Review: Wednesday Comics #2

I sang the praises of Wednesday Comics last week and I continue to be impressed with it. There is something so satisfying about unfolding the paper and drinking in the huge art. And the Supergirl strip has been an absolute delight.

Now that the rush of the format has subsided I can be a bit more critical about the stories I think. In Wednesday Comics #2 the Superman, Kamandi, and Strange Adventures strips stuck out as being excellent. I also wonder how Mike Allred enjoyed drawing such a massive splash page. Metamorpho has a 60's trippy feel to it.

I worry the Flash strip is going to become a headache-inducing conglomeration of time travelling Barrys with me trying to figure out who is who. I do like how that strip is broken into 2 strips - a Flash and an Iris comic telling the same story from 2 different perspectives. And while the Catwoman/Demon story and art were great, I was a bit unhappy to hear Etrigan speak in non-rhyming sentences.

The only strip which I am really nonplussed about is Wonder Woman. Ben Caldwell's story has had me scratching my head and the multitude of small panels in that strip seems to diminish the impact of the giant size of the paper.

But on to the Supergirl strip.

One thing I like is that below the title logo we have had a picture of Supergirl displaying (I think) her predominant emotion for that week's chapter. You can see from the pic up above, Kara looks pretty embarrassed as she holds up a piece of someone's ripped boxer shorts. The feeling throughout the strip was that Kara was sort of embarrassed that the super-pets were running wild.

Compare it to last week's where she seems miffed, the rolled newspaper in her hand as if she is trying to discipline the pets.

I hope this intro shot is a running theme as it sort of sets the table.

As Krypto and Streaky continue to run rampant through the city, the media begin broadcasting about the carnage left in their wake.

Supergirl is left to try to quell the madness and clean up the mess. When asked why the super-pets are acting unhinged, Supergirl doesn't have a good answer.

I love the second panel. The subtle little lip bite and hint of flushed cheeks convey just how embarrassing the whole situation is for Supergirl.

She finally catches up with Krypto only to see him 'going postal', frightening the postal workers and having bitten the pants off of one mailman (hence the boxers seen above). This is the Metropolis Post Office so my guess last week that this was Gotham seems wrong. I still hope we see Ace The Bat-Hound.

I think this is the 'fun' strip in Wednesday Comics without much darkness, suspense, or realistic violence. Frankly it is refreshing. Yes it has a very Silver Age feel to it but I think we all could use a little bit of that sunshine in our daily lives. More importantly, I can read this strip to the Supergirls at home who are all floored with the size of paper. They love it.

I am completely floored by the Amanda Conner art to the point that I feel I have to try to get a Supergirl commission from her at some point. Her style is perfect for this story. My buddy is going to the Baltimore Comic-con and might have to beg him to bring my sketch book and camp out at her table for me.

And while I have been somewhat critical of Jimmy Palmiotti's prior Supergirl stories, I have nothing but praise for what I have seen so far here. There is an interview with him about the strip on CBR which I will post about at some point.

Overall grade (Wednesday Comics): B+
Overall grade (Supergirl strip): A+