Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Artists: Rafa Sandoval & Max Raynor
Color Artist: Matt Herms
Cover Artist: Steve Beach
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: StoryBabbler
It’s the battle of the Supermen once more as Superman, Clark Kent/Kal-El, Steel, Superboy Conner Kent, and the Eradicator engage the evil and vengeful Hank Henshaw, aka Cyborg Superman. But Superman’s old nemesis Metallo is joining the fight with the Man of Steel to save his sister’s life. Read Action Comics #1056 to see how this brawl of the Supermen concludes.
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Review:
Let’s be clear, this comic looks great and the fight between Superman and his Super-family with Cyborg Superman is illustrated so well by Rafa Sandoval. However, as readers will learn soon enough, things kind of end sooner than it feels like they should’ve. There will be some SPOILERS here and there throughout the review. Let’s get to it.
The comic picks up right where it should with Superman and Cyborg Superman fighting against each other once more while the rest of his allies try to take down Metallo’s sister Tracy who has been turned into a fierce kryptonite-wielding cyborg too. This fight with Cyborg Superman is without a doubt the best part of the comic, and it’s also done almost entirely in double-page spreads. However, this is a bit of crutch because the fight is also relatively short-lived and how it ends is a little forced so that Metallo can seem useful and have a cathartic win over Cyborg Superman for what he did to Tracy.
After the battle, the comic delivers another double page spread which looks great, and Phillip Kennedy Johnson really tries to highlight what makes Metropolis the so-called “City of Tomorrow” as this hopeful beacon to not only the US but the rest of the world. That’s been a clear goal of PK Johnson’s for this story arc and the next one he sets up at the end. The only issue is that once again this series feels shackled to this Blue Earth storyline which has been the weaker element of this story arc.
I won’t say too much, but the point of the Blue Earth is so PK Johnson can represent a negative topical element from the real-world in Metropolis, but the message behind it doesn’t work since the group actually has a point due to all of the canon history of this DC continuity from the last 5 years alone. And thanks to the cliffhanger reveal at the end of the main story, it’s apparent that PK Johnson is going to go full-throttle with the Blue Earth movement which doesn’t fill me with excitement.
Final Thoughts:
Action Comics #1056 features the big battle between Superman, his Super-family, and Metallo against the new and improved Cyborg Superman. The comic delivers on the fight with Cyborg Superman thanks to the incredible art team on the book. The fight isn’t too long though some might say it’s not long enough, but it’s conclusion is well done as everyone involved gets to contribute, even Metallo. Unfortunately, the storyline with the Blue Earth movement is still the weaker part of this run. So, hopefully the creative team can shake things up with the next story arc they’ve set up with them in Action Comics.