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Superman Presents The Phantom Zone #1-4
Superman: Phantom Zone
Explore the history of Krypton and the origins of The Phantom Zone, Krypton's other-dimensional prison, in this new title. Collected for the first time, this epic story stars Zod, who will be featured in the summer 2012 movie THE MAN OF STEEL. This story comes from the mind of Steve Gerber, writer of DC's acclaimed series HARD TIME and creator of Marvel's HOWARD THE DUCK.
160 pages, Paperback
First published July 23, 2013
8 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Steve Gerber
639 books66 followersSteve Gerber graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in communications and took a job in advertising. To keep himself sane, he wrote bizarre short stories such as "Elves Against Hitler," "Conversion in a Terminal Subway," and "...And the Birds Hummed Dirges!" He noticed acquaintance Roy Thomas working at Marvel, and Thomas sent him Marvel's standard writing test, dialoguing Daredevil art. He was soon made a regular on Daredevil and Sub-Mariner, and the newly created Man-Thing, the latter of which pegged him as having a strong personal style--intellectual, introspective, and literary. In one issue, he introduced an anthropomorphic duck into a horror fantasy, because he wanted something weird and incongruous, and Thomas made the character, named for Gerber's childhood friend Howard, fall to his apparent death in the following issue. Fans were outraged, and the character was revived in a new and deeply personal series. Gerber said in interview that the joke of Howard the Duck is that "there is no joke." The series was existential and dealt with the necessities of life, such as finding employment to pay the rent. Such unusual fare for comicbooks also informed his writing on The Defenders. Other works included Morbius, the Lving Vampire, The Son of Satan, Tales of the Zombie, The Living Mummy, Marvel Two-in-One, Guardians of the Galaxy, Shanna the She-Devil, and Crazy Magazine for Marvel, and Mister Miracle, Metal Men,
The Phantom Zone
, and The Immortal Doctor Fate for DC. Gerber eventually lost a lawsuit for control of Howard the Duck when he was defending artist Gene Colan's claim of delayed paychecks for the series, which was less important to him personally because he had a staff job and Colan did not.
He left comics for animation in the early 1980s, working mainly with Ruby-Spears, creating Thundarr the Barbarian with Alex Toth and Jack Kirby and episodes of The Puppy's Further Adventures, and Marvel Productions, where he was story editor on multiple Marvel series including Dungeons & Dragons, G.I. Joe, and The Transformers. He continued to dabble in comics, mainly for Eclipse, including the graphic novel Stewart the Rat, the two-part horror story "Role Model: Caring, Sharing, and Helping Others," and the seven-issue Destroyer Duck with Jack Kirby, which began as a fundraiser for Gerber's lawsuit.
In the early 1990s, he returned to Marvel with Foolkiller, a ten-issue limited series featuring a new version of a villain he had used in The Man-Thing and Omega the Unknown, who communicated with a previous version of the character through internet bulletin boards. An early internet adopter himself, he wrote two chapters of BBSs for Dummies with Beth Woods Slick, with whom he also wrote the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "Contagion." During this period, he also wrote The Sensational She-Hulk and Cloak and Dagger for Marvel, Cybernary and WildC.A.T.s for Image, and Sludge and Exiles for the writer-driven Malibu Ultraverse, and Nevada for DC's mature readers Vertigo line.
In 2002, he returned to the Howard the Duck character for Marvel's mature readers MAX line, and for DC created Hard Time with Mary Skrenes, with whom he had co-created the cult hit Omega the Unknown for Marvel. Their ending for Omega the Unknown remains a secret that Skrenes plans to take to the grave if Marvel refuses to publish it. Suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ("idiopathic" meaning of unknown origin despite having been a heavy smoker much of his life), he was on a waiting list for a double lung transplant. His final work was the Doctor Fate story arc, "More Pain Comics," for DC Comics'
He left comics for animation in the early 1980s, working mainly with Ruby-Spears, creating Thundarr the Barbarian with Alex Toth and Jack Kirby and episodes of The Puppy's Further Adventures, and Marvel Productions, where he was story editor on multiple Marvel series including Dungeons & Dragons, G.I. Joe, and The Transformers. He continued to dabble in comics, mainly for Eclipse, including the graphic novel Stewart the Rat, the two-part horror story "Role Model: Caring, Sharing, and Helping Others," and the seven-issue Destroyer Duck with Jack Kirby, which began as a fundraiser for Gerber's lawsuit.
In the early 1990s, he returned to Marvel with Foolkiller, a ten-issue limited series featuring a new version of a villain he had used in The Man-Thing and Omega the Unknown, who communicated with a previous version of the character through internet bulletin boards. An early internet adopter himself, he wrote two chapters of BBSs for Dummies with Beth Woods Slick, with whom he also wrote the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "Contagion." During this period, he also wrote The Sensational She-Hulk and Cloak and Dagger for Marvel, Cybernary and WildC.A.T.s for Image, and Sludge and Exiles for the writer-driven Malibu Ultraverse, and Nevada for DC's mature readers Vertigo line.
