Mild Mannered Reviews - Action Comics
Action Comics #1031
Scheduled to arrive in stores: May 25, 2021Cover date: July 2021
Reviewed by: James Lantz
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"Warworld Rising" - Part Two
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Penciller: Daniel Sampere
Inker: Daniel Sampere
Cover: Mikel Janin
Variant Cover: Julian Totino Tedesco
"Thalkis Help Us!"
Refugees from Warworld with Superman's family sigil burned on to their flesh have said this in Falkiri, a long-dead version of the Kryptonian language. The Man of Steel's quest for answers takes him to Atlantis where the escapees' ship crashed. He finds a stone that could be made of the same material as the Source and a large prisoner who wishes to fight him. Jon Kent, who storms out of the Fortress, believes the arrival of these people is a trap set by Mongul. He may be right as we witness the leader of Warworld burning Superman's S shield on the chest of someone in chains.
Story - 5: Brian Michael Bendis is a hard act to follow. However, Phillip Kennedy Johnson has been doing a great job with Superman as of late. This particular story is a great space opera set in the Man of Steel's universe. I'm loving every page so far.
Art - 5: Sampere really should be doing more science fiction stories like this one. His strengths in creating alien worlds, beings and technology make him fit like a glove in this story.
"The Passenger" - Part Three
Writers: Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad
Penciller: Michael Avon Oeming
Inker: Michael Avon Oeming
Midnighter wants to kill young Andrej Trojan, the same person who occupies the artificial intelligence in his head, in order to prevent his technology to arrive on Warworld. The present day Trojan is trying to reverse engineer the Mother Box taken from his captive Mister Miracle. Can the world's most famous escape artist escape Trojan's trap before he unlocks Mother Box's secrets?
Story - 5: My prediction of a Superman and Midnighter team-up may be coming to pass in July. Stay tuned, folks. In the meantime, try to enjoy the mayhem of this second feature as much as I did. It feels like one of those cheesy, yet fun movies of the 1980s I grew up with. Yet, there's also the complex character analysis my current self loves.
Art - 5: Admittedly, the fact I'm a fan of Michael Avon Oeming is coloring my rating, but his art work's perfectly for the story.
Cover Art - 5: This one makes me feel like I'm seeing Superman fly for the first time. That makes it one of the coolest covers I've ever seen.
Variant Cover Art - 5: This time we have something that feels like the Golden Age mixed with "Superman: The Animated Series" and Tedesco's own style. I'd love to see his art grace the pages of some DC or Marvel special project along the lines of Alex Ross' "Kingdom Come" and "Marvels".
Mild Mannered Reviews
2021
Note: Except for digital first releases, the month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.January 2021
- Superman #27
- Action Comics #1027
- Batman/Superman #14
- Justice League #56
- Justice League #57
- Young Justice #20
- Legion of Super-Heroes #11
- DCeased: Dead Planet #5
- Dark Nights: Death Metal #5
- Justice League: Endless Winter #1
- Superman: Endless Winter #1 [of 1]
- Superman #28
- Justice League #58
- Action Comics #1028
- Batman/Superman #15
- DCeased: Dead Planet #6 [of 6]
- Dark Nights: Death Metal #6 [of 6]
- Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Crisis on Infinite Earths #1
- DC's Very Merry Multiverse #1
- Challenge of the Super Sons #4
- Challenge of the Super Sons #5
- Justice League: Endless Winter #2
- Legion of Super-Heroes #12
- Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1
- Future State: Kara Zor-El, Superwoman #1
- Future State: Superman/Wonder Woman #1
- Future State: Justice League #1
- Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #1
- Future State: Legion of Super-Heroes #1
- Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex #1
- Future State: Batman/Superman #1
- Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Dark Nights - Metal #1
- DCeased: Dead Planet #7
- Dark Nights: Death Metal #7
- Challenge of the Super Sons #6
- Challenge of the Super Sons #7
- Challenge of the Super Sons #8
- Challenge of the Super Sons #9
- Truth & Justice #4
- Future State: Superman of Metropolis #2
- Future State: Kara Zor-El, Superwoman #2
- Future State: Superman/Wonder Woman #2
- Future State: Justice League #2
- Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #2
- Future State: Legion of Super-Heroes #2
- Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex #2
- Future State: Batman/Superman #2
- Future State: Superman: House of El #1
- Challenge of the Super Sons #10
- Challenge of the Super Sons #11
- Challenge of the Super Sons #12
- Challenge of the Super Sons #13
- Challenge of the Super Sons #14
- Truth & Justice #5
- Truth & Justice #6
- Infinite Frontier #0
- Crime Syndicate #1
- Superman #29
- Action Comics #1029
- Superman: Red and Blue #1 [of 6]
- Batman/Superman #16
- Justice League #59
- Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex #3
- Superman by Grant Morrison Omnibus HC
- Superman #30
- Action Comics #1030
- Superman: Red and Blue #2 [of 6]
- Batman/Superman #17
- Justice League #60
- Crime Syndicate #2
- Superman #31
- Action Comics #1031
- Superman: Red and Blue #3 [of 6]
- Batman/Superman #18
- Justice League #61
- Justice League: Last Ride #1
- Crime Syndicate #3
- Superman #32
- Action Comics #1032
- Superman: Red and Blue #4 [of 6]
- Batman/Superman #19
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1 [of 8]
- Justice League #62
- Justice League #63
- Justice League: Last Ride #2
- Crime Syndicate #4
- Infinite Frontier #1
- Action Comics Annual 2021
- Action Comics #1033
- Superman: Son of Kal-El #1
- Superman: Red and Blue #5 [of 6]
- Batman/Superman #20
- Superman & The Authority #1 [of 4]
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #2 [of 8]
- Justice League #64
- Justice League #65
- Crime Syndicate #5
- Justice League: Last Ride #3
- Infinite Frontier #2
- Infinite Frontier #3
- Justice League Infinity #1
- Action Comics #1034
- Superman: Son of Kal-El #2
- Batman/Superman #21
- Batman/Superman 2021 Annual #1
- Superman: Red and Blue #6 [of 6]
- Superman & The Authority #2 [of 4]
- Superman '78 #1 [of 6]
- Superman vs. Lobo #1 [of 3]
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #3 [of 8]
- Justice League #66
- Justice League: Last Ride #4
- Justice League Infinity #2
- Crime Syndicate #6
- Infinite Frontier #4
- Infinite Frontier #5
- Action Comics #1035
- Superman: Son of Kal-El #3
- Batman/Superman #22
- Superman & The Authority #3 [of 4]
- Superman '78 #2 [of 6]
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #4 [of 8]
- Justice League #67
- Justice League #68
- Justice League: Last Ride #5
- Justice League Infinity #3
- Infinite Frontier #6
- Superman: Son of Kal-El #4
- Superman & The Authority #4 [of 4]
- Justice League: Last Ride #6
- Justice League Infinity #4
- DC vs. Vampires #1 [of 12]
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Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2021.