"Warworld Saga" is a Superman crossover story arc published by DC Comics in March 2021. The series is co-written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Grant Morrison with artwork by Sami Basri, Adriana Melo, and Miguel Mendoca.
Teased in Future State, the story arc is told in Action Comics and Superman. The event was received with critical acclaim, with critics praising Philip Kennedy Johnson's writing, the art, and characters.
Publication history
The story arc has been teased in Future State: Superman Worlds at War where Superman is captured by Mongul and is forced to be in a gladiator match. The Superman line of books also had been developing several plot threads involving Superman's supporting characters: Action Comics #1029-1036 focuses on Superman learning the truth about Mongul; Superman and the Authority focused on Superman trying to assemble a team to confront Warworld; and Superman: Son of Kal-El #3 focused on Superman's relationship with his son.
Plot
Prelude
In an alternate timeline, Superman is captured by Mongul and is forced to participate in a gladiator match for near eternity until he is killed. In the present, Superman and his son deal with enemies who enter a portal, where Jon Kent explains that he is not ready to be the next Superman, and soon Superman will disappear where he is killed. Superman and Jon meet up with aliens whom Superman used to know, and after they deal with the problem, Superman deems Jon worthy of carrying the mantle of Superman. When on another adventure and Superman deals with an alien problem with Jon still not ready to be Superman, it is revealed that Mongul is dying and has a secret son.
A mysterious stranger goes to Mongul and brings him the severed heads of his other sons, which Mongul congratulates as there will be no more challengers left to confront his throne. Superman does a test for Batman and Ray Palmer where they tell Superman after his previous encounters with the aliens, there is cellular decay due to radiation poisoning due to the portal. Jon talks to Damian Wayne about how in the future, Superman disappears after he dealt with the breach and is afraid that his father will die. Damian consoles Jon and tells him that Jon will succeed as the next Superman. Superman meets with Lois Lane when he gets a report of an alien ship, and is shocked to see Kryptonian offshoots known as Phaelosians. Superman takes the Kryptonians to the Fortress of Solitude, and he goes with Aquaman, Murk, and Nuidis Vulko where they find out the alien ship is from Mongul and it has a mysterious energy source and violent prisoners. As Superman tries to exonerate the source, Murk and Vulko refused and explained it is against the law to take any unknown property that belonged to Atlantis' domain, especially the fragment. Supergirl helps Jon Kent in healing the mysterious Kryptonian where she reveals that Kryptonian speaks a dead Kryptonian language called Falkiri, and the Kryptonian was sent by Mongul.
Superman calms the mysterious Kryptonian down, and she reveals her name is Thao-La. Vulko explains the mysterious energy source of the fragment is called "Genesis". Superman realizes that Mongul is dead and there's a new Mongul around. Superman deals with an alien attack, and Steve Trevor arrives to get the Genesis. While talking to the Justice League, Earth and Atlantis is about to go to war, and Superman explains he must go to Warworld to free the slaves. Mongul's forces ambush Thao-La, but Lois Lane saves her. Thao-La kills Mongul's forces after the leader murders her closest friends for Mongul's honor and is about to kill Lois Lane when Superman arrives after taking the Genesis and preventing an upcoming war. Jon Kent and Thao-La battle, while Lois tells Superman that Mongul has her entire race captive. Superman calms Thao-La down and convinces her to earn his trust promising her to save her people. Relieved, she broke her chain causing Mongul to activate the orphan box to kill her. However, Superman prevents her death and threatens Mongul by tossing the damaged Orphan box at his face, leaving him intrigued. While Thao-La is in a coma for recovery, the Justice League arrive and tells Superman that they cannot go to Warworld because Earth needs to be protected. As a result of the political tensions among the entire world, the League decides to resign Superman from the team. Batman tells Superman that his power levels are dropping, but Superman promises he will be okay. After he consoles Jon and Lois, Superman goes with his team (Apollo, Midnighter, Enchantress, Manchester Black, Guardian, and Lightray) to confront Mongul.