In 2002, he returned to the Howard the Duck character for Marvel's mature readers MAX line, and for DC created Hard Time with Mary Skrenes, with whom he had co-created the cult hit Omega the Unknown for Marvel. Their ending for Omega the Unknown remains a secret that Skrenes plans to take to the grave if Marvel refuses to publish it. Suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ("idiopathic" meaning of unknown origin despite having been a heavy smoker much of his life), he was on a waiting list for a double lung transplant. His final work was the Doctor Fate story arc, "More Pain Comics," for DC Comics'
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 16, 2024
Por el gran dibujo de mi querido Gene Colan con entintado del filipino Tony DeZuñiga (sí, el mismo entintador del enorme John Buscema para "La espada salvaje de Conan"), debería llevarse todas las estrellas, pero el color estridente distinto al original de Carl Gafford por el uso del papel satinado en lugar del poroso, además de un guion de Steve Gerber que no acompaña por igual, y tiene sus altibajos de ritmo, no le puedo dar más que 3'5⭐.
Pero lo peor de este n° 73 de la colección Héroes y villanos es un epílogo hecho 4 años después por el mismo autor, Gerber, con distinto dibujante, Rick Veitch, y entintador, Bob Smith, que no solo no llega a la altura de los 4 números anteriores, sino que me sobra totalmente, ya que parece una ida de olla, todo muy psicodélico, bizarro e inverosímil.
Se nota que no ha envejecido bien. Y que no pasó por un corrector, ya que está plagado de faltas de ortografía y algunas palabras que faltan, y eso que hay suficiente hueco en los bocadillos. Esto también ocurría en "Superman: El hombre de acero" y en "Batman: La leyenda jamás contada", n° 42&47 respectivamente de la misma colección Héroes y villanos, pero ambas lo suplían con un gran dibujo de Byrne y Aparo acompañando un no menos excelso guion, que sí ha envejecido bien.
Aún con todo recomiendo su lectura si se es un fan del dibujante Gene Colan, más conocido por dibujar para Marvel "Daredevil" con Stan Lee de guionista y "La tumba de Drácula" con Gerry Conway (más tarde Marv Wolfman) a los guiones, de las que tengo algunos tomos de ambos en b&n, que es como verdaderamente luce en todo su esplendor el dibujo del maestro Colan. Solo por él lo catalogo de Must-have.
Pero lo peor de este n° 73 de la colección Héroes y villanos es un epílogo hecho 4 años después por el mismo autor, Gerber, con distinto dibujante, Rick Veitch, y entintador, Bob Smith, que no solo no llega a la altura de los 4 números anteriores, sino que me sobra totalmente, ya que parece una ida de olla, todo muy psicodélico, bizarro e inverosímil.
Se nota que no ha envejecido bien. Y que no pasó por un corrector, ya que está plagado de faltas de ortografía y algunas palabras que faltan, y eso que hay suficiente hueco en los bocadillos. Esto también ocurría en "Superman: El hombre de acero" y en "Batman: La leyenda jamás contada", n° 42&47 respectivamente de la misma colección Héroes y villanos, pero ambas lo suplían con un gran dibujo de Byrne y Aparo acompañando un no menos excelso guion, que sí ha envejecido bien.
Aún con todo recomiendo su lectura si se es un fan del dibujante Gene Colan, más conocido por dibujar para Marvel "Daredevil" con Stan Lee de guionista y "La tumba de Drácula" con Gerry Conway (más tarde Marv Wolfman) a los guiones, de las que tengo algunos tomos de ambos en b&n, que es como verdaderamente luce en todo su esplendor el dibujo del maestro Colan. Solo por él lo catalogo de Must-have.
January 29, 2014
One of DC's very first mini-series is a great blend of summer action movie and trippy sci-fi ideas.
When General Zod and company escape the Phantom Zone and trap Superman their, the remaining members of the JLA are left struggling to fight a half dozen Kyrptonian villains while Superman and a reformed Phantom Zone prisoner travel through the Zone, looking for a way to escape, but also discovering there is more to the ghostly dimension than anyone imagined.
Gerber does a great job balancing old school super hero action with the kind of wild, surreal ideas he was known for.
Plus, Gene Colan's art is beautiful. Shame he didn't do more work for DC.
When General Zod and company escape the Phantom Zone and trap Superman their, the remaining members of the JLA are left struggling to fight a half dozen Kyrptonian villains while Superman and a reformed Phantom Zone prisoner travel through the Zone, looking for a way to escape, but also discovering there is more to the ghostly dimension than anyone imagined.
Gerber does a great job balancing old school super hero action with the kind of wild, surreal ideas he was known for.
Plus, Gene Colan's art is beautiful. Shame he didn't do more work for DC.
June 8, 2025
Superman: Phantom Zone
Kryptonite has set aside other forms of punishment in favour of the Phantom Zone - a place where the criminals of Krypton are kept apart from their peers, but safe until the time is right to release them back into society. No one could have foreseen that the Phantom Zone would outlast Krypton.
A fascinating look at the make-up of the Zone and the effect it has on the exiles held within. The art is good and the concept was a good way to draw stories to a close pre Crisis.
