Review: Action Comics #1091

Action Comics #1091 came out last week, bringing a close to Mark Waid and Skylar Patridge’s first Superboy arc in the book. This is an extremely early adventure in our hero's career. I guess is it's his first adventure! And it comes with the 'is he a bad guy' Captain Comet angle as well.

The Captain Comet angle comes to an interesting end here with another lesson imparted on Superboy. But I have some questions about it. We'll get there. Waid continues to add some depth to the 'new' Smallville. This is the first time we have had a Superboy timeline in a while. So seeing Lana, Pete Ross, and Kenny Braverman interact feels fresh. Waid understands the character so seeing Clark figure it all out feels right.

Skylar Patridge remains on art and continues to bring a completely fresh, clean feel to the book. It perfectly fits these 'simpler' younger days for the character. I have said it before and I will say it now. The high school pages by Patridge are incredible. 

I think Waid has said that he had at least a year of Superboy stories in his head. So it will be fun to see the next arc and how it picks up.

On to the book.

Last issue Superboy stopped Raze from robbing Will Magnus' lab. In the end, the army showed up and General Lane tried to take him into custody. 

Waid does a lot here to add to this early history.

Clark won't be taken into custody even though the General is an authority figure.

Clark vibrates to blur his face so no one could recognize him ... shades of John Byrne!

And we see an early use of super-breath, kicking up dust and humidity to hide an escape.

It is the first one that is the most interesting. 

Flying back to Smallville, Clark recaps it all to Ma and Pa. Turns out the military can't arrest you like Lane wanted.

Good on Ma for being suspicious. Why wasn't Captain Comet there to help? And how did the army know that Clark would be?

Waid has been walking this tightrope of how much we as readers should be suspicious of Comet. He certainly hasn't acted like a good guy.

The next day, Clark tries to find Blake but teenage life steps in. Lana is upset he ran off last issue. And Kenny Braverman tries to pick a fight.

One of the themes of this whole arc has been Clark trying to figure out how to control himself, how to hide his powers or tamp them down. Here he is angry enough to think about letting Braverman break his hand on Clark's jaw.

But then Pete Ross steps in with some misdirection, calming Braverman down.

For classic fans, Ross secretly knew Clark was Superboy. Could that already be true? Was this a classic Ross save? Or is Ross just a nice guy all around and was saving Clark without that knowledge.

Anyways, I am sure in Waid's canon, Ross knows.

At the end of the day, Clark does confront Blake but the conversation is stopped when they have to save a hiker in danger.

I love the second panel. Clark isn't happy. He doesn't trust Blake anymore. 

The next day Clark makes a realization. The sickly stench coming off a diseased frog he was dissecting reminded him of Blake. He flies to Comet's house to push the issue. Why did he retire?

Check out the Justice Alliance he was part of.

Prince Ra-Man I recognize. I assume that's Congorilla. 

But who are the others? The Bob Crane Robotman or Mekanique or Elektro? And who is the tiger man?

Comet went off into space and contracted a space disease, incurable. So he came back to Earth. But his powers are waning. And he is dying.

Remember, we learned before that Comet stepped in on other planets when their heroes became dictators. That's what all these tests with Clark have been about.

When Clark tells Comet he can boost the Captain's ship into space to help him explore other galaxies for a cure, Comet declines the offer. Comet wants to stay put and let things end.

Initially Clark thinks of overriding that wish but then recognizes that he can't force Comet to do something he doesn't want to. 

This was Comet's final lesson. 

Would Clark force his will on people. When Clark didn't, he passed.

But let's not think about this too hard. 

What about someone jumping off a bridge? Is Superman saving that person forcing his will on someone? Or do we assume that mental health is a modifier to the rule.

I get the big picture. Don't become a fascist.

And it was a ruse. I assume the disease is real. But then he allows Clark to throw the ship into space so Comet can explore the universe for aid. 

As for that tipping off of the Army, Comet says it would eventually happen and hopes it will all turn out okay. That is a stupid rationalization in my mind. There are too many variables and outcomes that could harm people to just let it happen. Why not let Superboy learn more or maybe eventually even reach out to the military instead of forcing this adverserial relationship on the two sides?

I'll say overall I have liked this arc but more the personal interactions of the Smallville people and less the Comet side of things. And this ending just felt a little rushed and sort of luke warm. It still was a ton of fun, entertaining and beautiful. 

Overall grade this issue: B