Kryptonian Fire Falls

One of the more interesting panels from last week's Supergirl #43 was this one (cropped) where Kara, on her crest day, is seen giggling with Thara.

Kara then states that this was before the two of them went to the Fire Falls, before Thara saved her life. Certainly that sounds like an important event in the two friends' relationship. I have to assume we will see that story somewhere in the near future, maybe in the Secret Files issue?

Anyways, it got me to be thinking about the Fire Falls and Krypton and what I remember of them.

Here on this old (and most likely outdated) map of the 'New World' hemisphere of Krypton, we see the Fire Falls were located in the Scarlet Jungle in the middle of the continent of Lurvan.

This map was in 1981's Krypton Chronicles #2, written by E. Nelson Bridwell and drawn by Durt Swan. Chronicles was a 3 part miniseries in which Superman researched his family tree. The following story comes from the second issue as well and involves the Fire Falls.

One of Superman's ancestors was Hatu-El. He lived during the times when an alien race called the Vrangs had conquered Krypton.

A fellow slave aptly named Val-Lor stood up to the Vrangs and got executed for his insubordination. Inspired by Val-Lor, Hatu-El led a small rebellion. They killed their captors with stolen laser rifles from the Vrangs. Unfortunately, their weapons soon ran out of energy and it seemed that the rebellion was going to be squelched.

Hatu had the great idea to hide in the scarlet jungle near the Fire Falls, a place the Vrangs had not yet explored.

Jerry-rigging a small turbine, Hatu was able to use the energy of the Fire Falls to recharge the rebels weapons cache. If not for the Fire Falls, the rebellion would have failed.

Outnumbered and now outgunned by the Kryptonian rebels, the Vrangs where forced to flee the planet. Hatu-El had successfully freed all of Krypton! He deferred all congratulations saying that it was Val-Lor who was the real hero.

I will save my favorite Silver Age 'Fire Falls story' for a full review when we get the Thara/Kara story. But here is the cover for a tease.

Have there been any more recent depictions of the Fire Falls?

I have to say that I did not collect Superman titles for much of the early 2000's so I may have missed some.

Review: Wednesday Comics #4

Another week ... another great edition of Wednesday Comics. I am really thrilled with this project and find myself looking forward to this book (?) as much as any other. One thing that I have to say again is that the talent that was brought on board for this was incredible. It is that mix of format and talent that makes this work so well.

As for Supergirl, I guess we would label this week's mood exasperated? I like how that title picture sets the tone.

You may recall that last week's strip ended with Streaky flying after an airplane with a Disney-esque mouse painted on the tail fin.

In this week's strip we see that painted mouse from Streaky's perspective as it warps into a more monstrous appearing rodent. Hmmm ... could my initial guess about Scarecrow fear toxin have been right?

Regardless of the origin of Streaky's actions, the super-cat is attacking the plane causing the plane's crew to panic a little. I think we have seen this flight crew before.

Sort of looks like Peter Graves and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from the first Airplane movie. Even the stewardess who peeks in looks like Julie Hagerty. I love when small little in-jokes and Easter eggs are put into the strip.

In the meantime, Kara is dismayed by Streaky's action and seems frustrated that the only information she can get out of Krypto is a woof.

Finally, Streaky's attack on the plane as the tail fin snaps off. As the plane plummets earthward the only thing Supergirl can say is 'Great .... just great!'

This strip continues to shine as it drowns the reader in Silver Age gooey sweetness. And Amanda Conner's art is so perfectly suited for the strip. Kara is strong and sweet. Krypto is cute and expressive. Streaky is sleek and mischievous. Just wonderful.

As for the rest of Wednesday Comics, I feel that a lot of strips came into their own this week ... gaining momentum.

After Supergirl, my favorite strip is Kamandi. Ryan Sook's art is simply too lush to not post a panel. I have sung Sook's praises before but this is several notches above even his past fantastic work. And Dave Gibbon's addition of a human girl to the strip is very interesting.

Other favorite strips this week were Paul Pope's Strange Adventures where the star was Alana, Kyle Baker's Hawkman (cameos by Batman, Hawkgirl, and the old school Hawk rocket), and the Azzarello/Risso Batman (which starred Bruce Wayne and his playboy charms more than Batman). I have been sort of lukewarm on the Batman strip in prior weeks.

Ben Caldwell's Wonder Woman was a better read this week and quite innovative as a stream of panels flowed right to left. And the Gaiman/Allred Metamorpho actually moved the story along.

As I feared from last week, the Kerschl/Fletcher Flash now has 3 Flashes running around in it making me dizzy.

Still, I am thrilled with this book and format. Mark Chiarello really deserves kudos for making it happen.

New Supergirl Figure For The Shrine

After talking about the upcoming Supergirl action figure shown at the SDCC, I figured I would post about a new Supergirl action figure that recently hit the market which I bought.

Part of the DC Universe Infinite Heroes Crisis Series 1, this is the classic Earth-1 Supergirl in her 1980's headband costume.

I initially didn't like that version of Kara's costume but for some reason over time I have softened on it. Yes she kind of looks like an aerobics instructor but at least it is a blue shirt/red skirt.

As for the action figure itself, it is very nice. For a small figure meant to fit in your hand, it has a pretty detailed face and hair. While there is articulation at the torso and knees, the arms only move at the shoulder.

For me the biggest downside was that the left leg on my figure is somewhat askew in comparison to the right. As a result, both feet do not sit flat on the shelf making balance for display an issue.

I recently had to move the shrine from a 4 shelf corner cabinet to 3 shelves on my entertainment center. The 1:6 deluxe collector's figure, Barbie Supergirl, and Action #252 statue were just too big for the original cabinet. As a result, the shrine is somewhat in flux. I suppose at some point I will be happy with the total display and will post complete photos. Maybe after the Terry Dodson bust comes out in August.

This new figure found a place near the other 'headband' items: the Ertl diecast figure and DC Direct Crisis figure.

San Diego Comic Con Rundown

I have done my best to read all the news that has poured out of the SDCC, especially where it concerns Supergirl. I find that listening to podcasts of panels is better than reading a stream or review so I have linked those here as well.

As always, I advise going to the link and reading the full reports. Here are the key blurbs.

The Superman Panel was early in the con, Thursday morning. The podcast on the DC website is worth listening to. Here are the links:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090723-sdcc09-superman-panel.html
http://www.dccomics.com/sites/events/ (podcast)

As expected, there was some direct Supergirl information relayed here.

The Thara/Kara relationship, including their brewing animosity, is set up in a Secret Files story coming up in the next months.

Gates and Rucka are co-writing the story arc talked about the upcoming Action Comics/Supergirl crossover 'Hunt for Reactron'. They are co-writing the issues rather than each writing the part in their individual titles. It sounds like a crazy wild high-octane arc with a lot of action. The storyline is a direct result of some event from 'Codename:Patriot'.

World of New Krypton will guest star not only Thanagarians but a new take on Jemm, Son of Saturn where he apparently is tough. I haven't seen Jemm since the 'Rock of Ages' storyline in Morrison's JLA.

James Robinson discussed all the "fragmented pieces" in Superman (my biggest complaint about the book) and how they are building to something . He also talked about a big arc in the book called 'Mon-El, Man of Valor' that will include a new costume for Mon. Of course, Valor was the codename Mon-El used for a while.

Gates discussed the new World's Finest mini-series he's writing, where each issue will team-up a character from the new Batman cast and the new Superman cast. World's Finest #3 stars Supergirl and the new Batgirl. The last issue stars Dick Grayson Batman and Commander El. I can't wait to read the Supergirl/Batgirl issue. I wonder if we know who Batgirl is by that time (December).

Rucka recognized the lack of a single artist on Action Comics (I guess Julian Lopez only does one issue) and said he was hopeful that Pere Pérez will stick with the book for a while. Rucka also said that Nightwing and Flamebird are destined to 'hook up' but then hinted at some tragedy happening right after.

At the end of the panel, a fan thanked Gates for the new interpretation of Supergirl and the crowd applauded loudly. I thought this was nice to hear and had not been mentioned in the written summaries of the panel.

Overall some exciting news and leaks. I especially like that the World's Finest mini has different guests each issue.

On Friday there was a Wednesday Comics panel ( http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090724-sdcc09-wednesdaycomics.html ). A couple of things came out of that I found noteworthy.

For page five of his Wonder Woman story, Ben Caldwell uses 65 panels !! I have found the Wonder Woman strip to be difficult to muddle through. I wonder just what this page will be like. 65 panels seems daunting.

Amanda Conner said of her Supergirl art that she wanted "to make it as absolutely, vomitously adorable" as she could. So far I would say she is succeeding.

Jimmy Palmiotti said read the comedic newspaper strips growing up thus Supergirl leans to the funnier side. I definitely like that given the angst of the Teen Titans strip and the violence in the Batman strip. Diversity in a project like Wednesday Comics is part of the appeal.

Not necessarily part of the SDCC, Newsarama posted a number of video interviews with Dan Didio. In this one on Wednesday Comics ( http://www.newsarama.com/common/media/video/player.php?section_id=16#playerTop ) he confirms that Aquaman is the waterbased guest in Supergirl strip.

The DC Editorial Panel ( http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090725-sdcc09-dcu-editorial.html ) also revealed some cool news.

James Robinson's JLA roster was partially unveiled with the above image. Mon-El, Dick Grayson Batman, Donna Troy and Hal Jordan will be the headliners. There are some shadowy mystery members (one Robinson revealed was Congorilla) as well. Looks like a flame based character (Fire?) and a quiver wearing character (has to be Ollie with Cry For Justice finishing). I don't really care for the new Mon-El costume.

And a Sterling Gates written Kid Flash comic was announced here as well. Bart fans are probably rejoicing.

And there was some toy news as well. Here is the link to Fwoosh which talks about some cool DCU Mattel toys:

http://www.thefwoosh.com/2009/07/first-look-jlu-sdcc-exclusive-and-new-six-packs

The JLU Supergirl (second season) will be released as one figure in a six-pack. I don't know if I need the other 5 figures.

Here is a close up of the figure. I have seen pics of this figure before (tip of the hat to blog friend Gene who sent me a pic of this a while back). The face seems a little off here like Supergirl got a dose of Joker venom. As such, unless it is sold seperately, I don't think I'll spend the money for a 6-pack of figures. I think I read somewhere that these will be sold at Target.

Unfortunately not all the parts of the SDCC I was interested in got coverage. None of the Landry Walker panels (the Walker/Jones spotlight panel and an All-Ages panel) got coverage on the web as far as I can find. So I don't have anything to report about on that front.

Also there was no Supergirl news to report from the Smallville panel. It does sound like we might see the costume this season though.

I'd love to hear from anyone who was actually at the convention.

Bullet Review: Final Crisis:Legion Of 3 Worlds #5

It finally happened ... Final Crisis:Legion of 3 Worlds #5 was released last week.

I haven't fully reviewed this series here so I won't get too in-depth. As an old-time Legion fan I was interested to see just how the unfortunately clumsy Legion timeline would be stream-lined. It was hard for me to understand exactly why DC allowed Johns to bring 'his Legion' into Action Comics while the 'three-boot' Waid Legion was still being published.

Anyways, I love the idea of the Legion but there hasn't been a version I have really embraced since the 5YL issues (and I know I am in the minority for liking that version).

So Superboy-Prime was revealed as the Time Trapper last issue.


And since he is at the end of time as the Trapper, it would appear he is victorious or at least survives. That is discovered to be false. Instead it is revealed that the Time Trapper is the amalgamation of all possible timeline endings of the Prime character.

With that new hope discovered, the three original Legionnaires from Johns' current version bring in every incarnation of every Legionnaire to their aid. Perez, more than anyone, can pull off a huge group panel like this. It was fun to look it over and see some familiar characters - Beppo, Laurel Kent, Lady Quark, Kono, Tyroc, Streaky ... I could go on for a while.

And who was in that big group, the last incarnation of the pre-Crisis Earth-1 Supergirl ... headband and red shoulders streaking into action!!

What a nice little gift to be given, to see that somewhere that Kara is still kicking around. After all, we remember the last time George Perez drew Supergirl.

And to add a bit of joy, an earlier incarnation of Supergirl, this one looking more like the Maid of Might from the 1960's actually gets to deliver a right cross to Prime's mug.

Too awesome!

