Action Comics #1081 review

The Phantom King, Xa-Du, has returned from exile in time to rally the Phantom Zone escapees who have been causing havoc across the galaxy. The Super Family are primed to hunt them down, even Mon-El, despite the temporary solution around his fatal vulnerability to lead being less effective with every minute that passes. The Daxamite wants to save lives, even at the cost of his own. Finally, though, Superman persuades him to return to the Phantom Zone.

With Mon-El gone, it’s time to come up with a plan. Unfortunately, the Zoners already have their plan, ambushing the heroes at super-speed.

A brutal battle ensues and it seems being taken by surprise has put the Super Family – far more experienced than the bad guys when it comes to metahuman combat – right off their game. They’re beaten up, captured and taken to a floating platform in space, where Xa-Du explains what he has in store.

Oh heck.

How will the heroes get out of this one? Well, Power Girl isn’t from this universe’s Krypton, and New Super-Man is an Earthling who duplicates Superman’s powers by Qi energy… but both are vulnerable to green kryptonite to an extent. Surely it’s going to be Mon-El zapping out of the Zone via a handy rift, saving the day but almost dying in the process.

Actually, it’s not. Writer Mark Waid comes up with a solution that isn’t exactly a model of Fair Play so far as readers are concerned, but it’s entirely plausible for the DC Universe. I like my solution from last week better!

After the day is saved we have a new status for the Phantom Zone.

Someone the ruling Science Council isn’t so keen on right now is the Man of Steel himself, as they ban him from Kandor… ungrateful wretches. Ah well, I can’t see Superman being exiled forever, and meanwhile we have Mon-El safe in the Zone, and with a purpose. And a new denizen of the Zone – someone Superman doesn’t know about – will likely be causing trouble soon, perhaps Waid will pick up that thread in World’s Finest. Yes, this is his last Action Comics for now. I’ll miss his scripts, which have blended classic pieces of the Superman Legend with the modern DCU. The pacing has been excellent, and the dialogue is decent, even if the young Supermen are very underserved, there just for the ride/punches.

Clayton Henry’s storytelling is again spot on, slick-looking and stylish, with the early fight scene particularly well done. As for the rest of the chapter, there’s a shot of Xa-Du which conveys his power even though we’re seeing him only from behind. And the big emotions are always well conveyed. Plus, Henry provides another attractive cover illo, coloured by the talented Tomeu Morey.

Matt Herms helps the pages pop with plenty of bright colours, while Dave Sharpe again lives up to his name with lettering that shines.

All in all, the 12-part, three-month Phantoms storyline has been a big hit with me, with issue after issue of compelling Super Family fare.

The one good thing about the weekly stories ending is that there’ll be no more of the awful Supergirl series whose scripts have been a symphony of disappointment. Last time our heroine suggested to the mystery prisoner Fear that she tried to stop brother Rage’s attempts to kill her by merging with him. As we join them this time, it’s all over. The siblings have a new look and all is quiet on the western spiral arm of the galaxy.

So, back to the Thanagarian space court they go, where we find out what’s going to happen to the siblings, who murdered the people of more than a hundred worlds.

That’s all right then.

And did Supergirl have something in her eye?

Back on Earth, Supergirl reunites with Power Girl, who aided Kara from hundreds of thousands of miles away via the psychic link serial writer Mariko Tamaki just made up. Supergirl says she never did ask Superman why he chose her to escort the prisoner, but she’s happy with her theory.

So there you have it: the mass murdering siblings get off Scot-free, the eye power Supergirl displayed remains fuzzy, the psychic link isn’t addressed at all and the reasoning for Supergirl getting the mission isn’t really explained. The final page echoes the last one of the main feature, implying Fear/Rage is a friend who will be missed – I don’t like it.

Tamaki may not have stuck the landing, but by cracky, she’s consistent, balancing ennui and enigma to annoying effect, with meaningless exchanges for every occasion.

Skylar Patridge’s art has become better and better with every chapter she’s drawn, and that’s the nearest thing to a justification this 12-part borefest has. Her Supergirl and Power Girl look stunning and strong, Rage and Fear are great designs, individual elements of the ‘story’ have been drawn with imagination and energy… she deserves a script worthy of her talent.

On the final page, we have this blurb.

I smiled at the reference to her underrated Eighties book The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl, but without reassurance we’ll get a writer who actually understands Supergirl, I’m a tad trepidatious.

Ah well, nothing I can do now. Let’s just hope that when Supergirl does return it’s in stories we can all enjoy.