Superman: Final Days of Superman (Comics) | Review

Death comes for everyone eventually, even superheroes who seem invincible and untouchable. The Final Days of Superman crossover event marks the end of an era, closing out Superman's controversial five-year New 52 run with the dignity and respect Superman deserves, regardless of mixed fan opinions about his characterization.

Writer Peter J. Tomasi (Batman and Robin: Born to Kill, Green Lantern Corps: Recharge) crafts an ambitious and emotionally charged eight-issue crossover spanning Superman #51-52, Action Comics #51-52, Batman/Superman #31-32 and Superman/Wonder Woman #28-29.

This isn't a cheap shock death for headlines or sales spikes. Here's a Superman who knows he's dying, racing against time to protect the world one final time while saying goodbye to everyone who matters most. The collection bridges the Truth saga and Savage Dawn directly into DC Rebirth event, where everything changes forever.

Years of accumulated damage have caught up with Clark Kent. Exposure to Apokolips fire pits, massive Kryptonite vaults and cosmic energies have destroyed his cellular structure beyond repair. His body is failing and this time there's no miracle cure waiting in the Fortress.

Superman realizes he's dying. Not hurt, not weakened but genuinely approaching the end of his life. The exposure to Apokolips fire pits during Darkseid War, the Kryptonite poisoning from the A.R.G.U.S. vault and other brutal battles have caused irreversible cellular damage through his entire body that cannot be healed anymore.

Rather than hide or despair, Superman chooses to spend his final days making peace with loved ones and ensuring Earth stays protected. He visits Lana Lang first, breaking the news to his childhood friend who's devastated by the revelation but tries staying strong for him.

Batman refuses to accept Superman's fate, desperately searching for solutions that don't exist. Their conversation hits hard because Bruce can't fix this with technology or detective work. Alfred overhears everything and thanks Superman for his service before Clark leaves, a quiet moment that carries surprising emotional weight.

Superman passes the torch to Supergirl, giving her full access to the Fortress of Solitude and asking her to protect Earth as the last survivor of the House of El. Kara initially resists but listens when Superman explains he's dying, accepting the responsibility even while processing grief.

Wonder Woman learns the man she loves has days to live. Their relationship throughout the New 52 era divided fans but Tomasi handles their final moments with genuine care. Diana refuses to accept Clark's death at first, then shifts to making every remaining moment count.

While Superman makes his farewell rounds, a violent convict named Denny Swan gets struck by a mysterious energy bolt carrying Superman's genome. The energy transforms Denny into a being of pure solar power while completely scrambling his mind. He becomes convinced he's the real Superman and Clark Kent is an imposter.

Denny escapes from A.R.G.U.S. containment, causing chaos while insisting he's protecting the world as the true Man of Steel. His powers grow increasingly unstable while his mental state deteriorates rapidly. He kidnaps Lois Lane, demanding she acknowledge him as Superman.

The chase leads to an unlikely encounter. A black-clad figure appears with Superman's powers and appearance, revealed as the Pre-Flashpoint Superman who survived Convergence and has been living quietly on this Earth with his Lois Lane and son Jonathan. The multiverse collision very unexpectedly brings two Supermen together.

Denny Swan's powers reach critical mass, threatening to explode with force to devastate everything. Superman realizes stopping this explosion requires ultimate sacrifice. He grabs Denny and attempts flying him to orbit but his failing powers give out before reaching altitude.

Pre-Flashpoint Superman arrives, helping carry both combatants beyond Earth's atmosphere. New 52 Superman thanks his counterpart, asks him to protect this Earth and releases his solar flare ability just as Denny explodes. The explosions cancel each other out, neutralizing the threat but devastating Superman's failing body.

Superman falls back to Earth, caught by his Pre-Flashpoint counterpart before impact. Surrounded by Batman, Lois Lane, Supergirl, Wonder Woman and others, the New 52 Superman dies peacefully. Eventually, his body erupts in red energy, leaving only ash.

Mikel Janín (Forever Evil: Blight, Wonder Woman: Lords & Liars) handles the opening chapters with detail that emphasizes emotional beats over action. His Superman looks tired and vulnerable, the weight of mortality visible in every expression. The quiet conversations benefit from Janín's attention to subtle character works.

Doug Mahnke (Batman: Under the Red Hood, Black Adam: The Dark Age) handles the climactic battle sequences, bringing raw power to Superman's final confrontation. The orbital fight explodes across pages with scale. Mahnke's Superman looks heroic even while dying.

Multiple artists including Dale Eaglesham, Ed Benes, Paul Pelletier and Scot Eaton contribute to chapters. The shifting art styles occasionally disrupt visual continuity but each brings distinct strengths. Benes' dynamic compositions, Eaglesham's dramatic staging and Pelletier's fluid action all serve the story's emotional needs well.

Tomasi's writing treats death with gravity. This isn't temporary or reversible. The farewell scenes avoid melodrama while acknowledging genuine loss. Batman's frustration, Supergirl's grief, Wonder Woman's denial all feel authentic rather than manufactured for manipulation.

The Final Days of Superman succeeds as a send-off for the New 52's controversial Superman. Tomasi understands this Clark Kent deserves dignity in death regardless of fan opinions. The farewell tour structure works because it prioritizes characters over spectacle consistently.

What elevates this beyond typical death stories is genuine permanence. New 52 Superman doesn't come back in a healing coma or as an energy being. He dies and that death truly matters in ways superhero deaths rarely do. The emotional weight comes from everyone accepting this end rather than seeking loopholes.

Denny Swan works as the final threat specifically because he's not the real villain. He's a victim of circumstance, a mentally disturbed man given power he can't control. Superman's final act isn't defeating evil but saving someone who needs help, even at the cost of his own life.

Read this if you followed the New 52 Superman run, want closure before Rebirth, or appreciate stories that treat death seriously. Skip if you need standalone narratives or dislike crossover events. This is essential reading for understanding how the New 52 ends and DC Rebirth begins.

Superman: The Final Days of Superman is collected in a single hardcover and trade paperback edition from DC Comics. You'll find physical copies at comic-book shops, bookstores and online retailers. For digital reading, the collection is available on Amazon Kindle, ComiXology, DC Universe Infinite and other digital e-Book platforms.