"Action Comics" and "Superman" Comics Index

2015

ACTION COMICS

Action Comics #36 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Action Comics #36
Cover date: January 2015
"Horrorville"
Writer: Greg Pak
Penciller: Aaron Kuder
Inker: Aaron Kuder
As Clark Kent volunteers to help rebuild in Metropolis Lana Lang wakes up from the same nightmare she has been having for a month. After breakfast she and John Henry Irons head into town and after some banter with the locals Lana spots a hearse heading out of town and some weird fog rolling in. They follow the hearse to the cemetery where Lana is shocked to discover that the dream she had been having of her parents clawing their way out of the ground has seemingly come true. After getting a weird feeling Superman heads to Smallville but teleports to the other side of town as soon as he flies into it. With some assistance from the Toymaster he manages to break through the field that is now surrounding the town. Inside Lana sees the reanimated body of her parents coming towards her. They are being controlled via tentacles by an ugly creature that is a combination of a man and a reptile. With Hiro's help Superman is able to break through the fog and beats the creature into submission. After an uncomfortable conversation with Lana Superman tries to leave Smallville but finds he can't. Three of the locals watch this and talk about the fact that they were just doing their job. One of them asks about what they plan to do about Superman. Another replies that the real question is when he finds out what is really going on what is Superman going to do about them.

Action Comics #37 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Action Comics #37
Cover date: February 2015
"SmallVillains"
Writer: Greg Pak
Penciller: Aaron Kuder
Inker: Aaron Kuder
As Hiro tries to get into Smallville Superman fails to break out. After waking from a nightmare about a childhood incident he, Lana and John Henry explore Smallville and find everyone is fine when they really shouldn't be. Superman tells them to stay inside and most of them oblige though Lana is still uncomfortable with Superman handling the situation. They track the disturbance to where Superman and Doomsday fought and begin to poke around when the older men from town attack. With Lana and John's help the men are taken out and Superman reaches Hiro but somehow the beast behind it all is still free and its sphere of influence is increasing.

Action Comics #38 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Action Comics #38
Cover date: March 2015
"Home Is Where The Hell Is"
Writer: Greg Pak
Penciller: Aaron Kuder and Jae Lee
Inker: Aaron Kuder and Jae Lee
After an intense nightmare about his past Clark wakes up and realizes that the fight with Doomsday must have opened up a crack in the Phantom Zone and released some of the nasty villains with psychic powers. He hears a scream coming from his boyhood home and sees Lana inside surrounded by fire. He tries to help her but can't and she is drawn into the blaze. Clark believes this is another dream but is shaken from this by a call from the kitchen. He opens the door and the rotted bodies of his parents are getting ready for breakfast. They say awful things to him before the creature responsible is revealed. It is holding Lana and Clark tries to free her but fails. Desperate he changes into Superman and leaves with the bodies of his parents. Steel and Hiro see the fire and follow it to the Kent home. Superman explains what happened before Hiro notices strange creatures on the backs of the kids they are trying to protect. Suddenly everyone has one and when Steel tries to attack his he is shocked to the ground. Mrs. Takahara and Mr. Santiago approach the scene and explain that when Brainiac attacked the town it gave them special powers. They used those powers to fight against the evil that had come through the Phantom Zone but Superman distracted them and it's getting harder to keep the evil back. They can close the portal but Superman needs to kill the monsters that have come through. The monsters attack and it is revealed that they feed on emotion. Lana arrives and explains that it fed on her fear but now she wants Superman to just let the monsters do what they want. They make everything better. She asks Clark to let them in. Just let them in.

