Welcome back to SuperChat! Spinning out from the pages of BatChat, Super Boys Justin Partridge and Tony Thornley commit themselves to a new never ending battle, diving into the mighty deeds of Superman. This week the Man of Steel’s new direction continues with Action Comics #1029, part two of two of the opening arc “The Golden Age”! Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, penciled by Phil Hester, inked by Eric Gapstur, colored by Hi-Fi and lettered by Dave Sharpe!
Tony Thornley: Welcome back! I’m kind of loving getting new Superman every week again, even if last week was Red & Blue and next week (?) is Superman ‘78. It’s a refreshing change, especially from a period that seemed so focused on action and drama! Now we get to really feel the beating heart of Clark Kent and his world. And joining me once again is Justin! Say hi Justin!
Justin Partridge: Hi, Justin!
My himbo impression aside, I am just as pleased as punch as Tony is. I feel like in the last few years I have really gained a fresh perspective and healthier relationship with Big Blue (helped in kind by the wonderful books we are covering here and the equally wonderful and enriching creatives we have available to cover them) so this is really just a total treat to be able to share with you all.
This looks like a job for SUPERCHAT!
The Golden Age
TT: Okay, I really liked how this issue opened. It was basically a mirror to Superman two weeks ago. Where in that issue, Clark and Jon were handily beating these alien critters, this time the fight isn’t going so well. You can see Superman is a bit on the ropes while Jon is clearly worried about his dad. Thematically I think Johnson and Hester really nailed it here.
JP: OH TOTALLY! And a wonderful duality that Action and Superman seem to be aiming for once again.
But you nailed it, we open on a set up that is largely similar to the opening of “The Golden Age.” Jon and Clark are still holding their ground against the S.T.A.R Labs portals and their hellish spawn, but unlike last time, we seem to have a more optimistic tone in terms of the narration and visual sense from Hester and company. But one not without its own harrowing detailing, even through it’s more pop art inspired tonality.
TT: One thing the art really did well was show Clark breaking down. In the opening scenes it’s a torn costume and some sort of burn on his neck. But as the issue goes on you can feel it more and more. While Johnson still writes him as the Kal-El we know and love, Hester shows him moving slower, clearly weaker. His shoulders are slumping. He’s wincing in pain. It’s really smart on their part.
I really liked the narration that came with this. “This is the day every child has to live through- finding out their first heroes, their parents, are fallible and one day will be gone.” It’s a theme that I think the series will be able to explore in some interesting ways, realizing your parents will eventually be gone.
JP: OH BIG TIME!
And I was going to say too, it’s such a beautiful followthrough visually for the script’s intentions, right? Like through the whole of the narration we get gems like that and we see the Kent boys struggling within themselves and with each other with this sense of “mortality” that’s suddenly been put before them and then you LITERALLY SEE that same stuff peaking through in the artwork!
It’s a really nice sense of grounding that I think this and Superman have really benefited from in this opening arc. You got that kind of stuff JUST in the Bendis led Action, but it is really nice to see it starting to scaffold across BOTH books again.
TT: Yeah, I think this was a stated mission of Johnson’s on the book, and this arc is such a great start to that.
Not-So-Super
TT: The following scene on the S.T.A.R. Labs satellite was so good. It not only gave Clark and Jon a good info dump of what was actually going on, but it also allowed the duo to continue to connect. Just like we said last time, S.T.A.R. Labs being an antagonist is smart. In this case, it’s a bunch of hapless nerds. But I love seeing them take that role.
JP: AB.SO.LUTELY!
And again! More really tactile, instantly relatable, and GROUNDED stuff here! Why is S.T.A.R. Labs in the middle of this? Well, because they were ordered to put themselves in the middle of it by one of the scariest people in the DCU. And I also truly love seeing both Clark and Jon working the problem together. I was so afraid, or at least more worried, let’s say, that this two parter would be a lead up to Jon being sidelined or at least slightly pushed from the story to allow Clark the “win” going into this new phase of Action and Superman.
