In this review of Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand #1, we find out what Superman was up to after the DC K.O. tournament, as a lead-in to the future of the Legion of Super-Heroes hanging in the balance.
SUPERMAN 2026 ANNUAL: YEAR ONE THOUSAND #1
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art by EDDY BARROWS and YASMINE PUTRI
Main Cover: EDDY BARROWS
Variant Covers: MARK SPEARS, ARIEL OLIVETTI, MARIO FOCCILLO, ALEX ECKMAN-LAWN
Page Count: 48 pages
Release Date: 7/29/26
This review contains spoilers
In the first part of Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand #1, “The Return of Superman”, we get to find out what Superman was doing during his time away after winning the DC K.O. tournament. After acquiring the powers of King Omega, Clark finds himself in the time stream with the Hourman, Matthew Tyler.
While in the time stream, Superman has to repair the future tainted by Darkseid and is drawn to the ruins of Metropolis in the 31st century. Here, he discovers members of Darkseid’s Legion now seeking refuge in the destroyed city. The former allies of Darkseid want to show Superman they’ve changed, as they’re no longer mentally connected to the ruler of Apokolips.
Shortly after, Superman encounters Infinite Man, an ultra powerful being capable of manipulating time who desires to eliminate the Legion of Super Heroes, since he was in trouble with a past Legion.
Clark is told he can save only one Legion from all of time, but Superman decides to use all his powers in an attempt to save all the Legions. He’s able to defeat Infinite Man by depleting his King Omega and Time Trapper powers.
Superman then finds himself at the end of time, where he’s rescued by Superboy (as seen in Action Comics #1100).
In the second part of Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand #1, “Legion Found”, Hourman is able to see the results of Superman’s actions. Darkseid’s Legion members are now living peacefully, but no sooner does this happen, than a ship crashes down near their home. As the Legion members investigate the ship, an army of Brainiacs emerge and attack.
When Hourman tries to leave to warn Superman, Pandora and Brainiac One Million capture everyone within a massive force field container. Brainiac has made a deal with Darkseid to control the future by making sure no Legion can exist to inspire Superman.
As Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand #1 comes to a conclusion, Brainiac calls upon his new agent, Cyborg Superman, to help with this plan.
Analysis
Oftentimes, comic readers (myself included) may skip annuals, thinking they aren’t necessarily all that related to everything else going on in the title. I would recommend not missing this annual, though, because it’s very relevant to big events in the DC Universe.
Both stories by Joshua Williamson are meant to bridge past and future events, namely DC K.O., the “Reign of the Superboys”, the upcoming “Kingdom of Zod”, and the upcoming new Legion of Super-Heroes. With everything going on over the course of the last year in the DC Universe, it would be easy to get a little lost in the details. Williamson has done a good job of giving recaps and hitting the major story beats in this issue, though, so readers aren’t absolutely required to have read every single issue, making it easier to jump into the overall story.
For those who have followed everything closely, there’s been plenty of reward in an entertaining and interconnected story. The details of Superman’s time as King Omega are fleshed out. Naturally, he makes the decision to sacrifice his chance to get home in order to save all of the Legions throughout time. I like that even though Superman has even more god-like powers than usual, he’s still selfless and willing to save everyone he can.
The fight with Infinite Man is relatively brief, but is of the utmost importance for what’s to come, as it helps to make sense of what’s going on with the Legion of Super-Heroes.
There’s a fair amount of time-related information in this annual that may require a second read to get everything straight. Being more well-versed in previous stories dealing with the Legion would be a plus. Again, Williamson gives enough detail in the story, so don’t hesitate to jump in thinking you have to go back and read a bunch of back issues.
The new upcoming Legion of Super-Heroes series currently scheduled for September looks to build upon the ending with Brainiac One Million and Cyborg Superman teaming up. I always thought Cyborg Superman was a great-looking villain, so I’m looking forward to his return in this upcoming story.
Eddy Barrows and Adriano Lucas handle the art and colors in the first part of the annual while Yasmine Putri tackles everything herself in the second part. The whole issue is vibrant, colorful, and full of energy with my favorite parts being the battle with Infinite Man and the final-page reveal of Cyborg Superman.
Final Thoughts
Superman 2026 Annual: Year One Thousand #1 wraps up the events of DC K.O. by filling in the details of Superman’s absence while serving to tie that adventure to future stories. It’s full of action, excellent artwork, and major story points. Featuring a variety of characters, this is one annual you don’t want to miss. Have fun, comic lovers!
