Review: Action Comics #1074
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writers: Mark Waid and Mariko Tamaki
Art: Clayton Henry & Michael Shelfer and Skylar Patridge
Colors: Matt Herms and Marissa Louise
Letters: Dave Sharpe and Becca Carey
Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
Superman finds himself on Krypton and has to ask his father for help with his solar bands so he can return. In space, Kara remains as confused as the reader.
Positives
Mark Waid finds the right approach to Superman meeting his parents in Action Comics #1074. Superman’s returned to Krypton before and Waid doesn’t let on if this is his first time in continuity or not. He keeps Superman focused while also letting him feel the emotion and surprise of meeting his parents. Clayton Henry communicates the appropriate emotions through his art with lots of facial expressions.
Superman gets caught up in one of Jor-El’s problems with the Science Council and it creates the crux of the conflict for what comes next presumably next issue. Remarkably, it doesn’t feel contrived. It would be really easy to fall into that sort of storyline, but Waid keeps it interesting without feeling derivative. The idea is really strong and it carries the story. Waid also intensifies the proceedings in the other plotlines with Conner and Kong at the Space Museum and Mon-El as he faces Aethyr.
Waid also adds little bits about Krypton throughout the issue as Superman and the reader learn together. Every writer seems to create his or her own vision of Krypton, and Waid utilizes aspects from different ones. Guess it’s time to go back and read Superman: Birthright! Hopefully, Waid will redeem Jor-El from the crazy Mr. Oz iteration that connected the end of the New 52 to “Rebirth.”
As has been the case with previous issues in this run, Skylar Patridge continues to deliver in the Supergirl story. No matter what Mariko Tamaki’s script calls for Patridge does her job and makes it look great, doing her best to tell what it a confounding narrative.
Negatives
There’s really only one negative in Action Comics #1074 and unfortunately it’s that the Supergirl story is still playing everything too close to the vest. The mystery is no longer interesting, it’s actually becoming a bit annoying and tedious. It’s beyond time to let the reader in on what’s going on. Sometimes weekly chapters allow for a slower reveal of mysteries, but there’s not enough going on for it to be the case with this story.
Verdict
Despite the drawback of the Supergirl story, Action Comics #1074 is actually better than the last issue. Waid continues to use Silver Age concepts and update them with quality writing. Superman is in great form in Action Comics and it feels like it’s a new high watermark for the character. This is a must for Superman fans, and probably the best book so far under the All In initiative.
