Preview: ACTION COMICS #975

[Naruto1996]

[Naruto1996]

[Naruto1996]

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Apparently the dialogue in those last two pages is pretty revealing. Thanks for posting.

Wednesday isn't that far away.

[Rikdad]

We've affirmed that Fake Clark is mentally a child.

The art is reminiscent of the SBP - Kon-El meeting in Infinite Crisis, though that may simply be to say: It's an encounter that begins with talking then leads to punches.

I rarely comment on art, but I have to say, I love Doug Mahnke's stuff. The look of concern on Superman's face on the first page is easy to feel. Mahnke's art has become like an old friend.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Seconded. I first saw his art during his old - old - AC (or was it Adventures?) run. Great stuff.

[Spiderboy12]

We've affirmed that Fake Clark is mentally a child.

Which begs the question of WHICH child? As childish as Superboy-Prime has been depicted in the past, he's no six-year old. Yet the junk food supply and the childish scrawlings of the escaped prisoner of Oz suggest a real child (and probably someone who is identical to the fake Clark, though the timeline doesn't really work out). How many choices are there? Bizarro might work; his attitude is certainly childish. So could a real kid with connections to Clark and Lois, like Chris Kent. Or perhaps the alien child that the New 52 Superman befriended (I can't remember his name off-hand).

Any other candidates that come to mind?

[manofsteel1979]

Seconded. I first saw his art during his old - old - AC (or was it Adventures?) run. Great stuff.

Man Of Steel was Mahnke's original home way back in 1999.

[SuperCrab]

Could the food simply indicate an entity with the need to take in a large amount of calories or sugar? Who do we know who's like that besides The Flash?

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Man Of Steel was Mahnke's original home way back in 1999.

Thanks!

Could the food simply indicate an entity with the need to take in a large amount of calories or sugar? Who do we know who's like that besides The Flash?

That's a good question. And I can't think of anyone with those characteristics in the Superverse. I mean, The Parasite - who would be the closest character to that description - feeds on energy, not sugar.

[SuperCrab]

Interestingly, this was not the originally solicited cover.

Also, note the Luthor image in his old green armor, instead of his new armor. What's up with that?

Originally solicited cover:



Change of plans regarding Mystery Clark Kent's identity?

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Nah. Gary Frank's cover is an alternate one. Main cover remains the one you posted.

[manofsteel1979]

Interestingly, this was not the originally solicited cover.

Also, note the Luthor image in his old green armor, instead of his new armor. What's up with that?

Originally solicited cover:



Change of plans regarding Mystery Clark Kent's identity?

Nope. The version you posted is the standard edition cover. The one posted with the preview is the variant by Gary Frank.

[stephtanner]

Which begs the question of WHICH child? As childish as Superboy-Prime has been depicted in the past, he's no six-year old. Yet the junk food supply and the childish scrawlings of the escaped prisoner of Oz suggest a real child (and probably someone who is identical to the fake Clark, though the timeline doesn't really work out). How many choices are there? Bizarro might work; his attitude is certainly childish. So could a real kid with connections to Clark and Lois, like Chris Kent. Or perhaps the alien child that the New 52 Superman befriended (I can't remember his name off-hand).

Any other candidates that come to mind?

I think Chris Kent is an interesting candidate, but he was a sweet-natured kid with a sunny disposition. Fake Clark has a dark and sinister aura and is prone to temper tantrums. Granted, Chris could have changed but I hate to think that he would be evil like his biological parents. Plus, asking Lois out on a date and proposing to her is not a conventional way to treat one's mother.

Anyways, whoever fake Clark is, looks like he is one can of whipped cream away from developing diabetes. Talk about sugar overload. Not even a kid with an extreme sweet tooth could handle all that so I'm guessing this being does need to sustain himself with a high-calorie diet.

[Superlad93]

Could the food simply indicate an entity with the need to take in a large amount of calories or sugar?

I hadn't even thought of that. Nice one. Now I'm not sure if the junk food thing is supposed to be connected to his childlike ways or if it's for calories.

At the end, after Lois makes the six year old comment, he says "not quite." Is that implying that she's close to the correct age or that she misinterpreted the meaning of the junk food? Man, it's gonna be fascinating to look back at all the books for Rebirth post-Reborn.