Some thoughts about Superman & the Authority #4

How can Superman save the world?

The Ultra-Humanite has created infinite bodies to take down his enemies once for all but Clark's team is willing to go beyond to not only protect this planet but every other that needs their help.

During last issue I mentioned how I was a bit anxious about this "conclusion" since it seemed like Grant Morrison had way too many ideas and plot-points that were not properly developed to actually create a satisfying resolution in one single chapter, it almost felt like a set-up and I had that little fear that this series was just a prelude to a much bigger story coming next.

Yes, I was right about this mostly being a prelude but I can't criticize Morrison too much since at the very least he delivered a pretty entertaining battle here.

The action-packed and giant-sized last chapter is here and the writer utilizes almost every page to deliver an enjoyable experience. The Ultra-Humanite's plans are bigger than ever with the exploit of his own conscience over multiple bodies and this wouldn't be a Morrison's work without some exploration about identity and such. Is funny since last issue I was complaining that Ultra-Humanite might be a little underwhelming as far as final villains go but guess what? Another villain who Morrison has experience with is the manipulator here and the author gives him a much different look than when he handled the character during his New 52 Action Comics run.

Speaking of Morrison's Action Comics, this finale reminds me of the one from that series, especially how content-packed it is because of the lack of actual progress in the previous issues but fortunately, Superman & the Authority didn't last as long to the point of becoming boring for the most part so that's a plus.

Another positive is that a lot of the content is devoted to character work and team dynamics, many of the protagonists receive great moments, particularly when they deal with the antagonists and even those have an interesting background that is related to the main characters. Is great to see Manchester Black fighting an old teammate, Midnighter dealing with another Queer Metahuman and the highlight is no doubt when the minority members of the team brutally beat a Nazi supervillain, is all pretty satisfying. Even Lois Lane receives a great moment while showing how good of a couple Clark and her are.

The plot progresses at a pretty fast pace and, again, this a set-up for the most part about events that are coming in other series but they're pretty intriguing and exciting so I do want to see more of them, is probably not my favorite way to conclude a title but Morrison tries to do the best with this concept unlike, say, Scott Snyder.

Mikel Janin remains a master storyteller by delivering a work with lots of details, perfectly interpreting the script and creating beautiful and expressive characters.

Solid "conclusion". Can't wait to see what's coming next.