Superman Vol. 3: The Dark Path (Superman

Superman (2023)

by Joshua Williamson, Jamal Campbell (artist), Tom Reilly (artist)

If there’s anything that makes Superman uneasy, it’s magic. But the events of Knight Terrors and the defeat of Insomnia have taught Kal-El he doesn’t have to face everything alone, either. Enter Zatanna, the mistress of magic! She’ll join Superman as they take on a new threat from powerful forces led by none other than the highly pragmatic and strategic Amanda Waller! An Absolute Power absolute must-read! From writer Joshua Williamson and artists Jamal Campbell and Tom Reilly! This volume collects Superman #16-21.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Superman, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

Kindle Edition

First published December 17, 2024

Reviews

[Khurram · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to give this book 3.5 stars. I might have rated this book higher if I had read Absoulte Power as this book is a companion set after Absoulte Power #1 and to up to Absoulte Power #4.

Superman is powerless in and must confront one of the few things he was vulnerable to even when he had his powers magic. Luckily, he has a guide who still has her knowledge but not her powers, Zatanna. Now, they must travel the Dark Path to gather allies and survivors.

The second part of the book is from Knight Terrors Superman books. Superman is trapped in his nightmares whilst his and almost all the people's of the world's bodies sleep. Who will look after the world with the heroes asleep.

Apart from the companion to Absoulte Power, the book does have a preview of the next thing to come. I was hinted at before, but it is coming. The book finishes with a thumbnail varent covers page.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4 stars

This volume of Superman is comprised of ‘event’ tie-ins, from Knight Terrors and Absolute Power, and the stories feel a little unnecessary as a result, with all the main action going on elsewhere. The artwork, however, is really nice.

[Rory Wilding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Following the crossover story arc that was House of Brainiac, Clark Kent finds himself in another crossover event as this latest volume of Joshua Williamson’s Superman run is mostly a tie-in to the excellent Absolute Power by Mark Waid and Dan Mora.

If you have read Absolute Power, in which all the heroes and villains of Earth have had their power taken away by the ruthless, strategic methods of Amanda Waller, you will have a better appreciation towards this trade, despite being a bit of a placeholder. With the powerless heroes taking refuge at the Fortress of Solitude, many of them are split into various teams as they rebel against Waller’s superhero ban, including the pairing of Superman and Zatanna who travel to the Dark Roads to gain a magical advantage.

While you have the odd, but sweet team-up of Superman and Zatanna that takes a plunge into the dark magical side of the DC universe, as well as informing the former’s own complicated relationship with magic, this makes great use of the cast of characters we’ve known throughout Williamson's run. From the continuing romance between Jimmy Olsen and Siobhan Smythe/Silver Banshee to Mercy Graves showing a more human side than we usually expect, you also have Lois Lane rocking a mech suit, which seems like a fun prelude to her current status where she actually does have powers.

Another welcoming aspect is Jamal Campbell, who was the primary artist during the initial issues of Williamson's run. As before, Campbell retains the classic look of all these characters, but with modern art techniques, and considering Superman’s world leans more towards sci-fi, Campbell’s vibrant coloured art shines in exploring the magical side with the various creatures and surroundings.

The remaining issues of this trade are tie-ins that Williamson wrote as part of his own crossover event from 2023, Knight Terrors. There isn’t really much to write about as we have seen previous storylines that have placed Superman in a dreamscape, but perhaps the most notable thing is the art by Tom Reilly who brings a kineticism to his simplistic character designs. Although he is currently drawing G.I. Joe for Skybound, these issues alone make you wish Reilly was doing more Superman.

Once again, this is more a placeholder, but this still a decent read, though Joshua Williamson is bringing out the big guns as the next big arc for his run features the return of Doomsday.

[Roman Zarichnyi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Третій том рану Джошуа Вільямсона на Супермені залишає гіркий присмак. Після доволі амбітного старту й цікавими ідеями з Лексом, корпорацією Supercorp, загадковим Прикутим і вторгненням армії Лобо, він виявився не кульмінацією, а незграбною добіркою тай-інів до подій «Абсолютна влада» і «Лицарські жахи». У підсумку ми отримали фрагментарну структуру, яка працює як додаток до інших подій в цих випусках.