Action Comics #39 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Action Comics #39
Cover date: April 2015
"Under The Skin"
Writer: Greg Pak
Penciller: Scott Kolins and Aaron Kuder
Inker: Scott Kolins
Superman asks Mrs. Takahara and Mr. Santiago to stop attacking him and Steel so they can save Lana from the creature from the Phantom Zone. With Hiro's help they break free of their control and fly towards the Zone. Realizing that the monster feeds on emotion Steel adjusts his armor to control his feelings and coats Superman in a similar metal shell. They find Lana and the creature responsible for all of their misery. It calls itself the Ultra-Humanite and tried to invade the Earth from a crack in the Phantom Zone twenty years before but a young Clark Kent inadvertently stopped it. Thanks to Doomsday's escape the creature is on the loose again. Lana begs Superman to leave but the Man of Steel has other ideas. He rips off the armor Steel coated him in and begins to give the Ultra-Humanite what it wants; emotion. Superman experiences an entire lifetime while under the creature's thrall and watches as everyone he loves dies leading him to leave Earth forever. This proves too much for the Humanite and soon it is defeated and all of its creatures return to the Phantom Zone. Superman, Steel and Lana head back to Smallville as a new day dawns. After Lana and Clark's parents are once again in their graves Lana apologizes to Superman for her recent behavior. He tells her that it's fine and soon Superman is flying Lana, Steel, Hiro, Krypto and a veritable menagerie of strange creatures away from Smallville. The darkness he felt slides off his mind and he knows it will always be there. Just not today.

Action Comics #40 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Action Comics #40
Cover date: May 2015
"Mirror Cracked"
Writer: Greg Pak
Penciller: Aaron Kuder
Inker: Aaron Kuder
Superman doesn't fall into a rift in space only to not find a square version of Earth. He doesn't find Lois who isn't a bizarre replica of the one he knows and she isn't scared of him at all. Bizarro very slowly arrives and the two don't begin fighting. The fight goes on for days and isn't interrupted by Bizarro Metallo, who loves Bizarroworld because the beings there are constantly trashing the place. Bizarro fails to take Bizarro Metallo down and the Bizarro Justice League doesn't arrive to join in on the fun. Slowly Doomsday doesn't appear in the sky and he and Superman don't begin fighting their way to the moon, which doesn't get destroyed. Doomsday doesn't infect Bizarro turning him into Doomzarro, a creature that spews bunnies and puppy dogs and flowers all over Bizarroworld. Doomzarro doesn't overcome the influence of Doomsday and fails to return to his Lois, who is very unhappy to see him. This unhappy ending is capped off with Bizarro not telling Superman that he is Bizarro's worst friend and never understands him.

Action Comics #41 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Action Comics #41
Cover date: August 2015
"Hard Truth"
Writer: Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder
Penciller: Aaron Kuder
Inker: Aaron Kuder
Superman wanders shirtless and freezing through the wilderness until he finally finds civilization. There he buys clothing and food and spots a newspaper detailing that his identity has been revealed to the world. He buys a motorcycle from a local but when that local figures out that he sold his bike to Superman suddenly the eight hundred dollar price isn't enough. A fight breaks out when one of the men hits the other and even though his powers are diminished Superman makes short work of the rest of the crew. He heads to Metropolis and is momentarily detained at the border before being allowed through. Superman meets up with Jimmy in their neighborhood and finds that he has many supporters there. Superman hears of a situation at Pier 34 while talking with a firefighter named Lee Lambert and heads out there despite the woman telling him it's not his job. A shadow creature similar to one Superman faced recently is attacking Pier 34 and without hesitation the Man of Steel launches himself at the beast and delivers a vicious right cross. Meanwhile a Sgt. Binghamton is ordered to mobilize his troops. He confirms those orders and tells his men to move it. As they march towards where Superman and Jimmy live Binghamton says that they have a block to burn.

Action Comics #42 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Action Comics #42
Cover date: September 2015
"Hard Truth" - Part 2
Writer: Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder
Penciller: Aaron Kuder
Inker: Aaron Kuder
Superman fights a shadow beast and manages to defeat it despite not having all of his abilities. Meanwhile a riot squad led by Sgt. Binghamton terrorizes the people in Clark's neighborhood and try to goad them into rioting. Superman arrives and surrenders but Binghamton has his men beat the Man of Steel anyway. When the cops once again turn their weapons on the civilians Superman launches into action and punches Binghamton in the face.

