Short Review: Action Comics #996

Zod is charge of a planet?

SPOILERS AHEAD


Lois meets her contact unaware that Jon is following her. Booster, Superman and Skeets figure out their in the future after Zod took over a planet. They fight an Eradicator then try to find parts to fix the time machine. Superman still fails at understanding time travel. Jon watches his mom kick ass and promises to only help her if she needs it. The guys find Lor-Zod waiting for them.



Overall: I didn't really enjoy this issue as much as the previous ones. The Lois story feels like it's stalling. I did enjoy seeing what a hero Lois is in her own right along with Jon getting to witness it though.

Superman really doesn't understand time travel and has to have Booster point out that they need stealth. I do enjoy seeing their dynamics flipped I just wish Clark would seem to get it by now. His previous actions almost doomed countless lives and as Booster said they could still prevent the future from happening.

The most gut punching part however is seeing an adult Lor-Zod attack Clark and blame him from harming him as a child then commenting on how Clark doesn't care. I already hate having him as a villain now but this gets worse from a meta standpoint as he was Chris, Clark's adopted son in old canon and it feels like he's pissed that he's been forgotten. Not one of my favorite issues but I'm hoping for the next issue to improve.



Questions Asked?: Wasn't Jon in costume last issue? Why is he wearing civilian clothes here?

Doesn't Booster's ring have a build in translator?

Wouldn't new entities be clueless who Zod is? Why would that scan pick English for both Booster and Superman?

Superman already declined ever kneeling so why was Booster blasting it bad? The robot already threatened reporting them.

Why would Skeets bring up a war he already suspects Superman hasn't fought yet?

Why isn't the Eradicator able to kill Superman? It recognizes him as a top threat.

Why isn't Booster using his forcefield?



Say What?: I'm not sure if we got a nod to the New Krypton story or a dig.

Android? Skeets is a robot not an android.

Referring to a time machine as a weapon which underlines why people in Booster's time viewed it's use as a crime. This also further highlights why Booster is right about trying to avoid confrontation.