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Superman (2023)
Superman Vol. 5: Love and Mercy
Superman's archnemesis, Lex Luthor, has been off the board following the wiping of his memory during House of Brainiac. However, something has seemingly triggered a return-to-form for the mastermind villain, and he's resurfaced — with a surprising twist! Now Superman and Superwoman must go toe-to-toe with their foe, while also desperately trying to keep Metropolis from crumbling under the weight of attacks from villains like Doomsday and Time Trapper!
Collects SUPERMAN #24-27, SUPERMAN: LEX LUTHOR SPECIAL #1
Collects SUPERMAN #24-27, SUPERMAN: LEX LUTHOR SPECIAL #1
136 pages, Paperback
First published December 16, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 3, 2026
Another 'it's fine / fairly good' entry into the current DC lineup. Like the rest, it has the task of tying up everything before the next big event, and Williamson does a fair job at it. The status quo isn't completely reset, which is appreciated, and the interesting tweaks and changes to dynamics are still pretty much in play. Lex is the stand out as his arc remains the most intriguing. It may even be fair to say that a lot of the supporting cast are currently out shining the Man of Steel himself when it comes to development. An easy read with good moments, this run has only really dipped in quality due to DC's numerous (and mainly underwhelming) events that force inclusion, no matter how tacked in the tie-in is.
January 5, 2026
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I wanted to give this book 4.5 stars, but any reason I could think of made it a round up for me. Great story, great artwork, a good conclusion to this story arc and introducing bit things to come.
Lena Luther is trying her best to get Lex's memory back. However is it more of a case of Lex not wanting to remember his dark choices, but when lives are on the line does he have a choice? Also what is Lex's endgame and how l/who will execute it?
This is a fast paced book. It almost makes this book a quick read, but not rushed. Everything comes together at the end. What does the future hold for Superman, Superwoman and Lex Luthor? The book finishes with a variant cover gallery.
Lena Luther is trying her best to get Lex's memory back. However is it more of a case of Lex not wanting to remember his dark choices, but when lives are on the line does he have a choice? Also what is Lex's endgame and how l/who will execute it?
This is a fast paced book. It almost makes this book a quick read, but not rushed. Everything comes together at the end. What does the future hold for Superman, Superwoman and Lex Luthor? The book finishes with a variant cover gallery.
December 27, 2025
From the very beginning of Joshua Williamson’s Superman run, he has been exploring a new status quo for the relationship of Clark Kent and Lex Luthor, when the latter turned Lexcorp into Supercorp in a way of forming an alliance with the former to fulfil Superman’s hope of a better tomorrow for the world. As this unlikely team-up goes through the ups and downs throughout the series, especially when facing the likes of classic and new villains, Luthor goes through a change during the House of Brainiac event when he suffers from amnesia.
Following events like Absolute Power, it has been interesting seeing this new Lex Luthor who is rocking a beard and shows a more friendly side and would rather not remember being his old evil self. That is at the core of the volume, which begins with the Lex Luthor Special #1 as his daughter Lena and Mercy Graves have been trying to help recover his old memories and now Superman is hoping to do the same for Mr Terrific to create a device to monitor the Absolute Universe.
Jumping back and forth between the past and the present, connected by a piano that Luthor owns from his mother, this initial issue gives insight into how Luthor was always an outsider through his intellect that wasn’t always respected in the family household. As an amnesiac in the present, he is seen by the people of Metropolis as a menace, and even though Superman is about seeing the good in everyone, there is always the debate on whether Luthor can be redeemed after the heinous crimes he has caused.
While it was nice seeing a friendly Luthor, that wasn’t going to last forever, and Williamson reveals it in quite the dramatic fashion. One of the least favourite things from this run has been Supercorp itself as despite setting up one of the main themes that is Supes and Lex’s uneasy alliance, the numerous story arcs never showcased what a major shift the corporation contributed to the Man of Steel’s ongoing heroism. This is where we see what Supercorp has really been about, with Mercy Graves finally showing her cards and revealing the sinister plans that Luthor originated before losing his memory.
