PREVIEW: Batman/Superman, #11

[Auguste Dupin]

If Steel has the ability to work the technology of the Phantom Zone so its doors could be "shut for good," why wasn't he called in to shut it for good after Doomsday's first escape thus preventing Zod and Faora's escape and now Doomsday's second escape?

I believe you're misreading it, actually. Steel is said to have the skills to control the computers to "help them get back". That's one thing. Then a second point is made that, if he remains outside, he can close the door they just opened if something is trying to come out from the gate. That part isn't stated to require any particular skill, and you probably just have to type the right command to do it.
But Doomsday and Zod didn"t come out from the gate because it was shut. How Doomsday came out is still a mystery, and if my memory serves me right, Zod escaped using Warworld technology. So Steel wouldn't have been useful.
Plus, it's probably more a "of all of us present here, you're the most likely to" than "you graduated in Phantom gates closing in college" kind of thing. It's an improvised plan, not a strategy.

[MarvelMaster616]

Great preview. Love that Krypto is getting involved. He hasn't really done much since he showed up. Also really like how Wonder Woman is following Superman's lead, ready to sacrifice herself for him the same way he's always prepared to do for her and everyone else he cares about. But leaving him with Lex Luthor? I really don't see how that can turn out well in any capacity.

[misslane]

I believe you're misreading it, actually. Steel is said to have the skills to control the computers to "help them get back". That's one thing. Then a second point is made that, if he remains outside, he can close the door they just opened if something is trying to come out from the gate. That part isn't stated to require any particular skill, and you probably just have to type the right command to do it.
But Doomsday and Zod didn"t come out from the gate because it was shut. How Doomsday came out is still a mystery, and if my memory serves me right, Zod escaped using Warworld technology. So Steel wouldn't have been useful.
Plus, it's probably more a "of all of us present here, you're the most likely to" than "you graduated in Phantom gates closing in college" kind of thing. It's an improvised plan, not a strategy.

Who is or is not capable of closing it isn't really the issue. It's that the Phantom Zone can be shut for good at all that's of interest to me. If it can be closed for good as Wonder Woman says, then that sort of strategy would have been wise to try on previous occasions as a preventative measure. Also, if the Warworld technology was used to get Zod out, then it would still exist within the Phantom Zone with Zod and Faora (they should since Superman and Wonder Woman's atomic explosion was supposed to send and keep that all back), making Wonder Woman's prescription to shut it down for good seem like a rather futile gesture given those loopholes. But that's not even an issue since it wasn't Warworld technology that got Zod through the Zone.

In SM/WW #6, Zod asks Faora, "You are certain you left everything prepared in the Phantom Zone?" She replies, "You know I did. They will be ready when we open the gate." Later Zod reveals to Superman that "Doomsday was a tool, nothing more. We pushed him through the barrier to weaken it enough so that I could get out. I would never bring that monster to a place for which I had plans." This raises a few questions. First, if the Zone was damaged (it was cracked) and that allowed Zod and Faora to get through, then when was it fixed? If it was fixed, why wasn't it done at the first sign of trouble, so that Zod and Faora didn't get out following Domsday's first escape? Second, if damage remains then how can any attempts to operate and secure the Zone be trusted? In fact, in SM/WW #4, Superman says that the Phantom Zone machine is "coded to me. It's too dangerous to let anyone else operate it." Thus, in addition to these other questions, one is left questioning how Steel has the ability to operate the Zone controls since that doesn't fit with what we've been previously told about how it's set up to work.

[Lexrules]

GOD, I hate how Krypto looks.

I will say this looks really good despite the fact they have completely ruined Krypto making him look like a wolf. The writing does have a good old fashion Bronze age feel to it which is a very good thing.

[Auguste Dupin]

Who is or is not capable of closing it isn't really the issue. It's that the Phantom Zone can be shut for good at all that's of interest to me. If it can be closed for good as Wonder Woman says, then that sort of strategy would have been wise to try on previous occasions as a preventative measure. Also, if the Warworld technology was used to get Zod out, then it would still exist within the Phantom Zone with Zod and Faora (they should since Superman and Wonder Woman's atomic explosion was supposed to send and keep that all back), making Wonder Woman's prescription to shut it down for good seem like a rather futile gesture given those loopholes. But that's not even an issue since it wasn't Warworld technology that got Zod through the Zone.

In SM/WW #6, Zod asks Faora, "You are certain you left everything prepared in the Phantom Zone?" She replies, "You know I did. They will be ready when we open the gate." Later Zod reveals to Superman that "Doomsday was a tool, nothing more. We pushed him through the barrier to weaken it enough so that I could get out. I would never bring that monster to a place for which I had plans." This raises a few questions. First, if the Zone was damaged (it was cracked) and that allowed Zod and Faora to get through, then when was it fixed? If it was fixed, why wasn't it done at the first sign of trouble, so that Zod and Faora didn't get out following Domsday's first escape? Second, if damage remains then how can any attempts to operate and secure the Zone be trusted? In fact, in SM/WW #4, Superman says that the Phantom Zone machine is "coded to me. It's too dangerous to let anyone else operate it." Thus, in addition to these other questions, one is left questioning how Steel has the ability to operate the Zone controls since that doesn't fit with what we've been previously told about how it's set up to work.

And that's the part I believe you misreaded. Diana doesn't say "shutting the Zone", she says "shutting the door". Steel is supposed to close the entrance they came in if something tries to get out that way. That's it. But Doomsday didn't get out using the door, otherwise he would have been found in the Fortress, instead of in the middle of the storm. It has nothing to do with what she's asking Steel to do.

