Action Comics # 5 Review

We sort of recap the beginning or foundation to the Superman myth in this issue. At the start we see Lara and Jor-El trying to rush to safety with baby Kal-El and Krypto (yes, you heard me) in tow. Unfortunately the ship Jor-El built is a prototype and can only hold one. They try to see if they can escape via the Phantom Zone, the ghostly prison for criminals, but that turned out to be bad idea. Lucky for them they had Krypto to take protect them.

We find out the AI that piloted the rocket ship is called Brainiac. That Kal's name means Starchild. Lara's name means Light of Waxing Moon and Jor-El means Great Star. Little details that all add a richness to the story and we see the love and pain of the Els as they send their child away to have a chance at life while they face their doom.

This is contrasted with Martha and Jonathan Kent who are Midwest farmers and they have not been lucky at trying to start a family. The ship crashes at the side of a lonely road and the Kent's are there to witness it and follow their hearts and take this baby in. The military are very aware of the alien craft crashing but Jonathan craftily fools them by showing them a deformed six legged calf as the "spaceman". It makes perfect sense now why Clark started to chortle with laughter in Action #2 when Lex showed him the remains.

The story then jumps from the past to a time when we see Superman's Fortress of Solitude. It looks like some sort of alien craft with the rocket ship, ( Clark found it in Action #2)  that had taken to protecting itself in a kind of crystalline matrix. It is being invaded by enemies of Superman calling themselves the Anti-Superman Army. We find out a little about kryptonite and what it is. Future armored suit Superman appears with the Legion and he is here to help the younger, t-shirt wearing one.

There is a back up story focusing on Martha and Jonathan, showing them as happy newly weds and then the following years of pain where they struggle to have a child.

This is a good issue though not a whole story. It is vignettes really. So it does jump around a bit and has a filler feel but the actual subject matter is very integral to the mythos. Though we may have read this before, it still feels fresh and love the new tweaked elements that is part of refining the whole legend. Andy Kubert does interiors and does a nice job in the main story.

I give this 4 out of 5 stars.

Best Panel: That one panel in the back-up of an unsuspecting Martha and Jonathan as Kal-El's rocket ship plummets towards them.

Superman #4 Review

George Perez continue to overwrite a book that never quite establishes its star, cast and foes in any real exciting or truly fresh way. Granted, he tries to incorporate real world problems that affect our hero and the way the media operates but it still feels all very lacklustre and redundant. We find Superman being questioned by the police about Heather Kelly but turns out she's fine and she's giving an interview on TV to try to get Clark/Superman off the hook. Lois is supposed to be managing her division but she seems to be preoccupied with Clark Kent to really do it. The three elemental foes all appear and they are as lame as ever and Superman we find is the one who supposedly created them.

When I lose interest in a book it is very tough to really review it properly. I take to summarizing stuff I find glaring.

So what I got from this issue.

1. Superman's supporting cast are really quite boring. No one pops. No one comes across with real personality and chemistry. I have read nothing to make me care Even Jimmy Olsen is a bore and that is disappointing since in Action Comics, he feels fresh and modern and is just as spunky as Clark. Heather is established to be what exactly? A rival for Lois? A cliched knock off it looks like. We have been given no reason to care for her other than the writing says she and Clark may have had something and she fancies him.

2. Lois is Watching: Is she Clark's Oracle or Den Mother? Honestly, can Superman not do anything without Lois watching him from a camera? Is this going to be an ongoing thing where she is constantly calling Clark on his phone to check up on him? She looks much older than him and there is actually no chemistry between them. In fact, Heather looks older than Clark too.He acts/looks like a college freshman while they look like his older sisters or something.

3. Please Get New Foes For Superman! Seriously, this is not good enough for the relaunch of a character. These elemental monsters are too old-school for my taste and what really have they contributed in this relaunch so far? To show how stupid Superman is, that's what.

I give this 2.5 out of 5.

Best Panel: Just another image by Merino. He draws Superman well. At least he looks manly here. Better than Nicola Scott, who did interiors last time.

