Action Comics, Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel by Grant Morrison

Apr 22, 2013 David Green rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, graphic-novels-are-cool, new-52, 2013-reads

Superman and the Men of Steel is a fun and breezy adventure. The story may not be more powerful than a locomotive, but the action certainly moves faster than a speeding bullet!

A man from another planet walks among us. He believes that truth should never be silenced. He believes that peace should be given to everyone, not just those who can afford it. He fights for people who are unable to fight for themselves. But when Lex Luthor launches a public campaign against this visitor from another worl...more Superman and the Men of Steel is a fun and breezy adventure. The story may not be more powerful than a locomotive, but the action certainly moves faster than a speeding bullet!

A man from another planet walks among us. He believes that truth should never be silenced. He believes that peace should be given to everyone, not just those who can afford it. He fights for people who are unable to fight for themselves. But when Lex Luthor launches a public campaign against this visitor from another world, people of begin to fear and distrust the being they know only as "Superman". So much so, that some of them submit themselves to unsafe experiments or join the fanatical group of super-powered criminals dubbed "The Anti-Superman Army". All this raises one question...who should we really be afraid of, the man who can bend steel with his bare hands, or the people who find his ideals so alien?!?

Overall, I found Grant Morrison's "New 52" reboot to be a lot of fun. While Superman still espouses the values of truth and justice like he always has, it was very entertaining to watch a younger Clark Kent ditch the old "mild-mannered" quality in exchange for a much more dymanic and outspoken personality. This is a Clark Kent who truly feels and acts like an intrepid reporter determined to bring people the whole story, and who refuses to let anyone silence him. In past Superman tales, his superhero persona was often far more interesting than his alter-ego, but this time around, it was Clark Kent who really leapt off the page. There were some other nice character touches, too. I particularly loved Lex Luthor's insane rant about how dangerous aliens supposedly are to us..."The brown tree snake introduced to the U.S. territory of Guam right after World War Two caused dozens of indigenous birds and reptile species to become extinct. The cane toad, sent to Australia as a pest control agent, decimated local biodiversity. Non-native strains will destroy entire ecologies, given the opportunity!" This bigoted, xenophobic version of Luthor is far more dangerous or frightening than any version ever seen before...even back when Lex Luthor had his own Legion of Doom...
luthorfurious

"We'll use this growth ray to turn Superman into a 100-foot tall giant...that will stop him!" - I wish I could say that I'm making this up, but this actually happened in a SuperFriends episode! Sad...but not nearly as sad as the fact that I know that!

Grant Morrison has always been known for his creative writing, and this is no exception. Some moments are too imaginative and bizarre not to love, like when the Anti-Superman Army's hiding place is revealed...don't click on the spoiler if you want to be surprised when you read the book itself(view spoiler) Morrison also came up with clever spins on villains like Brianiac and Metallo. Since I grew up on comic books where Metallo was often referred to as "the man with the Kryptonite heart", this longtime superhero fan got a huge kick out of it when John Corben was turned into the robotic Metallo monster and announced, "I have no heart"! The story is also very fast-paced...in fact, the reason I'm not giving this a full 5 stars is because it's a little too fast-paced!

The biggest problem I had with this book is that the events unfold so quickly, crucial moments are often glossed over to the point that it lessens their impact. The idea of the people of Metropolis turning against Superman because they distrust having an alien in their midst could have been a powerful analogy for racism, but when their protest just sprang up out of nowhere and so little time was spent exploring this development before Superman becomes their hero again, it just felt contrived. Character development was stunted at times as well. John Corben apparently agrees to the "Metallo" experiment in order to impress Lois Lane, but since he and Lois only have one brief moment together in the whole story, Corben's downfall was not nearly as dramatic as it should have been. And speaking of Lois Lane, no character is more shortchanged by Morrison's "faster-than-the-speed-of-light" writing style than her! Lois appears so sporadically throughout the story, she serves very little purpose and has zero chemistry with Superman. I know the New 52 promised a revamped continuity where Lois and Clark weren't necessarily an item anymore, but considering how important Lois has always been to the Superman mythos, it just seemed like she should have played a much more significant role in this story...

Please note: Originally, this space was going to feature a picture of Lois and Superman kissing, but since so many pictures are getting flagged on GoodReads lately for totally ridiculous reasons, I decided I better play it safe. So, here's a completely unflagable cute lil' bunny, instead!
bunny

"Superman and the Men of Steel" may not be the greatest Superman story ever told, but it's still one worth telling! If you're looking for an exciting Superman adventure, you should have a lot of fun reading this one. I did!
(less)

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Nov 05, 2012 Oliver Flores rated it 2 of 5 stars

After having stayed away from comic books for over a decade, DC's New 52 version of Action Comics seemed like the perfect place to jump back into the mix. I mean, a new (collectible) Superman series being written by none other than Grant Morrison? Grant Morrison--i.e., the author of The Invisibles? The guy who has been mentioned throughout the years in articles and whatnot by novelists and filmmakers that I admire? How many comic books writers can say the same? Unfortunately, not very many. So I...more After having stayed away from comic books for over a decade, DC's New 52 version of Action Comics seemed like the perfect place to jump back into the mix. I mean, a new (collectible) Superman series being written by none other than Grant Morrison? Grant Morrison--i.e., the author of The Invisibles? The guy who has been mentioned throughout the years in articles and whatnot by novelists and filmmakers that I admire? How many comic books writers can say the same? Unfortunately, not very many. So I couldn't wait to try out what THEE comic book writer was going to do with THEE superhero.

