Review: Action Comics #1094

 Action Comics #1094  came out last week, another chapter in Mark Waid's exploration of the introduction of Superboy to the DCU. I have been very pleased with this run of stories and this issue is no exception as Waid answers questions I think have been in the back of my mind as a reader. Why would the military not try to control or co-opt Superman when he first revealed himself?

The bulk of the issue is Superboy doing what he does best, trying to save lives and do what is right. But this time that is by helping the US military extract men from a foreign nation. It is Superboy entering war, being given orders, and still assisting because that is what is needed. But appropriately questioning his role afterwards. I think we are just scratching the surface of this confrontation with General Lane. 

But surrounding the main title is that exploration of Clark's feelings and dealing with this. He is still just a kid. He is still crushing on Lana. He is still doing silly little Smallville tasks. But now he has seen things that most people won't ever see, the horror of war, and has to find a way to deal with it. That is a story worth telling.

The art on the issue is done by Patricio Delpeche, whose work is new to me. There is a raw feeling here. There is as sort of Sean Phillips feel to the work too. Given the darker tone for most of this issue, the pencils and shadow work all works wonderfully here.

Lastly, the ending of the book synchs up a favorite Silver Age moment with these modern times. I smiled. Kudos to Waid for his usual walking the tightrope of honoring the old while refreshing it for today.

On to the details.

Review: Supergirl #9(v8)

Supergirl #9 came out last week, the third issue in a row focused on character building and leaning into some sorrow and angst. Writer Sophie Campbell is here with artist Joe Quinones showing us New Year's Eve, Midvale style. 

Campbell has definitely been focusing this series on Kara figuring out this next chapter of her life back in Midvale. Campbell has also done something I have been asking for in a Supergirl comic for about 15 years, added a supporting cast. In many ways, this book has been an ensemble cast with Supergirl the axle they spin around. Moreover, it is all young women trying to figure out who they are in a new place, all with different backgrounds and responses. Lesla from Kandor, reeling from unloving parents and a feeling of emptiness. Lena, walking away from Lex but still acting, now and then, like a Luthor. And Kara herself, out of Superman's shadow and trying to hold her life and her friends lives together.

This issue shows us how easily strained these relationships can be. A fun night unravels and suddenly Linda, Lena, and Lesla are not the bosom buddies they were. There was a bright feeling to the early issues of this book, an optimism and joy around Kara. These last three issues - Nightflame, the dying robot, and this issue's tumults - are a little darker. I am hoping this darkening is from my Chaos Stream theory.

And I have to admit I wouldn't mind an issue of someone like Reactron being a jerk and our hero pounding him. After all the personal drama, I wouldn't mind a supervillain coming around. I am not complaining too much. I love the book. And this is lightyears away from drunken, living in pain, witnessing stoning executions, etc.

I have been a fan of Joe Quinones for a looooong time and have always loved his art, getting a commission from him in 2010. His style fits the vibe of this series wonderfully and I wouldn't mind him being the official pinch-hitter here for issues Campbell can't do herself. 

On to the book! 

Bullet Review: DC KO #3

DC KO #3, written by Scott Snyder with art by Javi Fernandez, came out this week and was another bonkers, high energy brawl of a book as our heroes and villains vie to see who will win the title King Omega and take on Darkseid to reinvent the universe.

It feels intentionally over the top with the fate of the universe at hand, the winner being able to scrawl their idea of what reality should be. 

Round one was a battle royale style race for immunity totems (magical items).

Round two was a two out of three solo match.

Round three is a tag-team match with each entrant able to pick their partner.

It is silly in a good way with high stakes and I have mostly enjoyed it. But two things have detracted my enjoyment from the title.

The first is a bit meta, the promotion of the event. I will talk about that at the end.

The second, how Supergirl was treated in this particular issue hence the bullet review.

They are, overall, small distractions to the insanity of the book. It is fun in an 'over the top' way.

But let's dive into Supergirl's part in this issue.

The rules of engagement are clear. The Elite Eight are allowed to pick a partner, any partner, got the tag team battle. If they don't choose a partner, one will be chosen for them.

Superman chooses last. The omnipotent voice almost chooses for him but then Clark makes up his mind.

Is the crumbling Supergirl statue supposed to mean she is who was almost chosen for him? Does it mean he contemplated picking her but picked someone else?

Either way, at least she was near the top. 

But then ...

