Action Comics # 990 Lenticular Motion Cover 2017 VF

Action Comics #990 is a highly consequential issue published by DC Comics on October 25, 2017. Serving as Part 4 of the 5-part "The Oz Effect" storyline during the DC Rebirth era, this comic pushes Superman to an impossible breaking point where his family dynamic fractured and he is forced to choose between his son and saving his adopted home planet.

The Plot & Storyline

The narrative intensifies across separate fronts as Mr. Oz's (Jor-El) master plan to abandon Earth reaches its climax:

• Global Interventions: Superman is spread thin across the globe dealing with chaotic fallout engineered by Oz's influence. In the civil war-torn nation of Logamba, a rogue faction launches chemical weapons at a major city. Superman uses his raw power to redirect the toxic gas cloud deep into outer space and takes a major step by physically rounding up and destroying all of the warring factions' weapons to force them to see reason.
• The Acolytes in Metropolis: Back in Metropolis, deluded followers of Oz attempt to flood the city with poison gas to expose "humanity's true, ugly nature". Superman races back and stops the threat, discovering that these cultists believe Oz will save them—unaware that Jor-El is merely using them as disposable pawns. Meanwhile, Lois Lane activates Jimmy Olsen's signal watch because Jon is missing.
• The Seduction of Jon Kent: Inside the Fortress of Solitude, Jor-El manipulates his grandson, Jon Kent (Superboy). He shows Jon a breathtaking projection of a pristine alien world, promising a paradise where they can truly be themselves. Preying on a child's innocence, Jor-El warns of an unstoppable, upcoming cosmic threat to Earth, convincing Jon that humanity is a lost cause and they must flee.
• The Heartbreaking Confrontation: By the time Superman finally tracks his missing son down and reunites with Lois Lane atop the Daily Planet, Jor-El arrives with Jon. When Superman moves to advance against his father, he is shocked when Jon steps in and physically stops Superman's punch, revealing that the young boy has been completely swayed by his grandfather's dark ideology.

Creative Team & Style

• Creators: The issue was written by legendary Superman architect Dan Jurgens and dynamically illustrated by penciler Viktor Bogdanovic, whose detailed, expressive panels perfectly capture the high stakes and emotional gravitas.
• The Bridge to Doomsday Clock: This chapter solidifies Jor-El's psychological descent from a heroic scientist into a deeply cynical cosmic threat. It serves as a direct bridge into the broader Doomsday Clock crossover event by exploring how Doctor Manhattan's hidden hand has been fracturing the morality of the DC universe.

Collectibility & Covers

As a major turning point for the Superman family, this book dropped with a couple of widely collected cover treatments:

• Cover A (Standard): Illustrated by Nick Bradshaw and Brad Anderson, depicting a dramatic standoff featuring Superboy flying and using his heat vision alongside his grandfather.
• Lenticular Motion Variant: A highly popular, premium variant cover. When tilted in the light, the image shifts from the grim scene of a destroyed city building to a beautiful blue sky featuring Superboy flying happily alongside Superman.
• Neil Edwards Variant: An alternative retail variant featuring art by Neil Edwards and Jeromy Cox, spotlighting the core characters of the arc on the ground.