Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand Is a Bit Anti-Climactic, But Filled With Love (Review)
Superman hasn’t been in his own comics for months now. He disappeared at the end of DC K.O., vanishing into the ether with the powers of the Omega Champion, saying that he had something to do before his god powers faded for good. In the interim, the rest of the Superman Family picked up the slack. Jon embraced a new identity as Tomorrow Man, Supergirl took up the responsibility of leadership and heir to their family, and Superboy-Prime protected Metropolis to show the world that he truly had changed. They defended the world in some of the best Super-comics in years, but we’ve definitely missed the true Man of Steel.
Finally, after four months of radio silence, we know what happened to Superman. As told in the pages of Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand #1, the hero traveled to the land of tomorrow to save the Legion of Super-Heroes from Darkseid’s influence. Ultimately, the Man of Tomorrow saved the future in the way that only he can, which not only proved to be one of the most heartfelt moments of the year, but also a great lead-in to the next major villain the new Legion will face. It’s one annual that you definitely don’t want to miss.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
| Pros | Cons |
| Filled with love for everything Superman stands for | A bit anti-climactic finale |
| Incredibly hype moments that set up for the future | The evil Legion could have used more development |
| Fantastic art in both stories |
Chained to a Timeline Superman Could Not Agree With
Most of this issue focused on Superman losing himself to the timestream. The King Omega powers and Alpha Energy he absorbed from the Time Trapper allowed him to travel through history, but he risked losing himself to the currents and being chained to the role, becoming the new Time Trapper. His sole mission was to restore the Legion of Super-Heroes and return home to Lois, but that was easier said than done. Of course, finding the corrupted Legion was no difficult task, but as all great Superman stories do, it posed the question of how Superman could save the day.
Superman’s challenge wasn’t restoring the timeline, but finding a way to do so without killing any version of the Legion, as only one was supposed to exist. This issue also saw the return of the classic Legion foe, Infinite Man, perfectly matching the scale and history of this climactic battle. Ultimately, while the build-up was great, the ending felt anti-climactic. Superman sort of just figured out the answer to his problems and brute-forced his way into saving the day in a single punch, when the entire issue built up this grand challenge. It wasn’t bad, but definitely had the hallmarks of Joshua Williamson’s worst writing traits. He’s fantastic at building hype, but his deliveries tend to be quite abrupt.
Of course, Williamson is also the master of setting the stage, and he proved that a thousand times over with the introduction of the challenge that the new Legion of Super-Heroes will face in their upcoming comic. The new villain debut and team-up with a classic villain are brimming with creativity and heart, which have always been Williamson’s best traits. There are so many heartfelt, wonderful moments in this comic that made me smile the whole way through. The resolution isn’t the greatest, but the energy and love that fill it are impeccable. Superboy saving Superman will be one of my favorite thematic pages for years to come, I’m sure.
Gritty, Stylized, and Beautiful Futures Put to the Page
Eddy Barrows drew the larger of the two stories for this annual. His heavy style perfectly captured the long, harrowing journey Superman faced, with every panel bearing weight and every action resounding with pressure. The chains that constantly weave around Superman and the waves of the timestream are perfect examples of this, attempting to drag the Man of Steel down and looking ready to leap off the page. The absolute highlight of this issue’s art is definitely Infinite Man, who is presented as a massive, hyper-detailed man made of the cosmos. Seeing the galaxies twist inside him was a beautiful and terrifying glimpse into his incredible power.
The second story was penciled by Yasmine Putri, whose clean, detailed style proved perfect for the healed future and introduction of one of the biggest threats the Legion has ever faced: Brainiac One Million. His massive, looming form perfectly encapsulated the fear that a villain like him is meant to generate, with the constant shots of his upper body or close-ups on his face reminding everyone just how gargantuan he is. He was a being nearly always covered in shadows, while the numerous Legions were plainly in the light and celebrating their futures before his arrival. This contrast was beautiful to behold and endlessly effective.
Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand #1 is on sale now!
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