Action Comics #43 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Action Comics #43
Cover date: October 2015
"Hard Truth" - Part 3
Writer: Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder
Penciller: Aaron Kuder
Inker: Aaron Kuder
Superman knocks the seven bells out of Binghamton but it turns out that he's one of the shadow aliens that the former Man of Steel has been fighting. Binghamton's former colleagues turn on him but the alien manages to escape. After things calm down a bit the Mayor gets on the phone with Superman and tells him to leave town. Superman doesn't want to do that but after seeing that the apartment he shares with Jimmy has been vandalized he rethinks that position. He gathers the people from his neighborhood and inspires them to help each other by telling them that they are all supermen now. Later at City Hall the Mayor calls Officer Petruzzelli into her office. Turns out the mayor is one of the shadow aliens as well and wants to initiate the officer into their ranks. Petruzzelli runs out of the room and is very nearly killed if it wasn't for the timely arrival of Superman with a group of cops serving as his back up. Superman tells Petruzzelli not to worry because they are all in this together.

Action Comics #44 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Action Comics #44
Cover date: November 2015
"Hard Truth" - Part 4
Writer: Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder
Penciller: Aaron Kuder and Howard Porter
Inker: Aaron Kuder and Howard Porter
As Superman's fight with Wrath spills out on to the streets of Metropolis Lee Lambert and Jimmy Olsen run from the shadow creatures that have swarmed their neighborhood. They are forced to fight back as is Superman who realizes that Wrath is feeding off his anger and resentment. Lee is taken over by a shadow creature but manages to somehow overcome the possession and retain her own personality. Wrath and her creatures retreat and for the moment the battle is over. After telling Jimmy that it doesn't matter that some of their neighbors don't want him there because they're taking care of each other Superman leaves to search for Wrath.

Action Comics #45 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Action Comics #45
Cover date: December 2015
"Blind Justice" - Part 1
Writer: Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder
Penciller: Scott Kolins
Inker: Scott Kolins
Clark is at a diner where he hears a news report about Superman helping out with disaster relief from a hurricane. He secretly helps the waitress who is being harassed by the cook and then leaves before his anger causes him to blow his cover. Clark heads back to his Shack of Solitude where he goes over all of the threats conspiring against him and thinks about how they are all connected. Hiro arrives and Clark destroys his base Enemy of the State style on the off chance that the boy was followed. Clark tells Hiro to leave him alone because everyone that gets close to him is a target. Clark heads to work under his new identity as truck driver Archie Clayton and drives to Lyfegene, Inc., a bio-tech firm, to deliver their order of linens. After the distractions he previously set up do their job Clark heads through a door that is not on the blueprints and finds the place lousy with Supremacists, a group he had faced before but now seem to be working with the Wrath. He rips off his shirt and attacks. After freeing some of the test-subjects one of the Supremacists tells him to calm himself but Clark is sure they have one more captive and it turns out to be Lee Lambert. The Wrath entity that infected her has taken over more of her body but before Superman can do anything about it the Wrath entity attacks him.