Back Issue Box: Adventure Comics #404

One of the things that I have truly appreciated about the current Supergirl title is how writer/artist Sophie Campbell has really done a deep deep dive into Supergirl's history, incorporating elements of all of Supergirl's lore and iterations into the book. 

Recently, the March 2026 DC solicits came out promoting a 'Reign of the Superboys' arc running through all the super-titles. In a related article talking about the titles, this nugget was dropped.

That same week, Supergirl #11 drops Kara into Kandor, strips her powers, and gives her a cybernetic upgrade as she leads a revolution alongside Conner Kent and a legion of Boy Thunder clones.

A powerless Supergirl in Kandor getting a cybernetic upgrade?

It sounds like Campbell is revisiting a storyline from the early 70's where Supergirl's powers would blip on and off. To compensate, she went to Kandor and had was given an exoskeleton to boost her abilities when she was suddenly powerless. 

Now to be honest, I am not a fan of storylines where characters' powers can suddenly disappear. The story always seems stretched and forced. And that is true for this classic one. But how great to see it updated. So why not revisit Adventure Comics #404, with that Kandorian exoskeleton revealed.

The brief story? A mob leader named Starfire (no ... not that Starfire or the other Starfire) comes to town to take over. To do that, she needs to get Supergirl off the board. So she has a lothario slip Supergirl a pill designed to depower her permanently. But it only works some of the time. Check out the awesome cover! Starfire beating up our here while a group of odd clowns watches on! Inticing!

To put in context, this book came out in May 1971, in the middle of the Kryptonite Nevermore arc in Superman, an arc seriously depowering the Man of Steel. Perhaps DC couldn't have Supergirl be the strongest character in the universe? 

On to the book!

Review: Absolute Superman #15

Just a couple of weeks ago, I reviewed Absolute Superman #14, the ending of a long, world-building arc for our hero. I thought perhaps the ending seemed a little too quick with Ra's Al Ghul almost laying down after a gruesome battle. But that was that, the opening arc teaching about this Kal and his fight against the Lazarus Corporation was over.

Last week, Absolute Superman #15 came out, a 'new story' trumpeted on the cover, complete with a new artist Juan Ferreyra. This new direction has been earned by writer Jason Aaron whose deliberate pace gave us wonderful world-building here. With Ra's defeated and the existence of the Superman a bit more public, it is time for our hero to come into the sunlight.

And that is what this issue is about. Superman is a public hero now, trying to do everything he can to help people, perhaps overdoing it. He is an inspiration in action all over the world. But he also is trying to be an inspiration to the defeated Ra's. What I really like is how while trying to do what's right, it is clear this Superman is a little uncomfortable in this role, a little taxed. 

All that said, this is an issue filled with hope, something I haven't seen much of in the absolute universe.

You can tell immediately the change in tone and direction by comparing the covers by Rafa Sandoval.

Issue #1, black-garbed Superman, face looking down, in shadows walking through a parched field.

Issue #15, blue-garbed, flying upwards, face in the sun, birds flying around him, angelic.

A new story indeed.

Part of that new feel is artist Juan Ferreyra. His style is strong and energetic in the heroic scenes. It is quiet enough in the smaller moments to convey emotion. I hope he is on the book for a long time.

On to the book.

Review: Adventures of Superman Book of El #5

Adventures of Superman Book of El #5 came out this week and continues to be brash and epic and universal in scope. There are big moments in this book, worthy of big art, as it continues to build this mythology. 

I just don't know if I understand what is going on.

I desperately want to love this book. I am amazed at writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson's world building and myth building style. I loved his Superman run. I am enjoying his current Hulk book. He recently signed a Marvel exclusive contract so this is probably his last bite at the DCU for a while. This book is built on the Warworld Saga. And I miss the Super-Twins who are the crux of the plot and finally seen a tiny bit in this issue's cliffhanger.

I should love this book. 

The truth is I am enjoying each scene but I don't think I am understanding 100% how it all holds together. I am interested in seeing the descendants of Superman interacting in this future time but I don't know their back story enough to appreciate what should be emotional moments. I trust Johnson to pull the threads and tighten everything. But I feel a little lost. Am I the only one?

Scott Godlewsi's art really is brilliant giving the scope of the action in the book. From small personal moments to giant universal giants throwing haymakers, the book is gorgeous. 

Would really love to hear other's thoughts as we approach the halfway mark. On to the book!

