Action Comics #1097 review

The ‘Reign of the Superboys’ stamp is on the cover, but as with last issue I don’t see how the phrase is reflected inside the book. What I do see is a thoroughly engaging comic as Mary Marvel, Booster Gold and Martian Manhunter J’onn J’onzz spend a day with Clark, Jonathan and Martha Kent.

Before that they must fend off Epoch, the Lord of Time, who came across the Justice Leaguers while they were searching for the post DC KO-Superman. They’ve all emerged in Superboy’s time, apparently accidentally, at the Metropolis Expo. Guessing the first arrivals are the good guys, Superboy leaps to their defence.

Whatever opportunity he sees, Epoch doesn’t take it, teleporting away. This gives the heroes a chance to introduce themselves to Superboy.

Introduction over, they tell Superboy that the Lord of Time is a would-be universal conqueror from the far future. And then J’onn has a question for the Boy of Steel.

J’onn promises to explain later, the immediate problem is whether the Lord of Time will target Superboy if he, Booster and Mary return to the timestream. They agree to stay around awhile, meaning they become the latest recipients of the famous Jon and Martha hospitality, with J’onn in one of his human modes.

I loved this issue. While the fight with Epoch is fun enough – the colour effects of Ivan Plascencia are gorgeous – it’s the interaction that makes it. The future heroes talking to Superboy. The Kents chatting to the JLU members. Superboy and Mary Marvel having a rooftop tête-à-tête.

Mark Waid gives the impression that he’s been thinking constantly about DC characters since he was five years old, making folk who have been around decades seem as fresh as spring lamb. One thing I really enjoyed was the contrasting sides of J’onn, on the one hand telling Booster to watch the spoilers even after he’s the guy who namedropped ‘Krypton’ and on the other admitting to Superboy that the powers he has in common with the Boy of Steel aren’t quite as strong.

Then there’s Booster denying he’s suffering after the torments he recently faced at the hands of Darkseid’s minions, Mary showing signs of a crush for what may be the first time ever, and Ma Kent, archaeologist of the unknown.

And it’s all drawn with skill by Skylar Patridge, who looks to be having huge fun with the action scenes. It’s just a shame she’s not drawing the original Lord of Time, whose first design was corny but far more visually engaging than a generic tin suit.

Patridge also does a good job with the conversations, I like that Martha is full of enthusiasm while Jonathan is more pensive.

Is it day? Is it night? With the aforementioned Plascencia on the job, we always know. And he’s great at sorting figures in terms of depth, as seen on the origins page.

Steve Wands handles the lettering with his usual élan, with great choices such as the typewriter font for future Clark’s narration.

Regular cover artist Ryan Sook’s concept is clever – the future heroes, seen for the first time by Superboy, are like gods, higher beings. Inside the comic he learns that they’re as human, as fallible, as he is.

In a few issues we’ll hit the landmark Action Comics #1100 – with #1097 being as great as it is, what glories will Mark Waid and friends have in store?