Action Comics 997: It's All About Family!

Booster Shot, Part V

Writer - Dan Jurgens, Pencils - Brett Booth, Inks - Norm Rapmund, Colors - Andrew Dalhouse, Letters - Rob Leigh, Cover - Booth, Rapmund, and Dalhouse, Assistant Editor - Andrea Shea, Editor - Paul Kaminski

Initial Reactions

I really like this issue!  Pairing Booster Gold with Superman has turned out to be a very fun ride with some humor sprinkled throughout.  However, this seems to be the issue where we ratchet up the stakes, and that humor takes a back seat.  We see powerful examples of the trappings of revenge, the power of family, and even some interesting Good Friday parallels.

The Story

The first page is a summary of the events leading to the issue.  Here we are reminded that Mr. Oz claims to be Superman's father from an alternate timeline and Booster Gold prevented him from getting the answers he was looking for because it could disrupt the time stream.  We are also shown that Zod, Ursa, and Lor-Zod are living in the future, on a planet they are calling New Krypton.

We are then dropped right into the action of Superman fighting a grown Lor-Zod and Booster Gold taking on the Eradicator.  We get a couple great pages of battle between the two Kryptonians, which result Superman overpowering him because of his strength and experience.  I have to take a moment to say that the art on these first few pages especially are stunning, the art team for this issue is amazing!  Immediately after subduing Lor-Zod, Superman and Booster are both shot down by the Eradicator, and we end this scene with a speech from the powerful Zod himself.

The issue cuts to our B-plot throughout this arc, which is Lois searching for her father in a Logamban prison.  Lois receives some help from a sympathizer of her dad, and makes her way to his cell.  We also see that Jon tagged along, and helps his mom get into the cell.  The family is reunited, and Jon gets to see his grandpa for the first time. Lois reminds us that her dad has no idea about Clark's alter ego, and therefore does not know about Jon's gifts. This scene ends with the three of them making their escape.

Back on New Krypton, the House of Zod recalls the various perceived sins that Superman and his ancestors have committed against them and their people.  We see a splash page of Booster and Superman restrained on an X-beam with the entire planet watching.  Zod is trying to make a spectacle by telling his subjects how Kal-El has failed.

Booster's robot Skeets tries to interject, and Lor-Zod squashes it like a bug, which devastates Booster Gold.  Zod continues on his tirade against the two of them, but mostly Superman, saying that Superman destroyed the chance for him to raise his family.  He resents the fact that Superman was able to have Lois in his life, and raise Jon.  The House of Zod pummels Superman while he is restrained, Ursa spits in his face, and Zod says, "When we first came here, the natives were resistant to our rule.  Public executions were an effective way to encourage their...Worship."  This A-plot concludes on a cliff-hanger.  Booster has them protected via a force field, but it will not last long, will they get out? 

For me this hearkens back to the story of Christ's Passion in Scripture.  The religious leaders of that time wanted to destroy Jesus and his followers because they were changing the status quo.  The power they had was being threatened by this Savior.  Little did they know that Jesus came for the salvation of all, not just to unseat some rulers who were firmly entrenched.

The issue ends with Lois, Jon, and Mr. Lane on the run in Logamba.  They seem to be in the clear, ready for a happy reunion flight home when the members of the Logamban army fire on the three of them.  We see blood on Lois and her dad, and Jon is also down on the ground. Did they survive?

Final Thoughts

Again, I really liked this issue.  Superman is commonly depicted in one of two ways, as a Messianic (Jesus) or Mosaic (Moses) figure.  It seems to me that Jurgens has chosen the Messianic story this time around, at least in the pages showing the public execution.  I leave this issue understanding how Zod could be upset.  Not being able to grow up and raise your family how you see fit is a terrible fate, even if Zod earned it for his crimes.  He is not sympathetic in this story, but Jurgens fleshes out his character very well.  

I want to leave you with these questions.  How would you react if you had to be separated from your family for a long period of time?  Would you seek revenge for those who wronged you like Zod, or would you simply embrace your loved ones upon your return like Lois and her father?  What lengths would you go through for your family?  Lastly, do you agree with the parallels of this story with the Passion of Jesus?  I would love to hear your thoughts on this issue.  Be sure to leave a comment to continue the conversation!