In this review of Adventures of Superman: The Book of El #2, Superman comes face-to-face with the future and the past while trying to figure out how to get back home.
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN: BOOK OF EL #2
Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON
Art and Main Cover: SCOTT GODLEWSKI
Variant Covers: RICCARDO FEDERICI, LEIRIX, SERG ACUÑA
Page Count: 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
Release Date: 10/1/25
This review contains spoilers
At the conclusion of Adventures of Superman: The Book of El #1, Superman was transported a thousand years into the future by an unknown force. As we start The Book of El #2, he’s seen facing off against several unfamiliar foes in order to protect two individuals, one of whom turns out to be Ronan Kent. After quickly dispatching the assailants, Superman tells Ronan that he has to get to the Fortress in order to get back to his own time and his family in Smallville. Ronan lets him know that he’s already in Smallville, but it’s now called the Planters’ Fief, located in Merisignet Kyne, West Merika Sect. They head off to the Fortress.
Meanwhile, in the Capital Fief, found in Tropolis Kyne, East Merilantis Sect, a Luthor is addressing the citizens on large displays throughout the city. He’s talking about Kryl-Ux, the Promethean King, and how it is everyone’s duty to keep the city safe. At the end of the speech, Luthor is revealed to be a robot controlled just off-camera by a creature in the shadows, with only three green orbs shown as identification. This, of course, is the familiar pattern of Brainiac, the powerful alien cyborg who has been sent from the Raoan Waste to govern the land.
Through communication with Kryl-Ux, Brainiac is told that Ronan Kent and a stranger in blue and red wearing the sigil of Kal-El the Superman were fighting the Summer Men in Planters’ Fief. Kryl-Ux suspects that Superman has somehow survived their encounter from The Book of El #1. Brainiac is instructed to track Superman and bring him to Kryl-Ux.
Upon arriving at the Fortress, Ronan informs Superman that the “Old Man” lives there, despite the place’s run down appearance. We find out that The Old Man is Jimmy Olsen, somehow alive and waiting in the Fortress after Superman’s disappearance ten centuries ago. After a warm greeting between the two, Jimmy begins to tell Superman that he can’t go back yet because there are things he needs to know first. Before Jimmy can share this information, Brainiac and the Summer Men crash through the walls of the Fortress preparing to attack, setting up The Book of El #3.
Analysis
This issue moves quickly, as there’s no slowdown due to a mix of action and information to move the story forward. I like that we get to find out more about this future setting that Superman is now in, as it was created by his departure in the past. It’s interesting that Brainiac, a massive power on his own, is under the rule of someone else. This helps to set up just how powerful Kryl-Ux is in this story. The big question for this issue is how Jimmy Olsen is still alive and kicking in the far future. One would assume time travel is involved.
Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s story so far is balanced. It’s not all action. It’s not all dialogue. There’s a good blend of the two. He’s giving us a continuation to Superman: The Warworld Saga, but we don’t know all the details yet. We’re getting bits and pieces and he’s setting up the chess board, so to speak, which is to be expected early on in this 12-issue run.
Artist Scott Godlewski and colorists Alex Guimaraes and Matt Herms put the focus on the characters, as there’s not a lot of background detail in most panels. That works here because the illustrations and colors look excellent with plenty of detail to keep your eye focused on the characters. One minor complaint I have is that I find Superman’s look to be a bit inconsistent throughout the issue. It could be the result of the variety of angles Godlewski uses to make the action more dynamic, but it is a minor distraction when I’m looking at the overall art.
Final Thoughts
Adventures of Superman: The Book of El #2 is a solid follow up to the first issue. It moves beyond the initial events to give us a better idea of what the rest of the story has in store. While it doesn’t bring the story into complete focus, there’s a lot of development ahead for a story that promises time travel and major fights to test the Man of Steel’s strength and resolve. Fans of PKJ’s Superman: The Warworld Saga are likely already on this one, but if you missed out on that story, there’s no reason to avoid jumping into this book right now.