If Mercy can’t unlock Lex’s memories, she would have to unleash X-El, a clone of himself possessing powers similar to Superman. Issue #25 is one epic brawl between the Super Couple (Lois and Clark) and X-El, and thus you get multiple artists involved, including Jamal Campbell, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira and Dan Mora. With that many artists, the transition from one to another can be jarring, but along with colorist Alejandro Sanchez, they all do phenomenal work showcasing the intense action that you want from a Superman comic. By the end of #25, Luthor with all his restored memories embraces the dark side again by making a deadly sacrifice that he deems the right thing, despite being sent back to Stryker’s Island Penitentiary.
The remaining two issues from this volume serve as an epilogue to the first two years of this run, in which we see the return of Pharm and Graft who trigger the Red Kryptonite inside Superman so that he goes berserk. Considering that the Red Kryptonite subplot has been teased throughout, it is a shame that Williamson pretty wraps it up in just two issues, which is probably due to what Superman as a character will be doing in subsequent arcs and crossover events. It is particularly disappointing that halfway through the volume that Lois Lane loses her powers and even though there is that possibility that they could come back, the decision to end Lois’ time as Superwoman at this point seems like a misstep.
What problems this volume has, Williamson is still killing it with his handling of Superman and his supporting cast, and now having wrapped two years of storytelling, the writer is now ready for a new stage in the Man of Steel’s adventures.
Following events like Absolute Power, it has been interesting seeing this new Lex Luthor who is rocking a beard and shows a more friendly side and would rather not remember being his old evil self. That is at the core of the volume, which begins with the Lex Luthor Special #1 as his daughter Lena and Mercy Graves have been trying to help recover his old memories and now Superman is hoping to do the same for Mr Terrific to create a device to monitor the Absolute Universe.
Jumping back and forth between the past and the present, connected by a piano that Luthor owns from his mother, this initial issue gives insight into how Luthor was always an outsider through his intellect that wasn’t always respected in the family household. As an amnesiac in the present, he is seen by the people of Metropolis as a menace, and even though Superman is about seeing the good in everyone, there is always the debate on whether Luthor can be redeemed after the heinous crimes he has caused.
While it was nice seeing a friendly Luthor, that wasn’t going to last forever, and Williamson reveals it in quite the dramatic fashion. One of the least favourite things from this run has been Supercorp itself as despite setting up one of the main themes that is Supes and Lex’s uneasy alliance, the numerous story arcs never showcased what a major shift the corporation contributed to the Man of Steel’s ongoing heroism. This is where we see what Supercorp has really been about, with Mercy Graves finally showing her cards and revealing the sinister plans that Luthor originated before losing his memory.
If Mercy can’t unlock Lex’s memories, she would have to unleash X-El, a clone of himself possessing powers similar to Superman. Issue #25 is one epic brawl between the Super Couple (Lois and Clark) and X-El, and thus you get multiple artists involved, including Jamal Campbell, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira and Dan Mora. With that many artists, the transition from one to another can be jarring, but along with colorist Alejandro Sanchez, they all do phenomenal work showcasing the intense action that you want from a Superman comic. By the end of #25, Luthor with all his restored memories embraces the dark side again by making a deadly sacrifice that he deems the right thing, despite being sent back to Stryker’s Island Penitentiary.
The remaining two issues from this volume serve as an epilogue to the first two years of this run, in which we see the return of Pharm and Graft who trigger the Red Kryptonite inside Superman so that he goes berserk. Considering that the Red Kryptonite subplot has been teased throughout, it is a shame that Williamson pretty wraps it up in just two issues, which is probably due to what Superman as a character will be doing in subsequent arcs and crossover events. It is particularly disappointing that halfway through the volume that Lois Lane loses her powers and even though there is that possibility that they could come back, the decision to end Lois’ time as Superwoman at this point seems like a misstep.
What problems this volume has, Williamson is still killing it with his handling of Superman and his supporting cast, and now having wrapped two years of storytelling, the writer is now ready for a new stage in the Man of Steel’s adventures.
