Warning: Spoilers for Action Comics #1070!Superman is the most iconic superhero from any franchise for good reason. His latest mission is the perfect example of what makes him truly “super” – and it has nothing to do with his Kryptonian abilities. After being directly confronted with the suffering in the Phantom Zone, Clark Kent prepares to head inside and investigate, putting himself in incredible danger in order to do what’s right by criminals who already hate him.
Action Comics #1070 by Mark Waid, Clayton Henry, Matt Herms, and Dave Sharpe pits Superman and Supergirl against a monstrosity of three Phantom Zone prisoners fused into one being. The unnatural chimera demands in Kryptonian that they kill it, making it clear that its existence is torture. After the immediate threat is handled, Superman steps up by volunteering to go alone into the Phantom Zone to investigate what might be happening to the prisoners.
Every being there has a personal vendetta against the House of El, but Clark knows what’s happening there is wrong, and his kind, heroic heart won’t let him ignore it, making him truly the greatest superhero.
Superman Demonstrates True Heroism by Going into the Phantom Zone
All to Save the Most Dangerous Criminals – Who Hate Him
Saving criminals is not a trait unique to Superman, and many DC heroes have unique relationships with their rogues, often resulting in sparing their lives and offering reform. Clark’s current predicament is a step well beyond that. Not only do the Phantom Zone prisoners blame multiple generations of the House of El for their situation, but Superman has no way of knowing what waits for him there. He readily admits that the Zone is changing and is no longer the space his father first discovered. It’s “ominous and disorienting,” and there’s no comfort in its mystery.
Even with that knowledge and the genuine fear he feels, Superman remains determined not to let even those with the “darkest of hearts” suffer.
The Phantom Zone has already produced one monster that Superman and Supergirl failed to overcome together, and only Jimmy Olsen unleashing a dose of Gold Kryptonite finished the job. Clark won’t have that kind of backup this time. Even with that knowledge and the genuine fear he feels, Superman remains determined not to let even those with the “darkest of hearts” suffer. Superman is who he is because of Kal-El’s commitment to treating everyone with that same unwavering sense of empathy. Preventing suffering is the right thing to do. There are no caveats. It’s the truest “superhero” quality possible, and he embodies it.
Superman’s Unyielding Goodness Could Be His Undoing
How Will Superman Survive the Hostile Phantom Zone?
The qualities that make him the greatest superhero could spell his doom. Clark knows the unprecedented danger and that he’ll receive no sympathy where he’s heading. This task is uniquely dangerous, even for a man who routinely faces the worst of the universe. A simple “recon” mission could quickly devolve into more than the Kryptonian can handle – especially since he’s already struggled against the horrors something in the Phantom Zone is conjuring. If Superman confronts his demise in the Phantom Zone, he’ll do it by protecting some of the universe’s most dangerous and unforgiving criminals, as only the greatest hero can.
Action Comics #1070 is available now from DC Comics.
Superman
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
- Created By
- Joe Shuster , Jerry Siegel
- First Appearance
- Action Comics
- Alias
- Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent
- Alliance
- Justice League, Superman Family
- Race
- Kryptonian
Summary
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.