But seeing PKJ and the art team pivot away from that, pretty pointedly, in fact. Allowing them both to shine as characters and potential leads was really impressive to see. While also allowing this title to stand apart from the more grandiose and episodic tales of a book like Superman: Red & Blue (which my pal Tony and our fave SuperSchloar Cori covered beautifully last week).
TT: I like what comes next, as they reveal that Amanda Waller is behind the portals not being sealed sooner. And why, you might ask? Because Waller knows that the energy from the tear will hurt Superman.
JP: YES YES YESSS, my friend!
I really do love when Superman is pitted against more cerebral threats or more morally ambiguous elements within the DCU. Because we know he has to move beyond himself and his own personal parameters (at least within reason, of course) in order to counteract them! It’s one of the reasons the Levithan stuff in the previous volume worked best for me; I am very happy to see PKJ and the team moving more into that sort of gear.
I wonder if this might be the early seeds of the incoming Checkmate series starting to take root. Man, I would really love that.
Jon Kent, Superman?
JP: NOW HERE was something I thought I would be less into, but ended up really surprising me!
So as we get closer and closer to the “day” Clark Kent supposedly starts to crack, leading to the record of his death in the 31st Century, he and Jon have a pretty emotionally fraught moment before the final stand. We find Jon pleading with his father to step away from the fight, and hopefully live into the far future having “defied” the historical record. But Clark isn’t hearing it, opting to try and stand all the same, against the wishes of his son.
It takes a more novel turn than I was anticipating, I will say, but I was genuinely worried Clark was about to, to use the wrestling parlance, “get put over” his son and be allowed the win. Thankfully we get something a bit more interesting (and effective) than that, but how did this set up start to grab you, Tony?
TT: I liked this. It gave Jon a moment to shine while also giving Clark the nobility and self-sacrifice that he always has.
I miss kid Jon. I really think that aging him up took away an incredibly unique character in comics. He was pretty perfect the way he was.
If we’re going to have sixteen year old Jon Kent though, this is how I want to see him. An idealist but also a realist. Someone who has his father’s values but his mother’s gut. I’ve been really happy with Johnson’s teen Jon so far, and this issue is no exception.
So that’s a long way of saying- what does Jon do? Takes the situation in his hands and pulls off a Herculean feat to save the world and his father. And it makes Clark take a step back and assess the whole picture to make sure he’s doing the right thing. Is that right thing preparing Jon to take over? It may be.
JP: I SO LOVED IT!
And you nailed it, they have him aged up now, let’s start seeing him more in this context. Especially since we have somewhat seen where that road somewhat leads in “Future State.”
I would also agree that aging him up slightly cuts the legs out from underneath him. That we aren’t going to be allowed a run like Damian Wayne or Bart Allen because we have him already at the teen years now and that time before is already dedicated to the Legion in the 31st Century.
But I am willing to roll with it a lot more if that means we keep getting narrative turns like this. Alongside some choice explorations of him AS a foil for his father.
Again, not even a year ago, I don’t think I would have given these books a second glance but MAN am I so happy to get to cover them now.
Daily Planet Headlines
- Be sure to check out this week’s special crossover with BatChat for the first time to discuss Batman/Superman #16!
- The Midnighter back-up (by Cloonan, Conrad and Oeming) was interesting but not as strong a thematic tie to the issue as the Jimmy Olsen/ Bibbo short was last time. Maybe it has something to do with the still mysterious but now confirmed Superman & The Authority series coming later this year.
- Yeah I was less hot on the Midnighter back up this time around, despite REALLY loving Midnighter. I was more excited for some more “Tales of Metropolis,” but that might be more of a bi-monthly thing, I dunno.
- Way hyped, despite myself, too for Superman & The Authority. We got the t-shirt back! Manchester Black! AND A Lady O.M.A.C?! BE STILL, my SuperHeart.
Tony Thornley is a geek dad, blogger, Spider-Man and Superman aficionado, X-Men guru, autism daddy, amateur novelist, and all around awesome guy. He’s also very humble.