January 2, 2026
3.3 stars
June 26, 2025
This one was so fun and seriously one of my favorites!
We see Lex and his memories returning shortly, the whole thing with the piano and how music helps us remember and I loved it and how this volume tried to show Lex as a man trying to change but other things won't let him as you see Mercy unleash her plans and why she did it and this volume in a way also manages to tie the previous 4 volumes so far and its a great culmination of all those stories and its always exciting!!
I like how this one also fleshes out about Red K Superman powers and whats going on exactly but that 25th issue vs X-EL (Bizarro Lex) was so awesome right from the art to the writing and you see the danger and the fight and Superwoman unleashing hell and she gets her big moments and the conclusion really sparked some debates and shows Superman being always cautious of LEX, never trusting him fully and the dramatic aftermath of it and how it makes the book even more exciting!!
The big fight vs Lex and all the elements coming together with Pharm/Graft and Marilyn moonlught and what Clark does next and how it gets resolved, I liked it and also Lois powers being over but it was a fun ride and it actually connects very well to other series and sets up the spin-offs also like Superman Unlimited and Supergirl solo titles.. that was fun tie in for sure too.
Overall I loved the story and it was a great conclusion to the last 2 years worth of stories and tying it up and it will be interesting to see what comes next with Superman vs Dark legion and the book taking centre stage in DCU as Superman deals with one cosmic threat after another as it seems! HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!
We see Lex and his memories returning shortly, the whole thing with the piano and how music helps us remember and I loved it and how this volume tried to show Lex as a man trying to change but other things won't let him as you see Mercy unleash her plans and why she did it and this volume in a way also manages to tie the previous 4 volumes so far and its a great culmination of all those stories and its always exciting!!
I like how this one also fleshes out about Red K Superman powers and whats going on exactly but that 25th issue vs X-EL (Bizarro Lex) was so awesome right from the art to the writing and you see the danger and the fight and Superwoman unleashing hell and she gets her big moments and the conclusion really sparked some debates and shows Superman being always cautious of LEX, never trusting him fully and the dramatic aftermath of it and how it makes the book even more exciting!!
The big fight vs Lex and all the elements coming together with Pharm/Graft and Marilyn moonlught and what Clark does next and how it gets resolved, I liked it and also Lois powers being over but it was a fun ride and it actually connects very well to other series and sets up the spin-offs also like Superman Unlimited and Supergirl solo titles.. that was fun tie in for sure too.
Overall I loved the story and it was a great conclusion to the last 2 years worth of stories and tying it up and it will be interesting to see what comes next with Superman vs Dark legion and the book taking centre stage in DCU as Superman deals with one cosmic threat after another as it seems! HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!
December 30, 2025
«Супермен, Том 5: Любов і милосердя» від Джошуа Вільямсона та Дена Мори назвав би переломним томом, який акуратно зводить разом теми, закладені протягом усього попереднього забігу автора. Історія зосереджується на Лексі Люторі, який після втрати пам’яті постає перед читачем у несподівано людяній версії. Його спроба змінитися, знайти іншу дорогу та вирватися з тіні власних злочинів виглядає щиро, але водночас крихко. Адже світ навколо, як і його минуле, не дає забути, ким він був.
Вільямсон майстерно грає на контрасті між надією Супермена на спокуту та постійною настороженістю, яку викликає Лютор. Втім, повернення Лекса до звичного статусу ворога відбувається драматично й логічно, без відчуття зради попереднього розвитку.
Бойові сцени, зокрема протистояння з Ікс-Елем, вражають масштабом і динамікою. Робота кількох художників, з Деном Морою на чолі, створює візуально насичений і видовищний том, який справді читається як велика подія. Лоїс Лейн у ролі Супержінки отримує яскраві моменти, хоча завершення цієї лінії може здатися надто швидким. Принаймні в мене було велике бажання, щоб ця лінія тривала набагато довше.
