Fatherhood's Complications - Review of Superman: Booster Shot (2018)

Review:

Action Comics published issue #1000 in 2018, a landmark milestone, the first DC title to hit four digits.

Interesting trivia: Detective Comics is actually older than Action Comics, but it fell behind in its numbering when Action Comics switched to a weekly schedule for several months in the late 1980s.

This book collects the all-important run-up to the big #1000 - reprinting issues #993 to 999. And who better to set the table for that celebration than Dan Jurgens? He knows the Superman cast of characters inside and out, having written various Superman books for years, most notably with the Death of Superman arc that introduced us to Doomsday.

Jurgens delves deep into Superman's classic origin story and set of villains, giving us a multi-part tale with several twists on General Zod and on Superman's father, Jor-El. Superman travels back in time to the destruction of Krypton to try and confirm rumours that his father survived. But doing so fragments the time stream, and DC's spandex-wearing Time Master, Booster Gold, gets involved to put things right.

In the hands of Dan Jurgens, these characters are pitch perfect. Booster, whom Jurgens created in the mid 1980s and has returned to several times over the years, is as cocky, humourous and self-promoting as ever. But here he is well balanced by his new Time Master role and its constraints and responsibilities. He is comfortable in his skin, correcting and guiding Superman when required, and his courage and compassion shine through.

As for Superman, even as he reaches Action Comics' 1000th issue (not to mention his many other titles!), his character and story continue to grow. We feel his pain at watching Krypton die or when he is forced by Booster to leave groups of suffering innocent people without his mighty help.

Jurgens also pencils the first two chapters of this collection, before turning things over to Brett Booth and Will Conrad. And what a job they turn in! Booth especially - his two chapters are so packed with creative visuals! He is truly outside the box, completely unconstrained by the standard rectangular shapes of panels and pages or their conventional linear flow. He pushes the boundaries of visual storytelling in ways that work superbly well, and they are an absolute delight to read.

Hi-fi on colours delivers their usual brilliance and nuanced, smoothly flowing shading, adding to the beauty of these pages.

The final chapter in the collection, #999, depicts Superman offering human compassion to Cyborg Superman, even as Lois Lane, after her dramatic rescue of her father, attempts the much harder task of then actually reconciling with him. It is a beautifully intertwined tale that puts family and relationships front and centre leading into the big #1000.

Description:

Is Jor-El really alive?

Superman and Booster Gold travel back in time to verify the claims that Kal-El's father somehow survived the destruction of Krypton. What they find, though, is a vastly different world than history has shown.

When the time intruders are discovered, Jor-El and General Zod collaborate to capture or destroy them. The Eradicator will chase the pair through time to the 25th century Gotham City and back to Krypton in pursuit of justice. Unable to alter the past, Superman and Booster must make certain that they survive. Zod, his son Lor-Zod and Ursa want to make certain they do not.

Not that things are perfect back on Earth. The Pentagon reports that Lois Lane's father, General Sam Lane, has gone missing. When they won't mount a rescue operation, she goes after him on her own. Or so she thinks. Her super-powered son Jon tags along, adding a new level of risk to the mission.

Dan Jurgens' final major story arc, collecting Action Comics #993-999 and a story from Action Comics Special #1, raises the stakes for all concerned. These high-powered tales are illustrated by Jurgens, Brett Booth, Will Conrad and Norm Rapmund.

Collects: Action Comics #993-999

Authors:  Dan Jurgens
Artists:  Brett Booth, Will Conrad, Norm Rapmund
Published By:  DC Comics
Published When:  Aug. 28, 2018
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN:  978-1401275280
Pages:  200 pages