In this review of Superman #35, will Superboy Prime and Lois succeed in their mission to deliver Robo-Superman and the Kryptonian message to Doomsday?
SUPERMAN #35
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art by EDDY BARROWS, JÚLIO FERREIRA
Main Cover: DAN MORA
Variant Covers: GUILLEM MARCH, ROD REIS, DAVIDE PARATORE, CHRIS STEVENS, CHRISSIE ZULLO
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 2/25/26
This review contains spoilers
Superboy Prime, Lois, and Robo-Superman kick off the action in an all-out brawl with Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, and Cosmic Boy. The robotic Superman is quickly taken out of the fight by Cosmic Boy, but Prime and Lois hold their own against the other two Legion villains.
Saturn Girl mentally connects with Lois to show her that Clark has died in the tournament. Enraged, Lois unleashes her powers, but it’s not enough, as Saturn Girl knows her moves before she makes them. Saturn Girl delves too deep into Superwoman’s mind, though, and Lois is able to turn the tables, forcing Imra to look closer at her love for Garth, breaking her link with Darkseid.
Prime gets the upper hand against Lightning Lad and threatens to break his neck, but Saturn Girl begs him to let Garth live. Prime reluctantly releases him and the Legion leaves via boom tube.
Fortunately, the Kryptonian message is still safely stored in Robo-Superman and it’s able to play for Doomsday. Lara Lor-Van tells him that he is the embodiment of eternal life, the Alpha to Darkseid’s Omega. With the message relayed, Doomsday knows that he must use his last remaining power to face Darkseid. He teleports away in a flash of light.
We get an epilogue with Lois now onboard a supership housing millions of people in lunar orbit. She’s looking for the Justice League, but they’re nowhere around. She does find Jonathan and Martha Kent, who are happy to know that she’s okay, but they’re worried about Clark. Lois introduces them to Superboy Prime, who asks them to call him Clark.
Analysis
As we near the end of the massive DC KO event, the fights have gotten bigger and the consequences have become clearer. In this tie-in, Joshua Williamson finally reveals Doomsday’s true role in the whole story. Time Trapper has obviously played a huge part in all of this, but mostly in fits and starts. In Superman #35, Williamson sets him up for a savior role in the finale. I know that Superman is gone for now and that he’ll eventually return, but I wonder if Doomsday will bring Clark back to life in a completely opposite turn from the 90’s when he “killed” the Man of Steel.
What I found more interesting in Superman #35 was the turn of Saturn Girl. She’s fully aware of Darkseid’s ability to track the Legion down anywhere they go, but she throws all care aside in order to save Garth. The question now becomes how soon will it be before Darkseid comes calling for her? This should be addressed in DC KO #5, but I could see Williamson leaving this hanging for some point in the future.
Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira are joined by Julio Ferreira for artwork and it looks just as excellent as Superman #34. Their linework and inking create plenty of panels that are full of action and energy. I find that they do a great job of handling facial expressions. There’s a range of emotions from pain to joy to anger that come through in their drawings. Alejandro Sanchez’s colors are vibrant. A couple of my favorite pages include the two-page spread early in the book with Prime and Robo-Superman taking on the Legion, as well as a few pages later when Lois and Saturn Girl are battling across a full page.
Final Thoughts
Superman #35 puts us right at the doorstep of the DC KO finale! This one is packed with great fights, a major Doomsday revelation, and a surprising turn by the Legion villains. Have fun, comic lovers!