As most people have already mentioned about this new series, matters DO start off with a bang and with lots of flair. For instance, right off the bat, Morrison blesses his motor-mouthed characters with the ability to speak in dialogue that is not only flavored with spicy wit but also with casual brilliance; Lex Luther's take on Superman as an invasive species, for instance, is a great throwaway concept that, if developed further, could carry an entire book on its own. Even more thrilling, however, is the sense of true heat and urgency that these initial socially-minded chapters generate, defining what Superman is all about--good 'ol fashioned action and heroism--but with contemporary bite. Right?

For someone who was never keen on Superman, it was exciting to see that this new Superman would not be coming across as a distant godlike goodie-goodie. Nope, no Super-powered boy scout operating on a higher but inaccessible moral plane here. On the contrary, though clearly an alien (just ask Lex Luthor), Morrison's new Superman would not so much function as an earthly incarnation of a god as much as a heaven-sent avatar for the Everyman. More importantly, for the reader.

A super-powered Everyman as an avatar for the reader is a solid approach to Superman and a no-brainer of a concept. Indeed, wearing that now iconic "S" t-shirt, initially, Clark Kent/Superman simply comes across as a smart, generally good-mannered, well-meaning guy acting out from a justified sense of moral indignation and social outrage. This Superman is just like us if we could actually DO something about society's evils. (Superman himself knows this as he's not above taunting his enemies with his superpowers or lecturing them on our behalf. Hehe.) And yet, come issue #3, *** SPOILER*** when The People selfishly turn on their new hero, Morrison displays the kind of depth, complexity, and integrity as a writer that has made him an artist worth following. Morrison reminds us that Superman IS indeed an alien to us mortals who are sometimes too eager to impose earthly limits on ourselves. That is, we CAN do something about our outrage if only we were more like Clark Kent the man, and less like the convenient super-powered revenge fantasy that Superman tends to be in most people's minds (after all). Solid. *** SPOILER OVER ***

At this point I was giddy reading this stuff, thinking that I had clearly made the right choice in deciding to once again invest time, energy, and MONEY into the comic book medium. Heck, I was even enjoying Rags Morales' artwork, which, though intentionally shabby at times, it seems, also resonates with a quaint yet subtle Norman Rockwell-esque quality that underscores this more contemporary Superman with retro appeal. (Just take a gander at those cuffed blue jeans and scuffed worker boots on Supes there.)

But then... something odd and baffling starts to happen at about the midpoint of this volume. At around issue #4, for example, *** SPOILER *** when a nightarish army of factory robots comes to life, sheer chaos overtakes the proceedings and never quite lets go. So be it. *** SPOILER OVER *** The problem with this sudden development, however, is that the chaos never emerges organically from pertinent character and story issues to which we have been exposed so far. At least, not on any recognizable emotional or psychological level. Indeed, as characters that we have been eagerly following suddenly disappear, new characters, events, and concepts are introduced so joltingly and out of the blue that as a Superman newbie I began to feel as if I had missed some vital info and backstory about the character afterall, New 52 or no New 52. But it turns out that Morrison is cutting a lot of this stuff out from new cloth. Huh?

Purposeful or not, this lack of organic emotional depth and conflict to events devastates any intuitive understanding that the reader might derive from this otherwise complex story. Indeed, you WILL have to re-read many of these later issues simply to discover any kind of sense and clarity to the proceedings. But even then the payoff is merely intellectual. This isn't a story. What you have here is a series of intriguing concepts, promising story fragments, and interesting character moments wrapped around one big subversive idea after another, all of which begins to feel incredibly forced and labored.

What I find to be truly stunning about this unfortunate turn of events, however, is just how little regard Morrison shows beyond this point for the basic mechanics of storytelling. It truly feels as if the restless idealist in Morrison simply could not refuse the opportunity to impart some very urgent messages and important ideas about society, superheroes, the comic book medium, etc., to the enfeebled comic book reader at the expense of narrative cohesiveness and basic character development.(*** SPOILER *** Note that Morrison's Brainiac is essentially the universe's most anal and neurotic memorabilia collector/aficionado EVER. Got that? HaHa. *** END SPOILER ***)

Who does Morrison think he is, anyway? The Coen Bros? I suppose that proves just how serious Morrison is here, people! So listen up. Thing is, all chuckling aside, after a certain point, beyond frustration and flashes of genuine anger, you simply stop caring. Indeed, the lack of empathy for the poor reader on Morrison's part starts to feel increasingly quarrelsome and driven by bitterness when the storytelling becomes so purposely incoherent and painful to read that it clearly feels like, well, like the reader is being force-fed an agenda--albeit an agenda teeming with genuinely subversive concepts and big whopping ideas. (I dunno. With all the news coming out about the rampant editorial interference and indecision happening at DC these days you have to at least wonder if Morrison's storylines for Action Comics weren't tampered with or altered in some indirect way, no? Right?)

To make matters worse, a series of semi-irrelevant back-up stories not only adds to the overall chaos and confusion but finally forces you to give up as you realize that the-powers-that-be at DC originally included these stories solely to boost up the cover price on original issues. Seriously... We're in a recession.

Baffled as to how this volume of stories could have gone so horribly wrong, I went off and did some more research, learning that Morrison has indeed written wild-eyed, incoherent idea-driven comics before (see: Seaguy and some of his Batman Inc. stuff, for starters); in fact, a large portion of his output reads like a mosaic of mind-boggling ideas strung together only by raw unfiltered dream logic and sheer force of creative will. Admirable. Subversive, I suppose. But not exactly the stuff of classic storytelling. This kind of stuff sticks with you like fragments from a disturbing dream, but not as actual stories that you really care about.

