Action Comics #1076
Scheduled to arrive in stores: November 20, 2024
Cover date: January 2025
Cover: Clayton Henry and Tomeu Morey
Variant Covers: Sebastian Fiumara, Meghan Hetrick, A.L. Kaplan, and Leirix
Reviewed by: Marc Lax
“Phantoms – Part Seven”
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Clayton Henry and Michael Shelfer
In Zor-El’s lab we find that Zor has a photonic converter that may help charge Superman’s wristbands. That is he had a photonic converter. Ro-Zan and the council have confiscated it. Meanwhile Krypton continues to suffer from ground quakes. We find Zor-El is very angry at his brother for disgracing the El name and throws Jor, Lara, and “Klar-Ken” out.
Meanwhile, somewhere in space, Conner and Keenan are still fighting with the Khunds. After some shenanigans Conner fights the Admiral. And Wins! Call him Super Admiral Conner Kent.
Back on Krypton, Superman breaks into The Hall of the Science Council to retrieve Zor-El’s photonic converter. He finds it, but the guards find him before he can properly charge the wristbands. After fighting his way out (and punching out Uncle Zor) he’s home free. That is until Ro-Zan finds him, pointing a gun. Superman tells Ro-Zan that he’s from the future and tries to reason with him but the guards attack. No matter the wristbands are charged enough and he flies off. After he takes one more emotional look at his parents, Superman flies back to the future. Back to the Phantom Zone. Which he finds is collapsing on itself.
Story – 4: Wow! This version of Zor-El is an angry jerk. Don’t get me wrong, I understand some of the points he brings up but this is his brother. His family. It doesn’t quite jibe with most versions we’ve seen of Zor-El. Although wasn’t he Cyborg Superman in the New 52? Anyway everything and everybody is against Jor-El. You can feel the emotion Clark is facing watching his loving parents and knowing the tragedy that will soon take place. It was an emotional issue with some levity with Conner and Keenan, which is still the weaker part of the story. Still, nothing takes away from Clark’s journey and the work he has ahead of him. Terrific issue.
Art – 5: I’ve been saying all along that the art has been phenomenal and this issue is no different. Henry and Shelfer’s Superman looks fantastic on page 20. And when drawing a Superman book that is the most important thing. If you can get Superman right everything else will just fall into place.
“Supergirl – Every World”
Writer: Mariko Tamaki
Artist: Meghan Hetrick
The robot gives Supergirl a quick review of the Prisoner. They were responsible for destroying 157 worlds. The prisoner tries to escape. Supergirl stares into the prisoner’s face. She sees an explosion. The prisoner wants Kara Zor-El to kill it.
Story – 2: Just not digging this. We slowly get pieces of who the prisoner is and why Supergirl needs to protect them. This does not make me care about the prisoner. In fact I don’t like Supergirl in this story either. She doesn’t do much. It’s wasting her character. Will this story ever end?
Art – 3: New artist for this story. It doesn’t change much. It’s not terrible, which I know is not a compliment, but the art is better than the story.Cover Art – 3: This could have been a 4 but it’s just too busy. The circles telling us what to expect weren’t distracting but what they promised wasn’t really in this issue. Still a good cover.Variant Cover Art – 4: Nice throwback to “Superman: The Movie”. Superman trapped inside the Phantom Zone prison.Variant Cover Art – 3: Interesting cover of Superman blending into the sky and clouds. It’s not dynamic but interesting nonetheless.Variant Cover Art – 4: Another nice drawing of the super cousins. Well done.Creature Commando Variant Cover Art – 3: I suppose it’s a well drawn cover for what it is but nothing special, at least to me.
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