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Review: Action Comics #992

By Philip Schweier
November 22, 2017 - 04:18

One of the things I’ve always appreciated about heroes – Conan, Sherlock Holmes, Captain Kirk – is their strength of will. The will to shape their own destiny.No matter how many times a father, brother, lover or former team-mate shows up with a hand outstretched, saying, “Join me, and together we will (insert calamitous intent here).”

So I find it EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING when, after the manipulative Mr. Oz is revealed to be Superman’s father Jor-El, Superman begins to doubt himself. By his own admission, Superman only knows him through recordings and computer files. Yet because Jor-El may not be who Superman believes him to be, suddenly he is filled with despair and misery. He questions who he is, and the morality of his motivations.

What a wuss. If anything, Superman should be angry, an angst-ridden. To learn that the sacred memory of his Kryptonian heritage may be a total sham should be heart-breaking. It’s like discovering your spouse has been unfaithful.

This story leads into the next chapter of the DC Universe, as Superman realizes someone is toying with its history. He determined to do something about it, though if we’ve learned anything from the movies, it is that “It is forbidden for you to interfere with human history, rather, let your leadership stir others.” Because that’s not just an S on his chest; it’s the symbol of hope.

Rating: 1/10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12