DC COMICS – @DCComics
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
STORY: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: Patrick Gleason
COLORS: Alejandro Sanchez
LETTERS: Josh Reed
COVER: Patrick Gleason with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVER: Francis Manapul
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2018)
Rated “T” for “Teen”
Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
“Invisible Mafia”
DC Comics' Superman comic books enter a new era with a new head writer and a new Superman #1 issue (the third in seven years). Superman is the most famous DC Comics superhero character. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 (cover dated: June 1938). And now a thousand issues later, Brian Michael Bendis is the writer of Action Comics. His creative cohorts on Action Comics include artist Patrick Gleason, colorist Alejandro Sanchez, and letterer Josh Reed.
Action Comics #1001 (“Invisible Mafia”) finds Superman stopping a armed burglary. Then, Superman is back to being Clark Kent, and returns to his job at the venerable newspaper, The Daily Planet. That is where Clark Kent learns that someone has accused Superman of being the arsonist responsible for a rash of horrible apartment fires that have spread across the city of Metropolis. The truth may be connected to a shadowy cabal, but can Superman convince people that he is not an arsonist when some of them are starting to be suspicious of the Man of Steel?
As I have already written a few times, I really want to like Brian Michael Bendis' Superman comic books. For the most part, I enjoyed his debut series, The Man of Steel, a six-issue miniseries, and his recent Superman #1.
I think that I like Action Comics #1001 the most, at least by a little. Patrick Gleason's illustrations bring out the best of Bendis' script for this issue. His story is a mix of workplace intrigue and comedy; a little detective story, and super-powered conspiracy. Gleason works the drama and humor in such a subtle way that I found myself surprised that some moment of the story really hit me. Bendis spends so much of the story working and playing with a large cast of characters, a variety of genders, ages, and ethnicity, and Gleason captures the breath of Bendis' character drama.
Alejandro Sanchez's colors are lush, but are also evocative in the way they reveal the personality of both the characters and the stories. Letterer Josh Reed deftly spreads out all those balloons it takes to turn Bendis' dialogue into comic book graphics.
I like Action Comics #1001, and I give it a high recommendation without reservation.
8 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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