A confrontation between the young Prime and the Time Trapper Prime leads to the character de-evolving to pencil sketches and then being shunted back to 'his Earth' which somehow turns out not to be our Earth Prime but another Earth.

With Prime gone, the many Legions disperse themselves throughout the space/time continuum.

And in a very nice scene, we see Conner and Bart's homecoming. Superman assembled the Titans and some friends to welcome the resurrected heroes. Included in that group was Supergirl.

Wouldn't it have been nice to have the colorist get her costume right. I love the red skirt look but that isn't her costume.

The ending of the book has Prime going back to his world where his insanity and killing sprees have been read in comics by his family and friends. Isolated in his basement he turns to the reader and yells. He then goes to pour out his anger and bile on the DC message boards (sounds about right given the animosity on those boards).

Of course this has been done before ... recently in Wanted ... better in Morrison's Animal Man (even the de-volution from pencil sketch to thumbnail was done there).

And while I am glad that a current DCU Legion has been established (one that seems to be built on the adventures of the high times of Paul Levitz run), this series was something of a frenetic jumble which was not helped by the outright criminal delays between issues.

Still, it was nice to see some prior incarnations of Supergirl and her mythos sprinkled throughout the series.

Overall grade (series): C

Review: Supergirl #43

Supergirl #43 was released last week and had the tough task of being a sort of 'rest issue' between the 'Who Is Superwoman?' story arc and next months super-title crossover 'Codename:Patriot'.

With 'Patriot' around the corner, it was not as if Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle had the luxury of opening up any major can of worms for the future. Knowing this needed to be something of a done-in-one story, I didn't know what to expect.

What I got was a pretty good story that took a long hard look at the Alura/Kara dynamic. After seeing only snippets of Alura acting like an evil stepmother from a fairy tale for the last 9 months, I was glad to get a bigger glimpse of her, to get a better sense of her motivations.

This was a character driven issue through and through and sometimes those are the hardest ones to get right. Add to that some scenes detailing Kryptonian culture and a great scene with Superman and overall I was pretty happy with the outcome.

The issue takes place just before Kara's birthday and the upcoming celebration on New Kandor. This birthday will also mark the time when Kara will need to declare a guild to join. All along I thought she would choose the Artist's guild given her own predilection to painting as well as her close relationship to her father.

The issue is told via excerpts from a letter that Kara is writing to her dead father Zor-El. Now the 'letter to a dead loved one' motif has been used many many times. It can easily veer into schmaltz and saccharine. I worried this might become an 'after school special' issue. Luckily, my fears were unfounded. The letter excerpts are there more to frame the scenes we are shown albeit with some personal reflection by Kara.

One thing that has not changed is how icy and belligerent Alura is shown to be. When Kara comments on how prominent the House of El crest is on Alura's outfit, Alura responds that it is there as a warning to anyone who would harm any other El family members. Alura has a whole planet of Kryptonians that she can command to fight.

I had begun to wonder if Alura was going to become a one-note character. At least in this title, we haven't seen any other emotions from her other than bitterness and anger. Gates has really done a wonderful job making Kara and the other characters here 3-dimensional. I mean, no one can be bitter and angry *all* the time? Can they?

Seemingly upset at Supergirl's failure to capture either Reactron or Superwoman, Alura sends Kara to work with the labor guild for a couple of days.

I enjoy any look into Kryptonian culture as it fleshes out their world and customs. Here we see a Labor Guild unit repairing some machinery. They seem proud of their work as they toil away in the grime. I like the look of understanding on Kara's face in that last panel. Suddenly members of the Labor Guild have faces and names. They are people who are treated as slave labor. Kara seems to be looking at them with sympathy.

And then there is a wonderful scene were Supergirl and Kal's Red Shard unit discover the apartment that Lucy was hiding out in as Superwoman when on New Kandor.

I am so happy that Gates wrote this scene. Just like we needed to see Lois' response to the Lucy mystery, so too did we need to see Kal's. What I love most about this scene is how Kal completely supports Kara. In the Silver Age, this would have been the time that Superman would have chastised Superman. That doesn't happen now.

In fact he apologizes to Kara for Lois' behavior. Realizing that Lucy could not have put together the suit and acted as Superwoman alone, Kal vows to find out who is behind this threat to New Krypton.

This scene alone made the issue for me. Throughout Gates and Igle's run we have seen Superman support Supergirl. It would have been easy to have him be upset about the death of his sister-in-law, to question Kara's abilities ... but he didn't.

Lastly, a new name has been added to the Superwoman mystery. This apartment belonged to someone named Kryn Kel-Ur, a Kryptonian missing since the city was enlarged. Where is she? Did Lucy kill her?

But Alura has more duties for Kara to perform on New Krypton and so the mystery needs to wait.

Next Kara meets Zal-Tel the man commissioned to carve a statue in Zor-El's honor. He also happened to be Zor-El's mentor in the artist's guild.

Zal-Tel asks Kara about her own painting and wonders if she would like to be his next apprentice. Kara's expression sort of says it all. I assumed she would jump at the chance and be beaming. Instead this semi-confused look let me know that Kara was conflicted about this decision.

And that feeling was probably greater after some jumbled meetings with members of the Religious Guild and Science Guild.

As I said before, Alura's constant vitriol had started to feel a little stale with me.

But Gates does a good job of letting us know that Alura isn't all steel. Throughout the book we see Kara lying in bed at night listening to her mother cry. Alura always cries at the same time and always nears hysterical sobbing. Kara even worries if her mother might take her own life.

This suddenly humanizes Alura. She is still reeling with grief from Zor-El's death. Maybe that rigid exterior is a mask to hide the crumbling interior.

Finally, Kara confronts her mother who has flown to Zor-El's grave.

There is one new plot point here ... why is Alura always crying at the same time of night?

Once again though, this scene shows just how much Kara has matured over the last several months. There was a time when Kara wouldn't have confronted her mother like this.

It turns out that Alura has had Kara running all over New Krypton to expose Kara to all the different guilds. On Kara's birthday she'll need to choose a guild to join and Alura used her pull to give Supergirl some insider information.

Alura regards these trips as a gift ... a statement that flummoxes Kara.

I love the confused look on Kara's face, the slightly furroed brow, as she admits that she simply doesn't understand her mother.

There was no anger here, no angst. Supergirl is outright perplexed by her mother and her actions.

Which makes Supergirl's choice of the Science Guild intriguing.

I had really thought it was a foregone conclusion that Kara would pick the Artist Guild. It made sense.

Instead she joins the Science Guild in hopes of learning why Alura acts the way she does. I also thought this choice showed some maturity. Supergirl didn't choose the Science Guild to try to make Alura love her more or to try to 'buy' Alura's respect. She did it in hopes of coming to some understanding.

This was another very good issue by the Gates/Igle team. I have yet to be disappointed by any of their issues and there is always something noteworthy. In this issue, Kara's scene with Kal and their mutual respect for each other really stands out as the high point.

Overall grade: B+/B

October Solicits - I Am Going To Be Broke

DC Comics released its October solicits last week ( http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090720-dc-october-09-solicitation.html ) and it is clear that I am officially going to be broke before the holidays. Between the super-titles (which seem to be multiplying) and the Blackest Night tie-ins, my DC pull list is getting pretty thick.

The sad thing is that as a result, some titles I might be interested in trying, like Batgirl and Azrael, will probably stay on the shelf. JLA and JSA were on life support but I will give the new teams some time.

Anyways, here are the solicits with some comments.

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE #4
Written by James Robinson
Art and cover by Mauro Cascioli
How far would you go for justice? The heroes have found themselves turning to darker tactics in their search for retribution. Starman and Congorilla have captured the killers who took down some of their friends, but now what do they do with them? Meanwhile, Green Lantern and company wrestle with the idea of torturing villains for information in order to save lives.
On sale October 7

It was clear from the first issue that Starman and Congorilla were the most upset and unhinged. And with the least baggage, there certainly would be more leeway for them to do something outrageous like kill or maim.

But torture? Green Lantern considering torture!? My guess is they don't cross the line.




SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #8
Written by James Robinson & Greg Rucka
Art by Pete Woods
Cover by Gary FrankVariant cover by Joe Kubert
On a mission in space, Superman and his fellow Kryptonians encounter the might of the Thanagarian Army. Can Superman keep things peaceful between the two races – or will The Man of Steel discover that Hawkman’s legendary temper is shared by all his people?
On sale October 7

I have to say that I haven't been following the Rann-Thanagar story at all so I hope that this is consistent. But a possible Thanagar-Krypton war would be a wild story. That cover looks great.

Now I am not usually a variant cover guy but I might cave to get some Joe Kubert Hawkman art.


ADVENTURE COMICS #3
Written by Geoff Johns; co-feature written by Geoff Johns & Michael Shoemaker
Art by Francis Manapul, co-feature art by Clayton Henry
Covers by Francis Manapul
Superboy is back and hunting for Lex Luthor! He can’t find Luthor on his own, and he needs help from his best friend Tim Drake, a.k.a. Robin. But Tim’s now traveling the globe under the alias of Red Robin! The boys’ reunion isn’t all smiles and hugs, as Conner discovers that Tim has been hiding a great many secrets from the newly returned Boy of Steel. And they’re secrets that could destroy their friendship! Plus, in the Legion of Super-Heroes co-feature, the intergalactic odd couple known as Sun Boy and Polar Boy team up to figure out what’s up with the menace trying to destroy the universe.
On sale October 14

How can I not add this title to my pull list. Now that the Legion roster and timeline has been semi-cleared up by Final Crisis:Legion of Three Worlds, I have to get the 'four-boot'. More than the Conner story, the LSH feature is what is grabbing me. And a Sun Boy/Polar Boy story sounds pretty fun.



ACTION COMICS #882
Written by Greg Rucka & Sterling Gates; co-feature written by James Robinson & Greg Rucka
Art by Julian Lopez; co-feature art by CAFU
Cover by CAFU
“The Hunt for Reactron” part 3! Supergirl and Flamebird continue their slugfest, with poor Nightwing caught in the middle! Wait, isn’t that man standing over there the same Reactron who murdered Supergirl’s dad and Flamebird’s surrogate father? Get him! Continued in SUPERGIRL #46... And in the new Captain Atom co-feature, the mystery of where (and when) Captain Atom is heats up when someone with a connection to Metropolis arrives on the scene. But are they friend or foe?
On sale October 14

Well it's official, Cafu can draw a great Supergirl. That cover is captivating.

As for the story, I have to see just why Kara/Thara have decided to beat on each other. Seems a bit odd. Maybe Alura (always a convenient plot device) has sent Supergirl to bring Flamebird home? Anyways, I hope that the two can put whatever issues they have aside to take out the common foe of Reactron.



SUPERGIRL #46
Written by Sterling Gates & Greg Rucka
Art by Jamal Igle & Jon Sibal
Cover by Joshua Middleton

Continuing from ACTION COMICS #882, “The Hunt for Reactron” concludes! It’s the final showdown between Flamebird, Supergirl and the man who killed their father. And for the Daughters of Zor-El, that means it’s payback time. Will Reactron make it out alive? Or is Nightwing the only one who can save them all?
On sale October 21

I am sure that the 'Daughters of Zor-El' isn't literal. Thara was like an adopted daughter. I worry for Chris. He is weaker than the average Kryptonian and Reactron is a tough customer. But if Green K didn't effect him than I doubt Gold K will do anything to him as well.




TINY TITANS #21
Written by Art Baltazar & Franco
Art and cover by Art Baltazar
The first rule of the All Pet Club issue is: Please tell everyone you see today about the All Pet Club issue! The second rule of the All Pet Club issue is: Please tell everyone you see tomorrow about the All Pet Club issue! After all, it's not just Pet Club – it's Pet Club in space!
On sale October 21

Supergirl in Tiny Titans? More Streaky? How can I say no?




SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #2
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Gary Frank & Jon Sibal
Covers by Gary Frank
Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s exploration of the origin of the greatest Super Hero of all time continues! In this second issue, readers will witness young Clark Kent’s initial journey into the late 30th century as Superboy and see how meeting the Legion of Super-Heroes shapes the Superman he will one day become! Plus, more on the beginnings of the young Lex Luthor!
On sale October 28

There has definitely been more of a Silver Age feel to the DCU lately. And Johns doesn;t seem to be shying away from the Levitz-era Legion feel as seen in the Action Comics Legion storyline from a year ago. He even has Lightning Lad with a robot arm.

