Superman: Action Comics #1067 – Gail Simone, Rainbow Rowell, Writers; Eddy Barrows/Danny Miki, Cian Tormey, Artists; Rex Lokus, Romulo Fajardo Jr, Colorists
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: In what might be the first Superman issue ever written by two different women, DC’s latest Superman: Superstars arc kicks off in a very different way from the last few. This isn’t an event comic or a world-threatening catastrophe – in fact, it’s a flashback, and one in which the main story sees Gail Simone try to get to the very heart of Superman. Set during the WGBS era (which has a distinctly 1970s aesthetic, despite it probably taking place in 2006 given the sliding timescale), Superman, Lois, and Jimmy are helping Jeff Pierce save a youth center during the early days of DC heroes. But that’s quickly interrupted by an alien invasion, in which a brutish alien guard nearly turns Metropolis into a free-fire zone – and a smaller, peaceful alien begs Superman not to engage.
It turns out that the second alien is a representative of a race that has been colonized by the first, and is now forced to participate in high-stakes tournaments for the fate of their world’s resources. They ask Superman to serve as their champion – but things go south from there. First Lois and Jimmy get accidentally chosen as Superman’s seconds, and then the evil aliens put Metropolis’ fate literally hanging in the balance to motivate Superman – just as he has to fight a Lovecraftian abomination in round one. The wonky timeline aside, this is a brilliant story that perfectly captures how Superman fights and what he fights for. Its big, occasionally funny and goofy, but with a great heroic core and high stakes.
The backup, by Rainbow Rowell and Cian Tormey (in Rowell’s debut at DC) is a modern tale that focuses on Lois’ tenure as EIC of the Planet. She’s struggling to fit into her new role as the boss, and dealing with several thorny ethical issues – such as, what to do when you know your husband is a little too close to the story because he’s literally writing about himself? It’s a great idea for a tale that tackles some of the unanswered questions relating to the Daily Planet, and it’s great to see this setting become a focus of the book again.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
