Notice! Contains spoilers for Action Comics #1081!
Almost everyone in Superman Life has important work to do, and now, Superman's brother Mon-El has his own very important responsibility. The Man of Steel's oft-forgotten brother finally has the opportunity to make a tangible difference in the DC Universe as the Director of the Phantom Zone.although now the question is whether he is up to the task.
Action comics #1081 – written by Mark Waid, with art by Clayton Henry – concludes the story of a great prison break from the Phantom Zone; Once Superman and his Super-Family round up all the escaped supercriminals, they come together to decide the best way to deal with them. Leaving criminals locked in a prison for eternity is especially cruel, regardless of the crime they committed.
Ultimately, Mon-El, who is trapped in the Phantom Zone, is given the extremely important task of rehabilitating the Phantom Zone's prisoner population so that they can one day be released back into the real world.
Mon-El finally has the chance to make a difference as director of the Phantom Zone
Action comics #1081 – Written by Mark Waid; Art by Clayton Henry; Color by Matt Herms; Dave Sharpe lyrics
Mon-El's appointment as Director of the Phantom Zone – and More importantly, the way it signifies Superman's trust in him – it's the emotional payoff to a long-running storyline in which Mon-El is especially jealous of Superman.as Superman becomes Earth's hero, something Mon-El never had the chance to do. Due to lead poisoning, Mon-El has been forced to remain in the Phantom Zone and feels like he can do no good in the world because of it. However, Mon-El's new role as Director of the Phantom Zone could change that.
Mon-El has all the powers of a Kryptonian, but with one major extra weakness. Although Superman was elated to believe he had a brother, someone who could finally understand how isolated he felt, he was not able to be with Mon-El for long. Superman's brother is actually a Daxamite, aliens who function exactly the same as Kryptonians under a yellow sun, with the main exception being that Daxamites are not susceptible to Kryptonite, but rather to lead. When Mon-El ended up getting lead poisoning, he had no choice but to accept exile to the Phantom Zone in order to survive.
Mon-El found a way to inspire hope in DC's most desperate prison, proving his superfamily credentials
Superman's brother deserves his new role in DC history
After being sent to the Phantom Zone, Mon-El felt completely useless. He had all these desires to do good, but he was reduced to nothing more than a ghost. There was nothing he could do to help Superman or achieve any good in the world. But now he has the perfect job. Prisoners inside the Phantom Zone are now eligible for parole if they prove they truly regret their actions. Mon-El is now the one overseeing this and deciding who will and will not be released. It's an incredible position that allows the Phantom Zone to be a true place of redemption.
Even in his darkest hour, Mon-El still found a way to inspire hope, which truly proves that he is Superman's brother.
One of the greatest aspects of Superman is his ability to inspire hope. Following Superman's example, one day humanity may be as kind and helpful as he was. Now, Mon-El will have a similar job. Although he still cannot leave the Phantom Zone, he can still accomplish good within it. Mon-El is now the one who oversees all the prisoners and decides whose heart has truly changed for the better. Even in his darkest hour, Mon-El still found a way to inspire hope, which truly proves that he is Superman brother.
Action comics #1081 is now available from DC Comics!