Action Comics 3 (January 2012)

Almost nothing happens this issue. Clark has a nightmare of Krypton (where we learn of some new menace who can follow him to Earth), he argues with the cops and then Lois. He’s got a “Deep Throat” source too. It’s kind of hilarious how Morrison writes a thirties crusading reporter in the modern newspaper age.

It’s less realistic than the flying alien.

And then the bad guys show up at the end and Lex wants to get busy with them.

Get busy in the supervillain team-up sense.

Somehow, it’s Morrison’s best issue of Action even without the action. He’s finally establishing the setting with nuance, instead of neon. Too bad it’s not Morales’s best issue. While Gene Ha does some nice work, Morales just draws Clark Kent as a nerdier Harry Potter. It’s sort of ludicrous… his body shouldn’t change shape between identities.

But the comic’s finally getting compelling.

CREDITS

Superman in Chains; writer, Grant Morrison; pencillers, Rags Morales and Gene Ha; inkers, Rick Bryant and Ha; colorists, Brad Anderson and Art Lyon; letterer, Pat Brosseau; editors, Wil Moss and Matt Idelson; publisher, DC Comics.

Action Comics 2 (December 2011)

Oh, good grief.

Really, all Grant Morrison can come up with is Lex Luthor unknowingly working with Brainiac? Did he even come up with it, or did he just watch the pilot to “Superman: The Animated Series?”

I’m trying to be open minded about Action, especially with Brent Anderson coming onboard as Morales falls behind, but really….

I already read Geoff Johns’s Superman origin story. I don’t need to read it again. I also find it a little hard to believe Lois Lane’s all right with her father being a monster. I mean, she’s generally okay with him torturing people?

There’s also no action in Action. There’s a jail break, but it’s not a lot of action, and the talking heads stuff is boring. I don’t read Morrison on Superman to get a reference to Steel before he’s Steel.

The art—Morales and Anderson—does generally hold up throughout though.

CREDITS

Superman in Chains; writer, Grant Morrison; pencillers, Rags Morales and Brent Anderson; inker, Rick Bryant; colorist, Brad Anderson; letterer, Pat Brosseau; editors, Wil Moss and Matt Idelson; publisher, DC Comics.

Action Comics 1 (November 2011)

Well, this one is certainly disappointing.

Morrison’s fresh take on Superman—a young Superman, so young he’s practically just Superboy without Krypto—is problematic. But it’s the first issue and one would usually give Morrison time to get things sorted.

But Action doesn’t remind of All-Star or anything good Morrison’s written. In fact, it doesn’t remind of Morrison at all.

It reads like a politically minded Geoff Johns comic book, down to Morrison regurgitating Johns’s Superman: Secret Origin with General Lane stepping in for Thunderbolt Ross. I think Lane’s in the new movie as a bad guy… one can feel the corporate synergy at work. Especially since Morrison rips off the ending of Batman Begins for this issue’s action finale.

And what’s up with Rags Morales? He’s lazy when it comes to detail. There’s the pretense of it, but not the substance.

Action’s off to a bad start.

CREDITS

Superman Versus the City of Tomorrow; writer, Grant Morrison; penciller, Rags Morales; inker, Rick Bryant; colorist, Brad Anderson; letterer, Pat Brosseau; editors, Wil Moss and Matt Idelson; publisher, DC Comics.