Kryptonite has set aside other forms of punishment in favour of the Phantom Zone - a place where the criminals of Krypton are kept apart from their peers, but safe until the time is right to release them back into society. No one could have foreseen that the Phantom Zone would outlast Krypton.
A fascinating look at the make-up of the Zone and the effect it has on the exiles held within. The art is good and the concept was a good way to draw stories to a close pre Crisis.
January 25, 2018
As much fun to read now as it was back when it and World of Krypton were released as miniseries back in the early 80s. Definitely not writer Steve Gerber or artist Gene Colan's best work, but it retains a goofy charm. And I had forgotten that Gerber and artist Rick Veitch (also not at his best here) gave us a final chapter in the closing days of DC Comics Presents.
July 16, 2025
Mocny sredniak - glownie za sprawa strefy ale reszta standardowa. jeszcze wiecej supermenow. no i troche scian tekstu bylo
October 17, 2018
This is one of the most psychedelic Superman stories I have ever read. It reinforces my belief that the best things about Superman the comic book character are not his powers but the science-fiction elements of his backstory, like his intergalactic zoo and the scientocracy of Krypton. I liked this because it reprints a series from the 80s. There are tons of captions, though bubbles, and contrived situations. Glad I found this book.
November 19, 2017
This volume collects two stories. The first is a four issue limited series, originally titled THE PHANTOM ZONE and published in 1981-1982. The second, titled “Phantom Zone: The Final Chapter,” is from DC COMICS PRESENTS #97, published in 1986. Both stories are written by Steve Gerber, but they vary greatly in quality.
I’ll take the limited series first. Here, the Phantom Zone villains escape the Phantom Zone while simultaneously trapping Superman in it (I won’t go into the “how” of it. It’s not important.). Before wreaking havoc on Earth (which they do in spades), the villains destroy the Phantom Zone projector. The projector is believed to be the only way out of the zone…but IS it?
I read these original issues as a kid and remember really liking the story. It provides high stakes and super hero action galore (Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Supergirl all guest star), while also enriching established Superman lore. What’s not to like? I enjoyed all that at the age of forty-seven, too, but…much to my surprise, this is that rare book that rewards you when you revisit it as an adult. Gerber, who’s probably best known for odd, heady trippy 1970s comics like HOWARD THE DUCK, makes the Phantom Zone a pretty head trippy place, too, and he examines issues of “the self” and the nature of consciousness in the process. Don't get me wrong - this isn't super deep, but there’s certainly stuff here that I must have missed as a kid, nonetheless. Seeing all that now - in the midst of this fun, epic super hero tale that I liked way back when – was a real treat.
Gene Colan, who notably collaborated with Gerber on HOWARD THE DUCK, provides the art. I love Colan’s art in general, and I loved it here. Many would argue that he was past his prime by this point, and perhaps he was, but he does well here regardless. It’s fun to see Superman, Batman and Supergirl spring into action with those long flowing capes and fluid Colan-style movements. Tony DeZuniga is the inker, and his talents seem a good match with Colan's.
Unfortunately, Gerber decided to follow up this story, and I wish he hadn’t. The second tale, from DC COMICS PRESENTS #97, is a bit of a mess. Gerber tries to revisit some of his themes from the mini-series while also tying in various elements of Superman’s pre-Crisis mythology, and it’s not a seamless mix. Colan also sits this one out, with Rick Veitch and Bob Smith as the credited artists, and…frankly, I didn’t like the art very much, either. Much of it just looked ugly to me, especially when compared with the wonderful atmosphere and fluidity of Colan’s work in the earlier story.
The book carries a $14.99 (US) cover price. If you’re interested, then I recommend finding a cheap copy (as I did) and skipping the last story (as I WISH I had done). There's some good stuff here, but the whole package isn't worth full price.
I’ll take the limited series first. Here, the Phantom Zone villains escape the Phantom Zone while simultaneously trapping Superman in it (I won’t go into the “how” of it. It’s not important.). Before wreaking havoc on Earth (which they do in spades), the villains destroy the Phantom Zone projector. The projector is believed to be the only way out of the zone…but IS it?
I read these original issues as a kid and remember really liking the story. It provides high stakes and super hero action galore (Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Supergirl all guest star), while also enriching established Superman lore. What’s not to like? I enjoyed all that at the age of forty-seven, too, but…much to my surprise, this is that rare book that rewards you when you revisit it as an adult. Gerber, who’s probably best known for odd, heady trippy 1970s comics like HOWARD THE DUCK, makes the Phantom Zone a pretty head trippy place, too, and he examines issues of “the self” and the nature of consciousness in the process. Don't get me wrong - this isn't super deep, but there’s certainly stuff here that I must have missed as a kid, nonetheless. Seeing all that now - in the midst of this fun, epic super hero tale that I liked way back when – was a real treat.
Gene Colan, who notably collaborated with Gerber on HOWARD THE DUCK, provides the art. I love Colan’s art in general, and I loved it here. Many would argue that he was past his prime by this point, and perhaps he was, but he does well here regardless. It’s fun to see Superman, Batman and Supergirl spring into action with those long flowing capes and fluid Colan-style movements. Tony DeZuniga is the inker, and his talents seem a good match with Colan's.
