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by Spencer Irwin
This article contains SPOILERS. If you haven’t read the issue yet, proceed at your own risk!
Brian Michael Bendis and Ivan Reis open superman 5 with a vision. Zod fantasizes about a New Krypton, about a world where all the survivors of Krypton have united, where Zod and Superman have made peace despite their “ideological divide.” Superman also experiences a vision in this issue, a vision just as elevated. While these two men may share visions of something bigger than themselves, it’s those pesky ideological differences that continue to drive them apart. Just because you dream of something better doesn’t mean the steps you take to achieve it are justified.
Superman, however, almost loses sight of this, if only for a brief moment.
I admit, as a Superman fan, it bothered me, even a little, to see him contemplate murder, even if just for a moment, but I shouldn’t have. One of the things I appreciate most about Superman is his humanity, and there is nothing more human than being enraged by injustice, especially an injustice that hits as personally as Rogol Zaar’s attack on his people, his family, and his culture. What saves Superman is a vision of his parents reminding him of his core values. Part of what makes Superman such an inspiring character is that he is No infallible, who finds so much inspiration in usin his family, in society, in all our collective potential, as we do in him. And nothing remembers it more than the question Clark asks himself next.
When Clark sees the vision of something better, it’s not the end product, as Zod sees it: Clark sees the work and the values that come with it. Zod sees a united Krypton, no matter what compromises must be made to get there; Clark sees a world where people act on their values even when it’s hard, when they follow the example of people who inspire them and show them how to be better. You don’t need to see the final product; He already knows better, because that’s just what happens when you aspire to follow the path of greatness.
So ultimately, Superman and Zod share visions of a better future, but their paths there are irreconcilable. His two final confrontations with Rogol Zaar make this clear; Stripped of Kandor, Superman still approaches Zaar with kindness and understanding, while Zod has only vengeance in his heart. Superman’s methods allow him to continue aspiring to a better future no matter what form it takes. Meanwhile, when the better future Zod dreams of is shattered, he is left with nothing but hatred and murderous rage. Given his own journey of anger and acceptance in this issue, Superman should be better suited than anyone to teach Zod to better himself; Given his history, it seems unlikely that Zod will follow Superman’s lead. That would certainly never stop Superman from trying, though, and I can’t wait to see how he approaches both Zod and Zod. and Zaar next month. Whatever path he chooses, it will be one that Lois (and therefore we too) would be proud of.
The conversation doesn’t end there. What do you want to talk about this number?