Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Superman: Space Age #2

SUPERMAN SPACE AGE #2 CVR B DAVE JOHNSON VAR

Rate this book
Superman has arrived and he’s out of sight! Right? The world may love him, but the citizens of Metropolis are growing skeptical as the cities around them suffer without the help of the Man of Steel. The world doesn’t need saving as much as it needs changing, and Superman and his super friends in the Justice League seem unqualified to save the day the way they once did. Could this be the beginning of the end that Pariah prophesied? Or is it just a sign of the times?

80 pages, Comic

3 people are currently reading
15 people want to read

About the author

Mark Russell

435 books382 followers
Mark Russell is the author of God Is Disappointed in You and Apocrypha Now. He also writes the comic book series Prez and The Flintstones for DC Comics. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
38 (35%)
4 stars
51 (48%)
3 stars
11 (10%)
2 stars
6 (5%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Profile Image for James.
470 reviews5 followers
October 7, 2022
"Hope is the lie we make come true."
Profile Image for Cybernex007.
1,886 reviews8 followers
April 16, 2025
As part of the dc comics official discord book club, I answered these discussion questions:

1. The idea of "inevitability" is a key theme in this issue, especially with the looming Crisis. How does the knowledge of an unavoidable future shape the decisions Superman and others make? Do you think knowing the end is coming makes them more heroic? or more human?


The idea of inevitability and what certain heroes will do is shown starkly in contrast between superman and batman. Specifically this issue takes those ideas and presents them through the classic ethical dilemma: the trolley problem. Batman sees the solution as the obvious one, flip the switch and save the five lives…not because you are saving 5 over 1, but because you will deny whoever tied them to the tracks what they wanted. You are ruining the inevitable death in their plans completely and taking the power of life and death in your own hands. Superman on the other hand sees it completely differently, he thinks you should make no direct action to flip a switch and instead strive to save all 6 lives. Because at the end of it you remain the person who tries to save everyone and refuses to play god even if you can.

Within the context of these ideas and thought processes, knowing the end is coming can make them more heroic or more human depending on what they do. I believe that Batman's ideas show him to be more heroic at the expense of his humanity. While superman has the exact opposite effect. To be human is to be flawed and to try your hardest at getting the best possible outcome even if it is unachievable and leads to an undesirable outcome is a human trait. Superman talks about looking at the most hopeful outcome multiple times throughout this issue. While Batman's ideas show that taking those ideas then using them to fight back against the force bringing the end even at the direct expense of others for the greater good, shows Batman operating on a more heroic level.

2. How does the story use science fiction elements (aliens, cosmic threats, time travel, etc.) to reflect real human fears?

In this issue we see Superman save the planet from an asteroid, something he is quite proud of and for a time brings up whenever he can…only for others to not show the enthusiasm he was looking for. The space age may have come, and the world has laid down their arms…but now they have a new threat to look up to. How do they know that Superman will not decide one day to wipe them out? After all…he can save the planet from an asteroid. It took some time but once Superman finally faced a power greater than himself and felt the same fear that people saw in him, he finally realized the fear people could feel moving from one world ending force to another. “Power is the seed from which monsters grow. So how do I convince people that among all the other things in the universe they have to worry about…I’m not one of them.” This caused a complete shift in superman’s behavior, causing him to be a lot more open to the world and to show them that he is not something to fear, allowing him to build a bridge of trust to quell those real fears.

3. Superman's relationship with Lois continues to evolve, even as the world around them becomes more unstable. How does their bond serve as an anchor for Superman? What does this say about the role of personal relationships in the face of global or cosmic crises?

Superman’s relationship with Lois is everything to him in this issue. Earlier in the issue he saw hope as a comforting lie, something people grasped onto so they could ignore the inevitable. But by the end of this issue he has built a life with Lois, they even have a child, so when a world ending crisis comes to their door he fights with everything he has to save it. And once that crisis ended, he went back to them…and saw hope for a future with them. Maybe they aren’t as doomed as people say they are, maybe hope is not a bad thing to grab onto, maybe the inevitable can be stopped, and maybe the world can be truly saved. Without this bond with Lois, Superman may see the inevitable as inevitable.

4. The 1970s in America were a time of political disillusionment and social unrest. How does the comic use this context to deepen the story’s stakes? Are there specific real-world parallels that stand out in this issue?

There is a very real world event in this issue that best shows this time of political disillusionment and social unrest, but it is instead completed through Lois’s actions. And that is the Watergate scandal that eventually ended with Nixon leaving office. Now what’s truly important about this is how this deepens the story’s stakes through its fallout. Lois broke the story and it ended up costing a lot of reporters at the planet their press passes to the white house…but their anger opened the door for Clark to step in and step up. Not only did he defend Lois and become a new editor, but he made a brilliant point about courage. How in a war the one who really lets the rest of their platoon down are the cowards who freeze up and pretend they are somewhere else when their buddy is bleeding out. This shows one of those turning points for Superman as he starts to truly understand the importance of fighting for what they have and working together to do it, and none of that would have been possible without the umbrella of the real-world event of this time.