So this cover seems very natural to me with the sweet as pie Saturn Girl and the upside-down rocket clubhouse. Should be a good read.





WORLD’S FINEST #1
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Julian Lopez
Covers by Phil Noto
After tracking down a threat to The Man of Steel – and all of Metropolis – Red Robin must team up with the new Kryptonian Nightwing to end this mysterious threat and rescue Flamebird. But is all this just a red herring to distract the heroes from an even bigger threat to Gotham City and New Krypton? Be here to find out in this 4-issue miniseries from rising star writer Sterling Gates (SUPERGIRL) and artist Julian Lopez.
On sale October 28

Well this is sort of an unexpected treat. After writing about wanting a Tim Drake/Supergirl World's Finest comic last week I see that a Tim Drake/Chris Kent World's Finest is already solicited. This should be a good read. I haven't 100% warmed up to Chris Kent so it will be good to seem him interact with other members of the DCU. And it is written by Sterling Gates and drawn by Julian Lopez so there is some talent on board. Both are enmeshed in the super-titles so this should fit seamlessly into the current super-title's goings on.

And my love of Phil Noto art is well known so I look forward to the covers. I hope we get to see Kara in one of these issues.



SUPERMAN #693
Written by James Robinson
Art by Fernando Dagnino & Raúl Fernandez
Cover by CAFU
It’s a special issue set entirely within General Lane’s Project 7734 headquarters! Learn more about the mysterious Mirabai, Codename: Assassin and Atlas, and witness Lane ply information out of his latest...acquisition. All this plus revelations about Lex Luthor and Brainiac! Meanwhile back in Metropolis, big trouble comes calling. Hint: Him am not Superman!
On sale October 28

Mon-El sure looks like he is in rough shape. But I am more interested in the hinted at back-stories of the villains. I like to know origins and motivations.

SUPERGIRL: WHO IS SUPERWOMAN? TP
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle, Matthew Clark, Jon Sibal and Keith Champagne
Cover by Joshua Middleton
When a costumed woman arrives in Metropolis calling herself Superwoman, it’s up to Supergirl to get to the bottom of things! After meeting this so-called Superwoman during the “New Krypton” storyline, the Girl of Steel has two pressing questions: Who is Superwoman really, and what gives her the right to wear the symbol of the House of El? Don’t miss this collection featuring SUPERGIRL #34 and 37-42.
On sale November 11

So not an October release but just putting it on the radar. It will be good to see issue #34 finally put out in trade format. I wonder how the trade will read with the jump to #37 though. I am glad they are using that Middleton cover for the trade as I simply love that piece.

Anyways, that's a lot of comics ... and that's just the super-titles!

Review: Wednesday Comics #3

Another week ... another rollicking Supergirl strip in Wednesday Comics.

Based on the logo picture, Supergirl's feelings this strip are going to be happiness and relief. Look at that cute Krypto giving Kara some affection.

The strip starts with Krypto suddenly acting much more like himself. Calm and collected, he flies with Supergirl to find Streaky and stop the cat from doing any more damage. Of course, they leave the Metropolis post office in chaos.

Following Streaky's paths, Supergirl and Krypto have to save a mini-van buried underneath some fallen trees. Looks like Streaky thought those trees were super-sized scratching posts. The resulting claw-work left the family imperiled.

Luckily, Krypto remains sane and is able to lift the van free while Supergirl clears the lumber. I like how the kids show Krypto how happy they are by petting him.

Streaky doesn't stay hidden too long. Spotting a plane with a Disney-esque mouse emblazoned on the tail, the super-cat goes on a little mouse hunt.

So I don't know why Krypto suddenly calmed down. But since it happened when he left the proximity of Streaky, I wonder if Streaky is somehow the cause.

This story continues to be a nice slice of Silver Age heaven. And now, the hint of seeing Jerro? Too good.

As for the rest of the issue, Kamandi, Strange Adventures, and The Demon/Catwoman all stand out as being the cream. In particular, I liked the Steranko-like Zeta ray in the Adam Strange strip. The Kamandi strip has been a treasure all along.

The Green Lantern and Flash strips are just a cut below.

The Superman and Batman strips haven't been as gripping as I hoped they would be.

There were only a couple of disappointments. The Wonder Woman strip remains puzzling. Is anyone else as befuddled as I am? And it was another low-yield Metamorpho splash page strip.

Still I am loving Wednesday Comics.

Overall grade Supergirl strip: A
Overall grade Wednesday Comics: B

Where Is Linda Danvers?

Congratulations to frequent poster and friend Yota for having a question recognized by Dan Didio in his '20 questions' series on Newsarama ( http://www.newsarama.com/common/media/video/player.php?aid=29566 )!!

Yota has been asking the question 'Where is Linda Danvers?' each time Rama asks for questions. More importantly, she has asked the bigger question 'why bring her back horribly in Reign in Hell?' A lot of us have wanted these questions answered so at least Didio acknowledged your persistence and the fans who recommended it.

Sorry that Didio didn't answer it. But it reminded me of the famous Gandhi quote "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

We passed ignore and are in laugh. Halfway home!!

Thanks again Yota!

Jimmy Palmiotti Talks Wednesday Comics

Jimmy Palmiotti was interviewed about his Supergirl Wednesday Comics strip over on Comic Book Resources last week ( http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22038 ). He had a lot of interesting things to say so definitely read the whole thing. Here are some of the things which stuck out to me.

Is the format of “Wednesday Comics” a different creative experience than developing a regular 22-page comic?

It’s a totally different thing because on one hand, you want each single page strip to be interesting and stand on its own, and on the other hand, you know its part of a 12-week strip that all fits together, so it was a bit difficult to get my head wrapped around the idea. But by the third strip it all started to work for me and I was able to have some fun with it.

The average big format page had around 12 panels, so even though its only 12 weeks, it felt like I wrote an entire extra large issue of a one shot. I hope that makes some kind of sense.

So I think the beginning part of this answer is interesting. One of the complaints I am hearing about Wednesday Comics is that people want more story now, that getting only one page isn't enough.

I think the creators are faced with the daunting task of making each page be worthy of standing alone and being part of a bigger story. Some do that by picking up the story immediately where it was left the prior week (Deadman, Sgt Rock, Strange Adventures). Others leap forward in time (Batman, Superman). It doesn't sound easy.

And then to tell a complete story in 12 pages (albeit over-sized pages) is also probably difficult. I did like that Palmiotti gives some inkling to how his story would measure up in standard format (an extra-long one shot). But that probably won't hold true for Gaiman (already used last week for a splash page), Sgt Rock (more like a standard comic page), or Wonder Woman (seems like 5 pages stuffed onto one).

What about your subject matter? Have you been eager to work with Kara since you, co-writer Justin Gray and Amanda Conner filled in on “Supergirl” #12?

Well, yes, in a way. To be honest, Mark liked what we did with Kara and thought Amanda and I could do something fun. Amanda, a year before, did a print of Supergirl with Krypto and Streaky people seemed to love, so when Mark suggested Supergirl, I spoke to Amanda and we both decided we wanted to do a strip that was both fun and at the same time adorable because we knew we were surrounded by a lot of heavy hitters. We knew going in that our strip was probably the quickest read of the bunch , but Amanda did such amazing work on them, I think a lot of people are really gonna fall in love with it.

Well this is certainly a very very different Supergirl than the one in Supergirl #12 and more in line with the print seen above.

I like that the decision was made to make this a fun and adorable strip. Much of Wednesday Comics is relatively heavy with kidnap victims being murdered, demonic serial killings, and terrorists flung from flying planes. Not that I am against heavier material. But the Supergirl strip is like a breath of fresh air. The supergirls at home love it and really marvel at the size of the art so I am glad I can share it with them.

Like Power Girl, Supergirl really seems to be right in Conner’s wheelhouse.

Amanda is one of the few artists in our industry that understands how to not only draw female characters that actually look their age, but her acting skills in the characters she takes on are some of the best anywhere. As well, she can also draw just about any animal and give it instant personality and we have a lot of fun with this, especially when a certain water-based character shows up later in the story with their buddies in tow.

It is true that you can look at Conner's Supergirl, Power Girl, and The Pro and get a sense of age and life experience. And their expressions are really spot on and priceless.

And now maybe Aquaman is going to show up in the strip? Didn't he have a pet walrus or squid at some point?

Speaking of Power Girl, you are also working on her ongoing series right now. What are the major differences between her and Supergirl?

Supergirl is a young girl and Power Girl is a young woman. They view the world differently, their posture and attitude are completely different and they have both experienced separate crucial events that have shaped their lives. The obvious thing is visually they are built different, but it doesn’t stop there. When writing them, I hear a completely different voice and with Supergirl, I hear a young girl’s voice that is full with questions.

That said, they are both powerful personalities and on that level and in the superpower department, they have a lot in common. I like to look at Power Girl as a brilliant woman with a temper and I look at Supergirl as a super-powered schoolgirl finding her way. Some can argue this, but this is the way I see the characters.

I completely agree with all of that. As I have said before, one of my draws to the character of Supergirl is that she still is becoming a hero ... that she needs to make mistakes, find her way, and come up with her own code. So I think it is great to hear Palmiotti say she is 'full of questions' and she is 'finding her way'.

That is pretty far away from Power Girl.

But the Supergirl of “Wednesday Comics” is totally removed from DC Universe continuity, of course.

Totally. I wouldn’t want to alienate new readers and because of how this is presented, it just wouldn’t make any sense to do that. This is classic Supergirl, classic super pets and the few guest stars we have in the strip are classic representations of the characters. You want continuity? Go buy a few dozen of the regular books. You want to have fun and enjoy your favorite characters weekly, stick around for this.

What else can you tell us about the story you are going to tell in “Wednesday Comics?”

Real simple: Streaky and Krypto are acting a bit weird and taking the city along for the ride and Supergirl is not only trying to clean up their mess, but at the same time worried about them and trying to find the answer to their problem. We did this in the most fun way possible.

It has read like a Warner Brothers cartoon so far with some over the top silly 'violence'. And it has been a lot of fun.

What others heroes/supporting characters will be featured in the story?

Well, I hinted at one of them earlier and the other is a character we have seen in two other series Amanda has drawn. Want more clues? Well, I suggest you pick up “Wednesday Comics” to find out. I am one of those people that doesn’t want the whole story laid out for me in a movie trailer and I like to think that most people like a surprise in their reading these days.

A character Conner has drawn in two other comics ... Terra? Any other guesses?

Who’s the villain?

That is an interesting question because it is not a “who” but a “what.”

I initially thought Scarecrow fear gas because I thought this was set in Gotham. Now that it looks like it's in Metropolis and since it is very classic DCU could it be red kryptonite?

I have really enjoyed Wednesday Comics as a whole. But this strip is one of the ones that really stands out.

Review: Action Comics #879

Greg Rucka's run on Action Comics remains a surprise in my mind. I have to admit that I thought that this Nightwing and Flamebird run would be a standard four color superhero punch-em-up. Yes the Chris Kent story would have some interesting elements. But I really thought this would be a simple 'take out the sleeper agents' arc.

Instead Rucka has built on that simple theme, weaving Kryptonian lore and religious elements into the plot. I have to say I have been impressed. I have enjoyed this arc enough that I haven't missed Superman and I haven't been as irked as I usually am about rotating artists. (Although I still miss Eddy Barrow.)

Action Comics #879 does have the standard fight sequences but it takes a huge and shocking step forward in plot. Something unexpected ... and I like being surprised in comics.





The comic opens up with a three-way standoff. Thara and Chris have tracked down Az-Rel and Nadira and were a hair away from capturing them when Agent Assassin showed up with some trollish goons.

Assassin could care less about the noble intentions of Nightwing and Flamebird. To him, all four combatants are Kryptonians and that means they are the enemy. He lets loose the hounds.

In the skirmish, Az-Rel and Nadira are able escape. While Thara gets surrounded, she advises Chris to take off after the two fugitives.



Once captured, Agent Assassin is able to use his telepathy on Thara to try to get a sense of who she is and what she is trying to do.

I have become a fan of this 'wide-screen' panel layout so popular in comics these days. When used appropriately (as it is here) it can lead to impressive visuals. When used wrongly, I feel like I am being robbed of valuable space for story-telling.

How interesting that her mind's eye image of Supergirl is an angry looking Kara. But it is also intriguing how the iconic imagery of the Flamebird and Nightwing legendary beings are also taking a dominant space in her mind. Throughout this arc we have learned that Thara has a religious fervor and a belief that she may be the living embodiment of the Flamebird being.