Unfortunately, Gerber decided to follow up this story, and I wish he hadn’t. The second tale, from DC COMICS PRESENTS #97, is a bit of a mess. Gerber tries to revisit some of his themes from the mini-series while also tying in various elements of Superman’s pre-Crisis mythology, and it’s not a seamless mix. Colan also sits this one out, with Rick Veitch and Bob Smith as the credited artists, and…frankly, I didn’t like the art very much, either. Much of it just looked ugly to me, especially when compared with the wonderful atmosphere and fluidity of Colan’s work in the earlier story.
The book carries a $14.99 (US) cover price. If you’re interested, then I recommend finding a cheap copy (as I did) and skipping the last story (as I WISH I had done). There's some good stuff here, but the whole package isn't worth full price.
September 14, 2023
After an impressive body of work for Marvel in the 1970’s, Steve Gerber left comics to work in animation. He would return to the field of comics however, and while he never became quite as prolific again, the work he did was still of a very high quality. Superman: Phantom Zone is a miniseries that Gerber did in the 1982, with a sort of (admittedly unnecessary) addendum from 1986 in DC Comics Presents #97, all of which is collected in this book.
Some spoilers to follow.
The Phantom Zone is a sort of pocket dimension into which Krypton would send its most heinous criminals, using a projector created by none other than Jor-El himself. Within the Phantom Zone these criminals would then exist as incorporeal, ghost-like entities, utterly unable to interact with the world around them but fully conscious of all that goes on in their absence of it. The “humanity” of such a treatment is questionable, and of course it does nothing to improve the mental stability of the various maniacs trapped therein across the years. And of course once Krypton was destroyed, the majority of surviving Kryptonians are just these self-same maniacs, utterly unharmed by a planet being destroyed as they are safely in the Phantom Zone.
Some of these villains are familiar from the movies, such as General Zod or Faora, though it has to be said Faora’s character here is far more interesting than her movie counterpart, which just means they wasted the wonderful Antje Traue on a boring role when she could’ve been a Kryptonian martial expert serial-killer who physically assaulted Zod for getting too familiar with her rather than just being his flunky. Oh well.
Another highlight is the couple, Az-Rel and Nadira. The two possess abilities beyond just those afforded to all Kryptonians under the influence of a yellow sun, Nadira able to use psychokinetic blasts and Az-Rel able to set people on fire with the power of his mind. These two have a very nihilistic attitude, or at leas the wish to project a cool, casual indifference to the world around them. They strike me as being a familiar archetype, seen in Bonnie & Clyde or Badlands; here’s a couple who sticks together but wreaks havoc on everyone else.
My favourite scenes for both Faora and the Az-Rel & Nadira duo comes in fourth issue of the miniseries, where Faora returns to her serial killer habits and the Kryptonian power couple pay a visit to a club playing a style of music called “Bizarro”. It stands to reason that Metropolis would have a music scene influenced by the Man of Tomorrow and his many adventures.
Speaking of the Man of Tomorrow, this is indeed a Superman book, though he is out of the action for most of it. After a handy recap of the history of the Phantom Zone and its criminals, they escape once again, and with their master plan manage to pull a switcheroo that traps Superman and Quex-Ul (or Charlie Kweskill, a hapless employee of the Daily Planet who endures the abuse of a cigar-toting Perry White much in the same manner as the employees of the Daily Bugle endure the abuses of J. Jonah Jameson) in their place.
A unified front these escapees don’t make, but they have some common goals and more importantly, common foes. In the absence of Superman the villains must be fought by others, but poor Justice League is instantly tossed into deep space and rendered helpless. Green Lantern is simply mugged and relieved of his power battery, Supergirl likewise is overwhelmed. Wonder Woman fares much better, but it’s clear that without Superman, the Earth is DOOMED.
So what is Superman doing in the Phantom Zone? He’s going on an adventure that is best described as Gerberian. Strange things happen there. He even meets a Kryptonian wizard, who goes on to have a further role in that DC Comics Presents #97. These things are best experienced rather than described.
Of course it’s a foregone conclusion that in the end Superman will reach his home dimension again and saves the world from General Zod and his merry maniacs, but there are two things of note about this series that almost make you think he might not: first of all is that mad odyssey across strange dimensions, and secondly is the darkness of the story.
Gerber is joined for the miniseries by artist Gene Colan (and in DC Comics Presents #97, even Rick Veitch!), well remembered for his 70-issue run on Tomb of Dracula with Marv Wolfman. That is to say, his is a style associated with horror, and that horror is on full display in this book, in the human figures, in the strange sights witnessed by Superman and Quex-Ul, and in the grim fates met by people who run afoul of the Kryptonian killers. People die in this book, and many of these deaths are not pretty. It’s a dark Superman book, darker by far than was the norm in 1982.
Superman: Phantom Zone is not a significant book in the oeuvre of its creators, nor did it leave much of an impact on the character, as these events would soon be lost in the mists of the non-canonical as Crisis on Infinite Earths rebooted the DC universe. John Byrne’s Man of Steel and the various reboots since offer up a different view of Krypton and Kal-El, but I do wish this story were better known. It’s a fun read. Not amazing by any means, but a fun read.