5. If you were Superman and knew the world would end in 20 years, how would you live differently? What would you prioritize? Would you still try and save the world? Or would you accept the inevitable?

When Superman discusses his answer to the trolley problem, where he thinks he would try and save everyone using the full extent of his power…I am not sure he really believed it. To that point he really never had a chance to put it into action. But when this issue comes to an end he finally can put his money where his mouth is and he now fully understands what he is fighting for and what he is trying to protect. Just like superman I would like to think that if I knew the world was coming to an end I would fight with everything I have to try and save everyone and I would pull everyone I can in to help and make sure we are all ready to do so. But I do still believe there is a chance within that time to not only live a full life and really experience everything the world has to offer…while still working to save everything and everyone you can.



Additional Notes to help remind me of what happened:

The only word that continually comes to my head after reading this issue is PROFOUND. What a beautifully profound issue, especially as it guides us through our heroes ever-growing mindsets and experiences through the backdrop of dangerously unrestful times. In this issue we see as Superman goes from someone who sees hope as a comforting lie that only distracts people from their inevitable doom and can't understand why people do not praise him for his power and how much he saves them...to someone who finally faces a threat greater than himself and finally begins to understand the fear people can see in his power. He then uses that to open himself up honestly to the world to build a bridge of trust and build relationships that ground him to the world and help him to understand what he is truly fighting for and why he wants to protect everyone using the full extent of his power. This is especially shown through his relationship with Lois, which starts on a rocky front as Superman but as he begins to open up more to the world their relationship deepens. Then as Clark he is able to grow closer to Lois after she broke the Watergate scandal, and the other reporters retaliated against her for getting their White House Press passes revoked. As I mention in the above questions, this provides an outlet for superman to jump in and defend her which leads to them being a lot more open to each other and truly sharing with each other who they really are....eventually leading to their marriage and having a child.

One perspective I have not been able to talk about so far is Batman's. He goes down a very distinctively different path. After Lex Luthor destroyed Coast City, he left his seat as the CEO to take the fight to the streets of Gotham. But as Maxwell Lord swept in to take his spot, he quickly as he saw his city being destroyed around him...that the true fight was never in the streets against the people but in the boardrooms making the decisions that impact the people. After seeing only discourse in the hall of justice he was left even more disappointed in everything they were trying to do. After finally uncovering Lord's plans to destroy the city through arsons, and then after the papers failed to hold the CEOs accountable after he leaked it to them...batman decided to take matters into his own hands and to punish himself and the money he earned from them in the process. After hosting a charity fundraiser at his manor that got everyone to attend, he then faked an attack from batman where he "captured" Bruce Wayne. After exposing Lord on his attacks once more he promised to bring the pain they brought to the people of Gotham to themselves. They destroyed 2 buildings that night, so he reciprocated the favor by destroying Wayne tower and the Wayne Manor they were standing in. Obviously no one got hurt, but it finally allowed for batman to realize who he should of been fighting all along and it allowed for the chaos to reign supreme in aid of hope.

Finally, I want to touch on the big picture crisis stuff that was pushed a lot more in this issue. In the first issue the looming crisis was alluded to by Pariah, but this issue really allowed it to unfold and to show the heroes what they truly have to try and fight against. We were able to get a glimpse into another world where a Brainiac has realized the anti-monitor is coming, and has started to strip worlds of their resources to aide in his fight. He also developed the technology to jump to other worlds, so after failing to recruit the superman from his own...he made his way to another world. Green Lantern was the first to alert the team of this incoming threat, but after spending a few years not preparing themselves...the day finally came that Brainiac came to their doorstep. Really he only came to give them a warning of the looming crisis and to tell them what he was taking and to make an offer to superman to come with him. Through their fight they were able to work together to destroy Brainiac's ship and push him back...but at the cost of loosing Hal. But this Brainiac seems to have seen something different than the one on his world...he saw hope in their eyes that could actually be used to fight back against the anti-monitor. When we saw the superman of his world the world was already destroyed, and that superman had the means to rebuild but no reason to as he had no one to rebuild it for and share it with. This superman and this justice league is different, they are teaming with hope and chaos that lend to each other completely and will hopefully provide everything they need to truly fight back. I will be interested to find out of if that is true.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for K.
531 reviews1 follower
October 19, 2022
I'm really enjoying this. I love Superman wandering around helplessly telling people he saved the world and everyone just being like "dude shut up." Not because I like him getting told off or ignored but because he's just like "I'm trying to help" and everyone's like "okay" about it. And there's sweet moments where he's helping an old lady, or rescuing people, too. But I just love that it's like "What are you doing with all that power and how do we trust you?" and he's lost because "well why not though? I'm a good person" and it's true. But it's confusing for a lot of people because as Jor El says, it's on them because it's how they think and how they aren't good people.

