Action Comics 14 Preview / Discussion (Spoilers)

[El Sombrero]

This was a decent issue, better than the last few (with the exception of the zero issue), but still not really even touching the heights of that Brainiac arc. I felt like the Brainiac arc had more going on and was a lot stronger thematically. These last few issues are just kinda all over the place and do not feel properly developed; Morrison is doing a bad job making me care about what is happening. The Brainiac arc was built and paced so much better. Oh well.

Rags art was solid, same positives (classic style that works well with the tone of this series) and negatives (inconsistent faces). I think I actually may have preferred the backup this month. Chris Sprouse's art looked fantastic and I thought it was kind of touching, moreso than Fisch's scripts usually are IMO.

[Mr. Holmes]

I really really really really really really really wish Chris Burnham just drew all 16 issues (or at least the main parts instead of Rags). The pulpy "Tom Strong" feel would have been perfect. It really hinders the potential of this run being a classic like All Star Superman.

[RoughNTumble]

I really, really liked this issue. Makes me wish the entire run was done in single issue stories.

Vyndktvx's true form is supremely badass.

[flottanna]

I didn't love the issue. Single issue stories should be left to character stories in between stories arcs. That is my biggest thing against Morrison run on Action Comics. We have no story Arcs just single and maybe double issue. Look how far the Fireman thing went. Or Obama Superman in Issue #9.

[Mr. Holmes]

I didn't love the issue. Single issue stories should be left to character stories in between stories arcs. That is my biggest thing against Morrison run on Action Comics. We have no story Arcs just single and maybe double issue. Look how far the Fireman thing went. Or Obama Superman in Issue #9.

That's the point. Morrison has even said he wished he did the whole run in single issues.

[misslane38]

Side note: I think this whole issue proves that Superman has taken after his father in both attitude and brains......this is my Superman

If you'll recall, Superman's mother was also a scientist AND she was a kick butt fighter. I wouldn't ignore her contribution to the Man of Steel, if I were you. As for this being your or anyone's version of Superman, all I can say is that he wasn't NOT my Superman in what I've seen from the previews and panels posted on Tumblr. However, it sounds like he was more Doctor Who than Superman in this issue. With that being the case, at least for me, I'd say what was missing from the issue was a Doctor Who type of companion. Too bad a vivacious Earthling with intelligence wasn't incorporated into the story. Not that it was necessary, but it might have made it more interesting.

[flottanna]

I'm fine with single issues just make them character stories. Not just pointless battles that I have no stake in.

[El Sombrero]

I really really really really really really really wish Chris Burnham just drew all 16 issues (or at least the main parts instead of Rags). The pulpy "Tom Strong" feel would have been perfect. It really hinders the potential of this run being a classic like All Star Superman.

I thought the first two issues of this series (and really, most of the first arc with Brainiac / Collector) were incredible, and Rags was the right guy for that. His art reminds me of classic comic book art, like a modernized version of stuff you would have seen in the Golden Age, or maybe a Golden Age / Bronze Age hybrid, etc. The scripts in those issues felt more daring too; the action scenes were truly larger than life, and the story structure was really unorthodox, with stuff like an entire issue of Superman restrained in an electric chair, or pages upon pages of Superman stopping a runaway train through a city...I feel like what we've gotten in the past 5 or so issues is a complete shift away from that, just a bunch of ideas strewn about the floor in one-off issues.

When Morrison took over this book, he said he had a bold and daring new way of writing comics, something that would keep the "Action" in Action Comics, and was going to recapture the spirit and tone of Golden Age Superman. He nailed all that in the first arc, and has either decided to move on, or lost sight of what he started.

[Auguste Dupin]

I'm fine with single issues just make them character stories. Not just pointless battles that I have no stake in.

But it wasn't a single issue. It ended on a clifhanger. Sure, the Multitude was "defeated" here (but considering how it was revealed it was the Little Man all along, it's not really the case), but the story is not over yet.

[Conway]

I didn't love the issue. Single issue stories should be left to character stories in between stories arcs. That is my biggest thing against Morrison run on Action Comics. We have no story Arcs just single and maybe double issue. Look how far the Fireman thing went. Or Obama Superman in Issue #9.

Yes but they also give you those "collector" stories like Action #13. Where you get something of quality and value without having to invest months of your life.

[flottanna]

Yes but they also give you those "collector" stories like Action #13. Where you get something of quality and value without having to invest months of your life.

Your right #13 was the best issue of the series so far.

[Mr. Holmes]

I thought the first two issues of this series (and really, most of the first arc with Brainiac / Collector) were incredible, and Rags was the right guy for that. His art reminds me of classic comic book art, like a modernized version of stuff you would have seen in the Golden Age, or maybe a Golden Age / Bronze Age hybrid, etc. The scripts in those issues felt more daring too; the action scenes were truly larger than life, and the story structure was really unorthodox, with stuff like an entire issue of Superman restrained in an electric chair, or pages upon pages of Superman stopping a runaway train through a city...I feel like what we've gotten in the past 5 or so issues is a complete shift away from that, just a bunch of ideas strewn about the floor in one-off issues.

When Morrison took over this book, he said he had a bold and daring new way of writing comics, something that would keep the "Action" in Action Comics, and was going to recapture the spirit and tone of Golden Age Superman. He nailed all that in the first arc, and has either decided to move on, or lost sight of what he started.

Yeah the first two issues were brilliant in that way. Then it kind of lost steam and then picked it back up for issues 7 and 8. The rest of the series has been fine, but I wish we just had 16 issues that followed the model of the first two

[Desaad]

Anywho, I thought this issue was completely brilliant, even if I sort of called what the multitude was a while ago -- I think that's a brilliant take on a 5th dimensional being, and a weird reference to Alan Moore's Swamp Thing kind of too.

But lots of great character moments, and Rags' art looked as good as it has at any point during this run, and better than most.

Brilliant, and best of the week.

[ascended]

Well, I was quite satisfied. I had been hoping for more with Mrs. N, and more time spent in the past. Lots of loose strings leftover there, and I wanted to see them explored and resolved before we moved into what seems to be the final confrontation with the Little Man. Hell, I just want more Morrison Action.

Still, I want to stay away from criticism or tearing the issue apart. It was fun, lots of fun in fact. And after so many years of having crap Superman comics, I just want to sit back and bask in the glory that has been this run while I still can.

I'd give it 9 out of 10. I know I could really dive into the nittygritty and knock that down a bit, but what's the point? Superman has not been this good in ten years. I want to savor that.

[Sterling]

Christ on a stick but why is Chris Sprouse not doing more work on Superman???

I feel like there is a list of artists of a 'type' that you get for Superman; clean, expressive, wonderful storytellers, cartoony without edging into overly stylized. Much as I am liking Rocaforte, I think his stuff would be more appropriate on other books (ditto Lobdell, really).

On Superman I want Chris Sprouse, Cameron Stewart, Chris Burnham, Aaron Kuder, CAFU, Rags Morales when he's inked well, Chris Samnee, Darwyn Cooke, etc. I know it is hard to get a lot of consecutive work out of those guys, but surely you can have them striking together as one massive Leviathan, different arcs for different artists, a Legion of artists.

A Multitude, even.

I it were up to me I'd like to see CAFU and Julian Lopez as rotating artists on Action Comics and Andrea DiVito and Sean Chen as rotating artists on Superman.