Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Artist: Rafa Sandoval
Colorist: Matt Herms
Cover Artist: Steve Beach
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: StoryBabbler
Superman has returned to Earth and he wants to make a big change for the world, starting with Metropolis. But not everyone is on board with that, and one of them is Metallo who wrecked Steelworks. Now see Superman and his Super-Family clash against his old cyborg nemesis in Action Comics #1052.
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Action Comics #1052 Review.
Review:
Alright! The next part of this story arc is here! It’s Metallo vs. the Super-Family! It’s here and….it flies by pretty quick. Sorry for the intro, but I was really excited for this issue to see Metallo go up against the Super-Family and it turned out to be pretty underwhelming. Not only that, the fight itself doesn’t last long and there aren’t any major developments in the story until the tail end of the comic. And most of the plot development is relegated to character exposition. This comic isn’t that bad or the worst, it’s just a slight bump in what can be a great Superman story.
Let’s get into it. The comic picks up where it left off with Metallo attacking Steelworks and ambushing Connor right before Superman comes to the rescue. Phillip Kennedy Johnson uses a news report as a good stand-in for expository recap, it’s very succinct and doesn’t go on forever. This battle, for however short it was, is the best part of the comic and is where Rafa Sandoval’s art is at its best with Matt Herms’ colors. From the dynamic action between the Super-Family and Metallo, to the destruction all around them providing a decent location, to Metallo himself looking like a cool cyborg with the synthetic skin hanging on to his robotic chassis that provides the Metallo flair. Once the battle is ended – in the most Superman way you could imagine – the comic slows things down to try and put focus on the Blue Earth movement, which is the weakest part of this storyline.
For context, comic writers in both Marvel and DC Comics have attempted the whole anti-alien movements here and there as allegories for anti-immigration issues in America. The thing is they end up being the most boring part of the comics, this one included, since they add nothing to the story or the setting. The irony is that PK Johnson could’ve given the Blue Earth movement more staying power by rooting it in all the reasonable concerns people in the DC setting would have over something like this. Especially based on their long history of new Wonder-tech going wrong, being used in covert alien invasions, getting exploited by supervillains, or anything else that’s happened in the DC setting in just the last decade, or heck the last year. Instead, it’s just the same old same old and it ends up making the story more dull as a result.
By the end, the comic switches focus to Metallo as he gets ready to make his next move, and it’s an interesting one. However, the problem with this comic is that it’s deflated of action and suspense after the first six pages and it’s all exposition and dialogue from there, no real plot developments until the very end. Yes, there are some nice little character interactions with the Super-Family, but it doesn’t make up for the rest of this comic being so uneventful. The synopsis may make this comic sound like it’ll be full of action, but it’s not. If anything, reading this comic will make you feel like Metallo’s new plan to attack the Super-Family should’ve already started by at least the middle of the comic. Also, when it comes to the two back-up stories, kid Jon Kent’s story is still the better of the two as a neat misadventure. While the Power Girl story is still the weakest as it’s boring, too wordy, and is all-around uneventful.
Final Thoughts:
Action Comics #1052 brings Superman and his Super-Family face-to-face with a refurbished Metallo. For like a hot minute, and then the rest of the comic slows down from there. Unfortunately, the comic decides to put focus on the Blue Earth movement that was created for this story arc and it’s the most uninteresting part of it so far. The comic recaptures any sense of suspense and intrigue whenever it shifts focus back to Metallo. Thankfully, the ending of the main story shows that there’s more action incoming in the next issue.