Action Comics #1083
Scheduled to arrive in stores: February 12, 2025
Cover date: April 2025
“Force Majeure – Part Two”
Writer: John Ridley
Artist: Inaki Miranda
Cover: Gleb Melnikov
Variant Covers: Yanick Paquette and Arif Piranto, Taurin Clarke, Ozgur Yildirim
Black History Month Variant Cover: Ryan Benjamin and Rain Beredo
Reviewed by: Marc Lax
After lasts month’s attack Clark wakes up in the Batcave. After much discussion Clark and Bruce realize the perpetrator used magic to assault Clark hoping to draw Superman to the scene. This incident does not stop Clark from continuing the investigation. After talking to the chief of Metropolis Police Department Clark learns the victim in Major Disaster’s attack was Max Boykin. Boykin was a therapist helping criminals who just got out of prison. One of Boykin’s clients? Albert Michaels, better known as the Atomic Skull. He, like Major Disaster and the others, is depressed and willing to throw in the towel. Superman then visits Scorch to discuss the whole affair only to discover she’s involved in the whole thing. She magically transports them both to some other dimension, a place used by… Bruno Mannheim. Mannheim is dealing in something called Telomeres. It takes the DNA from willing customers for cash. Atomic Skull, Major Disaster, etc were all donors and Max Boykin was the recruiter. Taking away the Telomeres causes despair and melancholy which explains Skull and Disaster’s attitude adjustments. Superman is not having it. Before he can stop him Mannheim orders Scorch to kill Superman. He’s able to talk Scorch out of it and the two of them find Mannheim who sends a group of powered up people (who resemble Parademons) to attack. Superman makes short work of them. But it’s not over. A trio of creatures fly in to protect Mannheim. If Superman doesn’t step down things are going to get real.
Story – 3: I’d say this is more a 3.5. I just can’t give this a solid 4. This is a nice story and any story that has reporter Clark Kent actually being a reporter isn’t too bad. It’s just that this story has so much dialogue and exposition. Now I’m not a reader that loves a comic that you can read in five minutes. I don’t mind more dialogue or even a story that’s more dense. But most of this is exposition, reiterating the same point over and over. Why is Major Disaster acting that way? Why is Atomic Skull acting the same? What does the Chief of Police think? What does Scorch think? Now luckily we do have some twists thrown in. The mystery of Max Boykin and the involvement of Bruno Mannheim. The whole subject of Telomeres is a bit confusing, at least to me, but thankfully we get some explanation on what’s been driving the villains. I’m entertained by this story and think it can definitely improve, especially with what we’ve learned and the new characters. I just hope it doesn’t continue to be overwritten.
Art – 4: Inaki Miranda continues to have a handle on these characters. I love Miranda’s Clark Kent especially and the scenes with Scorch, with Eva De La Cruz’s colors, are phenomenal. Keep it up everybody!Cover Art – 3: This doesn’t really do much for me. Clark looking at Atomic Skull with Scorch in the background isn’t very exciting. Dull image.Variant Cover Art – 4: Superman fighting a monster with a dual picture of Clark on a deadline. Nice image by Yanick Paquette.Variant Cover Art – 3: Odd image of a little girl reaching out to Superman as he stops a vehicle from falling on her. I may be misinterpreting this drawing, it’s not as clear as it looks.Variant Cover Art – 4: Nice drawing of a classic image of Superman with hands on hip cape flying. Slightly cartoony but still nice.Black History Month Variant Cover Art – 4: Wonderful drawing of Steel. Like a shining knight.
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