Action Comics #971

[TheCape]

I think that i'm the only one that still care about this arc.
Ok, Men of Steel continues, as i guest the last time, Superman was buying time before they could escape, but him and Luthor end stranded in some planet with a red sun (weren't talking about this weakness in other thread?), Lex continues to tell Superman to get over his anger against him and L'Call and Zade attack then. Meanwhile on earth, Lois is still investigating the thing with Geneticron in the NuLois aparment with Jon and suddenly, the fake Clark arrive.

The issue was fine, is nice to see Luthor giving a bit more of hindsight about his motives and his tribute, the dialogue is kind of dumb in some parts but for the most part is servicable, i feel that they are dragging the part of Superman not trusting Luthor (althought, considering what his Luthor did i can't blame him) and they still don't mention nothing of his crime before FE, i mean seriously?.

Not much else to say, is a really short issue, that feels a bit like filler.

[SuperCrab]

I haven't finished reading it, but I got to a pretty awesome page I wanted to share:



I may not be digging SuperDad in general, but that is a good Superman illustration IMO. Badass Superman. Always dig those.




I think Luthor's observations in this issue are spot-on. SuperDad is hung up on his experiences with a different Lex Luthor in a different universe and can't seem to accept that this Lex Luthor isn't the same person, and (Luthor) has changed for the better in the last year or so of comics. Luthor is still arrogant, selfish, and narcissistic, but he's using those qualities to help motivate him to be the best Superman he can be and to save lives. He likes the spotlight and realizes he can get it by being a force for good.

I just hope the writers don't turn Luthor evil to prove SuperDad "right" on this- stick to your guns and keep Luthor on the right side of things, and have SuperDad come to a place of acceptance, as New52 Superman did. Maybe if New52 Superman and SuperDad merge, that'll help. I'd love to see this arc end with Luthor and SuperDad shaking hands.

What do you guys think of the cliffhanger? Jon meets the seemingly human Clark Kent duplicate from the Daily Planet.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

Okay, I'll cop the explanation for Superman did actually make sense.

[Kuwagaton]

I thought this was both the best issue Jurgens has written so far and the first where Segovia and Thibert made good use of their solid team potential all throughout.

At least Jon is tough enough to hold his own if this Clark doesn't have some creepy surprise powers.

[misslane]

I thought this was one of the best, too. Jurgens has done a good job crafting an arc for these various ongoing plots that mostly feels well-paced, so that as some questions are answered or lines are crossed, new questions and obstacles arise. It's not too fast or too complicated either, giving the multiple characters and threads time to breathe. It's been especially nice to see Lois active and involved in her own stories both in Superman and in Action, and with this issue I appreciated getting to see her alone with Jon again. While previously she had been with him plenty, recently it's felt like father and son had a lot of adventures and time together; therefore I was happy to see them together again and for the subject of Lois' family members to be brought up. Something else I appreciated was how Jurgens doesn't really let his characters off the hook. He uses Lex to challenge Superman, and he didn't have Lois just take on her counterpart's life without acknowledging the weirdness of it.

Lex Luthor is a bit of a tricky thing for me at the moment. Although I appreciate exploring somewhat new territory with him as a hero, I feel like for much of the New 52 and now Rebirth, we haven't really gotten to see a truly evil mastermind in Lex Luthor. I like him best when he is a villain, so seeing him as a sort of victim in this arc as well as in Superwoman, and with both stories trying hard to establish his credibility as a good guy, has left me a bit dissatisfied. I'm ready for him to crack, I guess. I feel the same about the new Clark Kent who continues to be as creepy as he is perplexing. Despite Jurgens' keeping the suspense in both the Lex and Clark mysteries, it feels like it's getting to be time to move to the next stage. It kind of feels like that's where it's heading, which means for now I'm content.

In short, it was a rich and engaging issue that did a solid job developing both the core characters and the ongoing plots.

[JAK]

I think that i'm the only one that still care about this arc.
Ok, Men of Steel continues, as i guest the last time, Superman was buying time before they could escape, but him and Luthor end stranded in some planet with a red sun (weren't talking about this weakness in other thread?), Lex continues to tell Superman to get over his anger against him and L'Call and Zade attack then. Meanwhile on earth, Lois is still investigating the thing with Geneticron in the NuLois aparment with Jon and suddenly, the fake Clark arrive.

Oh, no - I'm totally on board. So you're not alone. There are others on here, too, I know that.

The issue was fine, is nice to see Luthor giving a bit more of hindsight about his motives and his tribute, the dialogue is kind of dumb in some parts but for the most part is servicable, i feel that they are dragging the part of Superman not trusting Luthor (althought, considering what his Luthor did i can't blame him) and they still don't mention nothing of his crime before FE, i mean seriously?.

Not much else to say, is a really short issue, that feels a bit like filler.

Some of what could be called filler, but I thought it serviced the story well. Some of the dialogue does forget continuity, but others address it specifically... so I wonder if they aren't already being selective to prop up future stories. I normally bristle against things like that, but I'm taking a "wait and see" with that as I'm still invested in what's going on.

I think Luthor's observations in this issue are spot-on. SuperDad is hung up on his experiences with a different Lex Luthor in a different universe and can't seem to accept that this Lex Luthor isn't the same person, and (Luthor) has changed for the better in the last year or so of comics. Luthor is still arrogant, selfish, and narcissistic, but he's using those qualities to help motivate him to be the best Superman he can be and to save lives. He likes the spotlight and realizes he can get it by being a force for good.

