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Mark Waid’s run on Action Comics continues to deliver the goods, especially when it comes to a very specific kind of story: the character-driven examination of a powerful teenager learning the ropes. Issue #1091 is a comic that manages to feel both classic and thoroughly modern. It’s much more than a typical punch-up; it’s a potent mentorship tale with genuine stakes that firmly plants Superboy on a new trajectory.

The issue wastes no time dropping us right into the kind of moral quagmire only a young hero faces. Superboy (Clark Kent) has just stopped a terrorist group, Raze, and his goons, from trashing a robotics lab. Before he can take a victory lap, he’s hit with the full force of the U.S. Army, led by the ever-suspicious General Lane. This isn’t Smallville anymore, and Clark quickly learns that his good intentions and heroic actions don’t matter to the authority figures who see his power as a threat.

This clash is the core of the issue, and Waid uses it to ask a deeply resonant question: How does a supremely powerful being operate in a world where authority figures fear them? Clark’s escape and his subsequent return home to Ma and Pa Kent is a wonderful moment of grounding. His parents provide both comfort and the practical research that confirms the military can’t legally arrest him. It’s a key scene that reminds us where the Man of Steel gets his morals.

The story thickens with the secondary, and far more complicated, plot involving Clark’s teacher, Mr. Adam Blake, who is secretly the hero Captain Comet. It turns out Blake used his telepathic powers to give Clark the heads-up about Raze and the lab, but then was a total no-show during the incident, leaving Clark exposed to the military. Naturally, Clark confronts him, wondering if he’d been set up.

This leads to the big reveal: Captain Comet is dying. He used to travel the stars, but an alien infection is slowly diminishing his powers. Comet reveals that he’s been pushing Clark hard because he’s known since the starship landed in Kansas that Clark was destined to step up. He’s been testing him to prepare him for a world that needs the best, wisest version of Superboy.

The climax is fantastic and emotionally charged. Clark, using his super-senses to literally smell the disease, figures out that Blake’s one chance for a cure is to leave Earth and find one among the stars. He leaves Clark, giving him the final test: earning the world’s trust on his own. This whole sequence solidifies the issue as a powerful coming-of-age story.

The art by Skylar Patridge gives the book a bright, energetic feel that perfectly captures the teen hero vibe. Plascencia’s colors are a standout, too. The emotional weight of the dialogue with Ma and Pa Kent is supported by warm, indoor lighting, creating a safe, loving space. In contrast, the high-flying action with Captain Comet and Superboy is bathed in vibrant, bold reds and blues, emphasizing the power of their abilities.

While this comic is absolutely charming and nails the classic Superboy feel, the Captain Comet subplot, when viewed as part of the overall arc, reads a little odd. I genuinely love that Superman’s lore always involves him being trained in Smallville: whether by the Legion of Superheroes or an older hero like Comet; that foundation makes perfect sense. However, the exact reason for Comet’s sacrifice is a bit flimsy. The revelation that he just needs someone to take his ship to space to find a cure, yet chooses to remain on Earth and push Clark, stretches credulity. It unfortunately undercuts the powerful “everyone needs a mentor” message with an ending for Comet that feels unnecessarily lackluster.

Despite that small narrative hiccup, Action Comics #1091 expertly balances the high-stakes world of DC heroes with the day-to-day anxiety of a teen in Smallville High, all while setting up Clark Kent for his destiny.

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• Reddit
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Mark Waid’s run on Action Comics continues to deliver the goods, especially when it comes to a very specific kind of story: the character-driven examination of a powerful teenager learning the ropes. Issue #1091 is a comic that manages to feel both classic and thoroughly modern. It’s much more than a typical punch-up; it’s a potent mentorship tale with genuine stakes that firmly plants Superboy on a new trajectory.

The issue wastes no time dropping us right into the kind of moral quagmire only a young hero faces. Superboy (Clark Kent) has just stopped a terrorist group, Raze, and his goons, from trashing a robotics lab. Before he can take a victory lap, he’s hit with the full force of the U.S. Army, led by the ever-suspicious General Lane. This isn’t Smallville anymore, and Clark quickly learns that his good intentions and heroic actions don’t matter to the authority figures who see his power as a threat.

This clash is the core of the issue, and Waid uses it to ask a deeply resonant question: How does a supremely powerful being operate in a world where authority figures fear them? Clark’s escape and his subsequent return home to Ma and Pa Kent is a wonderful moment of grounding. His parents provide both comfort and the practical research that confirms the military can’t legally arrest him. It’s a key scene that reminds us where the Man of Steel gets his morals.

The story thickens with the secondary, and far more complicated, plot involving Clark’s teacher, Mr. Adam Blake, who is secretly the hero Captain Comet. It turns out Blake used his telepathic powers to give Clark the heads-up about Raze and the lab, but then was a total no-show during the incident, leaving Clark exposed to the military. Naturally, Clark confronts him, wondering if he’d been set up.

This leads to the big reveal: Captain Comet is dying. He used to travel the stars, but an alien infection is slowly diminishing his powers. Comet reveals that he’s been pushing Clark hard because he’s known since the starship landed in Kansas that Clark was destined to step up. He’s been testing him to prepare him for a world that needs the best, wisest version of Superboy.

The climax is fantastic and emotionally charged. Clark, using his super-senses to literally smell the disease, figures out that Blake’s one chance for a cure is to leave Earth and find one among the stars. He leaves Clark, giving him the final test: earning the world’s trust on his own. This whole sequence solidifies the issue as a powerful coming-of-age story.

The art by Skylar Patridge gives the book a bright, energetic feel that perfectly captures the teen hero vibe. Plascencia’s colors are a standout, too. The emotional weight of the dialogue with Ma and Pa Kent is supported by warm, indoor lighting, creating a safe, loving space. In contrast, the high-flying action with Captain Comet and Superboy is bathed in vibrant, bold reds and blues, emphasizing the power of their abilities.

While this comic is absolutely charming and nails the classic Superboy feel, the Captain Comet subplot, when viewed as part of the overall arc, reads a little odd. I genuinely love that Superman’s lore always involves him being trained in Smallville: whether by the Legion of Superheroes or an older hero like Comet; that foundation makes perfect sense. However, the exact reason for Comet’s sacrifice is a bit flimsy. The revelation that he just needs someone to take his ship to space to find a cure, yet chooses to remain on Earth and push Clark, stretches credulity. It unfortunately undercuts the powerful “everyone needs a mentor” message with an ending for Comet that feels unnecessarily lackluster.

Despite that small narrative hiccup, Action Comics #1091 expertly balances the high-stakes world of DC heroes with the day-to-day anxiety of a teen in Smallville High, all while setting up Clark Kent for his destiny.