In this review of Superman Unlimited #12, we get some newly updated characters and Lois is reunited with young Jon, but is everything as good as it seems?
SUPERMAN UNLIMITED #12
Written by DAN SLOTT
Art by LUCAS MEYER
Main Cover: TAURIN CLARKE
Variant Covers: GUILLEM MARCH, KAREN DARBOE, SALVADOR LARROCA, LUCAS MEYER
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 4/15/26
This review contains spoilers
Superman Unlimited #12 opens in Emerald City, the capital of El Caldero, last seen in Superman Unlimited #6. When last we saw him, President Castilho had gained access to Kryptonian technology. He’s now unveiling his all new Krypto-Knights and these soldiers are clad in purple Kryptonian armor.
The story shifts to a lab in Metropolis where monkeys are being injected with a kryptonite solution. One of them, subject 06638, escapes to roam free in the city.
Next, we join Superboy and Tomorrow Man in Smallville, where a crowd is so excited to see young Jon Kent’s return, they cause him to have a panic attack. He screams at the top of his lungs, causing the crowd to fly through the air. Older Jon has to rescue them. Superboy, still anxious from the chaos he caused, accidentally backs into the Smallville water tower, knocking it over. The two Jons have to quickly work together to prevent Main Street from flooding.
Back in Metropolis, Bibbo Bibbowski is closing up shop for the night when he hears a rustling outside. It’s the escaped monkey, who he names Beppo, looking for food. He shares some pierogies and a soda with Beppo.
Bruce and Damian stop by Lois’s apartment to check on her, but Batman has no updates on the location of Clark. Tomorrow Man and Superboy show up at the apartment at the same time. Lois is shocked by her son’s return, but tells Batman she feels safe and it’s okay for him to leave.
Robin and young Jon exchange glances while Krypto growls and sniffs. Back in the Batcave, Damian begins working on a set of kryptonite batarangs, telling Batman that he doesn’t trust this Superboy.
Analysis
Dan Slott’s got a lot going on in Superman Unlimited #12. He’s setting up a few things for future issues and bringing in a variety of characters, which is something he’s done well in previous entries for this title. I like that there’s a connection between issues, even if we have to wait for the payoff.
It’s been six issues since we last saw Emerald City, so I’m glad to get Castilho back in the mix, especially since we knew he was going to use his newly discovered Kryptonian technology somehow. He’s still giving off villainous vibes and looks to have bigger plans than just protecting Emerald City.
I like the return of Beppo the Super-Monkey. This is a character that first appeared in 1959 and hasn’t been in the comics since the Crisis on Infinite Earths event. It’s great to get an updated version of an old character that will be new to many readers. Beppo is going to be featured in the upcoming issue and should present a small challenge for the two Jons.
There’s definitely something going on with Superboy, as both Damian and Krypto are clearly picking up on it. Slott is setting up some kind of twist with young Jon. It could be related to Master Txyz from Superman Unlimited #11. Could it be that the Fourth Dimensional Demon opened a portal that allowed some other being to come through? It would be heartbreaking for Lois to get her son back only to have him turn out to be someone or something else. It would also be frustrating for readers who have been looking forward to his return.
I don’t think this is the direction Slott is taking the return of young Jon, since it would likely cause too much backlash from fans. Bringing this version of Superboy back is a good thing for the story, so while some kind of quirkiness would be okay, a complete evil twist wouldn’t work.
Lucas Meyer’s artwork and Giuliano Peratelli’s colors in Superman Unlimited #12 look great. Their design for the Krypto-Knights is reminiscent of the Kryptonian War Suit seen in various comics in the past. I still like the overall look of Tomorrow Man, but he needs to lose all of the pouches.
Final Thoughts
Superman Unlimited #12 is filled to the brim with characters and storyline set ups. It’s a good entry in the “Reign of the Superboys” arc with plenty of foreshadowing for upcoming issues. Have fun, comic lovers!
