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''Action Comics'' #1000 (
cover date The cover date of a periodical publication is the date displayed on the cover, which is not necessarily the true date of publication (the on-sale date or release date); later cover dates are common in magazine and comic book publishing. More unu ...
d Early June 2018) is the 1,002nd issue of the original run of the
comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
/
magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
series ''
Action Comics ''Action Comics'' is an American comic book/ magazine series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters. The publisher was originally known as National Allied Publications, and later as National Comics Publications ...
'' (after special #0 and #1,000,000 tie-ins to '' Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!'' and ''
DC One Million ''DC One Million'' is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled, weekly miniseries and through special issues of almost all of the "DCU" titles published by DC Comics in November 1998. It featured a vision of the DC Univer ...
'' respectively). It features several
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
stories from a variety of creators, including previously unpublished artwork by
Curt Swan Douglas Curtis Swan (February 17, 1920 – June 17, 1996) was an American comics artist. The artist most associated with Superman during the period fans call the Bronze Age of Comic Books, Swan produced hundreds of covers and stories from the 195 ...
, who drew Superman for nearly four decades. It was a commercial and critical success, being the most-ordered comic of the month.


Contents

''Action Comics'' #1000 is an anthology, and contains several Superman stories, mostly around five to 10 pages, showcasing different eras of Superman's publication history and fictional life: *"From the City Who Has Everything" ( Dan Jurgens, writer and penciller; Norm Rapmund, inker; Hi Fi Design, colorist;
Rob Leigh Rob or ROB may refer to: Places * Rob, Velike Lašče, a settlement in Slovenia * Roberts International Airport (IATA code ROB), in Monrovia, Liberia People * Rob (given name), a given name or nickname, e.g., for Robert(o), Robin/Robyn * Rob ( ...
, letterer) is a celebration of Superman hosted by his home city of
Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...
, modeled after Jurgens' previous work on " The Death of Superman", the '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' episode "I'm Seeing Through You", and
Alan Moore Alan Moore (born 18 November 1953) is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including '' Watchmen'', ''V for Vendetta'', '' The Ballad of Halo Jones'', ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman:'' ''The Killing Joke'', and '' From He ...
and
Dave Gibbons David Chester Gibbons (born 14 April 1949) is an English comics artist, writer and sometimes letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries ''Watchmen'' and the Superman story "For the Man ...
' "
For the Man Who Has Everything "For the Man Who Has Everything" is a comic book story by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, first published in ''Superman Annual'' #11 (1985). It contains the first appearance of the Black Mercy, a magical, extraterrestrial, plant-like org ...
". *"Never-Ending Battle" (
Peter J. Tomasi Peter J. Tomasi is an American comic book editor and writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. As an editor, he oversaw numerous comic books featuring the Justice League, including series starring various members of that team such as Batman, ...
, writer; Patrick Gleason, penciller and inker; Alejandro Sanchez, colorist; and
Tom Napolitano Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...
, letterer) has splash pages of Superman from various fictional universes and media (such as the 1940s cartoons, the film '' Superman and the Mole Men'', the
DC animated universe The DC Animated Universe (DCAU; also referred to as the Timmverse or Diniverse by fans referring to the creators and producers Bruce Timm and Paul Dini respectively) is a shared universe consisting primarily of superhero-based animated televis ...
and the comic '' Kingdom Come'' set in an alternate future timeline) making his way home to his family:
Lois Lane Lois Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #1 (June 1938). Lois is an award-winning journalist for ...
, Jon Kent, and
Krypto Krypto, also known as Krypto the Superdog, is a fictional superhero dog appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the character Superman. In most continuities, Krypto is Superman's pet dog, usually dep ...
. *"An Enemy Within" (
