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Action Comics (2016)
Superman: Action Comics, Vol. 3: Warworld Revolution
As the Warworld Saga reaches a breaking point, battle lines are drawn between the two towering forces at odds: Mongul and Superman.
Superman has become a force to be reckoned with inside Warworld's arena, and Mongul questions his decision to keep his enemies alive. As Superman's new Phaelosian ally Kryl-Ux teaches him new ways to fight without powers, he starts to win Warzoons over to his cause...but someone within his inner circle finds their allegiances tested. Meanwhile, the elusive Midnighter uses his talents to find the missing members of the Authority.
Collects ACTION COMICS #1043-1046, ACTION COMICS 2022 ANNUAL #1, and SUPERMAN: WARLORD APOCALYPSE #1.
Superman has become a force to be reckoned with inside Warworld's arena, and Mongul questions his decision to keep his enemies alive. As Superman's new Phaelosian ally Kryl-Ux teaches him new ways to fight without powers, he starts to win Warzoons over to his cause...but someone within his inner circle finds their allegiances tested. Meanwhile, the elusive Midnighter uses his talents to find the missing members of the Authority.
Collects ACTION COMICS #1043-1046, ACTION COMICS 2022 ANNUAL #1, and SUPERMAN: WARLORD APOCALYPSE #1.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2023
58 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Phillip Kennedy Johnson
524 books96 followersPhillip Kennedy Johnson earned a Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas, where he served as Teaching Fellow for the Department of Jazz Studies, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Eastern Kentucky University. SFC Johnson has performed with the Lexington Philharmonic, Dallas Opera, Washington Symphonic Brass, and the Moscow Ballet, and was a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra from 2004 to 2005. SFC Johnson remains active as a composer, arranger, teacher, and clinician, and also enjoys a second career as a writer of comics and graphic novels. His work has been published by DC Comics, Marvel Comics, BOOM! Studios, and more.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 3, 2022
This had an epic ending omg!
So we see the revolution beginning and Superman and his allies encouraging people to fight back and well some of his allies get turned to the other side by Mongul and we see the birth of even Black Razor and that was quite fun and then seeing the origin of Mongul and the contrast to Clark and I freaking love it and PKJ in that issue itself made Mongul one of the de-facto enemies of Clark and then seeing the legend of Olgrun and the genesis fragments and all that history and the motives of it all and the epic ending with the battle between the two and the revolutionists and the unmade/warzoons, its a freaking epic ending and also some betrayal and some interesting trials for Superman!
It makes for a great read for sure and I like how PKJ introduces new enemy for Clark and expands on the lore of DCU with "Fires of OLGRUN" and I feel like it will lead to something epic down the line and well its all fun but the ending is great especially with the new status quo of "New Phaelosia" and also the return of Clark!
All in all its been a pretty fun arc and one of the most ambitious in Superman comics for sure and the art was great here and even the backups with the house of kent and the return of Conduit and all that!
So yeah a definite recommend from me and it will make for a great read if you binge like all the three volume together! Next up: Kal-El returns crossover!
So we see the revolution beginning and Superman and his allies encouraging people to fight back and well some of his allies get turned to the other side by Mongul and we see the birth of even Black Razor and that was quite fun and then seeing the origin of Mongul and the contrast to Clark and I freaking love it and PKJ in that issue itself made Mongul one of the de-facto enemies of Clark and then seeing the legend of Olgrun and the genesis fragments and all that history and the motives of it all and the epic ending with the battle between the two and the revolutionists and the unmade/warzoons, its a freaking epic ending and also some betrayal and some interesting trials for Superman!
It makes for a great read for sure and I like how PKJ introduces new enemy for Clark and expands on the lore of DCU with "Fires of OLGRUN" and I feel like it will lead to something epic down the line and well its all fun but the ending is great especially with the new status quo of "New Phaelosia" and also the return of Clark!
All in all its been a pretty fun arc and one of the most ambitious in Superman comics for sure and the art was great here and even the backups with the house of kent and the return of Conduit and all that!
So yeah a definite recommend from me and it will make for a great read if you binge like all the three volume together! Next up: Kal-El returns crossover!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2025
A good conclusion to the Warworld story arc. I liked the conclusion, but I don't think the whole storyline worked as well for me. Superman, due to the principles of his killing, pretty much got his butt kicked through this series.
The book shows the different childhood lessons for Superman (Clark Kent) and the current Mongul. On Warworld, Mongul makes his final push to get what he wants and destroy Superman both physically and his legend as well. Now Superman and what is left of the Authority must make an all-or-nothing play either they all succeed or they all die. On earth, the battle for the Genesis fragment continues.
This is a satisfying conclusion. I like the format of the book as well. It starts with the past l, the now on Warworld, the now on earth, and finally the final battle for Warwirld. Though I will be glad to see what happens next, could an even bigger threat have been unleashed? The book contains regular and variant covers all the way through.
The book shows the different childhood lessons for Superman (Clark Kent) and the current Mongul. On Warworld, Mongul makes his final push to get what he wants and destroy Superman both physically and his legend as well. Now Superman and what is left of the Authority must make an all-or-nothing play either they all succeed or they all die. On earth, the battle for the Genesis fragment continues.
This is a satisfying conclusion. I like the format of the book as well. It starts with the past l, the now on Warworld, the now on earth, and finally the final battle for Warwirld. Though I will be glad to see what happens next, could an even bigger threat have been unleashed? The book contains regular and variant covers all the way through.
October 27, 2022
This is a story that pulls at the heart of who Superman is and what he stands for. Warworld continues to test Superman, his friends, while he remains true to his values with no powers. Definitely worth a re-read once this all comes out.
But what really brings the story together is the art, especially the coloring. Elevating the story while adding emotional weight to every panel, together this makes this one of my favorite Superman stories to date.
But what really brings the story together is the art, especially the coloring. Elevating the story while adding emotional weight to every panel, together this makes this one of my favorite Superman stories to date.
April 24, 2023
A rousing finale to this particular Super Saga that wears its pulpy inspirations proudly.
