Clark Meets Superman

Action Comics #963

Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artist: Patrick Zircher
Colorist: Aria Prianto
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Published by DC Comics, 2016.

The Characters:

The Good: Clark Kent, Perry White, Superman, Lois Lane, Jonathan Kent
The Bad: Geneticron Security Guards
The Undecided: Lex Luthor, Captain Sawyer

Superman, Meet Clark Kent, Part I

Superman and Clark Kent are two different people? Well, that’s what we’re seeing in the pages of Action Comics #963.

This issue is pretty much all about Clark Kent restarting his life as a reporter for the Daily Planet. A newspaper that is now owned by Lex Luthor who has some interest in finding out the truth of the Superman/Kent question. And while Clark is no Superman, he certainly demonstrate that he can take and throw a punch throughout the pages.

The issue starts in the middle and we see Clark running away from security in some building and then flash back to a press conference in the morning. Lex is introducing Clark and explaining how he’s not Superman. Superman is dead, killed by Doomsday, and there’s a new Superman…but he is not Clark Kent. Quite strong statements but I can understand how the general populace could be confused by the whole thing, and the crowd at the conference is not quite convinced. Someone even shoots at Clark trying to prove that he’s bulletproof.

We then see Clark at Noon in the Daily Planet offices where he’s being administered a lie detector test. Yup, Lex wants proof that this Clark is not Superman. And it turns out Batman wanted a piece of the action too as he’s filmed providing the lie detector.

We then see the story Clark is really after – Geneticron. Apparently before the previous Superman asked Clark to go into hiding, he was on the trail of a story but we see the CEO, Mr. Bandu, isn’t interested in helping a simple reporter, perhaps if he really were Superman he could get an interview.

So for most of the issue, we’re shown repeatedly how Clark and Superman are different people and in the final scenes we actually see the Man of Steel rescue Clark from a situation he clearly was not equiped for.

Verdict

I enjoyed this issue and with this as the set up, I am looing forward to seeing wher this story is going.

I rate this issue a Read.

This comic can be found on Comixology, DC Universe, or at your local comic book shop.

Comic Corner | Reading Recommendation of Action Comics #963