REVIEW: Action Comics #1102

Action Comics #1102 acts as the penultimate issue for the ‘Kingdom of Zod’ story arc, so far I’ve really enjoyed this arc and this issue really sets up the stake for the Superman family and Justice League.

But before we get into the issue itself, let’s take a look at the covers. The main cover is by Lucas Meyer and contributes toward the connecting covers, this one showcases Tomorrow Man, who is not the focus of the issue but is a key player in the story arc. I really love Meyer’s art style, it is pure comic book art and he portrays everyu character perfectly. As an overall image this is an extremely striking one.

The variant by Mark Spears brings us an innocent looking Superboy. I have loved his collection of covers, they have really brought to life these characters in a way that I haven’t seen before and his photorealistic art style really allow you to imagine what they would be like if they were real.

Salvador Larroca’s variant brings us a devilish looking Ursa, she is a force to be reckoned with and her stature, posture and flaming red eyes really showcase what she is capable of.

The variant by Pete Woods’ could be seen as slightly misleading, however it is a truly effective one that really showcases the stakes of this story arc. I love the smug little look on Zod’s face as he captures the Superman Family. The detail is great here and the use of green is a great way to show the agonising Kryptonite.

Action Comics #1102 follows directly after Supergirl #17 as Superboy finds himself let alone in Kryptonopolis. He is new to this environment, new to the place, new to being a superhero and new to the language, so this is a huge change for him as he tries to find his way back to Smallville and also his time. Jonn Jonn’z and Mary Marvel try to contact the Justice League to get aid but they’re too late, the entire world has their hands full and no one is immune to the Kryptonite poisoning that is sweeping the Earth.

In this issue, as Superboy guides his way to Supergirl, we get some really honest and emotional narration written by Mark Waid. This narration lets us know exactly how Superboy is feeling and now it’s up to a 15 year old boy with no experience to save Supergirl. We also get some emotional insight into what both Supergirl and Superboy make of Ursa’s plan, they too want to save their people, but at what cost? In Supergirl #17, Supergirl found herself and Ursa interrogated by Zod and as he tries to make sense of it all, Ursa makes a predicable but huge mistake, giving Supergirl the upper hand to escape. Ursa seems out of character here, but it’s understandable, this is her one chance to save Krypton, but this opportunity makes her almost wild and this is the start of her downfall.

The interior art is by Montos, colour by Ivan Plascenica and letters by Steve Wands and it is excellent. There’s a lot at stake in this issue and a lot of characters involved in different states and this creative teamed handled it perfectly. It had a sense of grittiness to it in the moments that it needed it and hope and warmth in others, creating a really drastic difference in atmospheres.

(8/10) Action Comics #1102 has its highs and lows for the entire team and just as things are starting to look up, everything suddenly comes crashing down as we edge toward the finale in Superman Unlimited #17, which is out next week. So far the ‘Kingdom of Zod’ story arc has been an enjoyable one and I’m looking forward to seeing how it ends.