As smart and creative as Morrison cleary is and as important as his messages might be, no storyteller is above the basic requirements of telling a good story. None. This new Action Comics doesn't work. Yet you get the feeling that some readers will be a little too quick and eager to say nice things if only to justify their enthusiasm for the material. My final advice? If you haven't already, hunt down Morrison's All-Star Superman instead; with those stories, Morrison taps into the soul that makes the Superman mythos tick, in the process inspiring you to dream dreams of your own. With this new Action Comics series, however, Morrison devolves into exploring and feeding you HIS ideas on the character and HIS ideas only. Good for him. This reader, though, is officially off the Action Comics bandwagon.(less)

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May 22, 2012 Jared Millet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: superheroes, graphic-novels

I could complain all day long about DC's "New 52" but the one thing I'm actually enjoying about the reboot is the rejuvenated Superman. Action Comics' T-shirt and jeans Superman with his Occupy Wall Street attitude probably came as a shock to anyone who hadn't read Morrison's Supergods, but his approach clearly harks back to Siegel and Shuster's original populist reformer version of the character. Morrison wastes no time establishing the New 52 versions of Lex Luthor (back to being an evil scien...more

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May 10, 2013 Joseph Zurat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: comic

I have some mixed feelings about this one. The first story arc in this collection is excellent. It shows the new direction they are taking Superman in, it introduces the silly looking Kryptonian Armor outfit he is wearing, you meet Lex Luthor, Brainiac and Steel, and you get a sense of where the series is going to head. The little man looks like he is going to be a thorn in Superman's side for at least the next few issues of the series and it sets up Nimrod the hunter, and then... it breaks for...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Trevor rated it 1 of 5 stars

In the opening pages, a young Superman hangs a corrupt businessman off a balcony, taunts police officers, and warns Metropolis to behave or risk his wrath. Later, we hear talk of how he threw a man that was beating his girlfriend out of a window, breaking both his hips and six ribs. At that point, I knew I wasn't the target audience for this book.

Look, I get that this is supposed to be Clark at the beginning of his Superman career, before he has grown and matured as a hero (I guess - the "modern...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Jacob rated it 2 of 5 stars

Public library copy.

I usually enjoy most of the work Grant Morrison produces, so much so that nearly everything he writes is at least 3 stars or better. Readers expecting wondrous and exciting and well executed (5 star) stories like he did with All-Star Superman may be disappointed. This time around it seemed to me like he was at odds with what he was wanted to do with the book versus what his editors wanted. It seemed to me Morrison wanted to continue exploring Superman in a pseudo 1930-1940 ty...more Public library copy.

I usually enjoy most of the work Grant Morrison produces, so much so that nearly everything he writes is at least 3 stars or better. Readers expecting wondrous and exciting and well executed (5 star) stories like he did with All-Star Superman may be disappointed. This time around it seemed to me like he was at odds with what he was wanted to do with the book versus what his editors wanted. It seemed to me Morrison wanted to continue exploring Superman in a pseudo 1930-1940 type way, but his editor's wanted him to skip plot point A by a certain issue number and arrive at destination plot point Z come hell or high water.

There are nuggets of neat ideas in this re-imagining of New 52 Superman, however I'd say things didn't get as fleshed out as they should. Readers expecting Lois Lane to be anything more than a competitive coworker or acquaintance will surely be puzzled why she's even in the book. I don't pretend to understand why publishers insist certain character chess pieces remain on the board when a world is supposed to undergo a re-imagining.

Readers don't get enough scenes showcasing how nerdy and friendly Clark Kent is with his best friend Jimmy Olsen. Readers don't see how Olsen took Kent under his wings in the big city. We get just enough to learn that C.K. and J.O. are BFFs rather than Superman and J.O. being friends, which used to be a long tradition in previous continuity. J.O. no longer uses the "Golly" or "Gee, wiz" lingo of yesteryear and instead speaks in a more modern fashion. If I recall correctly the guys simply text each other so maybe I'm right about things being truncated.

Even though I'm not a fan of the costume this book started with (see the picture above) nor the costume the story ended with (the Jim Lee designed costume without red trunks and WTH? armor--the same costume the Man of Steel movie will wear) the costume had no bearing on my opinion of the work inside. Similar to Geoff Johns' Superman Secret Origin tale it seems like this origin story was rushed out of Metropolis to hurry and tell a cosmic tale in the same way Johns' abruptly left Smallville with no more mention of what became of young Clark's relationships with young Lex and Lana.

There are two fine artists mainly drawing the interiors: Rag Morales and Andy Kubert, with minor exceptions like Gene Ha, both artists do stellar jobs, but it's too bad neither had 12 issues each to further develop their respective story arcs.

Action Comics wasn't the worse of the worst of modern (or new 52) Superman stories, but I do think it's a false start and better attention to detail might have prevented the folly on such an iconic character. (less)

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Nov 03, 2012 Ryan Scicluna rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: superman

I am really disappointed with this volume. So many iconic things about Superman have been changed. The most important in my opinion is having Martha and Jonathan Kent dead (This is not batman we are talking about). Having his adoptive parents around was one of superman's strengths by having them dead it just feels like an Elseworld tale. Also I have to complain about the way Steel is introduced. I have nothing against him working for the military but him already having a Steel suite without bein...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Kristin Fletcher-spear rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, adult, graphic-novel, superhero, teen-young-adult

Lunchtime read!

Okay so I'm not a huge superhero reader. I love the movies and animated series though. And Charlie adores them completely and utterly. So I figured I should read some of the new 52 series. First up, Superman, who is I think Charlie's favorite superhero. Or at least he wants to dress as him the most.

