It’s just another day in Metropolis. A hood is trying to sell his boss an object of power.
A mystery man intervenes.
And Clark Kent is mentoring new reporter Robinson Goode. The regular reader knows Goode is bad, in collusion with the city’s ‘Invisible Mafia’, whose secret weapon is the metahuman murderer Red Mist. And this month we finally learn just who can transform into a killer cloud.
I’m enjoying Brian Bendis’ Action Comics lots. He’s made sense of the Metropolis crime scene, explaining why Superman doesn’t have all the crooks locked up on Ryker’s Island. He’s brought street-level heroes like the Guardian, and now the Question back to Superman’s city. And best of all, we get lots of looks at life at the Daily Planet. Lois is still off the scene, hiding out in the sister Superman book, but she’s mentioned here.
Clark openly revealing that Lois is back to someone he barely knows? Is he setting a trap? Given Goode isn’t the coolest of customers, it’s hard to believe his super-senses haven’t revealed that she has something to hide. Whatever the case, I’m surprised he’d take his specs off in front of her.
Perry isn’t around this time, he’s no doubt in his office arguing with the publisher, or putting a reporter right about something, but Jimmy is present.
Still sleeping!
Knowing that Bendis’s new DC imprint Wonder Comics has a Dial H For Hero series coming, I’m intrigued to see a dial here. And while I’ve never been a massive Question fan, I’m happy to note this isn’t Renee Montoya, she’s far better as a tough cop.
Tough fire chief Melody Moore shows a more vulnerable side, as she tells Clark of an unsettling encounter with the mayor.
I’d be rattled too. It’s good to see Melody isn’t a cliched Claremontwoman, with no fear – this is Metropolis, career advancement is the least of her worries.
Now we know who Red Mist is, I’m hoping another riddle will be quickly resolved – who the ‘she’ is who runs the Invisible Mafia, someone so scary mobsters daren’t even utter her name. And I’m looking forward to finding out why Jimmy is constantly napping at work, and how he’s getting away with it.
Bendis’ dialogue zings throughout, with lines like ‘that stuff can end up biting you in the career’ – it’s much less mannered than his Marvel work, and his story is progressing nicely.
Ryan Sook is back on art and things look lovely, with great characters shots, dramatic compositions, loads of background detail and just one small storytelling problem – a ‘dial’s-eye view’ of the Question’s takedown of Miss Gummy is a tad confusing, as it seems the thing is interacting with the fight, which turns out not to be the case.
Sook does draw a Question to cherish, though, one well coloured by Brad Anderson, who does a sterling job throughout, with every scene having an intelligent, eye-catching lighting design. And would you look at Melody’s amazing dress? Smart lettering, too, courtesy of Josh Reed.
Sook’s cover, presumably self-coloured, is a stunner, while Francis Manapul gives us an early Christmas present with a gorgeous festive image.
All in all, this is another terrific issue. Anyone know if we’re getting an annual?
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 
What really impressed me was that when Clark took his glasses off, I thought — whoa, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Clark with his glasses off! And then I realized, no, I see him with his glasses off every issue. But with Robinson, he’s literally using facial expressions he doesn’t use as Superman.
And speaking of masters of disguise…Kumquaat is Matches Malone, right? We’ve already seen Batman in this story… have we seen Matches, too?
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Ooooh, well done, I entirely missed Matches, it’s so obvious now you point it out. Duh.
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The Red Mist’s identity is sooooo obvious and Bendis has made it sound like it was going to be such a mystery. He’s no amateur though. I’m left wondering what we were distracted from by the ‘mystery’ that’s going to turn out to be the real shocker…
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I’m quite pleased it’s RG, it means we’ll be rid of her all the faster!
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“And I’m looking forward to finding out why Jimmy is constantly napping at work” He’s given all the coffee to Perry.
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Could be! Brian Bendis does refer to Jimmy being useless in an interview over at CBR today, maybe he’s just demonstrating that. I do disagree, though, he’s not rubbish, he’s just written that way far too often.
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Great review. Like you I am loving this.
Good pickup on Jimmy. I love ‘the Pit’ at the Planet. And I loved him taking off his glasses, showing the secret is more than just spectacles. It’s body language and confidence.
I loved that party scene, as Chaykin as all get out. Moore is on Fire!
And interesting that Goode is the Cloud. Makes me wonder why she wanted green K so bad!
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Excellent eye as re: possible Chaykin influence.
Maybe the cloud is a separate being and has recently inhabited Goode, hence her surprise at what she can do?
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I think Jimmy has been working on something, with Perry’s consent, and that’s how he gets away with it. As for him being useless, well, that’s ok. We all have friends who are useless, but they are kind people with good hearts who we can just be ourselves with without judgment. IT’s okay for a person in our lives not to have a specific use for us. In fact, shouldn’t most of our friends have no use for us and just be our friends because they are enjoyable people?
I think Bendis would do well to have a character or two in his stories who just exist and are part of the wallpaper. We all have those people in our lives, and so should Clark.
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That’s a great notion, Jimmy being on special assignment. Useless people are all very well but he should be doing something for his wage… and that would mean me getting to see more of him, I’m a big fan of the cub reporter turned Mr Action!
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