Convergence: Action Comics #1 (2015) Review

(Not So) Action Comics

Written by: Justin Gray

Art by: Claude St. Aubin and Lovern Kindzierski
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 29, 2015

Regular visitors will know that I have remained pretty positive throughout this first month of Convergence.  Sure, there have been some bumps in the road, but for the most part, I have enjoyed seeing characters...a lot of which I've never read before.  However, it's the ones that I know and loves that have provided the most joy for me.  Ones like Superman.  So far, Superman books have been some of my favorites and while it may be the writers of each, I think it goes beyond that.  For the most part, Superman is Superman.  Yes, he may have a different costume, maybe a different age, may even be from a different country, but in the end, he's still Superman and there is comfort in that.  In this issue, Justin Gray gives us two of them.  Does that make this issue double the fun?  Let's find out...



The issue opens in Pre-Crisis Earth 2 Metropolis.  The Dome has been up for about a year and Clark Kent and Lois Lane are dealing with it pretty well.  Or so it seems.  Everyone knows that Clark is (was) Superman and Metropolis seems like an okay place to live, even with the Dome in place.

We then head off to Moscow, Russia to see how Dome life is for the Red Son comrades.  I have complained in my reviews and on our podcast (HERE...hint, hint) that not enough books show both sides of the fight, but Justin Gray does just that in this issue.  It's nice to see, but unfortunately, it doesn't make this book any better.  In fact, it drags it down a bit.

The problem for me is the concentration on Lex Luthor.  He is trying to manipulate the situation for his own benefit (no surprise there), but his parts just stall out.  They aren't very interesting and if the cliffhanger is any indication, they aren't even that important.  If you are going to give me Red Son, give me Superman.  Sadly, there isn't much Red Son Superman at all.

Back in Metropolis, we do get some Power Girl.  I am a Power Girl fan, just not this Power Girl. Don't get me wrong here, it has nothing to do with the era of Power Girl on the page, but how Gray portrays her.  Life on the Dome has been hard on everyone, but watching Power Girl complain about gaining weight and getting tired isn't fun in any Universe.

The issue goes back and forth between Metropolis and Moscow for a bit until the Domes fall in each city.  The final pages show Red Son Wonder Woman and Pre-Crisis Power Girl staring at the proceedings and I can only assume they will be squaring off next month.

I really think that this book was a missed opportunity.  I was hoping that Justin Gray would use his approach to show the differences and similarities of Supermen of different worlds and those closest to them.  We do get a bit of the later, but in the end, this story had a very boring start.  I hope things pick up next month because I really like these characters and was looking forward to this story.

Claude St. Aubin's art was hit or miss too.  Some panels looked outstanding, while others lacked detail and just looked rushed.

Bits and Pieces:

The Superman books have been a highlight of this Convergence Event for me, but sadly, this isn't joining them.  The promise of Red Son Superman versus his Pre-Crisis counterpart is dashed as we get a boring setup story with very little Men of Steel.  It all feels like a missed opportunity and is average at best.  If you are on the fence with this one, skip it and grab the handful of other Convergence Superman books.

5.0/10