In this instance it works as we see all the things cluttering up Thara's mind with Assassin an imposing figure in the middle.





And then comes the giant leap forward for the story.

Thara suddenly 'manifests' the Flamebird persona, bursting into flames with flame wings. In another voice she yells 'get out of our mind' throwing Agent Assassin and his men to the ground. This isn't a delusion by Thara. This is very real. And it adds a compelling angle to this story.

We have heard some of the Flamebird/Nightwing myth ... how they come in times of crisis, how one of them always dies. Now we get a sense of fatality. Either Thara or Chris is going to die.



Nightwing is unable to capture Az-Rel and Nadira. In fact, Flamebird needs to come to help him save some civilians the criminals have placed in peril.

Each time one of them is injured, the other seems almost panicked. It may be they realize that their time together is short since it has been foretold that either Flamebird or Nightwing always dies.

And maybe it is that sense of destiny that is keeping Thara and Chris from verbalizing their feelings for each other. This is the third time (I think) that they have stared at each other while smoldering only to shake it off and get on to the mission at hand. Perhaps they are thinking that if they deny themselves the love that Nightwing/Flamebird share that they won't share their fate either.

In the meantime Lois is doing some tracking down of her own. With the help of Mon-El and a quick peek at the body in General Lane's coffin she realizes that her father is still alive.

It must be a tough time for Lois. She knows her father faked his death. She knows Lucy was Superwoman. And Clark is off on another planet. With that little support, I wonder if we will see Lois crack a bit or if it will only make her stronger.

And then we get a long look at General Lane in the Project 7734 headquarters.

First he learns that Thara had an otherworldly presence in her mind.

Then the Lane's mystic operative (finally named ... he calls her Mirabai) decides to take matters in her own hands.

Someone on this blog wondered if she was a Native American and I think that is a good guess given her dialogue. She says she knows the price of waiting while an enemy proceeds ... how the cost is the lives of civilians.

One thing that is obvious is that she is pretty powerful.

She's captured two Kryptonians on her own in the span of seconds! Suddenly this Mirabai is a very real power.

Diego Olmos art here was pretty good but I look forward to Julian Lopez becoming the regular artist.

The revelation of the Flamebird entity in this issue was a huge plot point. Finding out the name Mirabai and seeing her strength was another part I liked. And seeing Lois unravel the General Lane mystery was another part I liked. These moments lifted this issue since the surrounding fights were pretty standard comics fare.

Overall grade: B/B+

Review: Superman/Batman #62

Superman/Batman #62 was released last week and was a great read. Written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson and lushly drawn by Rafael Albuquerque, it was a much darker read than I anticipated . It certainly fit right in with the chilling feeling of this Blackest Night week. As some of you know when I am impressed with a book, I write a lot. So this is a long review.

It certainly was a marvelous book for Supergirl fans as well as fans of the Tim Drake Robin. It also set up the character's relationship a bit for the future. I think these two work well together and would be interesting as a junior 'World's Finest'. I would read that mini-series.

As seen last week in the preview DC released, Supergirl travels to Gotham to have lunch with Tim. This doesn't seem to be a special occassion or some day they commemorate anything. It is just two friends getting together for lunch. I have never got the vibe before that Tim and Linda were so chummy. And while I like the Kara/Cassie friendship, I think there is so much more that could be mined from this relationship.

As the two eat, they discuss how difficult it is to be the protege of such powerful and driven figures as Batman and Superman. Each has their own burdens to carry from being next in line for such immense legacies. That leads them into recalling their first adventure together.

With Batman and Superman away, Supergirl and Robin respond to a riot at Arkham Asylum.

Now I am not a slave to continuity and I know that S/B may not even be in continuity, but I at least like to have a vague reference as to where I think a story is taking place. So to hear Supergirl tell Commissioner Gordon 'I'm new here' let me shuffle this story into Kara's early time on Earth. Green and Johnson build on that in a couple of ways. For one, we see the brash overconfident Supergirl we saw in those early issues as she takes off into the asylum with little discussion with Robin.

But the other way that this time period is important is that Supergirl hasn't necessarily seen much of the horrors evident on Earth. And here she is rushing into one of the darkest places that the DCU has to offer. She is pretty naive to what the Batman villains are capable of.

The first room she enters is a grisly scene ... the Joker literally sawing a woman in half.

Eyes wide, she reacts swiftly, emotionally, and violently. Albuquerque does a great job showing just what the characters are feeling. First we only see Supergirl's wide eyes as she sees the blood soaked room.

Then we see the panel above ... my favorite panel of the week. It shows just how much the art can convey. By drawing from a low upwards angle with the Joker cowering in the foreground, Supergirl really is given an overpowering feel. Her posture shows arms clenched and poised to strike. You can feel her tension. By having the panel view tilted (Supergirl is not straight up and down), it connotes a feeling that something isn't right here. We aren't looking at things the way we normally do; there is a hint of insanity. Now add the effects of shadows, the red S now black, Kara's eyes and portions of her body lost in darkness, it mirrors her feelings. She has witnessed something evil and it is almost engulfing her and now she is ready to give back in kind.

The point is hammered home by her dialogue 'I am going to destroy you ...'. But the dialogue has way more impact in the context of this panel.

I know I probably read into some things too much but it is the mix of visuals and words that make comics such a wonderful genre. When I see those things click seamlessly like in this panel I need to gush.

Again, we are talking about an early Supergirl who may have never seen such an abattoir before. I doubt she would really kill the Joker but she certainly looks ready to drive her fist through the Joker's skull Black Adam-style.

I like how the more seasoned Robin lets her know what being a hero is, the simple morals they need to follow. It felt natural. Robin has already seen more horror in his life than most. He would be more able to keep his head on straight than the relatively sheltered (at this point in her life) Kara would.

Following that, Robin and Supergirl begin a sweep of the asylum's rooms. Throughout Robin and Supergirl are shown to be strong and efficient. Walking in on a recreation of the tea party in Alice in Wonderland, they free more hostages from the Scarecrow, Clayface, Two-Face, and the Mad Hatter.

Next is the flooded arboretum where Kara punches Killer Croc through the roof and then freezes Poison Ivy.

But these fights do not prepare her for what she sees next. The last room to be cleared is a horrific scene with Mr. Zsazs surrounded by his latest victims. Again the art works so well here colored in red hues it just feels like a slaughterhouse, people strung up and cast aside like sides of beef.

Even the expression work so well here. Zsazs can tell Supergirl is out of her element and her face shows it. She seems dumbstruck by the scene. You can feel the doubt she is feeling about rushing in to save this woman. Is she fast enough. Her eyes let you know that is how she feels.

The art in this issue was enough to make me seek out Albuquerque art from now on.

In this instance it is Robin who loses control bashing Zsazs repeatedly until it is Supergirl who needs to stop him from crossing that line. This humanizes Robin a bit; he is not an unflappable avenger like Batman ... yet.

Something else I liked about the way the story is laid out is the bookend nature of the more gruesome scenes. The Joker scene certainly sets up both Supergirl's inexperience and Tim's veteran presence. But the reader gets lulled a bit as the book eases into more 'comic book-y' action with more colorful and fanciful characters getting thrown through walls. I wasn't expecting a scene even more hellish than the Joker scene so when it unfolded it was gripping.

The issue ends on a great high note with Supergirl and Robin calling each other partner and friend. Compare this sun-dappled scene with the cloying blackness of the asylum scenes. And that what is so interesting about the book. The framework scene of young friends making jokes and innocently having a burger with each other stands in such contrast with the much darker inner story.

This was such a pleasant surprise in my pile. I don't usually buy Superman/Batman. I was really expecting this to be a light-hearted "kid's" adventure and not a deeper exploration of what it means to be a hero when constantly confronted with the perversity of the human condition.

And the words and art just worked so wonderfully together. I admit I did not get Blue Beetle so this is really my first close look at Abuquerque's art but I am very impressed.

Certainly this is an issue worth getting.

Overall grade: A

San Diego Comic Con

San Diego Comic Con International is less than a week away and (like most major conventions) I won't be going. As I read reports from this con and catch video of it on G4 it seems that comics only make up a small amount of the activities there.

Still, lots of news and buzz get announced there. The DCU blog put out the DC Universe schedule a while back. Here is the link to the entire agenda:
http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2009/07/02/want-the-dcu-san-diego-comic-con-panel-information-you-got-it/

Here are the Supergirl/Superman relevant panels. I am hoping that the Supergirl fans who come here can post questions that they hope the Supergirl fans who will be there can ask for us.

In fact, if anyone IS going please let me know!

Thursday, July 23rd

11:45-12:45 Superman: Two Worlds
Torn between New Krypton and Earth, The Man of Steel has only just begun his latest adventure. You’ve seen the stories. A new planet of Kryptonians. Scores of super-powered beings. The people behind Superman’s future are here to face the most trying times in his life. Meet the talented folks behind Superman as they give you a glimpse of what is in store for our favorite Super-family. Featuring Superman Group Editor Matt Idelson, Geoff Johns (Adventure Comics, Superman: Secret Origins), Greg Rucka (Action Comics), James Robinson (Superman), Sterling Gates (Supergirl), Renato Guedes (Superman), and more! Room 6DE

So this is the big panel to attend because the big guns in the Superman family will be there including Sterling Gates and I assume Jamal Igle.

Please please please no one ask about the bike shorts. But I might try to get some info on the upcoming year. Maybe a question about whether or not Supergirl will be joining a team after the Cry for Justice mini.

Another question I would like to ask would be where these creators feel Supergirl fits in the DCU. Is she Superman's heir apparent? Is she his sidekick? Is she completely independent? Is she respected by the other heroes or is she still looked on as an ongoing project?


2:15-3:15 Spotlight on Geoff Johns
He is the mastermind behind the smash-hit, critically acclaimed Flash: Rebirth and DC’s most anticipated book of the year, Green Lantern: Blackest Night. Wondering what makes Geoff Johns tick? Don’t miss this panel hosted by Eddie Berganza, Group Editor—DCU, interviewing one of the most exciting talents in the DCU. Room 6DE

Blackest Night will already have started and the answer might be known but I would ask if Zor-El is a potential Black Lantern.

I also would ask him about where the idea for New Krypton came from and does Johns think that 100K more Kryptonians somehow diminishes Superman. Let's face it ... current mythos has swerved very far away from the John Byrne's true "last son of Krypton". It was that edict that was behind the removal of Supergirl from the DCU back in the late 80's.

Friday, July 24th
3:00-4:00 DC NATION
Calling all NATION recruits! Bring your friends and hear top talent discuss where the DC NATION is heading from 2009 and beyond. Sr. VP - Executive Editor Dan DiDio hosts this exciting discussion with Ian Sattler, James Robinson, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, and more! Join them for a VIP look into the most talked about stories and events of the summer! Room 6DE

The idea of a Cosmic Adventures sequel probably would work best here with Didio present.

4:30-5:30 Wednesday Comics
Wednesday Comics gives a fresh twist to a grand comics tradition by reinventing the classic newspaper comics section and filling it to the brim with today’s top talent and characters! Learn all you need to know about DC’s excitingly innovative weekly 12-issue series from the title’s mastermind, DCU Editorial Art Director Mark Chiarello, and an all-star list of panelists! Believe us; you’ve never seen a panel or a project like this! Room 5AB

Asking Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conners about this particular Supergirl and the origins behind this strip would be interesting. This isn't the rave dancing Kara from issue #12. In fact this strip clearly looks like a throwback to simpler times. I would love to hear about Conner's approach to a Silver Age style tale.

Saturday, July 25th
12:45-2:00 DCU Editorial Presentation
Dan DiDio, Senior VP / Executive Editor DCU, Ian Sattler, Senior Story Editor—DCU, and countless DCU talent are gathering for a discussion that’s not to be missed. Now that Blackest Night is upon us, what lies ahead for your favorite heroes? Got a question for your favorite DCU creator? Come on by! There’s no greater gathering of top-tier creative talent! Room 6B

Sunday, July 26th
2:00–3:00 Sunday Conversation with Dan DiDio
As the con comes to a close, sit back and unwind as Dan DiDio and friends invite you to a relaxed Sunday afternoon comics discussion. Share your opinions and listen to others as some of comics’ biggest names talk about their love of all things comics. All are welcome, no RSVP required. Room 2

I guess these forums would be good for any generic questions about Supergirl as well.

