A vision of Superman’s dark destiny on Warworld was revealed in the FUTURE STATE event. And it seems that future is now! The weakened Clark Kent still reels from the injuries he suffered in space during THE GOLDEN AGE, so it’s hardly the most convenient time to learn of the existence of a number of slaves on Mongul’s mobile planetoid with a direct link to Superman’s past. Rather than leave Earth unprotected, the Man of Steel passes his mantle to his successor and forms of a team of his own to do the job the Justice League can’t – shit down Warworld for good…
Major Crossover: While there aren’t many additional titles tying into this story arc outside of Action Comics and its Annuals, this is still a lengthy arc with an attached mini-series and two one-shots to make it fully complete.
Must Reads: Story arcs marked with a ✔are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second
Previous events that directly impact this story:
- NO JUSTICE – The destruction of the Source Wall
- FUTURE STATE – Visions of Superman’s destiny are revealed
- THE GOLDEN AGE – Superman is weakened while fighting the Breach
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- Action Comics 2022 Annual
- ✔ Action Comics #1030 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1031 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1032 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1033 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1034 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1035 [1/2]
- ✔ Superman and the Authority #1-4
- Batman/Superman: Authority Special #1
- Superman: Son of Kal-El #3 (tie-in)
- Action Comics 2021 Annual
- ✔ Action Comics #1036 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1037 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1038 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1039 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1040 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1041 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1042 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #1043-1046
- ✔ Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1
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| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| Action Comics 2022 Annual Years ago, young Clark Kent learned what true strength meant when he found out his mother had cancer. Clark showed a bully compassion which helped set him on a better path. At the same time, on Warworld, young Mongul and his mother were exiled for being the weakest of their kind. His mother aggressively taught him to be self-centred, but contradicts her teachings when she dies to protect him. With her last breath, she makes Mongul promise to kill his father. | |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1030 [1/2] A stranger kills the sons of Mongul and tells him Superman is the key to unlocking the secrets of Warworld. On Earth, Batman & the Atom run tests Superman to assess the extent of his radiation poisoning. Batman advises Superman to consider letting Superboy – his son, Jon Kent – join the Justice League. Meanwhile, Jon visits Robin in the Middle East. A spaceship pursued by Mongul’s fleet appears over the Fortress of Solitude. Superman investigates and finds Kryptonians inside… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1031 [1/2] Despite Superman & Superboy’s best efforts, the ship crashes into the ocean due to the relentless assault from Mongul’s troops. The two heroes save the severely weakened passengers as it goes down and take them to the Fortress for urgent medical attention. Aquaman’s Atlantean scientists investigate the ship, which seems to have been powered by a broken piece of the Source Wall. While Lois Lane, Supergirl & Superboy investigate the possibility that the refugees are Kryptonians, the refugee with the House of El symbol on her palms wakes up distressed and destroys Superman’s robot Kelex. She recalls being branded by Mongul as part of his plan to destroy Superman… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1032 [1/2] The scared refugee calls herself Thao-La and doesn’t understand why Superman never came to save her or the thousands of others like her from Mongul’s wrath. Energy suddenly and unexpectedly blasts out of Thao-La’s eyes. In Atlantis, the Source fragment mutants a scientist and several isopods to gargantuan proportions. Superman, Aquaman and current Atlantean ruler Murk contain them as they head towards Florida, despite Superman’s momentary distraction by a vision of a ‘Necropolis’. Steve Trevor demands Atlantis turn over the fragment and Mongul’s captured troops to the US Government. Aquaman warms Steve that any attempt to take it will be considered an act of war… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1033 [1/2] Amanda Waller sends Task Force X agents to retrieve the Source fragment (also called the Genesis fragment), but they’re captured by Atlantean guards. Believing the release of the Kryptonian slaves from Warworld to be more pressing that the threat of war between the US and Atlantis, Superman states that’s where the Justice League’s focus should be. Superman, Superboy & Supergirl interrupt when the Atlantean/US situation escalates, ordering