Jim – I will state this with every review I write for the DC Relaunch, I’m a Marvel guy so I know very little of the DC world beyond the heavy hitters (Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, etc.), and even to that end I have not kept up with their latest story lines. I found the recent relaunch extremely enticing in that I might find a better connection with these characters. As for Action Comics, this book needed to be the first release in the relaunch. It was everything I was looking for and more. I absolutely love this Superman as well as the new Clark Kent. I have not read a Superman title in a very long time (I believe the last time was when Superman split into Red and Blue, which was stupid in my opinion), mainly because I didn’t believe DC could do much with such an established character. I really think the relaunch may benefit this character and all his titles most of all.
To that end, Superman is not the championed hero that we have become accustomed to. He is somewhat of a Robin Hood, or Spider-Man, in that he is loved and defended by those he has saved, but the majority of the population, especially the media, paint him as a bad super human. For his part, Superman does not apologize for what he does or the way he does things. He does what he believes is right, consequences be damned. On the flip side we get to see Clark Kent as a young up-and-coming journalist that is very much on his own. He struggles to pay rent and make ends meet. Granted this is nothing new and makes the comparisons to early Spider-Man stories even stronger, but I do find the dynamic extremely interesting. This is yet another DC title I will follow for a while and highly recommend it. I give Action Comics #1 4 out of 5 Nerdskulls.
Cubby – I’ve read comics on a somewhat regular basis for the last six years. Not an incredibly long time but for someone who’s barely halfway into his twenties it’s a considerable portion of my life, and it will continue to be if all comics look and read like this book. Having already done a video review of this book, I’m going to reiterate that it deserves five nerd skulls. Seeing our Man of Tomorrow’s past unfold and watching him actually struggle against threats that he could have handled easily in the past is one of the most refreshing and great feelings in comics. And the shaded unnamed figure that we can only assume is Lex Luthor was even more mysterious and threatening than previous incarnations. Is he an evil genius business man, or are they going to take him back to his evil scientist route? Either way, he’s shown so far that not only is he a calculating douche, but he’s more arrogant to boot. It’s like he hasn’t been exposed by our friendly neighborhood Kryptonian, yet. All story aside, this book couldn’t have a better artist. Rags Morales is the perfect embodiment of classic comic style; his Superman looks like he should have lived in the late ’30s; torn jeans, work boots, and a t-shirt make him even more human than he ever was before the reboot (sorry restart, I mean re-launch, whatever). While it’s only a matter of time ’till we see our Clark flying and punching space gods into the next dimension, it’s nice to see that he’s learning, and how he gets to be the hero to inspire the next generation. Rao knows we need it faster than a speeding bullet. 5 out of 5 Nerdskulls.
Brandon – Grant Morrison may be my favorite writer of all time. So obviously I was stoked when it was announced he was going to be on Action Comics. Best part is, this book takes place before Justice League which is earlier in the new 52 continuity. So what you’re telling me is that it’s a Grant Morrison Superman origin story?! Yup. I’m hooked.
First off, I love that he’s a Superman of the people, standing up for the little guy and taking down crooked officials in Metropolis. The simplicity of his costume came across better than I thought when I first saw it. A shirt and jeans with a cape says to me he doesn’t have time for a super flashy wardrobe, he’s too busy sticking it to the man. Something else I noticed while reading: no flying. Not once do we see him soaring through the air. Maybe Morrison’s trying to do a better job than Smallville did? Either way, this was a fun read with astounding artwork by Rags Morales. 4 out of 5 Nerdskulls. Can’t wait for more.
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I agree, Brandon, I love the social activist Superman who isn’t afraid to bash some heads. Morrison is taking Supes back to his roots with that and the no flying.