I initially didn’t know how to feel about Action Comics moving to a Superman-centred event written by Joshua Williamson, as I haven’t been a fan or had much care for DC’s recent events, let alone Williamson’s last event, Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, but I had to have a little faith as Williamson’s writing for Superman in the main title Superman has been quite phenomenal. Now taking over Action Comics for the House of Brainiac event, will he be able to keep up that same writing that embodies Superman so well? Thankfully, that’s been answered with this first issue of the event.
A Hell Of A Day
Action Comics has always felt like a super family-centred comic for me, and that’s what I love the most about it as we get to see members of the family living their lives or in the middle of the action. This issue gives us exactly this, with Lois on her only day off, strolling through Metropolis, trying to make her way to the park to meet Jimmy Olsen and Siobhan Smythe. On her way, we get to see all of the members of the superfamily living their ordinary lives, with Kara going on a date and Connor, Osul-Ra, Othul-Ra, and Kong Kenan at the arcade. We even get an insight into some imprisoned villains, such as Livewire, Metallo, and Parasyte, hinting at their inclusion in this episode and their possible involvement in the overall event. This all feels like a breath of fresh air, getting updates on everyone and seeing everyone so happy (besides the villains), but as expected, it doesn’t last.
Joshua Williamson creates one hell of a turn pager to show the severity of the danger that Clark is sensing, but it’s Rafa Sandoval who brings this all to life with his masterful art that captures this intense scene: Cznarnians (thought to be dead) and Brainiac’s drones invading Metropolis. The use of Cznarnians for this attack is a smart one because, though Lobo is strong and seen as a threat, he’s not the smartest of the bunch. But what happens when you have a Lobo with intellect and strength? Well, Williamson showcases that here, and it’s not good at all; it’s quite scary, in fact.
The idea alone of getting Lena Luthor kidnapped by Brainiac to get Luthor on the side of the good guys is a smart one, especially considering Lena’s history with Brainiac, which could be of some relevance in this event. This all makes for what could be one of the best DC events in the last few years, as we’re getting a very different Brainiac from what we’re used to. Going from a very calculated approach to a chaotic one changes his entire character and what he’s capable of, and it gets me excited for what’s in store for this arc.
‘Action Comics’ #1064 – Final Thoughts
Joshua Williamson provides the perfect start to the “House of Brainiac” storyline with great character beats, intense action, and an amazing set-up for the rest of the event. The stars of the issue are Rafa Sandoval and Alejandro Sánchez; his art captures the heart of Superman and Metropolis, and with the addition of Sánchez’s colours, which have a heavy use of green and purple throughout to remind us who this story is about, I can’t help but give them their flowers, where they’re deserved. If the writing and art keep up throughout this event, it’ll easily become one of the best DC events.
