Warning: contains a preview of Dark Knights of Steel #3!
The fantastical world of Dark Knights of Steel is about to get even more dangerous for its version of Superman, as his classic Achilles' heel has finally made an appearance. The last several issues set in the sword and sorcery land have shown just how powerful a kingdom ruled by Kryptonians can be. However, a new preview shows a familiar green glow come crashing down to Earth, potentially turning the tide in the upcoming war against the Court of El.
The series reimagines the DC Universe as a fantasy world with the heroes reinvented as classical archetypes such as knights and mages. Superman's mother and father managed to escape Krypton, establishing a kingdom backed by the might of their powers granted from Earth's yellow sun. Enemies, such as rival ruler King Jefferson and the enigmatic Green Man, are determined to dethrone the alien rulers, and it seems that they're about to get the secret weapon they need in the form of a mysterious shooting star.
A preview for Dark Knights of Steel #3 by Tom Taylor, Yasmine Putri, Arif Prianto, and Wes Abbott starts off with a bang as Superman's pal Jimmy Olsen gazes at the stars. He's traded in his photography equipment for a telescope and witnesses a strange rock fall from the heavens, beckoning his squire to get the attention of the Court of El's enforcer, the Bat-Prince. The arrival sends shockwaves through the kingdom, with Bruce taking the arrival seriously, noting a certain prophecy begins with the words "come from the stars." The people of the land have already taken note of the celestial object's arrival, such as the Metal Men who apparently seek it out before being stopped by Kal-El's sister Zala Jor-El.
The arrival of kryptonite does not bode well for the El Kingdom. King Jor-El has already been assassinated at the hands of assassin Oliver Queen and King Jefferson Pierce is no doubt on the warpath after the murder of his son by Kala. The Court of El has already had to ban magic from their kingdom in order to prevent potential attacks, but that didn't stop the Green Man from forging a hard-light arrow to bring down Jor-El. If the prophecy is well-known and speaks of the possible destruction of the El Kingdom, any enemy of the Els is going to be racing to get their hands on the green meteor.
"The Gathering Storm" is an appropriate name for the issue - out now - as alliances are being formed now that this new element has arrived. If Superman and his family want to come out on top by the end of Dark Knights of Steel, they're going to need every ally they can find before kryptonite falls into their enemies' clutches.