REVIEW: Action Comics #1056
Action Comics #1056 wraps up an exciting story arc that has seen classic Superman villains redefined by Phillip Kennedy Johnson to become the ultimate threat to Superman and his family. I look forward to seeing what’s in store for Superman next in Knight Terrors.
Action Comics #1056 continues a hard hitting fight for Superman and his extended family as we see Cyborg Superman show them everything he is capable of in this story arc finale. This arc has been an incredible read, with plenty of twists and turns along the way and it seems there are more to come.
But before we get into the issue itself, let’s take a look at the covers. The main cover is by Steve Beach and it is incredible. It expertly captures the both aspects of Superman and Metallo and the detail is incredible. Between the two you can see Tracy – Metallo’s sister in freefall among a series a digits which really exaggerates the sci-fi aspect of this issue and series as a whole.
The variant by David Talaski continues the gym themed connected covers and I have to say I think this one is my favourite. Talaski’s art style is great and really captures an innocence and classic feel to Superman and that’s something that I adore about the character.
The variant by Juanjo López prepares us for the finale of Steel’s back up story. This cover is great, I adore the way that López is able to get the shine of the metal on Steel just right, the realism in that aspect is great. From the flow of the cape to the fiery atmosphere that surrounds him, there is no detail spared on this cover.
There are also variants available by Rafa Sandoval & Matt Herms, Otto Schmidt, M.L. Sanapo & Rex Lokus.
It’s safe to say that Phillip Kennedy Johnson is an absolute master when it comes to taking classic characters and putting his own terrifying spin on them. This is easily the most dangerous we have ever seen Cyborg Superman as he gives each and every member of the Superman family a run for their money.
The stakes in Action Comics and this issue in particular has always been high, particularly for Metallo who was doing all of this just to try and save his sister. This relationship in this issue really brought a tear to my eye. The dialogue from Metallo is beautiful and really shows how deep their relationship goes and I have to say it is great to see a positive outcome for the pair after all they’ve been through.
As always, the artwork by Rafa Sandoval and Max Raynor is fantastic! The pair bring this story to life perfectly. From the vibrant colours of Superman’s suit, the dark, dingy and candle lit atmosphere for a newly introduced group, to the kryptonite hues and sci-fi-esque surroundings for Cyborg Superman, this art team nail every aspect of it.
With Cyborg Superman at his end in Action Comics #1056, we see the introduction of a new problem for Superman – ‘Blue Earth’. Though we don’t know much about this group yet, it seems to be a bunch of ordinary people that are understandably frightened of Superman. Though they don’t understand him as a person, they assume that he and his ‘Kryptonian’ group plan to take over Metropolis. Based on this introduction I am eager to see where this story will go and look forward to seeing what this group are capable of.
Action Comics #1056 wraps up an exciting story arc that has seen classic Superman villains redefined by Phillip Kennedy Johnson to become the ultimate threat to Superman and his family. I look forward to seeing what’s in store for Superman next in Knight Terrors.
