Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Action Comics #23.2 General ZodAction Comics #23.2 (Zod)
DC Comics
Pak & Lashley

Zod's origin story. Pak delivers a comprehensive and entertaining origin for Zod, starting way back to his childhood. Obviously, origin stories can be dull at times and sort of by-the-numbers, but Pak does his best to deliver a read that feels natural and I think he does a good job at it. The 3-D cover is cool and the story within matches the cover in this case.

Zod is a character that has seen so many incarnations over the years that I'm not sure there is a definitive version of the character, especially in the comics. The basics of the character are that he is some sort of military leader accused of treason in some form or another and is banished. The details surrounding those two pieces change from story to story but Pak attempts to explain his personality without dwelling on the details of his politics or his relationship with Superman's father.

We see Zod as a kid with his parents and the situations that lead him to feelings of pain, resentment and abandonment. By the end of the book, as these early scenes are finally fully played out, we find that Zod is a survivor capable of horrifying acts in the name of self-preservation. These scenes, though broken up, really provide a chilling story and bring life to Zod that I'm not sure we've seen before.

The rest of the issue feels rushed. While the comic jumps around his origin story we aren't given much to connect the dots from his entry into the military to his various promotions to his political swaying. In some ways, Pak seems to be avoiding trampling stories that have come before, but it almost feels like the story is simply rushed. It's not a negative but makes for a jarring read at times.

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle ReviewsThe artwork is solid. The pencils are detailed at times and a little hazy at others. The book does a good job at presenting an alien world, but as is the case with Zod, the planet has seen so many incarnations you almost have to assume it will be reinvented with each comic. This particular incarnation seems to present more of a living planet instead of a science lab on a global scale. Artistically this is a good effort.

Zod is a good comic book. It's an origin and it's nothing fancy. If you think you know everything there is to know about Zod then this issue could add more to your knowledge but it might also trample what you think is continuity. The book is a chilling story by the end and taking that by itself makes it a worthwhile book to pick up. Plus, it has a cool 3-D cover.

3.5 out of 5 Geek Goggles