Action Comics #1027
The Superman Family deals with the Red Cloud in Action Comics #1027, by writer Brian Michael Bendis, artist John Romita Jr, colorist Brad Anderson, and letterer David Sharpe. This one is a twist on an old Bendis trope of starting after the fight, but it subverts that trope just enough to make it palatable.
Chase is questioning Lois Lane about Leone's accusation when her lawyer gets there- Kate Spencer. Kate stops her from talking, and the two leave. In the past, Superman and the Superfamily battle Red Cloud. Supergirl saves him as the Superboys start a vortex around Red Cloud, keeping her pinned in. Brainiac is able to contain her as Leone escapes while everyone is watching the action outside. Red Cloud wakes up in the Phantom Zone, where Superman gives her a choice- face trial and promise to make the world better or stay in the Zone. At the F.B.I., Lois gives Chase enough to figure out why Leone accused her of being from another Earth- because Leone is. Leone has escaped, thanks to S.T.A.R. Labs, and leaves Red Cloud a threatening letter. Superman contemplates destroying S.T.A.R. Labs himself but decides to let the government do the job. Brainiac leaves but not before revealing that Supergirl will head to the 31st century. Superman is called to the Daily Planet to meet the paper's new owner- Jimmy Olsen.
Back in the New Avengers days, Bendis would often end an issue on what looked like an action cliffhanger and then start the next issue after the action had already happened. It was kind of frustrating in a book starring the Avengers to not get the fight. He does that here but actually shows the fight. While it isn't a knockdown, drag-out battle, it's still quite satisfying and sets up the stakes for the rest of the book rather well. Superman doesn't actually save the day but gets help from his friends- which is a pretty Superman thing to do, honestly. Sure, Superman saves the day, but he also trusts the people around him and surrounds himself with people he knows are competent and can save the day if he can't.
From there, he goes about wrapping up plotlines, ending the whole Invisible Mafia arc rather well. Leone being from another Earth was easy to figure out with the clues he had laid out in this story arc, and while we don't know much about her motivation, there's always the chance she could return… or not. Bendis leaves it open-ended. Same with Red Cloud. She's in prison, seething, and can get revenge… or not. Bendis has done a lot of really cool things in his Superman run, and this is the best of them- leaving toys behind for others to play with, ones that other people can pick up and do whatever they want with.
John Romita Jr.'s is kind of erratic in this issue. There are some panels where his detail is pretty horrible and barely there, while other panels are classic good Romita. It's become pretty common with Romita art- the good parts look great, the bad parts look very bad. That said, the good outweighs the bad.
Action Comics #1027 sees Bendis tie up a lot of loose ends, putting a boo on the S.T.A.R. Labs stuff and the Invisible Mafia. He does it without breaking any of his toys on the way out, giving future creators the chance to use them. The issue itself is just a good Superman story, with every member of the cast getting a chance to do something cool. Romita's art is uneven but more good than bad. All in all, a fine effort from all involved.
Grade: B
