Bent On Kent
Written By: Dan Jurgans
Art By: Patrick Zircher, Stephen Segovia, Art Thibert, Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 8, 2017
*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*
Now that we can get back to Metropolis, what with the death sentence over Lex's head squashed, we can start looking into the biggest mystery that has rocked this series ever since Rebirth began....... Who the hell is this human Clark Kent? Yeah, we had a ton of mysteries when this series began, but it's the human Clark Kent that's kept me up at night, thinking about whether he's good or bad or just something that's not supposed to be. Like our previous story arc, it looks like this one is going to just keep moving at break neck speeds by giving us a duel story about what's going on with our Man of Steel and what's going on back in Metropolis with Lois Lane finally getting to the bottom of this faux-Clark. Let's jump into this issue and see what's what.
Explain It!:
Our issue begins with both Clark Kent and Superman being alerted to a development. While Clark goes off and oversees a stakeout concerning Lois going undercover to expose corruption in the city, Superman flies off to his own personal Fortress due to a security breach........ which is odd as hell because on top of nobody really knowing about this place, in order to get in you have to move a huge ass boulder. Well, it turns out that we're having ourselves a little tie-in to what's going on in Superwoman right now because the intruder turns out to be Steel, holding a unconscious Lana Lang and him begging Superman to help her. This is all we really get of our hero in this issue besides for him flying off and some government organization tracking where Superman and Steel flew from on their way to the proper Fortress of Solitude, but I'll take it because it's revealed in this issue that the one tracking him is Hank Henshaw and after seeing what lies ahead for our hero in his future, I want anything we can get from him as long as it leads to him becoming Cyborg Superman again.
Back in Metropolis, Lois is undercover and the whole thing is almost fucked over when human Clark Kent jumped the gun because he thought she was in danger, but luckily, Maggie Sawyer was called to make the bust and our intrepid reporter walked away unscathed once again. After the bust, Lois finally decides to get to the bottom of who this Clark Kent actually is and follows him home, but the biggest mind fuck happens then. When Lois enters his apartment building and asks the doorman about Clark Kent, he says he hasn't seen Clark Kent for months and on top of that, nobody entered the building before her........ Crazy!
In the end, everyone at the Daily Planet is celebrating Lois for her work and Clark is waiting for her in her office so that he can finally ask her out........... Which she initially rejects because he's creepy as hell, but to get to the bottom of this mystery she finally accepts so that she can get up close and personal with this doppelganger. She's just worried about what she's going to tell her Clark. She shouldn't be worried though because it looks like Superman is going to have his hands full for awhile........ who the hell is watching Jon?
That's it for this issue of Action Comics and like the previous story arc, we're splitting our panel time up between two stories and I actually find myself interested in both and kind of pissed that we have to play between the two because I want the full story now! That's on me though and I actually like how this series has been doing that lately. The art in this issue was as great as always and when Lois followed Clark into his apartment building and found out that he was never there........... Well, that was one of those sixth sense moments that just wows the hell out of you and got me even more interested in what's going on with this character........ and after obsessing over him for months now, I didn't think that was possible. Action Comics continues to impress and be my go to Superman title and if what we get next is anything like this issue, I see that continuing.
Bits and Pieces:
We've got ourselves a duel story going on here and while I love that we're moving along at a fast pace to tell as much story as possible, I found myself mad that we couldn't focus on just one....... either one, it didn't matter. The point is, they're both interesting stories that I need to have the answers to and I can't wait to see what we get next, especially if the art remains as strong as it is here.
8/10
It's very interesting that Clark Kent is pining for Lois but does not actually "live" in his home. Clark seems genuine and caring. I disagree that he appears "creepy". Quite the opposite actually. What I love about the writing is that we readers are for the first time, experiencing Clark Kent as JUST Clark Kent, warts and all. He is not creepy; rather he is just painfully mild-mannered, clumsy and awkward but none of it appears to be an act. Indeed, I actually feel that Lois is being very insensitive and cruel to Clark. How could she not have assumed that Clark was attracted to her? It was telegraphed very early on. I doubt any reader missed it. This "Clark" has heretofore shared every trait of original Clark, except the Superman alter-ego. Of course he would share the emotions, crushes and attractions. Maybe I am in the minority, but I actually feel kinda sorry for Clark (at least for now). He just seems like a hard-working reporter who is in love with his co-worker who seems tone-deaf as to his attraction to her.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious Eric, if you think this Clark is "creepy".... then it puts a different perspective on how "creepy" the original Clark is perceived by people in general. This storyline really hammers home the idea that readers perspective on the traditional Clark Kent is heavily biased PRECISELY because we know he is really Superman. Suddenly Clark goes from being a nice guy to "creepy" just because he is not really Superman anymore? There seems to be a very unfair double-standard there. Just a thought.