Some spoilers to follow.
The Phantom Zone is a sort of pocket dimension into which Krypton would send its most heinous criminals, using a projector created by none other than Jor-El himself. Within the Phantom Zone these criminals would then exist as incorporeal, ghost-like entities, utterly unable to interact with the world around them but fully conscious of all that goes on in their absence of it. The “humanity” of such a treatment is questionable, and of course it does nothing to improve the mental stability of the various maniacs trapped therein across the years. And of course once Krypton was destroyed, the majority of surviving Kryptonians are just these self-same maniacs, utterly unharmed by a planet being destroyed as they are safely in the Phantom Zone.
Some of these villains are familiar from the movies, such as General Zod or Faora, though it has to be said Faora’s character here is far more interesting than her movie counterpart, which just means they wasted the wonderful Antje Traue on a boring role when she could’ve been a Kryptonian martial expert serial-killer who physically assaulted Zod for getting too familiar with her rather than just being his flunky. Oh well.
Another highlight is the couple, Az-Rel and Nadira. The two possess abilities beyond just those afforded to all Kryptonians under the influence of a yellow sun, Nadira able to use psychokinetic blasts and Az-Rel able to set people on fire with the power of his mind. These two have a very nihilistic attitude, or at leas the wish to project a cool, casual indifference to the world around them. They strike me as being a familiar archetype, seen in Bonnie & Clyde or Badlands; here’s a couple who sticks together but wreaks havoc on everyone else.
My favourite scenes for both Faora and the Az-Rel & Nadira duo comes in fourth issue of the miniseries, where Faora returns to her serial killer habits and the Kryptonian power couple pay a visit to a club playing a style of music called “Bizarro”. It stands to reason that Metropolis would have a music scene influenced by the Man of Tomorrow and his many adventures.
Speaking of the Man of Tomorrow, this is indeed a Superman book, though he is out of the action for most of it. After a handy recap of the history of the Phantom Zone and its criminals, they escape once again, and with their master plan manage to pull a switcheroo that traps Superman and Quex-Ul (or Charlie Kweskill, a hapless employee of the Daily Planet who endures the abuse of a cigar-toting Perry White much in the same manner as the employees of the Daily Bugle endure the abuses of J. Jonah Jameson) in their place.
A unified front these escapees don’t make, but they have some common goals and more importantly, common foes. In the absence of Superman the villains must be fought by others, but poor Justice League is instantly tossed into deep space and rendered helpless. Green Lantern is simply mugged and relieved of his power battery, Supergirl likewise is overwhelmed. Wonder Woman fares much better, but it’s clear that without Superman, the Earth is DOOMED.
So what is Superman doing in the Phantom Zone? He’s going on an adventure that is best described as Gerberian. Strange things happen there. He even meets a Kryptonian wizard, who goes on to have a further role in that DC Comics Presents #97. These things are best experienced rather than described.
Of course it’s a foregone conclusion that in the end Superman will reach his home dimension again and saves the world from General Zod and his merry maniacs, but there are two things of note about this series that almost make you think he might not: first of all is that mad odyssey across strange dimensions, and secondly is the darkness of the story.
Gerber is joined for the miniseries by artist Gene Colan (and in DC Comics Presents #97, even Rick Veitch!), well remembered for his 70-issue run on Tomb of Dracula with Marv Wolfman. That is to say, his is a style associated with horror, and that horror is on full display in this book, in the human figures, in the strange sights witnessed by Superman and Quex-Ul, and in the grim fates met by people who run afoul of the Kryptonian killers. People die in this book, and many of these deaths are not pretty. It’s a dark Superman book, darker by far than was the norm in 1982.
Superman: Phantom Zone is not a significant book in the oeuvre of its creators, nor did it leave much of an impact on the character, as these events would soon be lost in the mists of the non-canonical as Crisis on Infinite Earths rebooted the DC universe. John Byrne’s Man of Steel and the various reboots since offer up a different view of Krypton and Kal-El, but I do wish this story were better known. It’s a fun read. Not amazing by any means, but a fun read.
December 25, 2024
There's a part of me that wishes Superman didn't get rebooted during Crisis on Infinite Earths. One of the best parts of Superman is the lore that was established from the 50s to the late 70s. Supergirl, Brainiac, the dreams of Krypton and imaginary stories, Lex's evolution from a regular criminal to the more mad scientist approach we had. I love the Phantom Zone and the Fortress of Solitude, and all the supporting cast. I love Jimmy Olsen and Perry White and obviously Lois Lane. I know most of those characters were introduced earlier on but I still find it true.
Steve Gerber adds on to the pre-existing canon with his Phantom Zone story. While I probably wouldn't think anything of this book if it were to come out today, for a comic that was written in 1982 its really good. The characters are interesting, Superman feels like the more modern interpretation we have today, and I honestly am so glad that we've returned to more of this version of Clark Kent and the Superman mythos than what John Byrne revamped in the 80s.
