Superman: Action Comics, Vol. 3: Revenge of the Demon

Superman: Action Comics (Dawn of DC)

by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Rafa Sandoval (Artist), Eddy Barrows (Artist)

The young and volatile terrorist leader Norah Stone has revealed herself, presenting her vision for a city without Kryptonians. Strangely, members of the Super-Family are losing their powers, and a new team of metahumans is emerging to take their place. As the Super family is gradually stripped of their powers, Superman embarks on a perilous mission into the Multiverse alongside unexpected Constantine, the demon Etrigan, and Bloodwynd, who is making his return to Action Comics.

Collects Batman/Superman: The Authority Special #1, Action Comics #1057-1060 and Action Comics 2023 Annual #1

Genres: Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Comics, Superman, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

192 pages, Paperback

First published February 11, 2025

About the author

Phillip Kennedy Johnson earned a Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas, where he served as Teaching Fellow for the Department of Jazz Studies, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Eastern Kentucky University. SFC Johnson has performed with the Lexington Philharmonic, Dallas Opera, Washington Symphonic Brass, and the Moscow Ballet, and was a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra from 2004 to 2005. SFC Johnson remains active as a composer, arranger, teacher, and clinician, and also enjoys a second career as a writer of comics and graphic novels. His work has been published by DC Comics, Marvel Comics, BOOM! Studios, and more.

Reviews

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been my favourite Superman/Superfamily book since World War. A number of different books with different art and story teams but I think every one of them matched the book they were working on.

Since returning from World War, Superman reunites with the Authority. Batman has a mission for them in a world in the Dark Multiverse. In this book, I thought it was a great touch to have different artwork in the different universes.

The Blue Earth group is making trouble for the Superfamily and the refugees from War World. However, is their agenda even darker and do they have Supermen of their own?

Great book. I enjoyed it from start to finish. I especially enjoyed the long-overdue interaction between Batman and Midnighter. The book finishes with a variant cover gallery.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

The Batman/Superman /Authority Special leads into the Norah Stone that runs through 3 issues and concludes in the Annual.
So for once it all makes sense.
I'm kinda uncomfortable with the whole Superman family thing leading out of WarWorld...but I guess we might be moving on from that with a new writer.

[Roman Zarichnyi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Нова сюжетна арка «Супермен. Бойові комікси: Помста демона» #1057–1060 розпочинається після того, як Суперсімейка та Сталезавод відбудували своє місто, розпочався період процвітання Метрополісу. Та не всі цьому радіють.

Випуск починається з того, що Супермен відвідує колишнього в'язня на ім'я Ґлен. Це нагадує класичну американську фотографію «Обід на хмарочосі» Чарльз Клайда, і це задає тон тому, про що ця арка. Людські аспекти Супермена знаходяться на передньому плані, і хоча тут мало екшену, особисті моменти, конфлікти між Кларком і головою організації «Блакитна Земля» Норою Стоун під час інтерв’ю Daily Planet нагадують, що криптоніанець завжди залишиться людиною. Та бачення організації в тому, що Земля не місце інопланетянам, не просто слова. Вони мають великі плани, щоб все так і сталося, й почнуть із компрометації супергероїв у місті.
⠀
Джонсону вдалося висвітлити на мою думку найкращі аспекти Супермена, яка водночас представляє нових супротивників, які чекають на Кларка та усю Суперсімейку в майбутньому. Вийшло досить непогано і мені було цікаво читати.

Також в цій арці є додактвові історії від Дена Юрґенса, Маґдалени Візаджіо, Жень Луень Янґа, Ґреґа Гана та Дена Парента. Вони не те щоб були цікаві для мене, але я не люблю такого формату короткі історії. Та загалом їх можна читати.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.6 stars

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun romp - extra-dimensional Al Ghuls are invading this universe, and Superman is gonna drive them back. Good artwork, nice use of Ortho and Osul, who've often seemed extraneous after the WarWorld Saga ended.

My usual complaint about PKJ's Super family remains - he might as well not include Conner, Kara or Kenan for as little as he does with them.

[Belfry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

[Hugo Emanuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent ening to Phillip Kennedy Johnson's Superman run. A bit rushed, but it did offer a satisfying conclusion to the threads that had been left untied.

7/10

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange Authority tie-in featuring a universe where the al-Ghul's conquered everything turns out to be surprisingly critical to the main event in Revenge of the Demon. The Blue Earthers are quickly revealed to be more than they seem (the leader is alt-Talia al-Ghul, planning an invasion from her universe by stealing the Superfamily's powers). Before you know it, we're plunged into big battle scenes on an alternate Earth.

It's all quite epic and exciting, but the storytelling suffers since our whole understanding of this conflict stems from that one introductory issue. What's played like a big culmination of long-running threads is ultimately a flash in the pan. I finished Revenge of the Demon yesterday and honestly couldn't tell you who won or why (well, I mean, of course Superman won).

Still, the art is high-quality and there are a handful of nice Superman moments. I especially liked when he had to defeat a foe who had just copied his powers (turns out controlling your laser vision is pretty...draining).

