Action Comics #21: Superman and Lex First Physical Fight

[superfangirl1]

 

In Action Comics #20, Superman was infected by an otherworldly parasite which absorbed his DNA, resulting in the creation of a kryptonian-parasite hybrid. The parasite was removed by the mysterious Dr. Veritas but later assaulted Superman in a series of brutal and unrelenting attacks. Action Comics #20 ended with the Hybrid infecting and absorbing scores of civilians, much to Superman’s displeasure.


Superman show us what he’s made of as he wrestles the gargantuan Hybrid down into the sewers of Metropolis, at which point he’s brutally attacked by Lex Luthor in a powered suit of armour. The weakened Superman gives it all he’s got, but ultimately resorts to desperate measures in order to save the people he’s sworn to protect.

 

Comments

[biod]

Fuck you, being friends with Lois Lane would be awesome.

[practicalcat]

Fucking SIGNED.

[mommy]

+1

[icon_uk]

Somewhat less so when you're actually in love with her and she's not in love with you.

[benuben]

Yeah, I hate those butthurt "nice guys" as much as anyone, but having feelings for someone who doesn't feel that way about you sucks and I get why that would be frustrating. I think Clark here is acting maturely. It clearly bothers him but he's not being a dick about it.

[mrstatham]

I liked it right up until they invoked the 'friendzone' thing. Ugh.

[sadoeuphemist]

I like how Jon Carroll and Lois are standing in front of the "Closed" sign so that it just reads "Lose". Subtle!

[mrstatham]

That *is* actually something of a clever visual pun, though - even if it does end up in even more awkwardness as seen in Superman #1. At least I think so. I'm just.. Well, the whole 'friendzone' thing reeks of male entitlement and I say that *as a guy*, and I'm just not keen on having that invoked in a Superman book, of all things. It just makes things feel even more 'boys club' than usual.

[ozaline]

I don't know, it'd be different if Clark agreed with Jimmy on that point... but CK is taking it good naturedly, it might not be his ideal but he's not feeling hard done by. I think a character can invoke it without the author of the book supporting it.

[blunderbuss]

Holy shit, Superman doesn't react to the 'friendzone' like a whiny child! Truely a role-model for the ages.

[benuben]

I highly recommend you not to read that other Superman book.

[akodo_rokku]

You mean JMS Earth One books, where he does *everything* like a whiny child?

[silicondream]

Not terribly clear on how Superman needed a rocketpack to help him get off the ground, but a couple seconds later he's somehow flown 93 million miles to the Sun...

[alan_smithee]

I was wondering the same thing...

[silverhammerman]

Maybe he needed it to help him takeoff and overcome Earth's gravity, then once he was safely in space he could manage the rest of the trip? Or something like that, I actually wondered what was up with that too when I saw the page.

[rainspirit]

And then Kal-El gets poisoned by overexposure to the sun and begins writing his last will and testament.

Wait, that already happened, didn't it?

[zabilac]

Action Comics focuses on Superman's first years, right? That means Clark's been in the friendzone for almost five years...

[azure_flame_god003]

I'll take comments that will keep me off this book for 1000.

[mommy]

Twenty-one issues later and Clark is still acting like an entitled fool instead of enjoying being friends with an amazing lady like Lois. I'm not sure how this is supposed to make me like the guy.

[icon_uk]

Unrequited love complicates things.

[golden_orange]

This; I mean, I'm no fan of the whole 'friend-zone' bullshit to begin with (although I suppose Clark deserves some kudos for not buying into it here), but as someone who knows, being in love with someone who doesn't love you back ain't easy.

[jlbarnett]

he's in touch with his own emotions

[jlbarnett]

John Carroll was introduced in Superman, which takes place in the present and the impression given was Clark was just meeting him. This is Action Comics which takes place more towards the beginning of his career.

Call me a fanboy if you like but that's a pretty major botch.

[venatosapiens]

It's really par for the course, though. The New 52 has somehow managed to completely snarl its own continuity in the space of two years.

[md84]

Ah yes, New 52, the thing that took the title of "Worst attempt to reboot something starting with the word New" since New Coke.

[junipepper]

Preach.

[captainbellman]

"Welcome to the Friend Zone, Clark."

"Jimmy, I'm Superman."

"..."

"I mean, if Clark Kent hauled you off to the Arctic and spent a millisecond or two crushing you into the world's douchiest lump of fossilised human cremains, you'd probably be surprised as well as in agony. Wouldn't that be terrible, in the event you ever said anything remotely as stupid ever again?"

"...Whuh - "

"And do something about that abomination on your scalp. The one I keep subtly leaving you post-it-notes about. Last I checked, the Planet isn't in the habit of hiring 11-year-olds as photographers."

[md84]

Was the Friend-Zone thing really necessary? Besides, isn't Supes dating Wonder Woman? Or does this take place before/after that relationship?

[jlbarnett]

before. Much before. Like way to early for Lois to be dating John Carroll

[protogarrett]

Clark: "That's how the cookie crumbles"

Next Panel: Must. Destroy. Humanity.

[jaybee3]

It's weird in the supposedly out-of-date/old-fashioned 80s reboot of Superman they managed to have Lois and Clark be co-workers, who are attracted to each other but also "just friends" and yet neither was portrayed as pining over the other and being able to get on with their lives. And they did for YEARS before L/C started dating. But here in the modern reboot we can't have that - despite you know Clark dating you know...Wonder Woman (which DC tells us is supposed to be a big deal).

[jlbarnett]

there's this sense among many people that if something isn't shown, it doesn't exist. I'm a wrestling fan and follow their boards and any time something is absent it's dismissed as unimportant and the people who run the show are condemned for treating it that way. Comics fans seem to follow much the same logic to me. So if there's no L/C relationship and no mention of it it'll be assumed to not exist.

[flash_fan]

I'd be a little bummed if I was Superman and I got friend-zoned by Lois Lane. I think it's a reasonable reaction. It'd only be annoying if he had agreed with Jimmy and then started complaining about how he's a such a "nice guy" and how Lois should of recognized it.

[damar148]

So is Lois supposed to be insane to be standing only several feet away from a superhuman fight, and when almost getting her head punched clean off is more concerned about her phone?

[jlbarnett]

Lois steps off buildings to escape people or get off interviews. Nothing is more important than the story.

[omgwtflolbbqbye]

That last exchange reminds me of this one between Bats and Supes in JL8:

http://jl8comic.tumblr.com/image/50415703347