Action Comics #876 (DC – Rucka / Barrows / Jose)
“Enter Ursa”
Here at the ThePullBox.com we endeavor to keep all of our reviews family friendly, even though not all the material we review can say the same. That makes reviewing Action Comics #876 difficult. Not because the book isn’t family friendly, although this particular issue did land in the PG-13 area for copious amount of blood and fist-a-cuffs, but because it’s difficult to describe the villainess, Ursa, without using many many naughty words not fit to print. Instead, let me quote the famous 90’s icon Wayne Campbell when I say that Ursa is a psycho hose beast. While I believe that any character that spends an entire issue trying to kill her own son deserves to be called worse, psycho hose beast is PG and still conveys the same feelings.
Ursa is the second in command to hero of New Krypton, General Zod (KNEEL!), and has tracked Thara Ak-Var and her partner/son of Zod and Ursa/adopted son of Clark and Lois, Christopher Kent, to the Fortress of Solitude. It is here that she doles out a world class beat down to both Thara and Christopher, who have been protecting Earth as the legendary Kryptionan heroes Nightwing and Flamebird. Set on killing both young heroes, Ursa relishes her roll as the blunt instrument of Zod. She ponders on the idea that Zod is a strategist who takes pride in planning his enemies demise, where she has no use for strategy, she just enjoys killing and the fear it creates. Sound like a perfect candidate for a Sinestro ring, huh? Well, she doesn’t get one here, but she does pull out a kryptonite laced dagger that leaves bits of the deadly green rock with every cut. After decimating Thara, she moves in to finish off Christopher but is stopped by a defeating surprise. It seems that being born and raised in the Phantom Zone may have left Christopher with decreased Kryptionan abilities, but have also granted him other powers and an immunity to kryptonite! He then is able to go upside Ursa’s head to the point where he could kill her. Taking a lesson from his adopted father, Christopher lets her live. I have a feeling that will come back to haunt him.
Needless to say, Greg Rucka is rocking out on Action Comics! For a man who is famous for his awesome crime stories, he writes a damn awesome Superman book! Couple that with the spectacular art of Eddy Barrows, Sidney Teles, Ruy Jose, Rob Leigh, and Rod Reis and you’ve got one of the best comics money can buy.
Grade: A+
