Review: Action Comics #879

Greg Rucka's run on Action Comics remains a surprise in my mind. I have to admit that I thought that this Nightwing and Flamebird run would be a standard four color superhero punch-em-up. Yes the Chris Kent story would have some interesting elements. But I really thought this would be a simple 'take out the sleeper agents' arc.

Instead Rucka has built on that simple theme, weaving Kryptonian lore and religious elements into the plot. I have to say I have been impressed. I have enjoyed this arc enough that I haven't missed Superman and I haven't been as irked as I usually am about rotating artists. (Although I still miss Eddy Barrow.)

Action Comics #879 does have the standard fight sequences but it takes a huge and shocking step forward in plot. Something unexpected ... and I like being surprised in comics.





The comic opens up with a three-way standoff. Thara and Chris have tracked down Az-Rel and Nadira and were a hair away from capturing them when Agent Assassin showed up with some trollish goons.

Assassin could care less about the noble intentions of Nightwing and Flamebird. To him, all four combatants are Kryptonians and that means they are the enemy. He lets loose the hounds.

In the skirmish, Az-Rel and Nadira are able escape. While Thara gets surrounded, she advises Chris to take off after the two fugitives.



Once captured, Agent Assassin is able to use his telepathy on Thara to try to get a sense of who she is and what she is trying to do.

I have become a fan of this 'wide-screen' panel layout so popular in comics these days. When used appropriately (as it is here) it can lead to impressive visuals. When used wrongly, I feel like I am being robbed of valuable space for story-telling.

How interesting that her mind's eye image of Supergirl is an angry looking Kara. But it is also intriguing how the iconic imagery of the Flamebird and Nightwing legendary beings are also taking a dominant space in her mind. Throughout this arc we have learned that Thara has a religious fervor and a belief that she may be the living embodiment of the Flamebird being.

In this instance it works as we see all the things cluttering up Thara's mind with Assassin an imposing figure in the middle.





And then comes the giant leap forward for the story.

Thara suddenly 'manifests' the Flamebird persona, bursting into flames with flame wings. In another voice she yells 'get out of our mind' throwing Agent Assassin and his men to the ground. This isn't a delusion by Thara. This is very real. And it adds a compelling angle to this story.

We have heard some of the Flamebird/Nightwing myth ... how they come in times of crisis, how one of them always dies. Now we get a sense of fatality. Either Thara or Chris is going to die.



Nightwing is unable to capture Az-Rel and Nadira. In fact, Flamebird needs to come to help him save some civilians the criminals have placed in peril.

Each time one of them is injured, the other seems almost panicked. It may be they realize that their time together is short since it has been foretold that either Flamebird or Nightwing always dies.

And maybe it is that sense of destiny that is keeping Thara and Chris from verbalizing their feelings for each other. This is the third time (I think) that they have stared at each other while smoldering only to shake it off and get on to the mission at hand. Perhaps they are thinking that if they deny themselves the love that Nightwing/Flamebird share that they won't share their fate either.

In the meantime Lois is doing some tracking down of her own. With the help of Mon-El and a quick peek at the body in General Lane's coffin she realizes that her father is still alive.

It must be a tough time for Lois. She knows her father faked his death. She knows Lucy was Superwoman. And Clark is off on another planet. With that little support, I wonder if we will see Lois crack a bit or if it will only make her stronger.

And then we get a long look at General Lane in the Project 7734 headquarters.

First he learns that Thara had an otherworldly presence in her mind.

Then the Lane's mystic operative (finally named ... he calls her Mirabai) decides to take matters in her own hands.

Someone on this blog wondered if she was a Native American and I think that is a good guess given her dialogue. She says she knows the price of waiting while an enemy proceeds ... how the cost is the lives of civilians.

One thing that is obvious is that she is pretty powerful.

She's captured two Kryptonians on her own in the span of seconds! Suddenly this Mirabai is a very real power.

Diego Olmos art here was pretty good but I look forward to Julian Lopez becoming the regular artist.

The revelation of the Flamebird entity in this issue was a huge plot point. Finding out the name Mirabai and seeing her strength was another part I liked. And seeing Lois unravel the General Lane mystery was another part I liked. These moments lifted this issue since the surrounding fights were pretty standard comics fare.

Overall grade: B/B+

Review: Action Comics #878

Action Comics #878 felt like a little bit of a filler issue in the 'Sleepers' storyline. Sure there was a some movement of the plot forward and some interesting revelations. But it felt like maybe the events of this issue could have been shown in half the pages.

Greg Rucka continues to show that he has a handle on the characters here.

