Review: Action Comics #871

Action Comics #871 was released last week. As part 4 of the 9-part New Krypton storyline, it marks the near mid-point of this super cross-over event.

The issue certainly kept the plot moving forward at a brisk pace with some major action sequences as well. For me it is hard to believe that this story will be wrapped up in just 5 more issues. As it is, in this we are still being introduced to some of the players here. But more on that later.

The issue starts of with two of General Zod's soldiers commenting on the state of Earth, specifically why Kal-El would have stopped Zod from taking over. It is clear they feel they are superior in every way, even casually flying away from a car accident when they easily could have assisted.

We knew that Kandor was going to have several factions one of which was the displaced Zod loyalists. They seem to be the most expansionist and (obviously) the most militant. They lament the loss of their General and belittle Superman's role as 'diplomat'.

There are apparently a few dozen of Zod's soldiers now released. It will be interesting to see if they mobilize on their own ... if there will be a Kryptonian vs. Kryptonian battle in the end between the soldiers and everyone else.

Not that Earth is simply waiting to see what the Kryptonians are doing. The next scene is an interesting one between General Lane and Lex Luthor.

Lan explains how he wants Luthor to hack into Brainiac and learn all he can about Kandor. Luthor already knows a little bit. Kandor was a cultural mecca so revered throughout the universe that other cities took its name. That neatly explains all the other Kandors that Superman and Supergirl have experienced already. Isn't it great when a writer knows how to wrap up/explain prior plot threads in a believable and simple way!

Luthor then goes into a bit of a rant how the presence of super-beings instantly minimizes humanity, that we will become slaves or worshippers or both in a short time. He drives the point home by giving Lane a concrete example ... Lois' fawning over Superman early on. Sam Lane is a man of action however and must have felt that point fell a bit too close to home. He promptly shoot Luthor, a glancing blow of course, but enough to make his own point. He is in charge here, no matter what Luthor thinks.

I really liked this scene as it explains the semi-reasonable viewpoint of humans wary of the Kryptonian presence. We have seen in the past Superman alone almost take over Earth. Of course we should be scared.

Lane tells Luthor that Lex is only one 'bullet in the gun', implying strongly that Doomsday was a military weapon.

Interesting that Zor-El and Alura know about Doomsday, calling him the beast of the Doomsday Terrorists, the genetic extremists who created him as explained in the Doomsday:Hunter/Prey miniseries.

Great panel here for Kara as she shrugs off Superman's "I'll handle this" with a quick "We'll handle this." It is a small phrase but it clearly shows Kara's growth and strength. She *is* Supergirl here, immediately doing the right thing and not doubting herself.

In fact, despite being sent flying early in the fight, she keep up the pressure tackling Doomsday before he can get the drop on cousin Kal. I love the 'meet the Superman Family' comment! It has the flavor of the Silver Age.

Spectacular.The battle rages through Metropolis. Doomsday even uses Connor's tribute statue as a weapon, prompting Zor-El to remind Superman that to Doomsday this is a very personal fight against those who tortured him in the past.

Interestingly, Zor-El and Alura's first thoughts are with keeping the humans around safe and advocate for getting Doomsday as far away as possible. Telling Thara Ak-Var to help with the evacuation of the 'fragile' terrans.

The Kryptonians fly Doomsday to the moon and there swarm him, raining blows down on him. Look at the somewhat dispassionate face on Alura as she pounds Doomsday's face into the ground, blood spurting everywhere.

Doomsday is pummeled to death. And while the Kryptonians cheer, look at the faces of Superman and Supergirl. They are worried about this and they should be. If the Kryptonians can so quickly and calmly swarm and kill something, without a thought of the sanctity of life (even Doomsday's), what is to stop them from eliminating humans? These are not the idealistic lovers of peace Superman may have been expecting. These are physical creatures with a belligerant background and the means to spread havoc if they wanted.

We then see the soldiers from the beginning of the issue entering the Fortress with the plan to free General Zod. They think that with a leader like Zod, the Kryptonians will unify and take care of business on Earth.

However they are quickly thwarted by a blond woman with flame blasts and a dark haired young male with 'tactile telekinesis.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the new Flamebird and Nightwing.

A young man with tactile telekinesis! It can't be ... can it? I mean he just sacrificed himself in Infinite Crisis. He couldn't come back this early could he?

A blond woman with flame powers who knows about the Fortress and wants to help. Could it be?? Could it really be???

All right, that is one doozy of a cliff hanger. I cannot believe that Flamebird and Nightwing are Linda and Conner. The Conner statue, the mentioning of the Superman Family ... could they be subtle clues to lead us to that conclusion?

I can't believe it. Their powers can be explained with Kryptonian technology. They knew the names of the 2 soldiers. There is too much going against the re-introduction of those past members of the Superman family to make it true. But I would trust Linda in Johns' hands more than Giffen's over in Reign in Hell. This was simply another great chapter in the New Krypton story. It still 'feels' like it is early in the story so I hope the ending isn't rushed in the remaining chapters.

As for Kara, she is everything I was hoping for here, even in her few panels (it is a Superman title after all).

With numerous plots threads winding tighter, the story is racing towards history. And next week, Supergirl #35! Fantastic!

Overall grade: A