Besides the panels, the writers and artists of the Supergirl titles will be present. If you are at SDCC you should seek them out and let them know how much you love their works on Supergirl.

Here are Sterling Gates scheduled appearances:

THURSDAY
11:45am-12:45pm – PANEL: Superman (Room 6DE)
4-5pm – SIGNING: DC booth

FRIDAY
1-2pm – SIGNING: DC booth

SATURDAY
4-5pm – SIGNING: DC booth

SUNDAY
1:30-2:30pm – SIGNING: DC booth



Jamal Igle will have a limited SDCC print as seen above based on his Supergirl promo pictures. On his blog he said they will only be 100 so get to his booth quick.



On his blog, Jamal Igle talks about what he will be doing at the SDCC ( http://jamaligle.blogspot.com/2009/07/san-diego-planning.html ). Look him up at Booth 4301. Here is his schedule away from the booth:

THURSDAY
11:45am-12:45pm – PANEL: Superman (Room 6DE)
4-5pm – DC booth signing

FRIDAY
1-2pm – DC booth signing
SATURDAY4-5pm – DC booth signing

SUNDAY
1:30-2:30pm – DC booth signing

Make sure you let Gates and Igle know that you like what they are doing on the title. I think it would do them good to hear from the 'silent majority' who think their work on Supergirl has been fantastic.

And Landry Walker and Eric Jones will also be at the con ( http://xray-studios.livejournal.com/54744.html) .

They'll have spiffy Supergirl and Brave and Bold prints available. That is one fantastic print of the Cosmic Adventures Supergirl happily flying above Metropolis.

And their schedule:
Daily signing session at the SLG booth (right next to the DC Comics booth):

Thursday 1:00-2:30
Friday 11:30 - 1:00
Saturday 5:00-7:00
Sunday 11:00-12:30

And there panel appearances:

Friday:4:30-5:30
Spotlight on Landry Walker and Eric Jones
The creative team behind SLG Publishing's Little Gloomy series and the recent Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade for DC Comics discuss all of their work, past and present, including the upcoming run on Batman: The Brave and the Bold series. Landry Walker and Eric Jones discuss the pitfalls of working on all-ages books as well as developing their own properties for animation. Room 3

Sunday:1:30-2:30
Comics and Graphic Novels for All Ages
It’s true! There’s a wealth of great comic books series and graphic novels out there for comics-loving kids of all ages-so much so, that Comic-Con presents its second big panel of the day on the topic! Moderator Randy Duncan (co-chair of the Comics Arts Conference) talks with Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules!), Kazu Kibuishi (Amulet), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Eric Jones and Landry Walker (Supergirl, Little Gloomy), Jeff Smith (Bone), and Alexis Fajardo (Kid Beowulf) about comics for everyone! Room 3

Hopefully they know how much Cosmic Adventures was appreciated but it can't hurt to tell them again.

Anyways, these shows are the places to interact with the creators and let them know what you think of their works.

If you like Supergirl and Cosmic Adventures as much as I did, you should find these guys and let them know.

And of course, let me know how things were at the SDCC.

Thanks!

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+

June Sales Review

Comics in general rebounded in sales in June, especially the Bat-family books which are selling quite well. ICv2 does it's usual great job of reviewing sales and their articles are worth a close read ( http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/15340.html ).

GrantMorrison's Batman And Robin sold an impressive 168,000 issues! I found this particularly impressive since Morrison is something of an acquired taste with reviews on Batman R.I.P and Final Crisis quite varied. Here is the link to the list of the top 300 selling comics ( http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/15338.html ).

So how did Supergirl #42 sell? This was the epilogue to the 'Who is Superwoman?' storyline and therefore could be a convenient 'jumping off' point for readers who were unsure about continuing to collect the title. Specifically, there was some mild backlash about the conclusion of 'Who is Superwoman?' in Supergirl #41 and its lack of details about Lucy's Superwoman identity and I wondered if that might drive some people away.

The issue sold 32,705 issues, down 2% from #41's sales of 33,441.

This was the lowest sales total since the Gates/Igle team took over and that somewhat worries me. 'Superwoman' was a chance to create some buzz for the title and bring in readers. Instead the title seems to be treading water.

I really fear that the sudden ending to Lucy with almost no information or exposition about her abilities, etc might be distasteful to the casual Supergirl fan. I know that I sort of felt let down by the sudden ending.

Now I am not worried about cancellation but I have been hoping that sales would be much better than this. My guess is that numbers might rebound transiently during Codename:Patriot and hopefully those new readers will stick around.

The news is a bit worse for my pet project R.E.B.E.L.S.

In June R.E.B.E.L.S. #5 sold 12,909 issues. That might be okay for a niche title like Ex Machina, but I doubt DC thinks that is a healthy number for a mainstream DCU title. And it's a shame because this is such a great comic. The week it comes out, it is the 'bottom of the pile' comic for me, the comic I save to read last because I know I will enjoy it.

I guess I will continue to shout it's praises from the mountaintops in hopes someone is listening.

Review: R.E.B.E.L.S. #6

The first arc of R.E.B.E.L.S. rumbled to a close last week and once again proved that Vril Dox might be the most complex and fascinating character in mainstream comics today.

Tony Bedard continues to show that he has a great handle on the 'DC Cosmic' characters and cultures while not losing track of the main characters for too long. The inclusion of Starro as a legitimate threat was gravy.

And while I think Claude St. Aubin is doing a fine job, I look forward to seeing Andy Clarke back on the title at some point.

The issue starts with a nice description of just how formidable the Dominator military is not that that seems to impress Starro-prime here. He simply wades into the fray hacking up as much Dominator infantry as he can.

But Starro doesn't want to annihilate the Dominators; he wants to assimilate them.

And with an order, a giant Starro drone factory begins spraying the field with face-huggers for new slaves.

One thing I felt was missing from this issue was some background on this 'new' Starro. We have been told this is THE Starro ... but I want to know more. It looks like Starro will be a threat throughout the run of this title so maybe I need to wait more.

As I said before, Bedard has done a good job of showcasing the different alien worlds, giving us snippets of how each culture works.

Here he shows how the rigid caste system of the Dominators proves to be its downfall. Only the Emperor knows the codes to 'the atomics', the most powerful weapons in the Dominator arsenal. When the Emperor gets enslaved, the hope of the Dominators to repel Starro fades. The remaining free-willed Dominators flee the home world.

The use of the word atomics reminded me of the 'family atomics' talked about in Dune ... I guess that yet again confirms that I am a geek.

Again, I thought this was a nice twist showing how Starro was able to easily destabilize what looked like an overly organized and stable culture.

Plus, as an old-school Legion fan, I always like seeing the Dominators get defeated ... even if it is by a bigger threat.

The highest ranking Dominator begins broadcasting the fall of the Dominator homeworld on all free and open frequencies.

And while Starro remains a galactic threat, Dox is facing something more immediate: Amon Hakk's pistol. Look at Dox, as cool as the other side of the pillow despite the barrel of a gun pressed against his temple.

Even better, he reminds Hakk that with the Dominators gone the Khunds will be next ... that is, 'unless someone very clever saves them'. Only Dox could be so aggrandizing when facing imminent death. Ciji, the Durlan captain, also shows up on the R.E.B.E.L.S. ship and recognizes that Durla is also in danger of the 'Starro wave' and seems willing to help Dox's cause.

Hakk's backstory is revealed including his vendetta against Dox. By joining L.E.G.I.O.N., Hakk was made a scapegoat on his home world, branded a weakling and coward. Still, he lowers his weapon so Dox can save the Khunds. Hakk gets the best line of the book. When talking about Dox he says 'I hate him so much I can't think straight!'

What can I say, it is scenes like this that make Brainiac such a great character. He's smug, machiavellian, brilliant, easy to hate, hard not to respect.

But as I said, the Dominator message went out on all frequencies. Bedard takes the time to show us all the other players on the map and how they react to the news of Starro's victory.

The Citadelains, the Gil'Dishpan, Kanjar Ro all have ideas on what it means.

The Branx, the Durlans, and the Coluans also take in the news.

The Coluans have the most measured and concerning response. With some quick calculations it looks like Starro will overrun the sector in 23 days!

I haven't seen some of these races since the early 80's when I read the Wolfman/Perez New Teen Titans series so it was pretty interesting to see how they all might be part of the ongoing series.

Even within these one panel snapshots of the worlds, you sense the undercurrent of each culture ... Branxian barbarians, Gil'Dishpan xenophobes, Citadelian warhawks. I am intrigued to know if Bedard already has plans for these races.

Wildstar returns to Dox with the damaged Silica. Initially Brainiac hopes to use Silica to regain control of his robot armies, currently working for Starro. Unfortunately, Silica is unable to link to them in that way. To be honest, given the troops we have seen under Starro's control I don't think an android army would do much to slow the big starfish down.

However, as I would expect, Dox has a backup plan ... a hardwired subprogram that Silica can activate in his former troops if she had access to a transmitter. Ciji knows of a Gordanian one nearby.

Usually I question the sudden revelation of a formerly undisclosed 'secret plan' that will solve an unsolvable plot point. I am no fan of deus ex machina. But here ... well ... it just fits Dox' character to have such a plan in his back pocket. I didn't even blink.

A short trip to the Gordanian post and a healthy dose of Tribulus and suddenly Dox has his transmitter.

So I guess we add the Gordanians (and from last issue the Psions) to the political landscape of the R.E.B.E.L.S. book.

In another great moment, Dox doesn't simply activate his plan. Instead, he needs to mock Starro first telling the tyrant that he'll 'sort him out soon enough'.

Only Dox would have the audacity to do that.

With the L.E.G.I.O.N. robots on-line, Dox activates his hardwired program. Suddenly all the drones fly into space and activate force-fields. Ten million force fields suddenly overlap each other creating a bubble and effectively cutting off the sector from the rest of the galaxy.

I liked this idea especially since we had recently seen a similar use of Brainiac force field technology in the way Kandor was sealed off from the rest of Krypton.

I also liked how Dox states that his original idea for this plan was as a defensive ploy ... a way to keep others off of his world.

Here instead it is used to keep Starro bottled up. Suddenly Starro is a very real but very caged threat.

And then, in another classic Dox moment he destroys Silica thus removing any way for the program to be shut down remotely. I get the sense that Dox considers his troops expendable no matter how well they do their job.

As for antagonizing Starro, Dox explains that angry opponents make mistakes. It was an unwinnable war; now there is a 7% chance of victory.

I have consistently been impressed with this title. Most of the characters and races in this book were gathering dust in the DC trash bin. It is as if Tony Bedard found some old toys and decided they were 'play worthy'. Despite a large cast of characters and a whole galaxy of cultures, he has woven a tight story. I have never felt lost, never felt that characters were missing for too long, and never felt that time was being wasted showing minor events or people.

I mean I never thought I would be interested in the Omega Men, or the Psions, or the Gil'Dishpan.

And despite the diverse R.E.B.E.L.S. team of quasi-Legionnaires, the key to the book is Dox. Intelligent, singleminded, ruthless, narcissistic, and your basic jerk, he is unlike any other 'hero' on the market.

I can't believe more people aren't reading this. This is simply one of the best reads every month.

Overall grade: A+

Superman/Batman #62 Preview

Just a reminder that we get an extra dose of Supergirl this week in Superman/Batman #62. The DC Blog posted some preview pages last week and they are worth a peek (
http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2009/07/09/end-the-day-with-a-look-at-supermanbatman-62/ )

Here is the official solicit:

Superman/Batman #62
Written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson
Art and Cover by Rafael Albuquerque

When the inmates take over Arkham Asylum, it's a job for the World's Finest duo – Robin and Supergirl! Rafael Albuquerque (BLUE BEETLE) joins the series as regular artist for a story we could only call "Sidekicked!"

If the preview pages are an indication of the whole story, it looks like it will be a fun read as Supergirl and Robin remember their 'first adventure' together.

The issue starts off with Supergirl flying to Gotham to meet Tim for lunch.

Yep ... that's Linda Lang there. For those keeping track the Linda Lang sighting scoreboard reads as follows.

Superman/Batman Linda appearances: 2
Supergirl Linda appearances: 1

I do like that Linda is being 'recognized' in the DCU and look forward to seeing that aspect of Supergirl explored in her main title.

As the two eat lunch, the recall their first meeting.

