Action Comics #850

In my neverending quest to catch up on my comic reading I read a ton over the weekend. I read the first 4 issues of Countdown, and most of the stuff on my top shelf pull list. Anything Superman is generally at the sop of my list. I generally love all Superman stuff. Lately I've been pissed by the timing and late issues as well as the announced absent creative teams. So it was with great amusement that I read and loved Action Comics #850.

The issue was written by Kurt Busiek and Geoff Johns (my two favorite Superman writers of the last few years). The art was by the brilliant and underrated Renato Guedes (who I'm so excited will be taking over Supergirl). The issue is basically Supergirl in the 31st Century with the Legion of Superheroes trying to find a way back from the future. Braniac approaches her and introduces her to a crude time machine that he has built which can't go into the past but can give you a glimpse to the past. Braniac wants to use it on Kara (Supergirl), but for anyone who has read her series knows, she has a very shady past. So Kara decides to use it to view the past on Superman. Which takes us on a wonderful journey where we get a view into the psyche of Clark.

This is the type of story that probably would have bored me when I was 10-15 years younger. I think the older me, with more life experience, has grown to love these types of stories. There is a nice blend of action, humor, drama, but most of all emotion. This is a great comic for people who don't think these types of characters can have emotionally deep stories. This story gives you a great peek at Superman, what makes him tick, how alone he has always felt, and why he is so protective of Kara. This was easily one of my favorite Super stories of 2007.