Artist Rags Morales rendering of Superman is also superb. His comic panels are vibrant and convincing. Morales rendering of Metropolis has a bit of a retro feel to it, yet it feels modern at the same time. He shows us a not so invulnerable Superman who staggers home bruised, battered and exhausted after his battle in Metropolis. Morales handling of Clark Kent does remind me some of the early depiction of Peter Parker. Clark wears those big round glasses and has sheepish posture. In fact young Clark Kent hasn’t made it to the Daily Planet just yet. He is a struggling reporter working for a rival newspaper.

The supporting cast is there of course. Lois and Jimmy make their appearances, and it seems that Lois has yet to meet Clark. She does however convey a little distaste for Jimmy’s new found friend and rival reporter.

As a whole this story was a fresh and fun way to reintroduce Superman. The only concern I had with the story is that it was a little confusing reading about this early exploit of the man of steel, due to his appearances in other books like Justice League #1. Superman is seen in Justice League wearing his full new costume, and his powers seem more amped up. It seems that Action Comics #1 takes place some years before Justice League #1. This could have been resolved by including an opening page with a small paragraph that explains the difference in the story’s continuity as compared to the other DC titles. Still, Morrison and Morales definitely knocked it out of the park with this first issue, so check it out. Me, I’m planning on sticking around for a while to see where this story goes. See you in a month when I’ll be reviewing Action Comics #2.

Final Grade: A-