Action Comics #877

This is one of the Superman-less Superman comics. Instead of Supes, Action now features Flamebird and Nightwing. No, not Dick Grayson, this is the new Nightwing, Christopher Kent/Lor-Zod. For the record, this issue was written by Greg Rucka.

-This comic opens with Ursa breaking free of the parts of the Fortress of Solitude that buried her following her battle with Flamebird and Nightwing last issue. After breaking free, Ursa discovers the Kryptonian sleeper agent that was captured by Nightwing and Flamebird.

-Lois Lane reunites with her adopted son(Nightwing)back in Metropolis, and calls Dr. Light to lend a hand in healing the battered Flamebird. NW and Lois talk for a while before NW realizes that Ursa is probably awake by now, so he hightails it back to the Fortress.

-All the while, Gen. Lane has been watching Lois' apartment and becomes very suspicious after Dr. Light and an unidentified bogey arrive and leave from Lois' place. After getting satellite confirmation that Flamebird is at Lois' apartment, Gen. Lane sends some weird chick with a facial tattoo to go get Flamebird(sorry, but I have NO clue who that woman was!). Gen Lane also sends a jet to follow and attack NW at the Fortress.

-NW returns to the Fortress and discovers that Ursa had killed the captured sleeper agent since she couldn't risk him giving up any information. NW and Ursa talk for a bit and ultimately Ursa leaves, since another fight with NW could reveal her presence on Earth.

-As NW prepares to leave the Fortress, he is attacked by the jet sent by Gen. Lane. After getting knocked out of the air by the missile, NW gets back up, destroys a second missile and flies away from the jet.

-This issue ends with two apparent Kryptonians robbing a bank in Nevada... Huh???

Well, I have to admit that this issue was a bit of a step backwards from the last issue. Where last issue was a straightforward battle between Flamebird, Nightwing and Ursa, this issue was kind of all over the place. I didn't know who the woman with Gen. Lane was and I thought things ended WAY too easily between Ursa and NW at the Fortress(she just leaves? Really?!?).

Besides that stuff, there were a lot of little things that bugged me with this comic. First off, the dialogue between Chris and Lois was, well, kind of dumb. When Chris tells Lois that his body aged in the Phantom Zone, Lois replies that his mind must have aged as well... Well thank you Captain Obvious! No kidding Lois! Why would his body age but not his mind? Plus, when Chris is hit by the missile towards the end of this issue, his clothes are shredded as he hits the ground. When he takes flight again, his clothes are completely undamaged. Yes, I know that is kind of nitpicky, but what can I say, little things like that tend to bother me. For a score, I'll give this comic a 7 out of 10. While this issue was perfectly acceptable, I was expecting a whole lot more.