Superman brings Supergirl to the Batcave so Tim can teach her some rudimentary detective skills. Of course the 'grown-ups' are needed elsewhere leaving the two alone.

Tim is all business and actually looks like he can't be bothered with Kara. I do like how she takes the 'tour of the Batcave' in a couple of seconds.

Who knows if or where this fits in continuity. It looks like the plot takes them to Arkham to suppress a riot.

Certainly Supergirl looks like she is much more bubbly than you would expect her to be if this is an early Loeb-era Kara story.

Regardless, the Rafael Albuquerque art looks great with an expressive and cute Supergirl working next to the repressed Robin. I'll post a review some time this week.

Cosmic Adventures: Supergirl Production Info

We continue to get some behind the scenes look at the evolution of Supergirl:Cosmic Adentures in the Eighth Grade on Landry Walker's blog. There have been a couple of posts about the Supergirl character and her design.

From the first post ( http://xray-studios.livejournal.com/52965.html ) Walker talks about writing a pre-teen girl who isn't overwhelmed with angst. He also writes about the design of the character that he and Eric Jones came up with ... from age to emotion to their version of her costume. As always, it is better to read these things in their entirety so make sure to visit the blog itself.

Here are some parts I really liked and my usual retorts..

One thing Eric and I knew as soon as we got the job was that Supergirl had to be played large, emotionally speaking. Her excitement and her stress, all had to be bigger than life. That way, when we would bring her emotions down to a quieter level, it would have more impact. More gravity.

So this works in a couple of ways for me. One, by having Supergirl ride a roller coaster of emotions in the series it makes it easier to understand how she has grown over just 6 issues of story.

I also agree that when you see powerful quiet moments (like when she scoops up the injured Lena in the last issue) they resonate that much greater when you compare to the more over-the-top emotional scenes of the book (like Linda cringing at her desk when Belinda plays secretly taped conversations over the intercom.

And lastly, since this is drawn in a more animated style, Eric Jones was really able to let the characters emote ... as seen in some of the pics above.

Point is: Teenagers aren't just overcome with negative emotions. They're overcome with positive emotions as well. They're easily excitable and easily embarrassed. Imagine you're just as you are now, but you've never known sorrow or joy. You feel those things for the first time, you can barely contain yourself. It's overwhelming and amazing and horrible. That's being a teenager. And so we attempted to instill this in the character of Supergirl.

My guess is that Sterling Gates had a similar take on his Supergirl as well even though that Kara is about 5 years older. Supergirl doesn't need to wallow in negativity or angst. Yes, those feelings are part of life experiences but you don't need to perseverate over them.

When we first meet Supergirl, she's still 12 years old. We wanted her in 8th grade, but still not quite a teenager when she debuts on Earth. Some people (mostly those who did not read the book) suggested that this was an attempt to make the character more "kiddie". Not the case. We brought Supergirl back to her roots. If you read her earliest adventures, she is portrayed as 15. But she acts significantly younger than any 15 year old I've ever known. A modern audience would have some difficulty accepting a 15 or 16 year old girl acting as young as Supergirl was when she was introduced. So we felt we could remain truer to the origins of the character by making her a bit younger.

I didn't really pick up on this way to mirror Kara's early stories until I read this post. It is true.

When you read those early Supergirl stories, she does act younger than the average 15 year old. I always think of the story where she dresses like a fairy godmother and grants 3 wishes (using her super powers) to make sure that the younger kids in the orphanage continue to believe in fairy tales. I don't know too many teenage girls who would do that as happily as Kara does in that issue.

The second post about the Supergirl design talks more about costume decisions ( http://xray-studios.livejournal.com/53882.html ). Given the recent conversations about the costume in the main title, I thought it was timely.

There were websites chock full of outrage over the tights (though mostly over her lack of boobs). But it wasn't as bad, mainly (I think) because our Supergirl is younger. Therefore people felt a little creepier vocalizing their outrage. Also, there is the out of continuity aspect. People were less offended as the "real" Supergirl wasn't the one wearing tights.

I can remember the outcry about Cosmic Supergirl looking too much like a boy and not curvy enough. I definitely cringed when I read those comments where people were asking for more feminin definition in a 12 year old girl.

Our Supergirl is young, inexperienced, insecure and unsure. A short hand to show this lack of confidence is for her to cover herself up a bit more modestly. So with that in mind, it was a very conscious choice to have Belinda Zee fly around without tights. The choice in uniform for a character is not one of fashion.

The tights are a subtle way of showing Kara's insecurity. I also think it is 'easier' to explain the presence of the tights as simply part of the majorette costume she came to Earth in. But it works so well in contrast to the sassy brash confident Belinda zipping around in just a skirt.

The uniform should reflect the psychology of the person behind the uniform. Therefore advancing the story. Writing isn't just the placement of words or even the construction of a plot. It's everything. Every nuance. Every camera angle. Every expression.

I do my best to look at comics and films critically in this way and hopefully it comes out a bit in my better reviews. I am always trying to figure out what the director/writer/artist is trying to convey with panel size, angle of the shot, composition. In this book, you could see the small details like body language and costume evoking the feeling that Walker and Jones were looking for.

Thanks again Landry Walker and Eric Jones.

Review: Superman World Of New Krypton #5

Superman:World of New Krypton #5 was released last week and like most issues in this series it pushed the plot forward dramatically. It is clear that there is a finish line to reach in here and Greg Rucka and James Robinson are in sprint mode.

That said, this title isn't nonstop action. Character-driven scenes add dimension to the players here as well as nudge the plot in the direction it needs to go. I have been consistently pleased with this title.

To catch up, Kal-El and Asha Del-Nar have been brought up on charges of treason by General Zod for insubordination. Zod ordered that criminal Val-Ty be killed. Kal overrode that order and instead Val-Ty was captured and arrested by the Green Lantern Corps. Angry at this mutinous act, Zod charged them with treason, the penalty being death.



The ancillary characters in the book have not been stock characters but seem to have individual voices and some depth. Here is Kal's defense lawyer Dyn-Xe. He does not seem to be a Zod sycophant and clearly has Kal's best interests in mind.

While Zod would normally sit on the judicating council, he recused himself to personally prosecute Kal and Nar. Given the problems Zod has had with the House of El, he isn't the most logical person to fairly prosecute the two defendants. Dyn-Xe thinks that could be an angle to exploit in the trial.

I liked this panel.

For one it defines the make-up of the council. The two leading members of the Science, Military, and Artist guilds sit on the council as a 6 person panel. It is worth noting that both the Labor and Religious guilds do not have representation.

But I also liked how this mirrored the visuals of the council in the Donner movies. I still find it interesting that those visuals from the films have permeated the comics so much.

Dyn-Xe's plan works .... sort of. Zod decides that he won't try Kal-El and Del-Nar together. Instead they will be tried seperately with Zod prosecuting Lt. Nar and some other member of the military guild eventually prosecuting Kal-El.

When Zod questions Lt. Nar about her decision not to fire on Val-Ty, she states it was her decision alone. Surprisingly, Kal speaks up saying that it was his decision to spare Val-Ty; he commanded Lt. Nar to stand down.

With that, Nar charges are removed and she is released. Zod claims that by handing Val-Ty over to Hal Jordan, who was Parallax at one point, that Kal endangered all of New Krypton. Kal freely admitted that he countermanded Zod's order in full court. He essentially admitted to treason. Zod rests his case.

I really thought this was an interesting scene. Throughout the series we have seen how Superman has been a role model for the Kryptonians, how he has a new way of looking at things and thinking about things. We have seen how his troops have followed his orders. And here, Nar was even willing to risk her life to protect him. It just reinforces how much of a presence Kal is.

That sentiment is echoed here where Superman says he is willing to die for his priniciples. That it is in the toughest moments that people need to hold on to their beliefs. I thought this cut to the core of who Superman is and what he represents.

His friend Tyr-Van from the Labor Guild doesn't necessarily buy into this philosophy and rigs a device to blow the door.

Turns out Tyr-Van is a spy working for Ursa and Zod. They asked him to plant the device so Kal could run. My assumption is that would give them free rein to shoot him.

I always thought there was going to be more to Tyr-Van than met the eye. Unfortunately I guessed he was the head of the Labor Guild 5th column to gain freedom. Turns out I was on the wrong end of the spectrum.

Despite his traitorous ways, I think Tyr has been moved by Superman. He responds tersely to Ursa's jab about Kal.

Not surprisingly, Superman isn't taking the bait. He does not run despite there being no field to hold him in his cell. This, of course, means he is willingly staying to be executed the following day.

Ursa asks if Kal is making a martyr of himself. But Zod seems more contemplative in his assessment. He asks to be left alone.

It is true that if Superman was executed that could spur a revolt against Zod. Enough people have been moved by Kal to make his death more trouble than it's worth.

But moreover, I think that Zod realizes the power that a martyred figure can wield.

As the trial starts anew, Zod asks that Kal be spared the death penalty by the Religious Guild who on this holy day of rebirth can absolve someone of their crimes.

It is a bit of a plot parlor trick ... having the trial end on the high holy day of rebirth ... and felt somewhat contrived. But I didn't think it was so cringe-worthy as to ruin the book.

The Religious Guild does its part and forgives Kal thus setting him free. It's a bit of a turn-around for Zod but you can sense the political motivation about it. Kal can only do so much from the field. As a legend, he can be more of a thorn in Zod's side. Plus, this makes Zod seem merciful. In many ways, it is win-win.

Kal is released and celebrates the holy day of rebirth with the rest of New Krypton. And there is Kara to say how happy she is he's free. I'm a big fan of Pete Woods' art and I think he renders Supergirl very nicely. It looks like he made the trial scenes a bit muddier with inking as opposed to this fine-lined scene outside. That style in the trial evoked some feelings of dread and suspense.

As part of the holiday celebration and since atmosphere has been stabilized on New Krypton, the dome is lifted off the city. The citizens cheer Zods name exuberantly.

That is until someone dressed in Military Guild garb shoots Zod through the chest.

The issue ends here so it is hard to tell if Zod survives this or if he is 'dead'. Either way, with the crowd whipped into an adoring frenzy, this attack on him should further cement his hold ... either as victim or martyr.

At the very least, I guessed it would be Zod who would be shot when Codename:Patriot was announced. This attack on him could be used as a rationalization to lash out at any presumed enemies including Earth. But in the end, I think it will turn out that Zod arranged it himself to further his political agenda.

I have to say that so far I have been really enjoying this series.

Overall grade: B+

Helen Slater Interview

Planet Origo is a website out of Norway which is a magazine and store for music and CDs. They just posted a fabulous interview with Helen Slater where she talked at length about her role of Supergirl and as Lara on Smallville.

It is a fabulous interview and well worth reading in its entirety!

Here is the link: ( http://news.planetorigo.com/article.php?poarticle_id=505&s=sfFCIKQXQNEBg2Cd& ). As usual, some blurbs stuck out and are worth commenting on.

To get the role, Slater had to compete against other young up-and-coming actresses, such as Demi Moore and Brooke Shields, but what director Jeannot Szwarc wanted was a person who was athletic but without big muscles, and who knew ballet and could be graceful. How did Slater meet those criteria?

Helen: I had attended performing arts classes in high scool, and we had to take [extra] dance classes. I never did sports per se, but I had done dance classes and that fitted Jeannot's idea of what he wanted in [a female lead].

Now I freely admit it has been a looooong time since I saw the movie, something I really need to rectify soon. But one thing that stuck was just how graceful Slater was in the role. This wasn't a brutish strong-arm of a Supergirl. This was elegance. And it clearly made a lasting impression. And I had no idea that Demi Moore and Brooke Shields were being considered for the role. For me, Slater was absolutely perfect.

PO: Adding to the sheer size of the movie and its ties to popular culture was the fact that some major names were to be seen on screen; Mia Farrow played Kara / Supergirl's mother, Faye Dunaway played the witch Selena, and Peter O'Toole was Zaltar, a Marlon Brando-esque character on Supergirl's home planet. How were those veteran actors to work with?

Helen: Oh, that was such a great experience for me, that whole spectrum. Peter I still think of as this incredible mentor. I don't know if you [know] this, but he would have me do Shakespeare for him, and kind of helped me get rid of some of my American habits, which I still do to this day. He said to me; 'I want you to imagine holding a daffodil between your thumb and your forefinger' while I was doing a speech from Romeo and Juliet, and very much gave me this incredible light into doing Shakespeare, which I hadn't started performing. I've had great teachers since Supergirl [too], about getting more insight into how to work with text.

