Warning! Spoilers ahead for Superman #17!The heat just keeps coming Superman Reunites with the first villain to discover that the Man of Steel is vulnerable to magic. It’s a reunion Clark Kent hoped he’d never have, but desperate times are reopening old wounds.
Like most of the heroes of the DC Universe right now, Clarke is powerless and desperately trying to find a way to fight back against Amanda Waller. Clarke and Zatanna team up to find a map that could be the answer to their prayers. But they have to visit the world of magic, forcing Superman to see a despicable villain from his past.
Superman’s old villain child Warlock discovered Clark’s weakness to magic
in Superman #17 By Joshua Williamson, Jamal Campbell and Ariana Maher, a flashback shows Smallville back when Clark was a teenager and still Superboy. The idyllic day is ruined thanks to a fight spurred by a new villain known as Kid Warlock. The magic user with Grange Teams casts a spell as he excitedly realizes his opponent is vulnerable to magic. The future Superman, on the other hand, is afraid of the battle And expresses how much he really doesn’t like magic.
Kid Warlock tries to throw Superman out of Oblivion Bar and summons a spell to help him.
In the present day, Superman and Zatanna are at Justice League Dark’s headquarters after Waller’s attack on the Fortress of Solitude. Clarke is still frustrated that Waller has captured and corrupted Jon, but Superman and Zatanna press on in search of the map of Mordru. The two continue on the strange path, only to discover that Waller’s task force agents are burning down Swamp Thing’s base. The two were almost taken prisoner, however Zatanna finds a magic book that takes her and Superman straight to Oblivion BarThe preferred drinking establishment for magical heroes and villains.
The duo makes it to Oblivion Bar, where they find many magic users hiding out. Superman picks them all out, calling the hiding cowards while their friends are hunted down. A voice rejects Superman’s accusation and it turns out to be the child Warlock, now an adult (although he keeps the ‘child’ for branding purposes). Kid Warlock tries to throw Superman out of Oblivion Bar and summons a spell to help him. But even without powers, Clark stands his ground and manages to defeat his old enemy.
Superman is reckoning with Magic during Absolute power
Amanda Waller changed everything when she finally made her move on the DC Universe’s meta-human community. After months of planning and reaching powerful assets, Waller flooded the internet and airwaves with AI-manipulated footage that made it look like heroes were going crazy and hurting innocent people. This forced the heroes to correct the story by appearing in public in large numbers. Unfortunately, Waller was counting on this and Sent her all-amazo army Task Force VII to super-powered heroes around the world, including Superman.
Waller’s reign of terror began in Absolute Power #1 (2024)!
To make matters worse, Superman was in the middle of stopping a robbery when his powers were taken and he took several bullets to the chest. He is brought to the Fortress of Solitude in critical condition and operated on by Mister Terrific and Doctor Mid-Nite. They managed to Save Superman’s life and put him in his black recovery suitAlthough things are looking grim as hero after hero became powerless or imprisoned in Amanda Waller’s holding facility on Gamorra Island.
Options quickly ran out, but after escaping Waller’s agents, Zatanna approached Superman with a plan. The magical hero informs Superman about the Dark Roads, mystical pathways hidden in the shadows that could help the heroes turn the tables on Waller. However, to safely transport others, they need to find the map of Mordru. Despite his infamous vulnerability to magic, Zatanna insisted that Superman join her because the Dark Roads respond to certain things, namely death (a fringe benefit from Clark’s past brushes with the afterlife).
Superman’s always hated magic, now it’s his only hope
While kryptonite and red solar rays generally put Superman in a bad place, he always had a special distaste for magic. It honestly makes a lot more sense that one of the first people to discover that vulnerability was Child Warlock. Although he is only seen for a little bit, he seems like a real jerk, both as a teen and as an adult. It’s not hard to say that One of the reasons Superman isn’t a fan of magic is because it reminds him so much of this particular enemy from his past.
… This new magical villain influences how Superman perceives the arcane.
But that’s what makes the whole situation so interesting. Magic is one of the few things Waller can’t strictly control (though her Amazons can absorb Spectre-level power). Magic is a powerful force in the DC Universe and it could be the key to helping the heroes win their war against Amanda Waller, perhaps even helping to restore their powers. BooFor Superman, this means getting over his annoyance with magicBecause it might be the only way he’ll stop what Waller has planned.
Child Warlock is obviously a jackass and although it is not seen how often the two fought during Clark’s younger days, this new magical villain influences how Superman perceives the arcane. But there are almost no good options right now. Waller is This Close to winning her war and shutting down DC’s metahumans for good. If Superman wants to come out the other side of Absolute power Victorious, he will have to really confront how he feels about magic and start using it to his advantage.
Superman embracing magic is the turn no one saw coming
As someone who has hated magic since childhood, what better time than now for Superman to start using it to his advantage? As the scene in Oblivion Bar shows, there’s a lot of magic around, so why shouldn’t Superman dip into a little of it to help stop Amanda Waller’s war? Although magic can be a tricky thing, someone with as much confidence and determination as Clarke should be able to handle it. As long as Superman’s Old buddy Kid Warlock stays out of the picture, Clark may be starting to see the benefits of magic soon enough.
Superman #17 is available now from DC Comics.
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