The New 52 Action Comics DC reboot reacquaints us with the ever familiar Superman. Now, I myself had never been a fan of Superman in the past, but the New 52 introduction of the hero presented a perfect opportunity to see the hero through a new light.
The Good
Let's start optimistically with the good. The visual style seems modern and appropriate for an attempt to bring Superman to new audiences. The comic also makes some interesting approaches to characters. Superman as I remember him seemed to carry with him the rap sheet of being the ultimate goody two shoes, a boy scout with no character flaws, a man almost incapable of fallacy. Action Comics presents a much different image of the hero. Superman acts brashly and uses intimidation with the recklessness one might expect of a young man. This view of Superman presents a much more interesting image than some of the ways that authors have chosen to portray him in the past. Lex Luther makes an appearance that is worthy of a first introduction to a super villain and the end reveals a bit of his calculating ways, while leaving a craving to discover what he has in store for the superhero.
The Bad
Although I mentioned the visual style as a plus, it also has a negative side. DC has a chance to really grasp a new audience with the reboot, but the visual style seems middle of the road. It's not necessarily a huge negative, but it really does nothing to distinguish itself. Although, to some extent I like the way Superman's character is portrayed, sometimes he comes off as an arrogant jerk. It seems that Superman was intended to seem like a bit of a bad boy, but his audacious banter is unwelcome. Only a few superheroes can really get away with it and seem cool. When Superman does it, it just feels like he's one of the uncool kids, desperately trying to get the cool kids to notice him (which makes him even less cool). Also, Superman has a lot of powers, so seeing him wallop thugs without powers, or any means of defending themselves against the Man of Steel, is a little boring. Lex Luther plays a shadowy figure, which foreshadows future encounters to escalate, which makes this point a bit more forgivable. Lex Luther also seemed like the most natural character and although it's good to have riveting villains, they shouldn't outshine the hero in a comic. The main incentive to pick up the next issue seems to be more about what Lex may have planned for Superman next, rather than the qualities of the hero himself.
Conclusion
As a standalone first look, Action Comics is by no means a bad read, but it all just seems middle of the road, without really putting its foot forward and declaring what it's about. It has potential. They've given Superman's character a lot of room for development. They've also produced a menacing character that can put his money where his mouth is. The real test will be to see how they mix these elements together in the future.
Written by Ryan Heuer
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Tags:
New 52, Comic Book Review