Action Comics #844 Review

Synopsis: The issue starts with Superman at his Fortress of Solitude (Superman movie and Smallville style) activating the computer simulation. Superman talks to Jor-El and tells him that he has been living among the humans. Jor-El reminds Superman that even though he looks human, that he is not one of them. That the hope of Krypton can be shared with the people of Earth through Superman.

We cut to the Daily Planet where Perry White is chewing out Jimmy Olsen and Clark Kent. Clark suddenly hears cries for help. Clark rushes out of the office claiming he forgot a dental appointment. Clark hops into his super suit and races off to intercept what looks to be a falling asteroid. Superman is eventually able to catch and stop the object. It turns out to be a small space pod and inside of it is a human looking boy.

We shift to the Department of Metahuman Affairs East Coast lab. Sarge Steel asks Superman if he knows where the kid came from. Superman says he doesn’t know. Suddenly, we see the boy pick up a massive entertainment system with a TV in it in order to get a block that rolled underneath it. The boy then starts speaking Kryptonese. We zip forward to Superman sitting with the boy talking to him in Kryptonese. The boy tells Superman that he doesn’t know where he is from and he doesn’t know his own name, either.

We shift forward to Sarge Steel informing Superman that he is taking some DNA samples and will expose them to Kryptonite to verify if the boy is Kryptonian or not. Sarge Steel assures that the boy will stay in this lab and be comfortable, but that it is time to let the boy sleep. Superman tucks the boy into bed. The boy asks Superman to stay with him. Superman promises to stay until he falls asleep and to be back tomorrow before the boy wakes up.

We cut to the Daily Planet. Superman stops in on Lois Lane (who is sporting the ugliest hair cut I have ever scene. Lady looks like a dude! Since when did Lois become a boring middle aged soccer mom?) Superman tells her about the young boy and that he may be Kryptonian. Superman then says that this would have been him if he had crash landed in Metropolis instead of Smallville. That he would have gown up in a lab being tested and dissected.

We shift to the next morning with Superman flying to the lab. When he arrives at the lab he finds it totally cleaned out and completely empty. Superman is officially pissed.

We cut to the Department of Metahuman Affairs headquarters in the Pentagon. The scientists inform Sarge Steel that they thing the boys space ship appeared out of hyperspace. Suddenly, Sarge’s assistant buzzes him and tells him that he has a visitor. We hear some pounding noises as the steel door buckles and is smashed open. A pissed off Superman enters the lab. He crushes the soldiers’ guns and picks Sarge Steel off the ground and demands to know where the boy is being kept.

We shift to Lex Luthor reading Lois Lane’s article about the spaceship landing of a Kryptonian boy. Lex comments how “Opportunity strikes.”

We cut to an armed convoy transporting the boy. They are suddenly attacked by a masked figure who takes out the soldiers and frees the boy.

We shift to the Kent farm in Smallville. Clark arrives at their door with the boy in his arms. He asks his parents to tell him how they forged documents and raised a boy from the sky as their own. Clark says he needs to do that now. End of issue.

Comments
The Good: Hot damn! Action Comics #844 was one hell of an issue. This was an awesome read! It did more than meet my expectations. This issue completely exceeded my expectations. Action Comics #844 was fantastic!

I have never been a huge Superman fan and only started collected Superman and Action Comics with the One Year Later storyline because I’m a big fan of both Johns and Busiek. I figured that if any writers could get be to like the big red S it would be these guys. Up to this point, both Johns and Busiek have done a nice job on Superman and Action Comics. Having said that, I thought the last story arc on Action Comics by Busiek and Nicieza was rather pedestrian. John and Donners have certainly cranked up the intensity on this title.

Donners and Johns deliver the most interesting version of Superman that I have ever read. I love this Superman. My biggest complaint with Superman’s character is that his personality has always been so bland and white-bread. However, Donners and Johns give us a much more fleshed out and textured Superman.

The scene with Superman at the Fortress of Solitude was excellent. This scene introduced the feelings of loneliness that you get in the first Superman movie and in Smallville. That Superman isn’t human and that his purpose on Earth is much more than just living as a human.

And speaking of the Fortress of Solitude, I’m glad that DC is using Donnors’ vision of the Fortress from the original Superman movie and subsequently in Smallville. I’m also glad to see the Jor-El computer simulation from the original Superman movie and Smallville appear in the comic. For my generation this is the definitive version of the Fortress of Solitude. I like that DC is finally starting to effectively integrate the Superman movie and Smallville with the comic book in order to create one cohesive vision.

The scene with Superman talking to the boy was touching. You could feel Superman’s emotion as he bonded with this Kryptonian boy. The bond that only exists between people of the same culture. This was a powerful scene that re-enforced the fact that even though Superman loves Earth and admires humans, he is not one of us. And that Superman so desperately wishes that there were more Kryptonians around him.

The scene with Superman and Lois was also powerful. It showed the introspective side of Superman. How he got so lucky to be found and raised by kind people like the Kents who view him as their son. That he could have easily been like this boy and been nothing more than a lab rat of the government.

The scene with Superman snapping on Sarge Steel. Seeing the unbridled fury and anger from such a straight laced character was awesome. Sometimes, I think Superman is written as too much of a goody two shoes. A bit too much of a wuss. It was nice to see Superman act like he has a set of cajones. It was nice to see some anger and attitude from his character. This scene was probably my favorite of the issue.

Lastly, the scene at the very end with the Kents re-enforces that because Clark was found and raised by good people like the Kents that he has the enormous capacity for love and compassion. This was a short but sweet scene.

All of these various scenes helped to create a much more appealing Superman that was very engaging and easy for the reader to identify with. And, that is what I have always thought was Superman’s Achilles heel. He was never a character that engaged my interest or that I could identify with. Donners and Johns certainly solved that problem with this issue.

This new plotline with a boy who may possibly be from Krypton is fantastic! I am totally hooked and cannot wait to see where Donners and Johns go with this plotline. I think this has plenty of potential and should be one exciting ride.

The pacing of Action Comics #844 was perfect. This issue had a nice flow to it and was well constructed. The dialogue was well written and made this issue enjoyable to read.

Adam Kubert’s artwork is solid. However, it isn’t anything incredible. I prefer Adam Kubert’s artwork when someone else inks his pencils. I dig Adam Kubert’s pencils; I just think his inking is a bit weak.

The Bad: Lois looks butt ugly.

Overall: Action Comics #844 was an incredible read. I cannot praise this issue enough. Donners and Johns craft one exciting story that has definitely hooked me. The artwork is good enough that it doesn’t get in the way of a great story. This is an excellent time for new readers to hop onto this title. Even if you aren’t a long time Superman fan, I think you will enjoy Action Comics. If you liked the first Superman movie, then you’ll dig this title.