Superman #25 Promised An Epic Showdown, and It Lived Up To the Hype (Review)

While a Superman vs Lex Luthor showdown is anything but unusual, it has never played out like the epic confrontation seen in Superman #25, and that couldn’t be a bigger compliment. One of the hallmarks of this Superman run has been that every character and big idea ultimately mean something in the long run, and that once again is the case in Superman #25, paying off a host of story threads in satisfying ways and then turning those into compelling new threads that will continue to make Superman must read every single month.

Superman #24 ended with a rather massive reveal that Lex’s backup plan was lying in wait this entire time, and Mercy has now put the aptly named X-EL into action. What wasn’t clear until now though is that Luthor never actually planned to use X-EL due to its flawed nature, and we see that play out in an epic battle across the Metropolis skyline.

That battle truly lives up to that description by the way, even with several different artists piecing it together. It helps that the team is made up of a talented roster, including Jamal Campbell, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Dan Mora, Alejandro Sanchez, and Dave Sharpe. Lex is always intimidating, but there’s an eerily menacing quality to X-EL that the team captures throughout the issue, especially as he starts to become more unglued.

The action itself fits with X-EL’s more unhinged nature, and it allows for some of the hardest-hitting Superman and Superwoman battles yet. That’s especially true of Superwoman, who really gets to unleash in a way she’s not been able to in the past. That said, there’s always a cost, and just like in past issues, Joshua Williamson ties it all together in a way that feels earned and also pushes the story forward in new directions.

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That brings us to Lex, who is just as important to the issue’s success as X-EL is. Lex’s amnesia seemed at first like it could have been a plot device that was easily moved past when convenient, and yet over time, that’s proved to be far from the case. Instead, Williamson has used that narrative switch to explore Lex’s past and the possibilities of what he could be if so much of that baggage was removed, and it’s resulted in a compelling battle between two versions of the same character that actually changes how you look at one of DC’s most iconic villains.

That’s part of what makes this issue so powerful, though it’s also where its main flaw can be found. Lex makes a decision towards the end of this issue that feels important to the character internally, as it represents a key shift in his approach after so much change. What doesn’t change though is Superman’s reaction, and it can’t help but feel a little out of pocket given the nature of who X-EL is and isn’t. It’s a very black and white viewpoint for someone who has grown to show that he also understands the grey, even if he doesn’t choose to live there, so this just comes off as misplaced.

That’s a tiny flaw, mind you, and depending on proper context in future issues could end up making more sense. Even if it doesn’t, it’s a small complaint regarding a book that is simply fantastic through and through, and I don’t see Superman’s stellar run coming to an end anytime soon.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Published by DC Comics

Released on April 23, 2025

Written by Joshua Williamson

Art by Jamal Campbell, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, and Dan Mora

Colors by Alejandro Sanchez and Jamal Campbell

Letters by Dave Sharpe

Superman #25 is in comic stores now.

What did you think of Superman #25? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things comics with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!