REVIEW: Action Comics #1073

Action Comics #1073, “Phantoms: Part Four” sees an initial showdown with Aethyr and his callous treatment towards the inhabitants of The Phantom Zone. The twist ending of this issue suggests an interesting detour/interlude to the story that’s sure to have equally interesting ramifications. Then in Supergirl’s backup story, “The Loop”, we learn a bit more about the prisoner Kara is charged to transfer.

The standard cover is by Clayton Henry and Tomeu Morey. Superman looms in the background as “Mon-El Strikes Back!”. There’s a little foreshadowing with this cover but the art is cool regardless.

Wes Craig and Mike Spicer’s variant bookends the connecting covers they’ve done since issue #1071. All three together makes a great mural of Clark’s origins from Krypton to Metropolis.

The variant by Ibrahim Moustafa has Superman and Aethyr come face to face. The huge size difference isn’t an exaggeration and visually captures the insurmountable threat Clark faces.

The incentive variant by Mark Spears has a hefty dose of realism. Clark changes to Superman on the Kent farm with Krypto running behind. The warm colored sky gives off a feeling of Autumn which is well timed for this release.

Artists Clayton Henry and Michael Shelfer, along with Colorist Matt Herms, make up the interior art team for “Phantoms”. Not only is their work dynamic and fun, they also throw in a few Easter Eggs during the Conner & Kenan interlude. The action sequences are expertly executed as there’s a real sense of danger in every panel.  

Artist Skylar Partridge and Colorist Marissa Louise handle the art for Supergirl’s backup story, “The Loop”. Taking a visual que from the tiny homeworld in “The Little Prince”, they use some clever panel work to denote the prison planet’s diminutive size. The line work of this story really sells the sci-fi nature of this adventure, complimented by the color work keeping each setting as alien and fantastical as possible.

Mark Waid, lettered by Dave Sharpe, doesn’t shy away from the level of exposition a story of this magnitude requires. That being said, Waid does an excellent job delivering that information in an entertaining and compelling way that doesn’t bog down the rest of the issue. There’s also a major twist by issue’s end that will leave you wondering where the story’s going, but hopefully in a good way.

Mariko Tamaki, lettered by Becca Carey, turns the perspective of Supergirl’s story to that of the mysterious prisoner she’s been sent to extract. At first things seem a bit disjointed until you realize the prisoner has a different way of experiencing time giving meaning to the title, “The Loop”. Kara’s mission doesn’t get any easier when she discovers she’s not the only one sent for the prisoner as this chapter ends on a cliffhanger as well.  

(8/10) The art remains a constant highlight in Action Comics #1073 and the writing is still entertaining, but the sharp directional change in “Phantoms” could derail the story. Also, “The Loop” took me a second read to really grasp the concepts presented with the prisoner, changing the mysterious nature of the story into a bit of a confusing one. Fortunately we only have one week to see if my concerns warrant any merit.