Action Comics #856
Writers: Geoff Johns & Richard Doner
Artist: Eric Powell
Like last issue, this comic took me less than 10 minutes to read. It's lax on dialogue and heavy on action. I need some more dialogue, please. Superman is on Bizarro World, and this issue we kind of see how this new Bizarro World got created. What confuses me is what is actually happening on Bizarro World. It appears that Bizarro is the world's greatest villain, and the people of the world don't like him. The Bizarro people talk regularly, but instead of using "I am" use "Me" resulting in some offshoot caveman dialect. It's not even comparable to Yoda-speak in which the end of a sentence is said first followed by the beginning. On top of that, Bizarro still talks different than anyone else in the book from panel to panel. Sometimes he's talking backwards, sometimes forwards, and some other times it's a mix. It's like Geoff Johns can't even figure out how Bizarro speaks. If I'm to understand what is going on in the book and enjoy it, I need a little consistency.
On the upside, Eric Powell is continuing to deliver some stunning art. The bizarros are nothing short of amazing and creepy. His Superman is so iconic, it looks derivitive of the 40's Fliescher cartoons with a little Goon thrown in (what I've seen of it anyway). He's not over muscled, he just looks strong. He's drawn like a circus strong-man. Superman doesn't have to tone his abs, they're made of steel to begin with, and Eric Powell reflects this. Anyway, this arc is dissapointing, even though it's finally put the book back on schedule. Here's hoping that it can pick up a little next issue, otherwise I'm looking forward to Gary Frank jumping on the book and forgetting about this 3-isssue stint. C-
