Geoff Johns is a frigging genius. He’s made Superman cool. Over the years, it’s the rare writer who can make the Man of Steel interesting. The problem is that Superman is so damned super. He can do so much with his powers that it’s difficult to create challenges, villains and storylines that actually make the guy sweat.
Of course, Johns didn’t make the big guy cool overnight. He began co-writing Action Comics with Kurt Busiak (starting with issue 838), and co-authored another nine or so issues with film director Richard Donner (starting with Action 844). And while those stories were fine, they weren’t particularly stand-up-and-shout quality. But then came Action 858, a story arc featuring a powerless Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes. It also marked artist Gary Frank’s (former Incredible Hulk and Squadron Supreme artist) first foray into the world of Superman. The issues were outstanding and the grandpa of all comics, Action Comics, began getting a bit of love from readers who appreciate quality work.
And all of that background brings me to the current issue of Action, #870. The finale of a six part storyline involving Superman and Braniac, this issue combines fabulous artwork, spectacular action, a great story, some major pain for Braniac delivered by the Man of Steel and a totally unexpected ending (that I won’t ruin). Johns has taken all the previous Brainiac stories, incorporated the best aspects of each and concocted a logical reworking of the story of the villain from the computer planet Colu, who collects planets and civilizations. It’s not often that when I finish a comic that I immediately flip back to the beginning to read it all over again, but I did because this one was so incredible.
Like I said, Geoff Johns is a frigging genius.—RFM
4.5/5
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