SUPERMAN

Superman #36 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Superman #36
Cover date: January 2015
"The Men of Tomorrow" - Chapter Five: "Exodus"
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson
As Perry plots out the front page of the Daily Planet, Clark slips out to confront 'Neil' as Superman. He angrily tells Neil he cannot take people away in his 'Ark' like this, but Neil points out he isn't 'taking anyone' simply offering them an invitation. Neil believes Earth is beyond saving, a 'pit of depravity' that is lost. While Superman is adamant that there is always hope. Superman tells Neil that change for the better takes time to build upon, and the once optimistic Neil tells the Man of Steel neither he, nor Superman can save the Earth and flies away to oversee his plan. Lois and Jimmy race to the 'Ark' to cover the story before the deadline of the voyage. Jimmy is doubtful that people would leave Earth but Lois asks him if Superman made a similar offer would he accept? Meanwhile the Quinns prepare to leave to be with their son just as Superman arrives at their door. He explains to the worried parents that Neil has riled the military, who want to inspect the arc, not only that but far more than the six million capacity of people are converging on the site. Lois and Jimmy watch as people bicker and fight to get on board. The aliens are intolerant of violence and ban the rowdy amongst the prospective passengers. While the sick and infirm beg to be considered in their place. Neil watches silently as Klerik is loaded on board, still bound after their encounter. Neil arrives at his parents' home and they prepare to leave. Ulysses/Neil then drops the bombshell that they cannot come back with him, he is desperate to protect them after being lied to about their fate for so long. Superman comes out from hiding and demands to know what is really going on, naturally a stand off occurs where Superman is overloaded. Neil is cryptic and while beating up Superman he tells him that he believes Clark is a good man and he wants Superman and the Quinns to be safe. Neil reveals he has done this before, the 'rescue' with the Ark, but this was the first time he had to do it to another Earth. He quotes Superman as he beats him to a pulp and tells him that a perfect world comes at a cost and the Earth must pay for it.

Superman #37 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Superman #37
Cover date: February 2015
"The Men of Tomorrow" - Chapter Six: "The Great World"
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson
Superman is encased in restraints emanating a Kryptonite substitute while Neil watches over him. They are aboard the mothership hovering high above Boston. Klerik approaches them on the observation deck and after arguing with Neil and slapping him sharply across the face he leaves with the Seekers to continue with their plans. Superman is perplexed by the encounter and asks Neil to explain. Neil/Ulysses reveals that Klerik is his version of Jonathan Kent, his adoptive father that brought him up on the Great World. Neil was defying his father's wishes by returning Superman to Metropolis after the crossing of the millions from Earth. Superman realizes he and the people of Earth have been duped into trusting Neil. The former friends have a war of words over the Seekers' plans, arguing over their genetic opposites and their unique takes on humanity. Outside the ship tractor beams begin drawing up the innocent people into the mothership. Despite his warning Neil's parents are desperate to join him and force their way through the crowds and are sucked into the craft while Lois and Jimmy watch suspiciously. In an instant the mothership is back in the fourth dimension and above the Great World. Neil explains that the humans 'greater existence' is to be offloaded as cargo... to stabilize the Great World, every ten years humans must be incinerated by the planet core. Superman is horrified, not least at the fact Neil has done this several times before. Neil explains that the Great World is like his Krypton, he is ensuring its survival. Superman argues no matter the loss he would never sacrifice the lives of millions of innocents for a selfish murderous goal. Superman pleads with Ulysses to turn the ships back and return the people home but Neil tells him the planet is already destabilized... without a sacrifice it will die in days. Neil still sees Earth as a poisonous planet and that the deaths of a small chunk of its 7 billion strong population would be a sweet release. Superman continues to hit a brick wall with Neil until he spies the Quinn's have stowed away on board the craft. Ulysses won't allow them to die and frees Superman. The two formulate a plan to divert the ship back to Earth, taking both the Seekers and the humans to Earth as a safe haven. Neil absorbs as much battery power as he can to teleport the transports back to Earth. All the holding pens appear empty but before Superman can confirm the Quinn's are safe, Klerik attacks. Klerik demands that Ulysses return the power to the ship before they crash into the Great World but a weakened Neil can't do it fast enough to stabilize their position and the ship crashes. The force of the crash has started an early implosion and with only seconds to spare Superman rescues Neil before the planet dies. As the two titans float in the fragments of the planet Ulysses/Neil wakes up and asks Superman telepathically if he heard the Seekers' dying screams. Believing Superman tricked him Neil begins battering the Man of Steel and then, clutching him round the throat, he envelops them in his energies...

