Only a few writers seem to nail the epic nature of superhero stories, and Jason Aaron is one of them. This can be seen in his Thor run, his Avengers run, and now in Action Comics #1063. It’s the final issue in his one-story arc stint on the series, and the stakes are incredibly high. Bizarro has changed every human on Earth into a bizarro version of themselves, mind-controlled to kill Superman. Meanwhile, Joker is the only guy in Superman’s corner who can help him!
As Aaron said in December on the AIPT Comics podcast, he’s clearly having a great time writing this series. Many say Superman is a bad character because he’s too powerful, but in one story arc, Aaron has crafted a few different ways he’s outmatched. Not only is Bizarro using magic, but Superman is also alone and fighting Bizarro in his own mind. Laser blasts from his eyes, and pure muscle can’t win this fight. That sets the stage for a conclusion we haven’t seen before.
Meanwhile, Aaron uses Joker cleverly. Due to his reversed nature, he’s actually quite sane and good-natured. This makes him a natural teammate to Superman. He gives Superman advice more than once and is even involved in helping him defeat Bizarro once and for all—at least he tries anyway.
Superman vs. tiny-Bizarro, who ya got?
Credit: DC Comics
A neat concept also involves a mind palace Aaron introduces for Superman. It shows Superman’s incredible intellect while detailing how he must protect everyone on every inch of the globe. It’s a concept one might have seen in All-Star Superman if Grant Morrison had thought of it.
John Timms’ art brings the great detail we’ve come to expect from superhero comics and then some. Something that particularly stands out is how he draws scale. Bizarro is tiny in portions of the book but slowly grows to King Kong-sized. It’s not easy to pull off, but he does it splendidly. There are also some cool magical effects, such as the Earth being split like a Rubix cube.
My only gripe is the loose end of Bizarro, and some of the fighting is a little redundant. After a while, the point of Superman punching Bizarro loses its luster.
Action Comics #1063 is as epic of a conclusion as it comes. Superman is pushed to the brink in a new way while saving everyone on the planet. What more could you want?
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