Action Comics Annual #2: More H'El

While the official October DC books are about a week away from being solicited, DC has had a little premature solicitation, releasing information about 6 annuals coming out during that month. Here is a link to Newsarama and the story: http://www.newsarama.com/18262-dc-announces-6-new-october-annuals.html


Of course one, stood out for me. While I will include this in my standard monthly solicit review, I felt compelled to comment on it separately.

ACTION COMICS ANNUAL #2 
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art by KENNETH ROCAFORT, DAN JURGENS and NORM RAPMUND
Cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT

 Part 1 of “KRYPTON RETURNS,” continuing next month! What does this mean to the Universe? Superman, Supergirl and Superboy are enlisted by the Oracle to go back to their homeworld and correct what the villainous H’El has done! This epic adventure spans eons, from Krypton’s savage past of Clones to the very minutes before Kal-El’s ship is sent into space! You only think you know what happened in the last days of Krypton!

Now we all knew that the H'El storyline wasn't over. In the zero issues of the super-titles, we saw Superman, Supergirl, and Superboy all on Krypton prior to its destruction. H'El on Earth ended with H'El making it back to Krypton before the planetary cataclysm, even meeting Jor-El.

Scott Lobdell had leaked a bit ago that another super-crossover would wrap that up late in the year. My suspicion is that this opening chapter will be completed in the November issues of Superman, Superboy, and Supergirl. Moreover, given how the lower right corner here looks like the upper left corner of the S-shield (made out of shattered chunks of Krypton), I also think we will have interlocking covers, creating a giant S-shield out of the four covers with the Superman family members and H'El showcased on each. I would love for this story to be done in Annuals for the books rather than derailing the ongoing stories in the main books.

The title of the story is 'Krypton Returns' and since H'El's whole existence is hellbent on saving Krypton from exploding, it would not be surprising if this story has Krypton survive. It is this change in the time stream that makes the Oracle send the Supers back in time. Bleeding Cool figures this is true: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/07/03/krypton-returns-to-the-dc-universe/ 

Unfortunately, this also means that Superman's mission will be to stop someone from saving a planet full of people. That means he will 'cause' a planet full of people to die horrifically. Hopefully I am wrong.

Also, given what we saw in the zero issues, Supergirl is actually set farther back in time to the era of the Clone Uprising. That means she won't interact with Superman, Superboy, her parents, or her aunt and uncle. Given how terrible the characterization of Kara was in H'El on Earth, I don't know if I should be happy or sad about this.

From last September, we saw that Kal is trying to meet Jor and Lara. And we see Kon actually meet Alura.

And, again from last September, we saw Supergirl was farther in the past.

Unfortunately, this means she probably won't be a major part of the ultimate 'what happens to Krypton' part of the story, thwarting H'El. I would like to see some further interaction between Kara and H'El, maybe with her rebuking him and showing she has thrown.

I am not surprised that Lobdell wouldn't want her to be part of the main storyline or denouement. After all, he made her the villain of the first H'El arc. She was an idiotic, hyper-emotional, gullible dupe. I don't think he has much love for the character. So maybe I should be happy that she is away from the fray. Knowing Lobdell, he would have her cause the destruction of Krypton. And maybe by putting her in the past, she will gain some sympathy for clones and actually reach out to Kon-El. Is that too much to ask?

I know I am making some calculated guesses about this arc based on one solicit. But knowing how much I detested H'El on Earth, I am worried and trying to think my way through the sequel.