Marv Wolfman Marvin Arthur Wolfman (born May 13, 1946) is an American comic book and novelization writer. He worked on Marvel Comics's '' The Tomb of Dracula'', for which he and artist Gene Colan created the vampire-slayer Blade, and DC Comics's ''The New Te ...
, writer;
Curt Swan Douglas Curtis Swan (February 17, 1920 – June 17, 1996) was an American comics artist. The artist most associated with Superman during the period fans call the Bronze Age of Comic Books, Swan produced hundreds of covers and stories from the 195 ...
, penciller;
Butch Guice Jackson "Butch" Guice (born June 27, 1961) is an American comics artist who has worked in the comics industry since the 1980s. Biography Guice was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee.. Retrieved March 21, 2008. Growing up in the 1960s, Guice was fond ...
and
Kurt Schaffenberger Kurt Schaffenberger (December 15, 1920 – January 24, 2002) was an American comics artist. He was best known for his work on Captain Marvel (DC Comics), Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family during both the Golden Age of comic books, Golden Age an ...
, inkers; Hi-Fi, colorist; and Rob Leigh, letterer) repurposes unpublished art by Swan with the Metropolis Police Department talking down a hostage taker. *"The Game" (
Paul Levitz Paul Levitz (; born October 21, 1956) is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles. Along with publisher Jenette Kahn ...
, writer;
Neal Adams Neal Adams (June 15, 1941 – April 28, 2022) was an American comic book artist. He was the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates, and was a Creator ownership, creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and re ...
, penciller and inker; Hi-Fi Design, colorist; and Dave Sharpe, letterer) is a digital-only story that was published in the hardcover ''Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman'' and has a chess match between Superman and
Lex Luthor Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (cover dated: April ...
. *"The Car" (
Geoff Johns Geoffrey Johns (born January 25, 1973) is an American comic book writer, screenwriter, and film and television producer. Johns's work on the DC Comics characters Green Lantern, Aquaman, Flash and Superman, has drawn critical acclaim. He serv ...
and
Richard Donner Richard Donner (born Richard Donald Schwartzberg; April 24, 1930 – July 5, 2021) was an American filmmaker whose notable works included some of the most financially-successful films during the New Hollywood era. According to film historian ...
, writers; Olivier Coipel, penciller and inker; Alejandro Sanchez, colorist; and Nick Napolitano, letterer) follows from the story and cover of ''Action Comics'' #1 as Superman follows gangster Butch Mason to get his car repaired. *"The Fifth Season" ( Scott Snyder, writer; Rafael Albuquerque, penciller and inker;
Dave McCaig Dave McCaig (born December 6, 1971, in Thunder Bay, Ontario) is a Canadian artist and colourist who also works in the animation industry. He has worked on comics including '' Adam Strange'', ''X-Men'', ''Star Wars'', '' Superman: Birthright'', ' ...
, colorist; and Tom Napolitano, letterer), has Superman and Luthor meeting at a planetarium. *"Of Tomorrow" ( Tom King, writer;
Clay Mann Clay Mann is an American comic book artist who has worked for Valiant, Marvel, and DC Comics. He has a twin brother named Seth Mann who works primarily as his inker. Bibliography Interior comic work includes: *''X-Men Unlimited'' vol. 2 #13: "A ...
, penciller and inker; Jordan Bellaire, colorist; and
John Workman John Workman (born June 20, 1950) is an American editor, writer, artist, designer, colorist and letterer in the comic book industry. He is known for his frequent partnerships with writer/artist Walter Simonson and also for lettering the entire r ...
, letterer) features Superman five billion years in the future, as Earth's sun cools and expands from a yellow star into a
red giant A red giant is a luminous giant star of low or intermediate mass (roughly 0.3–8 solar masses ()) in a late phase of stellar evolution. The outer atmosphere is inflated and tenuous, making the radius large and the surface temperature around o ...
, thus robbing him of his power source. He takes the opportunity to say goodbye to
Ma and Pa Kent Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent, often referred to as "Pa" and "Ma" Kent (respectively), are fictional characters in American comic books published by DC Comics. They are the adoptive parents of Superman. They live in the rural town of Smallville (c ...
and thank them for raising him. This is one of two stories DC published digitally prior to the comics' release. *"Five Minutes" ( Louise Simonson, writer;
Jerry Ordway Jeremiah Ordway (born November 28, 1957) is an American writer, penciller, inker and painter of comic books. He is known for his inking work on a wide variety of DC Comics titles, including the continuity-redefining ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' ...
