Review: Action Comics #1093

Action Comics #1093 came out last week and was another fun chapter in this Superboy stint in the comic. Writer Mark Waid has been giving us some nice looks into these early days of super-heroics, including how the ethos of Superman was created. It is a mix of Kent-wisdom and experience that clearly are forming who this young Clark will become.

One of the questions that always plagued me as a kid reading comics is why Clark would allow the Kents to financially struggle. Or what would he do if the Kents were about to go bankrupt. Can't he wring diamonds out of coal? Waid specifically answers that here in a fun story that also shows how Superman has learned to work around laws of discovery and care. We are done-in-one here! Classic.

Another plus for the issue is the return of Skylar Patridge on art. Patridge brings a youthful look over the whole tale. As I have said, I especially love her take on the young Clark, Pete, and Lana. The art shines here.

On to details.

We start out with a dreamy Lana looking up at the sky to try and spy Superboy, almost walking into wet cement.

As always, Patridge makes the Lana scenes perfect. The head tilt, the hand in hair, the smile with hearts swirling around her. It is great.

And Clark's body language, hands deeeeeeeep in pockets, head low. It is perfect.

I remember high school romances and crushes. This whole thing looks and feels real. When words and art complement each other perfectly, comics soar. When it makes you remember something and feel something, they glitter.

The main plot is that most of the Smallville farms have suddenly and seemingly erroneously defaulted on their mortgages. The bank manager seems slimy and says the computers don't lie. And nothing can be solved quickly enough to save the farms from being sold off.

In another of a series of excellent Pete Ross moments, Pete steps in front of the rifle of a masked farmer, who everyone recognizes as a high school coach, and talks him down.

Pete Ross!

Not all heroes wear capes.

But here is one of the best scenes.

Clark goes into an abandoned mine and brings a chunk of gold to his parents to use to save the farm. 

Pa won't have it. Even if this wasn't stealing in the legal sense, it is a shortcut.  You have to still have principles. You can't use your powers for self-gain. It is perfect Pa Kent wisdom.

But I also love how loving and affectionate Waid has made the Kents. Look at Ma speak lovingly. 

The whole thing progresses quickly. 

And as Superboy, he has to help the police escort one of the defaulted farmers off his land before shots get fired.

This moment is powerful if you wonder how Clark could become a sort of populist hero. Hearing him be accused as working for the bank while escorting this old man off his farm had to hurt. That is probably a memory that has stuck.

As Superboy, Clark can't convince the CEO of the bank to pause matters.

So he heads back to the branch to see if, as Superboy, he can have the manager there pause matters. 

While waiting in the office, he is able to see all sorts of incriminating documents. 

But how can expose it all legally. He can't threaten the manager. He can't steal the documents. So he has to use some chicanery.

I like a smart thinking Clark.

He shouts to the world that he has the documents proving the manager was in cahoots with Stagg industry to buy all the land while getting a cut.

It forces the manager to run into the bank to find and dispose of the documents. Except Clark brought the CEO there who witnesses the manager grab the evidence. Clark used brains to have this guy implicate himself.

Savvy.

And Patridge nails the moment. First the small inset panel of the manager looking up followed by a majestic shot of Superboy floating above, sun behind him, like the voice of God. 

As I love the ending scene with the Kents. First off, I love how Clark is shown eating almost everything in the house. 

But this moment, where Pa realizes that Clark is going to be faced with extremely difficult decisions as Superboy, things that maybe Jonathan Kent can't relate to. There are a lot of solid moments in this book. But this might be my favorite. Because Clark learning from the Kents is immensely important. Seeing Jonathan learn about the stress his son could be under feels new.

Loving this Superboy look by Waid.

Overall grade: A