Superman: Action Comics: Metropolis Burning by Brian Michael Bendis

Title: Superman: Action Comics.
Volume: 4.
Story-Arc: Metropolis Burning.

Writer(s): Brian Michael Bendis.
Penciler (s): John Romita Jr.
Inker(s): Klaus Janson.
Colourist(s): Brad Anderson.
Letterer(s): Dave Sharpe.
Publisher: DC Comics.

Format: Paperback.
Release Date: November 2020.
Pages: 144.
Genre(s): Comics, Science-Fiction.
ISBN13: 9781779506986.

My Overall Rating:

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Previously in Brian Michael Bendis’ Superman/Action Comics universe:
The Man of Steel.
Superman (Vol. 1): The Unity Saga – Phantom Earth.
Superman: Action Comics (Vol. 1): Invisible Mafia.
Superman (Vol. 2): The Unity Saga: The House of El.
Superman: Action Comics (Vol. 2): Leviathan Rising.
Event Leviathan.
Superman: Action Comics (Vol. 3): Leviathan Hunt.
Superman (Vol. 3): The Truth Revealed.

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We often see allies join forces to bring about greater chances for peace around the world. But what happens when enemies shake hands, each getting their due, and all achieving a common goal? As writer Brian Michael Bendis rushes to bring his time with Superman across both of his ongoing comic book series, he finds himself at an impasse, juggles too many balls at the same time, and delivering one of the most unmemorable stories to date. Collecting issues #1017-1021, this latest volume brings all of writer Brian Michael Bendis’ ideas into one place, telling the story that leads to Superman to unveiling his true identity to the world.

What is Superman: Action Comics: Metropolis Burning about? With Leviathan out biding his time, looking for the perfect opportunity to bring an all-out war on the streets of Metropolis while bringing Superman down with it, Lex Luthor, the Legion of Doom, and the Invisible Mafia find themselves at a crossroad, all desperately seeking the end of the Man of Steel’s protection over this world. Fortunately, Superman has friends of his own, all ready to give a helping hand to the man who has inspired countless and given others the chance to see another day. But will it be enough?

“The question isn’t: how did we get here…? It’s what do we do with ourselves once we arrive.”

— Brian Michael Bendis

You know when you can tell that someone really put their heart into their work, that they cared about the execution and the final product? Yeh… You won’t be seeing any of that here. Writer Brian Michael Bendis has been playing around with too many ideas simultaneously and now tries vainly to bring it all together (from Young Justice to the Invisible Mafia) in this latest story arc without much success. While the premise is what you’d expect from an epic event targeting Superman and Metropolis, what you get is a wet firecracker. As if to emphasize the tragic display of poor story-telling, writer Brian Michael Bendis also sets himself free of any chronology burden, bobbing and weaving his way out of any logical necessity to achieve intrigue, suspense, or thrill.

As an unsuspecting reader who has only had tones of respect for writer Brian Michael Bendis’ career so far, at least his early days, this volume came as a surprise but, in the art department, artist John Romita Jr. strikes again, adding insult to injury with what might be one of his worst artistic undertakings yet. The last time I’ve ever seen such an uninspiring style dates back to Frank Miller’s late-career projects but that’s a subject that’s best left alone. This time around, John Romita Jr. puts in just as much, or less, effort than Brian Michael Bendis and gives us some of the blandest, boring, and blocky panels of all time.

With action sequences being the most prominent in this story arc, his artwork could’ve been the only saving grace of this volume but, unfortunately, nothing he did here could change how forgettable this volume turned out to be.

Superman: Action Comics: Metropolis Burning is an unmemorable disaster, bringing forth a far-fetched and untactfully-handled event with so sense of organization or direction.

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