The current run of Action Comics is diving deep into Clark Kent’s life as Superboy, showing how he dealt with being a teenager and a fledgling superhero. Anyone who’s ever been a teenager knows that adolescence is never easy, and that doubles when you have superpowers. Action Comics #1089 throws another wrench into the mix when Clark’s history teacher, Adam Blake, reveals that he knows about Clark’s powers.
How does Blake know this? Turns out he’s a superhero himself: the mutant known as Captain Comet! (Yes, long before the X-Men burst onto the scene, there were other mutant heroes.) Captain Comet’s appearance lets Waid flex his superhero knowledge, while also providing a parallel to Clark. Like Clark, Blake leads an unassuming life, yet possesses great power…and the experience to go with it. He also knows about several other aliens like Clark who tried to do good, yet caused immense destruction.
Waid doesn’t shy away from how this affects Clark mentally. He’s always tried to hide his powers, but the possibility of failure sends him spiraling. Going to school doesn’t help matters, since he has to deal with being close to Lana Lang (cue the hormones) and bully Kenny Braverman (cue Clark doing everything in his power not to sock Kenny into low orbit.) It’s different from your usual Superman story, but that’s what makes it an interesting read; this is a Clark Kent who doesn’t know the right path to take.
DC
Once again, Skylar Partridge deserves credit for the way she draws a teenage Clark Kent. Instead of the neatly combed hair with the iconic spit curl, her Clark has a mess of black curls on his head. While Superman may be well-composed and has the right speech at hand, Superboy often lets his emotions get the best of him. Case in point: a scene where Kenny Braverman is pushing Clark around sees Clark’s face redden with embarrassment…right before his fists clench up and his eyes narrow into anger. To top it all off, Ican Plascensia fills the background with a bright red hue, signaling that Clark is at his wit’s end.
It’s a sharp contrast to how Captain Comet is portrayed. He comes off as cold, direct and in complete control of his powers; his transformation might be the most impressive part of the comic, especially the way that Partridge draws it. But Captain Comet’s presence also lets the creative team upend the traditional “superhero meets superhero” story. Most of the time when Superman joined forces with a hero, whether it’s his compatriots in the Justice League or the Legion of Super-Heroes, he got along with them. Comet, on the other hand, seems determined to push him to his limits, leading to a last page twist that spells trouble for the Boy of Steel.
Action Comics #1089 puts unexpected pressure on Clark Kent, showcasing how his teenage years were just as tough, if not tougher, than everyone else’s. It’s elements like these that keep Waid and Partridge’s run from simply being a walk down memory lane; they aim to do something truly different with Superboy.
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