It’s Action Comics issue 999 and Jurgens and company treats readers to a family reunion one shot.
After the Booster Shot arc, Lois and Jon are treated to a visitor, that visitor is General Sam Lane, father of Lois Lane, Grandfather to Jonathan Kent. As this little family gathering is met with disputes over Superman being a champion or an enemy of earth, this reunion grows sour. Elsewhere Superman reflects on the events of the Oz Effect and Booster Shot arcs while taking care of an incoming asteroid heading for earth.
Can Superman stop the asteroid from destroying the earth? Will General Lane and Lois ever repair their broken relationship as a family? What can the Super Family do to change Lane’s perceptions towards the Man Of Steel? Will Superman reveal his identity to General Lane to change his whole outlook? You’ll have to read the issue to find out!
This was a nice one-shot issue, a good breather issue that gives readers a chance to catch their breath after going from one world-shattering arc to another. Reintroducing characters such as General Lane into the fold of the lives of the Super Family will prove to be interesting to see since that character hasn’t been seen in nearly a decade! General Lane’s inclusion to the Super Family hasn’t been felt since the Pre Flashpoint/New 52 universe in which his last appearance was in the War of the Supermen storyline.
It’s interesting to see where Jurgens will leave this character after Bendis takes over the Action Comics and Superman titles. There are other familiar faces that are brought into the fold that may have potential to change for the better from here on out. Jurgens does a great job at showing the family dynamics of the Super Family in contrast to General Lane and his militaristic beliefs in Superman being a potential threat to the earth. There are plot lines that are intentionally laid out in the open that hopefully when the historic issue 1000 comes along that Bendis will take note and carry those plot points into his run eventually. Heck with that being said, Marvel needs to stop relaunching so they can one day get there too without confusing readers in regards of where readers can start and continue reading a series before cancellation.
Will Conrad’s art in this issue is nicely drawn and shows that he can draw characters having family conversations just as good as he can draw action set pieces. Ivan Nunes colors blend well with Conrad’s artwork, bringing subtle life to the page’s. I want to note that it’s very clever of Conrad to draw Jon wearing a hat that has the number 1000 on it. It’s rare for comics to ever reach such a landmark number in publication! Detective Comics is right behind Action Comics in terms of achieving that landmark status as well. That’s a historical feat that I hope to see these books make it to issue 2000 in the years to come.
In a time where Superhero movies are taking the world by storm, especially in the hands of Marvel Studios, it’s great to see DC Comics doing the same in their comics. As someone who wasn’t too fond of the New 52”s version of Superman, it was great to see classic Superman return and to see Superman’s books being the best it’s ever been in a long time, This is an issue to get, and I especially look forward to issue 1000!
Newsdesk