Action Comics #1102 Review – Empty Calories And A Lack Of Focus

Action Comics #1102 (DC Comics, 9/9/26): Writer Mark Waid & artist Osvaldo Pestana Montpeller fight a losing battle on two fronts when the Super-family struggles to find a way out of Caldero during a K-infection outbreak, and Superboy finds himself on Krypton before its destruction with Supergirl and Ursa. Super-family fans will get all the weird drama they can handle on worlds run amok, even if the story is too fractured. Verdict: A serviceable yet messy issue.

• Writer: Mark Waid
• Artist: Osvaldo Pestana Montpeller
• Colorist: Ivan Plascencia
• Letterer: Uncredited
• Cover Artist: Lucas Meyer, Giuliano Peratelli (cover A)
• Publisher: DC Comics
• Release Date: September 9, 2026
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 26
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of Action Comics #1102:

First Impressions:

From DC’s marketing materials, you’d think the Kingdom of Zod crossover during the Summer of Supergirl would be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Sadly, I think my slice has a little mold on it.

Recap:

In Action Comics #1101, the Man of Steel crashed into the present day and found himself thrown into the war with Zod! With a few stowaways along for the ride including…young Clark Kent?!The battle for Zod’s Kryptonite Kingdom has already begun! Is Superman’s return too late?

Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):

Action Comics #1102 splits the reader’s attention on two fronts that don’t appear to have anything to do with each other in the context of this issue.

First, Superboy (a young Clark Kent who is only a week out from learning about who he is and what he can do) sneaks around a pre-destroyed Krypton. His powers are fading from the Red Sun, and he can’t speak the language. He has enough power to find Supergirl (from the present) and Ursa to stage an escape. Ursa manically tries to warn anyone who will listen, including a younger General Zod, of Krypton’s imminent destruction. Her frantic pleas get the trio into more trouble when she finds Zor-El and aggressively pressures him to warn the Science Council. During the confrontation, Zor-El is critically injured, scuttling Ursa’s chances of altering history. The trio is then recaptured by General Zod before they can reach the time bubble.

In the present, multiple members of the Super-family work to help or escape Caldero as the K-infection spreads at an alarming rate. Superman, Conner, and Prime work their way through lead-lined sewer tunnels to find help, which they receive in the form of Lana Lang, Lois Lane, and Jon Kent. Steel and Nat help the infected refugees through underground caverns. Martian Manhunter, accompanied by Mary Marvel, telepathically contacts the Watchtower for help, but they learn everyone is busy with disaster relief as the K-Infection spreads throughout Caldero and threatens the world.

How is the story in Action Comics #1102?

If you’ve read the description above, the challenge becomes apparent quickly. What is the story? Whose journey are you following? Where should you be paying attention? This issue reads like two completely disconnected comics that were stitched together, and nothing significant happens in either one.

In the first thread, Jon helps Kara and Ursa escape, but then what? They don’t alter history, they don’t escape Krypton from the past, and Krypton’s destruction is still “cycles” away, so there’s no clear ticking clock to escalate the urgency.

In the second thread, survival plans are in process at the start of the issue, and they continue by the end. At most, you could say the larger Super-family is reunited, but that’s about it. What did that reunion accomplish? How did their reunion move the plot forward or change their predicament?

In short, Mark Waid makes things happen, but nothing that happens is meaningful or pushes the story forward, and the disparate plots don’t connect in a way that supports each other.

How is the art in Action Comics #1102?

Osvaldo Pestana Montpeller’s artwork is fine and marginally elevates Mark Waid’s script. You get a good look at Krypton through architecture, the clothes, and the vehicles, giving Superboy’s part of the story a fully realized world to work through for a grounded, authentic feel. That said, the superheroics in the story are few and far between, so Montpeller is unfairly burdened with too many static dialog scenes that need to be visually engaging. Sometimes they are. Other times they are not.

Characters

In the first thread, the character work is significantly split between Superboy’s fish-out-of-water apprehension, Supergirl’s commanding demeanor to protect the timeline and get home, and Ursa’s manic dash to rewrite history. Nobody gets much time to develop, but at least their voices are distinct enough to give the personalities some variety.

In the second thread, nobody stands out because the rescue scenes are so quick that the thread almost comes off as a montage.

Originality & Concept Execution

Revisiting Krypton through time travel shenanigans is nothing new, so no points for Waid on that front. The rapidly spreading K-Infection is a development worth watching, and to Waid’s credit, the pacing of the rescues has a certain urgency to it that gives Action Comics #1102 the feel of a large, natural disaster in progress.

Pros and Cons

What We Loved

• Young Clark’s adventure looks authentic
• The Caldero scenes come off as a natural disaster
• The cliffhanger is somewhat strong

Room for Improvement

• Both plots accomplish little
• Neither plot supports the other
• Young Superboy’s plot reads like a rehash

Art Samples:

The Scorecard:

Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 2/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 3/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 1/2

Final Thoughts:

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Action Comics #1102 splits the issue (and the reader’s attention) when Superboy, Supergirl, and Ursa navigate Krypton of the past, and the Super-family reunites to ramp up their rescue efforts within Caldero in the present. Mark Waid’s script does a lot but accomplishes little, and the art team’s output is solid, albeit without a single wow moment to work with.

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