Action Comics #1005
Guest Author
Recap
The murderous mystery of the Red Cloud uncovered! Clark Kent draws closer to revealing a secret crime family that has operated for years in Metropolis, but the family’s enforcer—the mysterious Red Cloud—proves she’s a match for even the Man of Steel with an attack that leaves Superman breathless. Don’t miss the last-page shocker as we reveal the true face of the Red Cloud!
Review
Action Comics #1005 promises to deliver on the mystery of the Red Cloud, and for fans who have been paying close attention, is also the debut of The Question in the DC Universe post Rebirth. So maybe Red Cloud’s identity wasn’t the biggest shocker ever revealed in a comic…but the arrival of The Question was undoubtedly one of Bendis’s best moments in Action Comics so far! Hopefully this is just the beginning of his involvement.
While these are the two key moments in this issue, Superman’s fight with Red Cloud also turns out to be a highlight in a series that has had an ironic lack of overall action recently. Bendis has shown great potential for crafting interesting action sequences with Supes, and it may be his reluctance to use them that contributes to their effectiveness, but I wanted to see the duel with Red Cloud continue. They were uniquely matched, and their fight quickly intensified into something truly dangerous. Round two is sure to be a spectacle!
The artistic direction from Ryan Sook, Brad Anderson and Josh Reed continues to distinguish Action Comics as one of the best visual ongoing books right now at DC. The Question’s reveal was aesthetically tailored to match the character without losing the tone established so far, and Supes fight with Red Cloud was an instant classic. This is the type of moments I want to see as a Superman fan, and luckily, the story afforded the visuals multiple opportunities to truly shine.
Although the story gets sidetracked momentarily with backstory, Bendis continues to show the heart of Superman on a level that isn’t done often. We see him struggling with the weight of recent events surrounding Lois Lane while still pushing forward to continue “saving everything he gets his hands on”. These emotional layers have been slowly building since Bendis took over, and they are all building with each new issue. Action Comics #1005 is the result of all these points coming together, coalescing into the reveal of Red Cloud as reporter Robinson Goode.
With the mystery finally out of the bag, it will be interesting to see how the creative team expands on her status as a true Superman villain…
Final Thoughts
Action Comics #1005 features the long-awaited reveal of Red Cloud’s identity and…The Question! What more could you want, really? With undeniably beautiful visuals, the issue succeeds in expanding on Superman’s long list of foes by delivering a classic Man of Steel story.
Action Comics #1005: Who is the Red Cloud?
- Writing - 9/109/10
- Storyline - 8/108/10
- Art - 9/109/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 10/1010/10