This reboot brings Superman as a starting out hero/vigilante whose reporting style is just as vigilante. I really liked the opening arc. Bringing in Brainiac, John Corben, and Luthor a...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Steve rated it 2 of 5 stars

They've rebooted Superman, and turned my favourite superhero into a depowered Spiderman like copy with very little depth. I am saddened indeed, and from the guy who gave us All Star Superman.

In this reboot, Superman is young, nerdy, can't fly, and can be taken down because they wanted to take away most of his powers to make him more human. What really made Superman human is that he wasn't, and its the tutelage of his parents that made him the man he is today.

Instead, his parents are dead and we...more

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Xavier Guillaume It's funny. I haven't really read Superman before, but reading this book, I disliked the part with the Legion of Superheroes the most, but it was your...more
Oct 31, 2012 02:15pm

Steve I can explain where they were. One of the villains is Nimrod the Hunter, and he shot Superman in the brain with a microscopic lead bullet with a telep...more
Oct 31, 2012 03:50pm

Xavier Guillaume Oh I see. Well, that makes more sense. Thanks for taking the time to clarify the confusion. I think the more Superman comics I'll read the more that i...more
updated Nov 01, 2012 06:43am

Sep 30, 2012 Jeremy Stange rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-comics

Just like so many other prolific titles published by DC Comics, Action Comics got itself a snazzy reboot when the New 52 came around. We are introduced to a young Superman only just taking up the position as Earth’s protector and it is looking like people are not exactly very willing to accept him as one of their own. And not only that, but later on in the title the Superman of today must band together with the Legion of Superheroes in an attempt to save the Superman of 5 years ago.

It is safe to...more Just like so many other prolific titles published by DC Comics, Action Comics got itself a snazzy reboot when the New 52 came around. We are introduced to a young Superman only just taking up the position as Earth’s protector and it is looking like people are not exactly very willing to accept him as one of their own. And not only that, but later on in the title the Superman of today must band together with the Legion of Superheroes in an attempt to save the Superman of 5 years ago.

It is safe to say that Grant Morrison is a very big name in the world of comics (having written for a score of famous titles in the past) and he certainly delivers with this latest edition of Action Comics, giving the reader a remarkably insecure Superman who is still trying to find his place in the world. It is by far the best origin story in the New 52 so far (of which there have been few, I must add) and it is a far cry from the overly goody two-shoes Superman I have come to know through popular media.

Both Andy Kubert and Rags Morales have a long history with DC Comics and their work definitely adds to the atmosphere of the title (as good artwork should). It might be what you would call generic and traditional, but it is not as polished as one might expect from a title involving Superman. Then again, with a large part of the creative team having experience working on Batman this is not surprising. With this being Action Comics, DC Comics made sure that the artwork would be up to scratch.

Even though I was sceptical of Superman at first (due to how he is normally portrayed as someone without any doubts or faults), I have enjoyed reading this Collected Edition and will definitely keep following the title in the future. It might be a very middle-of-the-road kind of title, but I think this is exactly what Action Comics should be (appealing to a broad audience). I can heartily recommend this title to anyone who likes superheroes in general or want to give the whole meta-human thing a try.(less)

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Sep 19, 2012 Philip rated it 5 of 5 stars

This bound collection of the DC reboot introduces a Superman the likes of which has not been seen since his 1938 debut. Grant Morrison has made Superman interesting again, bringing the godlike Kryptonian back down to earth. Action Comics, Vol. 1 shows us a young Superman, fairly new to Metropolis, and not yet recognized as the great hero he will become. In his alter-ego, Clark Kent, Superman is a young reporter striving to reveal the corruption that is pervading the city and struggling to make r...more

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Sep 11, 2012 William Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kant's categorical imperative seems to be the main focus of Grant Morrison's reboot of the Man of Steel. His book takes the idea of Superman and works the practical philosophy of Clark Kent into the brightest spotlight possible. It may have worked better if Scott Snyder or any other of the Batman writers had takken such a staunch stance with Batman being the theoretical philospher. WE know that this is the dichotomy behind the two characters and has divided them since the start of their careers,...more Kant's categorical imperative seems to be the main focus of Grant Morrison's reboot of the Man of Steel. His book takes the idea of Superman and works the practical philosophy of Clark Kent into the brightest spotlight possible. It may have worked better if Scott Snyder or any other of the Batman writers had takken such a staunch stance with Batman being the theoretical philospher. WE know that this is the dichotomy behind the two characters and has divided them since the start of their careers, and the reader may have been better served by collaboration on this idea with Morrison taking such a firm stance. Even though moral philosophy is my own personal area of interest, I found that the focus on it in the book detracted from what would have been an absolutely perfect reboot. Which is strange to say because I really, really hate Superman. A secondary focus is on the effects of nature over nurture, and this is my primary concern with the Nu52 Superman.

The pre-2011 Superman was borne of Midwestern morals. He was the salt of the earth. A simple farmer's son who knew right from wrong because of his upbringing. We was the flipside of this in Mark Millar's Red Son where he explored the idea of Kal-El having been raised in Soviet Russia instead of Smallville, USA. It hit on the idea that Clark was a product of his environment, that he embodied the American heartland and would do what he was taught to be right. Now Morrison has come and inserted a genetic need to take the moral high ground. That's right. It is no longer an issue where or when Kal landed, but it is ingrained in his very DNA to do the right thing.

