Action Comics #876 *preview and discussion*

[Seraku]

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/040909-Action-Rucka.html

[Karl O'Neill]

Looks sweet.

Loved the first issue.

[Retro315]

I was pondering Chris Kent's "Tactile Telekinesis" and how Rucka is going to deal with that obvious "red herring" of it being Superboy as Nightwing, when it dawned on me that General Zod used tactile telekinesis in Superman II.

I wonder if that's something they're considering.

Anyway, Action previews look great, first issue was great, can't wait!

[CYOTI]

Or it's a result of the accelerated aging and effects of the Phantom Zone.

[WorstThingUS]

Or it's a result of the accelerated aging and effects of the Phantom Zone.

And it's also why he apparently has less strength. But I have to admit, I wasn't going to follow this post-Superman. Rucka's last run on Superman didn't exactly impress me though it was the best Superman book at that time (not that it was difficult), but I looked at this in store and picked it up along with #875 which I also avoided.

But I still hate, hate, hate, hate, hate with a passion the "artificially aged child into a teen hero" plot device. As if not having an actual childhood wouldn't leave you a raving lunatic.

[Seraku]

Or it's a result of the accelerated aging and effects of the Phantom Zone.iirc he was BORN in the Phantom Zone

that alone should mess you up

[IvCNuB4]

Right. In this issue Ursa keeps referring to him as a mutant and a PZ freak !
Apparently he's not a true Kryptonian, nowhere near as powerful as the rest of them, and he gained other skills/powers while in the Zone.

Mother-Of-The-Year Award is sooo lost on this woman :biggrin:

[Retro315]

Rucka wasn't kidding when he said he'd show us how Ursa thinks. And apparently how she DOES as well ... damn. She's so pro-kill she's handling Kryptonite just to make weapons out of it ...

Nice to see it finally leave the Fortress of Solitude.

So Chris's alternate powers are Phantom Zone in origin ... no big shocker there. Everything about him is Phantom Zone in origin.

The issue didn't really need Jimmy saying "hey everybody, come over to Superman next week to check out my investigation of 7734!" but I guess it puts Lois onto the story, so anything that puts Lois back into the heat is good. Plus, with Rucka and Robinson working so closely on WoNK, we're bound to get a few of these. It's just weird after seeing nothing but that sort of cross-reference in "New Krypton", now with Who Is Superwoman? and this it's actually done well ... or well ... less ...

Great issue though. God damn, Ursa ...

[Samuraixsithlord]

remember Countdown Arena? the Superman from Earth-15, the one who was all zen, was that realities version of Chris Kent.

Looks like they're making this Chris out to become something similar.

[Lemurion]

I liked the issue - loved the last page.

[CYOTI]

Yes very heart warming last page despite all the blood splattered Flamebird.

[F1uke]

I liked the issue - loved the last page.

As did I, I thought it was very good. I'm excited to see how Lois reacts in the next issue!

[md62]

The art was action packed, violent, bloody. I think Barrows has really grown as an artist very quickly. Rucka is doing a great job on this book. So far he has hit all the right notes. He gave a reason for the two heroes to be on Earth. He revealed their ID's quickly. He has Chris reuniting with his earth Mom - Lois - within two issues. The origin issue is coming up in the June Annual.

I'm very pleased with the book so far & can't wait to see who the artist will be on the Capt Atom stories.

[Karl O'Neill]

That was bloody, bloody awesome.

Rucka has a hit on his hands now, This book is pure gold. Two issues into the arc and I think this is leap years better than robinson's superman and world of new kyrpton, which incidentally rucka is co writing.

Those books are fine, and it is early days but action comics is impressing me the most, I just want to read the next issue.

Love chris's powers and we get a bit more info on his backround and history. That last page was really dramatic, I love it.

and more on jimmy olsen's mystery. project HELL, and general lane used to show the kids how to make those words on a calculater!

[Spiffy]

Yes very heart warming last page despite all the blood splattered Flamebird.

But they REALLY had her spill a pretty unrealistic amount of blood earlier in the issue. Or... realistic... if the person was dead. Alive? Not so much. Unless Kryptonians magically have a lot more blood floating around in their bodies than similarly sized humans.

