Action Comics #1021

5.9

Critic Reviews

13 Reviews
5.9

User Reviews

44 Reviews
Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Artist John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson
Cover Price $3.99

Metropolis down! The blockbuster supervillain team-up of the century continues. Leviathan! The invisible mafia! The Legion of Doom! All have descended on the city of Metropolis to challenge Superman at his most vulnerable moment. With the truth about the Man of Steel's secret identity out in the open, all the rules of engagement have changed-and no one is safe! Guest-starring the Justice League and Young Justice.

Reviews (13) User Reviews (44) Rate / Write A Review

CRITIC REVIEWS

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  • 9.6

    You Don't Read Comics - David Harth

    Mar 26, 2020

    Action Comics #1021 is a great comic. This story arc is probably the best one of Bendis's tenure so far, and this issue ends it in perfect fashion. This issue is action-packed and a roller coaster ride of ups and downs. Romita Jr's artwork makes the whole thing pop. This story could have gone a few ways, but it turned out great, and this ending is a testament to that. Read Full Review

  • 8.4

    Supergirl Comic Box Commentary - Anj

    Apr 02, 2020

    So another very good issue, especially if you are a Leviathan fan. Solid ending to this arc. Read Full Review

  • 8.0

    Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield

    Mar 26, 2020

    This has been the most explosive arc of the title since Bendis jumped on, with Leviathan and the Legion of Doom descending on Metropolis and Superman teaming up with Young Justice to fight back. John Romita Jr's art continues to be strong " except Grodd looking like a bear this issue " but this issue mostly belongs to Robinson Goode, aka the Red Cloud. Read Full Review

  • 7.6

    Monkeys Fighting Robots - Gabriel Hernandez

    Mar 25, 2020

    ACTION COMICS #1021 is a well-written and well-paced skirmish between the super teams. The coloring takes top marks, but you may be lost if you haven't read the prior issue(s). This is a take or leave it recommendation. Read Full Review

  • 7.0

    But Why Tho? - William J. Jackson

    Mar 25, 2020

    Romita Jr., Janson, Anderson, and Sharpe keep giving readers a dynamic book in terms of visuals and wording. There is no problem with art, dialogue pacing or plot twists. This issue offers a better level of animosity between Superman and Luthor, and other characters than has been done in some time. It leaves enough opening for further threads to be left dangling, and that's a solid plus.I only wish it went out, not bigger, but more complex, considering all it brought tumbling down.'Metropolis Doom' is over. It will be fun seeing how the city rebuilds, how the Man of Steel handles any fallout, and how villains might exploit it. Read Full Review

  • 7.0

    On Comics Ground - Timothy Quail

    Mar 25, 2020

    Actions Comics finally ends a weak arc. While, Young Justice brought some agency and levity to the story it was not enough to save it. It does end on a higher note than every other issue in the story, but that is not saying much. Hopefully Action Comics can gain some new footing after this. Read Full Review

  • 6.4

    The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally

    Mar 25, 2020

    As disjointed and unfinished as the plot was, the art was worse. The visuals from John Romita Jr felt rushed and were bogged down in scenes that required more details than were given. There was literally a panel with Green Lantern lying on his stomach, but his emblem was still visible on his back. I normally don't nitpick art because it is a subjective medium, but both the foreground action and backgrounds felt sloppy. Read Full Review

  • 6.2

    Comic Watch - Kevin Rossi

    Mar 26, 2020

    Action Comics #1021 is a crowded issue that concludes an arc that had already strayed away. A few fun action sequences save the issue, but not by much. Read Full Review

  • 6.0

    Forces Of Geek - Lenny Schwartz

    Mar 25, 2020

    The only part of this issue that is of any real worth is the art by John Romita, Jr. It is some of his best work. It is just sad that the story isn't there to match it. Read Full Review

  • 4.0

    Weird Science - Jim Werner

    Mar 25, 2020

    Bendis continues to give readers nothing of interest as he slowly catches up to a story that is now months over.  The art by John Romita Jr. is awful, and overall, there is no reason at all to buy this book in single issues, and it's debatable if the trade would be any better.  Bendis promised something new for Superman and his fans, and I can only hope that this isn't it. Read Full Review

  • 4.0

    ComicBook.com - Nicole Drum

    Mar 25, 2020

    It's a lackluster issue on almost every page. Read Full Review

  • 2.0

    DC Comics News - Matthew Lloyd

    Mar 25, 2020

    With too many plot lines, Bendis single best idea is not only unrealized, it has been diluted with other ideas that are also having trouble finding a footing. Read Full Review

  • 1.0

    Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles

    Mar 25, 2020

    This was a bad issue. Im not sure what can salvage it now short of Bendis leaving and a new writer taking over. Read Full Review

USER REVIEWS

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  • 7.0

    cincyfan

    Apr 05, 2020

    the story was decent but again the art doesn't work for me at all

  • 6.0

    WHEN is this invisible Mafia thing going to end? WHEN is Leviathan going to be defeated at last? I miss the Superman stories that didn't drag on for 2 years. While it's good to have Lex back at least, let's have him as an evil billionaire executive and ditch that Marvel-reject look. Bendis needs to let Superman catch the bad guys for a change. I'm tired of how they always get away and stay and stay and stay, never to be jailed. Remember when he'd beat the bad guy in a single issue all the time? Not to mention the Invisible Mafia SUCKS. And Leviathan has become less and less interesting. Superheroes need new challenges to stay fresh, not the same ones over and over with more added on that do the same. I'm reminded of the never-ending menace more

  • 5.0

    Simon DelMonte

    Apr 12, 2020

    The terrible art and a sense that Bendis lost his way make this one a rare total misfire on the part of artist ans writer.