Так, у томі є вдалі моменти. Пригода Супермена з Затанною крізь темні магічні виміри цікаво підсвічує його уразливість до магії й водночас додає глибини образу. Також тішить людяність персонажів, Джиммі, Лоїс та інших. До художньої сторони узагалі претензій нема, вона є, і робить свою справу.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being wholey composed of Absolute Power and Knight Terrors crossovers, I fully expected The Dark Path to be a bleak example of corporate demands trumping creative expression. Fortunately, it's not that - the Absolute Power stuff engages nicely with Superman's weakness against magic and the Knight Terrors stuff plays a darkly compelling vision of Superman's greatest fears. Both tie-ins are short and sweet (mercifully) with solid art.

Certainly not the best volume of Superman but also could have been so much worse. Skippable, though (remarkably) you don't have to skip it.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.
This Volume (other than having the two Knight Terrors tie-ins for Superman) is really intimately tied with Absolute Power, which I still have not read. I'll speak more about this Volume once I read that.

[Georgie Zakka · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very weak link, out of place event round-up that collects issues from multiple different events.

[Trevor · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just wrote a review for the Absolute Power trade complaining about how leaving out the tie-in issues (or even just summaries of the tie-in issues) made the story feel incomplete there. Now here we have a Superman collection that is made up only of tie-in issues to two different events...the Superman issues of Absolute Power, but also, confusingly included AFTER those, the two tie-in Superman comics from the "Knight Terrors" event that happened BEFORE Absolute Power. So this collection is not only chronologically a mess, but also suffers from only including issues that are pieces of a larger whole. I wish DC would learn that stuff like this can be left out of the numbered trades of particular titles.

[Matthew Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this on the plane in one sitting- but not in a good way. I just wanted to get this done and move on. It is a mishmash of crossover tie ins. Campbell and Williamson have a few good moments with Zantana, but from there it is all over the place. I am sorry for anyone just trying to read Superman and getting confused with this one.

[Mariano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tie-ins para todos y todas! Los de Absolute Power y los de Knight Terrors, para meterlos en algún lado. Legible pero medio intrascendente. Me sigue gustando un montón el arte de Jamal Campbell, sobre todo el dibujo. Que laburo que le pone, todas las estrellitas para él.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolute Power tie in takes Superman down a magic path...
plus Knight Terror issues.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Woe is us that we have the modern conception of the "multi-event tie-in" volume, where crossovers have become so common at the big two that they sometimes create a trade paperback that contains multiple crossovers and anniversary events that are relatively worthless for the main storyline of the book.

This one is Absolute Power + Knight Terrors.

The Absolute Power issues are about Superman's history with magic, and him and Zatanna trying to find a map to lead people through magic without The Wall finding out. It's actually pretty good EXCEPT for the fact that there's a bunch of stuff happening before, after, and between all the issues, leaving them fragmentary (as much as Williamson tries to fill you in).

The Knight Terrors issues are horrible, just like all the other Knight Terrors. I'd say it's the worst crossover since Bloodlines in the '90s, but some of the Bloodlines issues were actually readable, whereas I have not yet met a Knight Terrors issue that I wasn't skimming within a few pages. Garbage.

[LEONY · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually titled The Dark Path and collecting #16-18 and the two issue Knight Terrors miniseries.

This volume's a bit of a placeholder. The Knight Terrors mini is...fine, if inconsequential, and then the three issues of the main series are tie-ins to Absolute Power, detailing the struggle of Supes and Zatanna as they use magic to get around Amanda Waller's superpower ban. These tie-in nicely, and are a good focus on Superman amongst the chaos of Absolute Power, but going straight from House of Brainiac into another crossover is a bit much.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

At least DC put all of the skippable content into one trade. The three regular issues are part of Absolute Power. Superman is depowered and running around with Zatanna to find her some magic. Then we get the Knight Terrors miniseries from the crossover of the previous year. (Who thought it was a good idea to tack these on a year later?) It's not even one nightmare that tells a single story. It keeps flitting around to a gazillion nightmares that are just touched on. Honestly, it's a waste of paper.

