"Action Comics" Comic Book Index

2016

Action Comics #957
Cover date: August 2016
"Path of Doom" - Part 1
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Patrick Zircher
Inker: Patrick Zircher
There is a new Superman in town and his name is Lex Luthor. Lex's coming out party comes in the form of taking care of four gunman holding hostages at Geneticron. Upstate Clark and Lois are busy moving into their new home. They have a heart-to-heart with their son Jonathan about not taking the easy way out even if he does have super powers. Clark catches a newscast about Lex and the hostage situation and decides the time has come to resume the mantle of Superman. As a mysterious man watches from an undisclosed location Lex is explaining his mission to the reporters that have gathered in wake of the hostage situation but is interrupted by Superman. Superman tells Lex that he knows who and what Lex is and to take off the shield and the cape and hand them over. Lex refuses and when Superman reaches out to take the symbol off himself he is shocked by the defenses in Lex's suit. This leads to a fight between the two with each man accusing the other of showing their true colors. Meanwhile three men associated with the group that had taken hostages at Geneticron are having trouble with their cargo, which was stolen when the authorities cut power to the building. As Lex buries Superman under rubble Clark Kent steps forwards which confuses everyone. Above them the coffin that the men were stealing bursts open and their escape vehicle explodes. The coffin's occupant crashes to the ground. Superman tells Lex that he is through playing nice but Lex tells him to hold that thought as something walks through the remains of the flying vehicle. Superman is shocked to see that that something... is Doomsday.


Action Comics #958
Cover date: August 2016
"Path of Doom" - Part 2
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Patrick Zircher
Inker: Patrick Zircher
Superman and Lex take on Doomsday as the mysterious hooded man watches from his headquarters and Lois and Jonathan watch on television from their home. Lex tries to take down Doomsday solo but Superman flies the creature into the sky to get him away from the civilians. Doomsday recovers and knocks Superman through a helicopter and down to the ground. An elevated train gets in Doomsday's way and Lex launches into action to stop the creature as Superman takes care of the train. Lex finds out exactly how powerful Doomsday is as the creature tears into his armor and grabs him by the head. The mysterious hooded man watches all of this and tells the image of Superman that he has to think about what he will do next for only then can the man make his move.


Action Comics #959
Cover date: September 2016
"Path of Doom" - Part 3
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Tyler Kirkham
Inker: Tyler Kirkham
Lois Lane struggles with how to talk to her son about what's happening in Metropolis. She remembers when Clark died and doesn't want to scare Jonathan by telling him that defeating the monster once cost Superman his life. Back in Metropolis Superman continues his battle with Doomsday as Jimmy tries to figure out what's going on with this Clark Kent that suddenly appeared. Lex takes the respite to rebuild his armor with a Mother Box. The fight with Doomsday opens up a hole in the street and Clark manages to fall into it breaking his arm in the process. Lex arrives and Superman convinces Lex he'll help more people by getting the civilians out of the battlefield. Lex has his doubts about this new Clark but Clark is adamant that he is the genuine article. Superman opens up his heat vision to full blast but accidentally sets off a gas line and there is a tremendous explosion. When the smoke clears Doomsday looms over Clark Kent and roars.


Action Comics #960
Cover date: September 2016
"Path of Doom" - Part 4
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Tyler Kirkham
Inker: Tyler Kirkham
Wonder Woman arrives in Metropolis and saves the very human Clark Kent from Doomsday's attack. Superman rejoins the fight as Jonathan and Lois watch the battle from their farm house. Doomsday eventually leaves Metropolis and once Superman realizes Doomsday might be going after Jonathan he takes off to find his family. He does and after Wonder Woman and Lois are introduced Superman and his wife share a brief moment of peace. That moment is shattered as Doomsday arrives and Wonder Woman moves in to engage the creature in battle.


Action Comics #961
Cover date: October 2016
"Path of Doom" - Part 5
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Stephen Segovia
Inker: Art Thibert
Lex Luthor reinforces a building damaged during the fight with Doomsday as the obviously powerless Clark Kent joins him. They watch as a Superwoman saves a mother and child and then discover the ship that was carrying Doomsday. Upstate Wonder Woman continues her battle with Doomsday and is kicked in the face for her troubles. Superman gets back into the fight but neither hero can get the upper hand. Jonathan lashes out at Doomsday with his heat vision but that only angers the creature. Superman knocks Doomsday out of the immediate area and has Wonder Woman take Jonathan and Lois to the Watchtower so that they will be safe. The mysterious Mr. Oz finally sends his men in to help with Doomsday and they converge on the creature. Superman watches and realizes that their involvement signals that there is something bigger at play.


Action Comics #962
Cover date: October 2016
"Path of Doom" - Conclusion
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Stephen Segovia
Inker: Art Thibert
Wonder Woman, Lois and Jonathan watch Superman and Doomsday fight from the safety of the Watchtower. On Earth Doomsday tears into the paramilitary types that landed at the end of the previous issue. The man in the hooded robe notes that the soldiers were not up to the task of taking out Doomsday. Superman slams into Doomsday and throws him into a nearby forest. They continue to fight and Superman once again throws the creature, this time towards his personal Fortress of Solitude. There he tries to send Doomsday into the Phantom Zone but he can't get enough time to set his trap. Wonder Woman arrives after Lois tells her to leave and help Superman and gives the Man of Steel the time he needs to set up the projector and send Doomsday to the Zone. Back in Metropolis Clark and Lex tend to the wounded. Superman arrives and wants a word with Lex. Superman isn't happy that Lex is wearing the symbol but listens as Lex explains his reasons for becoming a hero. The two aren't allies...yet. Back at the Fortress Superman is reunited with his wife and son and they head home. Meanwhile the man in the hooded robes muses that Superman was quite right to send Doomsday to the Phantom Zone. The act was ultimately futile because the man intercepted the projection and now Doomsday is his.