, penciller and inker;
Dave McCaig Dave McCaig (born December 6, 1971, in Thunder Bay, Ontario) is a Canadian artist and colourist who also works in the animation industry. He has worked on comics including '' Adam Strange'', ''X-Men'', ''Star Wars'', '' Superman: Birthright'', ' ...
, colorist; and Carlos M. Mangual, letterer) has
Clark Kent Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
in the ''
Daily Planet The ''Daily Planet'' is a fictional newspaper appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Superman. The newspaper was first mentioned in ''Action Comics'' #23 (April 1940). The ''Daily Planet'' build ...
'' office with his boss
Perry White Perry White is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the editor-in-chief of the Metropolis newspaper the ''Daily Planet''. The character maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards and ...
and ducking out to save some innocents as Superman while also trying to meet his deadlines. This story was also previewed by DC online. *"Actionland!" (
Paul Dini Paul McClaran Dini (; born August 7, 1957) is an American screenwriter and comic creator. He has been a producer and writer for several Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics animated series, most notably '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992–19 ...
, writer;
José Luis García-López José Luis García-López (born March 26, 1948) is a Spanish-Argentine comics artist who works in the United States, particularly in a long-running relationship with DC Comics. In addition to his storytelling art, he has been responsible for prod ...
, penciller;
Kevin Nowlan Kevin Nowlan (born 1958) is an American comics artist who works as a penciler, inker, colorist, and letterer. He has been called "one of the few artists who can be called 'artists's artist'", a master of the various disciplines of comic producti ...
, inker; Trish Mulvihill, colorist; and Josh Reed, letterer)
Mister Mxyzptlk Mister Mxyzptlk (, ), sometimes called Mxy, is a character who appears in DC Comics' ''Superman'' comic books. He is usually presented as a trickster in the classical mythological sense. Mxyzptlk possesses reality-warping powers with which he enj ...
and his lover Miss Gsptlsnz design a dangerous
amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...
featuring Superman's exploits. *"Faster Than a Speeding Bullet" ( Brad Meltzer, writer;
John Cassaday John Cassaday (; born 1971) is an American comic book artist, writer, and television director. He is best known for his work on the critically acclaimed '' Planetary'' with writer Warren Ellis, '' Astonishing X-Men'' with Joss Whedon, ''Captain Am ...
, penciller and inker;
Laura Martin Laura DePuy (credited later in her career as Laura Martin, having married Randy Martin in 2001) is a colorist who has produced work for several of the major comics companies, including DC Comics, Marvel Comics and CrossGen. Career A sometimes comi ...
, colorist; and Chris Eliopolous, letterer) has Superman intercepting a bullet at the last second and talking to a woman who was brave in the face of danger. *"The Truth" (
Brian Michael Bendis Brian Michael Bendis (; born August 18, 1967) is an American comic book writer and artist. He has won five Eisner Awards for both his creator-owned work and his work on various Marvel Comics books.Bendis, Brian Michael and Oeming, Michael Avon, ...
, writer;
Jim Lee Jim Lee (Korean 이용철; born August 11, 1964) is a Korean American comic-book artist, writer, editor, and publisher. He is currently the Publisher and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics. In recognition of his work, Lee has received a Harvey ...
, penciller; Scott Williams, inker;
Alex Sinclair Alex Sinclair (born 2 December 1968) is a Mexican comic-book colorist known for his work with Jim Lee and Scott Williams. Career Sinclair is well known for his collaborations with Jim Lee and Scott Williams. He has previously worked on '' A ...
, colorist; and
Cory Petit As a given name, Cory is used by both males and females. It is a variation of the name Cora, which has Greek origins and is the maiden name of the goddess Persephone. The name also can have origins from the Gaelic word ''coire'', which means "in ...
, letterer) has
Supergirl Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. The character made her fir ...
and
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
face off against Rogol Zaar, a new villain who claims to be responsible for the destruction of
Krypton Krypton (from grc, κρυπτός, translit=kryptos 'the hidden one') is a chemical element with the symbol Kr and atomic number 36. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas that occurs in trace amounts in the atmosphere and is of ...
.