them all to stand down. Mongul’s warriors who have been held in the Fortress break free and try to convince Thao-La to carry out her true mission. But Lois Lane comes to her aid with Kryptonian weaponry… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1034 [1/2] Lois and Thao-La fight back against the escaped Warzoons who utilise an Orphan Box against them. When they murder the unconscious Kryptonians, Thao-La obliterates the Warzoons with a blast of energy from her eyes. In the ocean, the US Navy and Atlanteans open fire on each other, enraging Superman who separates them by freezing the waters. Despite Aquaman’s warning, Superman takes the Genesis fragment from Atlantis and hides it. Superman, Supergirl & Superboy rush back to the Fortress to find corpses and Thao-La ready to kill Lois. Superboy rushes to attack… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1035 [1/2] Superman convinces Thao-La to stop, but Mongul activates the Orphan Box which threatens to destroy her. Superman grabs the box and finds himself on Warworld. He throws the exploding box at Mongul before disappearing back to Earth. Two days later, after recruiting a team to accompany him to Warworld and asking Superboy to take over his role on Earth while he’s away (see below), Superman has lost his place in the Justice League for stealing the fragment. Thao-La is in stasis. The League promise to protect Superman’s family while he’s on Warworld. Batman approaches Superman on his own to ask him about the other team he’s formed to take to Warworld and free the slaves. After Batman is introduced to the Authority (see below), Superman advises Superboy to consider League membership while he’s away, but Jon’s too angry. Superman and Lois share an intimate moment before he meets with the Authority. Enchantress whisks them all to Warworld… |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Superman and the Authority #1 In London, Superman saves tenth-level psi Manchester Black when the British Army try to kill him. Superman takes Black to the Fortress of Solitude and reveals the promise he made to John F Kennedy to help make a finer world, at a time when he was briefly trapped in the past. Now, with his diminishing powers, Superman wants Manchester Black to help him recruit a team who’ll succeed where the Justice League has failed… |
| ✔ | Superman and the Authority #2 Superman recruits Steel (Natasha Irons) while Manchester Black invites Apollo and the Midnighter into their ranks at Fort Superman. Next, they plan take out the creature D’z’amor to save and recruit June Moone, but it’s hard to tell what’s real around her and what isn’t… |
| ✔ | Superman and the Authority #3 [1/2] Superman’s team fight to free June Moone from D’z’amor’s control, but it seems he’s been created by June herself to keep her separate from her Enchantress persona. Manchester Black encourages June and the Enchantress to merge, freeing the team from D’z’amor’s zone of flattened space-time. Next, Apollo and Enchantress head off to recruit Lightray (aka Lia Nelson, the Flash of Earth-9 – see TANGENT COMICS). But on a space station floating on Earth’s atmosphere, someone is plotting against them… |
| ✔ | Superman and the Authority #3 [2/2] In the year 2001, Lia Nelson is the first girl born on Mars! Feeling the pressure of her role as Lightray, Lia is about to take her own life when Eclipso offers her a gem. Meanwhile, in Dubai, Manchester Black leads the newly-named Authority against attacking super-criminals. Alone in Fort Superman, the weakened Man of Steel is defeated by Solomon Grundy whose body now houses the brain of the Ultra-Humanite…. |
| ✔ | Superman and the Authority #4 Superman wakes inside the Bottled City of Kandor, just in time to stop the Ultra-Humanite from cutting out his brain. Lois Lane blasts Ultra-Humanite with White Kryptonite from the K-Laser, then Superman rips his head off and figures Brainiac is working with the Ultra-Humanite and Eclipso. The Authority defeat Brainiac’s minions with relative ease and recruit Lightray and her partner OMAC into the team. Superman finally reveals his plan to lead the Authority to Warworld. Later, Superman reveals a stark warning from the Wall regarding Lightray… |
| Batman/Superman and the Authority #1 Despite his misgivings about the line-up, Batman turns to Superman and the Authority for help in defending Earth from an invasion by the Empire of Shadows (originating from the Dark Multiverse). The Authority jump to the Empire’s world and take the corpse of Tempus Fuginaut before the Empire can use it to jump to Prime Earth (the mainstream DC Universe). But back on the Empire of Shadows’s Earth, Bruce Wayne – the Empire’s master – initiates a new plan to conquer Prime Earth… | |
| Superman: Son of Kal-El #3 (tie-in) The superhuman Faultline causes mass devastation in Coast City, but even she’s not sure what’s going on. Superman and Jon Kent take her to Star Labs. Later, Jon allows himself to be arrested for joining protesters standing against the deportation of Gamorran refugees. Jon and his new friend Jay Nakamura are quickly released due to public outcry. At the Kent Farm, Superman reveals he’s going to Warworld and Jon must be Superman now, then departs with Lois. Later, Henry Bendix arranges for Faultline to be retrieved from Star Labs and drops her on the Kent Farm, annihilating the house with the Jonathan & Martha Kent, Jay and the new Superman inside. | |
