colorist: Giuliano Peratelli

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Cover Artist: Taurin Clarke

Variant Cover Artists: Raiko, Juan Ferreyra & Stephanie Hans

Supergirl Movie Variant Cover Artist: Mitch Gerads

Editors: Jillian Grant & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: June 17, 2026

 

When Master Txyz gave Jon Kent a gift, he didn't expect to regain his youth. Nor did Lois Lane anticipate raising a younger version of her son. With two versions of himself inhabiting the same place and time, Jon worries about creating a paradox.

 

When Jon adopts a new uniform, people assume that he is a villain because he hides his features. Yet worse is his younger self's anger, and the havoc young Jon could cause if he unleashes it. Can Jon Kent help his younger self cope with his traumatic memories? And while helping his younger self and serving on the New Titans, can Jon maintain his life in Smallville? Let's stop by a phone booth, leap into Superman Unlimited #14, and see!

 

Story

STAR Labs has cloaked its latest discovery in secrecy. When Professor Thaddeus Killgrave gets wind of it, he rushes in to steal it before the company can capitalize on it. Thankfully, as his mechanical marvel crashes out of the building, Tomorrow Man and Superboy prevent him from injuring those nearby. Still, Tomorrow Man must remind Superboy not to dial up his superpowers to eleven every time he faces a dangerous situation.

 

While Tomorrow Man mentors Superboy in heroism, Lois Lane visits Smallville in Superman Unlimited #14. Tomorrow Man is being deliberately mysterious. And as a reporter, trained to be suspicious, Lois wonders if getting young Jon back is too good to be true. Further complicating matters is the idea of losing her older son after trying to help him stand on his own two feet. So, when she visits Jonathan and Martha Kent, Lois asks her in-laws about their recent experiences with Jon.

 

As Dan Slott interweaves Tomorrow Man and Superboy’s crimefighting in Metropolis with Lois Lane's search for answers in Smallville, others notice Superboy’s uncertainty. Spectators and opponents alike wonder why he has returned. Like older Jon, they notice differences in his behavior. Yet unlike "Tomorrow Man", the people they protect wonder why Superboys seem to be proliferating in Superman's absence.

 

Art

As Killgrave’s machine bursts out of the STAR Labs facility, a close-up reveals his glee while pedestrians flee. As red streaks across the sky, a green circle on the phone identifies Superboy and remembers Tomorrow Man’s recent actions. Killgrave’s machine raises the pilfered container like a salute as the two heroes hover in the sky. But when young Jon asks a difficult question in Superman Unlimited #14, older Jon looks away, even though he wears a mask.

 

As Giuliano Peratelli adorns Lucas Meyer and David Messina’s art with a lively palette of colors, red surrounds young Jon's white eyes as he channels his rage. While Krypto sits before the front steps and watches Martha pour Lois a glass of lemonade, Jonathan and Martha relax as the bright day tinges them with violet light. Yet as Lois shares her fears, Jonathan turns to face her, while Martha freezes up, evoking young Jon’s struggle to escape his recent past. Later, Lois braves the green shopfront clad in green slacks, while Tomorrow Man and Superboy encounter a green threat.

 

Dave Sharpe places uppercase black dialogue in white dialogue balloons and thoughts in colored narrative boxes. Words grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices. Broken balloon outlines indicate lowered voices, while letters shrink in storm clouds. Two characters utilize green balloons, but for different reasons. Sound effects accompany battles and rescues, while a scream pierces a rapidly evolving situation in Superman Unlimited #14. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.  

 

Final Thoughts

Young Jon wants to be a superhero. Yet his traumas cause him to overreact in stressful situations. While Lois wonders if the boy living in her home is really her son, John Henry Irons tests the unique properties of El Calderan Green K. The green crystals from Clark’s home world sap Superman’s powers. Yet, a serum derived from the Kryptonite Kingdom’s #1 export gave a chimpanzee superpowers. And that’s not the only difference John Henry Irons notices in Superman Unlimited #14.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For a look inside, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #14. 

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Superman Unlimited #13. 

For what happened before that, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #12.

