Review: Action Comics #19
Posted By Ian Menard on April 7, 2013
In case you didn’t know, there’s been some drama behind the scenes of Action Comics recently. New writer Andy Diggle walked away from the series before his issue even hit stands, with artist Tony Daniel tapped to finish out the arc as both writer and artist. Then, Daniel announced that he will be leaving the series after that. A replacement has yet to be revealed. This is unfortunate, because this was one of the best issues of Action Comics since the New 52 debuted.
The issue begins in the fictional Middle Eastern country of Qurac, which is currently in the middle of a violent civil war. Lois and Clark have been reporting on the situation, with Lois even managing to interview the rebel leader, rescue political prisoners, and hack military communications networks. The two celebrate her success in a local bar, flirt quite satisfactorily, and nearly hook up before Clark is called away on Superman business.
Superman then battles several giant mechs. They pull out some neat tricks before Supes destroys them, and then reveal an odd quirk – the pilots look exactly like Jimmy Olsen… until they blow up. Of course, since these are LuthorBots, there’s a far more subtle ploy at work – one that could potentially ruin Clark.
Overall, this issue was simply fantastic. The first scene in the bar immediately alerted readers that this was something new. This Lois Lane has dialogue! This Lois and this Clark have actual, smoldering chemistry! This Superman strikes iconic poses in the sky, with his cape billowing behind him! This Lex Luthor imprisons psychologists and forces them to diagnose him, just for kicks! It was actually quite chilling. The characters finally look how they should, whether that’s intelligent and foxy, earnest and heroic, or calculating and menacing. Even more importantly, they sound right. Superman’s monologue sounds almost cheesy, but in a good way. Lois sounds sassy and competent without sounds like a shrew. Luthor doesn’t sound arrogant, so much as perfectly sincere. He believes, down to the very core, that he is the greatest human being alive, and that only he can save the world from itself. He feels like a true threat.
It really is a shame that Diggle and Daniel are leaving the book, because this is exactly what I want out of a Superman book: characters that look and feel and sound like themselves. The story might not be as meta, as grand and sweeping, as all-encompassing as Morrison’s run, but it doesn’t need to be. Just tell stories about The Man of Steel overcoming the biggest threats – whether they’re mental, physical, spiritual, or deeply personal. Show us Clark Kent hopelessly in love with Lois Lane, but unable to articulate it or unwilling to endanger her. Show us a Lois Lane who is worthy of the greatest superhero of all time – a woman who solves her own problems, who isn’t a damsel in distress, who is smart and kind and flirty and stubborn. Show us Superman’s friends, whether they’re the Legion, or the League, or Jimmy Olsen. Just keep giving us a reason to care about the character and his world, and people will come back.
And make it look as beautiful as this.
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