REVIEW: Action Comics

[CBR News]

In a flashback to the days when Superman had only just arrived in Metropolis, Grant Morrison asks, "What would happen to someone who stole Superman's cape?"


Full review here.

[LoneNecromancer]

Oh wow. This was awful. Is it really such a good idea to get someone to review an issue of a series that has been going for a year when they outright open with "I quit this series ages ago"? This guy seemed completely clueless about half of what had happened before.

I think "there are strange throwaway scenes about t-shirt manufacturing that are apparently aimed at people who don't know when and where to suspend disbelief" was the worst example, but the final bit was not realising even without the guy's name that he was supposed to tie into that Anti-Superman army, you know, that group of villains who were said to be forming in the future...

[Space_Butler]

Oh wow. This was awful. Is it really such a good idea to get someone to review an issue of a series that has been going for a year when they outright open with "I quit this series ages ago"? This guy seemed completely clueless about half of what had happened before.

I think "there are strange throwaway scenes about t-shirt manufacturing that are apparently aimed at people who don't know when and where to suspend disbelief" was the worst example, but the final bit was not realising even without the guy's name that he was supposed to tie into that Anti-Superman army, you know, that group of villains who were said to be forming in the future...

Indeed. It's apparently the fault of the book and Morrison that this guy stopped reading the title and therefore doesn't know what (non-essential, in most cases) references are being made. Whether you like or hate the book, that's an absolutely asinine way to complain about it. It would be like a movie reviewer complaining that a movie is bad because he took an hour long bathroom break and so he doesn't understand what's happening.

If this is the way you critique things, find another line of work, you two-bit hack.

[VictoryStar]

If you hadn't dropped the title you'd know the t shirt thing was actually a call back to an earlier story which played with the idea of how he got his Superman Shirt. It's not the writers fault you dropped it and thus wouldn't get the reference, reviewer and it's wrong to call the book out on something that would make sense if read in context.

[atlasjj]

I really liked issue #0. The art was amazing and it was just a fun story all around.

[An Ear In The Fireplace]

So you guys are saying that Action #0 is not a good jumping on point for a new reader and if you want to read the book, you have to buy every back issue first or just don't bother with it. And here I thought the 0 issues were supposed to be jumping on points.

[Auguste Dupin]

So you guys are saying that Action #0 is not a good jumping on point for a new reader and if you want to read the book, you have to buy every back issue first or just don't bother with it. And here I thought the 0 issues were supposed to be jumping on points.

Well, all the things he complained about are really details. The story is as good a relatively good jumping point (with the whole "Superman first appearance thing") , and even the t shirt manufacturing makes relatively sense ("hello, i'd like to buy some t shirts with this "S" symbol on it." Could it have any connection with the T shirts with an "S" symbol on it that Superman is wearing?"). Sure, he moves a bit some things , like with the discussion about the landlady's husband. But either you know who the guy is and you're like "hey it's that guy", or you don't and you think it's just some two panels stories about some guy. Or you read the other issues and you who exactly what she's talking about. But the whole thing is done in such a way that you don't feel like you are missing something important if you haven't read the rest. The back up may be hard to pick on (and even then, the narrative makes it clear that the guy is a Superman villain.) though.But it's just a back up.
And I fail to see how exactly the issue is strechting the suspension of disbelief. Is the guy supposed to be alarmed by a kid buying S t shirts before Superman first appearance? Is he supposed to recognize this kid he never met before? Is he supposed to have taken his name and address (or cheching if Clark gave him a false name?), despite the fact we're talking about a small artisan probably too happy to sell 200 t shirts with one gig?

[Tactless Telekinesis]

You guys are absolutely ridiculous. Do you not see how he would be a great candidate to review a #0 (that's ZERO, which should come BEFORE all the other ones) BECAUSE he hasn't read the book in awhile? This SHOULD be a perfect jumping on point, but, as is the case with the rest of the New 52, it's bogged down with references to stuff we don't know if it has or hasn't happened yet! This story feels like there's a lot more missing to it, which if it's supposed to be a #0 or a beginning point, is terrible! Imagine if you came into this issue not knowing anything about Superman. You would be very confused!

[Tactless Telekinesis]

If you hadn't dropped the title you'd know the t shirt thing was actually a call back to an earlier story which played with the idea of how he got his Superman Shirt. It's not the writers fault you dropped it and thus wouldn't get the reference, reviewer and it's wrong to call the book out on something that would make sense if read in context.

It's an issue #0 dude. Chronologically, it SHOULDN'T have a reference to something that happens in an "earlier story"

[Auguste Dupin]

You guys are absolutely ridiculous. Do you not see how he would be a great candidate to review a #0 (that's ZERO, which should come BEFORE all the other ones) BECAUSE he hasn't read the book in awhile? This SHOULD be a perfect jumping on point, but, as is the case with the rest of the New 52, it's bogged down with references to stuff we don't know if it has or hasn't happened yet! This story feels like there's a lot more missing to it, which if it's supposed to be a #0 or a beginning point, is terrible! Imagine if you came into this issue not knowing anything about Superman. You would be very confused!