January 3, 2023
Just finished this epic volume of Action Comics, and wow! This run has been great from the start and I loved how this volume tied all the themes from the previous volumes into one grand climax to the Warworld arc! It's not completely over yet, but I'm excited to see where it goes from here!
Cons
*Artwork changes a lot and can be slightly disorienting. None of it's bad whatsoever, just not a fan of art changes in between issues.
*I wish the Authority got more character development. They're highlighted well, but some characters (Enchantress, Nia, etc.) don't get much to do. Fair enough considering the scope of it.
*The lore of Warworld is a little convoluted, but it's still interesting.
Pros
*I loved the annual! It's hard to make me care about a villain, but this issue really made me think Mongul is interesting. I see how that development plays out throughout the story and appreciated how they fleshed him out with the themes of Warworld.
*Excellent Superman themes at play here. The "bloodless sword" or whatever, "truth and justice", and how he treats the kids is all fantastic Superman story beats.
*All of the characters, even minor ones, are interesting. While I didn't care as much about the bad guys, still a good balance.
Cons
*Artwork changes a lot and can be slightly disorienting. None of it's bad whatsoever, just not a fan of art changes in between issues.
*I wish the Authority got more character development. They're highlighted well, but some characters (Enchantress, Nia, etc.) don't get much to do. Fair enough considering the scope of it.
*The lore of Warworld is a little convoluted, but it's still interesting.
Pros
*I loved the annual! It's hard to make me care about a villain, but this issue really made me think Mongul is interesting. I see how that development plays out throughout the story and appreciated how they fleshed him out with the themes of Warworld.
*Excellent Superman themes at play here. The "bloodless sword" or whatever, "truth and justice", and how he treats the kids is all fantastic Superman story beats.
*All of the characters, even minor ones, are interesting. While I didn't care as much about the bad guys, still a good balance.
December 27, 2022
Just little things I loved in this:
- O.M.A.C. & Lightray's storyline--their characters would have been completely throwaway under any other writer, but instead their addition added so much to the gravity™ of warworld barbarism
- midnighter and apollo inclusions are always welcome; furthermore, the dissonance between superman & midnighter's values was neat
- the tiny black racer cameo,, chef kiss
- loved that aliens used different forms of language than just modern english
- mongul-who-is was a memorable antagonist
- multiple side characters that had arcs, who you cared about, but who also contributed to the story and its dimensions in a meaningful way
- superman writing that's got stakes, heart and most importantly, stays true to the character
The Action Comics Warworld saga is going to be remembered as one of the best Superman runs in the 2020s.
Can't wait to see what this writer comes up with next!
This individual volume, 4. But the sum of everything in total: 5 stars. Chef kiss. Memorable.
- O.M.A.C. & Lightray's storyline--their characters would have been completely throwaway under any other writer, but instead their addition added so much to the gravity™ of warworld barbarism
- midnighter and apollo inclusions are always welcome; furthermore, the dissonance between superman & midnighter's values was neat
- the tiny black racer cameo,, chef kiss
- loved that aliens used different forms of language than just modern english
- mongul-who-is was a memorable antagonist
- multiple side characters that had arcs, who you cared about, but who also contributed to the story and its dimensions in a meaningful way
- superman writing that's got stakes, heart and most importantly, stays true to the character
The Action Comics Warworld saga is going to be remembered as one of the best Superman runs in the 2020s.
Can't wait to see what this writer comes up with next!
This individual volume, 4. But the sum of everything in total: 5 stars. Chef kiss. Memorable.
June 29, 2025
Such a great series but this ending left me wanting … Superman: Warworld Revolution starts with an incredible hook—I loved the deep dive into Superman and Mongul’s brutal upbringing and the raw, mythic energy of the early chapters. But the middle really dragged in places and lost that momentum. World Without Clark felt unnecessary and like an outlier—I’m still not sure why it was included when the core Warworld arc was so strong on its own. And the final showdown with Mongul, which this whole saga built up over three books, ended up feeling rushed and disappointing.
Big ideas, striking art, but the payoff just didn’t stick the landing for me.
Big ideas, striking art, but the payoff just didn’t stick the landing for me.
April 17, 2023
The Warworld Saga is completed here in this Volume. Superman does what he does best, inspiring others, leading by example, and overcoming the greatest of odds. Mongul is defeated, mostly by Clark, but the final blow is struck by Kryl-Ux, a Phaelosian (offshoot of Kryptonian) who allied with Superman, but led his own faction of those not wanting peace for the most part. I'm certain he will be back as a villain at some point, but it brought me much joy to see Clark make it home... especially to enjoy the sunrise with Lois.
This Volume was great, as was the whole Warworld Saga. Definitely worth check out.
This Volume was great, as was the whole Warworld Saga. Definitely worth check out.
March 1, 2023
Before we get back into the main narrative of Superman, along with the Authority, trying to lead a revolution against Mongul of Warworld, the third volume of Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s Action Comics run begins with the 2022 annual that he co-wrote with Simon Spurrier. Featuring two parallel stories about Superman and Mongul's early years, demonstrating their relationships with their mothers and the lessons that they taught them.
As the first half of the annual is drawn by Ian Churchill, it is always great seeing Clark’s upbringing in Smallville as Jonathan and Martha Kent are always important figures that help shape Superman as he is today. Martha, in particular, teaches him here by using his abilities responsibly whilst learning to help others who are going through their personal struggles. Instead of resorting the violence, the young Clark uses his words to save a bully, who redeems himself in the process. Contrast this heartwarming tale with the harshness that the son of Mongul goes through – drawn by Dale Eaglesham – as he learns to rid of any innocence, so that he can kill his father and become future ruler of Warworld.
Going back to the main narrative, which is one of the most ambitious Superman stories that DC has published, it is perhaps too ambitious with the many COGS 1hat PKJ is grinding into the machine. Whilst you have a depowered Superman looking a lot like John Carter, you also have the various members of the Authority either trapped or rebelling alongside the revolution, whilst intergalactic politics come into play. So much happens throughout these issues, it was sometimes hard to keep track of, but what redeems the story are the individual character beats that occur, from Superman’s sincerity, Midnighter reunited with Apollo, or players willing to lose their innocence for the sake of victory.
