We are then treated to a level of ”cleaning house” that only Superman can deliver, taking on the bulk of the Parademon beachhead while using a truck as a makeshift club and weapons (and I mean all of the truck, chassis, wheel, and all). Superman says very little, but remains with the characterization of being confident and a little brash.

“That’s it. Smile for me”, he says, which is something the older version of Superman would probably never bother saying before walloping the Parademons something fierce. Spouting one-liners is something odd, but not unwelcome, to Superman. One thing though is how brutal this version of Superman is, smashing and dismembering Parademons without much restraint. Previous Parademons were still sufficiently sentient for Superman to treat them with an even hand, often restraining or using just enough force to knock them out of the fight (for a very long while). If that is still the case, then this is clearly a much deviated version of Superman. It’s entirely possible that the new Apokolips Army of cannon fodder are but automatons that Superman figured (using X-Ray vision or whatever the hell his new vision and sensory powers are) he wouldn’t lose sleep over ripping them apart. But since Parademons have not been established as being “alive” or not yet, I’ll leave this point as another oddity for now.

Back to S.T.A.R Labs, Silas Stone convinces his colleagues to help save Victor by using “The Red Room” which is apparently top secret tech that their facilities have yet to fully understand. One point I’d like to raise is how Vic is still glowing with energy and his dad holds him without any effect. It’s a little confusing, particularly to a new reader. I mean if he’s seething with energy or burned by the heat, at least be consistent with that. Why not wrap him in something to keep him from collapsing or injure Silas when he’s carrying/holding him. Fire fighters and EMTs do that; don’t tell me genius-level scientists don’t.

We then return to the fledgling League, where Flash remains in awe of how Superman took down the mass of Parademons with a dump truck. Hal, not wanting to be upstaged, does the power ring equivalent of “oh yeah, well, I can do better”. Hal is clearly a show-off who doesn’t like being upstaged by anyone. It’s something grating if you see a person do it or act like that in real life, but it what makes Hal endearing to some… mostly because everybody’s been in that position and knows what it feels like. Deep down, we all want to be “the guy” and feel that jab of envy whenever someone else is, especially when we hear the praise from our own friends or peers.