THIS WEEK: Catching up with Action Comics #1094, Batman and Robin #23, DC K.O. #3, and more!
Note: the review below contains spoilers. If you want a quick, spoiler-free buy/pass recommendation on the comics in question, check out the bottom of the article for our final verdict.
Action Comics #1094
Action Comics #1094 Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Patricio Delpeche
Letterer: Steve Wands
“I miss when Superman came out and I had hope for humanity for a month.” This was a caption I saw on a Superman TikTok edit a couple of days ago, and it stuck with me.
Five months after James Gunn’s blockbuster Superman film, it feels good to know that people are still yearning for the man in blue. So much so that when I miss that feeling of kindness and hope, I remind myself that I can still find it. All I have to do is walk into my local comic shop and pick up the next Superman story waiting for me.
Luckily, Mark Waid and Patricio Delpeche’s Action Comics #1094 filled gave me that hope perfectly this week.
The issue continues the current Superboy arc, now unfolding alongside DC’s newest event, DC K.O.. So far, this run has been a joy, watching a young Clark Kent try to find his place in a world that now knows someone like him exists. You get to see him learn to control his powers, save people, inspire others, and, just as importantly, hide who he is. Each chapter feels like a small, carefully constructed story that builds toward a larger narrative, and the result is deeply satisfying.
It has been refreshing for a fanbase that has been searching for something to feel with Superman again, on the page or on the screen. I cannot help but smile at the realization that all it took was returning to the story of the boy becoming the man.
In this issue, Clark is finally called on to honor a promise he made to General Lane several issues ago. When his country needs him, they will call, and he will answer. Clark has not yet seen the ugliest side of the world, at least not on the scale that war demands, and, unfortunately, that is exactly where Lane sends him.
His mission is to rescue a special ops team along with weapons engineer Dr. Silas Stone–yes, that Stone–from Modoran, the birthplace of the villain Sonar. I clocked that connection almost immediately, and it did not surprise me where things went next.
Regardless of whether or not Superboy was going to have to deal with some sort of sound-deafening attack, correct as I was, it was what happened in between those lines that left me feeling something deep.
The General, in his hubris, could only see Clark as a weapon, not the child that he was, because when a person can level cities, why would he look at him like something else, something human. Why bother learning about the child he was going to send into a war zone? I can’t help but make that connection to the use of immigrants as tools, and in this case, that’s exactly what Clark was.
In that way, it was endearing to relate Superman to the soldiers next to them, because that’s exactly what they were, too. This is all why I felt so distraught when Clark put emphasis on this being the first time that he had seen a fresh human corpse, a soldier who had been shot in the head.
Kudos to Waid for really selling that Superboy, albeit an acting superpower on earth, could not be everywhere, as more men still got hurt. Something that had been tied deeply to the character and something that he blames himself for to this day.
Letterer Steve Wands also deserves praise for selling the Sonar weapon. Instead of simply telling us Clark is deafened, the comic uses blank speech bubbles to communicate that loss. We cannot hear anything, either. The only sound that remains is the bold, blue “VMMM” of an engine hanging in the air, grounding us in Clark’s disorientation.
Delpeche’s art pushes the issue even further. A striking panel shows Superboy unleashing his own ultrasonic weapon, his scream, rendered in blue and white as it blows the room apart.
This was when the story took a different turn, the entire comic became more somber, in part due to the script’s tone, but heavily due to Delpeche changing the colors of the world. The tone grows heavier, and the colors darken. The world itself feels more distressed, reflecting Clark’s emotional state as we begin to see events through his eyes.
Given the current state of the real world, there is something deeply comforting in watching someone so young grapple with having power equal to or greater than any adult, while being forced into responsibilities they never asked for. Clark does not want this burden, but he carries it anyway, just like everyone else caught in systems larger than themselves.
In that moment, Clark feels alienated, not only because he is literally an alien, but because he is misunderstood, traumatized, and experiencing something very close to PTSD.
I think a lot of people can relate to that right now.
Action Comics #1094 does not ask us to believe in Superman because he is invincible. It asks us to believe in him because he feels the weight of the world and still chooses to stand in it. This version of Clark Kent is scared, overwhelmed, and painfully aware of his limitations, yet he keeps moving forward anyway. That is the kind of hope that lasts.
Not the kind born from spectacle or power, but the kind forged through empathy, restraint, and the willingness to care even when it hurts. To persevere in the face of great odds. In a time when optimism feels fragile and authority often mistakes force for morality, Superman remains radical in the simplest way possible. He sees people. And sometimes, that is enough to remind us why he still matters.
I hope that gives people a reason to smile today.