There are also the backup features, which remind you that Superman is going through this whole ordeal to save a dying Kryptonian, who is left in the care of his extended Super-family, though the subplot involving the villainous Conduit was a weird detour. The story culminates in the giant-sized Superman: Warworld Apocalypse, the final battle between Superman and Mongul, and between the Authority and Mongul’s Unmade Champions, with a brief appearance from the Justice League. With a variety of artists involved – though none of them come close to the Frank Frazetta aesthetic of Riccardo Federici’s art – the action is huge and cosmic, and rather triumphant when Supes reclaims his powers.
Overall, a solid finale to the Warworld Saga, which took the Man of Steel in a fresh direction, though from the final page, he seems to be returning to the classic status quo. However, this is not the end of Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s time in Action Comics and it’ll be interesting to see what he will be taking Superman next.
As the first half of the annual is drawn by Ian Churchill, it is always great seeing Clark’s upbringing in Smallville as Jonathan and Martha Kent are always important figures that help shape Superman as he is today. Martha, in particular, teaches him here by using his abilities responsibly whilst learning to help others who are going through their personal struggles. Instead of resorting the violence, the young Clark uses his words to save a bully, who redeems himself in the process. Contrast this heartwarming tale with the harshness that the son of Mongul goes through – drawn by Dale Eaglesham – as he learns to rid of any innocence, so that he can kill his father and become future ruler of Warworld.
Going back to the main narrative, which is one of the most ambitious Superman stories that DC has published, it is perhaps too ambitious with the many COGS 1hat PKJ is grinding into the machine. Whilst you have a depowered Superman looking a lot like John Carter, you also have the various members of the Authority either trapped or rebelling alongside the revolution, whilst intergalactic politics come into play. So much happens throughout these issues, it was sometimes hard to keep track of, but what redeems the story are the individual character beats that occur, from Superman’s sincerity, Midnighter reunited with Apollo, or players willing to lose their innocence for the sake of victory.
There are also the backup features, which remind you that Superman is going through this whole ordeal to save a dying Kryptonian, who is left in the care of his extended Super-family, though the subplot involving the villainous Conduit was a weird detour. The story culminates in the giant-sized Superman: Warworld Apocalypse, the final battle between Superman and Mongul, and between the Authority and Mongul’s Unmade Champions, with a brief appearance from the Justice League. With a variety of artists involved – though none of them come close to the Frank Frazetta aesthetic of Riccardo Federici’s art – the action is huge and cosmic, and rather triumphant when Supes reclaims his powers.
Overall, a solid finale to the Warworld Saga, which took the Man of Steel in a fresh direction, though from the final page, he seems to be returning to the classic status quo. However, this is not the end of Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s time in Action Comics and it’ll be interesting to see what he will be taking Superman next.
August 11, 2023
Warworld Revolution offers an action-packed conclusion to Phillip Kennedy Johnson's sci-fi epic that just so happens to star Superman. I gotta say, Superman-as-ancillary-character might be my favorite version of the superhero.
Warworld Revolution picks up directly from The Arena, so I hope you recall that volume (I didn't, and it was tough trudging for a few issues). Basically, Mongul is on top and our bludgeoned heroes must find a way (or three ways!) to defeat him. The quiet moments in Warworld Revolution are often more satisfying than the big battles, but there are also some awesome big battles with satisfying twists. I'm also curious about the whole Old Gods deal - is this some Source Wall stuff? Or just a fun fantasy twist, never to be revisited?
Ah well, as you might expect, Warworld Revolution sees the Mongul saga to its expected conclusion, with Superman's powers restored and his return to Earth. I'll miss the sci-fi epicness of this series (lovely shades of Dune abound), but am hopeful that Johnson's writing quality is just as strong in an Earthbound narrative.
Warworld Revolution picks up directly from The Arena, so I hope you recall that volume (I didn't, and it was tough trudging for a few issues). Basically, Mongul is on top and our bludgeoned heroes must find a way (or three ways!) to defeat him. The quiet moments in Warworld Revolution are often more satisfying than the big battles, but there are also some awesome big battles with satisfying twists. I'm also curious about the whole Old Gods deal - is this some Source Wall stuff? Or just a fun fantasy twist, never to be revisited?
Ah well, as you might expect, Warworld Revolution sees the Mongul saga to its expected conclusion, with Superman's powers restored and his return to Earth. I'll miss the sci-fi epicness of this series (lovely shades of Dune abound), but am hopeful that Johnson's writing quality is just as strong in an Earthbound narrative.
March 23, 2023
Finally got my hands on the Superman: WarWorld Apocalypse one-shot book that concludes this saga.
I reviewed the first two volumes and found that they were fantastic. The overall saga of Superman's fight to save his distant "family" from the despotic Mongul has been a blast from the start and now we get the grand finale where we learn the final fate of Superman and his Authority as well as the citizens of WarWorld itself.
The journey has been a hard one as a weakened Superman answered the call for aid from a group of aliens called Phaelosians who it turns out, are descendants of Krypton who had once upon a time founded their own colony, only to be attacked and enslaved and now dying out under the rule of the despotic Monguls. Superman and his handpicked team of Midnighter, Apollo, Enchantress, Natasha Irons, Manchester Black and a new version of OMAC and Lightray have flown across the known universe to fight the good fight - only to find themselves weakened, enslaved and fighting day in and day out for their lives. Slowly over the story thus far, Big Blue showed why he is the iconic hero he is and inspires a revolution while his team-mates work to keep contact with Earth and each other to fight back.
Now the story comes to a rampaging, explosive conclusion as Superman makes his way through the bowels of WarWorld to find an arcane, primordial power to keep it out of Monguls hand while his fellow prisoners, gladiators and many others fight to break the chains both real and metaphorical. Meanwhile The Authority builds to their showdown with Monguls Unmade warriors while back on Earth, Lois and Steel fight to get control of and harness the power of Genesis to save Earth as well as help our teams plans.