Superman #38 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Superman #38
Cover date: March 2015
"The Men of Tomorrow" - Chapter Seven: "Friends & Enemies"
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson
Ulysses attacks Superman for his part in the death of the Great World in the Fourth Dimension. He teleports all the passengers, himself and Superman back to Metropolis much to the surprise of Lois, Jimmy and everyone else that was left behind. Ulysses is hell bent on returning the favor and destroying Earth. As Neil/Ulysses smashes the two of them into a skyscraper Superman doubles back to save the people from the debris and they beg him for answers. Superman tells them there never was a perfect utopia, You can't look to other dimensions for answers, you have to look to yourself for answers, for help and hope. Neil grabs the Man of Steel and Clark directs them into forestry as far from Metropolis as possible. Ulysses reveals that with the death of the Great World all of its energy transferred to him and by pumping that directly into the Earth he can cause it to explode. Regretfully Superman swears to stop his mourning friend and fires a beam of heat vision. Ulysses effects Clark as before, overloading and absorbing his energy intending to use it for himself. Suddenly Clark feels a powerful feedback as Neil inadvertently activates a cellular depletion in Clark - an explosion so big it dissolves his armor and detonates the surrounding 5 square miles with solar energy. When Clark finally wakes up he discovers Batman has whisked him away to the Batcave and tended to him while Ulysses has been placed in a cell on Strykers Island where technology designed for Parasite is being utilized to contain him. Batman tells Clark he has developed a new power: Solar Flare. Alfred brings Superman his cape. The armor is completely destroyed. He is completely human for approximately 24 hours until his cells reabsorb energy. Clark, now rehired at the Daily Planet as a reporter, visits Neil. Neil never EVER wants to speak to him ever again. Clark complies but offers alternative guests to see him: The Quinns. Despite all that has happened they swear to stand by their son and to love him always, no matter what. Clark watches from the shadows as Neil breaks down in tears. Jimmy takes Clark out for a hot dog and a long overdue heart to heart. Jimmy was touched by Superman's speech and donated his entire wealth to the people caught up in the Ulysses event. Clark takes Jimmy by surprise and offers a secret of his own... his secret identity as Superman!

Superman #39 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Superman #39
Cover date: April 2015
"24 Hours"
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson
Clark Kent has revealed he is Superman to Jimmy Olsen. Jimmy is skeptical due to Superman being powerless for the next 24 hours after using the new Solar Flair power against Ulysses. In the park Clark saves a little boy from falling out of a tree, but cuts his elbow in the effort. Later, during a Daily Planet staff meeting (after experiencing his first paper cut), Clark rushes out when news of a gunman holding a hostage is head. Lois and Jimmy race after him. Jimmy is taken by surprise as Clark arrives suited up as Superman. Jimmy is fearful as Superman walks through the crowd up to the gunman. Clark reaches out to the man pointing out he hasn't hurt anyone yet and shooting a bulletproof man would achieve nothing except an arrest. He will go to prison for the robbery but for a far shorter sentence than if he killed his hostage or shot at Superman in the crowd. The gunman, wavering, hands his weapon over to Superman and thanks him for preventing a potentially horrific mistake. Superman and Jimmy duck into an alley and Jimmy berates his friend for what he did without superpowers. Superman points out he had no other choice than to take action. Just then Superman gets his powers back. He and Jimmy eat hotdogs atop the Daily Planet. The next day Clark receives the parcel from Mr. Oz. Puzzled, Clark flicks through a book with his family crest on the front, it is however - blank. Mr. Oz watches from afar and remarks that the future is unwritten but that Clark and his friends will see soon enough what's in store...

