Warning! Spoilers ahead for Superman: Action Comics #1034
In the latest issue of Superman: Action Comics, the Man of Steel may have permanently damaged his friendship with Aquaman, his fellow Justice Leaguer and the former King of Atlantis. While tensions between the US and Atlantis have been growing due to both nations' desire to possess a powerful artifact that came from Warworld, all Superman wants is to prevent a war without any bloodshed. However, both sides are determined to go to war, prompting Superman to step in and intervene, but the first cost of his actions seems to be the breaking of his friendship with Arthur Curry.
In previous issues of Action Comics, Superman rescued refugees from Warworld who came crashing down to Earth in a battleship. However, the artifact known as the Genesis Fragment was aboard as well. Landing in the ocean, Atlantis was quick to secure it for themselves. However, their initial tests of its power unwittingly led to the creation of massive kaiju monsters that Superman and Aquaman were barely able to stop as they neared American soil. The US military arrived in the aftermath, demanding that the fragment be turned over to them as it fell in US waters, a concept Atlantis ignored, which resulted in both sides threatening war. With Atlantis having evolved beyond a monarchy in recent comics, Aquaman is simply Atlantis' protector and no longer its king, resulting in his support of his nation's intentions with little ability to sway them off their war-bound path.
Now, Atlantis has created a blockade in Action Comics #1034 from writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson with art by Christian Duce, preventing US ships from traveling and eliciting a response from the Navy. Superman, Supergirl, and Jon Kent arrive, stepping in between the fleets in order to try and motivate a diplomatic solution. However, shots are fired from both sides all the same. While the Kryptonians prevent any shots from hitting their targets, an angry Superman creates a blockade of his own with his super-breath before diving down to Atlantis below. There he meets Aquaman guarding the Genesis Fragment, who gives the Man of Steel a pretty significant warning (which Superman ignores).
Despite Aquaman's words that things will change between them, Superman takes the artifact and leaves. Coming back to the surface, he shows both nations that he now has the fragment with its unknown levels of destructive power, taking it away and hiding it so that it can never be found to cause more damage. Naturally, this is a bold move on Superman's part as it breaks a pretty big rule he has about getting involved in politics. Furthermore, it also comes at the cost of his friendship with Aquaman. Arthur Curry knows he can't stop the Man of Steel in that moment, so it seems he hopes his warning will divert Superman from his course. Unfortunately, it looks as though Kal-El sees the threat as too great.
While there is perhaps another path Superman could have taken (Supergirl seems to think so), the deed has already been done. It's very likely that damaging his relationship with Aquaman is only going to be the first of many consequences that will come out of the Man of Steel's bold actions in this issue. While Warworld is a significant threat, Superman may have just caused a World War against the Kryptontian himself. DC's Future State did reveal a potential future where Superman was banished from Earth and forced to go into space. Perhaps this is that moment? Readers will have to wait and see as Superman: Action Comics continues.