REVIEW: Action Comics #1071
Action Comics #1071, “Phantoms: Part 2” likely introduced the main antagonist while also picking up exactly where issue #1070 ended. Strange things are afoot in The Phantom Zone and a surprise reveal marks the end with a cliffhanger. Also, Supergirl’s mission hits complications as her story continues to be shrouded in mystery.
Clayton Henry and Tomeu Morey’s standard cover hints at an interesting theme with their giant phantom spider. Arachnophobic fans beware, not only does this scene play a part internally but both Superman and Supergirl’s stories deal with arachnoid creatures. The art here is fantastic as the spider really appears to be glowing and Superman’s reaction could be viewed as trying to pet it instead of fight it.
The variant by Wes Craig and Mike Spicer is a great visual summary of Superman’s origins. The devastation felt by Jor-El and Lara as Krypton begins to explode is heightened by the dominating black and red color scheme. Not only is Krypton exploding but the way the firery scene plays on the surface makes it seem like it’s bleeding out. However, out of tragedy comes triumph as Clark changes to Superman behind the foreground images.
Stevan Subic’s variant takes us to the desolate landscape of The Phantom Zone. Grabbing the curiosity of a couple of phantom dogs, Superman’s colorful outfit stands out against the dull landscape. This really sets the feeling of a stranger in a strange land which fits the tone of the issue well.
The incentive variant by Mark Spears is a great phantomized rendition of the villain Jax-Ur. The simple color scheme has a huge impact as Jax-Ur’s ghostly image seems to pop off the cover. With him solely on the cover and briefly mentioned in the story, highly suggests all the players involved have yet to be revealed.
Clayton Henry and Michael Shelfer, with Colorist Matt Herms, handle the interior art for “Phantoms: Part 2”. There’s some really fun visuals throughout this issue including a one-on-one charity baseball game between Conner and Kenan. Between them playing every position in the game and Clark having to use his powers more consciously in The Phantom Zone, there’s plenty of super powered antics on display.
Skylar Partridge and Colorist Marissa Louise continue their superb work with Supergirl’s mysterious mission in “Judgement”. Their classic approach holds the quiet suspense of space perfectly which adds layers to the written narrative. There’s some clever color usage when an alarm klaxon goes off and every other panel after that is cast in red hues. It gives both a sense of timing and an eerie ambiance to the action sequence that flows through the rest of this instalment.
Mark Waid, lettered by Dave Sharpe, gives a glimpse at who might be behind the strange transformation of The Phantom Zone on page one of ‘Action Comics’ #1071. From there, the story’s exposition is presented mainly through Clark’s inner monologue. This helps build the environmental threat The Phantom Zone has on its occupants. Now that the setting has changed, there’s more questions being asked as Superman is thrust into a situation he knows little about. Hopefully the continuance from the cliffhanger will provide a few answers.
Mariko Tamaki, lettered by Becca Carey, continues to build the mystery that is Supergirl’s outer space mission in the backup feature. It appears even she doesn’t have all the details either and just as she’s about to make some sense of it all, things go sideways. Also ending on a cliffhanger, Kara will have to figure out her next move with very little assistance.
(9/10) Both stories are expertly drawn and written. The mysteries and intrigue continue to build as things aren’t quite what they seem in either feature. The anticipation makes for a very compelling read which makes the weekly release of the title even more welcomed.
