Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Hayden Sherman
Colors by: Alejandro Sanchez
Letters by: Ariana Maher
Cover art by: Hayden Sherman, Mike Spicer
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: December 24, 2025
Superman #33, by DC Comics on 12/24/25, plunges readers into round seven of the K.O. tournament where Lex Luthor faces off against a demon in what amounts to a philosophical chess match disguised as a fistfight.
First Impressions
The opening pages immediately ground you in Lex's internal conflict about morality and choice, which is compelling conceptual work. However, the execution visually falls flat, with muddy, unclear panel transitions that make it hard to follow who's doing what. The art never quite matches the intellectual weight of what Lex's narration is trying to communicate.
Recap
Superman #32 established that the K.O. tournament is in full swing to determine a champion powerful enough to challenge Darkseid and save reality. Lex Luthor has been recruited into this cosmic fight, forced to confront his own moral ambiguity as he contemplates whether his choices truly serve the greater good or just himself. His preparation for battle includes a mysterious encounter with Neron in Hell that left him questioning what's real and what's psychological manipulation.
Plot Analysis
Lex enters the tournament arena for round seven against a demon (later revealed to be Etrigan in human form thanks to Jason Blood's cage). The Heart of Apokolips sends them to Camelot, a callback to Lex's past experiences in the underworld. The demon questions why Lex wears Superman's symbol and accuses him of being sentimental, but Lex clarifies he chose it strategically because he knows what's built into the armor. As they battle across shifting arenas, the demon grows frustrated that Lex isn't relying purely on strength; instead, Lex treats it like a puzzle to solve.
Lex uses runes carved into his skin from his previous hellish encounters to cast a possession spell, turning the demon against Jason Blood and forcing Etrigan out. The spell essentially frees Etrigan from Blood's curse while eliminating him from the tournament. Lex wins by understanding the rules of the game better than his opponent and using prep work and knowledge rather than raw power. He advances but is left with a cryptic warning from Grodd that everyone has been betrayed by someone, though Grodd refuses to say who before Lex is transported to the next round.
Back at the Fortress of Solitude, Superman's allies upload a massive Kryptonian archive to send to the Time Trapper, which will only hold for two hours. Superman's son from the future (Prime) delivers bad news about the Legion being erased from existence and reveals that Superman flew back to save them by unraveling the timeline. The issue ends with Time Trapper preparing for the final showdown, seemingly one step ahead of everyone and ready to become a god.
Writing
Joshua Williamson handles Lex's internal monologue with sophistication, building a genuine internal conflict that doesn't reduce to simple hero-versus-villain dynamics. The dialogue between Lex and the demon carries weight and subtext, with Lex repeatedly turning the fight into a war of wits. However, the pacing suffers significantly in the second half of the issue. The Fortress of Solitude sequence feels rushed and disconnected from the main battle, crammed in without proper setup or emotional landing. The jump to Time Trapper at the end feels abrupt and unearned. The four-page Lex battle gets the space it needs; the backup material does not.
Art
Hayden Sherman's artwork is the issue's biggest weak point. While there are moments of stylistic flair during the demon transformations, the majority of the fight sequences are visually confusing. Panel-to-panel clarity breaks down regularly, making it hard to track Lex's positioning or understand how he's executing his strategy. Faces are often unclear or poorly defined, and the composition lacks the dynamic energy needed for a physical confrontation. Alejandro Sánchez's colors attempt to establish mood in the hellish sequences but are muddied by the linework beneath. The art never achieves the "wow" moments that a tournament climax demands. When Lex casts the possession spell, it should be visually stunning; instead, it reads as confusing panel layouts.
Character Development
Lex remains the issue's strongest element. His philosophical questioning about his own morality, his willingness to lose the first round intentionally to study his opponent, and his refusal to let anyone control him paint a compelling portrait of a man trapped between genius and desperation. The character is consistent with his established motivation: to win through intellect and preparation rather than power. The demon, by contrast, is poorly defined and becomes a target rather than an actual character. Etrigan's arc is undercut by being used as a literal plot device rather than a meaningful opponent. Grodd's appearance feels like setup for future issues but does nothing for this one's internal logic.
Originality & Concept Execution
Matching Lex Luthor against a demon was a genuinely smart choice for this tournament. Lex can't win through strength, so he has to win through cunning, preparation, and understanding the rules better than anyone else. That's fresh for a tournament arc that's been heavy on power-based matchups. The rune-based possession spell is creative, turning Lex's past trauma into a weapon. However, the execution falters because Sherman's art doesn't deliver the visual payoff this concept needs. A fight built on strategy and wit needs clear, intelligent panel composition to communicate how Lex is outsmarting his opponent. Instead, readers have to infer it from dialogue alone.
Positives
The Lex-versus-demon matchup is the standout of this issue and delivers exactly what was promised. Williamson's characterization of Lex as someone who thinks five steps ahead, willing to take a loss to gather intelligence, and absolutely determined to control his own destiny makes him a captivating protagonist. The concept of using possession magic as a strategic win condition is clever and thematically appropriate for a character who's spent years being manipulated by external forces. The opening monologue about Lex's past choices and their consequences gives real weight to why this tournament matters to him personally. That's measurable character depth in a tournament comic, which is rarer than it should be.
Negatives
The art is a significant problem that can't be ignored. Hayden Sherman's linework is inconsistent and often unclear, making the primary action sequence of the issue visually difficult to follow. For a comic built on Lex's strategic brilliance, the reader should be able to see how he's executing his plan. Instead, you're told he's winning through dialogue while the visuals suggest chaos. The Fortress of Solitude backup sequence feels tacked on and rushed, disrupting narrative momentum just when Lex's victory should be landing emotionally. The issue promises a tournament showdown and delivers it, but the execution can't match the concept. By the final page, you're left wondering what Time Trapper's deal actually is because the information dump doesn't connect to anything Lex experienced, making the ending feel detached from the main story.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TwitterThe Scorecard
Scoring Breakdown:
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): [2.5/4]
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [1.5/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [1/2]
Final Verdict
Superman #33 nails the creative matchup and story concept but stumbles hard on the fundamentals. Lex Luthor versus a demon should be a showcase for tactical brilliance, but Sherman's unclear artwork undermines every panel. You're reading dialogue about strategy while looking at a visual mess that doesn't communicate what's actually happening. The battle itself is conceptually clever enough to hold your attention, and Lex's character work is solid, but that's not enough to justify the cover price when the execution fails this badly.
5/10
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
Connect With Us Here: Weird Science DC Comics / Weird Science Marvel Comics
If you're interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.
No comments:
Post a Comment