Publication and promotion

''Action Comics'' #1000 involved several creative teams working independently for multiple stories. This anthology approach was common in comics' early history but is more rare today. The lead story ends a commercially and critically successful run by Jurgens, who has a long history working on Superman, including " The Death of Superman" storyline from 1992 and hands over the book to new regular writer Bendis who is also responsible for writing the miniseries ''Man of Steel'' (volume 2), following from his short story in this issue. García-López came out of retirement for this issue. DC initially solicited the title featuring several creators who did not appear in the final version, including
Grant Morrison Grant Morrison, MBE (born 31 January 1960) is a Scottish comic book writer, screenwriter, and producer. Their work is known for its nonlinear narratives, humanist philosophy and countercultural leanings. Morrison has written extensively for th ...
and Frank Quitely (who had previously partnered on ''
All-Star Superman ''All-Star Superman'' is a twelve-issue American comic book series featuring Superman that was published by DC Comics. The series ran from November 2005 to October 2008. The series was written by Grant Morrison, drawn by Frank Quitely, and digita ...
''), long-time Superman artist
Doug Mahnke Douglas Mahnke () is an American comic book artist, known for his work and penciling books including ''The Mask'', '' JLA'', ''Batman'', ''Final Crisis'', and '' Green Lantern''. Career Mahnke's first prominent work was for ''The Mask'', and he ...
, and Tim Sale. The comic was paired with a hardcover retrospective released one week prior, ''Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman'' (). This book features essays, reprints of previous stories and covers, the print debut of "The Game", and a newly published story made by Jerry Siegel and
Joe Shuster Joseph Shuster (; July 10, 1914 – July 30, 1992), professionally known simply as Joe Shuster, was a Canadian-American comic book artist best known for co-creating the DC Comics character Superman, with Jerry Siegel, in ''Action Comics'' #1 (c ...
that a young
Marv Wolfman Marvin Arthur Wolfman (born May 13, 1946) is an American comic book and novelization writer. He worked on Marvel Comics's '' The Tomb of Dracula'', for which he and artist Gene Colan created the vampire-slayer Blade, and DC Comics's ''The New Te ...
was given when he toured DC's headquarters as a child. The two publications' similar names and release dates caused confusion among consumers; this was compounded by the fact that the original title of the hardcover explicitly mentioned ''Action Comics'' #1000. Additionally, the book was originally solicited with a poster but that was removed prior to publication and made a separate item for purchase. DC also had the issue tie in to an episode of ''
The Big Bang Theory ''The Big Bang Theory'' is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom served as executive producers on the series, along with Steven Molaro, all of whom also served as head writers. It premiered on CBS ...
'' where the character of
Sheldon Cooper Sheldon Lee Cooper, Ph.D., Sc.D., is a fictional character in the CBS television series '' The Big Bang Theory'' and its spinoff series '' Young Sheldon'', portrayed by actors Jim Parsons and Iain Armitage respectively (with Parsons as the la ...
attempts to buy the comic, but is interrupted by
Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gra ...
(playing himself). The issue sells out due to the author mentioning the store that he is in on social media, causing a flood of comic fans to visit.


