More crimes in Metropolis are being blamed on the Man Of Steel, but Perry White isn’t buying it. Your Major Spoilers review of Action Comics #1002 awaits!
ACTION COMICS #1002
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Patrick Gleason
Colorist: Alejandro Sanchez
Letterer: Josh Reed
Editor: Michael Cotton
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 22, 2018
Previously in Action Comics: Recently, a mysterious rash of horrible apartment fires spread across Metropolis. New deputy fire chief Melody Moore received a top that the fires has been started by Superman. Meanwhile, the Daily Planet remains on the verge of total disaster. Readership is down, there may be a new owner and their prize-winning journalist Lois Lane mysteriously quite to go traveling with her and Clark’s super-powered son and his grandfather Jor-El. Clark lost contact with the rest of his family during a recent battle. Clark has no idea where in the galaxy his family is, but must trust that his father and wife will go home safe.
A STRANGE NEW MYSTERY
This issue opens with a horrifying twist on the old “Look, up the sky!” gag, as a crowd on the streets of Metropolis seeing the Man Of Steel flying overhead.. and dropping a minor criminal to his death. New reporter Robinson Goode writes the story of Superman’s latest crimes, only to find Perry White unamused. It seems that, while Superman was supposedly throwing “Yogurt” to his doom, he was with the Justice League halfway around the world. (This does raise the question of how the front page of the Daily Planet got printed without his knowledge or oversight, but… Let’s just go with it.) A frustrated Superman smashes meteorites in a rage, while The Guardian confronts Boss Moxie about his part in the ongoing arson situations, only to end up in intensive care, with Moxie dead. While Robinson Goode seeks out some Kryptonite for her ongoing attempt to bring Superman down, a frustrated and overwhelmed Man Of Steel finally finds the one woman that he wants to talk to, wearing a terrible blonde wig IN HIS OWN CITY!
LOIS IS BACK IN METROPOLIS?
This whole issue is full of side-trips and conversations in the Bendis style, as Cat Grant shows up to reminisce with Clark, Miss Goode has an extended conversation about her need for Green K and Boss Moxie yells at his subordinates for a couple of pages before Guardian arrives to read him the riot act. The art in Action Comics #1002 is quite good, if a little bit more stylized than I expect from Action Comics (Robinson Goode has massive green anime eyes, while Lois is apparently undercover as a member of Gen 13) and the sequence of Superman smashing meteors in orbit before floating in front of the sun is really stunning. The biggest problem with the issue for me comes in the pacing, as all the various events and conversations don’t seem to be in the service of a whole lot of story. We’re still at the same place we were three issues ago, with a mystery, a new girl who is up to no good and a whole lot of talking about whether or not people should trust Superman (a prospect that the creators still haven’t sold as justified in-universe.)
BOTTOM LINE: PRETTY CONFUSING, PRETTY MEANDERING
The big pluses of this issue: A really killer shot of The Guardian in action, the return of Lois and a little bit of plot progression, as we find that the murder is tied to the ongoing arsons, but all in all, I’m a bit confused about the state of Metropolis. Action Comics #1002 is a really good-looking issue that doesn’t quite stick the landing with the story/pacing, with a LOT of irons in a fire that is burning a little bit too slow, earning 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. If next issue can give me some progression on the Lois & Jon front, I’ll be very happy.
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1 Comment
You need an editor, or maybe just re-read your articles. There are way too many mistakes.