[Black Angel]

If Steel has the ability to work the technology of the Phantom Zone so its doors could be "shut for good," why wasn't he called in to shut it for good after Doomsday's first escape thus preventing Zod and Faora's escape and now Doomsday's second escape?

plot what do you expect.

Awwww krypto how i love that dog just jumped right back into the hell he was in for over 2 decades with no F's given just to save his master damn i love him. Glad to see him and wonder woman finally going to get some interaction soon too.

[Lax]

SUPERMAN: DOOMED - [INFECTED]: chapter 3 - With Superman having turned himself in to the authorities, Batman and Wonder Woman, with Steel and Krypto's help, plunge into the Phantom Zone to discover what Doomsday's origins are. But something has happened to the endless void! Within the deepest part of the Phantom Zone lurks someone who will either help the team or doom them even more!


Full article here.

Batman: "I'm halfway through the portal... and my arm and leg feel like solid ice. Every nerve in my body screams. Whatever's on the other side is not a place for human flesh and blood."

Just send Steel in and let Batman handle monitoring the door.

Batman: "They could have said nothing. Or said you were just resting. But they hold a press conference. Release an "artist's interpretation" of what you're becoming. They want everyone on the planet to be terrified. It's working."

What ungrateful sheep.

[Superlad93]

Who is or is not capable of closing it isn't really the issue. It's that the Phantom Zone can be shut for good at all that's of interest to me. If it can be closed for good as Wonder Woman says, then that sort of strategy would have been wise to try on previous occasions as a preventative measure. Also, if the Warworld technology was used to get Zod out, then it would still exist within the Phantom Zone with Zod and Faora (they should since Superman and Wonder Woman's atomic explosion was supposed to send and keep that all back), making Wonder Woman's prescription to shut it down for good seem like a rather futile gesture given those loopholes. But that's not even an issue since it wasn't Warworld technology that got Zod through the Zone.

In SM/WW #6, Zod asks Faora, "You are certain you left everything prepared in the Phantom Zone?" She replies, "You know I did. They will be ready when we open the gate." Later Zod reveals to Superman that "Doomsday was a tool, nothing more. We pushed him through the barrier to weaken it enough so that I could get out. I would never bring that monster to a place for which I had plans." This raises a few questions. First, if the Zone was damaged (it was cracked) and that allowed Zod and Faora to get through, then when was it fixed? If it was fixed, why wasn't it done at the first sign of trouble, so that Zod and Faora didn't get out following Domsday's first escape? Second, if damage remains then how can any attempts to operate and secure the Zone be trusted? In fact, in SM/WW #4, Superman says that the Phantom Zone machine is "coded to me. It's too dangerous to let anyone else operate it." Thus, in addition to these other questions, one is left questioning how Steel has the ability to operate the Zone controls since that doesn't fit with what we've been previously told about how it's set up to work.

Yeah I agree you are misreading. It's not a plot hole. Doomsday and Zod both came from portals not of the Fortress Phantom Zone projector. Zod came through after Doomsday somehow got through. How Doomsday gets in an out is not known. But since Doomed #1 it is implied that he has complete control over the opening and closing of his personal portals to the degree that he can jump around the whole world and even from planet to planet.

Faora also came through. BUT she came through from the actual physical gate in Superman's Fortress. Zod had to physically open the door for her. What Krypto, Batman and Wonder Woman just went through was a physical controllable portal. This is the ONLY portal that Superman has access to, is responsible for, and is able to actively control. It's not really so futile an action for her to ask it be closed. It's the simplest way out there is if it's open. So why on earth leave it open just because there are other ways out. Why make one more way? The projector also seems to be the most simple outside of Doomsday's personal portals (which only he seems to be able to use).

When Wonder Woman says "close the door for good" she literally means the door that THEY came through. The only door they have any say in if it is closed or not. Also it should be noted that Superman has operated the opening and closing of the zone twice in Action comics and a third time on a grand scale in BM/SM. So it is very likely that Superman showed Steel how to use it and possible allowed for his use.

It's also never been shown that Superman or the JL have the know how to fix anything wrong with the Zone. In fact Superman says he knows little about it. So the most he could do after Doomsday's first escape was to look at his personal portal and wonder how it happened.

But the main point is that Steel couldn't have helped close or keep Doomsday because Doomsday was using a portal outside of Superman's control.

[fredd]

In my opinion, the solution has to do with destroying the gateway, and such destruction would be similar to killing. Superman has a core belief in the redemptive value and non-killing of all beings (except Lex Luthor). Superman would be opposed to destroying the gateway. Plus if destroied, they would not be able to go in and help Superman.

[DochaDocha]

Direwolf Krypto has grown on me. I miss the old design (obviously), but a loving, loyal Superdog is a loving, loyal Superdog no matter how you draw him.

[Lax]

This preview does look good though.

[Lexrules]

Direwolf Krypto has grown on me. I miss the old design (obviously), but a loving, loyal Superdog is a loving, loyal Superdog no matter how you draw him.

Except he is not a dog anymore. He is a wolf. I just miss my Krypto.

[Auguste Dupin]

Except he is not a dog anymore. He is a wolf. I just miss my Krypto.

Some dogs look like wolfs.

[Raiden]

Just send Steel in and let Batman handle monitoring the door.

Batman is co-star of book, leaving him behind to monitoring duty is big "NO NO".

[Lax]

Batman is co-star of book, leaving him behind to monitoring duty is big "NO NO".

Yeah, but it makes more sense to send Steel, half of Batman's face is bare.