Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Action Comics #1
DC Comics
Morrison, Morales & Bryant
The big fish of all the DC reboots is that of Superman, specifically Action Comics. Of the heavy hitters in the DCU he seems to have the most that's changing, so in some ways the success of the DCU reboot is tied to this book and Superman proper. The first issue brings in most of the key players from the Superman mythos as Morrison crafts a good story for the first issue while laying out the groundwork for the long-term arc and the longer-term themes of the series. In the end, though, I just didn't find all that much to get me hooked into this series. It's a serviceable introduction issue for the reboot but it just isn't enough to keep this once long-time fan of the character coming back for more.
Superman is basically a boy and even though this issue is publicized as set in the past there is no indication of this in the issue. To me, that is a big mistake. The flagship title for the character is going to look and seem very different than in the two other titles he appears and there should be some kind of timeline to let readers know where they stand. A simple caption box would have sufficed. I'd like to know why the decision was made to exclude it or perhaps they didn't even think of it, which would make it worse in my opinion.
Superman is an unpolished rogue. He's chased by the cops and basically scares information and confessions out of the people he is chasing which is an interesting departure from the normal portrayals of the character. It's seems like he is Batman without a mask and in brighter clothing. This take could be very interesting in the long run.
As Superman transforms back into Clark Kent we get a glimpse into his regular person side. He's not the bumbling Kent from the original movies or the star reporter from comics over the last twenty years, but he's Peter Parker from the Spider-Man movies. We see him living in a dumpy apartment, late on his rent, being nice to his landlord (who seems to be one of the few people he speaks to) while he tries to pass over some information to Jimmy over the phone. I found this take to be so strange but somehow fitting. He grew up in the Midwest wouldn't he be a shut-in living in a very modest apartment in his first few months in the big city?
The remainder of the issue has Superman stop another threat as he seemingly walks into a trap set by a couple of villains that would be familiar to anyone who has read a Superman comic in the last five years.
Overall, the issue is very entertaining. Morrison has a lot of plots he's juggling and spinning new ones at every turn along the way. He establishes all of the key characters almost immediately and definitely shows everyone who has read All-Star Superman that this is a different comic book altogether.
The artwork is very crisp and bright. It almost feels like this is a still-framed video game when you try to describe the overall sharpness to the artwork. Rags presents the action in a terrific manner and he's got a very solid grasp of what Clark might look like in his early twenties. Overall, the visuals compliment the story very well.
In some ways the worst part about this comic book is that it just doesn't feel like All-Star Superman and that comparison just isn't fair. However, the regular, day-to-day Superman stories have been done to death. I'm not sure this brings anything new to the table and even if it did it seems like it just won't be able to sustain it over the long haul. I'm sure Morrison will deliver a big payoff for those that will be patient with the book, but unfortunately I just didn't find enough in here to justify spending more money on yet another Superman versus Lex Luthor story. I am sure Morrison fans will be thrilled with the issue but will people on the fence about the character?
3 out of 5 Geek Goggles
