Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Julio Farreira
Colors by: Alejandro Sanchez
Letters by: Ariana Maher
Cover art by: Dan Mora (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: February 25, 2026
First Impressions
This issue hits like a Legion mind-probe, raw and disorienting, pulling you straight into a whirlwind of betrayals and robot guts without a breath. The art pulses with frantic energy, shadows slashing across panels that feel alive with desperation, yet the script's rapid-fire reveals leave a nagging sense of rushed stakes in a tournament saga that's already sprawling wide.
Recap
In Superman #34, Superman and Kelex debate deactivating risky Superman robots lacking his moral core, while in the present, Prime and Lois fly one robot loaded with Darkseid intel to the Watchtower as Prime chases the tournament and another robot aids civilians unmasked as the Royal Flush Gang. Corrupted Legion infiltrates the Fortress, destroys Kelex, and interrogates the robot; at the Watchtower, heroes find it deserted save for dying Time Trapper warning of Booster Gold as Darkseid. Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy capture Lois and the robot, torturing them until Prime returns, ready to unleash full power after holding back.
Plot Analysis (SPOILERS)
Doomsday narrates his endless death-rebirth cycle with Superman, warning of looming doom while Superman fights in the tournament; he urges trust in the robot Superman as the last hope against the final god. Superboy-Prime battles Legionnaires like Lightning Lad and others at the Watchtower, smashing them to access the robot's secrets on stopping Darkseid, as Lois defies Saturn Girl's mental taunts about Superman's tournament loss and death to the Horsemen of the Absolute.
Saturn Girl torments Lois with visions of Superman's betrayal and fall, probing her mind and revealing her own memories of love with Lightning Lad, briefly silencing Darkseid's voice. Lois fights back physically, urging Saturn Girl to rebel and aid them against Darkseid; Prime spares Lightning Lad at Saturn Girl's plea, prompting her to order the Legion's retreat despite protests, shaken by hope.
Time Trapper dismisses victory as meaningless with Superman gone, pushing to flee into the past, but Prime and Lois insist on showing robot data: Lara Lor-Van reveals Doomsday's Kryptonian origins as more than destruction, an alpha of eternal life granting second chances, contrasting Krypton's fate. Cyborg Superman, damaged from fighting Cosmic Boy, affirms completing his mission true to Superman's way before expiring.
Time Trapper decides to confront Darkseid personally with remaining power now that Superman has fallen. Meanwhile, Superwoman and Mercy on the supership discuss what to do with humanity's regugees; Superwoman reunites with the Kents caring for kids on the evacuation ship, introducing them to a humbled Prime who asks to be called Clark, teasing future Superboy team-up.
Writing
Williamson keeps pacing electric, flipping between brutal Watchtower brawls and psychic mind-melds without a dull beat, though dialogue occasionally clunks under exposition weight, like Saturn Girl's tournament recap feeling more report than revelation. Structure shines in threading Doomsday's narration as ominous glue, building thematic depth around trust and second chances, yet motivations occasionally blur in the frenzy, leaving Prime's arc feeling reactive over revelatory.
The script leans hard into event tie-in momentum, delivering crisp action beats that propel forward relentlessly. Thematic echoes of sacrifice and corruption land with quiet punch, avoiding heavy-handedness through natural character clashes.
Art
Barrows, Ferreira, and Ferreira craft layouts that flow like a fistfight, dynamic angles thrusting readers into Prime's metal-crushing rampage and Lois's gritty stand, with panel gutters exploding tension. Character acting nails subtle shifts, Saturn Girl's fractured expressions conveying psychic turmoil brilliantly, while inks carve visceral impacts that make every crackle and smash pop off the page.
Colorist Sánchez wields tonality masterfully, cold blues dominating Legion clashes to amp isolation, warming to intimate golds in memory flashbacks that heighten emotional fractures without overwhelming the chaos. Composition synergizes perfectly with script demands, wide establishing shots of unraveling reality contrasting tight close-ups on desperate faces.
Character Development
Prime evolves from hothead to reluctant redeemer, his mercy toward Lightning Lad revealing consistent growth beneath rage, highly relatable in raw vulnerability. Lois embodies unyielding grit, her physical defiance against Saturn Girl underscoring motivations rooted in love and defiance, consistent across mental assaults.
Doomsday gains unexpected layers as eternal witness, his plea for alliance driven by shared history, boosting relatability beyond monster trope.
Originality & Concept Execution
Blending robot intel dumps with origin retcons for Doomsday freshens the tournament premise, executing the "life secrets" hook through psychic leaks and holograms effectively. Event tie-ins feel organic here, subverting expectations with Saturn Girl's waver and Prime's humility, delivering promised high-stakes payoff amid multiversal doom.
Pros and Cons
What We Loved
- Kinetic panel flows amplify brutal Legion smackdown frenzy.
- Saturn Girl's psychic fracture delivers emotional pivot punch.
- Doomsday origin twist refreshes eternal foe dynamic sharply.
Room for Improvement
- Tournament recap dialogue dumps exposition clunkily.
- Cyborg Superman beats feel narratively rushed, undercooked.
- Time Trapper/Darkseid confrontation tease lands too abruptly, lacking buildup.
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
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 3.5/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 3.5/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 1/2
Final Verdict
Superman #35 charges headlong into tournament fallout with enough visceral thrills and character glimmers to justify its slot in your pull list, especially if DC KO's web has you hooked. It stumbles on polished reveals amid the frenzy, but the art's raw power and Prime's pivot deliver solid entertainment bang without demanding blind faith. For fans tracking this unraveling universe, it earns the read; casuals might wait for the trade to see if stakes truly stick.
8/10
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