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ACTION COMICS #9

• Featuring characters from parallel Earths, including PRESIDENT SUPERMAN!

• Introducing new villain SUPERDOOM!

• Guest artist GENE HA joins GRANT MORRISON for this tale of not one, not two, but THREE Earths!

• And in the backup story, President Superman must stop a nuclear attack – but he can’t leave the White House!

Story by Grant Morrison & Sholly Fisch
Art by Gene Ha & Cully Hamner
Colored by Brad Anderson
Cover by Gene Ha & Art Lyon


Price: $3.99
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 1.5%

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thegreatoz05/11/12NoRead Review
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Comments

  1. Avatar photo harkiamsuperman says:
    April 30, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    What has happened to the narrative direction of this story? Seriously.

  2. Avatar photo kingjoeg says:
    April 30, 2012 at 2:19 pm

    An elseworlds story with Gene Ha on art, my expectations couldn’t be lower.

  3. Avatar photo DDangelico (@DavidDangelico) says:
    April 30, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    I’m really debating dropping this title…

    • Avatar photo saiyanzzrage says:
      April 30, 2012 at 2:34 pm

      already did at issue 7

    • Avatar photo BC1 says:
      April 30, 2012 at 2:56 pm

      I’ll give this a swing, but I’m feeling like one foot’s out the door with this title. The direction that this book started with was great – I want more of that, with “getting his feet under him” Superman.

    • Avatar photo CaeuZokul says:
      April 30, 2012 at 11:15 pm

      @BC1: There’s no reason we can’t revisit that era in his career again and again. In-between other stories. There’s still so much about this (still young) Metropolis Marvel to discover. Morrison’s Superman has enough aspects to explore for quite some time.

      Bizzaro hasn’t appeared yet, to my knowledge. Has this happened already to this modern Superman? Was it something that happened very early? Did he trust someone to help him understand why he was “different” and was exploited with a shambling clone? Who knows?

  4. Avatar photo sitara119 says:
    April 30, 2012 at 2:56 pm

    i wonder if obama buys the books that he’s on the cover of?

    • Avatar photo sitara119 says:
      April 30, 2012 at 7:29 pm

      wow. and i just noticed that he is the superman of earth 23. 23 is obama’s old basketball jersey number.
      i think i’m going to like this a lot.
      morrison ’12.

    • Avatar photo CaseyJustice says:
      May 1, 2012 at 12:44 pm

      Man, I hope so. I hope he has a secret longbox in the Oval Office he hits up between legislature.

    • Avatar photo JokersNuts says:
      May 2, 2012 at 8:52 pm

      Secret longbox in the oval office! Best thing I heard all day, thank you @caseyjustice

    • Avatar photo sitara119 says:
      May 3, 2012 at 8:30 pm

      yeah, that’s almost as cool as hittin’ up cigar boxes and interns between legislature(zing!).
      nah, but seriously, a long box in the oval office would be the coolest shite.
      it’s probably hidden in a safe behind a portrait of jefferson on the wall that slides out like a drawer when opened.

  5. Avatar photo adrianrigter says:
    April 30, 2012 at 3:21 pm

    I’m somewhat interested in this. i kinda wonder if it’s something of a multiversity precursor. and hey, it’s President Superman from Final Crisis. maybe Sunshine Superman will show up too:)

  6. Avatar photo Elwapo187 says:
    April 30, 2012 at 3:55 pm

    I really don’t want to drop this title. I have faith in Morrison. His runs almost always take sometime to warm up.

  7. Avatar photo TexasZombie99 says:
    April 30, 2012 at 4:33 pm

    Yeah, I’ll check this out at the shop but I think I’m out too. I was hoping to finally really get into a Superman book and I don’t think it’s time yet…read the first 8 issues which were pretty decent, just not good enough to keep going I think.

  8. Avatar photo Flash923 says:
    April 30, 2012 at 4:42 pm

    Last issue I swear, hopefully Ha’s art will bring some consistancey to these characters unlike the first 8 issues which; you really at points could not tell who was who??!! Luthor looked like the monster from the Goonies and Lois and Clark looked different in almost every panel, if it was’nt for the S you would not know what or whom of Superman. Anyway; I will give this it’s last chance this time and then that will be that.

    K

    • Avatar photo Flash923 says:
      April 30, 2012 at 4:43 pm

      I mean seriously I really think the artwork was so distracting and I am sorry bad it just really hurt Morrison’s story’s; well we shall see right??

      K

    • Avatar photo adrianrigter says:
      April 30, 2012 at 5:59 pm

      The art has been a real downer in this series, at the start of the relaunch DC put Rags up there with Jim Lee & Capullo, now, not so much. It’s really not a selling point.

