Somebody Needs To Put Him Down

Justice League 24
DC Comics
Geoff Johns, writer
Ivan Reis, artist

Much of this issue is devoted to giving the back story for this latest version of Ultraman, the darkly twisted Crime Syndicate version of Superman, but we also see some events in the present, taking place between issues 2 and 3 of Forever Evil, the limited series detailing the Syndicate's takeover of our world.

Ultraman's back story is told in almost-familiar vignettes. We see the destruction of the planet Krypton as its citizens mob, maim and kill each other to be the first to get to escape pods. The two most ruthless and bloodthirsty are Jor-Il and Lara, who not only destroy their fellow Kryptonians but also several other escape pods to maximize their son's chances for success. But it is clear that these two are not motivated out of any sense of love for their child.

As the infant Kal-Il is flown through space headed for Earth, he is bombarded by his father's voice, urging him to conquer and pillage his new home but also reminding him that his father fully expects him to fail and be proven worthless.

We see the young child crash landing on Earth, destroying the home of a drunken Jonathan and drug-addicted Martha Kent, failed farmers in a mutually abusive marriage. Kal-Il forces these two to be his new "parents" until he reaches the age of 7, when he decides they are no longer worth the trouble to him. And then we see glimpses of some of Ultraman's first encounters with people in Metropolis.

Through all of this, we learn that an individual was responsible for the destruction of Krypton, although Lara casts some of the blame on Jor-Il, too. We also learn that the same individual who destroyed Krypton came to the Crime Syndicate's Earth and caused the devastation of that planet that prompted the Syndicate members to seek out our universe and come to conquer it.

From there, the story switches to the current time frame. Ultraman continues his search for kryptonite, the source of his powers, but decides to take a detour and investigate this universe's version of his old stomping grounds. Several members of the Daily Planet staff catch the brunt of his temperamental personality, but none moreso than Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane. That is, until Black Adam shows up to challenge Ultraman.

All in all, this issue provides some nice insights into Ultraman. I'm not sure any incarnation of the character has ever really had a back story beyond being an evil, twisted version of Superman, so some of the glimpses into his past were interesting. And the current events were nice moments likely not included in the main Forever Evil series. I'm very curious who it is that destroyed Ultraman's version of Krypton and Earth. I think Darkseid is too obvious an answer, especially since there are strong hints that the hooded prisoner the Syndicate brought with them is the individual responsible for that destruction, and he looks like an ordinary man. If this is the actual destroyer, how did the Syndicate subdue him and what is the purpose of bringing him along? If it isn't the destroyer, then who is he and again, why bring him along?

I'd definitely say I'm enjoying the ride Forever Evil is offering so far.