The Kubler-Ross Model
When it was announced that Neil Gaiman's Death would be appearing in Action Comics, I was overcome by a wave of mixed emotions. The initial joy and awe, was quickly replaced by mounting doubt. How could a mainstream DC book ever do justice to Death? In a world where characters come and go in and out of the land of the living, how could Gaiman's mythos be shown with any dignity or gravitas? How would someone else write Death? I waited months for this book, and let's just say there aren't that many Sandman fanboys out there to help pass the time with, so when it came out, I made a beeline for the shop and held my breath. This caters to many of the concerns I had. Death was given the proper treatment, and her conversation with Luthor shed quite a bit of life on the metaphysics of the DC universe. That said, this is a thinking man's comic, so don't expect anywhere near the frantic pacing and action of the previous issue. This was executed well, that I wouldn't shun perhaps another Sandman-DC appearance if it was done as tastefully. There really isn't a whole hell of a lot wrong with this issue, but it is the kind of thing I'd have to re-read and re-assess further down the road, but this definitely is a comic you should pick up if you're a fellow Gaiman fanatic or perhaps a more mainstream reader interesting in getting a taste of something a little different than the usual biceps and bullets.
