In this review of Adventures of Superman: Book of El #11, Superman and the House of El prepare to take on Kryl-Ux, but can Superman change the heart of the Promethean King before it’s too late?
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN: BOOK OF EL #11
Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON
Art and Main Cover: SCOTT GODLEWSKI
Variant Covers: LUCIO PARRILLO and CIAN TORMEY
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 8/5/26
This review contains spoilers
Adventures of Superman: Book of El #11 opens on the planet Durla where Kryl-Ux has laid waste to the Promethean Giants. Superman and the House of El discover one of the giants still alive, but in need of assistance.
Upon closer inspection, Superman detects that the giant is not actually alive, but is powered by Pyrrhos, who now wants to make peace and apologize for his previous actions. He shares the location of the god-aspect Superman is looking for and it’s in the Phantom Zone.
Meanwhile, in the Raoan Waste, Kryl gathers alongside Thularamm and Mongul. As Kryl remembers his long lost family, Superman arrives alone to try reasoning with the Promethean King.
While the Man of Steel is almost able to bring him to reason, Kryl becomes frustrated when he can’t remember details of his family, causing him to lash out. The House of El immediately joins in the all-out battle.
Kryl then betrays Thularamm, ripping the Darkstar Ring out of the Sun-Eater. He uses the ring’s power to further level up his god-like stature, ending the issue.
Analysis
After Adventures of Superman: Book of El #10, I had no idea how Superman and family would beat Kryl-Ux, as he was already overpowered. By the end of Adventures of Superman: Book of El #11, Philip Kennedy Johnson takes that level of power and doubles it. On the final-page reveal, Kryl is a massive, seething blue-energy rage beast, dwarfing the heroes and looking insanely intimidating.
This whole series revolves around the love of family and the constant longing to protect them. Kryl may have good intentions, but he can’t come to terms with the reality of the situation. He feels that he’s failed his family and that has driven him to madness. The moment between Kryl and Superman earlier in the story where Kryl remembers his family may hold the key to defeating him. If Superman can figure out how to unlock the Promethean King’s memories, it may be enough to calm him.
The big question as we head into the finale is whether or not Superman can save Kryl. At this point, I think he’s too far gone. PKJ gave a slight glimmer of hope when, for a moment, I thought Superman might be able to talk him down from the ledge, but now the story is set up for an epic brawl and Kryl’s ultimate downfall.
Although brief, I did like the change of heart from Pyrrhos. He realized what he’d done was wrong and wants to make up for it. It was a good demonstration of how we should all be able to ask for forgiveness in situations where we’ve wronged or hurt someone else.
Artwork by Scott Godlewski, Vasco Georgiev, and Cian Tormey with colors by Matt Herms fill the pages and bring the story to life. There are some moments of great emotion between characters, as well as striking action sequences. My favorite is a splash page of the members of the House of El flying right at you in order to join the battle. It’s evenly composed and colorful, giving each character a good look and pose.
Final Thoughts
Adventures of Superman: Book of El #11 brings us to the doorstep of this 12-issue series. It perfectly sets up the final showdown, as Superman and the House of El now face their toughest test against the Olgrun-corrupted Kryl-Ux. Have fun, comic lovers!
