Future State: Worlds of War is a 2021 two-issue DC Comics miniseries depicting a potential future where Superman has departed Earth. Stripped of his full yellow-sun capabilities, Clark Kent fights as an armored gladiator in the arenas of Warworld to liberate its oppressed slaves and overthrow the tyrant Mongul.
La Scena
In Future State: Worlds of War, Clark Kent is missing from Earth, prompting citizens back in Metropolis to gather at a shrine in his honor. Across the cosmos on Warworld, Superman operates under reduced yellow-sun powers and is forced to fight in lethal arena battles staged by the warlord Mongul. Instead of giving in to the tyranny, Superman uses his gladiatorial combat in the pits to inspire a widespread slave revolution against Mongul's regime.
Significato
Created in the wake of Dark Nights: Death Metal and utilizing elements repurposed from DC's scrapped 5G initiative, Worlds of War became a pivotal storyline for the Superman franchise. Due to strong critical reception, writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson brought the narrative directly into the main DC Universe continuity as 'The Warworld Saga' in Action Comics. This storyline saw Clark Kent hand the mantle of Earth's protector to Jon Kent and led to lasting status-quo shifts, including Phaelosian refugees living on Earth and Superman gaining enhanced white-sun energy.
Design
This version of Superman swaps his iconic blue costume and red cape for gladiatorial arena attire. To compensate for his depleted Kryptonian powers on Warworld, Clark wears tactical body armor equipped with prominent shoulder guards, leather straps, and arm gauntlets. He goes into battle armed with heavy weaponry, specifically a double-headed battle axe and a large combat shield.
Per il Collezionista
**McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse
Superman (DC Future State) (2022)**
7-inch action figure capturing Superman in his Worlds of War gladiator armor, equipped with shoulder armor, double-headed battle axe, shield, display base, and collectible art card.
**McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse
Superman (Future State) Knightmare Edition (2023)**
Target and Gold Label exclusive variant featuring the Future State gladiator armor rendered in an alternate black-and-gold paint scheme.
Dietro le Quinte
💡The core concept was derived from storyline elements originally planned for DC's cancelled '5G' initiative.
💡Overwhelming critical praise for the initial two-issue run prompted DC to turn the alternate-future tale into the main-continuity 'Warworld Saga' across Action Comics.
💡The miniseries featured backup stories spotlighting other DC heroes including Mister Miracle (Shilo Norman), Midnighter, Apollo, and Black Racer.
💡Elements of Worlds of War were originally conceived for DC's scrapped '5G' publishing initiative before being repurposed for Future State.
💡Positive response to the two issues convinced DC to bring the alternate-future storyline into mainstream DC continuity on Action Comics.
💡Deprived of his yellow-sun powers on Warworld, Superman relies entirely on martial gladiatorial skill and heavy weaponry like a double-headed axe.
Cronologia
2021
DC Comics publishes Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #1 and #2 written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson with art by Mikel Janín.
2021
Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson integrates the Warworld story into main continuity starting in Action Comics #1029 and Superman #29.
2021
DC releases the Future State: Superman trade paperback collecting the Worlds of War miniseries.
2022
McFarlane Toys releases the 7-inch DC Multiverse Future State Superman gladiator action figure.
2022
Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1 is published, concluding the main-continuity Warworld storyline.
2023
McFarlane Toys releases the Target/Gold Label exclusive Knightmare Edition figure in a black-and-gold colorway.
2023
DC publishes the comprehensive Superman: The Warworld Saga collected trade paperback edition.
