The first issue of Brian Michael Bendis’ Action Comics run has arrived! Superman is investigating a string of arson across the city, the only trouble is it’s hard to investigate when you’re a suspect!
Title: Action Comics #1001 (Invisible Mafia pt 1)
Writer: Brian Bendis
Art: Patrick Gleason
Colors: Alexandro Sanchez
Letters: Josh Reed
Publisher: DC Comics
What You Need to Know:
Superman allowed Jon and Lois to leave with Jor-el and travel the cosmos, meanwhile a rash of fires has broken out across the city with no clues as to who is setting them. Superman’s city is burning!
What You’ll Find Out:
Superman has been asking around about the rash of arson spreading across Metropolis, unfortunately there’s only one suspect as of now, Superman! The Last Son of Kryton does a little digging and finds a clue as to the boy who pointed the finger at him, but what of the mysterious shadowy cabal that paid the kid to say it? There’s a new villain in town, she’s gunning for Metropolis!
Hey look, a villain with screens! Didn’t we just do that?
What Just Happened?
As the first issue of Brian Michael Bendis’ Action Comics run I’d call this a pretty solid start. I enjoyed the humor for the most part, the inept thieves at the beginning were pretty funny and the gossip columnist grilling Clark for where Lois went was good. It is a little funny that we’re introducing a new shadow organization when Superman already has several, but I get it, new writer new characters. They did release a mini article asking who we think Red Cloud is, my money is on Deputy Fire Chief Melody Moore, it’s always who you least suspect…
The art in this issue by Patrick Gleason and Alejandro Sanchez is amaaazingly good! Less cartoony and stylized than Gleason recently was on Tomasi’s Superman series, which was very very good, not complaining about it. My goodness though the facial detail in this issue is unbelievable, with one closeup shot of Superman being damn near poster worthy!
Gleason is killing it!
The reveal of the kid who lied about Superman starting the fires was absolutely hilarious, again the detail shot of his reaction to being busted by Superman was too funny, likewise Superman threatening the kid with his mother has made me laugh all 3 times I’ve read this.
The database of bald bad guys (Superman has a lot of them, I once heard a fan accusing Superman comics of demonizing baldness, because he has so many) had a couple familiar faces, namely Dan Didio and Bendis himself, funny.
From the bald villain database, every reporter has access to…
I do love the idea of a gang meeting in a soundproof lead-lined container in Metropolis, although I do recall a Byrne era Superman vs Joker story where Joker hides Lois in a lead coffin and Superman finds it because it’s the only thing in the city he can’t see through. Wonder if that will come into play.
I love the change in Clark’s stance vs Superman’s, it’s little touches like that that make the character work, he slouches and has a somber tone, doesn’t even look like the same character, it always blows when Clark just looks like Superman in glasses.
Rating: 9/10
Final Thought:
Flawless art, pretty good developing story, I have a good feeling about Bendis’ Reign over Superman, if the last round of issues is any indication I think Bendis will do just fine, excited for next issue.
If anyone ever wants to contact me, look me up in my groups for the love of comic books and New Fans, Old Comics, I also have several comic pages dedicated to my various true loves, Batman, Superman, Sword and Sorcery, Indie Comics, Spider-man, Marvel, Oldie Goldies, and Hats! (Long story on that last one haha) or on Twitter @johnbatusijack
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