Comic Review: Action Comics (2016-) #1010

Action Comics #1010

DC Comics

Writer: Brian Micheal Bendis

Artist: Steve Epting

While I’ve liked both Bendis Superman titles quite a bit, Action Comics has always been a step above. This is in large part due to a tight focus on detective work and espionage. That’s not something you tend to see in Superman books, and it lends it that new-car-smell. Action Comics #1010 continues its knockout streak and delivers a satisfying piece of the Leviathan puzzle.

One of the most consistently great things about this run is its focus on the side characters. Clark’s supporting cast getting more attention would be enough, but Bendis goes even further and emphasizes stranger and more obscure parts of the DC Universe. With characters like Mister Bones and Adam Strange (though Strange is notably absent in this particular issue), he places the spotlight where it rarely tends to go these days. Plus, his voice for the majority of these characters is shockingly on point. While he does employ his patented Bendis-speak, it’s never distracting or poorly done. It reads naturally, and it doesn’t feel like a chore despite the large amounts of texts he uses.

While the story itself is strong, it is ultimately just one piece of a larger story. This issue, from beginning to end, does not paint a complete picture. Much of it is very reliant on the promise of what’s to come in the upcoming Event Leviathan book. Though, that doesn’t mean it’s not a very well-done and entertaining slow-burn. Each issue reveals a bit more about Leviathan, as well as raises more questions. It’s a compelling mystery, but if the build-up ends up not being worth it in the end, this book could retroactively fall flat. I don’t expect that to happen, but it’s a concern I have.

The art in this issue is wonderful. Steve Epting didn’t initially strike me as a great fit for a Superman book, but these last few issues have proven me entirely wrong. What certain scenes lack in facial acting, they more than make up for in framing and composition. He portrays a mood through shadows in such a way that it allows Mister Bones, someone who literally does not have facial expressions, to emote like any other character. As great as those scenes look, they don’t even hold a candle to the brief action scene towards the end of the book. There’s a four-page sequence in here that is so simple in concept yet so masterful in execution. It’s a stunning few pages. The kind every fan hopes to hang on their wall one day.

Action Comics continues to impress. Bendis and Epting expertly demonstrate a side of Superman comics that is sorely underrepresented and leaves you craving more each month. With incredible art and a strong sense of character, there’s no reason you shouldn’t give this issue a shot.