Action Comics #1052’s main story, written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and illustrated by Rafa Sandoval, sets wheels in motion for the story to pick up in issues to come, and provides a little more energy than the previous issue’s more expository plot. Combined with the backup stories providing some fun side content, Action Comics is certainly fulfilling the promise of being a Superman Family book.
Mild SPOILERS AHEAD for Action Comics #1052!
To begin, “House of Metallo” doesn’t exactly hook me from the get-go, in no small part due to Superboy having been sidelined at the end of the previous issue. As a result, he is entirely absent from the brief fight with the titular villain, thanks to the efforts of Superman and the Steels. On the one hand, I have been hankering for quality Conner content due to Young Justice’s cancellation and Bendis’s less-than-stellar run on Young Justice. On the other hand, I’ve considered that the upcoming Superboy miniseries will likely fill that gap in the current Super landscape for fans of the character, so perhaps it’s not a total loss.
As the issue progresses, more connective tissue to the Warworld Saga begins to show itself, from the potential source of Metallo’s unprovoked attack (as well as a little backstory on a young John Corben), to a very nice bit of visual storytelling from Sandoval regarding the twins, who themselves are directly connected to that story. These blatant and subtle references, in addition to some nice scenes of the gathered roster enjoying domestic life in the Kent house, give me confidence in Johnson’s ability to craft a Superman story that will be seen as a highlight of the Dawn of DC era.
However, seeing the entire family together, despite only a handful of them being present for the battle with Metallo, gives me some mixed feelings. I’m nitpicking – they’re all enjoyable characters without a doubt, but I hate to not see all of them being utilized when the main draw of this book is supposed to be the entire breadth of the Superman hero cohort working together. If this sporadic implementation is going to continue, I think I would have preferred to have arcs where Superman focuses on teaming up with a specific member of the family, while the rest of the family is handling other crimes and disasters in Metropolis and around the world.
The main story ends with Metallo preparing for his next altercation with the team, and I’m interested (if a little skeptical) to see how these countermeasures will fare against the newly rejuvenated Superman and his family.
The second story, “Home Again, Part Two” by Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks, is a plot-light, perfectly serviceable addition to the issue. Following a young Jon Kent as he encounters a strange visitor from another world (a recurring element of Superman comics), the sketch-like art from Weeks here is pleasing to look at, especially in showcasing Superman’s reuse of his all-black suit from Jurgens’ Superman: Lois & Clark miniseries. An appearance from a somewhat familiar face (at least, if you read the Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special) at the end elicited a groan from me, but it may pick up yet.
The issue’s second backup, and perhaps my favorite of the two, is Leah Williams and Marguerite Sauvage’s “Head Like A Whole, Part Two”. Following Power Girl’s continued telepathic matriculation under Lilith Clay, Williams poses Karen “against” Kara as the Supergirl needs some internal assistance from the Power Girl. Complete with fittingly vibrant art for depicting Kara’s internal world, along with some humorous and insightful commentary on Power Girl’s place in the larger Superman family, I’m definitely looking forward to Williams’ next installment in this story.
Overall, Action Comics #1052 is doing a little more for me than #1051 did, so I’m interested to see where things go from here. The issue is an enjoyable read on the whole, even if some parts are more enjoyable than others. Between this and Williamson’s Superman, there’s no shortage of enjoyable Clark Kent-centric content, though it remains to be seen whether or not they will both keep fans’ interest.
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