My Weeks In Comics 12-1-10, 12-8-10

It's been a light couple of weeks, but I got a bonus at the end of the week thanks to a Borders 40 percent off coupon and an additional discount I was able to get by upgrading my Borders Rewards card...not that I want this to become a commercial for Borders...

So on the first (actually the second because there was a one-day delay because of Thanksgiving) I only bought...

Action Comics Annual 13: Because this series has been starring Lex Luthor, the annual does the same, with two tales from Lex's younger years. You know this because he had hair back then. It fits the story they're telling now  in that it gives insight into Luthor's mentality, his motivations and his flaws, but it's also a bit weird. The stories deal with Luthor's first meeting with both Darkseid and Ra's al Ghul. The latter tale is told in a third-person narration that's sort of a parable, while the other features many exclamation points. Essentially, whenever Darkseid speaks there are exclamations: "You look at me and think 'I'm not like him!' You would be correct! We have nothing in common!! You're a man -- and I -- am a God!!" Exact quote.

Then, this past Wednesday...

Superboy 2: Love this book so far. Featuring Poison Ivy, some freaky aliens (I'm assuming, anyway; they look like farmers currently) who have plans for Superboy, and the newest invention of Conner's friend Simon Valentine: Parasite Frogs! (Patent pending.)

DC Universe Holiday Special 2010 1 (of 1): Six holiday tales featurning various DC characters. I'm convinced that the entire purpose of one story -- centering on an award given by the city of Metropolis to a hero each Thanksgiving -- was to make the following blatant plug, in the guise of a Daily Planet staffer conversation about who would get the award...
Lois Lane: Green Lantern has done well this year. They're even making a movie about him.
Cat Grant: With Ryan Reynolds, right? Talk about hot -- can't wait to see him in that!

Yeah...
Anyhoo, those discounts from Borders allowed me to pick up a very special hardcover book on Saturday that I hadn't figured on getting...

Superman: Earth One: There was major hype for this when it was released a few weeks ago, even though the concept isn't something that DC has never done before: retelling how Superman got his start, but in a modern-day setting. This book is set in its own continuity, so it's supposed to be completely separate from prior versions (including the recent "Superman: Secret Origin"). There's quite a bit of reinvention, but the only real comparison to TV's "Smallville" is that it features a young Clark Kent in the present day. Clark is trying to find his way, figuring out a way to live a normal live when he has these special abilities, but the one thing he doesn't want to do is what his parents wanted him to do: become Superman.