Morrison may have done this to subvert the idea of a purely American morality in the Man of Steel and make him into a purely international figure, doing what is 'universally' right instead of what is justifiable to a Midwestern American. In doing so, he has taken away any sort of freedom from Superman. He no longer has a choice. He must act. The categorical imperative, his duty, is literally in his blood now and he can be nothing but a slave to his moral duty. I hate this idea. Absolutely loathe it. Morrison tries to work in the nurture aspects of Clark's childhood, but with the idea that Kryptonians are an inherently moral race, it will now always override any of the love and care of his nurturing parents.

All of that aside though, Morrison hits a triple right off the bat. He introduces both Lex Luthor and a version of Brainiac in this first arc. He brings in the Legion and has some time-bending adventures that liken the book to the Gold/Silver ages of Action Comics, which is f@#$ing terrific. His dialogue is brilliant and he makes Superman much more likable than any prevous incarnation. Although he is 'more moral', he acts more humble. He really is just a regular guy trying to pay the rent by taking pictures and writing stories for a second-tier newspaper in Metropolis. Remind you of someone else?

Yeah, Morrison's Superman is basically Peter Parker/Spider-Man. But it really doesn't matter because it makes Superman a much more enjoyable character. Although I may attribute most of my enjoyment of this volume to Morrison's characterization of Lex Luthor (which is PITCH-PERFECT), which is really the only reason I ever read Superman books- because his villains are just too damn good.

If you used to like Superman, you'll probably read this anyway. If you didn't (and trust me, I hate Superman), pick this up and you'll see just what a brilliant writer can do with a reboot. It's just too bad that Geoff Johns didn't take some notes from this bookk to make Superman a better character in his Justice League book.(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 Sam Quixote rated it 4 of 5 stars

Grant Morrison’s re-imagining of Action Comics takes its cue from the 1938 comics where Superman first appeared. In those comics like in this one Superman can’t fly yet, he doesn’t have all of the powers we’re used to seeing in him, and seems to always be lifting heavy objects like cars or wrecking balls. Also, as he’s a young man (early 20s) he isn’t as wise or experienced as the Superman of, say, “All Star Superman” (also written by Morrison) where he displayed a profound understanding of huma...more Grant Morrison’s re-imagining of Action Comics takes its cue from the 1938 comics where Superman first appeared. In those comics like in this one Superman can’t fly yet, he doesn’t have all of the powers we’re used to seeing in him, and seems to always be lifting heavy objects like cars or wrecking balls. Also, as he’s a young man (early 20s) he isn’t as wise or experienced as the Superman of, say, “All Star Superman” (also written by Morrison) where he displayed a profound understanding of humanity and life in the universe. Here he is an exuberant young man energised at living alone for the first time in a city and realising that he is the most powerful being on the planet. He’s using that power to make things better for everyone without a real plan in his head – he just keeps going, keeps moving: Action Comics!

There’s a lot to like in this book with Grant Morrison at the helm. His masterful book “All Star Superman” was a defining book for the character and showed Morrison understood Superman like few writers have ever done. That said, “Action Comics” isn’t as brilliant as “All Star” but has much to recommend it. The set pieces are wonderful like the Krypton sequence where we see Kal-El’s parents prepare their only son to be saved from their utopian dying planet. Krypton is really beautifully imagined here looking like a delicate cross between fantasy and sci-fi. Morrison gives the reader an impression of a larger, developed society and culture with overtones of Earth’s current environmental problems, largely ignored by too many people.

Jonathan and Martha Kent’s encounter with Kal-el for the first time is also well written and expanded upon in one of a few mini-stories included at the back of the book written by Sholly Fisch to make them more rounded characters and their circumstances all the more moving when they encounter this alien baby.

Morrison gets things off to a running start with the classic Superman villain Brainiac appearing in all his evil-collecting glory as he scoops up part of Metropolis for his collection of cities within jars – a fate which befell Superman’s Kryptonian city Kandor. I liked that Morrison had Brainac say that he is “known on many worlds as different things – on Earth, I am called Internet”. It reframed the character in a new, chilling context.

Lex Luthor is of course an ever present force of arrogant nature, this time around swilling energy drinks and looking kinda paunchy, but still retaining that arrogant way of speaking to others that makes his character strangely likeable. There’s also an army guy in a robot suit for Supes to battle so there’s no shortage of Action going on in this inaugural first book Action Comics.

As for Superman, the character is essentially the same with a few subtle changes. The famous blue, red and yellow suit is changed so it doesn’t look like he’s wearing bright red underpants – it’s now just a blue onesie. Rags Morales makes Clark Kent look a big Harry Potter-like, and Morrison makes it so Clark and Lois don’t immediately fall in love. It seems neither really notice each other at all. And Jimmy Olsen isn’t Superman’s pal but Clark Kent’s. Subtle changes but nothing deal-breaking and nothing that detracts from the overall stories inside; it’s still the same brilliant Superman despite the reboot.

While it’s not as brilliant as “All Star Superman”, “Action Comics” is still an incredibly creative and carefully thought out reimagining by one of the all-star comics writers that ever was. It’s an entertaining read that introduces the character to a new generation while setting him up for larger and more intense future stories. (less)

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Aug 10, 2012 Shane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having finally read this latest reboot of the origins of Superman I can say that it is mostly an enjoyable tale. Starting out 6 months into his adventures as a work boot and jeans clad 'hero of the under-privileged', Superman is considered a menace by the police and the wealthy that control them. The main story in this collection covers how Superman finds his place as the hero of Metropolis, discovers his Kryptonian roots and comes into possession of his indestructible Kryptonian suit. You are g...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Michelle Svoboda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Following DC Comics’ freshly released “New 52” issues, is the newly renumbered first issue of Action Comics. I am a huge fan of Grant Morrison’s work and I was excited to see what he would bring to the archetypal superhero and the new start of the series.