Action Comics #963
Cover date: November 2016
"Superman Meet Clark Kent" - Part 1
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Patrick Zircher
Inker: Patrick Zircher
Clark Kent is not having a good day. The press conference where he was trying to explain how the deceased Superman had come to him because his life was in danger and thus wanted to switch places with him ended with someone shooting at him. He got his job back at the Daily Planet but it turned out that the man giving him the lie detector test was Batman in disguise. His interview with the CEO of Geneticron, Mr. Bandu, went nowhere. Then he evaded guards and gunfire as he sneaked back into Geneticron and was thrown off a building for his troubles. Luckily Superman caught him and now the Man of Steel wants to talk.


Action Comics #964
Cover date: November 2016
"Superman Meet Clark Kent" - Part 2
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Patrick Zircher
Inker: Patrick Zircher
Superman brings Clark Kent to his Fortress to find out what his deal is. He uses a globe on Clark that finds a person's deepest memories and their honest feelings and it is revealed that this Clark was adopted by the Kents and became a reporter but was never Superman. That Superman took him to the Rockies one day because Clark's investigation of Geneticron put him in grave danger. There he stayed receiving periodic visits from Superman until those stopped. Fearing something bad had happened Clark made his way back to Metropolis and discovered that his friend had died. The Pre-Flashpoint Superman accepts the Globes findings but doesn't reveal his full background to Clark. He gives Clark a signal watch before they head back to Metropolis and discover that the Geneticron building has disappeared. Both men resolve to find out how this happened. Clark writes an article for the Daily Planet about the new Superman and Superman heads back and shows his family the tunnel system he created for them. Meanwhile a bearded man heads back to his apartment and tells a flaming meteor with a Superman symbol that the path is clear and the only answer... is death.


Action Comics #965
Cover date: December 2016
"Lois Lane, Back at the Planet" - Part 1
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Stephen Segovia
Inker: Art Thibert
The Lois from the Pre-Flashpoint universe heads to the Daily Planet and everyone accepts her as the Lois they have always known. As Lois walks into Perry's office she thinks about a weird dream she had the previous night and the conversation she and her husband had about finding out what happened the now missing Other Lois. Clark and Lois decide that she needs to look into the disappearance and eventually realize that her going into the Planet as the Other Lois is the best play. Back in the present Lois talks to Lex Luthor and Perry before returning to her office. There she meets Other Clark Kent and he accidentally shorts out her computer. Between that and being weirded out about Other Clark she heads to Other Lois' apartment to check out her home laptop. At Other Lois' apartment Lois finds herself confronted by Superwoman. Superwoman doesn't know who Lois is but if Lois wants to replace Other Lois then she'll have to go through Superwoman first.


Action Comics #966
Cover date: December 2016
"Lois Lane, Back at the Planet" - Part 2
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Stephen Segovia
Inker: Art Thibert
Superman trains his son to use his telescopic vision but Jonathan is curious why his other vision powers haven't manifested. They discuss this as they head home and Jon suggests a race which he wins. Superman is confused by this but before he can dwell on this Jon gets weirded out that his mother isn't home to greet him. Superman explains that this may happen more now that Lois is wanting to go back to work but that doesn't mean she loves him any less. Meanwhile, back at New 52 Lois' apartment Superwoman demands to know who Pre Flashpoint Lois is. Superwoman puts the pieces together quickly as PF Lois calls home. Superman hears that his wife might be in danger and flies off after making Jonathan promise he'll stay home. Superman arrives and Superwoman powers down revealing that she is actually New 52 Lana Lang. Lois unlocks New 52 Lois' computer and the three of them watch a message New 52 Lois had recorded in the event of her demise. She asks her doppelgänger to take over her work and to a certain extent her life so that the people she cares about won't have to suffer. Lana tells them about how Lois died right in front of her and how keeping that secret is eating her alive. She and Superman talk about if the same thing could happen to her and Lana wonders where do they go from here. Lois realizes it may be creepy but she has to honor the other Lois' last request. After a brief chat about the other Clark Kent and who he might be Lois and Superman head home and talk about what needs to be done. The next day Lois goes into the Planet and fully assumes the other Lois' life. Outside of the city the bearded man with the floating Superman symbol meets with another heavily armored man. The smaller man says that the watching and waiting is done and that the criminal of epic proportions that he's been studying will die.

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Action Comics Comic Book Index

Introduction

Here is a listing of the regular Action Comics title since the 2016 Rebirth saga that started a new era for the DC Universe of comic books. For accuracy almost every entry is based upon actually looking in the issue, and not memory or another source.

This listing is done in the order for when a comic book issue was published.

Note: Remember, the month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic was on sale.

The Writer, Penciller and Inker for each issue is listed under the Comic's Title and Date.

CONTENTS:

2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024

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