Superman and Action: Bendis ongoing series Superman 21 Open for Discussion

One of the interesting things I’ve found out on this thread is that people have a favorite between Bendis’ Action or Superman. With Superman’s powers his best stories seem to involve giant punch outs with super powerful villains or long running schemes by secret organizations trying to undermine him in some way. Bendis has tried both approaches with Action & Superman. One innovative I’ve liked is an organization smart enough to never mention Supes name or anything else his super hearing could catch on to. This week in Action, it’s back on Earth dealing with Leviathan.

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Action 1012’s first page is a great example of one of the things I enjoy about Bendis’ writing. We’ve see it with desktops full of papers, computer screens with email open, and of course sticky notes everywhere. In this issue, it’s the Daily Planet’s Chirp page. With a Twitter like scroll, you’re reminded where you are in the story with articles about the destruction of the DEO, Argus and Spyral, small hints at the DC world with references to reporters Grant, Ryder and Vale, and happenings in Central City, and a couple of jokes including the scoop of Aquaman 2 being mostly a water ballet. In the age of deconstructed long form story telling (we see you over there Mr. King) it’s nice to have a writer who fills not only a book but a single page with so much superhero story telling.

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This weeks Action cover grade: A
With the classic pyramid design Superman flies from the bottom of the page with a cloud and hand reaching to catch him. The red of the cloud, Supes cape, and his blur draw the eye in while his movement draws you up to the city scape below. Movement and speed a very well done Superman shot.

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This weeks Action cover grade: A
With the classic pyramid design Superman flies from the bottom of the page with a cloud and hand reaching to catch him. The red of the cloud, Supes cape, and his blur draw the eye in while his movement draws you up to the city scape below. Movement and speed a very well done Superman shot.

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It’s the little things that matter. Lois and Clark’s conversation about when they first met, Superman’s joke about having already flown to outer space and back, Lane telling Kelex that she needed her notes for an article. Small details that fill in their world and relationship and make it more believable. And you know Lois would use Kryptonian tech to help her reporting.

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Final thoughts on this week’s Action, Bendis likes to pull from the lesser used characters in DC history. Rose and Thorn fit perfectly in the overarching story and are nicely refreshed here. Looking for an image I was surprised to find this crossover with webhead.

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Superman #13 out today. Bit of a slow episode as we look back (again) at Krypton’s destruction. Bendis’ wrinkle is that a secret inter-galactic cabal was responsible either for the planet’s death directly or at least were guilty of indifference. While seeing these familiar alien species argue with Jor el was mildly interesting the issue is more exposition than action. Only the tag, with Lex offering Lois his magic box held any real excitement.

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A double dose of super this’s week with Supergirl #32 hitting the shelves. Andreyko and Maguire integrate their storyline nicely with Bendis’ Superman as Kara conther quest to understand Krypton’s demise. The highlight continues to be Kara and Jon (And Krypto too) joining forces and trading quips like the young cousins they are.

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Action 1013 continues with Bendis’ focus on developing supporting characters. In this case we get the highly entertaining meeting between Superman and Thorn. Strong , don’t give a crap female characters are a Bendis specialty, and Thorn doesn’t disappoint. Leviathan’s offer to Thorn is meet with a couple of smacks to the face and a shotgun and pistol to the chest. Superman’s calm insistence “Thorn, no guns,” is a perfect counterpoint. Other than reaffirming that Leviathan won’t fight Superman and Miss Goode’s taking Lex’s offer we don’t learn a lot in this issue as Leviathan continues as a slow, but interesting, burn.

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Had to wait too long for Superman 14, but it was worth it. Having the House of El together has been one of the joys of this run so seeing Kara and Jon fly in for the rescue felt perfect. The House of Zod has also been a high point, I hope they continue for a while as antagonist rather than outright enemies.
But, the big reveal. Should have seen the creation of the UP coming, we certainly knew the LoS would appear. We now have any answer for why Bendis aged Jon. Worth it? You give up all those great stories of Jon and his parents, friends and Damien, but get Superboy in the LoS. So it will be a matter of taste.
Finally, I’m sure there will be some discussion of the changes in how Legionaries look. I do object. Timberwolf just looks weird.

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Really hope Kara keeps the axe

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I have not read any of his Action Comics yet

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Was a great ending to the Unity Saga arc. May end up buying the hard covers to have as part of my small collection. Seeing the Els come together to fight a cosmic battle was a lot of fun. Ivan Reis art is outstanding. I don’t see his name on future solicits. Wonder what he’s working on next.

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Moro the Els together was awesome, but even better because Zod was cooperating with them. Good stuff.

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BBguy, I’ve got the latest Action sitting here waiting for me to. I like having Superman in the giant battle in one book and the smaller Metropolis based mystery in the other.

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Bendis first couple of issues in his run of Superman made me drop the book. He didn’t want to write John, Lois, and the family dynamic that Bendis made up an excuse to take them out of the story by having Jor-El take both of them into space. Then I heard he aged up John so Super Sons one of the greatest comic series to come out of DC in a long time got canceled. In my opinion John and Damian friendship/dynamic is better then their fathers. All that is now gone. Has John even seen Damian after he came back from space aged up?

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I liked Superman #14, especially the Legion intro.

Action #1014 is on deck.

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JohnO I feel your disappointment, I really enjoyed Supersons and the dynamic between the two. But, I’m also excited about what’s coming. As far as I’ve seen Jon and Damien haven’t met, and I want that to happen.

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Vroom, I figured the Legion would be the big takeaway for most talk on 14, so I went the other way because House of El was so good. I’ll withhold judgment on each LoS member till we see them more. The characters have changed a number of times since their inception so I’m not too tied to a specific look. But, seriously what is up with Timber Wolf, who as we all know predates the tiny angry hairy Canadian

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Back with our Superman double dose in Action 1014. Star Labs is a mess, Superman is irritated, Lexcorp is shuttered but the most interesting development is Ms. Leone showing up and announcing that she owns the Daily Planet. Unlike some previous owners she says she wants them to do their job. A four page conversation between Leone and Perry’s a gamble that pays off.

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