Review: Action Comics #1096

Action Comics #1096 came out last week, another chapter in Mark Waid's look at Superman when he was a boy and part of the 'Reign of the Superboys' event. I have thought this whole look back as a sort of 'Superman Year One' has been pitch perfect. This issue has a little bit of timey wimey stuff that was a little tough to follow but continues to show how Superman became Superman.

Waid continues to put a modern sort of take on classic elements of Superman's mythos. Pete Ross knows the secret identity, Lana loves Superboy while Clark pines, General Lane has always been suspicious. It all works. In this issue, we see Superboy dealing with the fact that there is always an emergency he could be dealing with. How does he go about his own every day life when he could always be heroing?

The cliffhanger definitely brings up a time travel conundrum of how Superman doesn't remember meeting other heroes in his past? Hopefully Waid answers that question.

Skylar Patridge is back on art and continues to shine. Clark looks like a teenager. Lana looks like that perfect 'girl next door' who would entrance Clark. And the action continues to be dynamic. To be honest, if there was a 'Superboy's girl friend Lana Lang' special with Patridge art, I would be there!

Dan Mora's cover is fun, with Superboy lacing up his Chuck Taylors. But who is the ghostly hand? The post-KO Superman? Or one of the guests we see at the end.

On to the book.

In Smallville, Superboy saves Professor Lang from being pummeled by an ... exploding tree?

Shortly thereafter, a lightning bolt hits where the tree was. Like, the explosion preceded the lightning strike.

Effect before cause ... time disturbance. 

Solid art by Patridge.

We met Professor Lang a bit before. He is always scribbling notes about people, including Clark.

Here, Superboy asks why he is always documenting things. Lang gives a vague but scary answer.

Two things I like here.

One, our hero says he can ask things as Superboy he can't as Clark, like prodding Lang a bit. Another lesson in the Superboy bank.

Two, what is going on with Lang? I love a mystery. Is he trying to puzzle out who Superboy is?

Meanwhile, with school out, Clark, Pete, and Lana head to the Metropolis Expo of Tomorrow, a site we have already seen a couple of times.

While there, Clark starts to see how things are happening out of joint. A scrape appears before a toddler trips. He tastes his ice cream before he licks it. And he suddenly appears in his Superboy uniform. Luckily, no one saw it.

Two things I love about this.

One, Clark immediately wonders if this is a new power manifesting. Remember he thought he had super-pheromones? Another lesson in the Superboy bank. 

Two, Patridge's Lana is again perfect. I can see why Clark would be smitten.

Recognizing that this 'effect before cause' storm could lead to disasters, Superboy decides to patrol Metropolis.

Unlike Smallville, there are emergencies everywhere. From big problems to small, he is on the go and looks overwhelmed. 

Another lesson. Life as Superman could be non-stop Superman-ing. How can he be everywhere?

Patridge shines showing the myriad of problems Clark solves.

And then, a new thing I love in this look back. 'Ma Kent Wisdom' !

I talk all the time about Pa Kent Wisdom. But Waid has gone out of his way to show how Martha helped form who Clark is. Here, she taught him that you conquer a problem one step at a time (here Clark needing to catalog fish ...). 

Love Ma Kent wisdom. And love that top panel of Superman stopping what must be an abusive husband/boyfriend. Shades of early Superman!

Turns out the farther he gets from the Expo within the city, the less he is seeing the time effect. Which makes me wonder how it appeared in Smallville at the beginning. My one quibble. 

Back in the Expo, Clark hears voices emanating from that odd object we first saw in Action Comics #1087. Alas, not a mother box.

Somehow Clark is able to respond on the device releasing Booster Gold, J'onn J'onzz, and Mary Marvel. It's great to see Patridge's take on other heroes. 

But how does adult Clark not remember meeting these heroes (who look like present day versions) as a kid? Will we get an explanation? Or will it be ignored. 

But then the villain also comes out of the vortex.

No idea who this is.

Since the beginning, I have loved this look at Clark growing into his powers and his role as a hero. This issue is no different. I must admit the 'effect before cause' problem didn't grab me. But it led to that overtime shift in Metropolis which led to great moments. 

Art continues to scintillate.

Overall grade: B+