Justice League #4 Review

This book continues to jaunt along at a fast pace with a lot of action and humor. We see poor Vic Stone in Star Labs, and his transformation into Cyborg and yes, it is no picnic. He blames his father for it and flees the scene angry, bewildered and scared.

From the last issue we know Aquaman is making his debut and he does it in fine style. He shows Green Lantern why he should not call him Aquafresh. We see him conduct a parademon-eating shark orchestra and him skewer one in the brain with his trident. Yep, don't mess with the king of the seas who thinks he should lead.

The heroes then have the military attack them. Wonder Woman does her bullets and bracers thing and we see Steve Trevor wanting them to spare her. Liaison, my ass. You have to be stupid not to know he has a personal vested interest in her. Yeah, he wants to get into her wonderpants at some point.

There is a nice moment between Flash and Superman when they take on the military. Flash thinks he's somehow doing the wrong thing by engaging them. But Superman puts it to him that sometimes those in authority are not always right. Yay, Superman is no longer the naive boyscout that tows the line for the sake of it. He thinks for himself now and acts! Thank you,DC! We also see Green Lantern embarrass himself in fine style when he inadvertently touches Wonder Woman's lasso. The team eventually encounters the befuddled Cyborg and then we start to hear that ominous pinging.

Our villain makes his appearance in fine style.


This continues to be a fun book. The banter, while a little cliched at times, is still funny. Johns does over the top and loud and Lee gives us beautiful art. It's the summer blockbuster of the new 52. Munch your popcorn and enjoy it.

4 out of 5 stars.

Best Panel. Superman just stepping back and taking it all in. While the others argue, he has an amused and knowing smile on his face. I'll just imagine he was checking out Diana who was off panel and to his right on that page.

Wonder Woman #4 Review

Wonder Woman continues to flesh out its characters nicely and introduce another important player in the already intriguing tapestry of Gods.

We open with Apollo meeting the Ares or War as he is called and he is sporting a new look. He is a weathered old man and seems almost world weary but with a cynical sense of humor. Gods seemed destined to be what they are and the roles they play is their Fate. It is his job to create war. No more, no less. We learn that Zeus is missing. It is as if he does not exist. Apollo wants to find out if he is dead and who did it. Because this sun wants to be king.

We cut to London. Diana has gone back home and is trying to let her hair down a bit. You got it. Diana likes hard rock/metal. It is nice to see her doing something normal.Strife is in fine form here. She makes her presence felt and we see how much she enjoys sewing seeds of mischief and discord.

She even tries to threaten Zola and Diana is having none of it.Diana may not be happy with the way she found out about her parentage but she has taken on the responsibility to protect Zola and her unborn child.

Meanwhile, hell hath no fury than a woman scorned. Hera has come to confront and punish Hippoylta for having the effrontery for falling for Zeus and having his child. It's strange how Hera, even knowing her husband is a philanderer, keeps blaming all the women and still wants him. A Goddess fated to her destiny too? It's almost touching to see her wanting to forgive Hippolyta but saying that she could not. It's a good question Azzarello is raising too. The Wonder Woman mythos so often celebrates femininity and at times condemns masculinity. But in the real world, how many women have done this to another out of love or even lust? It's a theme as old as time. And does this necessarily make that woman a bad woman? Love can be a messy thing, that is all I can say.

After a talk with Zola and realizing that other people have really messed up families, and hers weren't all that bad, Diana comes home hoping to make peace with her mother and she finds she is too late. Hera has had her vengeance.

I give this issue another 5 out of 5 stars.

Diana's pain and tears when she realized she had lost her mother and sisters was heartbreaking. Strife continues to scene steal. War/Ares is intriguing. Hera, you feel almost sorry for her. Hippolyta manages to convey her remorse with dignity and sincerity. Zola and Hermes continue to support.

Best Panel: Diana grabbing Strife, before she could lay a hand on Zola. Don't mess with an Amazon and her family.

Thanks

Thanks for the Follow, Tils. :)