Written by Greg Pak
Drawn by Scott Kolins and Aaron Kudor,
Colored by Wil Quintana
Published by DC Comics
PREVIOUSLY: Action Comics #38
UNDER THE SKIN is the final chapter in Greg Pak’s HORRORVILLE storyline. The mysterious entity that has enveloped Smallville and possessed most of its citizens has been revealed as a new version of the old Superman villain the Ultra-Humanite, who has escaped from the Phantom Zone which is re-imagined here as sort of a version of Hell, filled with Lovecraftian beasts.
Ultra-Humanite has possessed Lana, and is using her hidden anger at Clark to fuel itself, and Superman ultimately has to face his own darkest fears to defeat him and save everyone. I know this is a pretty think review here, but that’s because this is really the sort of story that can’t be summed up in a few lines, but it’s worth reader. And, let’s face it, if you haven’t read the first 4 installments of this arc, then you’re probably not going to start now.
But I loved it. As I said in the beginning, I started picking up this title specifically because I wanted to see how Pak handled writing a “horror story” featuring Superman, and I think he pulled it off very well, using this arc to show us the deepest secrets and doubts of the man of steel, and he’s had an excellent collaborator in Aaron Kudor (aided by Scott Kolins in this issue), who’s work gives this story a suitably dark and foreboding feel. A great creative effort all around.
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