Action Comics #1099 is written by Mark Waid and published by DC Comics. Artwork is by Skylar Patridge and Patricio Delpeche, colours by Ivan Plascencia and Patricio Delpeche, with letters by Steve Wands. Main cover art (left) is by Ryan Sook.
Action Comics #1099 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
BLAST FROM THE PAST! After defeating Xotar, Superboy and the Justice League turn their attention to another mystery unsolved. The rocket ship that brought Clark to Earth has been activated. Could this be the key to finding Superman?
Review
If you picked up this issue expecting a story about Superboy and the JL investigating Clark’s suddenly activated ship and deepening the mystery of future Superman’s whereabouts, prepare for disappointment. None of that appears here. Instead, Clark is de-powered, gets kicked in the face by a cow, has a cold shower, and the time-travelling JL members serve very little purpose.
I previously criticised Action Comics for inconsistencies in its synopses. At least twice, DC has mentioned Xotar. Readers, I can assure you that Xotar has not appeared in a single issue of Mark Waid’s current Action Comics run, despite multiple synopses claiming otherwise.
Epoch, however, has.
Maybe Waid will eventually reveal that the character we know as Epoch is actually Xotar, but would that revelation matter? No.
Look, repeatedly getting the villain’s name wrong in the synopsis is one thing. I can almost shrug that off. Almost. But publishing a synopsis that bears no resemblance to the actual story is inexcusable—especially when it promises a far more compelling narrative than the one in issue #1099.
Four issues into “Reign of the Superboys,” Action Comics feels adrift. Martian Manhunter, Mary Marvel, and Booster Gold are on the Kent farm, asking questions that never receive answers, while Epoch—not Xotar—lumbers around trying to kill young Clark because: Superman is Enemy.
I can’t shake the feeling that Action Comics’ tangential connection to the K.O. event has hurt the book more than helped it. The crossover has needlessly hijacked the strongest elements of the series and knocked it off course. What was once a monthly must-read now feels like being trapped on a merry-go-round you desperately want off.
And that’s a real shame.
Mark Waid’s takeover of Action Comics in #1087 was excellent. However, the effortless balance between charming teenage melodrama and superhero adventure has disappeared since “Reign” began.
It is this reviewer’s opinion that Action Comics should have remained untouched by K.O., giving Waid room to continue exploring Clark’s formative super-adventures. Look at what we are losing! The compelling and often hilarious love triangle between Lana, Clark, and Superboy has vanished. Pete, who secretly knows Clark is Superboy, has disappeared in the mix. The tense relationship between General Lane and Superboy.
Meanwhile, Waid seems to be building toward a confrontation between Lana’s father and Clark. Frankly, more time spent developing that conflict, rather than filling pages with lollygagging JL members and a D-list villain, would be better for this run.
And if that weren’t enough, we need to talk about the art.
Having two artists on the same book creates a jarring reading experience. Skylar Patridge and Patricio Delpeche are both talented artists. The problem isn’t the quality of their work; it’s the contrast between their styles. Individually, each artist delivers engaging pages. Together, however, their work lacks cohesion, making the transition between sections feel abrupt and distracting. To be clear, the art itself isn’t bad—it simply doesn’t sync.
That is the overall problem with Action Comics right now. It doesn’t sync. Whether it’s forcing a connection to the post-K.O. universe into Clark’s past or splitting art duties between two stylistically different artists, the book struggles to come together as a unified vision.
Verdict
With a few heartfelt moments scattered throughout, Action Comic #1099 solidifies my feeling that, since “Reign of the Superboys,” it is stumbling around, uncertain where it should go and how best to utilise its cast. Coupled with inaccurate synopsis errors, it might leave you asking: What is going on with DC’s editorial? Or are the Absolute titles getting all the focus at the expense of the rest?
⭐⭐