Superman #40 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Superman #40
Cover date: June 2015
"Powerless"
Writer: John Romita Jr.
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson
Superman is in outer Mongolia playing around with his solar flare power. A reluctant Batman picks him up and takes him to the JLA Watchtower. United with his fellow Leaguers Clark tells the team of his love of being completely human while his powers recharge. Cyborg decides a test is in order. Superman's burst is not only explosive but it has EMP capabilities as it knocks out power on the satellite. Tired of the tests the team decide on some downtime and head to Metropolis for a social night of booze and food. Clark is quickly overcome by alcohol and by the next morning he is sick with a hangover. A news bulletin wakes him with news of three men with tech weapons shooting everything in sight. Suiting up, a sickly Clark races to the rescue as a slowly powering up Superman. The Man of Steel hasn't enough power, so he leaps across the city to intercept the three killers. The three villains are enjoying the guns a mystery benefactor awarded them and don't hesitate to shoot at Superman with their weapons. A bloody Superman tries to hide the fact he is hung over and injured. He uses rubble to deflect blasts and takes them all out. Superman gathers up the weapons for Cyborg and Batman to check over but he is too late to stop passers by videoing him. Later the videos are being transmitted all over the news and they reveal a severely injured Superman. Clark arrives for work covered in plasters and hiding his face behind sunglasses. Lois notices both Clark and Superman are sporting injuries in exactly the same places and something clicks...

Superman #41 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Superman #41
Cover date: August 2015
"Before Truth" - Part 1
Writer: Gene Luen Yang
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson
An unknown contact texts Clark's cellphone and instructs him to turn on the TV to CNN. A news flash tells of how technologically advanced weapons are being sold to street gangs from an unknown source. The unknown contact purports to knowing the unknown source and tells Clark to follow his instructions for a scoop. Soon, Clark and Jimmy, armed with their iPhones arrive in a warehouse in Technology park to report on 'the story of the year'. What they discover is a foreign military general discussing made to order weapons manufactured by 3D printers, so advanced they can print a super tank. A gunman discovers them. Clark instinctively grabs the 3D laser gun and crushes it, instructing Jimmy to run. Jimmy races around in the dark until he is ambushed by a group of thugs with 3D printed guns, cue Superman crushing them to a pulp. The dealer orders the thugs and the foreign general to evacuate immediately. Before leaving the dealer activates the giant 3D printer to launch the super tank which promptly crashes through the wall and attacks Superman.

Superman dodges attacks from the tank, grabs Jimmy and an injured thug, flying through a ceiling vent. The tank attacks again before Superman can help them to a hospital and before he knows it his heat vision overloads again triggering a solar flare. They find Lois arriving to investigate the same story as they put the pieces together. Lois dominates the story and instructs Clark and Jimmy to file with Perry. Perry, Lois, Clark and Jimmy celebrate Norvell's arrest. Clark's cellphone buzzes again, this time the unknown caller instructs him to turn over a woman with blue dreadlocks who will visit the newsroom whom he deems sick in the head. Clark demands an identity of the caller or he will sever contact, to which the caller reveals the link to a secret web blog that completely obliterated Superman's secret identity. It will remain a secret as long as Clark follows orders. Clark confronts Jimmy and asks him if he even accidentally revealed his identity to anyone. Jimmy swears he hasn't and Clark realizes that his addiction to flaring has made him slower. As his addiction took hold Clark was becoming slower and perhaps slow enough that a camera could snatch an image where he was previously just a red/blue blur. As Clark ponders the consequences of being an addict, the woman that the unknown caller had forewarned him about arrives. Despite her asking for Clark, Lois of course intercepts and is already grilling the woman as Clark arrives to protest. The woman promises to reveal more on the Norvell story but as she does authorities arrive to arrest her. Lois tries to help her escape but Clark stops them pointing out they know nothing about the woman. Lois accuses Clark of being a coward and they watch as the woman, Ada 'Condesa' Amoragujeta is led away into a black van. Angrily, Clark slips away into a Daredevil-esque all in one black suit and red ruby sunglasses and intercepts the van as it passes under a bridge. Inside Condesa realizes the men in black aren't really FBI agents and that she is probably going to die. Enter Covert Clark who fights off the men and grabs Condesa from the fast moving van, skidding along the street as the van crashes into parked cars. In an alley Jimmy, is waiting for Clark and Condesa as Lois sneaks into the car and reveals she knows, Clark and Jimmy are up to no good. Enter Clark, bleeding from the attack, Condesa, who reveals that Norvell is just entry level in a bigger scheme only to meet a hysterical Jimmy and a snarky Lois. Before any of them can react to one another the fake FBI agents shower their car in bullets and they race as fast as they can to safety.