I just hope the writers don't turn Luthor evil to prove SuperDad "right" on this- stick to your guns and keep Luthor on the right side of things, and have SuperDad come to a place of acceptance, as New52 Superman did. Maybe if New52 Superman and SuperDad merge, that'll help. I'd love to see this arc end with Luthor and SuperDad shaking hands.

What do you guys think of the cliffhanger? Jon meets the seemingly human Clark Kent duplicate from the Daily Planet.

Loved the cliffhanger - as soon as Jon made for the door, I'm like "wait.. he shouldn't be answering the door!" and knew who would be at it.

As for Lex and Superman, here's what I think may happen: Superman will get a sense that Lex really is trying to do good and will (more or less) accept him (or at least believe him). Then, various things will happen that will bruise Lex's ego or hurt what he's trying to do, and then Superman will basically be talking Lex down from the ledge. We'll get something like:

"I'm from another timeline... my Lex was much like you: selfish, arrogant.. you are those things, but you're also much more. You use your desires to help others, to be a force for good - the Lex I knew for years could never see past this "S"... and you even use it in your fight to be a force for good. Don't lose that now."

He'd kinda almost become a Harvey Dent kinda figure, but only on the other side. That could be cool.

[FishyZombie]

I really liked the Lex-Supes bits in this. "you're welcome by the way" and "I'm marooned here with YOU" was funny. I also liked how they explained some of Lex's motivations and how it connected to Forever Evil. Also creepy Clark Kent is creepy. Good issue.

[Kuwagaton]

Creepy Clark is so creepy. I bet he has tentacle powers.

I was happy to see them together again and for the subject of Lois' family members to be brought up. Something else I appreciated was how Jurgens doesn't really let his characters off the hook. He uses Lex to challenge Superman, and he didn't have Lois just take on her counterpart's life without acknowledging the weirdness of it.

Actually glad that it seems like I was wrong about it being a smooth ride based on her general familiarity with the other Lois. It's interesting because while Lois understands the likelihood of having to give up the cover and the very possible resurrection of her alternate, this is technically the immediate family she suddenly lost and the only ones Jon can meet.

[JAK]

Creepy Clark is so creepy. I bet he has tentacle powers.



Actually glad that it seems like I was wrong about it being a smooth ride based on her general familiarity with the other Lois. It's interesting because while Lois understands the likelihood of having to give up the cover and the very possible resurrection of her alternate, this is technically the immediate family she suddenly lost and the only ones Jon can meet.

Yep - if this Lois can be eventually seen as a sort of older "sister" to the New52 Lois, that would be a great way to remember one while integrating another.

[TheCape]

Oh, no - I'm totally on board. So you're not alone. There are others on here, too, I know that.

Good to know, i started to feel alone.

Some of what could be called filler, but I thought it serviced the story well. Some of the dialogue does forget continuity, but others address it specifically... so I wonder if they aren't already being selective to prop up future stories. I normally bristle against things like that, but I'm taking a "wait and see" with that as I'm still invested in what's going on.

Yeah, now after rereading the issue, i think that filler was a bit hasrh, the pacing was actually quite good and Segovia artwork was better that i was expecting, as always dialogue is at the eye of the beholder, i think that Jurgens is decent in that deparment but i can get "too 90s" in some parts (wich is not necesarely bad, i had a fondness for that era) and i like the fact that Lois subplot is running parallel with Clark, that's some good old school narrative that i missed.

[_Beautiful_Temptress_]

Hardly Clark Kent is fake. More like he is New 52 Superman.

[Sacred Knight]

He's not New 52 Superman. That was pretty much eliminated from the get-go when the teases about the character's upcoming debut months ago was slated as "not what everyone thinks". What everyone thought at the time was New 52 Superman since he had just died. This Clark is something or someone else. Regardless of the so-called positive tests, he's not Clark Kent.* Speaking of positive tests, here's a story: Once upon a time tests were performed on someone claiming to be Superman and all scientific data concluded he WAS really Superman. Turns out he wasn't, and science had been deceived. Turns out he was a guy named Hank Henshaw. Now we have a "Clark Kent" running around whom all Kryptonian tests confirm really is Clark Kent. Hmm. By the way, what did he do in this issue that was creepy?

Now I'm still not reading this arc, but I read about that Superman's behavior in the full issue made sense. So I gotta be a sport too and retract my comments about his behavior. If Dispenser says they now make sense, I have no reason not to believe him.

[GodofBoredom]

Did I read it right? Did Lex Luthor just say that Superdad is different from New 52 Superman in that he is "quicker to act" after he punched him?

Superdad being more impulsive than new 52 Superman is ridiculous.

[spirit2011]

I really liked the Lex-Supes bits in this. "you're welcome by the way" and "I'm marooned here with YOU" was funny. I also liked how they explained some of Lex's motivations and how it connected to Forever Evil. Also creepy Clark Kent is creepy. Good issue.

It's a great issue to connect the continuity: forever evil and the Lois & Clark mini.

WTH Clark is doing with chinese food? dude was so stalking Lois.

[Sacred Knight]

He sure has acted more impulsive and take charge since he came back, though, hasn't he? In Convergence under the dome, he was his same dull pre-FP self. He comes back, 10 years later one Superman dies so he comes back to action and now he's acting like, well, Superman again. Its almost as if something is making him more himself again, for the first time in a very long time....