Cover Art for Action Comics #1097 - Written by Mark Waid, Art by Skylar Patridge and Colors by Ivan Plascencia. Cover art by Ryan Sook.
“What’s Krypton?”
Action Comics #1097 opens up Superboy’s life in ways he never saw coming. Mark Waid’s run on Action Comics continues as Superboy’s world is changed in an instant, as three people from his future enter his life at a much earlier time and turn his world upside down. Skylar Patridge and Ivan Plascencia continue their excellent partnership on the art in this issue, which features not just huge battles but emotional moments. Every issue in Waid’s run has been a highlight of my monthly comic book pull, and this one is no different. At the conclusion of last issue, Martian Manhunter, Booster Gold, and Mary Marvel shot out of a portal at the Expo of Tomorrow in Metropolis; tailing them was a being known as Epoch, and this issue picks up seconds after. Let’s get into it. Spoiler warning now in effect for Action Comics #1097.
A Battle at the Expo of Tomorrow
“It was the hardest I’ve ever been hit. It hurt.” Our issue opens with Superboy feeling the immediate effects of a punch from Epoch, the golden-armored being we were briefly introduced to in the last issue. He flies through an expo building before he can compose himself and return to the stage of the battle. We get a gorgeous splash panel/title page as Superboy makes it back to the battle between Epoch and the heroes. Patridge’s initial battle scene with Martian Manhunter, Mary Marvel, and Booster Gold looks great, with all three heroes trying to fend off the golden menace.
Booster Gold cries out to Superboy, but of course he has no idea who Booster Gold is. Superboy, knowing nothing about these people besides the fact they’re being attacked, saves Martian Manhunter from a massive energy blast. He takes the force of the blow himself as Epoch remarks that meeting Superman as a teenager could be a “perfect opportunity.” Epoch teleports away as the battle comes to a conclusion.
As he has done consistently during this run on Action Comics, Waid nails the character moments. Superboy throws himself into the line of fire because someone was in trouble and he knew he could get there fast enough to help. He had no idea what this energy blast would do to him. It could have hurt him or worse, but at that moment it didn’t matter to him. He had no idea who Martian Manhunter was. That didn’t matter. All that mattered was doing his best to save someone despite what it could cost him. If that isn’t Superman, then I don’t know what is.
After Epoch’s disappearance, the trio of heroes introduce themselves to a very confused Superboy. Martian Manhunter, Mary Marvel, and Booster Gold tell their stories in a gorgeous three-column full-page spread. This page is a personal art highlight of the issue for me, as Patridge and Plascencia deliver some of the finest work during their time on Action Comics. Plascencia uses a very different color palette for each hero’s column: dark red dominates Martian Manhunter’s tale of when he came to Earth; the gods that grant Mary Marvel her powers float on a pastel background; while Booster Gold takes selfies with fans over a sea-green background. It all works.
The group tells Superboy that Epoch is known as the Lord of Time, and that they ran into him as they were traveling through the time stream. Superboy shows the device that allowed him to hear them, and Martian Manhunter asks if the device is from Krypton, to which Superboy replies: “What’s Krypton?” The group of heroes looks dumbfounded as they realize Superboy has yet to discover his true origins, and they know they have to be very careful about what they say for the rest of the time they remain in the past. Martian Manhunter asks Superboy for privacy as the trio discusses their wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey predicament. We get another great character moment here as Superboy, who, even though he’s chomping at the bit to hear, chooses not to eavesdrop on these people and gives them their respect. Martha and Jonathan Kent raised their boy well.
The trio decide to stick by Superboy’s side as long as Epoch remains a threat but they need to blend in. Within the course of the next few panels, Superboy’s mind is blown as he watches Martian Manhunter’s shapeshifting abilities firsthand and sees Mary Marvel switch out of her “Marvel”-ous form with a single word: SHAZAM! Superboy’s expressions as he witnesses these abilities are hilarious as he's awestruck as can be. After the group comically goes to find Booster Gold some street clothes, they make their way to Smallville to pay a visit to the Kent farm.
Little House on the Kent Farm
What would you do if your super-powered son brought home three strange people and said they were from the future? Well if you're Jonathan and Martha Kent you welcome them into your home, hear them out and offer them a place to stay. I’ve said this to friends so many times and I’m fairly certain I’ve mentioned it in one of my Superman-centric reviews but the planet Earth truly owes Kent’s everything. Kal-El could have landed anywhere but landing with these two genuinely kind, empathetic, and caring folks gave Earth its greatest protector. I loved this moment in the issue.
With introductions made and night falling, Clark and Mary Marvel have a great little conversation on the Kent’s roof as they look up at the stars. Mary remarks at how effective Clark’s disguise is, while Clark tells her he has so many questions but, no matter how much he pushes, Mary can’t answer them. Clark tells Mary that he’s always worried about his secret getting out and that it constantly weighs heavily on him. Even a Superboy isn’t immune to the crippling effects of anxiety. I really liked the small scene between Clark and Mary; it’s always nice to be reminded that, for all his powers, even someone like Clark has his worries and fears that he needs to overcome. We all have our battles we fight every day.
Morning arrives as MM and Booster Gold have a bit of an emotional conversation. J’onn tells him its ok to not be ok after the torture he suffered at the hands of Darkseid’s lackeys as the conversation shifts to grabbing some of Martha Kent’s famous breakfast. Everyone meets downstairs for breakfast and their conversation seemingly inevitably shifts to Kent’s asking where Clark is really from. MM explains that it is Clark’s destiny to find that out on his own. Before they can really start discussing the device that led the trio to Clark, Epoch attacks the Kent farm and the battle is on.
Clark flies full speed and hit Epoch with a huge punch. He’ll do anything to make sure his folks are safe. The battle continues as the heroes try to disorient Epoch but it seems he can survive almost any hit and absorb any blow. Epoch eventually grabs Clark and tries to squeeze the life out of him before being shot in the head by Jonathan Kent. Epoch teleports to the Kent’s barn and steals the rocket ship Clark came to Earth in as a baby. This final battle scene at the Kent farm had some fantastic art that included some great effects on the heroes powers, great team-up shots and a bright color panel that fit perfectly. Partridge and Plascencia deserve all the praise for this issue.
Final Thoughts and Rating
I’m very curious to see where this story with Epoch and the future hero trio goes. Superboy’s world has been rapidly expanded within the course of one issue and Waid is sure to have some fun story beats coming our way. This run of Action Comics has pulled me and kept me reading and its a testament to fantastic writing of Waid and this coming-of-age era in Superman’s life has been a joy to read since last summer. I truly hope this run doesn’t come to an end anytime soon.
Mark Waid’s run continues with another stellar issue that takes a look at a time when Superboy discovers that the DC Universe is much larger and stranger than he had ever believed. Skylar Patridge continues her fantastic run with some of her best Action Comics art so far and Ivan Plascencia’s colors pop on every page. This issue featured some great character moments, as well as superb battles and I can’t wait to see what issue #1098 has in store. With Action Comics now only two issues away from #1100, you know we're in for something special.
Rating: 9.5/10