Review: Superman Unchained

Quick Summary

Pros: The main storyline is fun and exciting. The main storyline is packed with awesome moments. The book’s themes and exploration into Superman is well done. All of the artwork looks great and helps make the entire reading experience even better.

Cons: Jimmy Olson’s role is a bit disappointing.

Overall: This is a great story and one of the best entries in Superman’s New 52 history. This comic has a captivating narrative, intense moments, thought-provoking themes, and provides an interesting examination into who Superman is as a character. Plus, all of this is backed up by some good-looking artwork that helps make everything even more enjoyable. Superman fans, especially those looking for good stories from his New 52 era, should consider picking up this volume.

Story

Superman Unchained, by Scott Snyder, is a solid Superman story, plain and simple. It tells a high-stakes tale where Superman faces off against incredibly powerful threats, placing the entire safety of the world in danger. This conflict is told through a variety of individual encounters, many of which stand out as memorable and exciting scenes on their own. Plus, the entire journey works well as a showcase/examination of the ideals Superman represents and their practicality in society. In the end, this may be one of the best Superman stories from this era, one that understands the character and does something fun with him.

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The main storyline in Superman Unchained starts exciting and remains exciting throughout the read. Superman is forced to contend with Wraith, someone even more physically powerful than Superman. On top of that, he also has to contend with US military forces that have been specifically trained to attack him. Eventually, this leads to a climactic and exciting showdown at the Fortress of Solitude. Then, Superman almost sacrifices himself in order to stop an even more powerful enemy but, in a great twist, Wrath makes the sacrifice instead. The entire read is compelling and full of excitement.

However, the best part about the way this main storyline is written is the way Snyder writes individual moments. There is a scene where Lex Luthor knows his enemies will use gas to knock him unconscious so he programs a robot mech-suit to battle these enemies, all while carrying his unconscious body out of the area. There is a scene where Batman faces off against Wraith, forcing him to smash every one of his Batmobiles against the alien. There is a scene where Superman tricks Wraith into fighting in an area where his enemy’s advantages will be neutralized, showing Superman can be tactical when necessary. Any one of these moments could have been the climax of an entire story arc but, here, the entire narrative is so well done that they end up being pieces of an even greater picture.

Superman Unchained isn’t just about good guys beating up bad guys though; it is also a great exploration into the ideals Superman represents. Most readers are aware of Superman’s status as the archetypical representation of ultimate hope and peace. The narrative in Superman Unchained brings these ideals into question. The volume asks if idyllic goals like these are worth holding onto or if they are too lofty and, thus, impede real progress.

By the collection’s end, however, the question is turned on its head. It explains that Superman’s progression toward these lofty goals is made through relatively mundane steps. Over the course of his life, Superman has made small steps in his attempt to change the world. In a way, he is just like everyone else in that he is simply doing what he can to make the world around him better. The implication appears to be that anyone can be like Superman because Superman is just like everyone else. It is a wholesome answer to the question posed here and shows a great understanding of what this character is capable of.

The only piece of Superman Unchained that I didn’t enjoy was the Jimmy Olsen portion of the narrative. Lex Luthor captures Jimmy and puts him through some sort of arduous experiment, proclaiming that what he is doing will make Jimmy into Superman’s killer. However, all that Jimmy ends up doing is delivering something near the volume’s conclusion. It feels like a lot of set-up for something that didn’t actually develop into an important piece of the story.

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Art

The artwork in Superman Unchained is easily one of the volume’s best features. Jim Lee brings his characteristically polished work to most every page in this book. Characters here look bold and impressive on every page, whether they are fighting across the globe or simply talking to one another. This charges the book’s story with even more drama and emotion than it would have otherwise. Plus, the collection includes several backup stories drawn by Dustin Nguyen, who also does fantastic work.

In this volume, Jim Lee also gets more experimental than he usually does. Various pages feature atypical spreads and a few even require readers to turn the book on its side. This helps further define this book as something different from the other Superman offerings, especially from this era of comic history.

I read the deluxe edition of the book, which features slightly larger pages, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would suggest that fans interested in reading a physical copy pick up the deluxe version and that fans interested in reading a digital copy try to read it on a larger screen.

Continuity

Superman Unchained is a mostly stand-alone story set during the New 52 era of Superman’s history. 

The story here does not continue in any particular comic.

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• Clark Kent quit his job at the Daily Planet back in Superman #13, collected in Superman Vol. 2: Secrets & Lies (Review). 
• Lex Luthor was imprisoned in Action Comics #21, collected in Action Comics Vol. 4: Hybrid (Review).