Helen: And then with Faye, for me it was her professionalism... I was very aware of how an extraordinary beautiful woman she is. She was very mindful of the way she was lit, because there was that kind of self-protection on her part that I think was good. I think she was very helpful [to me].

I can only imagine what it must have been like to be a kid and have this incredible face time with these Hollywood legends. My guess is O'Toole took the part because he had bills to pay. But still, I can only imagine what Slater was feeling, starring in her first movie and doing scenes with Lawrence of Arabia!

It does sound like the cast took care of Slater and I think that is pretty cool.

Planet Origo: The aerial ballet scene looks particularly great in the film. Was it achieved with wires, and how was it to shoot?

Helen: That was such great fun and one of the highlights of the movie for me. It was done with wires back then, [the technique of achieving it] looks really archaic now. I don't know how they do it today, but when I did in the 80s they had a long-nose construction crane, and then they attached two piano wires to a track that went across a frame, and then two guys had a rope on a makeshift wheel, and when they pulled the wire I would go up, and two other guys had another wheel [and when they pulled their wire] I would go across the frame, so that's how they made me fly.

This is another scene that I can remember pretty vividly and also had that feeling of both grace and power. It is hard to believe that she could pull it off when it sounds like such a crude way of shooting.

But one thing for sure, Slater was absolutely perfect for the role. I mean look at the picture above. Just perfect!

Smallville, the long-running TV series about Superman's younger years. Helen Slater played Lara, Clark Kent / Superman's biological mother in two episodes.

Helen: They offered me that part and I had so much fun doing it, they are just wonderful peple over there. They tip their hat alot to the movies that were made, by bringing in actors or voices, so for people who love the Supergirl comics or Superman comic books, it was fun to be that surprise in that I was playing Superman's biological mother.

I never really commented on how Smallville cast Slater as Lara. For someone as continuity obsessed as me that was such a nice touch. It sounds like she had a fun time doing it too.

Planet Origo: Is there any particular incident or situation you remember more than anything else from your 25 year old involvement with the Super universe?

Helen: I was very moved when I met Laura Vandervoort, who plays Supergirl on Smallville, because she was my age when I played Supergirl, and that was a little bit of a shock. She might have been one or two years older, but I almost felt like seeing myself 25 years ago, and walking on the set I had that really odd feeling watching her. She was so poised and lovely, and I had a kind of... not eerie [feeling], but I was thinking 'wow, that was me 20-something years ago'.

I just thought that was a nice story.

Anyways, I have to go order the movie now. I have been remiss in not buying it sooner.

Review: Wednesday Comics #1

Wow!

I thought I was going to like Wednesday Comics. I saw the great talent assembled. I heard how literally big the project was going to be.

But I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. Wow!

First off, the thing is huge! I unfolded it once thinking that was it. Turns out you need to unfold it twice to begin reading. It is a little smaller than your average newspaper.

But the stories are what grabbed me. While the pages are huge they also have huge panels. We are probably talking the content of 2 pages of your average comic ... if that. With only 12 pages to tell a complete story, most strips jump right into the action. Compressed story telling is probably more difficult than stretching a story out so you need the right creators to do it correctly.



So for the Supergirl story we jump right in with Kara chasing Streaky and Krypto who are seemingly out of control. That's them crashing through a department store with Supergirl in close pursuit. A moving van in the background makes me think we are in Gotham. Could they be out of control because of Scarecrow fear gas? Could we get a guest appearance by Ace the Bat Hound?

One thing I do know ... Amanda Conner's art is slick.

But the other strips work just the same dropping us right into the action.

Batman (Azarello/Risso) has to stop a murder scheduled for midnight. The strip opens with the clock showing 11:59.

Kamandi (Gibbons/Sook) is startled by someone when reminiscing at Command D. This strip's art and panel layout read just like the Hal Foster Prince Valiant strips I read each Sunday when growing up.

Deadman (Dave Bullock) comes across a murder scene only to stumble on the murderer in the act again.

Metamorpho (Gaiman/Allred) is sent on the trail of a huge diamond.

Sgt. Rock (Adam and Joe Kubert) is captured and being tortured by Nazis. Joe Kubert!

Catwoman/Demon (Simonson/Stelfreeze) has Selina trying to steal Camelot relics from Jason Blood. Stelfreeze is amazing!

You get the point. Green Lantern, Superman, Teen Titans, Wonder Woman .... each strip grabbed me ... a mixture of high talent and high concept.

I highly recommend Wednesday Comics and not just for the Supergirl strip which looks like it will be madcap slapstick fun.

Cosmic Adventures: Linda Lee Production Information

It has been a very busy time for a Supergirl fan with news coming out almost every day! I am actually running behind on things I want to post on! It really is a good time to be a Supergirl fan!

Landry Walker continues to show us the backstage production of the Cosmic Adventures series on his blog. Last week he talked about Linda Lee and gave us some of the concept art of the character ( http://xray-studios.livejournal.com/51957.html ).

As the series came out, it was interesting to see how the depiction of Linda evolved along with the character. Early in the series when she is at her most vulnerable and most unsure of herself, she really shows it physically, shoulders slumped and hunched a bit. Compare that to the last issues where she is happily bouncing on her dorm bed.

As always, I recommend reading the whole post there and looking at the blog in total. I will eventually catch up and post and comment on the Supergirl production art.

But here are some blurbs that stuck out with me:

And I know there are a great number of people who question whether or not Supergirl even needs a secret identity. The answer is: Yes. Sure, she could fly around all day, performing acts of incredible strength and what not. Sure. And while that might even be the reality if a teenage girl had superpowers, comics are not reality. Comics are entertainment. And one of the key factors in entertainment is relatability.

It has been interesting to see the debate about Linda Lang in the main book. And maybe for the audience of that title, there is a bigger need for that debate.

But in a Johnny DC book where you are trying to capture the attention of a younger audience, you need Linda. The Supergirls at home clearly identified with what Linda was going through even if that then spilled into more super-hero adventures.

Of course, there is room for another take. MiracleMan is a perfect example of this. Why would MiracleMan ever change back to his human self? But this is Supergirl. A character who, despite her alien origins, was always shown to be more human than humans were. A deeply empathic and caring person who would allow herself to live in an orphanage because she believed that the rest of the world would be better served by her sacrifice.

Any talk that includes a Miracleman reference is a good talk! That series was spectacular.

But I think Walker hits the nail on the head about who I think Supergirl should be ... more human than humans, someone who would sacrifice for the good of others.

So Linda Lee was an unquestionable necessity. Particularly when you consider that Linda is a more accurate reflection of who Supergirl really is. A young teen-age girl alone in a confusing new environment. She's not like Superman, pretending to be bumbling Clark Kent. She's really a normal young girl who just happens to have suddenly been given amazing powers and is striving to live up to an impossible heroic ideal. She's still going to be awkward and nervous and shy. If she isn't, than we can't relate to her. And if we can't relate to her, why would we want to read about her?

In some ways, Linda was her identity. I am sure the way she acted as Linda is how she acted as Kara in Argo City. There was nothing false about her.

I have always said that part of the appeal of Supergirl for me is that she is still becoming a hero. She isn't a finished product like Superman. So in Cosmic Adventures when you saw that awkwardness and nervousness and the heroic adventures and willingness to risk it all to save people ... well that IS Supergirl to me.

I have said it before and I'll say it again. I miss this title and I hope a sequel will happen.

More thoughts about Justice League: Cry For Justice And Some Upcoming Covers

I enjoyed Justice League:Cry For Justice #1 but the praise for the mini-series hasn't been universal. In fact many online reviews have been negative. I can completely understand the concerns that people have over the characterization of the heroes here. They all might be yelling 'Justice' but they are acting more like they should be yelling 'Revenge'.

And I concur that this will make the portrayal of Kara that much more important to scrutinize. The current Supergirl seems to be moving away from this mode of justice and striving to be a better hero. I hope James Robinson won't derail Sterling Gates current characterization.

The above image is the cover for Cry For Justice #3. Here is the solicit information.

The team welcomes two new members as Supergirl and Shazam join the roster! And it's just in time, too, because when Prometheus is finally caught and his evil machinations are revealed, the League finds out they may be unable to stop him.

One thing that seems to be lauded more universally is Mauro Cascioli's art.



Of course the image of Supergirl on the cover with the Cable-esque one glowing eye makes me worry that Supergirl will veer a bit towards the dark side.

The Source released the cover for Cry For Justice #4 a while ago. Here is the link:
http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2009/06/29/some-more-cry-for-justice-art-to-help-you-pass-the-time/

Boy, Starman and Congorilla still seem pretty irked.

Here is the close-up of Supergirl, tucked in the background. Unfortunately, this is a more passive position than any of the other characters on the cover.

My guess .... my hope is that, in the end, the story comes around to show the futility of revenge and how it does not equal justice.

One Last Bike Shorts Post

I know I promised to not initiate anymore talk about this topic, a change in Supergirl's costume I completely love.

But this is from my post on this blog from November 21, 2008 ( http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2008/11/review-supergirl-35.html ):

I show this panel for one reason.

That's right, there are bike shorts under the mini-skirt! I, for one, think it makes sense for Supergirl to wear them given all the flying she does. And, thankfully, it takes away the potential for the pandering and gratuitous panty shot we sometimes have been subjected to. It also eliminates the need for the skirt to defy physics and always stays down.

I am completely okay with it.But I know that when Renato Guedes added them to Kara's costume in his issues, the negative feedback about it was unprecedented and (I feel) unwarranted. Buckle up Mr. Igle ... my guess is the same folks might complain again.

I know that even a broken clock is right twice a day but I knew that this topic might become a flashfire.

But even I could not foresee that the story would get so big that it would be covered by a mainstream site like NPR ( http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/07/let_there_be_bike_shorts_a_gee_1.html )!!!!

I think this is 'any publicity is good publicity' especially since the site talks about how good the title has been of late. From the article:

But things have been looking up for her of late. In her current series, the fantastically named writer Sterling Gates is doing good work supplying the character with depth and intelligence while downplaying some of the vampy-trampy aspects she got saddled with upon her return.

Meanwhile, artist Igle has given her a real, physiologically plausible body, outfitted in a costume that is growing steadily less, in the artist's words, "hoochie."

And that article led to more internet discussion including posts on popular comic sites like The Beat ( http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/07/06/supergirls-guide-to-short-skirts-and-the-active-lifestyle/ ) and CBR's Robot 6 ( http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2009/07/the-panty-shot-decree-heard-round-the-world/ ).

Unfortunately it is clear that a lot of the people who are posting responses there haven't read the book recently and are disparaging the character. That irks me to no end.

Anyways, I am pro-shorts and always have been. I am happy they are there. And I (again) promise to not initiate discussion on this topic again.

Belinda Zee Design

As thoroughly great as Cosmic Adventures was my favorite parts were the Belinda Zee moments. She was just so wonderfully malicious. She seemed conflicted ... like she had both a superiority and inferiority complex. She had some of the funniest moments in the book. She embraced chaos and often aimed her anger in Kara's direction. I think Kara was an easy target; Belinda clearly hated all Supergirl represented but was jealous of it at the same time. That is just a great stew of a character.

Suffice it to say that I was thrilled that the Belinda Zee concept art was posted on Landry Walker's blog ( http://xray-studios.livejournal.com/51396.html ).

Here is some of what Walker says about Belinda:

The design of Belinda was partially inspired by Archie Comics character, Veronica Lodge. A little of her temperament springs from this source as well. Belinda is a fun character to write. She's not exactly evil, and she certainly isn't good. Her emotional state of being is on a hair trigger. Essentially, she's an agent of chaos. Chaotic neutral, if I must let my roots as a D&D geek show.

The Veronica Lodge reference is so clear now that you say it. In my mind, I thought she was based on Serena, the black-haired mischievous cousin of Bewitched protagonist Samantha Stevens.

And as a fellow D&D geek, chaotic neutral perfectly sums up Belinda. To share my own D&D geek roots, I always play chaotic neutral characters as they can usually have the most fun. So whether it be the Drow cleric raised by good humans and struggling to be good or the pessimistic ex-wererat turned bounty hunter using a demonic sword, my guys have learned to use all CN has to offer.

