Superman—Action Comics 2: Bulletproof

Comic Info

Action Comics (2) #9

Reprints Action Comics (2) #0, 9-12, and Annual #1 (July 2012-December 2012).  The danger is growing and threats are now coming from other dimensions.  Clark Kent realizes that the danger he poses as Superman to his friends is too much…and decides he must fake his death to protect him.  Unfortunately with Clark Kent dead, Superman now finds he has no direction.  Killing Clark Kent might have been easy, but Superman’s battles are far from over!

Written by Grant Morrison (with fill in work by Sholly Fisch and Max Landis), Superman—Action Comics Volume 2:  Bulletproof continues the New 52 relaunch of the DC Universe and the Superman character.  Following Superman—Action Comics Volume 1:  Superman and the Men of Steel, the series continues Grant Morrison’s opening run with an inclusion of an Action Comics Annual and a flashback #0 issue.

I love Morrison, and I loved Morrison’s All-Star Superman.  When I heard he was going to be writing Action Comics, I was excited and hope for more of the All-Star Superman spirit.  Although, Morrison does manage to recapture some of the storytelling, Action Comics is no All-Star Superman.

Grant Morrison is a tricky writer.  When he’s on the ball, he is one of the best writers in comics right now (and for the last twenty years).  When he’s off his mark it can be the worst thing you’ve read or just “meh”.  Action Comics kind of falls into the “meh” category.

Action Comics (2) #10

Morrison tries way too hard in this collection.  The storyline (like All-Star Superman) spans from the first issue to his final issue in the third volume of the series).  Morrison also kind of screwed up the whole idea of the New 52 for other comics because he wasn’t very open about his plot…and it is an origin issue.  Events in the actual Superman comic don’t really reflect much of this comic and I feel a bit sorry for the writers trying to figure out what is going on here.

I do like some of the art in this volume.  There is a large collection of artists bringing these issues into print and some are inspiring and the others are solid.  I like the nostalgia feel of some of the art (and the nostalgia stories are also the better stories…like the S-Shirt and the cape).

Superman—Action Comics 2:  Bulletproof is really hit or miss.  I admire Morrison for trying something new with the comic, but the title sometimes feels a bit like a chore instead of the fun it should be.  Superman—Action Comics 2:  Bulletproof is followed by Superman—Action Comics 3:  At the End of Days.

Related Links:

Superman—Action Comics 2:  Superman and the Men of Steel

Superman—Action Comics 3:  At the End of Days