[Rev. Calibos]

Loved how easily Ursa egged on Flamebird and how easily she dominated her.

Luckily, Chris was able to make the save and when the tables were turned and Ursa was at a disadvantage he spares her despite Flamebird's urging him to finish her off.

It's interesting to see the whole 'Mentor'/'Sidekick' relationship get turned on it's ear as much as it did with Flamebird and Nightwing.

Who'd have thought that a Superman-free Action Comics could be this entertaining?

[Chino]

very much liking this so far. Only thing I would change is the whole aging thing. Chris being younger than Thara was a nice dynamic I thought. Still, excellent story so far.

[Fatguy]

Man, I'm loving the Nightwing/Flamebird era so far. Ursa is effed up.

I'm so glad that, despite the odds, Action Comics is still one of DC's best books.

[Captain Jim]

I didn't like this issue as much as the previous. Really, all that happened was that NW & FB got the crap beaten out of them (especially FB). Pretty bloody too. If the purpose of this was to show people that Ursa is one mean bitch, I think we got the message. I'm still hanging in there though.

[edhopper]

Another strong issue with great art. Barrows is bringing something that has been missing from the the recent Superman and Action books.
I usually don't care for full issue smackdowns, (I often find them boring) but this was executed in a way that made it a great read.
And I am very happy with the return of the integrated Superman books, reminiscent of the Carlin era. (which are my favorite)

[Seraku]

I liked this issue quite a bit

also liked the last page

[Karl O'Neill]

I think kon el has competition in chris kent.

[RunningWithJuanPablo]

Another lovely issue I thought. A solid story without Superman.

[Jackob]

wow it was cool seeing chris back

[Doc Goblin]

This is becoming one of my favorite titles. Really didn't see that coming since I'm not really a fan of Superman's corner of the DCU. That's looking like it'll change.

Really looking forward to finding out more about Thara's background. She's the character I'm most interested in coming out of New Krypton. I guess that makes up for my interest in Supergirl taking a nosedive. I still have a supergirl to like if not the Supergirl.

I liked the revelation about Chris' abilities too. Nice way of setting him apart from other Kryptonians and making his origins in the Phantom Zone a core part of the character.

[Blotto99]

I just don’t care about these characters so it’s difficult to get excited about them.

Here's our full review:

http://www.jimmyinthegarden.com/2009/04/action-comics-876-review/

[Karl O'Neill]

I hope they lock down a new artist for the book, it seems barrows is leaving this title to do JLA with mcduffie.

[Elayis]

Is this run new-reader friendly? I've been hearing some really good things about this book, and I like what I'm seeing from the art, so I'd really like to get on this book without having to read tons of back issues.

[bottlecityofkanga]

Did anyone else think this was way too violent?

Why did Ursa have to stab her? And why did it have to be done so graphically?

I thought it was a bit irresponsible. People don't normally 'get better' from being stabbed, especially not this much!

http://bottlecityofkanga.blogspot.com/2009/04/action-876-stabby-stabby-i-shank-you.html

[Captain Jim]

Did anyone else think this was way too violent?

Why did Ursa have to stab her? And why did it have to be done so graphically?


I did think it was surprisingly graphic (much more so than a typical DCU comic). Blood everywhere.

[Mat001]

Well, the point of the Kryptonite knife is that it is a Kryptonian weapon designed to kill powered up Kryptonians. Ursa is not Superman and thus she'd use whatever weapon she has to kill one of her own. She is military afterall. As to all the blood, there was plenty of it when Clark died in 1992. Thara would bleed harder with Kryptonite in her system.

[Pahara]

Well, the point of the Kryptonite knife is that it is a Kryptonian weapon designed to kill powered up Kryptonians. Ursa is not Superman and thus she'd use whatever weapon she has to kill one of her own. She is military afterall. As to all the blood, there was plenty of it when Clark died in 1992. Thara would bleed harder with Kryptonite in her system.

Just to add to this, I believe there is huge impact to the readers to see bleeding Kryptonian as Superman, well rarely bleeds. This probably sets the tone and mood for what is to come in the New Krypton arc.