Heavy is the crown. President Castilho of El Caldero reaped the benefits of Superman’s noble attack. A Kryptonite meteor crashed in his country. Castilho flipped that into making his land the wealthiest country in the world. The shady part is selling Kryptonite to the highest bidder, whoever that is.
When Superman comes to the country with Ron Troupe to investigate, they find more than bargained for. Korba has struck and revealed more than anyone expected.
SUPERMAN UNLIMITED #6 by Dan Slott, Rafael Albuquerque, Mike Norton, Marcelo Maiolo and Dave Sharpe continues its’ enture into the Kryptonite Kingdom.
Let’s take a closer look at where things shape up now.
SUPERMAN UNLIMITED #6 by Dan Slott, Rafael Albuquerque, Mike Norton, Marcelo Maiolo and Dave Sharpe (DC Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Slott puts the Man of Steel into a unique position. Superman is hailed as a hero to the people of El Caldero. Once the story starts revving up, events start peeling back the dark layers of the bright kingdom. The main driver of this issue is Castilho and Lois Lane. Their face-off unveils the presidents’ mad dash for power. The dialogue shows his obsession to have it all and how ruthless he can be.
This moves the story into a more frantic pace. Readers see Superman’s latest power in action. It helps cement the drama. The moment runs directly into Lane’s escape. Both paths cross with solid results. It leads to a shakeup in Castilho’s plans. The final act provides a few classic Superman moments. The writing plays into the political spin unfolding here. It is an aspect that can’t be ignored. This amplifies in the final moments. The seduction of power is too strong. It will be responded to via the final page. A familiar face returns and not a moment top soon to help fight back. It’s a much needed injection to what’s happening here.
The art opens with a full page shot of Superman in peril. It counters the children of El Caldero celebrating their hero. The panels move fast as both Superman and Lois have their own issues to deal with. Castilho’s corruption shines on his face. He has committed to maintain his kingdom. There is many different sides he shows throughout this issue.
The full page image of “Superman Gold” is a crowd pleaser. There is a fair share of action panels to appease fans. Even with the art duties switching mid issue, it never slows down the pace. This builds to a more dramatic action taking place. Superman saving a young child is as classic as it gets. The aftermath sets up a few more plotlines. This all builds towards a mid panel return on the final page. It opens a new direction while keeping Castilho’s plans in the forefront.
OVERALL GRADE: 8.4
The Kryptonite Kingdom deals with its obsession to hold onto power with this chapter. Slott’s writing taps into many vintage Superman themes. The art constructs many action scenes while mixing in the political backdrop. The new stat quo of Kryptonite continues to extend its reach.
Let me know your thoughts on Superman Unlimited #6 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!