The article contains spoilers for Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1
With DC Comics’ Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1 by Philip Kennedy Johnson, Brandon Peterson, and more wrapping up Action Comics' long-running Warworld Saga, fans are finally given the resolution to one of Superman’s most epic stories ever. Advertised as one of the Man of Steel’s biggest storylines since The Death of Superman, this event had a huge promise to live up to. And with DC Comics pushing Jonathan Kent into his father’s shoes in the pages of Superman: Son of Kal-El, the pressure to deliver a storyline expansive enough to justify Clark Kent leaving his mantle in his son’s hands was certainly on.
Thankfully, Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1 cements the Warworld Saga as an all-time Superman tale and the best Action Comics storyline in ages. With Clark Kent leaving behind his life on Earth to bring the fight to his old foe Mongul and free the denizens of the titular Warworld, this conflict has been building for years. Yet with plenty of twists and turns – along with heaps of action promised by the ongoing series' iconic title – the event never loses sight of what makes Clark Kent Superman.
Beginning in Action Comics #1036 by Johnson and Daniel Sampere, The Warworld Saga as a whole digs into the core of Superman as a person and as a hero. While removing the Man of Steel from his traditional element over the skies of Metropolis, it quickly proves that Clark Kent can feel right at home in any locale so long as he’s defending those that need him. This story differentiates itself by focusing on more than just the titular Action in Action Comics and putting more emphasis on Superman's altruistic human nature than the series has in years - essentially highlighting what makes Clark Kent both a good man and the world's greatest superhero by placing him in a setting where the traditional Clark Kent persona shouldn't belong.
Though the denizens of Warworld typically refer to Clark in this story using the names Kal-El, Superman, or even “the Unblooded Sword,” the Man of Tomorrow manages not to lose the essential values instilled in him by his Earth parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent. Despite the impossible odds and systemic horrors he faces under Mongul’s rule, he maintains his code, ensuring that those who can work to protect those who cannot and inspiring an entire civilization – one that is traditionally antithetical to everything for which Superman stands – to free itself from the literal chains of its tyrannical ruler. No matter the situation, Clark is a man who always fights for truth and justice, be it as a world-class journalist, DC Comics’ greatest superhero, or a gladiatorial freedom-fighter inspiring rebellion throughout the dregs of Warworld’s arenas.
Superman is at his best not just when he’s saving the day from an unparalleled threat, but when he’s changing lives and perspectives. And ultimately, this is something that the recent issues of Action Comics feature in abundance, exercising this core tenet of the Man of Tomorrow to its fullest effect. Not only does Superman inspire the denizens of Warworld, but he even manages to change some of DC Comics’ most cynical characters like Manchester Black, the Enchantress, and even the Midnighter for the better. Even in the darkest of times, Superman is a source of inspiration, and this story never forgets that.
As one of the longest running series in comics, Action Comics has seen its fair share of iconic storylines, and the Warworld Saga rightly deserves its place alongside some of the greatest. Even when Clark Kent is entirely out of his element, Superman will always find a way to help those in need. With dynamic action, personal stakes, and a thoughtful understanding of what makes the Man of Steel a true hero, Action Comics’ Warworld Saga is a Superman story that DC Comics fans will be talking about for years to come.