Action Comics #960

by Ian B on July 27, 2016

Written by: Dan Jurgens

Art by: Tyler Kirkham

Coloured by: Ulises Arreola

Lettered by: Rob Leigh

 

 

In the previous issue, the fight with Doomsday continues, with Clark Kent breaking his arm, proving himself not to be super powered any longer. Lex returns to the fight, using his motherbox to repair his armour as Superman keeps Doomsday at bay, using his fight in the previous universe to avoid the mistakes of the past. After taking Doomsday underground, Superman blasts him with his heat vision. However, in an uncharacteristically strategic move, Doomsday destroys a gas pipe, allowing the heat vision to ignite the gas, resulting in a large explosion. As Clark looks into the flames, he is met with the approaching shape of Doomsday looming over him.

 

 

This issue picks up directly after the explosion, with Wonder Woman appearing to save Clark as Doomsday attempts to kill him. After attempting to fend off both Wonder Woman and Superman together, Doomsday eventually escapes back underground, losing both of the heroes. Realizing that Doomsday is instinctively drawn to kill Kryptonians, Superman speeds off to protect Lois and Jon, Lois having the same thought and attempting to flee as far from Metropolis as possible. As they talk, Wonder Woman keeps guard, the issue ending with her and Doomsday clashing in the distance. This issue is exactly what this series needed, a short break in the action, a change of location, and some new character development, namely the first meeting of Wonder Woman and Lois in this new universe.

 

 

The art remains a huge improvement over the first couple issues, with more vibrant colours and detailed panels. The art has an almost brush like quality, specifically the colouring, that makes every page look beautiful. The only issue that I have with the art in the entire issue is a minor one. Occasionally Wonder Woman's face looks a little squished, but it happens a couple times and does very little to detract from the issue as a whole. The artwork alone is almost justification to buy the issue.

 

 

Ultimately, I enjoyed this issue a lot. It had good pacing, giving us a bit of a break between the constant fighting with Doomsday, as well as giving us some good character interaction between Wonder Woman, the New 52 Superman's love interest, and Lois, the original and current Superman's wife. It really hammers home the whole idea of Rebirth. Two characters who could have gone two ways, Wonder Woman angry about the loss of her Superman and having Lois shoved in her face, or Wonder Woman accepting Lois as someone that this new Superman cares for, sparking up a friendship reminiscent to the one before the New 52 Reboot. It would have been easy to go the first way for drama, but instead they go the second, once again returning some happiness and joy to the DC Universe. As long as they can keep this up, I have high hopes not only for this series, but for Rebirth in general.

Our Score:

9/10

A Look Inside