Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Review: Action Comics #971

By Philip Schweier
January 11, 2017 - 14:02

I wasn’t terribly impressed with Action Comics Rebirth when I started reading it, but I am pleased to say it has consistently improved. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the latest issue as much as I did. The latest issue demonstrates a subtlety of Jurgens’ writing that I really appreciate.

I don’t mean to damn Jurgens with faint praise, but Superman is an iconic character, and every fan has a slightly different expectation of him. Ask ten different people and you’ll get ten different versions of the Man of Steel. Trying to please everyone is an impossible task, and it seems that with every issue, Jurgens is intent on telling a better story than last time.

In the latest issue, the trial of Lex Luthor for crimes he has not yet committed comes to a head, and judgment is pronounced. I won’t spoil it with details as to how he avoids said judgment, but what follows is a multi-layered scenario that is slightly less than successful, and reverses the predicament of Superman and Lex significantly.

We haven’t seen the artwork of Segovia and Thibert for five issues, when I took issue with their occassional inconsistency. Apparently a little break has done them good, as the overall quality of their collective work has elevated.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12