The New 52: Action Comics #1

[Editor's note: DC Comics' "The New 52" initiative aims to bring a new audience into the DC Universe by rebooting or significantly changing all of their superheroes and restarting them back at issue #1. In this series, the comic book newbies of The Crimson attempt to evaluate the quality and accessibility of The New 52.   —Brian Feldman, Arts Web Editor]

DC Comics holds a role so powerfully prominent in American culture that many of its characters have become household names. Yet its masterful stories have become extremely convoluted, so much so that new readers wishing to learn the backgrounds of their favorite superheroes found it difficult to catch up without starting from the very beginning of the entire series. All of this has led up to the release of the new Action Comics #1. Can DC bring in new readers with America’s greatest icon, Superman?

The new issue begins with Superman's grandiose, action-packed entrance, crashing a gathering of high-class criminals. Superman makes an ominous and powerful statement: “I’m your worst nightmare.”

The first few pages proceed to depict a chaotic fight scene between Superman and a gang of greedy businessmen. For a reader who only recently entered the world of superheroes, the lack of character exposition and the abruptness of all the action are dizzying at first. Yet among all the confusion, Rags Morales' detailed artwork shines through with his intricate attention to Superman’s red-and-blue costume and the intense expressions on each character’s face.

Before long, the first conflict screeches to a sudden halt, allowing finally for some exposition and narrative detail. Of course the military hungers for the awesome powers that Superman exhibits and will stop at no costs to obtain them. A few major characters are introduced, namely the military general Sam Lane and his sketchy consultant Lex Luthor, though the identities of these characters might not be apparent to new readers. It is also a relief to see that familiar names like Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane are introduced as new characters, whose backgrounds will hopefully develop with the publication of further issues.

The first issue of “Action Comics” successfully supplies the necessary scenes to evolve into several fully-fledged storylines in the future. Writer Grant Morrison shows Superman as Clark Kent and the need to keep his identities separate to avoid danger. There is also a conflict developing between Clark and his associates Jimmy and Lois, who work for a competitor to Supes' own Daily Planet. Through a scene reminiscent of “The Incredibles” where Superman stops a speeding train to save the passengers, we begin to see the forces of good and evil at play. Superman, a symbol of goodness and justice, possesses the altruism and courage to sacrifice his own well-being to defend the lives of the helpless. Indeed, at the end of the issue, a classic comic book cliffhanger places him in the hands of his enemies.

Although this issue of Superman is confusing at times (further exacerbated by the lack of transition between plot points), the abundance of timeless graphic-novel action and the expertise with which the Morrison and Morales handle the development of suspense is sure to keep readers interested. The intricacies of each panel are a pleasure to examine.

Diehard fans may cringe at the thought of starting over at issue #1. For new readers, however, the newly designed Superman is a great way to learn about one of America’s cultural giants. If this issue is any indication of the excitement that is to come in future issues, then Superman is indeed off to a very good start.