Action Comics #1071 continues the “Phantoms” storyline, as Superman travels into the Phantom Zone to learn what has been happening to its inhabitants. But the Zone is full of people who want to see the Man of Steel dead…and a shocking surprise from his past that sends him reeling. Meanwhile, Kong Kenan – aka the New Super-Man of China – and Conner Kent deal with an unusual break-in into the Fortress of Solitude.
Past Superman stories that deal with the Phantom Zone often see Superman struggling to survive, as the Zone strips him of his powers. Not this time. Mark Waid has a great workaround that lets Superman keep his powers (and ties back to the current arc of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest.) Waid also puts Superman through his paces; not only does he have to deal with the Zone’s inmates trying to kill him but all manner of creatures including a giant spider. Yes. Superman fights a giant spider in this comic. It’s awesome.
The Kong/Conner plot feels a bit slight, in comparison. It’s not that it’s a bad idea – the duo having to deal with somebody breaking into the Fortress is a novel idea, as Superman’s “home away from home” is chock full of dangerous technology that could cause chaos in the wrong hands. But compared to the peril Superman faces in the Zone, it feels like it should have been saved for a backup story.
DC
What’s not slight is Clayton Henry’s artwork, which puts Superman’s powers to its limits. Henry and colorist Matt Herms depict the Man of Steel as a whirling blur of red and blue, as he dashes by prisoners and rips their rifles to shreds. The best part comes when Superman, incapacitated by the giant spider, uses a combination of his super-hearing and super-strength that would make Daredevil jealous – especially with how it’s rendered in start black and white. The Zone looms large in nearly every page, with Herms throwing up a blood red sky that surrounds Superman. Michael Shelfer handles the Kong and Conner parts of the story, drawing them both with the youthful enthusiasm you’d expect.
I’m also continuing to be drawn in by the Supergirl story Mariko Tamaki and Skylar Partridge are telling as a backup. Kara’s mission winds up taking a toll for the worse, especially since her powers are on the fritz. Continuing the theme from the main story, she too finds herself up against an arachnid-esque opponent, which leads me to question if Waid and Tamaki swapped notes or if there’s just something about pitting superpeople against spiders. Either way, Action Comics #1071 continues to deliver a blockbuster story at a weekly pace, and the last page of the main story has to be seen to be believed.
You must be logged in to post a comment.