The story is built upon another story told earlier around that time, of Charlie Kweskull, an employee of the Daily Planet with a strange past. Framed for a crime he didn't commit, Quex-El, a Kryptonian scientist, was sent to the Phantom Zone, but was freed by Superman due to his proven innocence. His mind was erased, and he became one of the coworkers of Clark, Jimmy, Lois, Perry, and Lana.
Now, Quex-El is being reminded of his past after a breakout of villians from the Phantom Zone terrorize the Earth and its respective heroes. Zod, Faora, and other strange Kryptonian villains that haven't stood the test of time showed up here to cause mayhem.
I will say, of the things that I don't like, its the overuse of Krypton and people who came there. It really devalues Superman when half of his rogues and supporting cast have such a link to the dead planet, and Byrne actually did something right when he got rid of a lot of them. I also didn't love the pyro guy and his girlfriend with the telepathic abilities. They just weren't all that interesting and I felt they were an unnecessary addition to the plot.
The other big big issue I have is Bob Layton taking over the art for the last issue. It just sucks. The art's horrible. And Gerber didn't do so hot with this story. It undermines Alan Moore's final Pre-Crisis Superman story, I just wish that this either hadn't been included or made at all. The writing's not horrible just not that fun of a story and it can't decide how the pre-crisis Superman story truly ends.
Zod also just looks wack. I'm not familiar with this character at this point in time, but I honestly am happy this design didn't take off in the modern age. Zod is an ever changing character in regards to design, but the military dictator type from Krypton does work. If I had decide which characters should have stayed in the Superman lore that were Kryptonian, him, Krypto, Supergirl, and Faora would really be the only ones that I'd keep.
I LOVE Gene Colan's art. Its just some of the best of its time, and all of the shadows and contrast just make for a visually interesting book. I love the way he draws the environments, how easily the page layout flows, it just made the comic more enjoyable reading. Colan's art will stand the test of time, and I wish he was more recognized in the modern comic world.
I didn't know that Lana Lang was a news anchor with Clark at this point in time, I actually think that's an okay-ish idea. I'm a big fan of Lana, and while I don't think she's Clark's true love (Lois is clearly superior as a love interest), Lana's always a welcome addition to my Superman comics. Same with Pete Ross.
Also, thank God there's no Lex Luthor here. I love Lex, but I'm tired of seeing him in EVERY Superman story. It's crazy that people don't think that Superman has a big or interesting rogues gallery, I find that this is due to Superman writers not using the characters that have been left by the wayside. Obviously my complaints are still true about there being too many Kryptonians from this era, but a lot of these characters can be reworked as other extra terrestrial villains, like Daxomites or Tamaranean or something.
Lastly, I love the incorporation of old lore with things like witches on Krypton and the female representations of Krypton's religious side. Its a good deal. I like Faora tempting a man in the middle of nowhere only to crush his spine and kill him mercilessly. I also love underground rock that's called Bizarro, that just feels like something that just adds to the life of Metropolis and the DC Universe.
There's a few more things here and there that I like but I really appreciate the way that this book feels so modern for its time and just love to read more Superman from this era. Steve Gerber is awesome, I hope I can find more of his stuff to read in the future.
Steve Gerber adds on to the pre-existing canon with his Phantom Zone story. While I probably wouldn't think anything of this book if it were to come out today, for a comic that was written in 1982 its really good. The characters are interesting, Superman feels like the more modern interpretation we have today, and I honestly am so glad that we've returned to more of this version of Clark Kent and the Superman mythos than what John Byrne revamped in the 80s.
The story is built upon another story told earlier around that time, of Charlie Kweskull, an employee of the Daily Planet with a strange past. Framed for a crime he didn't commit, Quex-El, a Kryptonian scientist, was sent to the Phantom Zone, but was freed by Superman due to his proven innocence. His mind was erased, and he became one of the coworkers of Clark, Jimmy, Lois, Perry, and Lana.
Now, Quex-El is being reminded of his past after a breakout of villians from the Phantom Zone terrorize the Earth and its respective heroes. Zod, Faora, and other strange Kryptonian villains that haven't stood the test of time showed up here to cause mayhem.
I will say, of the things that I don't like, its the overuse of Krypton and people who came there. It really devalues Superman when half of his rogues and supporting cast have such a link to the dead planet, and Byrne actually did something right when he got rid of a lot of them. I also didn't love the pyro guy and his girlfriend with the telepathic abilities. They just weren't all that interesting and I felt they were an unnecessary addition to the plot.
The other big big issue I have is Bob Layton taking over the art for the last issue. It just sucks. The art's horrible. And Gerber didn't do so hot with this story. It undermines Alan Moore's final Pre-Crisis Superman story, I just wish that this either hadn't been included or made at all. The writing's not horrible just not that fun of a story and it can't decide how the pre-crisis Superman story truly ends.
Zod also just looks wack. I'm not familiar with this character at this point in time, but I honestly am happy this design didn't take off in the modern age. Zod is an ever changing character in regards to design, but the military dictator type from Krypton does work. If I had decide which characters should have stayed in the Superman lore that were Kryptonian, him, Krypto, Supergirl, and Faora would really be the only ones that I'd keep.
