Action Comics #1040 highlights how a villain completely corrupts and upends one of Clark Kent’s greatest values, making him the perfect Anti-Superman.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Action Comics #1040, now on sale from DC Comics.
As one of the foundational characters of the genre, Superman has some of the most iconic supervillains of all time. But one often maligned figure is Mongul, who is sometimes considered a one-note adversary for the Man of Steel. But there’s an element of the character highlighted in the current War World story arc that elevates him among his peers.
Mongul’s plans in Action Comics #1040 (by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Riccardo Federici, Lee Loughridge, and Dave Sharpe) reveal how insidious his tactics of breaking the spirits of War World’s inhabitants really are, codifying his place among Superman’s most dastardly foils.
While Jon Kent carries on the banner of Superman on Earth in his father’s stead, Clark Kent is trapped on War World. While many of his allies have been separated and his powers have been depleted, Kent refuses to give up on the slave-warrior caste trapped in Mongul’s gladiatorial battles. All the while, Clark has been trying to convince the captured Phaelosians, some of the last beings with direct connections to Kryptonians, to rally around their inner strength. But this has proven difficult, especially considering the perpetual effect that Mongul’s influence has on them. During a battle, Clark reflects on how the blood priests of War World spend their nights praising Mongul and his ancestors, teaching the captured slaves of War World to aspire to be like Mongul.
The alien tyrant’s warlike philosophy is their version of kindness and nobility, and barbarism is considered a virtue on this world. It all paints Mongul less as a cruel despot and more as an inspirational figure in War World. People trapped on the planet want to be like him, and therefore embrace his ways. It’s a twisted reflection of Superman’s greatest strength as an inspiration to those he protects. In effect, Mongul has weaponized the same kind of hope that Superman often uses to help transform people into something better. It gives the villain a steady supply of warriors willing to die for his cause above all others, and serves as a true insult to the ways of the iconic Man of Steel. Even showcasing his skills and nobility prove slow to eat away at Mongul’s conditioning, showing how the Kryptonian’s ultimate strength can be countered in the hearts and minds of those he seeks to save.
Mongul is one of Superman’s more physically threatening foes, often capable of holding his own against the Man of Steel in hand to hand combat. But at his most uninspired, he’s nothing more than that. The best Mongul stories highlight his cruel belief in himself and his way of life, positioning him as a genuine foil to the Last Son of Krypton’s more optimistic nature. Instead of his most dangerous attribute being his strength, it is instead his ability to inspire darkness in those around him. Superman could rally an army of slaves against the villain, but Mongul hasn’t necessarily broken their spirit so much as inspired them to believe they’re fine where they are. This informs their decision to remain loyal to the villain and never rebel against him in spite of the fact that they are his prisoners.
The best Superman villains are the ones who offer a twisted view on Superman’s greatest strength: his inspiration. Lex Luthor’s inherently selfish philosophy is a perfect counterpoint to Clark’s self-sacrifice. Brainiac takes Superman’s alien side to a dangerous place, and Bizarro is the kind of straightforward and purely physical force that people accuse Superman of being. But as a major showcase of how the dark side of inspiration can be used to spread horror and pain instead of love and heroism, Mongul’s latest incarnation proves why he deserves to be considered one of Superman’s greatest foes.
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