Попри окремі поспішні рішення, «Любов і милосердя» залишається сильною, цілісною історією й впевненою точкою переходу до нових викликів для Людини зі Сталі.
Вільямсон майстерно грає на контрасті між надією Супермена на спокуту та постійною настороженістю, яку викликає Лютор. Втім, повернення Лекса до звичного статусу ворога відбувається драматично й логічно, без відчуття зради попереднього розвитку.
Бойові сцени, зокрема протистояння з Ікс-Елем, вражають масштабом і динамікою. Робота кількох художників, з Деном Морою на чолі, створює візуально насичений і видовищний том, який справді читається як велика подія. Лоїс Лейн у ролі Супержінки отримує яскраві моменти, хоча завершення цієї лінії може здатися надто швидким. Принаймні в мене було велике бажання, щоб ця лінія тривала набагато довше.
Попри окремі поспішні рішення, «Любов і милосердя» залишається сильною, цілісною історією й впевненою точкою переходу до нових викликів для Людини зі Сталі.
Review of advance copy
Hello Lex Luthor, haven't you been a good guy for a little too long? Guess it's time for a heel turn, just in time for Mercy Graves to make her move at Supercorp. What's a Superman to do?
This book's just fun, honestly. Williamson's grasp on Supes and his supporting cast is great, and he keeps shifting the status quo enough without feeling like we're moving too fast. I will say that having Good Lex for a little longer might have been fun, but we get a little exploration of him here before things take a turn for the worst.
And DC keep throwing all the best artists at this book. Dan Mora, of course, and then we also have contributions from Eddy Barrows and Sean Izaakse as well. A relative feast for the eyeballs.
This book's just fun, honestly. Williamson's grasp on Supes and his supporting cast is great, and he keeps shifting the status quo enough without feeling like we're moving too fast. I will say that having Good Lex for a little longer might have been fun, but we get a little exploration of him here before things take a turn for the worst.
And DC keep throwing all the best artists at this book. Dan Mora, of course, and then we also have contributions from Eddy Barrows and Sean Izaakse as well. A relative feast for the eyeballs.
July 12, 2025
This volume really didn’t keep the same level of tension and intrigue as the last one, and I really wish that we would’ve been able to actually see the Dark Legion do something. The whole Lex/Mercy plot felt really contrived, especially because I don’t understand why Superman is mad at Lex he didn’t really do anything that bad and just left to see who he actually was. I wish that Lois’ powers were around for longer since they really didn’t contribute anything important to the story and now we won’t get to see her face off Zod. I’m excited for where the book is going, but this arc was a miss for me.
Review of advance copy
3.5 — While not as strong as the last arc, this volume, focusing on lex’s return to his past ways is still enjoyable. It is sad to see Dan Mora not doing the art, and it does make for some weak art in many of the issues, with inconsistency in artists, and even a lack of interest in many issues. However, the story focusing on Mercy betraying Clark was a good plot twist, and the opening Lex story was fun.
December 28, 2025
Williamson cleans his room before turning to the next "big story" with the TimeDoomsday.
No more Good Lex, no more Superwoman, no more Supercorp, no more Red-K, no more what gave the originality of his run. Back to normal.
I was pleased to see Eddy Barrows back but he is kind of underwhelming here.
No more Good Lex, no more Superwoman, no more Supercorp, no more Red-K, no more what gave the originality of his run. Back to normal.
I was pleased to see Eddy Barrows back but he is kind of underwhelming here.
January 9, 2026
Lex Luthor in his new personality version really shines in this volume especially with Mercy now becoming the traditional villain that Luthor used to be. Good to see a wrap up on the Supercorp story as well as the Superwoman story as well.
July 24, 2025
Collects Superman #24-27, Superman: Lex Luthor Special #1
Several arcs wrap up. Sad to see resolution of Superwoman arc, though I suspect it will be back...
Several arcs wrap up. Sad to see resolution of Superwoman arc, though I suspect it will be back...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2025
Wow this was a lot of fun and the art was great!
December 30, 2025
3.5 stars
January 9, 2026
Transitions and setups.
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