Enjoying a
Super year’s end of Steel
April 2, 2004
By Avi Green
There’ve been two recent issues of Action Comics that have really pleased me, done
specially for the year’s end, and here, I am proudly reviewing them
with pleasure.
Action Comics #809: The Creeping
Death
Writer: Joe Kelly
Artist: Pascual Ferry
The Man of Steel and his loving wife Lois Lane are taking a cruise
on a ship, specially prepared as a trip for several journalists, and
Clark finds himself in the wrong places at the wrong time, since, as
we discover, during one point when he changed into his costume as
the Big Blue Boy Scout to help save a freight liner in trouble, at
least two other people ended up frozen, in either what looks like
ice or in suspended animation during the cruise. And since he
doesn’t have any solid alibis, this puts him under suspicion at one
point. And then, as he discovers, the real culprit involves
something like witchcraft and voodoo. And another reporter on board,
Jack Ryder, raises his suspicions too.
This was a pretty nice mystery-like story, with Clark getting to
take some time out of costume too as he and Lois try to figure out
who’s behind this strange string of attacks on a few of the
passengers, who all had what to do with a notable journalist taking
a cruise on the ship as well. And the narration boxes by Clark,
which are meant to reflect a diary style of writing worked pretty
well too. Overall, a good, fun single story.
Action Comics #810: Walking
Midnight
Writer: Joe Kelly
Artist: Pascual Ferry
In this “year’s end” story, the Man of Steel answers some of his
Mailbox of Steel’s intake, and we get a glimpse of how he meets
people from around the world and does what he can to fulfill their
requests and wishes, not only within different countries, but within
different time zones as well! Whether it be Greenland, Rio
DeJaneiro, Australia, or Italy, Superman does his best to be there
and fulfill his fans’ greatest wishes and such, and also makes sure
to pop in to visit the Kent farmhouse in Smallville with Lois as
well.
This was quite a delight, featuring one of the most interesting
things about Superman, that being his attention to fans and people
in need all over the world, even to the US troops stationed in
Middle Eastern countries like Iraq (metaphorically/allegorically, of
course), and does what he can to both make them happy and to inspire
them.
It’s an excellent way to end the year, and a great way for Kelly to
conclude his four-year run on Action
Comics as well, and he’s also got a good farewell message
on the last page too.
I’m very pleased with these issues overall, and now, it’ll be
interesting to see what’s to be the outcome of the split in
timelines that’s being done for the Super-franchise this year. But
the really great news relating to that? It’s that over in Superman/Batman, Kara Zor-El,
cousin of Kal-El, is back in the DCU after years of overall limbo
since the Crisis! And that too is something that I look upon with
great delight.
Copyright 2004 Avi Green. All rights reserved.
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