[Memphis Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn’t bad writing or bad art. It’s pretty good.

The problem is that I’m pretty sure I already read these in Absolute Power and Knight Terrors collections.

It’s only a collection that makes sense if neither of those collections had been released and/or you ONLY read collections of Superman.

Also, the whole Knight Terrors thing? Nightmare is one of the most boring, senseless bad guys Marvel has to offer and now there’s a DC version? Ugh. Who’s next? Arcade? Blech.

[Batusi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid but uneven with strong ideas that don't always land as powerfully as they should due to the crossover disruption.

Superman teams up with Zatanna to form an opposition to Amanda Waller's group and then is confronted by nightmares that assault his senses.

The artwork in the first part of the volume with Superman's team up with Zatanna does some heavy lifting, but the entire volume ultimately feels unfulfilling with only a part of the story.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads has this titled wrong..
(this collects issues #16=18 and the two Knight Terrors: Superman issues)

#16-18 are Absolute Power tie-ins and as such focus on Superman's role in things after being depowered by Amazos. (probably the best story coming out of Absolute Power)

Knight Terrors? Freddy Krueger wannabe stories that needed to be collected, I guess.

[Néstor Vargas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Being a tie-in volume, it slightly diminishes its overall quality. I had read the main Absolute Power story before this, and while the tie-ins are enjoyable, I don’t believe they were absolutely necessary for the main plot. The Knight Terrors one, in particular, loses focus on the second issue.

[Desmond Killian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dark Path pumps the brakes on Williamson's Superman run with Absolute Power and Knight Terrors tie-ins. Don't get me wrong, it's still good! I just wish the main story wasn't being interrupted.

[Kevin Perino · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite book on childhood.

[Josh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Skippable tie-in issues to two different events. Nothing to see here. Move along.

[alex :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Same rating as ‘Absolute Power’. Overall enjoyable read but just a LOT going on with some missing elements. I enjoyed seeing Superman and Zatanna team up again!

[Henni · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/ 10

[Arianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This volume collects the tie-ins to Absolute Power, which are good but obviously have no resolution here. Then it features some Knight Terrors issues. Not only is the inclusion of those issues kind of random, but the stories are not even good. I guess they're meant to have that confusing effect dreams can have when nothing makes sense and weird things keep happening, but it just seems like the villain is running out of ideas on how to scare Superman and is just throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks. I really liked Tom Reilly's art though.

[Eli Seibert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is confounding. The first half of the book is a tie in with absolute power, which I haven’t read but was easy to follow. The second half was tie ins with knight terrors? Which happened like a year or two ago? So it pulls you out of the story you are in the middle of and throws you into another story that has already been resolved. I don’t really understand that choice.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main chapters - the ABSOLUTE POWER tie-in - was solid. Nice to see Superman taking action. Great to see Lois taking charge. The journey was decent enough. Nothing essential, but better than ABSOLUTE POWER at least.

The "Insomnia" chapters ... I guess there's a larger story there that I'm not privy to. I didn't get it at all.

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5

An enjoyable if very disjointed read. A volume of tie ins which, while tell an interesting enough story, doesn't really do anything of significance. Writing and art is incredible throughout as has been the standard for this Superman run so far.

Worth a read if you're all in on the run, but skippable in all honesty.

[Steven desJardins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tie-ins to other stories, presented without context, and not even in the order they occurred. Plus, the writing is not very good. Best thing I can say about it is it didn't take long to read. I won't be ordering anything more by this writer.

[Will Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Absolute Power tie-ins were fine. Supes and Zatanna have to go find magic where Waller doesn't have access to it.

And then there are two Knight Terror tie-ins which were garbage, as was that event.