It's been a hell of a powerful journey that was a return to form for Superman in my view, after many years and it while its not perfect, this is a solid finale to close of this story as well as lead us into the new era of Superman that has begun on his return to Earth. There is action and drama aplenty to be had in this third act:
Midnighter is faced with a mind-controlled Apollo in the midst of the final battle; Omac is fighting for the bad-guys with a dark resurrection of his friend Lightray as the price, a price that his entire team may well pay. On top of that, Kal El faces new challenges and even betrayal as he has managed to find the great power at the heart of the planet that everyone us seeking, only to come into final conflict with Mongul; meanwhile The Authority has to fight back the worst that WarWorld has to offer so that they can buy time for Natasha Irons to put their plans into effect in the heart of WarWorld and lest we forget, her plan depends on team Superman-family back on Earth being able to hold up their end of the plan to save and use the Genesis energy.
The tension is very well built by Kennedy's script and the characterisation is solid and consistent, with some nice character development for our crew. The few lighter moments come from Manchester Black and even the very unlikely source that is Midnighter, but somehow it works! The action is exciting, the emotional stakes can be felt throughout and despite the many stories intertwining, it all coheres extremely well and even the epilogue at the end struck just the right note for the moment for the most part. This story honestly made me want to read more of Superman after many years and really made me want more of this incarnation of The Authority, more so than anything since they were rebooted by the New52.
There's not much to say about the artwork that I haven't already said in the preceding reviews but it bears repeating that the team does a stunning job! It's a very well balanced job, there's detail where needed and there's panels and pages both simple and explosive and it all seems very well suited to the moments being showcased. It's quite impressive.
Overall it is a great storyline for Superman fans and a really good, solid finale in this volume. Heartily recommended!
I reviewed the first two volumes and found that they were fantastic. The overall saga of Superman's fight to save his distant "family" from the despotic Mongul has been a blast from the start and now we get the grand finale where we learn the final fate of Superman and his Authority as well as the citizens of WarWorld itself.
The journey has been a hard one as a weakened Superman answered the call for aid from a group of aliens called Phaelosians who it turns out, are descendants of Krypton who had once upon a time founded their own colony, only to be attacked and enslaved and now dying out under the rule of the despotic Monguls. Superman and his handpicked team of Midnighter, Apollo, Enchantress, Natasha Irons, Manchester Black and a new version of OMAC and Lightray have flown across the known universe to fight the good fight - only to find themselves weakened, enslaved and fighting day in and day out for their lives. Slowly over the story thus far, Big Blue showed why he is the iconic hero he is and inspires a revolution while his team-mates work to keep contact with Earth and each other to fight back.
Now the story comes to a rampaging, explosive conclusion as Superman makes his way through the bowels of WarWorld to find an arcane, primordial power to keep it out of Monguls hand while his fellow prisoners, gladiators and many others fight to break the chains both real and metaphorical. Meanwhile The Authority builds to their showdown with Monguls Unmade warriors while back on Earth, Lois and Steel fight to get control of and harness the power of Genesis to save Earth as well as help our teams plans.
It's been a hell of a powerful journey that was a return to form for Superman in my view, after many years and it while its not perfect, this is a solid finale to close of this story as well as lead us into the new era of Superman that has begun on his return to Earth. There is action and drama aplenty to be had in this third act:
Midnighter is faced with a mind-controlled Apollo in the midst of the final battle; Omac is fighting for the bad-guys with a dark resurrection of his friend Lightray as the price, a price that his entire team may well pay. On top of that, Kal El faces new challenges and even betrayal as he has managed to find the great power at the heart of the planet that everyone us seeking, only to come into final conflict with Mongul; meanwhile The Authority has to fight back the worst that WarWorld has to offer so that they can buy time for Natasha Irons to put their plans into effect in the heart of WarWorld and lest we forget, her plan depends on team Superman-family back on Earth being able to hold up their end of the plan to save and use the Genesis energy.
The tension is very well built by Kennedy's script and the characterisation is solid and consistent, with some nice character development for our crew. The few lighter moments come from Manchester Black and even the very unlikely source that is Midnighter, but somehow it works! The action is exciting, the emotional stakes can be felt throughout and despite the many stories intertwining, it all coheres extremely well and even the epilogue at the end struck just the right note for the moment for the most part. This story honestly made me want to read more of Superman after many years and really made me want more of this incarnation of The Authority, more so than anything since they were rebooted by the New52.
There's not much to say about the artwork that I haven't already said in the preceding reviews but it bears repeating that the team does a stunning job! It's a very well balanced job, there's detail where needed and there's panels and pages both simple and explosive and it all seems very well suited to the moments being showcased. It's quite impressive.
Overall it is a great storyline for Superman fans and a really good, solid finale in this volume. Heartily recommended!
January 26, 2024
Unfortunately this book completely lost me.
There's way too many sudden coincidences that're very convenient for the heroes.
Also one of the artists made my eyes bleed.
Terrible ending to a very mediocre event.
There's way too many sudden coincidences that're very convenient for the heroes.
Also one of the artists made my eyes bleed.
Terrible ending to a very mediocre event.
December 20, 2023
i accidentaly skipped the event book for this -- time to jump on that i think
March 6, 2024
4.5
Great Superman epic by Johnson and team.
Great Superman epic by Johnson and team.
February 5, 2025
Great end to the Warworld event and had so much involvement with all the characters and delivered on the ending.
August 25, 2023
Much better than volume 2, and it ties up the Warworld story arc in an epic and satisfying way. It also leaves a very intriguing loose thread for future stories.
My only complaint is that the ending was a little too safe, and there weren't as many consequences as I think there should have been.
My only complaint is that the ending was a little too safe, and there weren't as many consequences as I think there should have been.
November 17, 2022
A decent enough conclusion to the warworld Saga, if a bit predictable in its execution. Good writing for what it's going for, and truth & justice do prevail.
March 18, 2023
A little rushed in the middle (looking at you Mother), but otherwise a great finale to one of the best new Superman stories. Looking forward to reading more from PKJ!
September 16, 2022
This is the final battle on Warworld. It's been a slow build at times. Not all of it has been a super fun read. It's nice to see how PkJ has taken elements of fantasy stories like the 'Warlord' comics and incorporated bits of it into this 'Mad Max'-esque take on Warworld. Definitely gave us someplace somewhat familiar to stage the story. There's been just enough Kryptonian history and lore dropping to revitalize Superman comics and just enough action to keep the kids flipping the pages.
