Action Comics #1064, the first part of the House of Brainiac arc, came out this week and was an unbelievably fantastic issue on many levels. If there was ever a 'jumping on' Superman comic, something to recommend to friends, it's this one.
This is how you start a mini-event perhaps designed to bring in new readers. Showcase everything that there is to love about the main character - here Superman's earnestness, his geekiness, his heroism. Give a glimpse of the cast of the book. Ramp the action up to 10. Introduce the main villain and have there be a serious threat on the horizon. Sprinkle in some mysteries and you have a crackling open chapter.
Here, Brainiac arrives with a Czarian army to grab 'the smartest personin Metropolis ... it isn't Lex or Superman. Brainiac is looking for some missing piece of information. It is all out mayhem in Metropolis involving the entire Superman family. The book ends on a doozy of a last page.
But if that wasn't enough, there are small and some big nods to Superman history. Let's start with a 'triangle' chapter number on this cover, so reminiscent of the beloved Triangle Era of the Man of Steel. We are reminded this is a Superman family. There's some mysteries solved and mysteries introduced. Supergirl really shines. It's spectacular.
Rafa Sandoval is on art and he picks up right where he left off when he was on the book with Phillip Kennedy Johnson. The character moments are wonderful and fun. The action sequences are bold and loud. Sandoval does a great Supergirl to boot.
So hang on to your boots for some highlights!
When Phillip Kennedy Johnson was on the book, it really felt like a Superman Family book.
The book opens with Lois enjoying her first day off in at least a year. As she runs through the city, she interacts with the entirety of the supporting cast. It's so big it sometimes seems a little unwieldy. So this is such a simple little trick to show us everyone, including the staff of SuperCorp and some villains. I love it.
And Kara going on a date???? As a Kara fan, I need to know about this ! ('Epic high five' is fun.)
Then it's pages of Superman flying over the ocean near a pod of dolphins, flying down a totally tubular wave, even flying over a sporting event and high-fiving a young boy. It is such a great way of showing who Superman is.
Lois wants to spend her day off doing yoga in Centennial Park with Clark, Jimmy, and Siobhan.
But why this day? What is it an anniversary of ???
This was such a tiny moment but as a fan of Lois and Clark, I need to know!
Sandoval gives all these pages an easy, breezy feel. Which is in stark contrast to the carnage ahead.
The yoga date is interrupted by an army of Czarians and Brainiac drones literally falling from the sky to attack. Just like that, the super-family's day of relaxation ends.
I love this scene. Superman actually turns to Supergirl for advice since she has 'more experience' with Brainiac. I have talked about how in the last year, Kara seems to be sort of second in command of the family, a field commander. So this was great.
But it Brainiac monitoring everything and he wants the Czarian general Checal to capture the smartest person in the city.
At Supercorp, we learn that LL-01, the AI Lex, was actually Brainiac. And that Lex incited the Luthor Revenge Squad to attack to try and prep Superman for some Brainiac plot Lex found out about. Now that is a nice thread to pull.
Can I also say that I should have guessed this. When we first met LL-01, I wondered why Lex would be dressed in a Kryptonian like garb. I assumed it was a little needling by Lex but I should have realized it was a clue. Lex would never do that. Kudos Joshua Williamson.
At Supercorp, the Brainiac army isn't after Lex. They're after Lena.
I just love the visual of Brainiac's prison/teleportation guns. They are bottles.
How 100% Brainiac to bottle his prisoners.
As a Supergirl fan, this was my favorite moment of the book.
Kara says she used to be afraid of Brainiac but that was a long time ago. Love Sandoval's action here of her frying a drone. And love her expression in the last panel.
I mean this has to be referencing Geoff John's Brainiac saga. But that was 16 years ago, one of the first stories I covered on this blog.
What is interesting is that this seems to completely skip the New 52 Supergirl continuity. I suppose that the whole DC Rebirth movement, the more recent Dawn of DC era, sort of picked up on the more classic plots.
16 years ago ... a lifetime ago. I might need to do a post looking at that time again.
Unfortunately Brainiac captures all the super-powered beings in Metropolis. The entire Super-family present and even Metallo, the Parasite, Mercy Graves, the Silver Banshee, and Livewire are grabbed.
And just when it looks like General Checal is going to capture Superman, Lex does something noble. Lex runs into the beam and gets bottled. He wants Superman to rescue Lena.
The main thrust of this title has been Lex being a sort of partner to Superman, trying to be better. I have wondered the whole time if he was above board. This act is a bit selfish (would he have done this if Lena hadn't been grabbed) but is also selfless. For all he knows, he is heading to his death.
Lex being Lex.
What information is Brainiac missing? What will it do?
Check out this last page.
On Brainiac's ship are all the Brainiacs. All the continuity Brainiacs.
Wow!
Talk about a great hook to make me want to read more immediately.
Now THAT is a great chapter one.
I can only hope that the rest of the arc is of this quality and intensity.
Overall grade: A
