REVIEW: Action Comics #1100
The future (and past) of Superman comics is here while also honored in Action Comics #1100. Superboy’s temporal showdown with Epoch comes to an end and so much more as the next big event is teased while the milestone of reaching 1100 issues is celebrated with 19 extra pages as every Superman title interweaves here.
Ryan Sook’s cover stretches to the backside in what could be a mural. On the front, it just appears as the next installment of Action Comics reaching its landmark 1100th issue, with Superman and Metropolis in our day and age. Once it’s turned over, the history that proceeded is revealed and it goes back almost 90 years now. Superman appears in his four iterations of each age of comics as the technologies like the biplane and steam-powered locomotive reflect the past too.
I just picked up Mark Spears’ Marvel MTG cards and I’m going to pick up his variant cover this month as he does more covers for DC. It’s the photo-realism appeal and the fact all his work has the smoothness of paintings. Fabric suits are a staple of photo real superhero pieces, literally translating what they wear in comics into reality. It’s neat seeing different artists take on the likeness of Superman –whether it’s inspired by celebrities or action figures. Spears’ feels like both.
David Talaski gives us something we needed more of with his variant –Lois Lane-featured covers. This one truly has some Norman Rockwell influence as it showcases that journalism is her superpower. With Clark’s glasses placed at her side and newspapers flying everywhere, it looks like this is seconds after he dashed away at the speed of sound. For her, it’s just another day.
More great variant are done by Daniel Sampere, Rahzzah, Jim Cheung, Dan Jurgens, and Felix Leon.
Superboy, clad in armor after becoming near powerless, has closed in on Epoch while Dr. Gordon works to get a device up and running that will restore his powers. Clark’s knight-like armor proves valiant, but Epoch is able to incapacitate him. But this was all part of Clark’s plan (or rather a gambit) as he regains his powers and his time travelling allies of Mary Marvel, Booster Gold, and Martian Manhunter. But this is only the beginning of Superboy’s time traveling adventure as the group uses the machine to travel through Superman’s history, functioning both as a celebration and record of the Man of Steel through the years. This is where it truly feels like the milestone 1100 issue as advertised. Of course, there’s only so much that Superboy can see without altering the future. As the craft keeps going through time, it eventually reaches the end. The end of everything. Could that be the key to returning Superman as the group follows his supposed trail?
Mark Waid brings the time-traveling heroes in search of Superman story not to a bombastic ending, but in a grounded fashion –as grounded as time travel can be. Epoch does bring out the boy in Superboy, and that’s not a dig. He’s feeling all the things a boy should feel when his back is against the wall –and as the character philosophy goes, that is his greatest strength. Of course, what really shines is the time-traveling slideshow of the life and timeless stories of Superman in the next ten pages written by Joshua Williamson and art by Daniel Sampere with colors by Alejandro Sanchez. Letters are by Steve Wands.
Skylar Patridge and Ryan Sook have so many great visuals –it gets to a point where it’s one page after another. We start out with Superboy in his little knight-esque suit complete with sword and shield fighting against an Epoch who gives me 90s vibes with his terror robot design. The time tunnel sequences when we moved into the second story by Sampere and Sanchez are great and a love letter to each story and comic cover from the past they reference. Of course, there’s two-page spread you can just hear the John Williams music playing. Colors are by Sook and Ivan Plascencia.
Game Night written by Sophie Campbell and with art with Dan Mora and colors by Tamra Bonvillain shows us what’s going on back on the Kent farm as the Superfamily reconvenes –featuring the long-awaited reunion of Superboy and Superboy Prime since that fateful fight in Infinite Crisis. Plus, a Krypto and Streaky misadventure. This one connects the Supergirl and Superman comic series.
End Reign written by Dan Slott with art by Lucas Meyer and colors by Giuliano Peratelli takes us back to the Kryptonite Castle of El Caldero from Superman Unlimited. Here, President Eduardo Castilho is usurped by one of Superman’s enemies – setting up the next big threat the House of El will face.
(10/10) Action Comics #1100 is THE essential Superman pull for this week at the comic shop. The ongoing series converge, the next event is teased, and the timeline of Superman is celebrated for this milestone issue and it does not disappoint.
