When DC relaunched its entire line in September 2011, one of the largest controversies associated with the idea was relaunching Action Comics with a new #1 issue. (Superman had already been relaunched with a new #1 and later renumbered.) For the occasion, Jim Lee also helped redesign Superman’s costume, now said to reflect Kryptonian battle armor.
Of all of the DC’s initial relaunch offerings, Action Comics Vol. 2, written by Grant Morrison, won particular critical praise as well as high sales. Set during Superman’s first year, Action Comics featured a vaguely socialist Superman, opposed to the corrupt power structure in Metropolis, a throwback to the earliest issues of Action Comics Vol. 1. Superman had not yet completed his costume, instead wearing blue jeans.
The initial present-day offerings included three other ongoing series: Superman Vol. 3, written by George Pérez; Superboy Vol. 2, written by Scott Lobdell; and Supergirl Vol. 6, written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson.
Grant Morrison’s Action Comics
“Superman Versus the City of Tomorrow” -- 29 pages
- six months into his costumed career, Superman scares a confession out of a corrupt developer and saves slum dwellers from a wrecking ball, while General Lane and Lex Luthor watch
- Luthor puts Lois (General Lane’s daughter) and her co-worker Jimmy Olsen in jeopardy by creating an emergency on an elevated train
- concludes with Superman captured by the government
first issue; cover by Rags Morales; $3.99; cover-dated Nov 2011; published 7 Sept 2011
Action Comics Vol. 2 #1 (incentive variant)
Action Comics Vol. 2 #1 (1:200 incentive variant)
Action Comics Vol. 2 #1 (second printing)
Additional Images:
 | The original solicitation image for Action Comics Vol. 2 #1 (Nov 2011), later used as the cover for the issue’s second printing. |
Action Comics Vol. 2 #1 (third printing)
“Superman in Chains” -- 20 pages
- written by Grant Morrison; pencils by Rags Morales (15 pages) and Brent Anderson (5 pages); inks by Rick Bryant
- after General Lane and Lex Luthor perform a number of tests on him, Superman escapes custody
- while retrieving his cape on the way out of the complex, Superman spies a red and blue spaceship that calls to him and which he promises to return for
- afterwards, John Corben makes a decision about his future and Luthor makes a phone call to a mysterious ally
“Inside the Action” -- 8 pages
- covers the development of the series, using interview snippets (by Sean T. Collins) of Grant Morrison and Rags Morales
- incorporates artwork by Rags Morales, Rick Bryant, Gene Ha, and Grant Morrison
- layout by Rob Clark, Jr.
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Action Comics #2 (Dec 2011) without titles or indicia. |
Action Comics Vol. 2 #2 (incentive variant)
Action Comics Vol. 2 #2 (1:200 incentive variant)
“World Against Superman” -- 20 pages
- written by Grant Morrison; pencils by Rags Morales (pages 8-20 and panel 3 on page 5) and Gene Ha (pages 1-7, except for panel 3 on page 5); inks by Rick Bryant (pages 8-20 and panel 3 on page 5) and Gene Ha (pages 1-7, except for panel 3 on page 5)
- Superman dreams of his mother escaping Kandor with him as a baby
- the Metropolis P.D. searches Clark’s apartment (because they’re in the pocket of Glen Glenmorgan and Clark is Superman’s ally)
- Luthor’s unseen ally makes himself publicly known through John Corben, just as he is fitted into his Steel Soldier suit
“Say Yes to S” -- 8 pages
- promotional piece about the three other Superman family titles (Superman Vol. 3, Superboy Vol. 5, and Supergirl Vol. 6)
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Action Comics Vol. 2 #3 (Jan 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Action Comics Vol. 2 #3 (incentive variant)
Action Comics Vol. 2 #3 (1:200 incentive variant)
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Action Comics Vol. 2 #4 (Feb 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Action Comics Vol. 2 #5 (Mar 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Action Comics Vol. 2 #6 (Apr 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Present Day
“What Price Tomorrow?” -- 25 pages
