Superman's New Crusade is His Most Hardcore in History
Warning: contains spoilers for Future State: Superman Worlds of War #2
In one of the latest issues of DC's Future State, Earth no longer has its original Superman. Having ventured out amongst the stars, the Man of Steel has found himself on Warworld, a vicious planet ruled by the alien warlord known as Mongul. Lacking his usual superpowers, Mongul forces Superman to be his gladiator slave, making him fight other alien combatants for the sake of his world's entertainment. However, Kal-El turns his imprisonment into his latest crusade, and it's incredibly epic, proving that there's no limit to what Superman will endure to seek justice.
Despite having a new Superman in Clark Kent's son Jon, Earth still mourns the loss of the first Superman, and many wish that he would one day return. Likewise, tourists flock to Clark Kent's hometown of Smallville as a desperate means to fill the void the Man of Steel left behind. However, the Superman they miss so much is worlds away, having created a new purpose and mission that's incredibly intense.
Superman is seen in the thick of it in Future State: Superman Worlds of War #2 from writer Phillip Kenndy Johnson with art by Mikel Janín, bound in chains with sword in shield in hand, facing down wave after wave of alien foes without his powers. All the while, the battle is juxtaposed by a woman on Earth who misses Clark Kent more than Superman, reading an article Kent once wrote about a war veteran living in Metropolis who never stopped fighting for what was right, even in the midst of insurmountable odds. Similarly, Superman refuses to stop fighting, though Mongul soon reveals his disappointment with the former Man of Steel. Despite wielding a sword, Superman has never once drawn blood from any of his opponents, regardless of the beatings he receives. Instead, Kal-El reveals that his strikes were directed at something else entirely.
Throughout every fight, Superman has been breaking the chains of his fellow fighters. Naturally, this angers Mongul, and the warlord kills Superman, though they've apparently done this before. Apparently, in order to keep up a good and consistent show, Mongul keeps on allowing Superman to be killed (or doing the deed himself), only to bring Superman back to life for the next fight. While Mongul plans to keep resurrecting and holding Superman as his hostage until he forgets his life before the arena, Superman disagrees and reveals how strong he truly is, regardless of whether or not he has his powers. Superman chose to stay, as he's determined to save every slave Mongul has on Warworld, even if that means dying a hundred or a thousand more times to get the job done. Once he's done, Superman will then leave Warworld, and Mongul won't have a say in the matter.
After this issue's conclusion, it's evident that this is one of the most hardcore crusades Superman has ever embarked on, and his challenge to Mongul is perhaps one of the greatest responses he's ever given to a villain. As the original Superman continues to dish out justice, it's become clear that it's not the powers that make Superman so great, but his determination to seek justice with an unyielding fighting spirit. Here's hoping Superman's revolution of Warworld proves to be a success as Future State continues from DC Comics.
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