Action Comics #1008 // Review
Leviathan strikes in Action Comics #1008, by writer Brian Michael Bendis, artist Steve Epting, colorist Brad Anderson, and letterer Josh Reed. This is yet another issue of set up for Bendis’ upcoming DC event. It's competent, but that's the best that can be said for it.
At DEO headquarters, Mr. Bones talks to Adam Strange about joining the organization, when a shadowy figure attacks. Strange is able to save a bunch of them, but DEO headquarters is destroyed. Meanwhile, Amanda Waller meets up with Sam Lane and they discuss what's been going on in the spy world before being attacked. In Metropolis, Lois Lane returns to the Daily Planet and finds Jimmy hiding under her desk. He explains to her and Clark about what happened to the Kobra meeting he was at and they take him home… when Amanda Waller bursts in and tells them that Leviathan is coming.
This issue is mostly just filler and set-up. Bendis throws Adam Strange into the mix as part of his “Hey, I know DC stuff” thing he's been doing lately and it feels a bit disjointed, especially since Adam Strange doesn't really fit with DEO and it seems weird that he would even take their offer of a job. The rest of the issue seems to try to convince readers about the threat of Leviathan, but it just feels like it's repeating things from the last issue.
While this story only acts as a teaser for Leviathan, it doesn't really do anything interesting with them. The hulking figure that attacks DEO headquarters is readers a first glimpse of them, but other than that, they're a nebulous threat. It looks like Amanda Waller will probably do some explaining of who and what they are next issue, but for now, all readers know is they are destroying spy organizations. It's kind of hard to take them seriously at this point.
Steve Epting's art doesn't look as sharp as it did the last issue. It's not bad per se, but there are a few places, especially when he draws Superman/Clark's face, where it looks weird and rushed.
Action Comics #1008 is competent, but that's the best that can be said for it. It ratchets up the threat of Leviathan but fails in making readers care about the group or actually fear them. The art feels a little rushed, but it's still pretty good in most places. Bendis uses a lot of double page spreads in this one, but it seems like he's mostly just using them so he can have more room for dialogue, not for action scenes and the like. There's nothing to hate about this book, but there's really nothing to love either.
