Art by: Rafa Sandoval, Lee Weeks, Matthew Clark
Colors by: Matt Herms, Elizabeht Breitweiser
Letters by: Dave Sharpe, Rob Leigh
Cover art by: Steve Beach
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: September 26, 2023
Action Comics #1057 regales readers with three tales of Kryptonian action. Clark agrees to an interview with the head of the Blue Earth movement, leading to disastrous consequences. Father and son team up to escape the machinations of an alien princess. Conner Kent enters his next angsty phase.
Is Action Comics #1057 Good?
Action Comics #1057 is a mixed bag of an anthology. Phillip Kennedy Johnson's story is the best of the bunch, with a new arc centering on the increasingly nefarious Blue Earth movement, but the rest is a hard pass.
New Worlds, Part One
Superman receives a call to return to the Daily Planet, where he learns the enigmatic head of the Blue Earth movement has agreed to an interview, but only if Clark Kent conducts it. As the tense interview progresses, Clark uses his super senses to divine that the lue Earth is up to something much worse than protecting humans. His suspicions are confirmed when Clark is attacked by the leader's bodyguard
The Blue Earth movement has popped up in an assortment of Superman-related and adjacent titles as little more than a hamfisted annoyance, but this is the first time a writer put effort into making the group a meaningful threat. Some readers may find Phillip Kennedy Johnson's heavyhanded attempt at using the Blue Earth movement as an allegory for anti-immigration supporters a bit cringe, but at least there's now some substance to the group. Solid art, several wholesome beats to remind you why Superman is the best of us, and the emergence of a curious threat make this issue the best in the anthology.
Home Again, Part Seven
Superman finds young Jon Kent on the brink of death inside one of Princess Glyanna's specially designed prison cells. With father and son united, the two destroy Glyanna's deadly robot army and save the populace of Luhnn. Unfortunately, Glyanna escapes, and Doomreaker (back at the Kent farm) disappears by some unknown force.
What a wonky ending. Dan Jurgens gives you plenty of cool family moments and solid Superman action, but Glyanna escapes without an explanation as to who or what was influencing her. By the end, the Kent family simply walks off with a shrug, and an "Oh, well" to enjoy some pancakes. Either Jurgens is setting something up without telling you he's setting something up, or he had a bigger story but ran out of time. Wonky!
Super Is As Super Does
Conner Kent returns to life on the Kent farm after his recent 6-issue mini-series with fresh frustrations and a fresh hairdo. When a heart-to-heart with Ms. Martian forces Conner to confront his angsty thoughts, Superboy is more uncertain of his identity than ever.
Honestly, I don't know what's the point of this short. Conner had an entire mini-series showing him heading off into the galaxy to find his place within himself and within the world that already has a Superman. The mini-series may have not held all the answers, but Conner returned to Earth more centered and the feeling that he's okay just being himself. This short seemingly undoes all that character growth and makes Conner as lost and whiney as ever.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Conner Kent returns to life on the Kent farm after his recent 6-issue mini-series with fresh frustrations and a fresh hairdo. When a heart-to-heart with Ms. Martian forces Conner to confront his angsty thoughts, Superboy is more uncertain of his identity than ever.
Honestly, I don't know what's the point of this short. Conner had an entire mini-series showing him heading off into the galaxy to find his place within himself and within the world that already has a Superman. The mini-series may have not held all the answers, but Conner returned to Earth more centered and the feeling that he's okay just being himself. This short seemingly undoes all that character growth and makes Conner as lost and whiney as ever.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Bits and Pieces:
Action Comics #1057 starts a new Superman arc that raises the Blue Earth's threat level, ends the Kent family's adventure with an alien princess in a wonky, rushed fashion, and undoes all of Conner Kent's character growth in a single blow. Collectively, the art is strong, but Johnson's new arc about the Blue Earth Movement is the only winning story in the bunch.
6/10