The images here of her as Superiorgirl are Eric's original take on the concept. But I was looking more for the mirror image feel, so we switched to classic Bizarro look, with the mask. The mask was specifically inspired by the Silver Age appearance of an evil Superman, who was indistinguishable from the good version, except for his domino mask.

Hmmm, anyone know reference issue for the evil masked Superman?

I see that the original Superiorgirl shirt was used as the Stanhope cheerleader sweater design.

I hope that if a sequel happens that we see more Belinda Zee.

Happy Fourth of July !!

Happy Fourth of July to all my fellow Americans!

Since this is the day we celebrate America's birthday, I thought I would find a patriotic Supergirl story to review. So please pay no attention to the 'Superwoman' on the cover.

Instead I'll show one of 'Supergirl's Three Time Trips' featured in Action Comics #274 (scanned from the DC Archives Supergirl Vol. 2), written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel and drawn by Supergirl master Jim Mooney. In the story, Linda Lee is given an assignment to write a report on a historical figure of her choice. She narrows it down to Annie Oakley, Betsy Ross, and Pocahontas. To help with the report, she decides to travel back in time to witness history rather than just read about it.

Supergirl travels back in time to 1776 and sees George Washington show the proposed design of the United States flag to Betsy Ross who agrees to sew it.

Unfortunately, the messenger she gives the flag to has a hard time holding on to it. A strong wind blows the flag into a brush fire thus destroying the first American flag. Luckily Supergirl witnesses the event and decides to intervene.

Hoping to set matters straight, Supergirl takes a British flag from a nearby Redcoat and a blue jacket from a scarecrow in a local farmyard. Using her 'superspeed-sewing' she recreates the original American flag.

Then, hiding behind the brushfire she uses her super-breath to blow her flag into the hands of the revolutionary messenger. He thinks it is simply a stroke of good luck that the flag was blown away from the fire and back into his hands unsinged.

As Kara sneaks behind a bush she sees the messenger deliver the flag to General Washington. Supergirl sewed the first American Flag!

Unfortunately, Washington is sitting atop a big chunk of green Kryptonite forcing Supergirl to escape back into the time stream. Oddly enough, Supergirl runs into Kryptonite in all her adventures in the past ... something which seems impossible since Krypton exploded only recently.

After telling Superman about her Kryptonite encounters, Superman figures out what happened. Only recently he heaved a malfunctioning H-bomb into the stratosphere just as a Kryptonite meteor was entering Earth's atmosphere. When the bomb exploded there was no trace of the meteor left and it was presumed vaporized.

Now knowing that Kryptonite is in the past, Superman deduces that the force of the explosion must have flung shards of the meteor back throughout time.

Still ... Supergirl played a crucial part in the creation of the first American flag.

Happy Fourth everyone! Hope you all see some cool fireworks!

Review: Cry For Justice #1

After over a year of waiting, Justice League:Cry For Justice #1 came out this week. Written by James Robinson and lusciously painted by Mauro Cascioli, it served as a fine opening chapter to the series ... looking in on the characters we know will eventually form Hal's league and identifying their motivations.

It is clear that almost all these characters have suffered a recent loss at the hands of evil doers and therefore desire harsh justice. Given what we see here, my guess is that Zor-El's death by Reactron is the impetus for Kara to sign up.

Much of the opening part of the issue has been seen in previews but the art is so good I couldn't help reposting.

The issue starts with Hal lamenting the fact that Bruce and J'Onn have been killed and the villains seemingly get off scot free.

His diatribe is in stark contrast to Superman who toes the party line that the heroes need to 'do the right thing' and 'stay together for the good.'

It is a tense moment on the satellite. Superman is clearly the role model here, the hero everyone strives to be more like. He lays down his beliefs and seems befuddled at Hal's rage. After all, isn't doing the right thing what heroes do?

The moment is all the more tense given Hal's silence afterwards. It is clear that isn't what Hal thinks they should do.

I don't know how often Supergirl hangs out on the JLA satellite, so her being there seems to be a simple way for her to know Hal's plan. We know she won't join until the third issue.

Hal decides to not back down to Superman. He wonders where the justice is in Justice League. Super-heroes holding themselves up and pure and good isn't enough with today's caliber of super-villain. It didn't save Batman and it didn't save the Martian Manhunter.

It comes off a little Parallax-ian and that worries me a bit. We have seen this Hal before and it didn't end well. Hopefully that part of his history is explored in this series before it is over and not simply glossed over. It sounds like Green Lantern is looking down the slippery slope.

And perhaps my favorite scene where Hal says that many of the JLA-ers just kowtow to the 'big three', losing their own perspective in the process.

If Hal Jordan feels that way, how does Red Arrow feel?

I also think it is interesting that Diana is seemingly put on a pedestal when just a couple of years ago she snapped Maxwell Lord's neck on international television. If anyone should understand harsh justice it should be the Amazon princess.

In the end Hal declares himself as law in sector 2814 and leaves stating he will stop evil before it has the chance to blossom. Unexpectedly, Green Arrow decides to join him.

Hal is pretty blunt with the heroes present. He says that they want a league while he want justice.

So I really liked this scene. It seems natural that in a group as large as the JLA that there will be differences of opinion. But this wasn't an 'agree to disagree' conversation. Superman tells Hal he can't let him leave and Hal goads him to try to stop him. There is an undercurrent of anger here ... as if Hal blames himself a little for letting his friends die.

I hope that both leagues do end up interacting with each other again. I really hope that the difference in philosophy does not result in a cliched 'friend fighting friend' scene (like Civil War).

One thing I did like is this panel with Supergirl in it. Superman, the Red Tornado, and the Flash all have frowns on their faces. Supergirl expression is slightly different, her mouth almost a half-smile ... maybe she has some begrudging respect for Green Lantern.

This was another part of the book I liked with Ollie reminiscing about the classic GL/GA 'finding America' stories by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams. There is a sense of history between the two and a strong sense of continuity.

In the end, I think Ollie remembers Parallax all too well. I don't think he is going along to help Green Lantern trash villains as much as to make sure that Hal doesn't descend into madness.

But Green Lantern and Green Arrow are just two of the heroes we know are starring in this book and crying out for justice.

The next scene involves both the Atoms - Ray Palmer and Ryan Choi. I have never been a huge fan of the Atom but this is an interesting scene. Both Atoms feel inferior to the other. Choi thinks that Ray is the once and future Atom, using the powers with aplomb. Palmer thinks Choi is simply better. DC is built on legacy heroes so it was a nifty scene to read how both sides of the name Atom view the other.

The two tear through Killer Moth and his gang. The Moth stole some technology and in the process killed Palmer's friend Mike Dalton. Palmer is livid about this. Knowing that Killer Moth is an underlying, he threatens to torture Moth to find out who the mastermind is.

When Killer Moth calls the Atom's bluff, Palmer climbs into Moths head and starts to grow. It is an ugly scene as shown above with a hero using unsavory techniques. But he gets the information he wanted ... Prometheus is behind the time pool tech robbery. Palmer justifies his means by pointing to the ends ... justice.

While the scene read like something from a 1970s horror comic, I think it lost some of its impact because I don't know who Mike Dalton is. Is he a close enough friend to the Atom to warrant such a response?

I also thought it odd that the Atom would resort to that method for obtaining info, especially given that his wife killed Sue Dibny by also shrinking and causing brain damage. Chilling ...

The Mikaal Tomas Starman is also a character in the book who we look in on.

Turns out his friend Tony was a nearby casualty in a supervillain raid to S.T.A.R. labs in Opal city.

Overcome with rage and craving justice, he simply explodes in the street destroying a nearby car. He demands justice.

Again, I know nothing of this Starman's backstory so I don't know the significance of the death of this man Tony. A little more exposition would have been greatly appreciated here.

And the same desire for justice burns in the heart of Congorilla.

He finds his tribe of apes slaughtered including what is implied to be his gorilla child. As he mourns, another friend Freedom Beast stumbles to him and subsequently dies.

Pushed to the limit and violently enraged, he screams for justice.

Okay, so all these heroes have suffered a loss and all desire justice. But their losses have clearly made them unhinged. Now how they all up fighting together is still a mystery.

So in the end there was tremendous art and a really great scene on the JLA satellite. Other repeating characters now have a simple backstory of tragedy leading to anger. There were some decent hooks here but this felt more like prologue to me, setting the stage for bigger doings.

One other good thing about the book was a short written piece by James Robinson in the back pages. It points out his ideas behind the book and why he chose the characters he did. He only mentions Supergirl but sounds like he wants the best for her character. He has written her well in Superman and World of New Krypton so I look forward to seeing her here. The back section also included the pencil sketches of some of the painted pages. Really wonderful stuff here.

So overall a decent set-up for the rest of the series. The fantastic art really helped prop this issue up.

Overall grade: B+/B

Cosmic Adventures Production Art: Zor-El

I hope people aren't getting sick of the concept art around Supergirl:Cosmic Adventures because I'm not.

The latest post reviews designs for Superman and Zor-El ( http://xray-studios.livejournal.com/51118.html ).

It is clear that Landry Walker and Eric Jones had enough material for more than 6 issues. And lucky for us Walker is sharing some of the 'what might have beens'. Included in this post is a deleted scene showing the ceremony where the rocket to Earth is launched.

The whole scene reads pretty cool with a Zor-El clearly an inspirational leader. Here is a snippet.

PANEL 4:

ZOR-EL: “Our cousin Superman thinks he’s alone, the last of his kind. Though the dimensional barrier limits us to receiving these broadcasts only, our scientists have devised a one-time method to send material through the rift.”

ZOR-EL: “And so, we have prepared this rocket…”

PANEL 5:
Focus on the rocket. The crowds are enthusiastic. In formation, the Supergirls twirl their batons.

ZOR-EL: “…our message to Superman!”

I wish we could have seen this if only to see all of Kara's friends in their Superman majorette outfits.

One thing hinted at in the series was how revered Superman was to the people of Argo. Zor-El's dialogue echoes that. Of course, it is that viewpoint that probably makes Kal such a potentially scary figure for Kara. She doesn't want to disappoint her cousin who is the ultimate national hero in quasi-space.

If a sequel happens, I hope some more of the Supergirl/Superman relationship gets explored. Of course, given Walker and Jones commitment to Brave and Bold a sequel is not likely coming any time soon even if DC green-lighted it.

I am sure a Kara production art post is sure to come. I'll post it when it happens.

The Source: Matt Idelson Talks About The Super-Books

The DC Blog gave us another inside look at a typical day in Super-title editor Matt Idelson's life last week. Here is the link: http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2009/06/26/a-day-in-the-life-of-superman-group-editor-matt-idelson-2/

The post is full of lots of small tidbits of information including some teasers. I have to admit it sounds like editting the books is a lot of detail work, a lot of reviewing. As always, I like the 'behind the scenes' looks into the industry.

Some things did stick out though, especially the page above from next month's Supergirl #43. I love the overbearing nature of Alura on the page, especially given the angle of the lower left panel. Shot from below the the edges of Alura spilling into other panels, it really gives her a domineering 'larger than life' quality. I also like Supergirl's frustrated look in the last panel.

From the post itself:

Also on the lettering front, Jared Fletcher, the man of many nicknames, has delivered the first round of lettering for SUPERGIRL #43, and man, he’s done a great job. We asked him to do something slightly different here for Kara’s narrative, and he’s knocked it out of the park. The whole issue is somewhat of a departure, and definitely a pallet cleanser after a few months of asking, “Who is Superwoman?” I swear, Sterling and Jamal are getting exponentially better by the issue! One guy who’s not getting better is Jon Sibal, and that’s only ‘cause he couldn’t possibly get any better. The fact that he’s crazy in a good way just adds to the joy of working with him.

I think everyone is a bit ragged from the 'Who is Superwoman' story so a change of pace will be good. By I also like that things that usually go unnoticed by fans, like the lettering, is still part of the creative process.

And I agree, I really like Jon Sibal's inks on Jamal Igle's pencils.

We also get another look at a page from the Supergirl Annual with Lucy in combat mode.

And lastly this ...

Spend a few minutes chatting with Wil about a new costume we’re having designed for… well, don’t want to give that away here, in case anyone is actually reading this thing. The main design is coming along nicely, and we’re at the stage of small tweaks in order to put a wrap on the thing. This is going to be very, very cool.

I have heard rumblings of a new costume for Supergirl here and there, even mentioned in passing in Igle's bike shorts interview on Newsarama. Could we be getting a new look for Kara?