Hey everyone, It’s Seppin here to review the biggest milestone in Superman’s entire career. It’s probably DC’s greatest milestone as well because Action Comics has hit issue #1000.
And with this amazing achievement, us fans get an 80-page special with tons of writers taking on the character to honor his history. Names like Tom King, Scott Snyder, Dan Jurgens, and more are all apart of it. However, what truly makes this story so amazing, is that it is Brian Bendis’ debut into DC Comics and the start of his soon to be legendary Superman run. Overall the book is incredible and I recommend that anyone that is even remotely interested in comics and Superman to pick up this issue.
Below I have reviewed each story. These are my opinions and are based on what I personally thought about each story.
From the City that has Everything
Written by Dan Jurgens
If anyone else has been reading Jurgen’s work on action comics, then you won’t be surprised to see that this is our opening story. It’s hopeful and continues Clark’s story in the main universe with Lois and Jon appearing.
We also get to see the rest of the league appear to cheer on Clark. It feels like old school DC and reminiscent of the way comics used to be.
Never-Ending Battle
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
This story is incredible when you think about what it accomplishes. It shows tons of Superman’s most iconic moments and incorporates them into a story that Clark is telling to Lois and Jon. On top of all that… it’s his birthday. Again, it feels like an old-school DC comic and it delivers the greatest Superman feelings.
It also does what the title says. Superman’s iconic, “never-ending battle!” is shown incredibly well because t allows us to look back on Kal-El’s life and we see just how long he has been fighting against the evil in his world. It makes you wonder how much longer he can handle every conflict he comes across. *Hint* *Hint*
An Enemy Within
Written by Marv Wolfman
It’s a small story, but it goes into something that is very interesting when we think about Superman. How does he choose which place to go to? What crime does he decide to stop? And what happens to the other crimes he can’t get to?
These are incredible questions that An Enemy Within delves into. We see that Superman hates picking, but he ultimately has faith in humanity to solve some of their own problems.
The Game
Written by Paul Levitz and Neal Adams
The Game is an interesting story. I actually don’t know how I feel about it. In some sense, I see what they wanted from the story and I love the Superman-Lex Luthor mechanic that they went into. However, I feel like some of Lex’s dialogue falls and doesn’t really feel genuine.
Don’t get me wrong. The entire book is great. It’s just that this story isn’t as amazing as all the others. I mean, we get to see Clark and Lex play a game of chess against each other. Awesome!
The Car
Written by Geoff Johns and Richard Donner
This story… it’s perfect. I know, I know. I am a little biased because Geoff Johns wrote it, but Richard Donner worked with him on it. Similarly to what they did with Superman: Last Son of Krypton. It is just an amazing and hopeful story.
Geoff Johns does what he does best. He takes us to somewhere Iconic and gets all of our emotions going. He takes us back to issue #1 after Clark lifted up the car. We get more about the driver of the car and Superman starting out. Superman becomes this figure above who is trying to help everyone become a better person, even criminals. I won’t spoil the story, but it is just so… Superman.
The Fifth Season
Written by Scott Snyder
Remember when I was talking about the Superman-Lex Luthor mechanic. Well, Scott Snyder delivers a dark and sad story using that. The roots feel like they come straight from Smallville because he has some scenes with younger Clark and younger Lex interacting. It’s revealed that Clark even saved Lex’s life long ago.
However, things take a twist when we learn that Lex has a powerful weapon that could wipe out Superman instantly. We get some beautiful dialogue between the two before Lex finally does it. He ends Superman. And that’s it. It fades to black with Lex realizing that his life is now empty and meaningless.
It’s a great story.
Of Tomorrow
Written by Tom King
I love Tom King’s work on Batman, but I am not a big fan of this story. It seemed like it could work, the concept of being in the future when the Sun is finally going to destroy the Earth and having Superman come home to Smallville to say goodbye to his parents at their graves. I think that is a cool concept, but I don’t think it works well here.
Personally, I think that there is just something a little too bland in this story. Read it yourself and tell me in the comments what you think.
Five Minutes
Written by Louise Simonson
This is a great little short story about Superman being Superman. Clark is writing a story and has five minutes before he has to take it to printing. We see Clark go out and save a bunch of people in just five minutes and still had enough time to get the story done.
It’s just a simple story, but it’s hopeful and feels like a silly story from back in the day.
Actionland
Written by Paul Dini
This is probably the most fun story in the book. It takes place in the future in a park devoted to Superman. It is revealed that it was all just an alternate reality created by Mr. Mxyzptlk for him and his wife to enjoy. It tries to show us how he would destroy Superman, but then we realize that he could never defeat Superman because he never wants the story to end.
It’s a fun story and feels like an episode of Superman the Animated Series. It has flares from old-school WB Animation and gives us a great story.
Faster than a Speeding Bullet
Written by Brad Meltzer
This is an amazing story. It gives us one of the most impossible situations ever in a Superman story. What if he can’t make it? A woman is being held hostage and is going to get shot. Superman realizes how fast he can go and knows that he can’t possibly make it in time. Yet he still tries. He can see the gun in action, but he still flies into action. The woman moves a little and causes the shot to be slightly delayed.
Superman saves the day in the end. However, the best part, other than the art by John Cassaday, is the inner monologue. Superman knowing that he is going to be too slow is sad, but we see that his hope returns by the end. He even has a small conversation with the woman telling her how lucky she was.
She just replied, “That’s what Batman would do.”
The Truth
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
I know. This is the story that we have all been waiting for. Brian Bendis, the best writer at Marvel coming to DC to write Superman. What did I think?
It’s a start. I think that Bendis almost grounds Superman in this story. Making him less of a global hero and focusing more on Metropolis. The story has Superman getting beat up by a powerful space hunter who is after Kryptonians. Supergirl makes an appearance solidifying the Superman family. However, the best part is the ending. If you do not want to be spoiled, then just stop reading after you know that this is another great story.
Ready?
The villain, Rogol Zaar, claims to have been the cause for Krypton’s destruction.
I know! This is just another great plot twist coming to Clark after we found out the Jor-El had survived in the previous story, The Oz Effect. Who knows how this is going to affect Clark and his Super-Family since Jon is half Kryptonian.
This is going to be a great way to rebrand Superman and may start a new era in Superman history. Thank You, Brian Michael Bendis. You are the best. (Just don’t tell Geoff Johns I said that).
What did you think about these stories? Tell us in the comments below.
~Seppin
~Rek
SeppinRek 
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