Superman #42 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Superman #42
Cover date: September 2015
"Before Truth" - Part 2
Writer: Gene Luen Yang
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson
Jimmy, Clark, Condesa and Lois have managed to make it to the outskirts of Metropolis. They're attacked by solidified ninja shadows, which Clark fights off. Condesa reveals her knowledge of the mastermind behind everything... HORDR. Lois reveals her suspiciions of Clark, tears of his shirt to reveal the Superman costume underneath. Clark tries to explain, but Lois is angry and won't listen. Clark takes them to Hiro, who creates duplicates of Condesa's HORDR ID Mask, which allows them to board a HORDR bus. The flying bus takes them to the HORDR campus, but they are detected and attacked. As Superman tries to use his Solar Flare to destroy the complex, a mysterious figure appears and drains all his superpowers. Jimmy and Lois grab Clark and throw him onto a broken door. They drag it to the last waiting holographic bus and escape.

Superman #43 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Superman #43
Cover date: October 2015
"Before Truth" - Part 3
Writer: Gene Luen Yang
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson & Scott Hanna
Clark wakes in Lois Lane's bed, naked. Lois wakes and the bedroom door opens to Jimmy and Condesa. Jimmy is sick with worry that Hordr found out about Superman's secret identity through him. Lois instinctively asks a series of questions, several that Clark struggles to answer, when that happens she breaks down and thinks back to Clark's early years and his torturous electrocution at the hands of Lex Luthor & Sam Lane. Lois tells him she would never sacrifice him or his life like that for the truth, Clark, touched, tells her how he is appreciative of their friendship. A small Phablet with little arms and legs crawl out of the toilet bowl and make its way into the bedroom. Having asked Lois to stab him with a fork to test his powers, Clark recoils in pain before the phablet interrupts with a message from Hordr_Root. Hordr_Root informs them that despite them destroying the base and the servers he had copied some of the most serious secrets to a secondary location. The blackmail still stands and Clark has an hour to get to the secondary base or his secret will be revealed. With Lois in tow, Superman arrives at the base and Hordr wants him to perform a Super Flare to power his Quarmers or people he loves will be hurt when his secret identity is revealed. In a rage Superman unleashes his solar flare but Lois runs in with a revelation. Lois has released Clark's dual identity worldwide with a single photo. Her idea is that Hordr no longer has a hold over him if his secret identity is public. No secrets mean freedom and the destruction of Hordr. Clark now in a fury tears the second base apart as Hordr_Root sighs and abandons yet another robotic body. Clark is distraught, angry, he cannot fathom why Lois would do something so stupid, as it wasn't like he couldn't have found a way out. By revealing his identity she has carried out the threat Hordr_Root had made, everyone Clark loves is now in mortal danger. Lois counters that Clark would do exactly that just to save one life but before they can get into a tete a tete General Sam Lane arrives in a helicopter armed with kryptonite weapons. Clark turns to Lois and tells her he was wrong. He was better off when Lois wasn't part of either of his lives and then he leaps into the darkness.