Also, this volume has the revised history of Mongul. We've never seen a true origin, if I'm remembering correctly. This'll fit nicey into the DCU.
-----------------
I appreciate splitting Superman and his family up for a period of time. It gave both characters (Jonathan and Clark) a chance to get redesign and grounded in this new 'future forward' DCU. The future looks bright, yes?
Bonus: The United Planets is just as shady now as it will be in the future..
Bonus Bonus: Midnighter and Apollo...still awesome
Also, this volume has the revised history of Mongul. We've never seen a true origin, if I'm remembering correctly. This'll fit nicey into the DCU.
-----------------
I appreciate splitting Superman and his family up for a period of time. It gave both characters (Jonathan and Clark) a chance to get redesign and grounded in this new 'future forward' DCU. The future looks bright, yes?
Bonus: The United Planets is just as shady now as it will be in the future..
Bonus Bonus: Midnighter and Apollo...still awesome
March 11, 2023
I wish there art was more consistent but the story is fantastic. The best Superman epic in YEARS
June 22, 2024
After enjoying the first two installments of Phillip Kennedy Johnson's War World Trilogy, I was extremely let down by this third volume.
Overall, this volume feels like a collection of tie-ins. A heavy handed annual starts the volume with a nice story that juxtaposes Clark growing up on earth with his loving mother to a war world's unloving, brutal family. While the story is touching, it does not move along the War World story. Too many new villains with backstories and world building myths are introduced too late in this trilogy. Mongul becomes less of an interesting villain and the main metaphor of the "chains" is lost.
Although much of the main story continues to have excellent art, this story suffers from lack of character moments. Too much of the story goes into comic book science/magic explanation, which turns into Superman going after the magic totem and gaining it easily because he is Superman. I do like the repeated concept of Superman believing there are ways other than killing to gain victory. Yet when those moments do happen (like when Superman is willing to sacrifice himself for a ghost person) the story breezes right by it. The pacing in the volume is too fast, and the slower moments are too filled with lore.
Overall, I do not care about any of the characters, maybe because there are too many. I was not familiar with the Authority characters to begin this series with, so when they turn bad, the stakes are not high for me. The new villains are creepy and they go just as quickly as they come. (I do not understand the motivations of many of the villians.) They distract from Superman instead of build upon his character. For example, this volume also does little work to enhance the story of the kids that are inspired by Superman. By the end of it (which wraps up too easily and quickly) I don't even feel anything when Lois is reintroduced.
The story feels like it is beyond the characters that are in it and the reader too--the world building takes over, leaving the reader to pick up pieces of what they expected to be the main story. Behind every thing, there was a thing before it, but also a thing behind that thing all along! Please. These conversations fail to build up this story, instead they water it down. Spare me the meta (stories about stories) cliche and give me Superman fighting in an arena refusing to kill.
I am not a fan of the back up stories being included in these volumes. I had the same issue with a previous volume. They break up the story and do not read well in trade.
Overall, there are too many characters (heroes and villains), not enough focus on Superman, and too much Dungeons and Dragon's nonsense in this volume. In many ways, I feel like I am reading a 90s comic (full of side adventures and one-dimensional villains) instead of a modern comic--and that is not a compliment.
Overall, this volume feels like a collection of tie-ins. A heavy handed annual starts the volume with a nice story that juxtaposes Clark growing up on earth with his loving mother to a war world's unloving, brutal family. While the story is touching, it does not move along the War World story. Too many new villains with backstories and world building myths are introduced too late in this trilogy. Mongul becomes less of an interesting villain and the main metaphor of the "chains" is lost.
Although much of the main story continues to have excellent art, this story suffers from lack of character moments. Too much of the story goes into comic book science/magic explanation, which turns into Superman going after the magic totem and gaining it easily because he is Superman. I do like the repeated concept of Superman believing there are ways other than killing to gain victory. Yet when those moments do happen (like when Superman is willing to sacrifice himself for a ghost person) the story breezes right by it. The pacing in the volume is too fast, and the slower moments are too filled with lore.
Overall, I do not care about any of the characters, maybe because there are too many. I was not familiar with the Authority characters to begin this series with, so when they turn bad, the stakes are not high for me. The new villains are creepy and they go just as quickly as they come. (I do not understand the motivations of many of the villians.) They distract from Superman instead of build upon his character. For example, this volume also does little work to enhance the story of the kids that are inspired by Superman. By the end of it (which wraps up too easily and quickly) I don't even feel anything when Lois is reintroduced.
The story feels like it is beyond the characters that are in it and the reader too--the world building takes over, leaving the reader to pick up pieces of what they expected to be the main story. Behind every thing, there was a thing before it, but also a thing behind that thing all along! Please. These conversations fail to build up this story, instead they water it down. Spare me the meta (stories about stories) cliche and give me Superman fighting in an arena refusing to kill.
I am not a fan of the back up stories being included in these volumes. I had the same issue with a previous volume. They break up the story and do not read well in trade.
Overall, there are too many characters (heroes and villains), not enough focus on Superman, and too much Dungeons and Dragon's nonsense in this volume. In many ways, I feel like I am reading a 90s comic (full of side adventures and one-dimensional villains) instead of a modern comic--and that is not a compliment.
March 4, 2023
I like the main artist on this, first and foremost, I think that's worth mentioning.
But secondarily, I think it's interesting how they show the affect Superman has on various people by being on WarWorld, but this felt oddly rushed. Like okay he's there A Long Time and people miss him a lot, but it really doesn't feel like we see that or get that vibe. And it might be super boring to read about it for too long, so respect to them, I don't know a lot about pacing or how the industry works in that regard. No judgement.
But I didn't feel like I saw him become a leader or take up a lot of time there, and I didn't feel like the betrayals and twists and other things had the punches and impacts they could have because almost no time was spent dwelling or writing into the emotion of the story.
