Really digging Daniel Sampere. Very bold, Jurgens-esque.
Really digging Daniel Sampere. Very bold, Jurgens-esque.
This three issue arc was a tightly plotted and intimate little tale. I honestly came in expecting plot threads on plot threads, and this grand epic that would usher in the new era for Jon.
But what we got was something akin to 30 minutes of a classic cartoon, and the soft but clear understanding that there's more beyond this.
I really love how if you look at this story through Jon's eyes-- without Clark's narration-- he doesn't even think he did all that much! Last issue he brushes aside how his powers are more nuanced than his dad's, and then later hypes up Clark as unstoppable and the best guy in the multiverse. This adventure they went on, and this new aspect of his powers likely wouldn't have stood out to Jon had Clark not highlighted it. Likely to him, it's Clark who beat the bad guy, and he just came through with some help. But functionally speaking, Clark was up a creek, and he was playing support for Jon.
I really dig the visual for the hyper ultraviolet heat vision. I like what it represents for the future of the character. How are the rest of his powers more nuanced than other kryptonians? I love it because it frees Taylor up so much to add some stuff and basically give Jon a second "getting to learn your powers" bit.
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Action continues to be outstanding on every level. Than god we're doing better Daxamites because those guys suck! The more we see of Thao-La the more I'm unhappy she's likely not our new Supergirl.
It's kind of ironic all the hate PKJ was getting about his use of Lois because she's fire in this issue, and has been on some level since 1030. Particularly like how Thao-La is bonding with her, and how her writing a book on Kandor was then folded into the main plot. And just the visual seeing Clark blown away by a blast, and Lois-- without even stopping-- just hugs the young lady and calms her down. I saw the Kingdom Come symbol. Is that why Clark starts wearing it? The build up for this event really does feel like it's always pushing forward.
"Mark my words! This drill will open a hole in the universe. And that hole will become a path for those that follow after us. The dreams of those who have fallen. The hopes of those who will follow. Those two sets of dreams weave together into a double helix, drilling a path towards tomorrow. THAT's Tengen Toppa! THAT'S Gurren Lagann! MY DRILL IS THE DRILL THAT CREATES THE HEAVENS!" - The Digger
We walk on the path to Secher Nbiw. Though hard fought, we walk the Golden Path.
Action Comics #1032:
Superman #32:
I'm conflicted, lol.
I can't believe that DC in its infinite wisdom is relegating in the secondary SM book what could become one of the best SM runs in ages. It's like having Tynion/Jimenez on Detective Comics and fillers with bland art on the main BM book.
Classic DC honestly. Throughout the entire New 52, Superman was crap while Action was the good one.
For when my rants on the forums just aren’t enough: https://thevindicativevordan.tumblr.com/
Watching Philip K Johnson’s action comics be the lowest selling comic in the industry is one of the most satisfying things I have seen in a while
Double down on failure, you pay for it
I'm actually upset about how DC has treated PKJ so far. I actually bought the first two issues of his run, The Golden Age, so it couldn't be said that I didn't give him a chance, but those just ended up being meaningless filler. At the very least it showed me writing style which I found very enjoyable and palatable, as opposed to his predecessor's. Then they went on and made him write more filler in Superman and his AC, the book fans seem to be actually enjoying, is left to languish with zero support from them. I do have some sympathy for him because he's a very solid writer with very little bombast and yet DC doesn't pay him much regard, kind of like how they treated Tomasi, but my sympathy only goes so far because he went out of his way to defend Bendis while paying zero respect to Tomasi and Gleason and Jurgens for setting up the very toys he's playing with.
For when my rants on the forums just aren’t enough: https://thevindicativevordan.tumblr.com/
I must've missed that interview because I tried to keep up with his media tour as best I could just to hear him pay at least a little bit of lip service to the Rebirth-era but he never did as far knew.
Also, I wasn't implying PKJ's run is continuing any dangling plot threads left over from Rebirth. I meant more that those guys revitalized and generated new interest in the Superman comics that without PKJ wouldn't have this particular job
He mentioned liking the Tomasi/Gleason and Jurgens Rebirth runs in a few interviews I saw. Granted, the one time I heard him more passionate than the archetypical "of course I'm a fan of my predecessors' work" was curiously enough when talking about Bendis' Legion of Super-Heroes run (not even his Superman/Action Comics), specifically its worldbuilding, and the way he said it made it obvious he was aware of its impopularity but still standing by it. Anyway, it's the Rebirth "Jon grew up in a farm" status-quo the one he used in both his Superman arc and the Golden Age crossover, so he's been referencing it pretty often (and his Superman story arc was clearly in the vein of stories from that era like the one where Clark and Jon save alien eggs before their planet explodes).