- written by George Pérez; breakdowns by George Pérez; finishes by Jesus Merino
- on the night Galaxy Communications officially debuts the new building for their recent acquisition, the Daily Planet, Superman returns to Metropolis
- Superman battles terrorists who have hijacked a tanker truck and then a fire creature that emerges out of the new Metropolis Metrodome
- features Morgan Edge
first issue; cover by George Pérez; $2.99; cover-dated Nov 2011; published 28 Sept 2011
Additional Images:
 | The cover to Superman Vol. 3 #1 (Nov 2011) without titles or indicia. |
Superman Vol. 3 #1 (second printing)
“Flying Blind” -- 20 pages
- written by George Pérez; breakdowns by George Pérez; finishes by Jesus Merino
- while trying to figure out why the fire creature he recently fought seemed to say “Krypton,” Superman confronts a new menace, invisible only to him
- using the cameras at an electronics store as his eyes, Superman defeats the monster, but not before it also whispers “Krypton”
Additional Images:
 | The cover to Superman Vol. 3 #2 (Dec 2011) without titles or indicia. |
“A Cold Day in Hell” -- 20 pages
- written by George Pérez; pencils by Nicola Scott; inks by Trevor Scott
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Superman Vol. 3 #3 (Jan 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Superman Vol. 3 #4 (Feb 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Superman Vol. 3 #5 (Mar 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Superman Vol. 3 #6 (Apr 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Present Day (Not in Sequence): Superboy
“The Clone” -- 20 pages
- written by Scott Lobdell; pencils by R. B. Silva; inks by Rob Lean
- the secret organization N.O.W.H.E.R.E. studies a clone called Superboy
first issue; cover by Eric Canete; $2.99; cover-dated Nov 2011; published 14 Sept 2011
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Superboy Vol 5 #1 (Nov 2011) without titles or indicia. |
Superboy Vol. 5 #1 (second printing)
“Superboys and Their Toys” -- 20 pages
- written by Scott Lobdell; pencils by R. B. Silva; inks by Rob Lean
- Templar sets up an attack on a N.O.W.H.E.R.E. facility in order to test Superboy’s abilities
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Superboy Vol. 5 #2 (Dec 2011) without titles or indicia. |
“Free at Last, Free at Last” -- 20 pages
- written by Scott Lobdell; pencils by R. B. Silva; inks by Rob Lean
Additional Images:
 | The original solicitation image for Superboy Vol. 5 #3 (Jan 2012). |
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Superboy Vol. 5 #4 (Feb 2012) without title or indicia. |
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Superboy Vol. 5 #5 (Mar 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Superboy Vol. 5 #6 (Apr 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Present Day (Not in Sequence): Supergirl
“Last Daughter of Krypton” -- 20 pages
- written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson; pencils by Mahmud Asrar; inks by Dan Green and Mahmud Asrar
- Supergirl lands on Earth for the first time
first issue; cover by Mahmud Asrar; $2.99; cover-dated Nov 2011; published 21 Sept 2011
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Supergirl Vol. 6 #1 (Nov 2011) without titles or indicia. |
Supergirl Vol. 6 #1 (second printing)
“Reunion” -- 20 pages
- written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson; pencils by Mahmud Asrar; inks by Dan Green
- features Superman
Additional Images:
 | The cover to Supergirl Vol. 6 #2 (Dec 2011) without titles or indicia. |
“Memento” -- 20 pages
- written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson; pencils by Mahmud Asrar; inks by Dan Green
- features Superman
- includes a flashback to Krypton with cameo appearances by Jor-El and Lara
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Supergirl Vol. 6 #3 (Feb 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Supergirl Vol. 6 #4 (Feb 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Supergirl Vol. 6 #5 (Mar 2012) without titles or indicia. |
Additional Images:
 | The cover of Supergirl Vol. 6 #6 (Apr 2012) without titles or indicia. |
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