Clark making kryptonian children's toys for Osul and Otho was sweet, and telling them about his own son, and them wanting to bond with him, but him having 0 internal dialogue about his own thoughts or feelings on this was a very show nothing tell nothing because there's only 1 page of interaction on this. His Superman-ness is forced to speak for itself as to why we should care vs allowing new readers coming into the arc to build a relationship with the character and this left me with a really flat perspective of Clark as the new Superman I'm not used to, and I didn't feel connected to him, his motivations, or his story. But that's me.
I think that's something I really prefer about a lot of Batman comics is that he has that rich inner monologue that provides a lot of insight into his emotions and gives you a deeper connection and I think that more Superman writers could realize he's not a 2D Cardboard standup and that he has these thoughts and feelings and him working out the puzzles and riddles and things could have used just even 3 dialogue bubbles of internal just: of course I knew what the most treasured gift was without it even being said why or how, just to tell us he's thinking and emoting and things matter to him. Or so I wish.
Either way, I didn't dislike it, it's a stylistic writing choice to have very little thoughts and emotions and just have it driven forward by sparse (IMO) plot only dialogue really, and I preferred the storyteller inserts more than just about anything else in this volume.
But secondarily, I think it's interesting how they show the affect Superman has on various people by being on WarWorld, but this felt oddly rushed. Like okay he's there A Long Time and people miss him a lot, but it really doesn't feel like we see that or get that vibe. And it might be super boring to read about it for too long, so respect to them, I don't know a lot about pacing or how the industry works in that regard. No judgement.
But I didn't feel like I saw him become a leader or take up a lot of time there, and I didn't feel like the betrayals and twists and other things had the punches and impacts they could have because almost no time was spent dwelling or writing into the emotion of the story.
Clark making kryptonian children's toys for Osul and Otho was sweet, and telling them about his own son, and them wanting to bond with him, but him having 0 internal dialogue about his own thoughts or feelings on this was a very show nothing tell nothing because there's only 1 page of interaction on this. His Superman-ness is forced to speak for itself as to why we should care vs allowing new readers coming into the arc to build a relationship with the character and this left me with a really flat perspective of Clark as the new Superman I'm not used to, and I didn't feel connected to him, his motivations, or his story. But that's me.
I think that's something I really prefer about a lot of Batman comics is that he has that rich inner monologue that provides a lot of insight into his emotions and gives you a deeper connection and I think that more Superman writers could realize he's not a 2D Cardboard standup and that he has these thoughts and feelings and him working out the puzzles and riddles and things could have used just even 3 dialogue bubbles of internal just: of course I knew what the most treasured gift was without it even being said why or how, just to tell us he's thinking and emoting and things matter to him. Or so I wish.
Either way, I didn't dislike it, it's a stylistic writing choice to have very little thoughts and emotions and just have it driven forward by sparse (IMO) plot only dialogue really, and I preferred the storyteller inserts more than just about anything else in this volume.
April 3, 2024
A bit of a lackluster end to the Warworld story in my opinion. Not bad writing or storytelling, I just didnt care for the Necropolis and Olgrun addition to the Warworld lore. I really enjoyed "Rising" and "Arena" because of the Warworld lore that Kennedy Johnson was introducing.
How Mongul was a title and the Warzoons valued death more than life with a real "keep what you kill" philosophy that reminded me of the Necromongers from "The Chronicles Riddick". It was all very interesting and inventive with Supes taking a stand to teach them compassion and incite a revolution. All the while there are darker intergalactic machinations at work.
But then all of a sudden the secret catacombs of the Necropolis, that the rebellion lives in, is actually an ever changing labyrinth that hides a secret city made of Genisis Stone that hides one of seven fragments of the first God.
And that's really where I think I draw my issue. Because so much comes from that revelation, and I was disappointed in it. Superman was lured to Warworld because he was needed for a plan to find something for Mongul. And the fact that it was some ancient God macguffin really just didnt feel like it fit into the story the previous books established. I felt that the Genisis stuff fell back to the way side and got replaced with plot devices for the Necropolis, Olgrun, and Orphan. I think it would have made a lot more sense if the Genisis angle was the main focal point of Warworld. The fact that it is made of Source and that the glyphs it produced throughout the Necropolis were the stories of the multiverse could have really been used with the fact that Superman is a metaverse linchpin. Maybe the evil plan could have been that Mongul wanted Superman to access this power so that he could then take his place as the linchpin and be the Mongul who conquered the Multiverse? And that Kryl-Ux's scheme was not to claim Olgruns power to defeat his enemies but to change the story of Warworld by removing Mongul?
Either way I was rather disappointed with how it all turned out and definitely didn't like the decline in artwork as it happened.
How Mongul was a title and the Warzoons valued death more than life with a real "keep what you kill" philosophy that reminded me of the Necromongers from "The Chronicles Riddick". It was all very interesting and inventive with Supes taking a stand to teach them compassion and incite a revolution. All the while there are darker intergalactic machinations at work.
But then all of a sudden the secret catacombs of the Necropolis, that the rebellion lives in, is actually an ever changing labyrinth that hides a secret city made of Genisis Stone that hides one of seven fragments of the first God.
And that's really where I think I draw my issue. Because so much comes from that revelation, and I was disappointed in it. Superman was lured to Warworld because he was needed for a plan to find something for Mongul. And the fact that it was some ancient God macguffin really just didnt feel like it fit into the story the previous books established. I felt that the Genisis stuff fell back to the way side and got replaced with plot devices for the Necropolis, Olgrun, and Orphan. I think it would have made a lot more sense if the Genisis angle was the main focal point of Warworld. The fact that it is made of Source and that the glyphs it produced throughout the Necropolis were the stories of the multiverse could have really been used with the fact that Superman is a metaverse linchpin. Maybe the evil plan could have been that Mongul wanted Superman to access this power so that he could then take his place as the linchpin and be the Mongul who conquered the Multiverse? And that Kryl-Ux's scheme was not to claim Olgruns power to defeat his enemies but to change the story of Warworld by removing Mongul?
Either way I was rather disappointed with how it all turned out and definitely didn't like the decline in artwork as it happened.
May 13, 2024
The best of the saga, by far! I would’ve liked to see more character interactions between the members of Superman’s team, but I guess that work must’ve been done in Superman and the Authority. I loved the atmosphere of Warworld and all of Mongul’s henchmen are so different from each other while all being really sinister and threatening.
