Ricky Church continues his countdown to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice with Superman Unchained…
With Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice getting its wide release Friday, its time for the final entry into our Countdown for the film and, funny enough, the final story that I recommend is one made by an entirely different Snyder. Superman Unchained is writer Scott Snyder’s examination of Superman’s place and significance in the modern world, somewhat questioning whether there’s any need for him anymore in the DC Universe and our own pop culture. Ultimately it’s a love letter to everything good about Superman, showcasing why he remains relevant and how he’s the strongest character, physically and morally, in the DC Universe.
Superman discovers the existence of Wraith, a powerful alien who landed in America shortly before the outbreak of World War II and has secretly been in the service of the American government ever since. He’s acted covertly to protect America’s interest, being directly responsible for the destruction of Nagasaki and the end of the war. This launches a debate about just how well Superman has protected the world as an independent agent rather than working with the US army to make things better.
Several stories, most notably The Dark Knight Returns, have depicted Superman as a government stooge, but Superman Unchained outright rejects this notion and why it would never be a possibility for Superman. Wraith is the counter-point to that argument, showing that despite his insight into Superman’s character and abilities, he’s simply a blunt instrument for the army and follows whatever order General Sam Lane gives him, no matter the morality of it. Superman always wants to do what’s best and blindly following orders has never been his style, causing a great amount of friction between the two of them.
Batman also plays a small role in helping Superman uncover the mystery surrounding Wraith, discovering a potential weakness in this new alien. He even engages in a fight with Wraith after he invades the Batcave, intent on killing the Dark Knight. It’s in this sequence where Batman plays the largest role in the story and anyone whose read Scott Snyder’s Batman run knows how well he depicts him fighting, especially when backed into a corner. Batman utilizes every trick he knows to defeat Wraith, turning the entire cave into a weapon. Even Wonder Woman jumps in on the action briefly as she helps Batman.
This is a Superman story first and foremost, though, and Snyder’s depiction resonates really well with the Man of Steel’s core characteristics. He also shows that despite his boyscout image, he knows how to fight, utilizing his cunning over brute strength. Several instances show Superman’s thought process as he cycles through which powers would be best to use in order to save people’s lives and exactly how much force he should use; he knows if he exerts a tiny fraction of power more than he intended, the consequences could be huge. It’s gratifying to see the way Superman thinks and uses his powers to the best of his abilities.
Superman Unchained was also written during the character’s 75th anniversary (part of the reason Wraith has been on Earth for 75 years) and, as such, is a celebration of him and his world. Though Lex’s role is relatively small, he steals a couple of moments and delivers a surprising tribute to Superman in the story’s closing pages, ironically displaying why he’s been so endearing for so long. Superstar artist Jim Lee also illustrated this book and so many images are beautiful and worthy of being hung up on the wall. The aforementioned Batman/Wraith fight features a fantastic splash page that looks awesome, but must have been hell for Lee to draw. Nevertheless, Lee’s artwork is amazing and coupled with Snyder’s writing, Superman Unchained is a great read for any Superman fan, new or old.
Ricky Church
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Originally published March 24, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
