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Action Comics #860 Action Comics #860

Action Comics #860

Scheduled to arrive in stores: December 26, 2007

Cover date: February 2008

Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Gary Frank
Inker: Jon Sibal

"Lighting and Shadows"

Reviewed by: Adam Dechanel

Click to enlarge


The JL of the future find remnants of a Time Sphere realizing Superman is really and truly back. This is not good news and Earth Man announces that the vunerable Kryptonian once dead will never stand in their way and the life they've manipulated so much for. If he's dead they can manipulate his origin more than the DC writers can.

Meanwhile the Legion crash into the Gulag and rescue the prisoners in the search for Brainiac 5. At first they are inspired by Superman's involvement - but then he bleeds - like and ordinary man.

Dawnstar tracks a scent to a particular prison cell and they realize Brianiac had fashioned a teleporter and escaped to his homeworld. Clark pressures Dawnstar into finding the other imprisoned Leaguer.

Polar Boy escapes his torture and greets his friends, sporting a new solid ice limb. Brek then fills the Legion in on Earth Man and his plans. He explains Earth Man was a Legion reject just like him but that he turned his life around to become a member of the Substitutes and worked hard with his team of Legion rejects. Earth Man however had relied on manipulation of the public mind.

Night Girl and Shadow Lass appear from the dark shadows and help to sneak the Legionnaires out of the gulag and into the makeshift rubble of a clubhouse. They are greeted by Timber Wolf and Lightning Lass.

Superman is shocked at the life the Substitutes and surviving Legion members live. He is even moreso when the survivors reveal Chameleon Boy had to return to his homeworld to protect it, White Witch was slave traded to Mordru the evil sorcerer and Mon-El was reinserted into the hell of the Phantom Zone.

Trying to act quickly they decide to hunt for Brainiac on Colu but they are attacked by the Justice League. Lightning Lass, Timber Wolf, Shadow Lass and Night Girl hold off the attack while Superman, Wildfire, Dawnstar and Colossal Boy soar skyward in a rust bucket of a space pod.

The pod crash lands on Colu with everyone knocked out during impact.

Superman clambers out of the wreckage and is ambushed for knowledge by Coluan civilians. When he awakens, Clark is shocked to meet Brainiac 5 but not the friend he knew. This Brainiac is akin to the first and announces a death threat.

He also wonders, if Amalak is right, there is a twin city, a real Kryptonian city full of other survivors and a new generation of Kryptonians might be out there....

5Story - 5: Where Camelot Falls sunk to the bottom of the ocean, Superman and the Legion of Superheroes soars to new heights. I am now not at all bothered by continuity issues and am just enjoying the story as one hell of a comic book romp that's definitely worth telling. I am also glad the hunt for Brainiac is over, especially after dealing with comedy book Countdown's hunt for Ray Palmer. If only all the Superbooks were delivering books that take your breath away with each new chapter.

5Art - 5: Gary Frank and Jon Sibal continually deliver the best artwork Superman has sported for many years, in my opinion. Jon's inking technique can sometimes overpower the pencilling but the balance is just right this issue. Would love a few more splash pages of Superman in action.

3Cover Art - 3: Boo and just after I was singing praises.

The cover just doesn't seem to be at all what it had the potential to become. After reading the past two chapters I'm sure you'll agree they aren't the most inspiring part of the book. I wish this could have been a full 5/5, maybe next chapter eh?

Mild Mannered Reviews

2008

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

January 2008

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