Crime Syndicate (2021) #3 of 6

[shakalooloo]

There are still three issues remaining, but it's time for the final showdown with Starro, and Superwoman's origin! Why does she hate men so much? A much more pertinent question than why David Finch drew Starros with four tentacles for the cover!


















Writer: Andy Schmidt, Penciller: Kieran McKeown, Inker: Dexter Vines, Colorist: Steve Oliff

Backup art by Bryan Hitch

Comments

[thanekos]

Assuming that Luthor being darker-skinned here is meant to reflect Superman & Lois initially making its alternate-universe Steel seem like an alternate-universe Luthor.

(The alternative is looking at Luthor being optimistic about Ultraman in a way I don't remember mainline Superman ever being about mainline Luthor, and how that's played for comedic beats, and casting aspersions I don't have any strong basis for.)

[shakalooloo]

As shown in the first issue, the people of Metropolis actually like Ultraman at this point in time, to the degree where the fact that he's a selfish prick is actually a big story in the Daily Planet.

So I think this is just Luthor assuming that Ultraman is the hero he's been presented as to this point (having never faced such a massive threat before), and coming to be disillusioned by the truth.

[thanekos]

That makes sense - still a dragged-out joke, but so's a lot of this.

[lbd_nytetrayn]

If they've had a long-established public rivalry like it said, though...

[aperturedreams]

Weird how the Earth 3 issue of Superman/Batman contradicts this new origin entirely, with Owlman being Bruce and Superwoman being Lois instead of Thomas Jr. and Donna Troy

[shakalooloo]

1. I don't think this series was popular enough for DC to ever use the characters again

2. Mark Waid writes WF, so of course it's the 'classic' version he uses

3. WF is set in the past, definitely prior to Dark Knights Metal, so this 'version' of Earth-3 hadn't been poofed into existence.

[aperturedreams]

Touche on all points

[beyondthefringe]

Yeah, by this point, there's been like, a dozen different takes on the Crime Syndicate across just as many uni/multiversal reboots.

This is, as noted, the post-Death Metal (Infinite Frontier) team, but including elements of the New 52 era, like Atomica, who infiltrated the Justice League during that period. This is also the same version which Waller attacked in the War for Earth-3 storyline a few years ago.

I'd love to see all the many versions of the Crime Syndicate go up against each other. The Pre-Crisis, Post-Crisis (Earth-2 GN), Qwardian team, New 52, post-Death Metal...

[shakalooloo]

Crisis on Infinite Earth-3's could be fun.

[agharta75]

That issue took place on Earth 3.2.