Aside for the back up, I don't see what is "missing" for a good understanding. Seriously, you have been confused by what? The fact he is buying t shirts? The discussion about the magician husband? What story that may or may not have happened is referenced here ?

[Coyote2010]

Well, all the things he complained about are really details. The story is as good a relatively good jumping point (with the whole "Superman first appearance thing") , and even the t shirt manufacturing makes relatively sense ("hello, i'd like to buy some t shirts with this "S" symbol on it." Could it have any connection with the T shirts with an "S" symbol on it that Superman is wearing?"). Sure, he moves a bit some things , like with the discussion about the landlady's husband. But either you know who the guy is and you're like "hey it's that guy", or you don't and you think it's just some two panels stories about some guy. Or you read the other issues and you who exactly what she's talking about. But the whole thing is done in such a way that you don't feel like you are missing something important if you haven't read the rest. The back up may be hard to pick on (and even then, the narrative makes it clear that the guy is a Superman villain.) though.But it's just a back up.
And I fail to see how exactly the issue is strechting the suspension of disbelief. Is the guy supposed to be alarmed by a kid buying S t shirts before Superman first appearance? Is he supposed to recognize this kid he never met before? Is he supposed to have taken his name and address (or cheching if Clark gave him a false name?), despite the fact we're talking about a small artisan probably too happy to sell 200 t shirts with one gig?

I have not read the review so put me in front of the line as far as blowhard know nothings go, but this isssue was fantastic. I really think Morrison is inspired by Jeans Supermn and I wish he woulld launch this title. I wonder if Man of Steel will have this version of the character, never mind High Collar Supes, this guy is the one I want to know bettter. I am a Superman fan, but I put this title neck and neck if not above Aquaman and Wonderman as far as best of the New 52.

This issue was fable like and Charming. I am finally use to the Jimmy and Clark dynamic. Lois was at her most charasmatic as well. I can see Her dating a Luthor or Bruce Wayne. She's an alpha dog!

[Space_Butler]

You guys are absolutely ridiculous. Do you not see how he would be a great candidate to review a #0 (that's ZERO, which should come BEFORE all the other ones) BECAUSE he hasn't read the book in awhile? This SHOULD be a perfect jumping on point, but, as is the case with the rest of the New 52, it's bogged down with references to stuff we don't know if it has or hasn't happened yet! This story feels like there's a lot more missing to it, which if it's supposed to be a #0 or a beginning point, is terrible! Imagine if you came into this issue not knowing anything about Superman. You would be very confused!

Zero issues are absolutely NOT a jumping on point. A jumping on point is a point in the story where you can actually jump into the ongoing book from this point out without having to get caught up. There is not a single zero issue out there thus far that works in that regards. All the zero issues have either been standalone origin stories (that have nothing to do with the current story), stories set in the past that tie into the ongoing arcs, or stories set in the present that are framed in flashbacks. NONE of those allow for hopping into the books without having read any other material. And in any case, as I mentioned, most of his complaints were about inconsequential things like the t-shirt store, which detracts NOTHING from the story if you look at it as simply a thing that's happening, without having to ask "why" for everything like an old lady at the movie theater. "WHAT'S THAT? HUH? WHO IS THAT? WHAT DID HE JUST SAY? WHO DID HE SAY IT TO?".

Above all, you're missing the brutally honest truth that the zero issues are a sales gimmick anyway. They're an editorial mandate that, in many cases, have broken up the flow of the ongoing narratives and forced people to wait two months to resolve cliffhangers, while the zero issues add nothing to those current arcs in terms of immediately relevant information.

So, no, it's YOU who's ridiculous.

[jsf]

This is a perfect jumping on issue for a new reader. It shows where he got the t-shirts from --- provided a good story that lays out who the supporting characters of the series -- has great moments that relate to the Superman theme (he leaps a tall building, is faster and stronger than a locomotive, withstands exploding shells) -- and indicates where the name came from.

No one should be confused by any of this, and no one need read the first twelve issues to appreciate it.

The back up feature is different -- it winds up being important for the series as its unfolded, and is something a regular reader would appreciate more than a new one. That said, a new reader can clearly realize that this introduces someone who is probably going to be a future antagonist, and ostensibly would want to see how it plays out.

The story was good -- art was fantastic -- and as the reviewer notes: it's a self-contained vignette, which is the point of the zero issues.

[RedDeadRobin]

This series may have had it's up and downs but this issue, in particular, hit the nail on the head. This has had to be my favorite issue so far. Hopefully, Morrison stays consistent from here on out. I mean he did write All-star Superman. So here's hoping.

[Ntikrst]

In a flashback to the days when Superman had only just arrived in Metropolis, Grant Morrison asks, "What would happen to someone who stole Superman's cape?"


Full review here.

Wow, that's spooky. I couldn't possibly agree with that review more, especially the end bit.

So a mixed bag -- for the lead story, good ideas that never quite get the delivery they demand, and for the backup, decent delivery but no clear purpose. It's the same combination that drove me off the book some issues ago, and that will fail to keep me around any longer for a second time.