Review: Justice League Vs Godzilla Vs Kong 2 #6

Justice League Vs Godzilla Vs Kong 2 #6 came out last week, the penultimate chapter of this wild series. I always feel that these 'next to last' chapters are always crucial. The book has to be set up to a place where a satisfying conclusion to the overall story has to be possible. With an over-the-top book like this with all the insanity out there, I think we get there. I do wonder if a few crumbs will be left out there in case DC wants to do a third. 

Writer Brian Buccellato pushes things forward. With the freedom of working in a pocket universe, he can take big swings and continues to do so here. What I like about this is Buccellato also shows he is a fan of DC history because he inserts some fun moments into the work for gray beards like me. He also clearly loves the characters, treating them with respect. From Wally to Black Manta to Aquaman, there are moments for all. 

Meanwhile Christian Duce continues to shine here. He has the hard mission of super-hero antics and giant monster mayhem and both things happening at the same time. I love the detail of the work and I am very appreciative of DC giving him the time to do the series in its entirety. 

I keep waiting for a Kara/Kong moment and I am still waiting. But this was still fun. On to the book.

Review: Absolute Superman #14

Absolute Superman #14 came out this week, the culmination of a long first arc building the world and showing us who this Superman is. It was clear that the end of this was going to be a bare-chested sword fight with Ra's Al Ghul, perhaps a nod to the early O'Neil/Adams Batman stories with Ra's himself.

Now all along I have been praising writer Jason Aaron for the pacing of this book. Unlike the frenzy of Absolute Batman, Absolute Superman was a very deliberate title, showing us Krypton, this new world, and giving us a lot of backstory for not only Superman but also Jor-El, Lara, Lois, Jimmy, and even the Al Ghul's. This is a fully formed world. I feel we have learned who this Clark is. 

The action has been ramping up over the last few issues as Ra's kept pushing Clark to take a step towards evil. And we finally get it in this issue, a bloody, brutal brawl that has me questioning how either combatant survives. Unfortunately, while the opening is a bang, the end of the fight is a whimper. This tremendously layered, long, complex arc just sort of ends. 

Rafa Sandoval is back on art and gives us in incredible issue of melee and gore. I have loved Sandoval's work for a long time but I feel that his work on this title has been his best. I'll be sad to see him go. 

Should this sudden ending to this arc sully the tremendous work which got me here? I'm not sure yet.

On to the book.

Supergirl Best Of 2025 Part Three: Top Ten Comic Moments #5 - #1

Well, we are ending our look back at Supergirl's 2025 by getting to the best comic moments for the character.

As we close out the year, I have to once again say that this has been a big year for our hero. She had a cameo in the Superman movie and her own film is coming soon. She played a big role in the Superman book, the JL United book, and the JLA vs Godzilla vs Kong 2 book. In all those titles, she was treated as a serious hero, a field commander, a leader.

The biggest comic news, of course, was the new Supergirl title on the racks, a love letter to the character's history by writer/artist Sophie Campbell. We have seen some moments from that on the lower part of this top ten list already. But there have been many moments throughout the issues that have been spectacular. Campbell is mining Supergirl's 65 year history and it makes this old time fan happy.

On to the top comic moments of 2025! 

Supergirl Best Of 2025 Part Two: Top Ten Comic Moments #10 - #6

Welcome to part two of my three part review of Supergirl in the year 2025. Yesterday I posted Part One , a review of the Supergirl cameo in James Gunn's Superman movie, my own convention experience, and some comic moment Honorable mentions. 

This is my seventeenth end of year review on the site, a number that staggers even me. Over the course of that time, some years have been pretty lean. In contrast, the last couple of years have been solid ones for the character. 2025 saw Supergirl finally back in her own title, continuing to play a role in the more major storylines in the Superman books, and even a decent presence in other books. Whether it was Mark Waid's JLU, or the insanity of Justice League Vs Godzilla Vs Kong, or even the Kal-El-Fornia Love book, Kara was all over the place and always treated with respect. That meant there were a lot of great moments for me to choose from making this year a tough one to pick a top ten,

Making that even harder was the profound respect and sheer amount of Kara-history that Sophie Campbell has injected into the book. From Lar-On and The Yellow Ring of Nor-Kann, to Satan Girl, to a comb that changes hair color, to Lesla Lar and Nightflame, to Midvale to cover and panel homages, there has been a ton of Supergirl history from multiple realities and continuities in the book. And each of those could be a top ten moment. I feel like for the first time in a long time, we have a creator who loves and understands the character. And that love and understanding shows in the book.

So settle in ... here comes the Top Ten Supergirl Comic Moments of 2025.