Action Comics: The New Good Ole Days
What's going on in Action Comics right now is really worth checking out. In a lot of ways, this reboot takes Superman back to his beginnings. Generations have grown up thinking of Clark Kent manifesting his powers in Smallville and being Superboy, or God, even Superbaby. But it wasn't always that way. One of the interesting things that writers of other mediums - and I'm largely thinking of George Lowther who wrote for the Superman radio shows as well as the first Superman novel - did was make Superman's powers manifest in early adulthood. And that's what Grant Morrison has done here.
But there are other ways this Superman resembles the character's initial conception too. For one, he is more specifically a crusader for the 'little guy' - a common theme of the early Action Comics that seemed to become de-emphasized with every galaxy saving storyline over the decades. Also, readers of early issues of Action Comics will remember that Clark began as a reporter not for the Daily Planet, but for the Daily Star - this is another thing that has been brought back.
However, this is a thoroughly modern comic - many of the other things in Superman lore that have developed over the years remain intact. WGBS exists; the Daily Planet and Perry White exist; Luthor as at least part conniving capitalist exists; and what appears to be Brainiac (speculating here) as robotic entity, rather than space pirate, exitsts. Clark Kent blogs. Media moguls control the National dialogue. etc.
Add to that there appears to be no less than 3(!) simultaneous conspiracies going on - one to discredit Clark and smear Superman, one to actually kill Superman, and one involving Clark himself and a shadowy figure named "Icarus".
So in some ways the comic is going back to its very roots. In other ways it's completely modern, and in still others - like the lowering of Suprman's powers, the truly alien seeming technology and culture of Krypton, and the larger-than-life villains - it harks back to one of the great middle periods of Superman story lines - the John Byrne era.
While this may not be the best of DC's new line, it's definitely near the top. Welcome to the New Good Ole Days of Action Comics enjoy it while you can, it probably won't last forever.
