Action Comics #1048
The Phaelosian twins go to the zoo, a trip that drags Superman into a new conflict in Action Comics #1048, by writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson, artist Mike Perkins, colorist Lee Loughridge, and letterer Dave Sharpe. In the back-up, by Johnson, artist David Lapham, colorist Trish Mulvihill, and letterer Sharpe, Supergirl and Thao-La hunt down Chaytil in Metropolis. This issue is another killer comic.
Luthor visits Metallo at Stryker’s again, with Metallo refusing to do what Luthor wants regardless of the new body he’s given. Back in Metropolis, Lois takes Otho-Ra and Osul-Ra to the zoo, where they meet up with Bibbo. However, disaster looms when a Boom Tube opens up, disgorging Orion, Kalibak, and Desaad. Superman intervenes just as Metron gets there and is told why they’ve come: the Fire of Olgrun. Desaad realizes the fire is in Osul-Ra, and they demand the boy come with them, but Superman disagrees violently. At Stryker’s, Metallo’s sister misses her weekly visit. In the back-up, Supergirl and Thao-La hunt for Chaytil. Thao-La warns Supergirl about the kind of person they’re dealing with, and then her super hearing kicks in. Finding him underground, she and Supergirl race down there and get more than they bargained for.
This issue brings the conflict to the story of Superman’s return to Earth. Johnson building up the Fire of Olgrun during “The Warworld Saga” opened the door to this plotline. It takes the story in a nice new dimension. While this looked like it was going to be another Luthor vs. Superman story, which is still being built, there’s a new facet, and it makes Osul-Ra and Otho-Ra more important than just kids Lois and Clark decided to take in. It also shows the hidden dangers of Warworld and why it might not have been the best idea for Superman to bring it to Earth. Sure, he wanted to help the people, but it’s a dangerous relic full of good and evil. Johnson has done a wonderful job with this particular plotline.
The Lex Luthor plot takes a bit of a back seat, but it’s still brilliant. The interplay between Corben and Luthor is so great because Corben actually thinks he has the upper hand, and it plays out in the way he speaks to Luthor. This is Lex Luthor, though, and he already knows exactly how he’s going to strike at his former ally. Another cool little wrinkle Johnson throws into the mix is showing that the people of Metropolis aren’t exactly happy with Superman bringing trouble to town in the form of the New Gods. It’s just a sly little addition, but it’s another subplot to build in this story as it moves towards its conclusion. The back-up is excellent, but that’s to be expected. Readers get some history on Chaytil and get to spend some time with Supergirl, which is always nice.
Perkins and Loughridge do an amazing job in this issue. Perkins’s style has gotten so much more distinct since he came to DC and Loughridge tailors his palette to it. Perkins uses a lot of heavy lines but still gets the detail across very well. Superman throwing a haymaker at Orion is an awesome image, one that readers can feel right through the page. There’s a gorgeous splash of Superman clashing with Orion and Kalibak that truly captures the power of that moment. Over in the back-up, Lapham and Mulvihill knock it out of the park. Lapham’s line work is remarkable; it manages to be simple and detailed in the same picture, mixing Silver Age style with a modern feel. Mulvihill’s bright colors give the story that Silver Age Superman feel, but also have no problem when things get dark. The last page is just wonderful, as are Thao-La’s flashback scenes describing Chaytil and his conquests.
Finally, Sharpe has been doing a brilliant job with the letters. He had to come up with multiple great designs for “The Warworld Saga,” which continues in this issue. His letters accentuate the script, bringing through the emotion of every scene perfectly. Plus, his Chaytil font is a work of jagged art.
Action Comics #1048 is yet another winner. This book honestly feels like it can’t lose ever. Johnson is the best Superman writer in a long time, and when he’s teamed with artists like Perkins, Loughridge, Lapham, and Mulvihill, the book is going to be exceptional. Combine that with Sharpe’s fantastic letters, and readers get something special on every page.