Geoff Johns and Superman were born to be together, or at least, that’s what his current run on Action Comics is showing me.  With his last few arcs, Johns has been constructing Superman stories that feature a vulnerable character that continually reminds us why it is we love him so.  In fact, I’d stretch it so far as to say that Johns is giving back something to Superman that, for me, he’s been missing for so many years: a personality. 

The last arc featuring the Legion of Superheroes was a tale to remind us of just what kind of hero Superman is.  With the start of his new arc, Johns is injecting the Sueprman world with a little life.  Not only does Clark’s character shine in this issue, but we see the Daily Planet now populated with a cast of characters that are only going to make the world more unique.  There’s the return of Cat Grant, who’s breasts beg to fall out of her shirt while she types up the latest gossip.  There’s the new sports editor who pulses with male egotism.  And then there’s the political guy, who spots ignorance and intolerance.  In just a few panels, Johns is deftly able to give tension to each of these characters, which means that we, the reader, are in a for a real treat in terms of the story.

Besides the injection of new characters into the title, there’s also these really great character moments, especially with Clark and Lois.  One of my favorite scenes is when Cat Grant says hello to Clark in a way that doesn’t so much say “hello” as “please have sex with me.”  This is then countered by an excellent display of dialogue as Lois and Clark discuss Cat’s return, and leads to a moment where Clark gets to make fun of Lois for never figuring out he was Superman.  It’s a really nice, subtle touch to the characters that gives them life and personality.

Part of what makes this issue sing is the art by Gary Frank.  There are simply no words to describe how beautifully this man draws.  They just haven’t been created yet.  It’s this dynamic mix of realism and cartooning that breathes life into this book.  Everything looks real and believable, but not so much that it distracts you with comparisons to real life.  There are a few times where Superman looks like Christopher Reeves, but to me, that’s not such a bad thing as he so definitively created the real world look of this character.

If you’re not reading this book, shame on you.  It’s simply amazing, and now’s the perfect time to jump on and read it.  And trust me, you won’t be disappointed.