Superman #44 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Superman #44
Cover date: November 2015
"Before Truth" - Part 4
Writer: Gene Luen Yang
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Klaus Janson
Clark Kent is strolling through Metropolis when the Royal Flush Gang attack him now they know his identity. What they hope to achieve is a mystery but they fight Clark and then end up turning on one another till they knock each other out and the police arrive to arrest them. An officer apologizes but explains he must take in Clark too. But as he moves forward to do just that, a bulletin announces that super villains have taken hostages at the Daily Planet. Livewire, Killer Croc, Shockwave, Killer Frost, Atomic Skull and a mysterious sixth member of this sinister crew have various Planeteers tied up. Clark arrives and tries to take out Livewire but is winded in the fight. Elsewhere Sam and Lois Lane have a heart to heart. Sam expresses how proud he is of his daughter for destroying Clark Kent's life and exposing Superman. Lois is stunned and when news of the hostage situation reaches them she begs for General Lane to intervene and help her friend and the hostages. Two men in black arrive and interrupt them and Lois realizes that if they don't hurry, her colleagues will die. Clark picks himself up and grabs Livewire using her powers to electrocute the other villains. Killer Frost is knocked out first, then Shockwave is manipulated into taking out himself and Atomic Skull while Clark punches Killer Croc to the ground until he submits and reveals where the sixth villain is waiting with the hostages. The villain unmasks himself to reveal that he is Dylan, a Daily Planet staff member whose wife was killed when Titano attacked the city. Dylan reveals wrist mounted guns and unleashes a shower of bullets on Clark. Clark approaches closer and closer until the ricochets at close range take Dylan out. With a last bullet he fires a shot to kill Clark but misses his enemy, and the bullet finds itself hitting Perry instead. Later in the hospital, Perry aggressively challenges Clark as a liar, even going so far as to slap his spectacles off before firing Clark. As Superman, he issues a challenge and threat to all the villains of the world... His loved ones and friends are not to be touched... or else.

[Trade Paperback collection: Superman Vol. 1: Before Truth [Paperback] reprints Superman #40-44 and the 8-page Superman story from Divergence: FCBD Special Edition #1]

Superman #45 Read Review KindleDownload iBookBuy Now Superman #45
Cover date: December 2015
"Street Justice"
Writer: Gene Luen Yang
Penciller: Howard Porter
Inker: Howard Porter & Klaus Janson
Clark Kent meets with Condesa to find out more on Hordr. Condesa tells Clark about Sungetix. Hordr took over the company as a front, it was previously a legitimate business. As Lois arrives Clark runs out and heads to California to infiltrate Sungetix. There he confronts Hordr, exposes the front, and destroys Hordr's thug Apolaki. On the street he discovers Apolaki is known as a celebrity 'super' prize fighter. Heading to the place where the fights are held, Clark sneaks in and is forced to fight in the ring in order to get the information he needs on Hordr.

NOTABLE ISSUES

Wonder Woman #37 (December 17, 2014)
Meredith Finch, David Finch
Superman arrives on Paradise Island to support Wonder Woman in her darkest hour, but their bond may be breaking apart! No time for Diana to think, though, as a mythological force seemingly tied to Wonder Woman's role as War attacks the Amazons!

Deathstroke #9 (August 26, 2015)
Tony S. Daniel & James Bonny, Eduardo Pansica, Sanou Florea
Wonder Woman and Deathstroke return to Paradise Island, after being consigned to an abyss, to find it overrun by Lapetus and a mass of aggressive fodder form Tartarus. Deathstroke, armed with a god-killer sword created by Hephaestus, seeks to stop the melee and save the world. Wonder Woman engages Lapetus, but is rocked for her efforts. Deathstroke goes to aid her, but Superman arrives takes Deathstroke for an enemy. The two battle until Wonder Woman revives and stops the battle. Lapetus returns with a weapon of import, ready to do battle.


Action Comics & Superman Comics Index

Introduction

Here is a listing of the regular Superman titles (Action Comics and Superman) since the 2011 Flashpoint saga that relaunched the DC Universe of comic books. For accuracy almost every entry is based upon actually looking in the issue, and not memory or another source.

This listing is done in the order for when a comic book issue was published.

Note: Remember, the month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic was on sale.

The Writer, Penciller and Inker for each issue is listed under the Comic's Title and Date.

CONTENTS:

2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016
Trade Paperbacks

Back to Comic Index Contents Page.

You can read reviews of all the Superman related comics (from October 1999 onwards) in the Mild Mannered Reviews section of this website.