I love his relationship blossoming with Lois and how she's known, and how in their isolation they bond over being othered in their choices. I also just adore when Clark finally snaps as Clark and tells off the newsroom for harassing her and stands up for himself, too, finally. It was good to see that happen, after watching and reading a lot of Superman media where he just takes the abuse. So that was cathartic. You tell 'em Clark.
And there was just a lot of genuine sweetness, too. And while there was some really big loss, because the heroes didn't quite win either, it had a good balance of hope and despair.
Also the Flash and bombs cracked me UP. Love it.
Bruce learning the same lessons he has to learn over and over and over again was also good. Yes, Bruce you matter. You keep your company honest matters.
Profile Image for Steven.
Author 8 books34 followers
January 13, 2023
On into the 1970s. The bombing of Cambodia, the Watergate break-in (which Lois figures out, researches, and breaks for the Planet), and meanwhile unimaginable forces gather. In the first book Clark was warned by the tragic Pariah. In this one the Green Lanterns bring a warning about Brainiac. We meet another Superman, from a far distant timeline, one who might yet be significant (he might as well have been holding up a placard saying “Chekov’s Gun Here.”)

The Justice League has been formed and expanded, but it isn’t going well — endless debates over rules, bylaws, purpose, meanwhile Aquaman is befuddled and Flash is, out of boredom, practicing defusing bombs. There’s also a pretty funny brick joke involving an asteroid. Batman is also having his doubts about what he’s doing, until he’s snapped into focus by a betrayal *he* set up, at which point he gets pretty radical — think Batman: Year One.

Overall, this isn’t as good as the first installment, but it continues to be a good read.
173 reviews
August 8, 2025
This series is ending up to be a huge waste of time. A concept with much potential yet the author is taking no risk to flesh out an interesting story. The only new things they introduced for this decade was the hippies and the watergate scandal. Two things that had zero effect on the comics story’s at all.

The story with no risk is Lois Lane questioning Superman for 2/3’s of the story. Her trying to flesh him out as a character and release to the public. This is probably the one and only good thing that is coming from this series. The lighthearted charm. Not every issue needs to be over the top action but just a one on one conversation. Bringing these larger than life characters down to Earth. Instead of diving into another political story or story of the decade, the author cheaply introduces Brainiac and a pansy story.

They killed Green Lantern. Which was very unexpected and the most emotionless death I’ve ever felt. But at least something is happening…

I’m already this deep into the series so I might as well finish it. I’ve never felt so baited by an author before.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
179 reviews
April 10, 2025
"The Space Age. What a joke. We'd become so preoccupied with life among the stars...

That we didn't notice our own cities burning around us."

+ Seeing Batman slowly transition from a lighthearted adaptation of '66 to a jaded and cynical Robert Pattinson shadow. Complete with similar costume.
+ This Lois Lane is a skilled investigative journalist and that's when she works best. When Clark is about to make his identity confession and she'd already figured it beforehand? That's prime Lois Lane.
- The length of this chapter definitely felt LONG. I don't mind longer issues, but this really started to drag at parts so the pacing wasn't ideal.
Profile Image for Colin Post.
991 reviews4 followers
January 22, 2023
“Who could believe that the world was anything other than a miracle that would go on forever?”

Mark Russell writing this a-canonical take on the early days of Superman and Batman is such a treat - and, just as much, seeing Michael Allred draw them! I love the costume designs, sort of baggy and homespun.

Russell weaves together a incisive philosophical essay, here, comparing Batman and Superman’s approaches to heroism, at once at odds and complementary.

So many amazing, humane moments from Clark Kent, too. Hope is a thing with a cape and with glasses.
Profile Image for Nicolo.
3,420 reviews204 followers
May 2, 2023
The authors of Superman: Space Age capitalized on a strong first act to deliver a stronger third act.

From the onset, this reader was expecting this to have a more character driven story, but it still managed to deliver a decent action component with a Justice League versus Brainiac fight.

Second chapters are usually the strongest part of a trilogy because it needs to keep the reader invested enough to stay until the conclusion. This is true in this case because this reader wants to see if this is the best Superman story of this decade (it probably is).
Profile Image for Nola Lorraine.
Author 2 books42 followers
December 6, 2022
This is the second of three books in the 'Superman: Space Age' series. In this one, Superman has to enlist the help of his other superhero friends to try to defeat Brainiac before he destroys the universe as we know it. Lois Lane is still having 'Forrest Gump' moments, and turns out to be the reporter who broke Watergate in this installment. I didn't love this one quite as much as Book 1, but still a good read with great art, and I like the retro feel.
Profile Image for Clay Bartel.
558 reviews
October 20, 2022
A fun remaining of Supermans journey set in the 70s.

Quality are and story with maybe its only weakness being that the story is heavily narrated and exposition heavy often telling the reader what is happening then having the story wholly unfold.
Profile Image for Burton Olivier.
2,054 reviews12 followers
October 1, 2022
For some reason I thought this was only two books but I'm glad I was wrong. I may not like agree with every choice here but I like that they're making them
Profile Image for Felipe Sarmiento.
37 reviews1 follower
June 18, 2023
The story is finally starting to pick up. The connection between Brainiac and antimonitor is an interesting plot!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.