Superman Album (Greek)

A bit ago, I showcased a Supergirl #6 from Greece, a gift from a buddy when he had traveled there. Turns out he had another gift for me, an interesting Superman album from the same time.

It is the size of your standard Asterix or Tintin size and produced by Anubis Publishing.

But it is an odd collection.

Three seemingly random issues.

Action Comics #870, from 2008, is the finale of the Geoff Johns Brainiac arc which led into New Krypton. 

Superman #15, from 2013, is a middle chapter in H'El on Earth. 

Superman #39, from 2015, was the end of another Geoff Johns run on the character, a time when Superman was using his solar flare and had just told Jimmy Olsen his secret identity. 

Three issues without any connection. One in an old continuity. Another in the middle of a less than stellar, very long arc.

Does the company only have access to some issues? Was this based on art? Gary Frank, Kenneth Rocafort, and John Romita Jr. provide great art here. 

But such a fascinating group. All reviewed here at the time of release! I have been doing this a long time!

Some samples ahead.

Action Comics #870 included one of my first 'Best Of' moments on this site. Supergirl ends up stopping Brainiac's 'solar aggressor' missile, saving Earth. Remember, this was a Kara that was terrified of Brainiac and needed a little pep talk from Superman to steel herself and get to work.

Now this was an interesting time for Supergirl. Sterling Gates first issue had come out a week before. The character and the title was about to get a renaissance after struggling to define this new Kara for nearly three years.

Of course, this page is all Greek to me.

Superman #15 is sort of time capsule showing how bizarre the New 52 was. Superboy was a living weapon. Supergirl was falling in love with H'El, a guy who wanted to destroy the solar system. Superman was courting Wonder Woman. Lex was badly burned, burned at the hands of Superman.

What an omelet!

But I loved Rocafort's art then and now. What an interesting style!

Superman #39 was another interesting choice. Superman had the Solar Flare power which made him powerless. He told Jimmy his secret identity. And in this issue, while powerless, stands up to an armed mugger. Johns always knows what to do with Superman. His Ulysses arc earlier in this run didn't really stand out as much as I thought it would. But this was a nice coda.

Anyways, a nice little gift from a friend and worth sharing here.