    • Avatar photo sitara119 says:
      May 1, 2012 at 2:02 pm

      “HEEEEEEEEEEY YOOOOOOOOOOU GUUUUUUUUUUYZ!!!!!!!!
      his name is sloth and he’s a person flash, not a monster. how rude.
      ba-wa hahahahahahaaha

  9. Avatar photo thescimitar says:
    April 30, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    This has me interested again

  10. Avatar photo jerriblankstare (@dbergene) says:
    April 30, 2012 at 5:45 pm

    I am back on board, I just needed to read that first arc together and it really worked for me…excited to see what’s next!

  11. Avatar photo RecksDeud says:
    April 30, 2012 at 7:10 pm

    What direction is this book going in? Is there an overall narative? At first, it seemed there was, then Andy Kubert shows up and I’m not sure where we are any more. Does anyone else get that disjointed feeling from this book, or is it just me?

  12. flapjaxx says:
    April 30, 2012 at 7:24 pm

    This is really disappointing. I picked up issues #1-8, but did so always hunting for discounts and used copies here and there. I did it just to get to the end of the first storyarc. And it was nothing special.

    Morrison often does take a while to get going, but I really don’t see him seeding many interesting ideas in these first eight issues. The story isn’t multi-layered or deep. There are interesting little touches here and there, but not enough to keep me interested. I could care less about all of these lame back-up stories; they just necessitate a $3.99 price tag, which I don’t want to pay for what I’m getting here.

    And I liked Final Crisis and the black president Superman there. But this doesn’t seem like an opportune time to shift over to alternate timelines and such. I was hoping this title could finally get on with it and become something cohesive. Looks like that isn’t happening anytime soon.

    So, yeah, I’m not even going to think about maybe buying this title anymore. If Morrison really turns it around, then I’ll wait for the Vol. 2 collection to be released. Because this title just isn’t worth keeping up with, not even on the level of just seeing what’s going on with it and deciding if I want such-and-such issue every month. It’s a mess.

    • Avatar photo markavo says:
      April 30, 2012 at 10:36 pm

      We really need a “Like” for others comments 🙂

    • Avatar photo sitara119 says:
      May 1, 2012 at 11:51 am

      and “dislike” 🙁

    • Avatar photo JokersNuts says:
      May 2, 2012 at 8:57 pm

      The whole is going playing off of the earth-2 story and introducing the new dc multiverse. It makes total sense for him to do this story, and Calvin Ellis actually turns out to be a really interesting character. The back up was a nice addition to the issue.

      The art was a bit spotty, but I don’t understand how people aren’t having a blast with this series. I am really enjoying it and look forward to Morrisons Multiversty, if that ever comes out.

  13. Avatar photo HarlemSkywalker says:
    April 30, 2012 at 8:32 pm

    Black Superman on the cover, I’m sold.

  14. Avatar photo MegaPhilip says:
    April 30, 2012 at 8:33 pm

    …I dropped off after #3 but I might grab this.

  15. Bergni01 says:
    April 30, 2012 at 8:49 pm

    Haven’t enjoyed this title in a long time. It pains me to say it, but it’s just been bad. If I’d known this would be another Obama gimmick issue, I wouldn’t have pre-ordered it. Ugh, I think I’m done with this.

  16. Avatar photo Andrew Gaboury says:
    April 30, 2012 at 9:58 pm

    I always tell myself the last Action I read was the last one but Morrison might suck me back in for this one too. The problem with digital is that sometimes its TOO easy to buy comics.

  17. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    April 30, 2012 at 11:11 pm

    If this came out right around Final Crisis then this issue would have made some sense.

    But as, appropriately named, @harkiamsuperman said….Just what is the narrative point of this issue? At least Morrison gave us an origin or sorts to the spaceship for issues #5-6. But what the heck is an Obama Superman issue going to give us here? Even if it did tie into something greater I just wanna know what the fuck happened to the original direction of this series being about a young, inexperienced Superman.

    So glad I dropped this cause once again DC dropped the ball on this series.

  18. Avatar photo CaeuZokul says:
    April 30, 2012 at 11:52 pm

    I think Superman, under Morrison’s pen, is complex enough to come back to his early roots every so often for very poignant stories. I don’t want to get tired of that era of his development too soon. If it gets dolled out, even in a non-linear fashion, that’s fine with me. I just want ACTION!

