Kneel Before Zod #2 Review

      

      

Written by: Joe Casey
Art by: Dan Mc Daid
Colors by: David Baron
Letters by: Troy Peteri
Cover art by: Jason Shawn Alexander
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: February 6, 2024

Kneel Before Zod #2 unleashes the dogs of war on New Kandor when an army of dissident Khunds invade to steal Zod's superweapon.
Is Kneel Before Zod #2 Good?

Kneel Before Zod #2 is just okay... maybe. Joe Casey's take on the longtime supervillain serves as the foundation for an interesting view into the villain's next stage of his life, but so far, there's nothing in this issue that will grab you and convince you to keep reading.

When last we left General Zod, he cast his son Lor out into the cosmos to find his way and come into his own as the future of the House of Zod (and participate in the concurrently running Sinister Sons mini-series). In Lor's absence, a small squad of Khunds attacked New Kandor, but Zod easily decimated the squad and captured one Khund for interrogation.

Now, Ursa's torturous interrogation of the Khunds reveals a dissident faction of Khunds is attacking New Kandor to steal the superweapon Zod is building. When Zod prepares planetary forces, he encounters resistance from a surprising source - Ursa.

Do we see any more from Lor in this issue? No. Lor is mentioned briefly, but he's effectively out of the series for the foreseeable future.

What's Ursa's deal? Zod shows measured, strategic restraint, which rubs Ursa the wrong way as she expects her husband to be the utmost of Alphas at all times. Some readers witnessing Ursa smacking around Zod with a "man up" speech may find the development odd.

What's great about Kneel Before Zod #2? Joe Casey's take on Zod's post-Phantom Zone life is certainly different than the usual DC fare, so there's a certain novelty to this series. Plus, Ursa's disapproving mommy-wife reaction to Zod is an interesting twist.

What's not so great about Kneel Before Zod #2? This issue feels like a curiosity that barely rises above its own uniqueness. Why should I care about Zod's struggles? What is Zod building that should concern anyone but Zod and the nefarious enemies he encounters? Why does it matter that bad people are being bad toward each other?

That's not to say Casey's writing isn't well-crafted, but it lacks a reason to exist. Casey has yet to give readers a reason to care about what happens to Zod, and until that happens, readers have little reason to care about this series.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces:

Kneel Before Zod #2 lets slip the dogs of war when a dissident Khund army attacks New Kandor. Joe Casey's tale puts Zod at the nexus of multiple, dramatic fights from outside and from within his own home, but so far, Casey has given readers little reason to care about Zod's success or failure.

6.5/10