If “Batman Inc. #8” was the must-have a few weeks back, then DC Comics scores again with this week’s must-have issue, “Action Comics #18.” You will notice that DC Comics decided to go with two other guys at the helm of this last issue: Nosirrom Tnarg and Selarom Sgar. You have to wonder how that happened. How can such an important issue be left with these two unknowns in charge? Oh, wait a minute, it’s Grant Morrison and Rags Morales after all – their names are backward in the credits in keeping with this story’s theme! Ha. Ha. That brings up one of the best scenes in this issue. This should not be a spoiler. But be warned, if you don’t want to know anything about this last issue. Basically, this is a chance to express some initial thoughts as we all read this together and process it.
Fans will feel that this last issue does the job and lands this story safely back down to Earth. There was some meandering going on in this run but it’s hard to say that readers would have wanted it any other way. It was nice to have some leg room and spread out. And the accompanying stories, written by Sholly Fisch, were always welcome. There was the Obama issue, halfway in at #9, and even that one was not a stunt and served a purpose. It was a luxury but a good use of a luxury. It provided a compelling backdrop to expand upon some key Morrison ideas and plot points: the idea of communal minds and the multiverse.
Now, at the end of the line at #18, with a villain most suited to take on the ultimate superhero, we have a story up to the task. Morrison found a way to give us a new threat that could do battle with Superman over the space-time continuum. And this leads to what will be considered a most moving gesture. Superman calls on everyone to work together and do the impossible. With everyone’s help, everyone’s mind working in unison, the baddie might be weakened, if not outright defeated. At just the right moment, everyone recites their names…backward.
Will that be enough to defeat Vyndktvx? Well, you’ll just have to read for yourself.
Below, one last treat, a variant cover by Eisner Award-winning artist Paolo Rivera.
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Morrison is either a genius or a mad man, I don’t know which.
If his DC mulitverse maxi-series ever comes out, it should be mind-blowing…. or an incomprehensible mess.
It always sounds good. I have hope.
Thank God it’s over. This was one big mess.
I appreciate your feedback. It was messy but you have to crack some eggs in order to make a good omelette. It’s still the highlight for me of the New 52.
Lovely