Some thoughts about Superman & The Authority #2

Who will form part of Superman's team?

Clark is convincing Manchester Black that they can work together for the sake of everyone but first, they will have to gather people that both of them trust.

Yes, another series whose first issue I missed and this was specially bothersome because I've been digging Grant Morrison's recent work a lot. Plus, despite that I'm not the biggest fan of his Action Comics run, I still consider his All-Star Superman series a classic so I'm willing to at least try anything he does with the character.

The inclusion of The Authority is also an interesting premise in and of itself since the ideals of the group and Superman's have been shown to clash in the past as seen in Joe Kelly's also classic story What's So Funny About Truth, Justice and the American Way? Where a pastiche of The Authority called The Elite confronted Superman and his beliefs. In fact, both teams play an important role in this series due that Manchester Black, former leader of The Elite, is recruiting members of The Authority, two continuities are coming together.

While I admitedly didn't cover issue 1, is not like I missed a lot since that chapter served mostly as a set-up for the really important events that happen in this chapter where classic characters are reintroduced. Natasha Irons is surprisingly going to play a part here and you can't have an Authority book without their arguably most famous members, Apollo and Midnighter, and of course Morrison had to go all out with the Queer innuendos during their segments but is all in good fun and very respectful despite of it.

It wouldn't be a Morrison story without the references to other continuities and histories and this starts right from the beginning with Black mentioning how in fact he based his Elite team on The Authority while also referencing characters who don't appear here like The Doctor, Jenny Sparks and Jack Hawksmoore. The Enchantress also has a role here while playing with her dual personality which leads to the next part of the plot.

Mikel Janin, Fico Ossio, Evan Cagle and Travel Foreman share the pencils and they all do pretty solid jobs during their respective sections but Janin is no doubt the most impressive with beautiful characters and powerful storytelling.

Good read, hope things continue this way.