At the very least, I'm on board with the Superfamily now, so let's see where they go next.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't really aware how much I had missed reading Superman until after seeing the newest movie.
Highlights:
- The Volume begins with a crossover with Batman and the team known as The Authority. They go into the Dark Multiverse and fight against Janan al Ghul and the Empire of Shadows. When defeated, she swears they haven't heard the last of her.
- Norah Stone, leader of Blue Earth, can syphon powers from Kryptonians! Passing their group off as "super humans, not aliens" gives her some clout with people, but they can't compare to members of the actual Superfamily
- Otho-Ra is the true target of Blue Earth, because of her innate abilities and power level. Norah Stone begins to brainwash her.
- Superman figures out that Norah Stone is Janan al Ghul! Janan wants to take over Otho's body.
- With the help of the entire Superfamily, as well as Constantine and Etrigan, they win out the day.

Excellent flow, action-packed. Just fantastic in every way.
Strong recommend. Strong ending to this run of Action Comics.

[Jason Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phillip Kennedy Johnson is one of the best Superman writers I've ever read, and I'm a little sad that his run has ended. The volumes after the Warworld Saga didn't quite reach the highs of that particular story, and the books felt a little crowded for time and space, but Superman's characterization has been consistently top-tier. I honestly love Superman's Dad Era, and I hope it continues into future stories.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phillip Kennedy Johnson brings his Action Comics run to an explosive close with a cross-dimensional romp that manages to wrap up all of his plotlines, drag in his favourite thread from across all of his books (hey look, an Elder God!) and even find a way to bring fucking Bloodwynd back and make them cool as hell. Yeah, I'd call this one a big swing and a hit.

I'm sad to see PKJ's Superman run end, but I know for a fact that he'll be doing some great stuff on other books soon enough. He's got a way of telling a story that always compels me, and even when he introduces elements that don't usually fit with a character, they seem to work incredibly well.

[Steven desJardins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Johnson gets one big thing right about Superman, which is that he's an inspirational figure. There are lovely scenes where he takes the time to chat with an ex-con he once put away and who went straight after getting out of jail. That's not just the sort of thing Superman should do, it's the sort of thing he needs to do, to keep himself connected to humanity, just as he needs to be Clark Kent, the reporter who does human interest stories. But there's also pseudo-inspirational bullshit, as when he tells a teenager living in a dystopic world ruled by super-villains "If you fight, and keep fighting, and never give up, eventually they'll have to." Or maybe they just decapitate you.

[Néstor Vargas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did we have to revisit the multiverse so quickly? This arc begins promisingly. I appreciate Blue Earth as the primary antagonist, who powers up civilians and illustrates the challenges of controlling Superman’s abilities. Wasn’t familiar with Janan, she isn’t super threatening but has great moments before her identity is discovered. Also, it felt strange that they introduced Superman’s new Steel costume as a significant revelation, and he only wore it for a brief period.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED the Earth Al Ghul storyline with Batman to kick this off and everything with Nora Stone through the rest of the book! Great storytelling, has a personal touch of redemption from an ex-criminal Superman put away and the characters were incredible! This is the best of the Action Comics series by the author so far!

[Aidan]

Man this run really tanked. This feels like PKJ got his run cut short cus everything feels rushed; the time jump on Earth Al Ghul took the exciting character reveals from the end of the Batman/Superman Authority Special and killed them off page, Clark and the Warworld kids calling each other Dad/Son/Daughter felt unearned, and this has a couple of “the good guys are here!” money shots that similarly felt unearned. Another DC comic that presents a weak critique of superheroes that is loosely tied to real world issues, and that quickly gets shut down by the self satisfied headlining characters of the book. It’s like a worse version of the themes PKJ investigated in the much better Warworld Saga.

This also starts and ends with a former criminal being thankful Superman sent him to jail so that he could eventually be overworked by Steelworks doing an underpaid construction job that has injured his back (all of which is noted in dialogue)?? PKJ is usually great with these civilian-Superman relationship snapshots, but what the fuck was that??

[Mariano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arranca muy bien, y termina rápido y sin sentido, todo resuelto a las piñas. Pintaba para algo más, pero termina siendo del montón. Flojo cierre para el run de Phillip, pero bueno, siempre tendremos la Warworld Saga ❤️

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Norah Stone...
Blue Earth...
Otho-Ra...
The Empire of Shadows...

*dun dun DUNNNN*

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Messy but good at the same time.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, now that this run is over, make we perhaps make things a bit...simpler now?

[alejandro galvez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good.

This was a good chapter in a great series. I loved every minute of it. The art was gorgeous. So good to see top artists draw Superman. Always a treat!

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story with the racist Blue Earthers comes to a head and their origins were actually seeded at the beginning of PKJ's run right before the Warworld Saga. It's a crazy and bold choice.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good.

[Patrick Penner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice tidy finish to the Johnson run on Action Comics.

Overall a great run.