  19. Avatar photo markish says:
    May 1, 2012 at 12:21 am

    People asking ‘what is the narrative point of this issue?’ might want to, I don’t know, wait to read it before speculating on how ‘pointless’ it is? Maybe I’m crazy, but I like to judge stories AFTER I’ve read them…

    • Avatar photo MisterKyleW says:
      May 6, 2012 at 2:46 am

      I also feel like that’s been a little bit of a confusing criticism of this title. I think back to some of my favorite comics like Starman, which had digressions all the time, but in the end, it became clear that everything fed into the bigger picture and contributed to the longer, larger narrative.

  20. Avatar photo Funcrusher says:
    May 1, 2012 at 12:39 am

    I’ve never wanted to like a book so much.

  21. Avatar photo LongtimeReader says:
    May 1, 2012 at 5:47 am

    I’m so looking forward to this. This Superman was in infinite crisis and this is the first step toward Morrison’s multiversity.

  22. FASTorSLOW says:
    May 2, 2012 at 9:07 pm

    I absolutely loved this issue. I think that Morrison is building something big, and I’m pretty sure that Multiversity will be connected to his Action run through this issue. Very much looking forward to re-reading the first eight issues when the hardcover comes out!

    One last thing; people often don’t enjoy Morrison’s work at the start of runs – in particular, I remember his batman run getting quite a lot of flack. However, in retrospect, not only does Batman and son seed ideas and themes that have only just come up in Batman Inc, it also reds as a fantastic introduction into morrison’s bat-epic.

    Have a little faith guys, I think grant is actually cooking with nitro-glycerin here, but we’re just seeing too little of the fire to know it!

    • Avatar photo Turd Ferguson says:
      May 2, 2012 at 11:14 pm

      For sure. I’m with you man. I have faith that Morrison has some big ideas that will eventually connect all these seemingly disparate elements, time periods and universes.

      I hear what people are saying – the young Superman learning his craft would be compelling but I bet it would get old quick. The non-linear storytelling that has become Morrison’s trademark is a little frustrating at first and would probably read better as a trade but I’m gonna be patient and stick with this. I’m sure it will be worth it and the payoff will be sweet. Can I get a “Zur En Arrh” people!?!?!

      Then again I could be wrong and Morrison’s lost his touch and this could just continue to amble aimlessly like this sentence that has no punctuation when it should probably have some.

  23. Avatar photo Poopmonster says:
    May 3, 2012 at 1:30 am

    “…and then the little people…” classic. If your gonna go crazy, go bat shit crazy. Best written issue yet, plus some pretty sweet Gene Ha pencils.

  24. Avatar photo davetv says:
    May 3, 2012 at 7:47 am

    Generally I’m not a fan of Morrison and this idea seems trite, but I really sort of enjoyed this.

  25. MikeFarley says:
    May 3, 2012 at 9:23 am

    Can Morrison just write THIS book from now on? President Superman is more interesting than NuSuperman.

  26. Avatar photo thehangman says:
    May 3, 2012 at 11:17 am

    yeah. no.

    morrison should get the fuck off of this book.

    i see what he tried to do, but holy shit was he off.

    damn. i want to drop this so bad. but it’s superman (kinda).

  27. MoBuck89 says:
    May 3, 2012 at 3:48 pm

    was that Jimmy Olsen, or Peter Cheney?

  28. Avatar photo Lebahn says:
    May 3, 2012 at 4:04 pm

    It was littered with fun photo references and inside jokes. It had a great Obama-Man. The idea of Superman, racism, and loss are all great ideas….BUT….Who the hell writes a new origin only a few issues after telling the origin. I know I know…it’s an origin of another Superman. Actually, no…it’s not, they even stated in the story that all the other Supermen in the other universes came from Clark Kent’s machine too. I dropped this title at issue 6. I came back because people said that Morrison got himself back on track. I enjoyed the last two issues. C’mon though…two on one off? Three on two off? Most people who didn’t go for the last ‘stray’ story blamedsome of it on the editors at DC for allowing the flow to be disrupted, but no one gets the blame for this but the big guys at DC, It appears that they gave Grant Morrison rule to do anything he damn well pleases….someone get this man back under control!

    I don’t mean any disrespect to those who are enjoying this run,

  29. Avatar photo Ainslo says:
    May 3, 2012 at 5:49 pm

    I am loosing interest in this book and it was the one i was most interested before the New 52 came out, it almost feels like an anthology title (not sure this is the right term) all so disjointed, i have trouble thinking of the last few months in any kind of narrative flow. all very piecemeal. the Majority of this story, the last half at least seemed to take part in an area of about 10 feet. should have had a white cyborg or JStewart GL if they were going to play the race switcheroo, other than just everyone except Lex. Can;t keep spending the money waiting for it to get right, as i see it, if it is going to go right it will have to be from scratch anyway and build up. Think i will drop it but keep an eye on comments and reviews before i come back, that way i can pick up Nightwing. gotta start watching those pennies.

