Analysis Notes
| General |
Only the scenes featuring Warworld (pages 1-3, 7-12, 14-15, and 18-22) are dealt with here. This features somewhat more than purely Fatal Five references, but Warworld II has been seen to exist in the 31st century, too, so it is being fully covered here. |
| The Fatal Five seen in this story are not the Fatal Five from the main DC 30th/31st century continuity. The character designs are the ones seen in Superboy’s Legion, which indicates that there is Hypertime involved. However, there are also dialogue indications of connections to the main universe’s future. Possibly Brainiac-13, in addition his time-spanning abilities, can also reach through Hypertime into other universes (or at least see through enough to make copies, not unlike how T.O. Morrow obtained his future technology). |
| 1:1 |
The journal entries throughout this issue count as dialogue for Professor Hamilton. |
| You can see the subspace transmitter in Superman’s right ear. |
| 1:4 |
These sorts of color trails count as appearances for Superman. |
| 2 |
The title of this story is a reference to classic Bugs Bunny cartoons. |
| 6:2 |
Although it will be seen to be more magenta than violet, note the extreme similarity between Lena’s costume and Brainiac 5’s Legion outfit. Coincidence or something more? |
| The omnipresent green glow prevents Luthor from noticing that Lena’s skin is green. If he noticed this, he would presumably make a connection to Brainiac 5 and the Legion, whom he met during and shortly after The Final Night. |
| 7:3 |
An image very much like this — axe, gloves, and glowing eyes, the rest in dark shadows — is used as the cover of The Adventures of Superman #601, starting the “Cult of Persuasion” storyline. |
| 8 |
As noted above, this is the Persuader design used in Superboy’s Legion. |
| 8:2 |
Hmm. “Squaj” was never used in Superboy’s Legion. |
| 9 |
The Superboy’s Legion design for Mano is one of the most different from the main universe: note the rubbery body and the lack of a palm disk, although the latter may be caused by a lack of information on Brainiac-13’s part. |
| 9:3 |
“Been there. Done that.”: Superman died in Superman v2 #75. |
| 10 |
The design differences for the Emerald Empress are primarily in the costuming, although the Superboy’s Legion Emerald Empress certainly has none of the main universe Empress in her, nor is there any indication of a connection between the Emerald Eye and Mordru. |
| 10:1 |
The JLA files might have something on the Fatal Five, if the Legion contributed any information. Doubtful, though: who would expect the Fatal Five to time travel? |
| 12 |
Tharok has relatively little change in his design, just larger/different robotic parts. The main change to Validus is the addition of monstrous claws and a larger mouth. |
| 14 |
John Henry is the legendary “steel driving man,” a black man who could drive the steel shafts needs to lay explosives for digging railroad tunnels better than any machine could. DC superhero Steel’s real name is John Henry Irons. |
| 22 |
Note that Lena’s skin is green and she has forehead disks like Brainiac 5 got after his interaction with the Fires of Creation. (Note as well that her hologram which spoke to Lex Luthor had no such disks.) |
| Lena’s discussions with Luthor in this
story indicate knowledge of the future, and thus she and
Brainiac-13 are presumably from the future. (As
opposed to the alternative, that Brainiac-13 aged Luthor’s
daughter from infancy to adulthood, which is also possible.) The
green skin and forehead disks are presumably the result of
Lena’s life experiences, which may include direct connections
to Brainiac 5 at some point. Later in the “Our
Worlds at War” event, Lena is returned to Lex as an
infant, brought back from the beginning of time, but with
the forehead disks still present. |
| Reprints |
This issue was reprinted in the Superman:
Our Worlds at War Book One trade paperback collection. |
