Action Comics #1019

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Artist: John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson Publisher: DC Comics Release Date: January 29, 2020 Cover Price: $3.99 Critic Reviews: 15 User Reviews: 48
6.1Critic Rating
5.2User Rating

+ Pull List

One of the biggest battles in Superman history tears through Metropolis as the super-villain team-up of Lex Luthor, the Legion of Doom, and Leviathan come to change Superman's city forever! The blockbuster creative team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artists John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson create a Superman epic for the ages-as the Man of Steel deals with the public disclosure of his secret identity!

  • 10
    But Why Tho? - William J. Jackson Jan 29, 2020

    This issue is a better backstory than Action Comics #1018 as it brought Leviathan into the fold where he first became a name in the DC Universe. Whatever his plans may be, and how much of Metropolis will be left standing, is going to keep this book very interesting for the foreseeable future. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Chuck's Comic Of The Day - Chuck Feb 2, 2020

    Bendis is terrific at crafting these kinds of plots within the plot, as the obvious plan ends up being not so obvious, after all. Add in terrific art by John Romita, Jr. and Klaus Janson, and it's a cracking good tale. Read Full Review

  • 8.4
    Supergirl Comic Box Commentary - Anj Jan 31, 2020

    Does Leviathan really want Superman dead? Or is he playing Lex for some reason? If anything, this read like an epilogue to Event Leviathan. We got the reveal of Mark Shaw and then ... poof ... it was over. Now we get to see how he inculcates himself into the DCU proper. Starting out on Lex's level is a show of respect. Amazing. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Comic Watch - Kevin Rossi Feb 2, 2020

    Action Comics #1019 picks up on the momentum that the last few issues started. Everything seems to be coming together and I am looking forward to see how it all plays out. If you have been following the series this far then I recommend grabbing a copy at your local comic book shop or where ever you get your comics. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield Jan 29, 2020

    It feels like the two Superman books under Brian Michael Bendis have switched position in the last few months. While Superman is taking on the challenging identity storyline, Action Comics is still stuck in the past era dealing with various subplots. That's not to say Action Comics #1019 is not well-written, but it's definitely lost some of its momentum. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    You Don't Read Comics - David Harth Feb 6, 2020

    Action Comics #1019 starts like it's going to be another cliche Bendis comic- a bunch of boring talking heads fawning over a Bendis created concept. However, he salvages it by having it actually play into the story at hand, a welcome change from the last issue. Romita Jr's art works for everything in this issue, his versatility as an artist working with the peaks and valleys of Bendis's script wonderfully. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally Jan 29, 2020

    A lot of the action is really well laid out, but the characters lack definition in the story moments. Romita Jr. does some great layouts with the Leviathan scenes, but both Cheetah and Grodd look weird. Cheetah has the look of a cartoon cat and Grodd looks like a strange Sasquatch hybrid. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    DC Comics News - Matthew Lloyd Jan 31, 2020

    Fellow DCN reviewer, Derek McNeil messaged me that this issue was “a hot mess!” I don't know that that is an entirely accurate description as Bendis is able to make something feel exciting with Superman in Action Comics #1019. The idea of the anti-hero is intriguing and Luthor's plot to kill Superman is engaging. Certainly, his identity reveal has played out over in Supermanas a non-story. (If there's no impact to this reveal, why do it in the first place? Answer= Bendis has no idea what he's doing.) While this issue is actually pretty good, its context within the larger scope of Bendis' run begs the question, why didn't some of this happen sooner? A roller coaster ride of quality continues in Action Comics #1019, though it never gets over the biggest hills. Read Full Review

  • 5.0
    On Comics Ground - Timothy Quail Jan 29, 2020

    Action Comics is a sum of many parts, and it is not always better for it. There are many events and story lines touched on in this title, and they aren't all lining up correctly. Often this series seems like it has too many irons in the fire and would benefit from focus. Read Full Review

  • 4.5
    AIPT - David Brooke Jan 29, 2020

    Overall, this issue feels heavy-handed. It has a mission and gets it done, but in a way that seems to reduce the Legion of Doom in order to prop up Leviathan in an unearned way. Instead of building up the character by showing, we're meant to believe he's more powerful than most of these villains. This further reduces Perpetua's plan since she chose Lex when this issue seems to suggest Leviathan was the superior villain. Read Full Review

  • 4.0
    ComicBook.com - Nicole Drum Jan 29, 2020

    At this point, the fight feels like it's been drawn out too long and it's that concern that drags the issue out. There's just too much going on and in too many points in time. Too much tell and not enough show. Read Full Review

  • 4.0
    Forces Of Geek - Lenny Schwartz Jan 31, 2020

    Hopefully, this picks up. Right now, it is barely a story and has nothing to it to have me keep me reading. Read Full Review

  • 3.6
    Monkeys Fighting Robots - Zac Owens Jan 30, 2020

    The creative team has been on a roll, but this issue is a bump in the road. Read Full Review

  • 3.5
    Weird Science - Eric Shea Jan 29, 2020

    We have the meeting of the villains this issue and while I usually love situations like this, there really isn't anything going down here besides for the group consensus, "Superman bad" and even with that, it feels odd that Leviathan would join up with anyone like the Legion of Doom.  On top of that, the art is disappointing and I would just like more of anything out of this title because right now it feels like I get nothing issue to issue. Read Full Review

  • 3.0
    Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles Jan 29, 2020

    If youre a Superman fan you can safely skip this issue as nothing of consequence happens and with Romita having an off issue theres nothing to redeem this one. Read Full Review

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