The thing I like most about Mark Waid’s current Action Comics run, aside from how it’s fleshing out Clark Kent’s time as Superboy, is that it is a standalone story. You don’t need to be caught up on current issues of Superman to read it, and if you feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of DC K.O., this is a much-needed breather. Yet that’s all about to change. Action Comics #1096 officially kicks off the “Reign of the Superboys” storyline, which crosses through all of the Superman titles and brings different Superboys – including past Clark – together.
The seeds for “Reign of the Superboys” are sewn when Clark starts noticing strange events happening…or rather, before they happen. A tree shatters apart mere minutes before a lightning bolt strikes the place it was meant to be. A kid gets a bruise on his arm before he takes a nasty fall to the pavement. All across Smallville and Metropolis, the strange phenomenon of effect without cause is taking Superboy to his limits…and then he hears a message from the future that’s meant for him.
For a big, multi-title spanning storyline, Action Comics #1096 starts off slow, making sure to remind readers about what’s happened so far and what’s to come. This is a bit of a double-edged sword; while it still keeps the smaller scale that’s made this run so appealing, you don’t get to see what’s causing the problem until the very last page. There’s also the matter of Lewis Lang, father of Clark’s best friend/crush Lana; the narrative keeps hinting that something he does is going to cause immense problems for Superboy, but I’m at a loss to what that can be.
Despite the story taking a while to get going, Waid shows he still understands Clark Kent in a key sequence. The cause/effect phenomenon is causing multiple disasters, pushing Clark to his limits (and once again reminding readers that this isn’t the Superman we know and love yet) In a moment of panic, he freezes up… and then remembers something his mother, Martha, told him, which he instantly applies to his life-saving duties. It’s a great moment that shows that, for all his power, Clark Kent is just as human as the rest of us.
DC
Skylar Patridge returns to illustrate Action Comics #1096, and her work once again impresses with how detailed and expressive it is. Clark’s body is leaner and less muscular than his Superman days, with his red hi-tops and messy hair adding to his teenage build. Yet when he moves, it’s with all the speed and power you’ve come to expect from the Man of Steel, giving Partridge the chance to illustrate nearly a dozen different panels of Superboy saving the day. Partridge also gets to draw some more DC superheroes; to say who they are would spoil the plot, but she makes them look good.
Patridge’s art also sings thanks to Ivan Placensia’s color work, especially as he helps make Metropolis truly look like the City of Tomorrow. The sun is perpetually shining, filling whole pages with glowing golden rays. The buildings are a collection of crystalline glass and steel, sparkling like they’ve come from the future. Placesnsia also shifts colors and moods based on the scene; a rainy day in Smallville gives way to the bluish-white hue associated with Superman’s Fortress of Solitude.
Action Comics #1096 is a decent start to the “Reign of the Superboys” storyline, preferring to slowly ease readers into the chaos to come. How the other Superboys factor into it, and what they’ll make of Clark, is yet to be seen.
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