Action Comics 1012 - Bendis' Story Craft Regresses Further

Artist Szymon Kudranski joins superstar writer Brian Michael Bendis as the attacks of Leviathan threaten targets across the globe, and the agents of the invisible mafia continue to infect Metropolis in this tie-in to EVENT LEVIATHAN!

This week’s Action Comics is an incoherent mess and the visuals looks like garbage half the time. Nothing works in this issue in terms of narrative, continuity or characterization. I thought Superman #12 was a mess but writer Brian Michael Bendis drops the ball even harder in Action Comics. This is easily the worst issue of his run on the series thus far.

Steve Epting has been the hero on Action Comics for quite some time but there is a new artist this issue. Syzmon Kudranski’s art is okay in spots but mostly sinks to Bendis’ level this issue. The best illustrated portions of the book involve the Invisible Mafia and their secret meetings. The art is ok but the visuals are so dark you can’t make any of the characters out and it just doesn’t look good.

It gets much worse when we visit love birds Superman and Lois in the Fortress of Solitude. The coloring from Brad Anderson is a major improvement but the line art from Syzmon Kudranski falters big time. Superman looks awful in the top panels and Lois Lane doesn’t look like Lois. , it’s really confusing and I initially thought Supes was cheating on his wife. The visuals in Action Comics #1012 leap backwards from the previous issues.

Despite the lackluster art Bendis still manages to drag the overall quality of the book down with even more porous writing. Leviathan has laid waste to ARGUS, D.E.O., SPYRAL and other covert agencies worldwide. The world as they know it may end at any moment yet Superman and Lois still have time for a booty call at the Fortress of Solitude. This is extremely out of character and the conversation they have provides nothing of substance. It’s like Bendis remembered he needed to include Superman in his Superman themed comic book and randomly added this scene.

Action Comics has featured nothing but the lead up to Event Leviathan for almost the entire run in 2019. I honestly can’t even remember the last time the Invisible Mafia/Secret Syndicate storyline was featured in the book.

This issue is absolute nonsense. Bendis hasn’t mentioned any of these characters or events in over half a year but jumps right back in like he never left this story arc. I literally nodded off multiple times trying to read this drivel. Syzmon Kudranski’s art is lackluster throughout and still manages to easily eclipse Bendis’ writing. This is easily the worst issue of a monotonous series. The events don’t line-up with the happenings in Event Leviathan.

Brian Michael Bendis is in dire need of a quality editor to shoot honestly with him. Between Superman #12 and Action Comics #1012 this is as low as his writing has been at DC Comics. DC recently announced he’s adding the Legion of Super-Heroes franchise to his already full plate. Bendis’ can barely handle one book yet is currently writing 6 to 10 issues monthly now. This will only get worse until DC management lightens his load and gives him the editorial support he desperately needs. DC Comics iconic Superman is in critical need of saving from Brian Michael Bendis and his rapidly deteriorating writing skills.

#actioncomics #brianmichaelbendis #bendis

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[unamigo]

after 30 years of buying action and superman i cancelled both tittles, its just not superman anymore, BENDIS GO AWAY!

[DrLynch]

Bendis is trying sooo hard to be Morrison in this "event".

[randomninja]

I know I've said this a few times, but I'm dumping Action and Superman after this week. I can't do it anymore. It's just not worth the time or money, even if just for curiosity's sake.


Great review though as always!

[devinbarber]

Raise your hands if you are surprised Bendis came over to DC and starting ruining ok if you raised your hand, i need you to go straight to a hospital and get a CATscan - you may have a tumor

[SSJFutureGohan]

Wow - I didn’t think it could get worse, but you’re definitely right, it did. This might be one of the worst things I’ve seen DC put out in my 8 years of reading their comics.

I’m so sorry that you forced yourself to read this - please don’t do that to yourself again 🙂 it’s not worth it

[Tehillim]

No More Bendis on DC Comics,
More Bendis on Jinxworld Comics

[patsboy]

One theme I’m noticing with Bendis’ writing is that he drags out a particular scenario for far too long that only needs a little screen time.

Contrast to this, I remember reading Warren Ellis’ Hellblazer storyarc Haunted where his writing felt very “get to the point quickly, I’m not here to screw around with you” and I appreciated Ellis didn’t waste my time

Speaking of, are you going to do a video on Vertigo shutting down? I enjoy hearing the different opinions about Vertigo’s shutdown

[startaiger]

Looks like Superman & Lois are the only ones to get some "action" out of this comic...

[ericbreen]

So ..I guess it's LOIS who is faster than a Speeding Bullet .

[silverjrbr]

Bendis is egocentric, nor with a super team of editors would he write anything of good quality in DC. The best alternative is to simply get out of the superman, fall out. better still it would fall out of DC comics. he does not want to write a good story of Superman, he wants to write a story THAT SATISFIES ITS EGO. he changes everything from superman mythology to make him happy. this is DC's biggest problem, the absurd amount of egocentric people in there, bendis, didio, jim lee, etc.

[Ostentatiousnessness]

They need to give Bendis some crayons to stick up his nose, that’s about his creative level these days

[fiannawolf]

Just like the comment I left on Tevya's channel: Not enough coffee to keep me going through this train wreak. And I have the special twice the caffeine k-cup star bucks setup. The romance out of Tomasi's run was good, made sense, in character. This? This is OOC Clark And Lois: Teen Edition. Hmmm....On home computer....safe search....that's a dare i think. How much brain bleach will I need I wonder. XD Oh look, the lady I pegged as boring red cloud is red cloud. So what's it gonna take? 50 issues to get one story, one long boring snail story out the door.

[Ostentatiousnessness]

Robin can’t be a bad person even if she is a villain, she’s a woman of colour according to the far left both of those labels are above criticism

[ireviewcomics]

I feel bad for you superman readers lol.