With Eddy Barrows off the title and Julian Lopez not starting until #880, we have a coulpe of spot starter artists. This issue is drawn by Diego Olmos. His thicker-lined style is definitely different from the Barrows style we have seen in the book so far. There is something slightly reminiscent of Dave Johnson's work here and that is pretty high praise from me. I really thought the art worked here.

The issue starts with a 5 page opening scene where Az-Rel and Nadira have taken over a house and have a rather energetic love making session. With the dead frozen house owner looking on, the two literally blow the roof off the house. This draws the attention of local law enforcement who are subsequently killed.

This felt a bit gratuitous to me ... or maybe just a bit too long . I think Rucka's intent was to show just how out of control passionate these sleepers are. They are driven by their impulses ... robbing banks, an afternoon quickie, outright murder. We already got that sense last issue where we see them slaughter police after they rob a bank; we had a sense that was their personalites.

As for this scene, I guess my biggest complaint is that it took 5 pages. Did this really need to take up almost 20% of the book? Or was it that long to tittilate a bit. Trust me, I am no prude and I am not against the nature of the scene. It's just that I hope to get my money's worth in comics and this felt like it went on too long.

I also think it is a little laughable that Az-Rel and Nadira are considered 'sleeper' agents when they seem pretty out in the open. How the heck have the flown under the radar since 'Last Son'?

We cut back to Lois' apartment where Thara has recovered. I like how Lois has her in one of Kal's shirts.

Thara doesn't recognize Lois and seems shocked when she drops the 'I'm Chris's mom' bomb. One thing I like here is that Olmos draws Thara looking young. Thara is supposed to be one of Kara's friends and she is not supposed to have aged that much in the bottled Kandor. As a result I have always thought she should look somewhere around 18-20 years old. Both Igle and Barrows have always made her seem a smidge older.

Project 7734 continues to try to figure out exactly what is going on with Flamebird and Nightwing too. A military crew actually flies to the Arctic and infiltrates the Fortress through the hole Ursa made in the roof.

Meanwhile our mystery woman is in Metropolis for a closer look at the events at Lois' building. We have seen the blue and green body art (?) on her. Now we see some power. She teleports up to Lois' balcony.

The military squad finds the body of Tor-An, identifying it as a Kryptonian. They are also able to find some of Chris's blood in the snow around the Fortress where the missiles hurt him last issue.

But more ominous is the mystery woman scopping up some of Thara's blood and putting it into some mystical looking sack. It looks as though her body art goes down to her hands and is now purple. I find this all intriguing. I wonder if there is some connection between the colors here and the colors of laser weapons fired from the orbiting Project 7734 satellites back in the Atlas storyline. Those were also felt to be magical in nature and had different colors. Hmmmm ....

General Lane is given all the intel gathered including by his crew. He learns not only Tov-Ar's Kryptonian origin but also Chris's identity. Now neither Flamebird nor Nightwing's secret identity is hidden.

Anyone else think that Olmos modeled General Lane like R. Lee Ermey, who played the Drill Seregant on Full Metal Jacket?

Lane sees conspiracy in everything. Despite the obvious signs of battle, he thinks all the Kryptonians - Ursa, Thara, Chris, and Tov-Ar - are in cahoots. He thinks they had a falling out and as a result Tov-Ar got offed. No honor among thieves as it were.

Luckily, one of his men can see through the carnage and realizes that Flamebird and Nightwing might actually be helping the cause. Unluckily, Lane can;t get by his biases to see that as a possibility.

I really find the character of General Lane fascinating. I hope we see some of his history to see why he has such hatred in his heart.

Chris finally returns home from his trip to the Arctic and has this tender if somewhat awkward reunion with Thara. It is clear that there are deeper feelings here than just the mission. Even Lois can see it. This restrained and unstated love is a nice contrast to the 'out in the open' passion of Az-Rel and Nadira.

Before more can come of this, the news breaks about Az-Rel and Nadira's trail of carnage. Suddenly romance takes a back seat and the mission becomes primary again.

They four meet in the Southwest skies. As usual, the sleepers are canoodling as they fly around. I love how Chris tells them to get a room. Funny ...

Perhaps the most impressive part of the book is just how quickly Flamebird and Nightwing. In 3 quick pages they dispatch Az-Rel and Nadira using some precise battle moves and tactics. In fact, they do it so quickly I felt a little cheated. I would have rather seen 2 more pages in this fight than the ones spent in the opening scene.

Nevertheless, Chris and Thara have them right where they want them. Thara aims the imprisonment gun at them.

Alas, before they can capture them, Agent Assasin shows up with a whole regiment of beasties. Looks like we will have another mash-up next issue.

I have enjoyed this run so far. It has been heavy on the action with enough background plots to keep the book moving. And I also liked Diego Olmos' art.

That said, this issue seemed to be a 'tread water' issue where things did progress but just a bit.

Overall grade: B