We are transported back to the start with a very Golden Age tone throughout this story. Superman has reverted back to his old approach of vigilantism and is tackling real life problems like business crooks, basic street crime, and bringing the c...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Thaco Latvaria rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I will begin by saying I am a Grant Morrison fan and this is perhaps the first book that I have read by Mr. Morrison that I was disappointed by. I found story convoluted and messy at times with big enough plot holes for Brainiac could fit through.
This is the new Superman origin story and it sets up a new type of Superman- a much more lonely and bitter Superman who's parents passed away and society who fear him. Sound good so far? I sounds good to me unfortunately I think Morrison may have had t...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Kris Jou rated it 2 of 5 stars

The New 52. Here is DC's 2011 stunt of restarting all their 'main continuity' comics -- excluding Vertigo ongoing series or DC animated universe tie-ins. A challenge they faced was to draw in new readers while keeping old engaged enough to retain their loyalty, and if we are to start a discussion about if DC met those two goals, the New 52 ACTION COMICS can support either pros or cons in uncertain terms. Monthly sales chart indicates that ACTION, a top 20 mainstay, grabbed new readers. A fact th

...more

The New 52. Here is DC's 2011 stunt of restarting all their 'main continuity' comics -- excluding Vertigo ongoing series or DC animated universe tie-ins. A challenge they faced was to draw in new readers while keeping old engaged enough to retain their loyalty, and if we are to start a discussion about if DC met those two goals, the New 52 ACTION COMICS can support either pros or cons in uncertain terms. Monthly sales chart indicates that ACTION, a top 20 mainstay, grabbed new readers. A fact that perplexes me after reading the comics themselves.

ACTION benefits from Grant Morrison's prestige, no doubt helped by his groundbreaking work on All Star Superman. He has become comicdom's equivalent of a performance artist: comic geeks are fixated by everything surrounding him and anticipating all his creative endeavors with endless delight. Condescending phrase: to comic geeks, you're "NOT ONE OF US" if you don't profess religious devotion to GMoz's brilliance -- until it's 'objectively' absent, and then you can pretend his early Zoids and his dismal WildCATS relaunch (with Jim Lee) didn't happen! Gmoz: comics; Whedon: TV!

So... in ACTION we get Rags Morales (60%), Andy Kubert (30%), and Gene Ha and other fill-in artists (uh, 10%, whenever Morales is lazy?) drawing GMoz scripts, which means that half of the comic looks like melted candlewax! With asymmetrical eyes! And disproportionate waistline! Brad Anderson's shiny coloring alleviates some of the poor pencil work, but that can only do so much to hide the shoddy, inconsistent work. To be fair, the most hideous panel wasn't Morales' creation.

What the hell did I just see? Yuck.

It's comicdom's cliche to refer to GMoz as 'an ideas man', as a master of 'compressed' storytelling that permits 5 ideas within 20 pages (with 1-2 being other writer's average). My problem is that he doesn't pair intriguing concepts with engaging characters. His Superman as a 'brash, arrogant guardian of Metropolis' is a departure from the nice farmboy image perpetuated by Christopher Reeves, except that (and an absence of parents, because in comics, FAMILY suxx lol) is the only difference I saw in what's considered to be a 'fresh new take', and that merely mattered in the first two issues. Everything else in ACTION is cliffy-noted aspects of Superman's (eternally retold!) origins, fast-forwarded so we never have to worry about the exploration of said aspects. Did you know that Superman was 'The Last Son of Krypton' rocketed to earth during its planet's impending doom? Bet you want to know what Krypton society was like then; too bad you need to read about it in John Byrne's Man of Steel. But, how about the Legion of Super-heroes being a 31st century team of misfits who, inspired by Superman's heroism, time-traveled to his early days to inspire him back? Explore that in Geoff Johns/Gary Frank's Superman and the Legion of Superheroes! Maybe you'd want to know why a miniature Kandor was key to Brainiac's characterization? Read Johns/Frank's Superman: Brainiac and their New Krypton saga! In the meantime, we shall have the densest Superman origin story without going through his range of feelings during these events. Minus an emotional core, ACTION is as dry as reading Wikipedia.

And, perhaps, it is cool to see a Superman who wears jeans, or a centipede Brainiac, or Metallo’s new costume, but really…

What do I care?

Ps. All the Occupy Wall Street subtext? They mean nothing coming from a self-proclaimed 'champion of the working class' who dissed Chris Ware for white privilege despite being one of the highest paid comics writers and having an upcoming vanity convention that charges $500-1200 per ticket. I'm amused by the hypocrisy.

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Dec 14, 2012 Coaxial Creature rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun reboot of Action comics. I'm mostly a Marvel fangirl, so I thought this whole new 52 thing would be a good jumping on point for DC. Plus, Grant Morrison here.

