PKJ Action Comics Discussion and Spoilers

[Mantis-Ray]

The art's looking great, liking how those hits look

[Thor-Ul]

Has to be, that’s the only time to my knowledge that Steel and Metallo had any connection whatsoever.

There is the episode when they fought in the animated series.

[Frontier]

- The live reporting angle is realistically redacted from my experience but also pretty un-exciting (also realistic), which makes it all the weirder that "This story is still developing" actually hits quite hard. "You don't understand anything yet", of course.
- That said, while the bulletpoint narration wasn't all that good (even if I really appreciate the attempt at including some journalism here), the panels themselves were quite great at setting up the situation.
- I'm really liking Metallo's design here, which surprises me because I thought it was boring last time we saw him. The metallic knuckles, which give him this angle that he's been punching so hard his skin broke (that's not what happened, but it feels like it), the bits sticking out of his back that make him look like he can't quite hide what he has become, it's all just messy in a very enjoyable way. It also helps that he's half-naked Makes him feel more... fleshy. Corporeal. Human in his inhumanity, really.
- That said, you would expect Clark to expect a Kryptonite ray from Corben's chest at this point. I guess they needed that establishing moment, but still. Somehow I do get the impression that Superman isn't that affected by it, though. But I might be wrong.
- Corben is saying he regrets doing this and that it's necessary for his family, but you can just tell he's enjoying himself a lot here.
- I love that panel with Corben stopping Steel's hammer. You can just feel the power behind Steel's attack, what with the blur and all, and Corben stops it as if it's nothing. And it's a nice exchange of blows, too, the way Corben's fist is distorted giving him both a sense of speed but also inhumanity, and then getting his face ripped off by Steel's blows... overall they've done a great job at making Metallo look cool, if nothing else.
- And, of course, they reference the New 52. Nice way to turn a standard if well-executed exchange of blows into "oh, this is personal".

Overall, an enjoyable preview.

Considering Clark's power upgrade, he might've thought he could tank the blast better.

[Ascended]

I just think the visual of the Kryptonian heart stands out more compared to whatever else they can come up with.

Far as marketing/selling the character goes, without the kryptonite heart Metallo is just a generic cyborg/robot. I mean, wasn't that his tagline? "The man with a kryptonite heart?" Take that away and what do ya got? Nothin.

But I absolutely agree it's become an Achilles heel for the character and something different needs to be done. I'm a few issues behind right now so I can't speak for what PKJ is doing but Metallo, I think, is generally seen as a one-trick pony and the trick got old a long time ago. I'm sure PKJ is going to do something awesome and creative but it's gonna take more than one good story to elevate Metallo beyond the C-list.

I dunno, seems to me that Metallo is the most well known and long-standing villain who's whole thing is kryptonite (arguably Lex but he hasn't revolved around kryptonite in a long time), so maybe they actually need to lean into that more and give Corben some fun, interesting ways to use K-radiation rather than the same old "chest blast in the third round because he's starting to lose" crap. I liked the New52 War Machine vibe, the missiles and heavy ordinance, wouldn't mind seeing that brought back either, maybe with a kryptonite spice. And I actually liked him as the New52 sympathetic monster who loved Lois and was a good man pulled astray by the machinations of others. Last Action I got was 1050 but I liked what we were seeing there too.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Mettalo could weaponize kryptonite and uses its effects in a fight.

He could shoot out red or silver kryptonite rays that have a different effect on its target.

[Mantis-Ray]

Mettalo could weaponize kryptonite and uses its effects in a fight.

He could shoot out red or silver kryptonite rays that have a different effect on its target.

I enjoyed how in Last Son of Krypton he was equipped with a bunch of different K-rocks and was having the time of his life trying out the effects on the Phantom Zone criminals

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I enjoyed how in Last Son of Krypton he was equipped with a bunch of different K-rocks and was having the time of his life trying out the effects on the Phantom Zone criminals

Does kryptonite have an effect on non kryptonians in the comics?