I LOVE Gene Colan's art. Its just some of the best of its time, and all of the shadows and contrast just make for a visually interesting book. I love the way he draws the environments, how easily the page layout flows, it just made the comic more enjoyable reading. Colan's art will stand the test of time, and I wish he was more recognized in the modern comic world.
I didn't know that Lana Lang was a news anchor with Clark at this point in time, I actually think that's an okay-ish idea. I'm a big fan of Lana, and while I don't think she's Clark's true love (Lois is clearly superior as a love interest), Lana's always a welcome addition to my Superman comics. Same with Pete Ross.
Also, thank God there's no Lex Luthor here. I love Lex, but I'm tired of seeing him in EVERY Superman story. It's crazy that people don't think that Superman has a big or interesting rogues gallery, I find that this is due to Superman writers not using the characters that have been left by the wayside. Obviously my complaints are still true about there being too many Kryptonians from this era, but a lot of these characters can be reworked as other extra terrestrial villains, like Daxomites or Tamaranean or something.
Lastly, I love the incorporation of old lore with things like witches on Krypton and the female representations of Krypton's religious side. Its a good deal. I like Faora tempting a man in the middle of nowhere only to crush his spine and kill him mercilessly. I also love underground rock that's called Bizarro, that just feels like something that just adds to the life of Metropolis and the DC Universe.
There's a few more things here and there that I like but I really appreciate the way that this book feels so modern for its time and just love to read more Superman from this era. Steve Gerber is awesome, I hope I can find more of his stuff to read in the future.
January 28, 2021
Decades after its initial publication as a mini-series in the early 1980s, THE PHANTOM ZONE still stands as the finest tale of the Zone and its nefarious inhabitants--the most infamous criminals from Superman's home planet of Krypton--yet conceived. Steve Gerber's script is ambitious and takes pains to develop not only the Phantom Zone criminals themselves in new and fresh ways but likewise the Zone itself. Gerber imagines there's a little more to the Zone than purple ghostliness, and reveals an evil intelligence behind the Zone that adds an element of otherworldly horror to the superhero action. And there is a great deal of action, as one might expect from a tale in which Earth is invaded by a small army of super villains who each possess the same powers as Superman himself. Though Superman is the tale's primary protagonist, a number of other heroes--including Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Green Lantern--all figure prominently as well. As for the Phantom Zone villains, they go all-out in this one. They don't want to just conquer Superman's adopted home world this time--they have a far more terrible revenge than that in mind. General Zod is, of course, the ringleader of the escaped prisoners, but the other villains--such as the beautiful but psychopathic Faora, the ambitious scientist Jax-Ur, and Superman's own kinsman, Kru-El, among others--each get their turn in the spotlight. It's a serious and surprisingly intense tale of revenge, desperation and ultimately heroism, one for which Gene Colan's fantastic artwork is perfectly suited. Colan always excelled at drawing horrific comic book stories, and there is more than a little of the horrific in this particular Superman story. Exceptionally well written and illustrated, THE PHANTOM ZONE is one of the best original mini-series' ever created, and anyone who reads it will never think of the evil Zod--or the greater evil that lurks within the Zone itself--in the same way again.
December 29, 2023
Quick fun read that introduces a lot of interesting concepts that ultimately and unfortunately go nowhere. Its introduction to new krypton criminals locked away in the phantom zone and exploring the ever elusive and extensive phantom zone is definitely the highlight of this series. It’s so interesting to see new criminal kryptonians and the chaos they can cause for Superman. But it’s a shame we will never see these characters again (to my knowledge), due to the quick 10 page rap up that is quickly shoved in to conclude the one shot. It gives a lot of hope for the future that new Krptonian villains with different power sets can be introduced and terrifying, but to my knowledge is a shame it’s confined to this 4 issue one shot. The phantom zone itself receiving more time is always a pleasure as there is always so many infinite possibilities that can be done with it. Even though the introduction to QUEX-UL was short, the concept of a former kryptonian effected by gold krytonite living among everyone and working at the daily planet is also a super fun concept, that along with his untimely demise also does not go anywhere. Also, took them long enough to realize the watch tower was sent hurtling into space.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2019
Most of this trade collects the Phantom Zone mini-series, which first explains the history of the Phantom Zone and its inmates, then shows what happens to Earth when said inmates escape. Gerber's writing and Colan's art creates a particularly offbeat tone for a pre-Crisis Superman story. The final story in the trade (which was set pre-Crisis, but actually published post-Crisis, and might not be canon) has a similar tone; it retells some of the history from the mini-series, in a slightly grimmer way, then brings us back to the present for the final fate of the Zone. This last story reminded me a little of Alan Moore's Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? (which was published around the same time). An interesting read overall, if you want to see a darker, weirder side of the pre-Crisis Superman mythos. (B+)
July 2, 2018
Not Gerber or Colan’s best work. But fun all the same.
January 14, 2021
A good old-fashioned YET psychedelic tale. Pairs well with Man of Steel and World of Krypton miniseries.