  30. Avatar photo UkeRupp says:
    May 3, 2012 at 6:12 pm

    This issue was…interesting. I enjoyed the story, but I just can’t see the relevance of it in the current run. The story, while pretty cool, just felt out of place. Now, we don’t know where everything will be heading from here, so it may all make sense in the long run. I know many people say that about Morrision–that everything comes together at the end–I just hope that happens here. I really, really want to like a Superman book…

    • Avatar photo markish says:
      May 4, 2012 at 5:15 am

      The little guy who has made multiple appearances was here again and I think this Lex’s multiverse machine is going to be muchos importante in coming months…

    • Avatar photo sitara119 says:
      May 5, 2012 at 2:59 pm

      @ukerupp
      personally, i love the thrill of not knowing where we’re heading and the challenge of trying to figure it out or just keep up for that matter. morrison keeps me on my toes with his mysterious, reimagined neo-myths and fantastic fancies. he conjures up quite the cocktail.

      @markish
      i was hoping not to be the only one to notice and mention the lil’ guy. good eye. i’ve said this a few times, but i think he might be mr mxyzptlk. i could be way off base, but i think maybe it is.

  31. MoBuck89 says:
    May 3, 2012 at 9:20 pm

    It amazes me that so many people who don’t like this book are still buying it.

    • Avatar photo thehangman says:
      May 4, 2012 at 4:10 pm

      some of us just love superman so much that we’ll sit through whatever horseshit morrison’s cranking out.

      his writing is the definition of hit or miss, with a 1:9 ratio.
      i liked the batman incorporated part with man-of-bats, hated the rest of the run.
      i owe him for bringing back Barry Allen and bringing in Damian Wayne, but damn if i don’t hate nearly everything else he has wrote.

    • Avatar photo sitara119 says:
      May 5, 2012 at 2:36 pm

      wow, hangman. you’re willing to sit through horseshit? you must have read fear itself in it’s entirty. tie-ins and all.
      lol
      i can not relate to that at all. or the negative morrison hyperbole.

  32. Avatar photo sitara119 says:
    May 4, 2012 at 12:19 am

    this was fuckin’ A-mazing! loved it. i even loved the back-up. a really good alternate world super-tale.
    over the top, raging lex luthor. for real, he was seriously pissed off in all of his panels.
    a nietzsche reference.
    gotham city mayor wayne in the background.
    the short guy who had mr.glenmorgan’s tie the whole time in the last arc was the speaker for OverCorp(i still think he might be mr.mxyzptlk).
    brainiac duplicates of calvin ellis handling an international crisis.
    an awesome one-and-done morrison account nicely illustrated by ha. i want more president superman fables in the near future.
    5/5

  33. Avatar photo Ainslo says:
    May 4, 2012 at 2:10 am

    Slept on it, Now i love an alternate reality book, Earth 2 may be my pick this week. I just feel to have done this issue, the 8 should have solidly set up what the base reality is. This title needs to get grounded. I loved the Lex explaining that it is not is race he hates, it’s everything else. But it was the jolt that convinced me, sadly that I won’t be reading a book with Superman in it for the time being.

  34. Avatar photo thehangman says:
    May 4, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    despite how much this sucked,

    in some panels,black wonder woman was quite the looker.

  35. Avatar photo GaviinNansoong says:
    May 5, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    I continue to enjoy this series, defying expectations and telling new stories instead of re-hashing the past. This is what the relaunch should be doing, this and a few other DCnU titles are achieving it.

  36. Avatar photo SmoManCometh says:
    May 5, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    this was great. Loved it.

  37. Avatar photo consafo80 (@consafo80) says:
    May 6, 2012 at 7:11 am

    This was a poor issue I thought but I don’t think it’s been a great book for the whole run. Gene Ha’s art was better then Rags Morales but my 2 year old nieces is better then Rags Morales. I’m just pleased that Superman has finally picked up as Action Comics is dropped.

  38. Avatar photo Flash923 says:
    May 7, 2012 at 8:46 am

    I will say the artwork has improved over the last artist however, this issue was just so far out of left field I think they were playing an all together different sport out there. I really was a little intrested in seeing Superman as the president however; I think issue #9 is a little early to be doing different universe jumps. Especially after such a bad start to this title and since I really think this story was well wasteful.

    K

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