| Action Comics 2021 Annual Years ago, on Warworld, little Thao-La is told a story of the distant past (which actually revolves around the future House of El of FUTURE STATE) when the wedding of Alura Van-El and Khan of Warworld Prime was interrupted by Pyrrhos (the son of Superman & Circe). He transported the members of the House of El to the Phantom Zone. They were saved by an aged Cyborg Superman (Hank Henshaw) who revealed to them that the Phantom Zone is the mind of a god named Aethyr. He took them to the corpse of Mister Miracle (presumably of FUTURE STATE) so that Brainiac 4 could use his Mother Box to open a portal home. Despite Henshaw’s betrayal, the House of El made it back and drove Pyrrhos away. Brandon Kent passed the role of Superman to Ronan Kent and retired. Superwoman (Kara Zor-El) completes Alura & Khan’s wedding ceremony. |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1036 [1/2] Superman and the Authority hurtle towards Warworld, unaware that there’s a bigger conspiracy surrounding the offshoot Kryptonians – the Phaelosians. When they arrive, they’re greeted by a hologram of Mongul’s mysterious co-conspirator who shows him the bodies of all the dead Phaelosians, murdered before Superman’s arrival. The heroes destroy a statue of Mongul and head to Warworld’s arena where Mongul’s right-hand man Chaytil Ironbled summons Mongul’s Champions to oppose them. Mother preys on Superman’s recent injuries to magically reveal his true, weakened form. Mongul rides a creature into the arena to face Superman himself… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1037 [1/2] Lord Premier Thaaros of Elliosha convinces the other members of the United Planets not to support Superman’s campaign against Mongul. On Warworld, the Champions make short work of the Authority, with the Unmade outright killing Apollo. Mongul takes on the weakened Superman, made weaker by Warworld’s Star Forges with power similar to a red sun. When Darling murders Lightray with one punch, Mongul skewers the distracted Superman with a spear. Monitoring events, Thaaros convinces the United Planets to pretend they never witnessed the death of Superman… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1038 [1/2] Superman & the Authority are captives of Mongul. Only Midnighter got away. Mongul orders Superman to execute Khaljo – the Warzoon who allowed Midnighter’s escape – but instead he uses the axe to cut down Lightray’s chained body. Superman is jailed with the remaining Phaelosians and promises to free them. Midnighter tries to free Superman, but he refuses to give up on the people of Warworld. Midnighter leaves him in his cage… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1039 [1/2] Time has passed. Superman, Steel and OMAC have regularly been forced to fight in Mongul’s arena. Steel gets to work with the smithy and builds Superman some armour. The elder Phaelosian Kryl-Ux teaches Superman to fight like a warrior. Midnighter leads his band of willing rebels to the centre of Warworld where he confirms his suspicions that Apollo is alive… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1040 [1/2] About a month passes. Mongul makes a rare appearance in Warworld’s arena where he tries to convince two Phaelosian siblings – the young Osul-Ra & Otho-Ra – to kill each other for him. Teacher of the Champions offers to restore Lightray’s life for OMAC in exchange for control of her systems. Midnighter and his rebels prepare to destroy a Star Forge. Kryl-Ux leads Superman to the Genesis source below Warworld that restores his powers, but Mongul sends Warzoons to kill the siblings while they’re gone… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1041 [1/2] Weeks ago, Midnighter began freeing slaves and building an army. As the weeks passed, Midnighter searched for a way to free Apollo from the Star Forge he was being used to fuel. The time-travelling Phaelosian Byla-Esh tells of Superman’s past and future battles and, in the present, he warns Midnighter that his proposed attempt to free Apollo is happening too early. OMAC defects to the Warzoons and joins the party intent on killing the young Phaelosians. Superman joins Midnighter and his forces, ready to defend them… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1042 [1/2] On Earth, Lois Lane and Jon Kent – now picking up the Superman mantle – begin a search for the missing Genesis fragment to save Thao-La. On Warworld, Teacher disrupts the revolution by using Manchester Black’s powers against the heroes. Superman defeats OMAC before Mongul arrives. Superman takes Teacher’s Orphan Box and teleports his friends to safety. On Earth, Lois figures Superman gave John Henry Irons Genesis fragment. When she pays John a visit, the flares up in front of them… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1043 [1/2] Six weeks later, Superman leads an assault on Teacher’s Necropolis, defeating him and the Orphan and freeing Manchester Black. Mongul discovers Thaaros has broken his secret deal and kept the existence of