Verdict: BUY
- Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Fisco Ossio’s current run of Batman and Robin has been something I have enjoyed tremendously. With the introduction of this Quiet Man “John Wick” character, I knew something great was bound to come from it. In this story, a father was wronged and released from prison with only one thought on his mind: revenge. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but coming off a reveal that Scarface is back and the Ventriloquist’s caretaker has been dead for a long time, I was curious where the story would go next. I am glad it was not just an action flick either. Johnson gives everyone here some real depth. There is one scene in this issue where Batman is talking to Cyrus Mercer, the Quiet Man, and they uncover what happened to his son and why he wants revenge. Batman judges him, and Mercer responds by questioning what Batman knows about losing a family. The way Ossio illustrates Batman’s reaction tells us everything we need to know. Regardless of knowing his past, it speaks volumes. They are two sides of the same coin, what Batman could have been if he had ever taken a life, something Damian makes painfully clear to him. He even takes the time to point out how privileged Bruce was. He had the resources to dedicate his life and acquire the tools he needed. He had the chance to take the harder path. Not everybody is so lucky. It is a beautiful scene, and seeing Bruce actually listen to Damian, to truly hear what he is saying and admit that he is right, is filled with growth and love. Ultimately, this issue succeeds because it understands that Batman’s greatest conflicts are not fought with fists, but with restraint, reflection, and accountability. By positioning Cyrus Mercer as a distorted mirror of Bruce Wayne, the story reinforces how thin the line truly is between justice and vengeance. What elevates the issue, however, is Bruce’s willingness to listen to Damian and confront the privilege that allowed him to choose a better path. In doing so, Batman and Robin become less about punishment and more about responsibility, legacy, and the difficult work of breaking cycles. It is a reminder that Batman endures not because he is unyielding, but because he is capable of growth.
- Scott Snyder and Javi Fernández’s DC K.O. has not been a personal favorite for me so far. As DC’s latest major event, it is clearly designed to set the stage for future stories, and that intent is evident throughout. Unfortunately, the execution has leaned heavily into large-scale, fan-service driven spectacle, primarily structured around extended fight sequences. That approach is not inherently a flaw. For many readers, the appeal of seeing major characters clash in high-stakes, one-on-one matchups is reason enough to engage. In fact, there are several moments here that I did enjoy. The 1v1 fights are often imaginative, and the pairing of champions into two-person teams adds an entertaining twist. Seeing Superman and Shazam together was a genuine highlight, and the Joker’s pairing with a surprise ally is a reveal that will undoubtedly excite longtime fans. For me, however, the story currently feels more focused on eliciting reactions than on delivering a compelling narrative in its own right. At this stage, DC K.O. reads less like a story unfolding in the present and more like connective tissue meant to justify what comes next. While the final reveal of upcoming opponents is clearly meant to build anticipation, it left me more uncertain than intrigued about where the event is heading. That does not mean the series lacks merit or ambition. It simply means that its priorities do not align with what I personally look for in a crossover of this scale. For now, DC K.O. sits lower on my pull list, not out of frustration, but out of tempered interest. I will continue to see where it leads, but at present, it feels like an event designed for a different kind of reader than me.
- The current run of Supergirl has been a real treat, and this week’s issue was no exception. This year of Supergirl starts off with a bang, literally, with the issue celebrating the New Year and the gang going to a New Year’s party. Sophie Campbell and Joe Quinones come together to tell a story with real consequences, one I didn’t expect. Genuinely, you could see the smile on my face slowly disappear when I realized what was happening in the story. What I originally thought would be a fun story about these super friends at a party quickly took a darker turn. My first warning should have been the fact that no alcohol was a key component of being able to attend. Lena Luthor had other plans, creating a concoction that could get Lesla, another Kryptonian, “drunk.” In short, the story expands into how Lena took advantage of her friends’ trust and ruined the party, as she knew she was not supposed to get Lesla anywhere near alcohol, since it would be dangerous for any Kryptonian under a yellow sun. She even got Kara drunk, unbeknownst to her, in the chaos, and immediately regretted her actions. The story delves into a tale about trust, what breaking that trust looks like, and the consequences that come with it. Rather than brushing past the mistake, the fallout is allowed to linger. Seeing how heartbroken Kara was left a real impact. I think many people can relate to witnessing the consequences of bad choices at a party, and it really left a deep knot in my chest. Overall, this issue of Supergirl succeeds because it does not shy away from showing the consequences of thoughtless actions. It is not about a punchline or a quick lesson. It is about trust, vulnerability, and the way even small choices can hurt the people we care about. Watching Kara navigate that heartbreak made the story feel real and grounded, and it reminded me why this run is so special. It is a story that balances fun and heart, showing that even heroes have to face the fallout of bad decisions and that growth, understanding, and forgiveness are just as heroic as any superpower.
Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Fisco Ossio’s current run of Batman and Robin has been something I have enjoyed tremendously. With the introduction of this Quiet Man “John Wick” character, I knew something great was bound to come from it. In this story, a father was wronged and released from prison with only one thought on his mind: revenge. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but coming off a reveal that Scarface is back and the Ventriloquist’s caretaker has been dead for a long time, I was curious where the story would go next. I am glad it was not just an action flick either. Johnson gives everyone here some real depth. There is one scene in this issue where Batman is talking to Cyrus Mercer, the Quiet Man, and they uncover what happened to his son and why he wants revenge. Batman judges him, and Mercer responds by questioning what Batman knows about losing a family. The way Ossio illustrates Batman’s reaction tells us everything we need to know. Regardless of knowing his past, it speaks volumes. They are two sides of the same coin, what Batman could have been if he had ever taken a life, something Damian makes painfully clear to him. He even takes the time to point out how privileged Bruce was. He had the resources to dedicate his life and acquire the tools he needed. He had the chance to take the harder path. Not everybody is so lucky. It is a beautiful scene, and seeing Bruce actually listen to Damian, to truly hear what he is saying and admit that he is right, is filled with growth and love. Ultimately, this issue succeeds because it understands that Batman’s greatest conflicts are not fought with fists, but with restraint, reflection, and accountability. By positioning Cyrus Mercer as a distorted mirror of Bruce Wayne, the story reinforces how thin the line truly is between justice and vengeance. What elevates the issue, however, is Bruce’s willingness to listen to Damian and confront the privilege that allowed him to choose a better path. In doing so, Batman and Robin become less about punishment and more about responsibility, legacy, and the difficult work of breaking cycles. It is a reminder that Batman endures not because he is unyielding, but because he is capable of growth.
Scott Snyder and Javi Fernández’s DC K.O. has not been a personal favorite for me so far. As DC’s latest major event, it is clearly designed to set the stage for future stories, and that intent is evident throughout. Unfortunately, the execution has leaned heavily into large-scale, fan-service driven spectacle, primarily structured around extended fight sequences. That approach is not inherently a flaw. For many readers, the appeal of seeing major characters clash in high-stakes, one-on-one matchups is reason enough to engage. In fact, there are several moments here that I did enjoy. The 1v1 fights are often imaginative, and the pairing of champions into two-person teams adds an entertaining twist. Seeing Superman and Shazam together was a genuine highlight, and the Joker’s pairing with a surprise ally is a reveal that will undoubtedly excite longtime fans. For me, however, the story currently feels more focused on eliciting reactions than on delivering a compelling narrative in its own right. At this stage, DC K.O. reads less like a story unfolding in the present and more like connective tissue meant to justify what comes next. While the final reveal of upcoming opponents is clearly meant to build anticipation, it left me more uncertain than intrigued about where the event is heading. That does not mean the series lacks merit or ambition. It simply means that its priorities do not align with what I personally look for in a crossover of this scale. For now, DC K.O. sits lower on my pull list, not out of frustration, but out of tempered interest. I will continue to see where it leads, but at present, it feels like an event designed for a different kind of reader than me.
The current run of Supergirl has been a real treat, and this week’s issue was no exception. This year of Supergirl starts off with a bang, literally, with the issue celebrating the New Year and the gang going to a New Year’s party. Sophie Campbell and Joe Quinones come together to tell a story with real consequences, one I didn’t expect. Genuinely, you could see the smile on my face slowly disappear when I realized what was happening in the story. What I originally thought would be a fun story about these super friends at a party quickly took a darker turn. My first warning should have been the fact that no alcohol was a key component of being able to attend. Lena Luthor had other plans, creating a concoction that could get Lesla, another Kryptonian, “drunk.” In short, the story expands into how Lena took advantage of her friends’ trust and ruined the party, as she knew she was not supposed to get Lesla anywhere near alcohol, since it would be dangerous for any Kryptonian under a yellow sun. She even got Kara drunk, unbeknownst to her, in the chaos, and immediately regretted her actions. The story delves into a tale about trust, what breaking that trust looks like, and the consequences that come with it. Rather than brushing past the mistake, the fallout is allowed to linger. Seeing how heartbroken Kara was left a real impact. I think many people can relate to witnessing the consequences of bad choices at a party, and it really left a deep knot in my chest. Overall, this issue of Supergirl succeeds because it does not shy away from showing the consequences of thoughtless actions. It is not about a punchline or a quick lesson. It is about trust, vulnerability, and the way even small choices can hurt the people we care about. Watching Kara navigate that heartbreak made the story feel real and grounded, and it reminded me why this run is so special. It is a story that balances fun and heart, showing that even heroes have to face the fallout of bad decisions and that growth, understanding, and forgiveness are just as heroic as any superpower.Miss any of our earlier reviews? Check out our full archive!
And check out the Beat’s other recent comics reviews!
