Superman: World of New Krypton #5

DC Comics
Superman: World of New Krypton #5
By Andy Frisk
July 8, 2009 - 19:26

DC Comics
Writer(s): James Robinson, Greg Rucka
Penciller(s): Pete Woods
Inker(s): Pete Woods
Colourist(s): Brad Anderson
Letterer(s): Steve Wands
Cover Artist(s): Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
$2.99 US

Kal El stands trial, and is prosecuted by Zod, for allowing the criminal Val-Ty to live, countermanding Zod’s kill order. Kal ends up avoiding the death penalty, obviously, since there will be more issues of Superman, Action Comics, and World of New Krypton. It is the way his sentence is avoided, and the battle, where not one punch is thrown, between the morality of Kal El, and the complete immorality of Zod, which makes Kal’s victory so powerful. Kal and Zod are definitely enemies on opposite ends of the moral spectrum, but Kal would never go as far as Zod and attempt to take his enemy's life. Not all who see Zod as an enemy to New Krypton feel the same way though…

Again this series, masterfully crafted by Robinson and Rucka, continues to demonstrate how unique and special a character Superman is, even though he is no longer the last survivor of Krypton. The battle of wits, the entire trial process, with all of Zod’s tricks and machinations, is a simple, yet powerful, demonstration of one man’s strength of character. Kal stands by his convictions, and does not compromise them, even in the face of his own death. Tales such as World of New Krypton, and Robinson and Rucka’s version of Superman, demonstrate why Superman is the greatest superhero in existence. In the hands of the right writers, we understand that Superman is the greatest hero, not because of his powers, but because of the power of his moral convictions.

Wood’s art continues to be perfect for this tale. His rendition of Kal’s trial scene creates the starkly powerful look of the original Superman the Movie’s trial of Zod, Non, and Ursa. The “hoola-hoop” containment rings, as I affectionately call them, the dark room, the large hologram projections of the judges, and the solemnity of the proceedings are all here. While paying homage, through the use of these images, to the original films, Woods still continues to give us a New Krypton that is visually striking and original with its guild uniforms and architecture. I can’t image this series being penciled by anyone else, and in any other way, without it losing its visual impact.

Overall, as I’ve said before, Superman: World of New Krypton, is destined to be the classic, and defining, tale of this era of Superman comics. If anyone out there ever wondered why Superman is such an enduring and loved character by his fans, pick up this series. You’ll understand why.

Rating: 9/10