the United Planets’ new winged battle automaton fleet from him. Mongul takes planet Vylishei and demands 10,000 of these automatons are given to him – a deal Thaaros reluctantly accepts. Byla-Esh tells Superman of the power at the centre of Warworld that Mongul seeks, but must instead be claimed by someone worthy if the universe has any hope of surviving. |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1043 [2/2] Hiding out in the Necropolis, Byla-Esh tells the freed slaves of the very first Mongul from a time before the planet became Warworld. Guldejo was the first of the Warzoon to encounter the Necropolis and murder its godly resident. Guldejo stole the being’s armour and the gem that gave him power, taking the name Mongul. From there, he would kill and conquer. As his murderous bloodline continued over time, they transformed the planet into Warworld. |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1044 [1/2] After the Source Wall broke months ago (during NO JUSTICE), Orphan was found by Teacher and used to create his Orphan Boxes. Now, Orphan agrees to help Superman free the Enchantress. OMAC’s allegiance to Mongul is tested when his alchemists fail to resurrect Lightray. Superman and his allies free the Enchantress with Orphan’s help. Mother turns against Mongul, who defeats her and hands her to his Blood Priests who use her essence to resurrect Lightray in a darker form as the Black Razor… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1044 [2/2] Thao-La’s life support chamber begins to fail as her energies flare, bringing her closer to death. Supergirl flies her to the Sun to gain enough energy to live a little longer. John Henry Irons’ niece, Steel, contacts him and advises him to refine the power of Genesis. Elsewhere, Amanda Waller employs Conduit to retrieve the Genesis fragment… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1045 [1/2] Three weeks pass. Apollo, OMAC, Black Razor and Darling devastate Mongul’s enemies as his new champions, the Unmade. Steel plans to convert the power of Warworld’s reactors so they can charge up Superman & the Phaelosians. Now fully powered, Superman, Kryl-Ux, Osul-Ra & Otho-Ra find the centre of the Necropolis via a dimensional bridge, and are shocked to discover Byla-Esh already at its centre. Byla takes on a monstrous form and challenges Superman… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1045 [2/2] With help from Natasha Irons and Orphan communicating from Warworld, John Henry Irons builds a Genesis Reactor which saves Theo-LA’s life. Natasha realises the reactor could be vital to liberating Warworld. But their signal is cut off when Conduit attacks and steals the Genesis fragment. Lois calls on Jon Kent, Supergirl, Supergirl, Superboy and the Super-Man of China for help… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1046 [1/2] Superman and the Phaelosians fight for their lives against Byla-Esh in his ‘Old God’ form as it breaks the bridge through dimensions, stopping them from returning to Warworld. In order to escape this spectral reality, Superman faces the giant shade of Olgrun to win the blade called Fire of Olgrun. When he returns to the two young Phaelosians, Mongul holds Osul-Ra & Otho-Ra at sword-point and barters for the Fire of Olgrun in exchange for their lives. And Kryl-Ux stands with Mongul… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1046 [2/2] Steel, Supergirl, Superboy and Super-Man catch up with Conduit. When he’s outmatched and Waller refuses to send help, Conduit turns the power of the Genesis fragment against the Super-Family. The Genesis overloads the Kryptonite in his armour, so Steel smashes the fragment to save Conduit’s life. As he passes out, Conduit warms “he’s awake now, he’s coming”. With the fragment destroyed, Thao-La may die and the plan to help Superman finish the fight on Warworld is in ruins… |
| ✔ | Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1 Steel (Natasha Irons) and Orphan defeat Teacher and reclaim Darling. Leonath sacrifices himself to activate the reactor and subvert one of the Star Forge engines with the power of a white sun. Mongul drives his blade through Otho-Ra and lunges at Superman. The Man of Steel – now fully healed of his radiation poisoning thanks to the white Star Forge – fights back, then plunges the Fire of Olgrun into Otho-Ra which revives him. Midnighter leads the rebellion on Warworld. The Justice League arrive and free Apollo from Teacher’s influence. Mongul and Superman battle it out until Kryl-Ux kills Mongul with the charge from the new Star Forge. It was Kryl-Ux who inspired Mongul to attack Superman on Earth in the first place. With Mongul dead, Kryl-Ux’s work is complete and he teleports away using an Orphan Box. OMAC sacrifices himself to stop Black Razor from destroying the repurposed Star Forge, which transforms her back to Lightray. Warworld is now free. Weeks later, Kryl-Ux reveals to Thaaros that he commands the remaining Warzoons and swears revenge on the United Planets. Superman returns home, recharged and reunited with Lois Lane. |
At the time of publishing this entry, The Warworld Saga is a very recent event. So please be warned that the fallout section will be limited and contain spoilers.
