Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Action Comics #856
DC Comics
John, Donner, Powell

Bizarro World continues with the middle issue of the three part arc. We left off last issue with Pa Kent stuck in some crystal on the Bizarro World with Superman down for the count at the hands of the cloned Bizarros in front of Pa Kent.

This issue picks up with the genesis of how Bizarro created all the other Bizarros. We see how Bizarro left Earth, mad at Superman, to return to his square world. There the blue sun gave him the ability to spawn off various characters that he had his head. Hence the Bizarro versions of Lois, Jimmy and the others we see on the Bizarro World.

Superman does some rescuing in this issue of his Pa, but before he can escape the Bizarro Luthor unleashes the Bizarro Doomsday. This gives us our battle for this issue and it ends strangely, but we are left with the arrival of the Bizarro Justice League.

This arc is fun. This issue is fun. You aren’t meant to walk away pondering your own existence. However, just because it’s a fun issue doesn’t mean it doesn’t open up some questions.

First of all why wouldn’t Bizarro just make a Bizarro Pa Kent instead of kidnapping the real one? Wouldn’t a Bizarro Lex Luthor want to be friends with Bizarro? Why would he want to kill the real Superman, just as the real Luthor wants to?

Getting beyond the questions I can say I liked the Bizarro dialogue much more in this issue. Last issue I couldn’t tell who the Bizarro citizens were mad at. Does “hate” really mean “like”? Well, I guess I can’t get beyond the questions. I am starting to ponder my own existence now.

I loved the art. Especially the rendition of Bizarro. Bizarro Luthor is excellent as well. The Bizarro Clark Kent was my favorite, but he isn’t in this issue, but there is a cameo of other Super-Villain which I got a chuckle out of. The Bizarro Justice League is also epic in its depiction. How do you not like a fat slob Flash?

Did I mention I hated the art work? Superman looks like a nerd with little expression on his face (his eyes appear to be squinting the entire issue) and the muscle tone of the Scarecrow. Also, what was with that little girl he rescued on page 3? She looks like she is a 50 year old woman in an infant suit with oversized sneakers.

I liked the issue a lot. I didn’t love it. I felt more action and plot advancement happened in the previous issue. Would someone be able to come in cold on this issue of the arc? I’d say yes because it’s Bizarro.

That's all for now. Hello. Bad-bye. eyb-dooG.

3.5 out of 5 geek goggles. (or 1.5 depending on how you look at it)


Action Comics #856