Comic Book Reviews: Action Comics #28, Green Arrow #28 and Blue Beetle #18

I'm going to give text reviews to Action Comics and Green Arrow because, honestly, half the audio review is devoted to the awesomeness that was Blue Beetle #18. (Seriously, track down this issue.)

Really, do I need to say more?

Best current title this week I've read.

Honestly, had it not been for Blue Beetle, Green Arrow #28 would easily be the best thing I read in the past week. It deals with the fallout of Oliver discovering that his dad A) is still alive and B) orchestrated his time on the island so that he'd be ready for the Outsiders War.

This chapter in the Outsiders War focuses mostly on how Robert Queen made this happen and Ollie's reaction to it. (I feel this isn't a big spoiler: He doesn't react well to it.) There is also a pair of fight sequences with people from the Spear Clan, who seemed to be in charge but have now been tossed aside by a revolt among the Outsiders.

The art in this issue is epic, using a panel style in which the negatives of the image show through large red words in order to disorient the reader. Andrea Sorrentino's style is certainly jarring at first, but it grows on a person the longer they see it.

Jeff Lemire has crafted an excellent story here, and with it only being halfway over, there's a lot of fighting to go. Not to mention there's still villains lurking in the actual city, and it's up to Oliver's intelligence gatherers and Diggle to stop them.

Oh, and on one final note: DIGGLE! Final score: 9.25/10.

Geoff Johns: You have a tough act
to follow.

Action Comics was a strong issue in its own right. It just so happens that it's got a high bar to meet.

Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder have made the story and art come together brilliantly during this arc. While I do at times think Kuder's style of drawing jawlines doesn't work, it's never super distracting. And Pak has the idealism of Superman's voice down pat.

This is an incredible Lana Lang, who is proving to be hilarious and perfectly able to switch from being amused by her old friend Clark to being amazed by his work as Superman.

The two really feel like they have a long-standing history together, and I think that's what's really carrying the title.

Don't get me wrong: the action sequences, the Ghost Soldier and the entire underground world that's been created are great. But it would just be a solid action story without Clark and Lana being so cohesive.

Overall, I gave the title an 8.75/10.