  • 4.0

    egonnn244

    Mar 27, 2020

    "Let's go clean this up and figure out who you are" Some comic book issues can be rather mediocre, some can be quite bad or even terrible and then there are issues like this one. An issue that shows how badly a decent run on a book can devolve into some terrible hectic mess the moment you start basing your stories around a pathetically weak and bland villain as Leviathan turned out to be. It's difficult for me to believe there was a time where I couldn't wait for new issues in this series.

  • 3.0

    allenquanobi

    Mar 25, 2020

    Get Romita off Superman. While I don't like any of Bendis Superman so far, at least the main Superman title has great art from Ivan Reis. It also doesn't help that this title has basically become Superman and other Bendis characters title, they have no reason for being in a Superman book except that Bendis is writing Young Justice, so they are here also. Int he next arc I wouldn't be surprised if the Legion comes back with his son again, like in the Superman arc he's done. It's becoming so tired, and he still thinks Leviathan is a cool villain, none of the villains that Bendis has created so far have any chance of sticking or being a cool villain.

  • 2.0

    M1sf1r3

    Jun 14, 2020

    Prelude: Well, I've been flat out sick of this current arc of Action Comics, let's hope this issue improves that but..... I'm not hopeful. The Good: Nothing. The Bad: I usually don't mention the covers but this is just a bad cover. The perspective of the main characters, drawing, it's just not good at all. God what is this art? It's just awful. Bendis-Speak. It's still boring. Conclusion: While this concludes the Metropolis Doom arc, I could not be more bored if I tried. This did not need to be so long and so poorly executed.

  • 1.5

    Spacey Medicine

    May 11, 2020

    How does this comic keeps getting worse? If you like this comic then you are objectively wrong and I hope you feel bad.

    + Like Comment
  • 1.0

    RBL

    Mar 25, 2020

    I thought I had seen the worst of brian "the blunder" bendis on Superman already, this issue proved me there are depths he can still reach if he really tries. It's beyond awful, this has no place being read by anyone. JRJr's art doesn't help the nonsensical story and developments; it's not always you see a villain deliver what's mean to be a snide remark after defeating a hero only for it to fail mostly due to the way in which it was written. Even setting aside how confusing current continuity is, the issue does not make sense, it only furthers how convoluted things are and no characterization in the book is even remotely "on point". Red Cloud "leader" of Metropolis' gangs? I don't buy that for a second. It's equally as unlikel more

    + Like Comments (3)
  • 1.0

    Silver Rocket

    Mar 25, 2020

    Wow.

    + Like Comment
  • 1.0

    GammaBurst

    Mar 25, 2020

    I really wanted to give Bendis a chance because I like Superman a lot! But this is so,so bad, both the writing and the art...There's nothing to like here.

    + Like Comment
  • 1.0

    CaptnAmerca

    Apr 02, 2020

    This Bendis guy kind of sucks, huh?

    + Like Comment
  • 1.0

    Psycamorean

    Apr 05, 2020

    This comic makes me want to hang myself.

  • 1.0

    RKS

    Apr 18, 2020

    Yuck. Another book filled with characters that now one cares about. The art is very very bad. Time to give this book back to Geoff Johns or Jerry Ordway to write.

  • 1.0

    KErtneY

    Apr 27, 2020

    BMB tries to sell all his ideas as the most relevant, changes the characters as if he were the only one who writes about them, he does not care about the work of others and it is the last thing I will say about his series because I give up

    + Like Comment
  • 10

    hedevil

    Mar 31, 2020

  • 10

    EdNothIng

    Aug 25, 2020

  • 10

    Bruno Mael

    Nov 28, 2020

  • 10

    Lovecomics777

    Jan 31, 2023

  • 10

    Jimbo

    Feb 10, 2023

  • 10

    LFC743

    Feb 11, 2023

  • 10

    David

    Feb 11, 2023

  • 10

    extrasky

    Apr 08, 2023

  • 10

    charliewesnes

    Apr 11, 2023

  • 10

    retro793

    Apr 14, 2023

  • 10

    jellysara

    Apr 16, 2023

  • 10

    pldcm7

    Apr 18, 2023

  • 10

    opolty

    Apr 19, 2023

  • 10

    zlink0

    Apr 21, 2023

  • 10

    polo08p

    May 10, 2023

  • 10

    rogerje

    Jun 27, 2023

  • 10

    Jaylogo

    Jul 13, 2023

  • 9.0

    Brideshead

    Nov 01, 2020

  • 6.5

    KittyNone

    Mar 25, 2020

  • 6.5

    Magik

    Mar 26, 2020

  • 5.5

    sebastianorellana95

    Mar 31, 2020

  • 5.5

    truffaz

    Apr 12, 2020

  • 4.5

    Julhin

    Apr 28, 2021

  • 4.0

    Radar

    Apr 22, 2020

  • 4.0

    Marvelll

    Jun 30, 2020

  • 4.0

    Adsun22

    Nov 27, 2021

  • 3.5

  • 1.0

    GL Fan 2814

    Mar 25, 2020

  • 1.0

    Sergione

    Mar 27, 2020

  • 1.0

    Watchtower022

    Mar 28, 2020

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