If so, it's a shaky start to what has been up to now my favorite of the "New 52" books. Read Full Review

The only thing that really bugs me about this issue is the last page, which informs us that we've got to wait 3 months to see what happens next. The upcoming issues featuring the Legion should be fun as hell, but I hate being kept waiting like this. But at least we're not expected to wait all that time with nothing else being published. Read Full Review

After a couple of month's of promo material, I was glad my extra buck was spent on more story. And I also am glad that this Steel fight was both showcased but also removed from the main story. Superman still needs to shine here. He needs to star in his own book. We don't know enough of Superman here to lose pages to a 'guest star'. But this fight needed to be told in depth. We got to learn more about Irons. And we have the next hero of the DCnU. That was a win. Read Full Review

Less is more most of the time but in Grant Morrison's storytelling it appears to be the exception to the rule. Read Full Review

Danny Djeljosevic is a comic book creator, award-winning filmmaker (assuming you have absolutely no follow-up questions), film/music critic for Spectrum Culture and Co-Managing Editor of Comics Bulletin. Follow him on Twitter at @djeljosevic or find him somewhere in San Diego, often wearing a hat. Read his comic, "Sgt. Death and his Metachromatic Men," over at Champion City Comics and check out his other comics at his Tumblr, Sequential Fuckery. Read Full Review

I do have two minor complaints about the issue. First off, the cliffhanger ends with the information that the story will continue in issue #7, and that next issue will be an interlude. As far as I can tell, Grant Morrison is still writing that issue, so Im rather confused as to the reason for the interlude. However, that may become clear when the next issue is released, and its technically not a fault with this issue anyway. The other little problem I have is Steels armor. It looks okay, and again, Brad Walkers rendition of it is fantastic, but it looks rather similar to Cyborgs design. Yay to the DCU for embracing diversity and all that, but do you really want your first two minority superheroes (again, chronologically speaking) to have such similar visuals? On the other hand, this is clearly Steels prototype armor, and Im keeping my fingers crossed that the completed version will sport a look all his own. Read Full Review

Action Comics doesn't have much in the way of meat here, but it does tantalize a bit more. Luthor's reactions to how the alien is going against what he agreed to with it is amusing, but all it does is reinforce in his mind that aliens are bad and not to be trusted. The use of Corben and Irons helps to build the supporting cast from the start of Superman's career rather than later additions and we get to see how Lois is handling some of these changes in a personal way. The Terminauts are kind of all right overall, but I do like that it's working its magic fairly well when it comes to the capture and acquisition of artifacts and other things since it's classic Braniac overall, just with some mild tweaks. I'm still expecting a twist or two along the way, but this issue delivers decently with what it wants to do, it just doesn't completely captivate or draw you in totally. Read Full Review

Issue #4 is a definite step in the right direction, but I'm still waiting for the hammer to drop and for things to get crazy good as I know Morrison is capable of delivering. Read Full Review

While a compelling enough read, this story, like its star, doesn't reach to the stratospheric heights of which it is capable, and is further hampered by a mostly unmemorable backup feature. Read Full Review

DC is riding high on the success of this rebranding/relaunch/reboot and Action Comics is a great example of what a company can do with the right talent, the willingness to take a risk in retelling origins, and keeping fans (new and old) interested in the story. While I don't like the jump in the Steel story, and some of the Luthor silliness is rather anti-lex, the art is good and the overall roller coaster ride of a story Morrison is serving up earn this issue 3.5 out of 5 Stars. Read Full Review

Anyway, Action Comics #4 is all right. It's not great, but there's a bit of fun and cool to it, and some iffy stuff to cast the stink-eye upon. That's mostly what you get with the New 52. Read Full Review

In the end, "Action Comics" #4 is necessary to the story that Grant Morrison is telling, but that doesn't make it as lively or energetic as the first three issues. The action is determined by an external force rather than the characters themselves, and that sucks a lot of the drive out of the issue. Things happen because they happen and Morrison doesn't seem to find that any more interesting than we do. Hopefully, this issue is just a hiccup in an otherwise strong run. Read Full Review

It's funny to say, but Morrison's Superman in Action Comics may be a more street-level character that his Batman has been lately. At least we could have said that up until the moment when he decided to focus less on Superman fighting big business or the military establishment and made Action Comics #4 a story about an alien invasion. Morrison's run began as a story about a boy who thought he had the power to change and inspire a city. Hopefully that is a story that we can get back to. Read Full Review