Human Interest Piece
This may not have been the most exciting issue of Action Comics published since Grant Morrison took over the book, but it’s well-crafted and has a sentimental charm all its own. By the second page, George Taylor tells you the key to reading this plot: “The story never comes before the people in the story.” True to these words, Morrison uses his issue #0 to flesh out the unique personalities in this version of Metropolis. I’m continually impressed by this New 52 version of Clark Kent. I was perpetually critical of the Post-Crisis Clark for never having any interests or personality quirks of his own despite being a major focus of the stories. Morrison gives him new traits in a wonderfully executed conversation he has with his best buddy Jimmy Olsen. We also learn more about Jimmy’s background in this back and forth and in the ensuing action. We see more of Lois Lane and her headstrong personality at work as well as some vital Daily Planet history. Indeed, Morrison uses this background issue to tie up a number of loose ends. Yet, at the heart of the plot, is a lovely story about a boy who wants to protect his younger brother and does so with the same blanket that was baby Kal-El’s constant companion during his trip through space. This issue is brimming with personality, sentimentality, and humanity which isn’t bad for a writer who is constantly critiqued for ignoring characterizations in favor of the bigger picture. Morrison shrugs off these criticisms with this issue and delivers a perfectly structured story about people.
Scholly Fisch’s back-up story continued with this theme by weaving the Captain Comet plot thread in with the origin of one of Superman’s new villains. Fisch’s plot may have gotten a bit rushed towards the end, but he worked it in well with what Morrison had already laid out just as he’s done throughout his tenure on Action Comics. It makes one wonder why Fisch isn’t being seriously discussed as Morrison’s possible successor on the book. I enjoyed both the art of Ben Oliver and Cafu on the back-up. Oliver’s work has a fleshed out, realistic quality that worked well with a plot about real people. Cafu’s style is the kind of slick, clean comic art that I love to see in the superhero genre. It was also pleasant to see that both artists finished their respective stories without needing a fill-in which hasn’t always been the case in the New 52. Though this wasn’t the most thrilling story in the Superman mythos, this issue should not be overlooked or written off. Morrison and company delivered a humanistic piece that works in this age of bright colors and block-busters. It was a story reminiscent of the classic “The Girl Who Didn’t Believe in Superman,” and is a welcome addition to Superman’s new Golden Age.
