Writer: Brian Michael Bendis / Artist: Ryan Sook / DC Comics
Something special is going on in the world of Superman in Action Comics #1004, and it’s actually perfectly visualized in the stunning variant cover drawn by Francis Manapul of Clark and Lois embraced in a skybound kiss. Early in Bendis’ run, he decides to take Lois and Jonathan off the table, sending them into space. This allowed for a story to blossom without being weighed down by the Super-Family centered plots before his shot with the character. Part of this story has been Superman dearly missing his wife and son. This week that drama is addressed as Lois (whom we learned earlier was secretly still on Earth) and Clark are reunited.
The best thing about this comic was the blend of realism and idealism in Clark’s life. Bendis writes like someone with a clear understanding of how messy relationships can be. Clark grapples with his coworkers knowing WAY more about his romantic life than he’d prefer. When he finds Lois, he is unequivocally ecstatic that she’s back but simultaneously heart broken that she didn’t reach out to him. Then, he’s pulled away by his Super-life, and it’s addressed as the equivalent of us normal people taking a phone call. It’s just beautiful.
And the art. The perfect god Cyclops, the art. OH THE ART! Sook takes Bendis’ story and just makes magic. The lines are sharp. And the faces, OH THEN FACES; he captures expressions and the momentum of any given scene so well. Then, of course, he get a couple of action scenes where he gets to cut loose and excel. I have absolutely no complaints.
9 “Bottles of Sheer Awesomeness” out of 10
Reading Action Comics? Find BNP’s other reviews of the series here.
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