And I loved it. There's a lot to be mined in the start of Clark Kent, reporter, such as his issues with the Daily Planet being run by a criminal who goes by the name of Glenmorgan. (It's why he doesn't work at the Planet, at least not yet. I'm not sure if that's where he will end up, but I haven't read any of the other new 5...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Art rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was my first experience with the New 52. Definitely an interesting take on the Superman myth, and introduces some much needed new perspective on the classic character. This iteration finds Supes a young man having recently moved to metropolis, working at a newspaper that is not the Daily Planet. Lois Lane makes only a cursory appearance with Jimmy Olson. Supes cannot yet fly, and is not quite indestructible. Both of these changes bring some much needed vulnerability to the god-like hero. Ot...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Jake rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

Superman is a great character, but a good Superman story is hard to come by. It is often hard to believe that a character is defined as being nearly invulnerable and immensely intelligent, could encounter such difficulty with the villains and problems he encounters. In the right hands though, Superman's status as a crown jewel of American culture shines through. In this first volume from D.C. Comics 'New 52' reboot, Grant Morrison takes the reader to Superman's early days in Metropolis. The youn...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Cale rated it 4 of 5 stars

Grant Morrison is somewhat hit or miss for me - some of his stuff is so out there that I can't get into it (I enjoyed Invisibles, but I don't think I got much out of it), and some works. But when it works, it works well. Seven Soldiers was great, and some of his Batman stuff. And All-Star Superman, which was wonderful. It encapsulated most of what makes Superman who he is. So I kind of expected to see more of that when I started this. But I was way off. This is a completely different interpretat...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Timothy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-reviewed-in-2013

The Flashpoint Crisis Crossover event in DC Comics that “rebooted” the fictional DC Universe also brought the DCU back towards where it was in the beginning of the characters' stints as heroes. Most of the titles now begin five years after the advent of “the age of heroes”, as the public in the DCU calls the current time frame. In these comics stories, the five years (or longer for some heroes, it's uncertain) the heroes have been active are periodically explored through the device of flashbacks...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Christa (More Than Just Magic) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-comic-manga-graphic-novel, publisher-dc-comics, part-of-a-series, genre-superhero, the-new-52

This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic

Background

How to give a brief background on Action Comics…. Hmmmm….

Basically it’s one of DC Comic’s flagship titles. It started in 1938 and it is the comic that introduced to the world to Superman. This along with Detective Comics are often considered the beginning of the “Golden Age of Comics” (imagine impressive music playing in the background as you read that). Obviously over the span of so many decades it has changed and evolved under many...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Shannon Appelcline rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, comics-dc

Much to my surprise, I was disappointed by this Morrison volume. The big pull of the new Action Comics was supposed to be Superman acting more like the hero of the common man that he was back in the late ‘30s. But Morrison offers it up in such a way that it feels more like an Elsewhere … and then he seems to totally drop it several issues in. From there we get the high-tech SF superhero that’s more common for Morrison … and it feels like yet another “revitalization” of Superman’s various friends...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars

I haven't made any secret of my love for Grant Morrison's enormous Batman and Son/RIP/Incorporated saga, and while I don't think I wrote an actual review of it on here, I loved Morrison's All-Star Superman as well - so when DC announced they were putting Morrison on Action Comics, I was naturally interested.

This collection is real good -- really, really good. Morrison's Batman and Robin collections have really suffered, in my opinion, from unevenness -- I applaud their dedication to shorter, 3-i...more

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Aug 16, 2012 David Keith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Seems like a needless regurgitation of the recent G. Johns Brainiac / Last Stand on New Krypton storyline. Why repeat so much of what we've just read?

Luthor's character doesn't make much sense. He's hating Superman before he even shows up! General Lane fares not much better. Why is he so hateful without reason?

And where does the US government get all these scientists so willing to outright torture Superman? C'mon, science geeks are bearded lefties.

Why is everyone assuming Superman is an alien...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Gef rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed-from-library, graphic-novels

Collecting the first eight issues of the "New 52" iteration of Action Comics, this graphic novel marks my very first time reading a Superman comic book of any kind. My only familiarity with the Man of Steel comes from the movies, the animated series, and a couple video-games. The character is one of the single biggest icons in American literature and I'd never read a single story until now. But with this fandangled reboot by DC Comics, did all of my preconceived notions and the established canon...more Collecting the first eight issues of the "New 52" iteration of Action Comics, this graphic novel marks my very first time reading a Superman comic book of any kind. My only familiarity with the Man of Steel comes from the movies, the animated series, and a couple video-games. The character is one of the single biggest icons in American literature and I'd never read a single story until now. But with this fandangled reboot by DC Comics, did all of my preconceived notions and the established canon from what came before ruin the experience?

Short answer ... no, I liked the book just fine.

The book kicks things off with Supes a few months into his emergence as a superhero, sans pajamas. He has his cape, an indestructible remnant from his spaceship, but the rest of his costume amounts to jeans and a t-shirt. Superman is also more brash than I recall him ever being presented in films or TV. In fact, there are moments when he comes off as kind of a dick. Not exactly the boy scout I remember, but definitely feels sincere.

As far as his alter-ego goes, Clark Kent is a lowly reporter, but for a second-rate newspaper (with some activist blogging on the side). Lois Lane is more of a professional rival with the Daily Planet, as well as Jimmy Olsen. Lois isn't much of a factor though, at least not yet, as Superman has to contend with Lex Luthor. Lex is more of the mad scientist type in this go-round, consumed with learning Superman's secrets and finding out all his alien secrets. Even at this early juncture, the world is well aware that Superman is an alien, and xenophobia is running wild. But when all hell breaks loose in Metropolis and a huge effing chunk of it gets abducted, which puts every X-Files episode to shame in its scope, who do the people turn to in their darkest hour?

As far as rebooting an iconic franchise like this goes, who am I to say if it passes or fails. As a pithead for the uninitiated to the deep mine that is Superman comic books, I'd say Grant Morrison, Rags Morales, and Andy Kubert have done a darned good job. It must be a daunting prospect putting a fresh coat of paint on a cast of characters that have been around as long as dirt and then some, but I thought Superman came off as strikingly familiar by the end of the eight collected issues and still giving this distinct vibe of this ain't your granddaddy’s Man of Steel.