Reception


Critical reception

For The A.V. Club, Oliver Sava called the issue "an emotional, exciting celebration of Superman’s evolution and the core tenets that have stayed constant through these changes" giving it a B+. At
Bleeding Cool Bleeding Cool is an Internet news site, focusing on comics, television, film, board games, and video games. Owned by Avatar Press, it was launched by Rich Johnston on March 27, 2009. Avatar Press also publishes an associated magazine, ''Bleeding ...
, Joshua Davison gave the issue a 9.5 out of 10, saying, "In the litany of 'landmark' issues released of late—almost entirely of which came from Marvel and have been largely quite enjoyable—''Action Comics'' #1000 manages to stand apart on a mixture of charm, endless sincerity, and an optimistic tone to brighten up even these dark times." He praised the issue for having several unique takes on Superman mythos. Eric Francisco of
Inverse Inverse or invert may refer to: Science and mathematics * Inverse (logic), a type of conditional sentence which is an immediate inference made from another conditional sentence * Additive inverse (negation), the inverse of a number that, when a ...
agreed that the comic was a superlative tribute to Superman, writing, "the comic itself will go down as one of the best Superman stories of all time. Very sentimental, maybe to a fault, ''Action'' #1000 is less about celebrating Superman, the Intellectual Property and more about examining why people believe in characters like Superman in the first place."
GameStop GameStop Corp. is an American video game, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise retailer. The company is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas (a suburb of Dallas), and is the largest video game retailer worldwide. , the company operates ...
's Comicbook.com featured a review from Russ Burlingame, giving the issue four out of five, writing, "there is a lot to love in this volume". IGN's Jesse Schedeen gave the release an 8 out of 10, summing up, "there's a lot of heart in these pages, and no shortage of gorgeous artwork. It's impossible not to be moved by the many loving Superman tributes these creative teams have put together." In
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television ...
' review by Jack Fisher, the issue got nine out of ten with the finale reading, "Like the Man of Steel himself, Action Comics #1000 does plenty to raise the bar and bring hope to generations past and present. What started Siegel and Shuster nearly a century ago is still going strong today. It seems impossible that any character could endure for so long, but that's exactly what makes him Superman." Assessing the importance of the comic,
Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed '' polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two ...
writer Susana Paolo pointed out that the issue was only the second piece of writing that
Brian Michael Bendis Brian Michael Bendis (; born August 18, 1967) is an American comic book writer and artist. He has won five Eisner Awards for both his creator-owned work and his work on various Marvel Comics books.Bendis, Brian Michael and Oeming, Michael Avon, ...
had ever done for DC Comics, after having spent the previous two decades being associated with his work on various
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...
characters. Paolo summarized her review by saying, "If you’ve low-key detested every Superman story you’ve read or if you’ve given the character a good shake and still just don’t see his appeal, skip this one. But if, instead, you have an ounce of romance in your soul, pick it up." Similarly,
Comic Book Resources ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
caps the review from Jim Johnson by pointing out how, " ns of Bendis have a lot to look forward to, but those enamored with the now-concluded Jurgens/Tomasi/Gleason era might take some time to win over" but praising the issue overall. The importance of Bendis' transition to DC was noted by
Newsarama Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews, and essays about the American comic book industry. It is owned by Future US. In June 2020, Newsarama was merged with the website GamesRadar+, also owned by FutureUS. History ...
's David Reposte: "Of course, the question on everyone's mind is likely what will be in the Man of Steel's future, as we get our first taste of Brian Michael Bendis at DC Comics. Teaming up with Jim Lee, Bendis certainly starts his tenure off with a bang... and while the cliffhanger of the story can't help but feel a little cheap, you can only hope that Bendis brings this tighter, more focused writing to his new company". He concludes the review, " a lot of ways, ''Action Comics'' #1000 feels like a bulletproof comic book, one whose strengths outweigh its flaws, and one whose structure seems impervious to diminished momentum" and gave the book eight out of 10. The issue was notable not only for the quality of the stories and one of comics' most famous creators joining a new company, but also for Superman's costume reverting to its classic style with red trunks and yellow belt. As part of
The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
line-wide relaunch, DC substantially changed the history and appearance of many of their heroes, including Superman. After the
DC Rebirth DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Using the end of The New 52 initiative in May 2016 as its launching point, DC Rebirth restored the DC ...
relaunch merged elements of the old and new continuities, his appearance stayed mostly the same, but this issue reintroduced the classic look that the character has had basically for the entirety of his print history.
NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
's
Glen Weldon Glen Weldon is an American writer, cultural critic, and podcaster. He has written for publications such as ''The Washington Post'', ''The New York Times'', ''Slate'', ''The Atlantic'', and ''McSweeney's''. Weldon currently writes for the NPR Arts ...
praised the move from an aesthetic perspective, saying that it "''satisfies''" and breaks up the blue and red color nicely. For io9, Rob Bricken summed up the controversy over the costume writing, "Superman is an icon, and so is his outfit", urging DC to revert to the classic costume years prior; the publication touted the return of the traditional suit in the run-up to the release. Prior to the issue's release, DC promoted the comic by handing out red trunks at
SXSW South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, ...
.


