Action Comics #973 (SPOILERS)

[K. Jones]

Henshaw is both investigating the Brainy/Argo tech in Supergirl and moving on Steel in Action Comics so he's definitely got a destiny date with some HIGH TECH HIJINX. Not only that but I feel like one of the "previews" in the back of a book definitely showed something skeletal, metallic, and distinctly not Robo-Zor-El (who, well, Supergirl spoilers), or be overtly Brainiac in origin. And since Henshaw needed a new design pretty badly that's awesome. With the right tweaks he could be a great ur-villain for Superman, rather than a Nineties one-hit-wonder whose best days were as a bit player in Sinestro stories. (Though I'm still wondering how the hell THAT history might've played out.)

Action was interesting. We got a lot of Maggie Sawyer and she wasn't downplayed, which is a damn fine thing. I mean when she walks into a Superbook it needs to be as resonant as when Jim Gordon is in a Batman storyline. Obviously I'm also hoping for a Batwoman/Lois Lane/Maggie team-up down the line.

Actually, in Superwoman and Supergirl relation, the use of DC stable female characters in all kinds of chunky supporting roles in the superbooks has been kind of nice. Chase in Supergirl, Maggie in Metropolis, Natasha and then some in Superwoman.

[Zero Hunter]

Clark comes off as an impulsive kid who doesn't think anything through. Who does that sound like? A certain mentally unstable young man who has aged himself up before ....... Superboy Prime.

[stephens2177]

Clark comes off as an impulsive kid who doesn't think anything through. Who does that sound like? A certain mentally unstable young man who has aged himself up before ....... Superboy Prime.

And that same kid did live as a regular unpowered kid until Crisis.Oz could have grabbed him and wiped his powers and memory of being Prime taken away.

This was a good issue btw

[Sacred Knight]

You realize you just wished for a person to be horribly mutilated and driven insane right? Just saying 😊

His pain pleases the mythos!

As far as the whole issue, the plotting is fine, the art is fantastic, but the dialogue is still suffering. Particularly painful was the literal "Mwahahaha" moment from the corrupt authorities in the bar. All they needed were mustaches to twirl to complete the dated cliché.

[theoneandonly]

all the recent superman stories seem inspired by spiderman clone saga and spiderverse. in superman we have some villain hunting supermen which was done in the other. We see a doppelganger Clark and a powered Superman which situation we have seen in the clone saga and we also had peter dying due to his powers been neutralized and then reactivated just like nusuperman. nothing new I guess under the sun in superheros world.

[Patrick Gerard]

Interesting clues so far. Clark seems to have superspeed and an impossible metabolism. And classic Clark taste in food.

I was thinking: could he be pre-Crisis Superman, also stranded here somehow?

Sure, he fooled Superdad's lie detector and gene scanner if that's the case. But Silver-Age Superman was kind of an expert at those kinds of tricks to protect his identity.

I said awhile back that I half wondered if the reason Superdad got a new costume wasn't so there could be a three way team-up between Superdad, Nuperman, and pre-Crisis.

The appetite and the disappearing act seem relevant here.

Pre-Crisis was bad with women and a bit unintentionally creepy at times.

[Sacred Knight]

I think he's some sort of manifestation. He shows no response to pouring rain, and the doorman in the apartment building has never even seen him enter since this doppleganger showed (he relates he hasn't seen Kent in maybe months, so the last time he probably saw him was the real New 52 Clark). Is he just breaking into the apartment? Or is he sometimes not corporeal? I don't think he's any actual version of Superman either. If he was, why would so much emphasis be placed on Lois finding him creepy? No Lois has ever found any Clark creepy in the predatory sense this issue conveys her feeling. Uninteresting? Nerdy? Yes. Outright uncomfortable to be around? No way. So that's a big sign to me that this isn't something positive, whatever his origins might be. He may be proven to not be Hank in this issue, but I still think the evidence is pointing to a malicious entity regardless.

Or hell maybe he IS still Henshaw, and we're in store for three mergers. Not just Superman and Lois Lane, but the real Cyborg Superman.

[Flash Gordon]

I've realized that the entirety of the Superman line is just a guessing game of what the hell the story/characters/setting all are. That's so sad.

We need new editorial and creative teams on these books.

[Sacred Knight]

I'm giving them one shot here with Reborn. That's why I'm back on this title. If they can pull this off in a way I like (its not going to be perfect, I already know that), I'll be okay. After a year I'll be okay. If not...well I'll deal with that later if it comes.

[magha_regulus]

I'm giving them one shot here with Reborn. That's why I'm back on this title. If they can pull this off in a way I like (its not going to be perfect, I already know that), I'll be okay. After a year I'll be okay. If not...well I'll deal with that later if it comes.

I'm right there with you. Reborn had better be good! I just can't get into the current direction despite tring really hard to like it. Its like they can't think of anythng to do but mine "imaginary stories" and elseworlds for ideas.

[stephens2177]

I've realized that the entirety of the Superman line is just a guessing game of what the hell the story/characters/setting all are. That's so sad.

We need new editorial and creative teams on these books.

I thought that was what ppl.wanted in their comics,the unknown.

Hell I just want kon-el back,1 with kesels fiery and fun personality, never say quit attitude,with the YJ shows maturity,strategist,and all out hero self,with a 2 fold powerset that gives him weaknesses and strengths that superman doesnt.

[KurtW95]

Still thinking that the Lois and Clark from before were not real and this new Clark is a manipulation as well. And the current Lois and Clark will be explained to be native of both worlds kind of like Wally and that reality has been altered or some such as to explain Convergence.

[spirit2011]

Clark comes off as an impulsive kid who doesn't think anything through. Who does that sound like? A certain mentally unstable young man who has aged himself up before ....... Superboy Prime.

IDK the creepy clark acts like a 80 year old

[Last Son of Krypton]

IDK the creepy clark acts like a 80 year old

A 80 years old virgin.

[theoneandonly]

this seems like a metaplay twist to show that Clark Kent without superman is essentially not human and dysfunctional the way Superman is always portrayed as not human or complete without his Clark Kent persona. I think its unfair on him. In fact the new 52 has been particularly harsh on both new 52supes and now doppleclark.