The opening issue of this volume is an annual depicting an important time with their mothers for both Clark and Mongul as children. This was the perfect way to open it. It gives us a huge understanding of why they each turned out the way they did, the liberator and the chain holder. I also just love that they focused on Martha instead of Jonathan. She doesn’t get enough love, in my opinion.
The characters we meet on Warworld are also given room to flourish in this volume. The twist with Cryl-Ux in the third act floored me. I did not see that coming, and him telling Clark at the end that despite it all, Clark taught him to hope broke my heart.
I love the two Phaelosian kids, and I’m excited to see more of them. As it has been the whole arc, the strongest in-team character work is done with OMAC and Midnighter (a favorite of mine), but Manchester and Natasha get some moments to shine here too. The dark version of Lightray that rose also allowed some particularly tragic moments. I would’ve liked some more of Enchantress!
Mongul and Clark are perfect opposites. Anytime they’re interacting, there’s great dialogue paired with a great fight scene.
The third act does a terrific balancing act of the three plans being carried out. They’re all equally essential and all different enough to not just feel like you’re reading fight A, B, and C. There was also a smart choice of putting them all in areas that would have different colored lighting, so it’s never confusing about where you are. Good work art team.
Speaking of the art, of the different artists we see, Federicj is probably the strongest, but they’re all great. I loved this book!!!
The opening issue of this volume is an annual depicting an important time with their mothers for both Clark and Mongul as children. This was the perfect way to open it. It gives us a huge understanding of why they each turned out the way they did, the liberator and the chain holder. I also just love that they focused on Martha instead of Jonathan. She doesn’t get enough love, in my opinion.
The characters we meet on Warworld are also given room to flourish in this volume. The twist with Cryl-Ux in the third act floored me. I did not see that coming, and him telling Clark at the end that despite it all, Clark taught him to hope broke my heart.
I love the two Phaelosian kids, and I’m excited to see more of them. As it has been the whole arc, the strongest in-team character work is done with OMAC and Midnighter (a favorite of mine), but Manchester and Natasha get some moments to shine here too. The dark version of Lightray that rose also allowed some particularly tragic moments. I would’ve liked some more of Enchantress!
Mongul and Clark are perfect opposites. Anytime they’re interacting, there’s great dialogue paired with a great fight scene.
The third act does a terrific balancing act of the three plans being carried out. They’re all equally essential and all different enough to not just feel like you’re reading fight A, B, and C. There was also a smart choice of putting them all in areas that would have different colored lighting, so it’s never confusing about where you are. Good work art team.
Speaking of the art, of the different artists we see, Federicj is probably the strongest, but they’re all great. I loved this book!!!
July 7, 2024
A little bit of a lacklustre ending to this Warworld saga. It started slow - had a solid middle - and now this ending was nothing special. I am rounding up a 2.5 stars to 3 because at least it ended with a good feeling. Why lacklustre? It was inevitable that Superman and friends would win but how would they win? It just wasn't that interesting. There just wasn't any character development. The stakes seemed so low when they should have been so high. We get a three part "What is happening on Earth while Superman is gone" which is a sucky story and weak art. Basically Amanda Waller gets a villain to attack Steel and friends to get the genesis fragment from him. They stop him. ASIDE: hate how empoered Lois is in this series. I am not saying she should be a scared kitten but her grabbing a (huge) gun and firing away seems so out of character. She is a reporter not a SHIELD agent.
Even the death of a person close to Superman is wiped away quickly. Mongul seemed to be easily defeated after being built up as such an overpowering foe. OMAC turned traitor too easily and then is back to friend with no reason. Motivations turn on a dime. People win or lose battles not because of anything other than "the writer wants it that way". I mean - Superman and the Authority were defeated with ridiculous ease in the second volume and here, in this volume, Mongul and his army are defeated with ease (yes - there are reasons but...it all seems too easy).
So yeah - I am being negative. But the basics of the story are fine. A feel good "Superman leads a revolution and wins" so I am not saying I hated it. I just wish the writing had been more clever. Even the twist of the betrayal by a close ally seems half hearted and is reversed a lot at the end.
In the end - an entertaining tale but not one that will stay with me or one that I would revisit in the future.
Even the death of a person close to Superman is wiped away quickly. Mongul seemed to be easily defeated after being built up as such an overpowering foe. OMAC turned traitor too easily and then is back to friend with no reason. Motivations turn on a dime. People win or lose battles not because of anything other than "the writer wants it that way". I mean - Superman and the Authority were defeated with ridiculous ease in the second volume and here, in this volume, Mongul and his army are defeated with ease (yes - there are reasons but...it all seems too easy).
So yeah - I am being negative. But the basics of the story are fine. A feel good "Superman leads a revolution and wins" so I am not saying I hated it. I just wish the writing had been more clever. Even the twist of the betrayal by a close ally seems half hearted and is reversed a lot at the end.
In the end - an entertaining tale but not one that will stay with me or one that I would revisit in the future.
June 26, 2023
A pretty good arc for Superman comes to a climatic end. There are some rough edges to the storytelling but Mr. Johnson delivers a unique take on the Superman Mythos. I have to say I'm glad I waited for the trade for this series. It must have been quite a daunting task for collectors to get to the end of this enormous story just reading the floppies monthly. But this story is so epic and there just so much for fantasy readers to chew on. I admit when I first heard rumblings about what this Warworld story was going to be I got the planet hulk vibe from what's it was trying to emulate but Johnson ended up telling a compelling tale that highlights why Superman is special amongst the pantheon of countless heroes for which the comic book character has inspired. In this finally Supes comes face to face with incredible odds that if he fails to overcome could mean the death of many of his comrades and the annihilation of a whole civilization. The stakes are high and Superman rises to the challenge to showcase why he is a hero. Supes never stoops to the enemy's level. He never relents on his hope of his comrades to come through and aid him in defeating mongul. This was a great story that took me on a journey away from a world we know. The artwork was great except on the world with out Clark issues. That was my only gripe. The art was inconsistent and the latter half felt a bit rushed. But this was a great comic book tale that I hope fans of Superman will give a look at in the near future.
