Action Comics #1098 came out this week, another great chapter in this look back at the early career of Superboy. Given recent announcements about Action Comics #1100 we may be nearing the end of this mini-run which feels shortsighted by DC because this has been great. If DC announced a Superboy book by this creative team, I would be there.
Mark Waid has done a great job on this book, showcasingClark's early super-heroics and discovering his powers as they develop. Just as important though, he is showing the emotional side of these early adventures. The Kents' history. The Lana love triangle. The Pete Ross mystery. All great.
This issue shines a light on the earliest origin, the landing of the rocket and the Kent's adoption of Clark, leaning a little more to the classic origin and a bit away from Byrne. Waid uses a time-travel villain to make the exposition a plot component so it isn't forced. I have talked about how the Lana stuff has been very nostalgic for me, remembering my early loves in high school. The scene in this issue is fantastic.
The art is split between Skylar Patridge and Patricio Delpeche. Patridge is a cleaner style which works for the Smallville scenes, especially the Lana stuff. I was hoping that Delpeche would do only the flashback pages to keep a sort of thread to the art. But the artists are mixed throughout the issue. Both artists are great.
The issue opens with our time-tossed heroes discovering that Clark's rocket has been stolen by the villain Epoch. While Epoch is stuck in the past with them, the villain could use the tech from the rocket to kill Superman in the past, changing everything.
I can't think too hard about the timeline if this happened.
Perhaps knowing more about the rocket will help the heroes track it down. So the Kents open up about their history. Not a bad plot point to let Waid give this origin exposition.
We start out with a plot point that Grant Morrison had introduced in the New 52 Action. The Kents cannot conceive.
Delpeche does a great job showing the despair on the faces of the Kents, so devastated by this news.
Like a miracle, the rocket crashes in front of the Kents and suddenly there is a baby.
Waid hinted last month that the rocket must have had cloaking so only the Kents know about this. So Pa throws it in the truck.
Love how Waid mentions 'broken glass'. We know classically those are made into Clark's spectacles. That has to be on purpose.
In a throwback to the Golden Age, the Kents bring the baby to the state and then are allowed to foster and ultimately adopt Clark. I love how it is their friends and reputation that allows them to have this happen. (And Ma's love as well.)
I kind of like the Byrne origin where a massive blizzard snowed in the Kents so they could pretend Martha home-birthed Clark. Seemed pretty slick.
But this nod to the classic origin also works.
The Kents discover that Clark seems calm and content when near the rocket. And then Clark can also activate a sort of knowledge crystal within. Very Donner-esque.
And great splash by Delpeche showing some glimpses of Krypton.
I talked about the Kents and their emotions around finding Clark, raising Clark, loving Clark.
I thought this scene was just fantastic. J'onn can see that the Kents live in fear that someone from the other world is going to come and take Clark. J'onn puts those fears to rest. And we see Jon and Martha collapse into each others arms.
No, you're crying!
It is this emotional side of this look back that has really struck me.
In another fun scene, Mary Marvel knows that she can get Lana to notice Clark by perhaps getting her jealous. So she goes to school as a 'family friend' visiting the Kents and is draped over Clark.
Sure enough, it seems to work with Lana acting a bit chilly to Mary and immediately setting up a study date with Clark.
It will pain me to see this run end if only because it means we won't see the Patridge drawn drama of young Clark in love with the luminous Lana.
I also think Booster is getting some love here. Mary says he is smarter than he lets on. It is Booster who figures out how to use the crystal's signal to track Epoch.
But here I love how he questions the Kents about who is mentoring Clark only to learn it is 'on the job' training. I really like how Booster is shocked because of how grown up Clark is in his present.
There is a pretty good cliffhanger after the fight leading into what might be the last issue of this run.
So a rollicking good time ... no surprise.
Overall grade: A
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