April 9, 2014
I previously read this book in 2002, and rereading it now after reading so many other comicbooks recently (I was not reading many comics that were not by either Gerber of Gaiman in 2002) was a definite reminder of how great a writer Steve Gerber was. The two stories don't mesh completely. I read the original five issues in one sitting or close to it in 2002, but a few days' gap between PZ # 4 and DCP #97 made all the difference. I love the way Cha-Kor, the executioner of sorts, recaps the imprisonment of the Phantom Zone criminals from his own point of view (which would be a bit tedious if you didn't give some time between this issue and PZ #1), and the anything goes aspect of writing in the Pre-Crisis universe.
Gene Colan's art is more impressive than Rick Veitch's, although Veitch has been a favorite of mine since reading his Swamp Thing.
Gerber seems to truly relate to a character like Charlie Kweskill. When he was introduced in an Edmond Hamilton/Curt Swan story in Superman #157, he was an interesting character, desiring revenge on the son of Jor-El, but otherwise desiring to use his powers to help those in need, in that case, a construction worker who would have otherwise fallen to his death. Kweskill is part of a string of wrongfully imprisoned Gerber characters from Richard Rory to Ethan Harrow. I am not sure why this unending fascination with the concept, along with mental institutions, since I don't believe Gerber had ever spent time in prison, although he may have felt in the "prison without walls" as per his titular episode of Dungeons & Dragons.
Gene Colan's art is more impressive than Rick Veitch's, although Veitch has been a favorite of mine since reading his Swamp Thing.
Gerber seems to truly relate to a character like Charlie Kweskill. When he was introduced in an Edmond Hamilton/Curt Swan story in Superman #157, he was an interesting character, desiring revenge on the son of Jor-El, but otherwise desiring to use his powers to help those in need, in that case, a construction worker who would have otherwise fallen to his death. Kweskill is part of a string of wrongfully imprisoned Gerber characters from Richard Rory to Ethan Harrow. I am not sure why this unending fascination with the concept, along with mental institutions, since I don't believe Gerber had ever spent time in prison, although he may have felt in the "prison without walls" as per his titular episode of Dungeons & Dragons.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2025
I went on the library website to request a newer Superman book called "Phantoms" and I saw this book in their catalog. I couldn't recall ever having read it, so I requested it as well.
When I received it, I went into GoodReads to mark it in progress and saw I'd already read it a few years ago.
Suffice to say, the years have not changed my opinion very much. The phantoms of the zone telepathically force Charlie Kweskil (Quex-Ul, who lost his memory and powers to gold kryptonite and lives a quiet live on Earth) to free them. The process causes Charlie and Superman to swap with the criminals. Our heroes go on a quest through the levels of the Phantom Zone (which is alive?), seeking an escape, while the Zoners wreak havoc on Earth. Some interesting riffs on the criminals of the Zone (how about those beatnik nihilists!), but otherwise, not much here.
The final chapter is DC Comics Presents, featuring Superman and ... the Phantom Zone?, with a flashback to Jor-El discovering it. Too much page space wasted recounting the crimes of the Zoners (again), and the ending was ... well, two reads and I'm still not sure.
++++++++++
Boy, lots of missed opportunities here. And the epilogue ... maybe I'm getting slow in my middle age, but I didn't even understand it.
When I received it, I went into GoodReads to mark it in progress and saw I'd already read it a few years ago.
Suffice to say, the years have not changed my opinion very much. The phantoms of the zone telepathically force Charlie Kweskil (Quex-Ul, who lost his memory and powers to gold kryptonite and lives a quiet live on Earth) to free them. The process causes Charlie and Superman to swap with the criminals. Our heroes go on a quest through the levels of the Phantom Zone (which is alive?), seeking an escape, while the Zoners wreak havoc on Earth. Some interesting riffs on the criminals of the Zone (how about those beatnik nihilists!), but otherwise, not much here.
The final chapter is DC Comics Presents, featuring Superman and ... the Phantom Zone?, with a flashback to Jor-El discovering it. Too much page space wasted recounting the crimes of the Zoners (again), and the ending was ... well, two reads and I'm still not sure.
++++++++++
Boy, lots of missed opportunities here. And the epilogue ... maybe I'm getting slow in my middle age, but I didn't even understand it.
September 13, 2013
Sure, this was decent enough, kind of an example of comics struggling for profundity (or maybe just trippiness) back in the early 80s. I'm glad the book included the final story, which I'd heard about before as a pretty insane send-off to Superman just before Crisis on Infinite Earths rebooted the DC Universe. It's nuts, with stuff like Mr. Mxyzptlk forcing Superman to destroy Argo City, which sends hundreds of Kryptonian bodies raining down on Metropolis, and all manner of other weird, disturbing stuff, ending on a total downer. I guess that's the end for Superman! It's a hell of a way to end the volume, and there's no context at all, so the casual reader will be totally baffled. I kind of love that.
July 15, 2014
Steve: remembering you down through all the years. Praying for your soul. May you be happier there than you were here. Goo goo joob ...
http://corjesusacratissimum.org
http://corjesusacratissimum.org
July 26, 2015
5 Star for the mini-series.....throw in, last story i have already forgotten.
November 26, 2013
A pretty standard Silver age tale. Okay but nothing special.
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