Blast from the past: Action Comics #3 Review

Cover Artist: Leo O’Mealia

Writer: Jerry Siegel

Artwork: Jo Shuster

Review Score: 8/10

Although Action Comics #3 doesn’t necessarily continue the previous storyline, it is truly a great issue. Clark Kent is assigned a “breaking news” story as a mine collapses, leaving its workers seriously hurt and in trouble. Clark digs for the truth from the survivors with the intention to make things right, when he finds that the owner has been neglecting the dreadful conditions of the workplace and doesn’t care for the danger that he puts his employees in. Superman in disguise, pays the owner a visit and cleverly interrupts and leads his party guests to a unique underground venue. Which co-incidentally ends in a cunningly schemed accident, giving the owner and his guests a taste for how the working class live.

I feel that in the older comics Superman is a bit more cunning and calculating than he currently is. Although he fights for the same reasoning, his ways of showing morality and justice is by making the perp see it and experience it first hand, scaring them into doing the right thing. I think this is one of the only comics I’ve read where you hardly see Superman in his suit, instead he is dressed as a miner throughout. As the artwork is minimalistic again, it is sometimes hard to tell which character is Superman (but that may be what they are going for), the drawings and profiles of the characters are simple and a lot of them look very similar.

The dialogue throws you right back into the old-time American gangster genre yet again and you really can’t help reading it in a New York accent – which is hard when you’re from England! Again the cover really has nothing to do with the issue, and I generally like to see at least a small tie-in of what to expect from the story on the cover. For me, the cover is really what intrigues me to the comic, and this cover leads you to think of pirates and sailors.

Although Action Comics #3 has nothing to do with the two previous ones, I think it is one of the stronger issues. I love the way that Superman deals with the bad guys in this and he really sticks up for working class people, which especially back in those times would have been a huge deal. If you read recent comics, going back to the old ones really is a breath of fresh air, and I can’t wait to see more of the cunning Superman that these comics offer audiences.

Don’t miss my review of the next issue of Action Comics here!