Every week I’ll be bringing you a comic book cover that I feel eclipses others out there—to the point I might just have to own it!
The BadAss Cover for this week is for Action Comics #1. That’s right. #1. DC Comics, in a move that relaunches their whole comic book line and tweaks some of the continuity of our favorite superheroes, has taken its flagship title featuring Superman and begun again at #1. How long will this last? At least a while. I have no doubt we will eventually return to the regular numbering. Until then, some of the best creators in the business are working on this relaunch and Action Comics is one of the more intriguing comic books of the line. With Grant Morrison at the helm, Superman has emerged into a world that fears and hates him. He is superhuman; he is different. Add onto that a Clark Kent who is brash, righteous and arrogant in his abilities, and it makes for a wonderful cultural analysis of what it means to be different and how humanity hates what it doesn’t understand.
Why do I love this cover though? It features a Superman we really haven’t seen before. Action Comics #1 is set before the other comic books in the relaunch line and as you can see his costume is very different than the one we’ve come to know and love. Gone are the tights. Instead, this Superman looks like he just walked off the Kent farm in Smallville—jeans, work boots, short sleeves. I love it. It makes sense that Clark Kent would need a transition from farm worker to superhero and this costume does that for me.
Here is a bit more about Action Comics #1:
Written by GRANT MORRISON; Art by RAGS MORALES and RICK BRYANT; Cover by RAGS MORALES; Variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
The one and only Grant Morrison (ALL-STAR SUPERMAN) returns to Superman, joined by sensational artist Rags Morales (IDENTITY CRISIS), to bring you tales of The Man of Steel unlike any you’ve ever read! This extra-sized debut issue is the cornerstone of the entire DC Universe!
DC Universe | 40pg. | Color | $3.99 US
Action Comics #1 is in fine comic book stores now!
More next Saturday! In the meantime, go visit your local comic book store…
