Action Comics #900

What a fun little anniversary issue.

I picked this up to continue the Doomsday storyline I've been hopping around the DCU to read, so imagine my surprise when I saw that this is also the conclusion of the Black Ring storyline. I'm getting Black Ring in trade, so I'm a little annoyed to see the story spoiled, but I should have trusted Paul Cornell, he lays everything out nice and clear.


I guess Lex Luthor has become some sort of deity after bonding with some Phantom Zone creature. I don't know what happened, but the idea is straight-forward enough. Having a real, heroic Superman zip away from Metropolis, then face down his greatest foe was wonderful. Supes was confident, brave, and capable. I didn't see any tears or doubts, this is the Superman I want to read about. It was also fantastic seeing Supes take out the immensely powerful Luthor. Luthor had a chance to be the hero he THINKS he is, but destroying Superman is still the most important thing in Lex's life. What a sad life.

The other part of the story has the Superman family facing down Doomsday. I had predicted where this was going, but it is still fun seeing the S-shield crew going up against a problem this big. (And I'm also happy that all the Supes characters are still alive. Even Eradicator deserves better than to die in this story.) It should be pretty fun seeing everyone come together over the next months. (Is the Doomsday story continuing in Action Comics?)

The backup material is decent. The big moment is Superman renouncing his American citizenship, but I can't imagine that will stick. If it does, this issue may become a collectors' item, because people will be ticked. It's not just me, right? I mean, Supes getting so mad at America's place in the world that he decides America is too "small," that's a big deal, right?

Pete Woods does a nice job in the main story. I've always liked his work, so I hope he's going to a high-profile book like the JLA or something. There are a few pages where he aped different artists and it really came out well.

I think I may stick around Action Comics for a bit.

Good