| Must Reads | Issue & Fallout | Event / Crossover |
| Superman: Son of Kal-El #4-7 (2021) Jay Nakamura and Jonathan & Martha Kent survive the attack on the Kent Farm thanks to Jon Kent saving them at superhuman speed before Faultline hits; the Earth-bound Superman’s feud with Henry Bendix escalates. | ||
| ✔ | The Flash #775 (2021) The Ultra-Humanite and Eclipso return; the Ultra-Humanite is among the costumed criminals manipulated by Eclipso. | |
| Superman: Son of Kal-El #4-7 (2021) Jay Nakamura and Jonathan & Martha Kent survive the attack on the Kent Farm thanks to Jon Kent saving them at superhuman speed before Faultline hits. | ||
| Superman: Son of Kal-El #14-15 (2021) Jon Kent takes the fight to Henry Bendix to liberate the people of Gamorra. | ||
| ✔ | Superman: Son of Kal-El #16 (2022) The Ultra-Humanite next faces a member of the House of El when Jon Kent returns him to Stryker’s Island Penitentiary. Action Comics #1047-1050 (2022) Superman brings Warworld Earth’s atmosphere, raising concerns at the United Nations; the New Gods confront Superman over raising Olgrun – one of the gods of the First World – and granting its power to Osul-Ra; Warworld departs Earth’s atmosphere with its inhabitants intent on returning to their home planets; Kryl-Ux takes control of Warworld and recruits Chaytil Ironbled; Manchester Black suffers a dark. | KAL-EL RETURNS |
| ✔ | Justice Society of America #1 (2023) Solomon Grundy regenerates and is recruited into Huntress’ new Justice Society of America. | THE NEW GOLDEN AGE |
| ✔ | Action Comics #1051 (2013) Osul-Ra & Otho-Ra join the House of El as the Super-Twins; Natasha Irons officially becomes a member of the House of El in her Steel identity. Superman #1 (2023) Brainiac plots his next move against Superman. | DAWN OF DC |
| Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #1 (2023) Despite Clark Kent’s return to Earth, Jon Kent continues to operate as Superman while also meeting another Superman – Val-Zod of Earth 2. | DAWN OF DC INJUSTICE |
A list of the Collected Editions that brings the Warworld Saga together…
Superman: The Warworld Saga
- Action Comics #1030-1046
- Action Comics 2021 Annual
- Action Comics 2022 Annual
- Batman/Superman: Authority Special #1
- Future State: Superman: House of El #1
- Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #1-2
- Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1
Superman – Action Comics vol.1: Warworld Rising
- Action Comics #1030-1035
Superman – Action Comics vol.2: The Arena
- Action Comics #1036-1042
Superman – Action Comics vol.3: Warworld Revolution
- Action Comics #1043-1046
- Action Comics 2022 Annual
- Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1
Superman and the Authority
- Superman and the Authority #1-4
Superman: Son of Kal-El vol.1: The Truth
- Superman: Son of Kal-El #1-6
Reading Order ©OmniverseComicsGuide 2023
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