14th May, 2008

KRIS BATHER

Action Comics Annual #11

"There has been some question as to Donner’s actual involvement and some despair over the lateness of the entire Last Son series, but it was worth the wait."

Action Comics has a rich history. Superman debuted in its pages in 1938 and virtually created the entire comic book industry as we know it today. As with any character that has lasted so long the Man of Steel has had his ups and downs, but the last few months have been kind.

DC Comics’ golden boy, Geoff Johns, continues to stamp his childlike wonder and awareness of superhero history onto this title. It is just one monthly book that the Last Son of Krypton appears in regularly, and as the name suggests, focuses on action. The six part story with the future set Legion of Super-Heroes has just wrapped as has the Last Son, concluded in this extra-sized annual. Those familiar with the first two Christopher Reeve Superman films will find much to enjoy here. That is partly due to Johns’ writing partner on this story arc - his one-time boss, and director of Superman: The Movie, Richard Donner.

There has been some question as to Donner’s actual involvement and some despair over the lateness of the entire Last Son series, but it was worth the wait. Adam Kubert, who has pencilled the entire arc, gives fans what they expect of him from his lengthy stint at DC’s competition, Marvel on the X-Men. With a double page spread of destruction due to the loosed Phantom Zone prisoners (as seen in the first two Reeve movies) Kubert makes you drool. It’s a shame that he hasn’t pencilled more regularly since his move to DC, nor has his brother, Andy, but he gives us enough to look at until his next issue.

The story here involves Superman in an unlikely alliance with long-time enemies Lex Luthor, Parasite, Bizarro and the now deadlier-than-ever Metallo as they take down a horde of rogue Kryptonian criminals from the Phantom Zone. The Kryptonese writing on the cover lets you know that there are nice touches weaved through the pages within, such as Christopher Kent’s heroism and his father Zod’s driven evil. I won’t
spoil the rest, and it is worth picking up the issues thus far or waiting for the trade collecting the entire arc which is out next month. The art in this issue is made even prettier with the addition of Stephane Roux’s light depictions of Superman and his supporting cast in the last few pages, which is enough to catch anyone up to speed on exactly who is who.