Superman—Action Comics 1: Path of Doom

Comic Info

Action Comics (3) #959

Reprints Action Comics (3) #957-962 (August 2016-October 2016).  Metropolis has a new hero…Lex Luthor?  When the Pre-New 52 Clark Kent, Lois, and Jon learn Lex has taken on the title of Superman, Clark realizes that it is time to return to the spotlight.  Unfortunately, Clark finds his old enemy Doomsday has also returned and could threaten to kill him and his family.  Teamed with Wonder Woman and Lex Luthor, Superman must stop Doomsday…but the arrival of someone claiming to be Clark Kent also could make Superman question reality.

Written by Dan Jurgens, Superman—Action Comics Volume 1:  Path of Doom is part of the DC Comics Rebirth series and was published biweekly.  The series ties in with multiple DC Rebirth series including Superman and Superwoman and features art by Pat Zircher, Tyler Kirkham, Stephen Segovia, and Art Thibert.  The issues in this volume are also collected in Superman—Action Comics Rebirth Deluxe Edition—Book 1.

When DC Rebirth started, part of the goal seemed to be to really push Superman to the forefront again much like New 52 did for Batman.  While the Superman series often got a lot of attention, I actually maybe like Action Comics better…and the events in it seemed more significant.

This volume of the series sets up a lot of mysteries.  It questions who is the Clark Kent who has appeared, is Lex Luthor actually a good guy, and who is collecting Doomsday.  I think this is key for a good series (especially now) since you really have to find some reason to compel the readers to return issue to issue.

Action Comics (3) #961 Variant

What hindered the series for me was the publication schedule.  DC cut their prices, but increased the publishing schedule for most of their titles.  This meant an even bigger backlog of titles to read if you went to the comic bookstore weekly.  While I do agree that they needed to hit the ground running with Rebirth, I wish that the series had dropped to monthly after the first storyline (and the same goes for their other titles)…it not only was hard to keep up but it was also easy to miss or forget a title.

The collection also runs the risk of the “big fight syndrome”.  It seemed like in the 1990s, artists decided to start stretching out fights to multiple issues.  This is kind of true in this collection, but I do feel that the layers of mystery do break it up.  However, if you do boil down what happened in this six issues, Superman and Wonder Woman just fought Doomsday…a lot.

Superman—Action Comics 1:  Path of Doom shows a lot of potential for the character.  I like the focus on Superman a bit more and feel the Jon stories are a bit of a drag in the Superman proper title.  I hope that the story maybe picks up the pace and moves faster after this volume…it is difficult for writers today to find the happy medium.  Superman—Action Comics 1:  Path of Doom is followed by Superman—Action Comics 2:  Welcome to the Planet.