ACTION COMICS #1

Review by: BC1

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Avg Rating: 4.2
 
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Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by RAGS MORALES and RICK BRYANT
Cover by RAGS MORALES
Variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS

Size: 40 pages
Price: 3.99

This is definitely not your daddy’s Superman. Nor is this Morrison’s “All Star Superman.” Take the character we know, add a little Peter Parker slumming and Spider-Man “can’t get no respect,” and mix in some attitude (the kind Tom Welling wishes he could’ve pulled off in “Smallville”); this is the new Young Man of Steel. Reminiscent of the aforementioned “Smallville,” he has not gained all of his powers; he is where Kal-El was prior to the series finale (lest you think it’s just a coincidence, there’s also an obvious nod to the show within the first few pages). But he’s angry and unmerciful towards his targets, with a definite agenda in what he’s doing. One can definitely see Morrison’s own voice coming out here.
For better or worse, however, everyone else is the same. Lois, Jimmy, Lex, Sam Lane, all the same. Maybe there isn’t much wiggle room with these characters, maybe Morrison wanted to have some touchstone of familiarity to allow him to play with Superman more. But it feels like a missed opportunity.
Art wise, Morales has a great kinetic style that he applies to the pencils. When Superman moves, he MOVES. Morales does tend to exaggerate facial expressions a bit much sometimes, but that’s a minor thing. The colors are popping on this when necessary and more muted when not. Kal’s blue jeans, for example, are just the right faded color you would expect and not a bright blue like you would see in the traditional outfit.
The DC reboot has given creators a chance to really make a statement on this universe. Morrison has definitely done that here, and hopefully he will continue to do more in future issues

Story: 5 - Excellent
Art: 4 - Very Good

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