[NaVi]

Kryptonite should disappear completely, they have not used it well for many years, nowadays it is only a weapon for writers without talent or who do not feel like working. kryptonite is used in 2 ways.
1: so that the villain on duty seems dangerous, when he is not.
2: A way to explain Superman's stupid defeats.

As for Metallo, if he were an important villain, okay I understand, the kryptonite is part of the character, it is a risk to change him, but he is an almost unknown villain, without great stories, removing the kryptonite will not do him any harm.

[HsssH]

Yeah, I'm struggling to remember any "classic" Metallo storylines at the moment. I'm sure some exist, but I just don't remember any at the moment. Sure, removing Kryptonite destroys his appeal, but it doesn't look like there is much to destroy in the first place.

Maybe PKJ is doing that New 52 nod only due to chatting with Morrison recently, but Steel and Metallo being linked and developing a bit of a rivalry could be good for both characters.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I liked today's issue.

[HsssH]

I didn't get the unmade bit, one of the twins just asked if he is like unmade and later Clark acts like it had some deeper meaning.

So, "ping"? Is this really about Cyborg Superman?

And it looks like PKJ is indeed trying to connect Steel with Metallo, because I think that him involved in the creation of Metallo is a new thing?

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I didn't get the unmade bit, one of the twins just asked if he is like unmade and later Clark acts like it had some deeper meaning.

So, "ping"? Is this really about Cyborg Superman?

And it looks like PKJ is indeed trying to connect Steel with Metallo, because I think that him involved in the creation of Metallo is a new thing?

I imagine it's a reference to the Warworld stuff. Unmade is slang for how Mongol used his soldiers as zombies. So I believe the twins were making a reference to it.

Steel-Mentallo having a connection was a reference to new 52.

[Vordan]

Awesome, direct confirmation that they’re using the New 52 Origin for Metallo!



Hope this means they’re also keeping Lex torturing Clark to figure out his powers in Morrison’s Action run canon too. Would definitely be something that would color Clark’s interactions with Lex over in Williamson Superman or even here if PKJ does get a chance to use Lex more.

Laughed at Jon suggesting that Lex wanted Steelworks Tower destroyed because it was taller than Lexcorp and everyone agreeing that sounded like him. I’m growing more fond of Osul and Othul too, the way they combine Warzoon attitudes while still having some childish innocence makes them endearing. And that they still don’t feel comfortable sleeping in beds does tug on the heart strings a little.

Shout out to Sandoval, I love the action sequences in this book! Real sense of impact and power thus far in the fights. Metallo converting the Blue Earth assholes into his own militia will be cool, Metallo is finally stepping up and taking charge himself even if his strings are getting pulled. I just hope they rip the fake skin off entirely soon and show us what he looks like underneath.

I didn't get the unmade bit, one of the twins just asked if he is like unmade and later Clark acts like it had some deeper meaning.

So, "ping"? Is this really about Cyborg Superman?

And it looks like PKJ is indeed trying to connect Steel with Metallo, because I think that him involved in the creation of Metallo is a new thing?

The Unmade took their orders from someone else. Superman saw that Lex wasn’t giving Metallo orders, which clues him in that someone else is posing as Lex. In this case it’s Hank Henshaw who is manipulating Metallo. He’s also posing as Corben’s sister and pretending to be her, but he’s not directly controlling Metallo’s actions.

[HsssH]

Steel-Mentallo having a connection was a reference to new 52.

Yes, but I'm not sure if Steel being involved with Metallo's creation was in Morrison's run?

[HsssH]

The Unmade took their orders from someone else. Superman saw that Lex wasn’t giving Metallo orders, which clues him in that someone else is posing as Lex. In this case it’s Hank Henshaw who is manipulating Metallo. He’s also posing as Corben’s sister and pretending to be her, but he’s not directly controlling Metallo’s actions.

I'll quote Clark: "But if Otho was right that Metallo's new body is based on the unmade, that raises scary possibilities".

Otho never claimed that, to him Steel's description of Metallo sounded similar to unmade and thats it, nothing about new body or being based on unmade. No, it is not a big problem or anything of the sorts, I just find Clark's line badly written.