There were things in the book that felt like missing episodes from Smallville though, especially with Clark Kent's bumbling routine with his landlady and Lois Lane. It was really Superman that shined in the series, as elements of his legend came about in some rather contrived circumstances. Like his costume, which was liberated from a collection of Kryptonian relics that seemed to exist purely to furnish him. All things considered though, the story was slick and didn't do anything too outside the box. Everything that works with Superman and the other characters worked to great effect and it actually felt like a solid foundation on which to build the mythos all over again.

Now, I've heard some really harsh criticism towards the New 52, namely the conspicuous deficiency of female writers and artists on DC's staff. But when it comes to Action Comics, I've enjoyed it so far and I'm curious to see if the second volume can keep pace. And I'm probably going to take a chance on a couple other characters in the New 52, though I'll be keeping my expectations in check when I do.(less)

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Oct 31, 2012 Xavier Guillaume rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Superhero fans

Shelves: graphic-novel, fantasy-and-sci-fi

I have to admit that I've never read Superman or Action Comics before. I've always been a Marvel fan and pretty much stayed away from DC my whole life, but with this new onslaught of new 52 comics, I feel comfortable to plow myself through this new Universe, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

I actually like some of these changes to Superman's persona. First of all, he is not as nearly indestructible as he was previously. A speeding train actually hurts him, and a blast from a tank leaves him b...more I have to admit that I've never read Superman or Action Comics before. I've always been a Marvel fan and pretty much stayed away from DC my whole life, but with this new onslaught of new 52 comics, I feel comfortable to plow myself through this new Universe, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

I actually like some of these changes to Superman's persona. First of all, he is not as nearly indestructible as he was previously. A speeding train actually hurts him, and a blast from a tank leaves him battered and bruised. Sure, he's got the same will and determination to do whatever he believes in, but it's more interesting now because there are certain elements against him. For example, I don't think he can fly indefinitely. Sure, he can defy gravity by jumping really high, but he's more like leaping than flying.

Other differences, there isn't the romance between Clark and Lois as there was before. They are just friends now. And also, there seems to be some strange parallel Universes going on. We have Action Comics, which restarts the Superman Universe, but then we have the Superman issues, which takes place 5 years in the future. It's strange I know, but think of it as twice the Superman action!

In this book we meet a ton of characters, like Mrs. Nyxly, Superman's landlady and only knower of his true identity. I also think she might be the wife of Mr. Mxyzptlk, but who knows...We also have Metallo, but here he is named Metal-zero for some reason. We also have Steel, but he isn't called Steel yet, just John. And then we have Brainiac, which is probably the main supervillain of this book. Actually, it's funny...Brainiac kind of scares me a lot. The fact that this technological entity has the entire knowledge of the world/Universe at his grasp: he really is the Internet. It makes me kind of scared of the Internet, which I know is wacky, but seriously...This thing knows everything about us and the world. If it ever wanted to take control (and knowledge is power) it holds the power, which is kind of freak. Maybe there are things in this world we should keep away from the Internet...I know that sounds extremely illogical, but the book freaked me out, okay?

Lex Luther is of course in it, but he isn't as nearly as tall and strong as he was previously. He's actually kind of average, and slightly pudgy in this incarnation. It's strange! He's still one of the most scientific minds on the planet, and later, around issue 8, I actually start to like and sympathize with him, which feels a little insane. Superman's arch-nemesis, and yet I kind of like him. Who knows if that will change in future issues.

I definitely look forward to the next installment. Even though I never got into Superman before, I think I'm turning into a small fan. It doesn't knock my socks off, but I do like it a lot, and finally I figured out why Superman has his powers. It didn't make sense before—that he was used to a sun with more radiation on Krypton and a higher gravity—but I guess it kind of makes sense after reading this book.

Also, you might want to pay special attention to issue #8 when you read this because Superman actually dons a Star of David on his chest instead of the traditional S. Yes, it goes from S in one cel to a Star of David in the next. It confused the heck out of me and I had to look back and forth to make sure I saw that right. I'm not sure how to explain it. I think the affect is disorienting and breaks the flow of the story, but I guess Grant Morrison is paying homage to Superman's heritage. No, Superman isn't Jewish, but his creators were, and at a time of Superman's creation Jewish people were heavily persecuted, so it was nice to have a superhero who stood up against tyranny and injustice.

Anyway, do I recommend reading this comic? I wouldn't say it's a must read, but it's nice if you're looking for some entertainment. It's really quite an interesting story, which makes sense because Superman has lasted this long through history.(less)

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Sep 05, 2012 Joan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kudos to you all. I am now "The Mom". I used to read comics back when I was at summer camp in the 60's. My son was a comic book addict during the 90's. My son was surprised to find this book on my table and, I'm afraid, not pleasantly surprised when I told him it wasn't for him and he couldn't take it home with him. He proceeded to spend his whole visit devouring the book and I'm sure he will look for it again when he returns. Reading these comics brought back all the joy of childhood, the escap...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Mark rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, dc, supernatural

The Superman story starts over and we follow the first adventures of a young Clark Kent as he finds his way in the big city of Metropolis.

I was expecting something new and interesting but I found this book boring and a bit confusing. It felt like they did the art first and tried to squeeze a story in later.

I was also expecting this book to be accessible for new fans but I don't think that is the case. Several story elements were left unexplained and new readers will likely be confused.

I think th...more

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title link	preview: Action Comics, Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13227314-action-comics-vol-1?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358399222l/13227314.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13227314-action-comics-vol-1?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Action Comics, Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel by Grant Morrison[/url]

Action Comics, Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel (Action Comics Vol. II #1)

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