For how this story arc started, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #11. 

 

Superman Unlimited #13 Review

 

Superman Unlimited #13 Review

Writer: Dan Slott

Artist: Lucas Meyer

Colorist: Giuliano Peratelli

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Cover Artist: Taurin Clarke

Variant Cover Artists: Guillem March; Karen S Darboe; Salvador Larroca; Anthony Marques, J Bone & Dave Stewart

Editors: Jillian Grant & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: May 20, 2026

 

President Castilho may have banished Lois Lane and her staff from El Cordero. Still, that won't prevent Lois from expanding the Daily Planet's reach. Lois knows she can count on her son to run the new Smallville office, even if she hasn’t heard from Jon Kent lately. And with her husband missing, Lois could use some help raising her young son. She hopes the mysterious "Tomorrow Man" who brought Jon back to her as a child will help her raise the Kryptonian boy in Clark's absence.

 

Will Jon reveal his identity and tell her that he won his younger self in a fourth-dimensional contest with Master Txyz? And how will Subject 06638, aka “Beppo”, react to the experimental Green K serum? Let’s stop by a phone booth, leap into Superman Unlimited #13, and see!

 

Story

After researchers injected Subject O6638 with their experimental serum, the chimpanzee escaped his captivity. While the staff searched Metropolis, the monkey found Mr Bibbowski’s stall and gobbled up his dinner. But instead of reacting with anger, “Bibbo” befriended the monkey. And after misreading his wristband, Bibbo unintentionally dubbed his new friend Beppo. When the researchers find their escapee the next morning, watch to see if Earth’s yellow sun gives the monkey superpowers.

 

Jon Kent faces a dilemma in Superman Unlimited #13. After Master Txyz ripped Jon’s younger self out of time, he worried about creating a paradox. Despite combating Master Txyz’s assertion that Jon can never grow into the Superman title, now Jon can't even resurrect his former Superboy name, as it belongs to his younger self. Forced to shield his features to prevent a time paradox, Jon must also craft a new identity without another recognizable hero to introduce him to the world.

 

In Dan Slott’s story, Lois also struggles to come to terms with becoming a single parent again. With Jon’s middle years stolen away from her, Lois invested in her career. After taking the reins of a worldwide media company, she and Clark kicked Jon out of the nest to find his feet in Smallville. Lois doesn’t understand how Jon could have reverted to his childhood. Worse, Clark isn't there to help the Human woman raise a superhuman son in Superman Unlimited #13.

 

Art

Like their names, the researchers' similar likenesses suggest their origins. Sharing the same dress sense, the silver equipment hanging from their necks links with Beppo's silver collar. After sharing his perogies with his new friend, Bibbo gifts Beppo a symbol of his friendship. While Beppo dominates a page, chains separate green-tinted scenes from his recent past.

 

As Lucas Meyer portrays Beppo, young Jon, and Lois’ journey into fear, older Jon tries to mitigate their trauma. When Beppo grows frightened amid the lush greenery of Hob’s Bay, Bibbo seeks to alleviate it with a roll of green. Yet Beppo’s green eyes grow red when the chimpanzee grows angry, just as red fabric surrounds young Superboy’s face when Ultraman strangles and dunks him in lava. While lavishing a nuanced palette on Superman Unlimited #13, Giuliano Peratelli pairs an all-red scene showcasing Beppo’s response to fear with a later scene featuring young Jon.

 

Dave Sharpe places uppercase black dialogue in white dialogue balloons and thoughts in colored narrative boxes. Words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered or distant voices. While Tee-Nah’s bold words fill roughly drawn balloons, Beppo’s translated speech appears as small lowercase letters. Sound effects accompany knives shattering, guns blazing, bones breaking, and jaws chomping. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.  

 

Final Thoughts

People often obey an aggressor when threatened or tortured. Others react violently to threats or ill treatment. As Jon Kent deceives the world to protect everyone, Superman's absence forces all the characters to face their fears and level up in Superman Unlimited #13.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #13.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #12.

 

For how this series started, see my review of Superman Unlimited #1.