Zod #1

- Zod #1 or Action Comics #23.2 if you prefer. I have the 2D version, yet to find 3D.
- Zod is one of my favourite villains, Top 5 maybe even Top 3, but I have taken of my fan hat and placed upon my head my unbiased hat so this will be a fair review. I believe that up to this point, september 2013, Zod had not appeared in the New 52 yet so this was an introduction for him to an extent, now onto the comic itself -

 We see Dru-Zod as a child raising monsters that his parents decide to dissect but then they are attacked by monsters. We go forward a year now as we see brothers Jor-El and Zor-El, who are Superman and Supergirl's dads respectively, searching a jungle after they discover a beacon, here they find a young Zod who has gone all Bear Grylls/Arrow in the past year.
 15 Years Later now as Zod is training in the Krypton equivalent of X-Men's Danger Room, killing beings known as Char, they're a kind of human/lizard hybrid.
 Two Years Later now as Zod has now got two lieutenants Non and Faora. We see them fighting more Char now and Zod thanks the enemy for they have reawakened Krypton, I get the feeling he felt Krypton had grown complacent. We see more, this time unsuspecting, Char being wiped out by Krytponian ships.
 Now we see Jor-El has summoned Zod, who believes he is meeting Zor-El also he mentions Brainiac abducting Kandor. Jor-El punches Zod who then finds himself surrounded by armed guards and being called a traitor. We go to the Krypton Council now as Jor-El reveals that the monster that killed Ten Thousand Kryptonians was not of Char origin but instead a hybrid created on Krypton using genetic material stolen from Zor-Els lab. The war Vs. Char was based on a lie. This leads to Zod, Non and Faora being exiled to the Phantom Zone, Zod's parting words 'I Will Always Be Your Monster'.
 We go back to Zod and his family being chased when he was younger, we see his mother being killed then we see that in order to slow down the monsters and enable his escape Zod stabbed his dad so that the monsters would spend time eating him.
 Across the last couple of pages we get Zods' thoughts - 'As the Phantom Zone takes me .... I see your faces and I know you understand .... I will turn your fear into action, I will show you all what you are capable of .... I will make you great and because of me .... you will have the chance to survive .... and grow strong until you need me again.' Then the final panel is an image of Superman being projected by Zod in the Phantom Zone.


Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Ken Lashley
Colors: Pete Pantazis
Cover: Gene Ha

REVIEW 
- Firstly the cover Zod differs to the Zod within the comic, the main difference is cover Zod is wearing attire akin to the Russian Zod design.
- It's basically an origin story and I like how it goes, albeit briefly, back to young Zod, it was interesting to see Zod in a stranded Oliver Queen style state.
- The beings who kill Zods mother seem to be a type of Char so maybe that's why he had them killed.
- I like how he tricked the Kryptonians by creating the hybrid as it shows he can use his intelligence to his advantage and is more than simply the man who uses his Kryptonian powers for evil on earth. I like brains in a villain as it adds depth instead of just a whack 'em, smack 'em villain.
- I read another Villains Month issue the other day and Zod showed up in that and after reading this it seems he is in the Phantom Zone in that issue so I would guess that Zod #1 is set before Doomsday #1.
- The story is well paced through out the comic, it at no point feels rushed or dragged out. 
- The art, colors and writing all get a thumbs up from me, the comic version of Phil Jackson's triangle. I like how he is shown with no fear or remorse when he is exiled.
- Kneel Before The Comic Stand! Then buy Zod #1.