Action Comics #854
© DC Comics
Mania Grade: B
Issue: 854
Authors: Kurt Busiek, Brad Walker, Livesay
Publisher: DC
Price: $2.99
Issue: 854
Authors: Kurt Busiek, Brad Walker, Livesay
Publisher: DC
Price: $2.99
Action Comics #854
By: Kurt AmackerReview Date: Monday, August 20, 2007
This 854th issue of Action Comics serves readers a healthy dose of Silver Age sweetness, courtesy of Kurt Busiek. Oddly enough, the issue opens with a surprisingly important, yet downplayed revelation. Jimmy Olsen finally makes the connection between Superman and Clark Kent with surprisingly little fanfare. But unlike the Silver Age, which would’ve featured the confrontation of the cover and an ending where Kent fools Olsen again, the Busiek treats the conversation realistically. Kent briefly argues with Olsen and then admits the truth. But, now that Olsen has adopted the superhero identity “Mr. Action,” he wants Superman to help him join the Justice League. After recounting some of the events from last issue and the missing pieces from Countdown that helped Olsen come to this realization, Superman departs. He remains skeptical of Olsen and Mr. Action’s eligibility for the Justice League, but promises to think about it. Only when Mr. Action stops a giant, Krypton-infected gorilla with surprisingly little violence does Superman respond to the request.
I’ve read Busiek’s work on Conan. The man can write dark and deadly material with the best of them, but his recent run on Action Comics stands as a sugar-rush tribute to Jack-Kirby-era DC. It goes down so easily that it almost feels vapid, but his obvious love for the Silver Age makes it difficult to criticize this issue. It borrows numerous elements from that era – notably the identity revelation, Olsen’s radical character evolution, and a fight with a ridiculous antagonist. But, he writes those clichés with the in-continuity gravity they deserve. Of course, a deus ex machina twist could undermine all that if Olsen has his mind wiped in Countdown or something and forgets everything. I hope that doesn’t happen, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Brad Walker provides decent pencil-work for this issue, though some parts look a little awkwardly proportioned. A few other panels look faint or grainy. Still, it doesn’t really take away from the book.
In the end, there’s nothing terribly original in this issue, but it’s a fun throwback to old-school DC. New readers will likely want to pick up the last couple of issues to jump on with Kurt Busiek’s run. Longtime readers will likely find more of what keeps them reading in the first place.
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