One of my favourite superhero teams was the comparatively short-lived Authority. The original series kicked off by Warren Ellis set up some great stories and alongside Planetary gave a high level of super-powered entertainment on a level above so much of the rest. Sadly since then it's been downhill despite attempts to revive the team.
Seeing Superman and The Authority solicited in what seemed to be a "team-up" book was a book I really couldn't miss. However as I quickly learned this story and the world it is set in is not the DC Universe I'm used to exactly and as for the Authority.......
The story starts off with a nod to the early sixties which time-wise doesn't make sense even if in the "Silver Age" comics Kal El did actually meet Kennedy. A switch to a raid on Manchester Black's run down flat in South London brings back a member of The Elite who were an entertaining diversion some years ago. However a slowly de-powering Superman has to help fix Black or he becomes permanently disabled.
Superman needs his help and as The criminals from the Phantom Zone attack Manchester Black finally decides to take the side of the Angels. The duo then go out to build a new team they call "The Authority" though only Midnighter and Apollo are actually original members.
The others who are recruited are much more of a surprise and the tale brings back old enemies. Overall an interesting story though peppered with pronoun references which will either amuse or annoy depending on which side of the debate the reader takes.
Grant Morrison has always been an bit of an enigma in both his writing and beliefs. He claims to be a magician and now has suddenly announced he's "non-binary" as seems to be one of the attention seeking trends these days. That's his prerogative and though I remain a fan of his work it's my right to have a different opinion
Personally this along with Superman's son suddenly becoming a political activist as well as bi-sexual to collect "Brownie Points" from the supposed "woke" is a wee bit disconcerting. Whilst comics do need to have real world backgrounds and story-lines some things don't always work. Super-heroes should always put themselves outside of politics concentrating on fighting both criminals and otherworldly threats.
Overall the story is better read as a whole rather than in single issue format and is a worthwhile purchase which leads to more but no spoilers from me.
Now available as a collected hardback edition.
Rating: 4.5 Stars (Recommended)
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