Gone are the days of red, blue, and gold. Superman now dons a new color and although the white does symbolically invoke peace and a sense of calm, the contrasting red delivers the punch of calamity and horror. DC has decidedly gone dark with this new issue and writer Joshua Williamson is enjoying a current high with his experimental take on the Man of Steel in the newly published comic, Superman #3.
Superman Gets a Facelift in the New DC Comics Issue
The world of DC has gone stark raving mad as horror and hope blends into one. With Lex Luthor in prison and yet holding enough power and control over Superman’s thoughts and actions, the supervillain has been pulling strings from behind the scenes. Meanwhile, our Man of Tomorrow joins hands with his archnemesis to put an end to the chaos incurred by Metropolis due to multiple Parasite clones running rampant over the city that Clark Kent calls home.
Taking inspiration from horror guru, Sam Raimi, the writer of the new issue takes his protagonist on a journey that defies any other publication to date. Not only does the beacon of hope undergo a facelift – one that is vicious enough to fuel nightmares – but also gives him an entire makeover in terms of costume. The red and blue tights are ditched over a plain white and red that stands as a stark contrast to and a dramatic shift from a century-long established tradition. And Williamson revels in his authority to defy the boundaries and the unspoken rules that define the world of comics.
Joshua Williamson’s Reasons For New Superman Costume
In an interview with CBR, Joshua Williamson, the writer of Superman #3 reveals what went behind the genesis and creation of a new Man of Steel costume and how his work defines the birth of a new era at DC.
“Issue #3 is going to be really fun. Clark gets a new costume just for the issue. Like I was saying, Batman gets all the toys, and I want more Superman toys. It really is Part 3 of this small arc that sets a lot of stuff up, but we’re just getting started. There is a lot of cool, fun stuff coming up in this next issue, and you’ll see how everything we set in the first issue starts to come together in the third.
It’s definitely a horror issue, but I think it’s funny. I’m a big fan of black humor. I really love Sam Raimi and that kind of stuff. There is definitely a little bit of black humor in the next issue, and it definitely has horror, but it’s still Superman, so it’s a lot of fun. I love these first three issues. I think these three issues are some of my favorite work I’ve ever written for DC.”
Also read: 10 Memorable Superman Suits
The new Superman series helmed by Williamson that follows directly in the aftermath of the events of Action Comics #1050 witnesses the superhero going through a horrific metamorphosis, battling a never-ending horde of Parasites, and reclaiming his identity. The new issue, according to Williamson, blends in a perfect dose of horror and comedy – which, under the new regime of James Gunn’s Gods and Monsters fits in perfectly with the ensuing arc that’s about to take over the world of cinema and television.
Superman #3 releases on 18 April 2023.
Source: CBR
