REVIEW: Action Comics #1082

Action Comics #1082, “Force Majeure: Part ” is the first issue of a brand new Superman Superstars team. It’s also note worthy to point out this story takes place before “Absolute Power” which makes the final page more impactful.

The standard cover is by Gleb Melnikov sets up the premise of the story perfectly. Major Disaster has done something to earn shame from Superman and seems remorseful himself. The pouring rain adds a somber tone to the piece but Superman appears unaffected by the downpour as if the raincloud is only over Major Disaster.

The variant by Tom Grummett and Matt Herms has Superman doing his impression of the Kool-Aid Man as he busts through a brick wall. It could also very well be an homage to Jerry Ordway’s cover of “Superman” #50 but either way it’s always a pleasure to have more Superman work by Tom Grummett.

Kenneth Rocafort’s variant is somewhat comical as an explosion off-panel blows off Clark’s clothes to reveal he’s Superman. Still holding his glasses and looking fairly annoyed, we can only hope the explosion wasn’t too serious.

The variant by Ken Lashley and Juan Fernandez is a great rendition of Superman poised for action. It’s a simple cover, but it’s bright and colorful, and Superman looks powerful and heroic, so it really is fantastic.

Inaki Miranda and Colorist Eva De La Cruz are the interior art team for Action Comics #1082. There’s a lot of emotions running through the pages and these two really make it believable. There’s also several sequences where the art is solely telling the story and it’s all masterfully done. In actuality, every panel is well detailed and helps pace the dialogue heavy story.

John Ridley, lettered by Dave Sharpe, gives us a job for Clark Kent as he searches for answers to why a reformed villain returned to crime but didn’t resist being caught. The reformed villain in question is Major Disaster whom Superman personally gave their second chance way back in Action Comics #783. Suffice it to say, Clark takes the incident to heart and is encouraged by Lois to investigate the matter as the fine journalist he is. Perplexed by the defeatist answers he keeps running into, Clark’s determined there’s more to the story and the final page confirms his suspicions.

(9/10) I’ll admit my nostalgia for the Superman era John Ridley is tapping into makes me a bit biased, but the way he’s turned his story in Action Comics #1082 into a Clark Kent centric tale is also a bit exciting. The art team sets a perfect tone throughout the pages as well, to the point you can imagine a musical score accompaniment.