Commercial reception

Despite retailing for $7.99, this issue was the best-selling comic of April 2018. Its variant covers were also very popular: a few weeks before the issue's release in a breakdown from
Diamond Comic Distributors Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. (often called Diamond Comics, DCD, or casually Diamond) is an American comic book distributor serving retailers in North America and worldwide. They transport comic books and graphic novels, as well as other po ...
of additional orders of comics which had 10 of ''Action Comics'' covers in the top 15 of re-orders for that week. The standard cover was first, with the 1960s homage by Mike Allred being third, a blank white cover was fourth, a 2000s cover by Lee Bermejo was fifth, the 1930s cover by Steve Rude was sixth, the 1990s cover from Dan Jurgens was eighth,
Jim Steranko James F. Steranko (; born November 5, 1938) is an American graphic artist, comic book writer/artist, comics historian, magician, publisher and film production illustrator. His most famous comic book work was with the 1960s superspy feature " ...
's 1970s cover was ninth, the 1940s variant by Michael Cho was tenth,
Joshua Middleton Joshua Middleton (sometimes credited as Josh Middleton) is an artist and designer working in the animation, film, comics, and book industries. In 2004 he was nominated for an Eisner Award as "Best Cover Artist" for his work on Marvel's ''NYX'', ''X ...
's 1980s cover was eleventh, and the 1950s variant by
Dave Gibbons David Chester Gibbons (born 14 April 1949) is an English comics artist, writer and sometimes letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries ''Watchmen'' and the Superman story "For the Man ...
was twelfth. Two weeks before it was released, DC Comics' co-publisher
Dan DiDio Dan DiDio (; born October 13, 1959) is an American writer, editor, and publisher who has worked in the television and comic book industries. From February 2010 until February 2020, he was the co-publisher of DC Comics, along with Jim Lee. '' Wizar ...
announced retailers had purchased more than half a million copies. The issue ended up being both the comic that sold the most issues as well as the one that made the most money in the North American market in April 2018, according to Diamond Comic Distributors; the final tally for April was 449,787 units. In contrast, ''
The Amazing Spider-Man ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly per ...
'' #800—another heavily promoted milestone issue released in the following month of May—sold 411,480 copies to retailers. ''Action Comics'' #1000 also charted in May, as the 23rd most-ordered comic with another 52,129 units sold.


See also

*
DC Multiverse In DC Comics, the Multiverse is a "cosmic construct" composed of the many fictional universes the stories of DC take place in. The worlds in this multiverse share a space and fate in common, and its structure has changed several times in the h ...
, a toy line with an action figure based on Jim Lee's cover to this issue


References


External links

*
Digital publications of "Of Tomorrow" and "Five Minutes"
from
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...

Index of reviews at Comic Book Roundup
{{Authority control 2018 in comics April 2018 events Comics anthologies Comics by Brad Meltzer Comics by Brian Michael Bendis Comics by Dan Jurgens Comics by Geoff Johns Comics by Louise Simonson Comics by Marv Wolfman Comics by Paul Dini Comics by Paul Levitz Comics by Peter J. Tomasi Comics by Richard Donner Comics by Scott Snyder Comics by Tom King (writer) Individual issues of comic series Superman titles Fiction set in the 7th millennium or beyond