Visually stunning, Peace on Earth is a sincere Superman story about the basic motivations of this timeless character. During the Christmas holidays, Superman reflects on Dickens’ quote about this time of year, “When want is keenly felt, and abundance rejoices”. In his time, Superman has helped many (buildings on fire, collapsing bridges, planes losing control, natural disasters), but this time he decides to fight world hunger on a global scale.
Superman spends most of the book innocently delivering grain to poverty stricken and warn torn cities and villages around the world. While he is able to deliver to some places openly grateful for his help, he also encounters hate and violence, raw desperation from people who’ve lost everything, and tyrannical leaders who’ll stop at nothing to maintain control of their subjects.
When Superman realizes he cannot complete his mission with the brute force of big gesture charity, he grants an interview with Clark Kent, in order to share his story and ask for help. Despite the pure infallibility of the Superman hero, he cannot save us from ourselves. His strength, his idealistic view of mankind, his willingness to give up his life to help make ours a little bit better; it takes an alien to show us what real humanity looks like. The earnest yet romantic theme is effectively concluded as Clark volunteers to show youngsters how to plant seeds on a farm, as his father once did for him.
Recommended for all fans of the old-fashioned Superman, and as an easy entry into his world for those new to the comic book genre.
My all-time favorite illustration of the Superman. Thank you Alex Ross.
“Not every seed will make it, but all of them deserve the chance to grow.”