December 4, 2023
For something that was on the edge of a conclusion last volume, this sure dragged it out. so much so that this books starts off with something completely irrelevant, we have Clark dealing with a bully and his mum having cancer. Whilst it wasn't terrible, it added nothing to the story and felt really out of place with the whole war world concept. Add to the retcon of Clark's mum having cancer, I don't know what it is with writers and trying to make his upbringing terrible. The point of Superman is that he had a normal childhood, hence why he's a boy scout, it's the point of his character, he's not an edge lord.
As for the rest of the story it got really great in the end but again you had to deal with secret doors, kaiju's and so much other nonsense. If you trimmed this down to may 3 or 4 issues it could have been a great final but it just didn't work. You even had stuff on earth which essentially reset things, again it came out of nowhere, you could of had the Superman family coming to the rescue but nope stuck on earth for reasons and the Justice League just appear for one panel again adding nothing.
There are so many choices that make this feel a lot longer than it needed to be. That said there was a lot of great moments in this, I just wish the ending was so rushed, I know right? Dragged out story but the ending is rushed, it makes no sense but trust me it does once you read it. The Warworld arc is still the best Superman story that we've had in year.
As for the rest of the story it got really great in the end but again you had to deal with secret doors, kaiju's and so much other nonsense. If you trimmed this down to may 3 or 4 issues it could have been a great final but it just didn't work. You even had stuff on earth which essentially reset things, again it came out of nowhere, you could of had the Superman family coming to the rescue but nope stuck on earth for reasons and the Justice League just appear for one panel again adding nothing.
There are so many choices that make this feel a lot longer than it needed to be. That said there was a lot of great moments in this, I just wish the ending was so rushed, I know right? Dragged out story but the ending is rushed, it makes no sense but trust me it does once you read it. The Warworld arc is still the best Superman story that we've had in year.
February 22, 2023
Superman's tired of being downtrodden, and now he's leading the slaves of Warworld in the uprising they've been preparing for. But Mongul and his minions, including corrupted versions of The Authority, have other ideas, and no one's going down without a fight!
Phillip Kennedy Johnson's Warworld saga was very ambitious, and it would have been easy to fumble the ending and rush it through to get Superman back to Earth in time for the next big Superman event, but instead he manages to sitck the landing very well, firmly remembering what it is that makes Superman Superman, and giving us some cathartic moments for all of the other characters involved too, even ones you might not expect.
And what's even better is that this just feels like one part of a much larger story. It envokes some of what PKJ was doing over in The Last God, telling a complete story that's actually one part of a larger whole, and I cannot wait to see where it all goes next.
The Warworld Saga reaches a crescendo, but the symphony's only just begun. With some beautiful artwork from Riccardo Federici, PKJ brings Mongul and Superman together for one final fight that will change the fate of Warworld forever.
Phillip Kennedy Johnson's Warworld saga was very ambitious, and it would have been easy to fumble the ending and rush it through to get Superman back to Earth in time for the next big Superman event, but instead he manages to sitck the landing very well, firmly remembering what it is that makes Superman Superman, and giving us some cathartic moments for all of the other characters involved too, even ones you might not expect.
And what's even better is that this just feels like one part of a much larger story. It envokes some of what PKJ was doing over in The Last God, telling a complete story that's actually one part of a larger whole, and I cannot wait to see where it all goes next.
The Warworld Saga reaches a crescendo, but the symphony's only just begun. With some beautiful artwork from Riccardo Federici, PKJ brings Mongul and Superman together for one final fight that will change the fate of Warworld forever.
September 7, 2023
A nice ending to the Warworld Saga by PKJ and Daniel Sampere. Having not read too many Superman comics before, I enjoyed the accessibility of this arc even with the massive glut of supporting characters that were being juggled here. While the story itself isn't too dissimilar from Planet Hulk (i.e. Gladiator in space), there is enough to distinguish this run to make it feel like a fresh take. The resolution of Superman vs. Mongul goes pretty much as expected, but the ending itself is a satisfying finish. It does read a little too neat for my liking - very little changes for Superman's status quo following this, making this feel mostly like a prolonged side adventure. I suppose that's the nature of modern superhero comics where writers have to put the toys back in the box the same way they found it, but it does feel quite grating here since there was an epic scale to the story. Sampere crushes it on the artwork throughout this run, and it's his work that really elevated the comic. I'd be happy to check out whatever he works on next since visually this book really differentiated itself from the glut of superhero comics out there.
November 26, 2025
“Bloodless Sword”'s revolution reaches an epic conclusion-- gorgeously presented through story, dialogue, and art.
NOTHING comes easily to “Warworld Saga”'s characters. Their revolution's outcome isn't forgone. It was tension-filled and dangerous-feeling and kept me guessing till the end. Plus it's just plain cool. Though I would have liked more consequences.
Superman beautifully demonstrates why he's DC's greatest superhero: he's resourceful, empathetic, cool under pressure, inspires people, and refuses to trade lives for easy victories, or compromise his morals for any justifiable reason. And (importantly) this book gives him LOTS of justifiable reasons. Kal-El proves his resourcefulness and strength of spirit through the most dire of circumstances.
The art is visceral-- fully capturing the revolution in its nobilities, savagery, beauty, and horror. It can be a touch unclear in its presentations, but I believe that's meant to mimic a subjective point of view.
Warworld Revolution is a Must Read.
NOTHING comes easily to “Warworld Saga”'s characters. Their revolution's outcome isn't forgone. It was tension-filled and dangerous-feeling and kept me guessing till the end. Plus it's just plain cool. Though I would have liked more consequences.
Superman beautifully demonstrates why he's DC's greatest superhero: he's resourceful, empathetic, cool under pressure, inspires people, and refuses to trade lives for easy victories, or compromise his morals for any justifiable reason. And (importantly) this book gives him LOTS of justifiable reasons. Kal-El proves his resourcefulness and strength of spirit through the most dire of circumstances.
The art is visceral-- fully capturing the revolution in its nobilities, savagery, beauty, and horror. It can be a touch unclear in its presentations, but I believe that's meant to mimic a subjective point of view.
Warworld Revolution is a Must Read.
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