Review: Superman #39

Superman #39 came out last week and was an absolute treat as writer Joshua Williamson and artist Dan Mora continue to redeem Superboy Prime and break the fourth wall to smithereens. I have been saying how great this whole run has been all along but this issue, which really embraces comic history, might be the best of all. 

Last issue, Manchester Black finally revealed himself to Prime, asking for a reality punch to bring the villain back to life. Here Black puts Prime through the wringer, making Prime relive some of his low points, then putting him through a tour of comic genres, until finally breaking him. The best part of all of it is seeing Prime trying to fight through it all while continuing to be good. It really seems like a redemption story. Williamson has done the impossible; he made Prime likeable. We end with a great cliffhanger that left me wanting more.

Mora is a genius. This book lets him stretch his muscles. From indy art to romance to horror to animated style to battles reminiscent of Prime's bloodiest past, Mora shines. 

What makes this run so fantastic is all the fourth wall comic riffs. For an old fan like me, this is like a trip down memory lane. And there is a panel in this book so pitch perfect, both truthful and hilarious at the same time. I promise I will share it. I may put it on a shirt.

On to the book.

Review: Supergirl Movie

I saw the movie on Saturday and I am going to do my best to wrap my head around my thoughts in a non-spoiler way (above the fold) and a little deeper once we get inside.

I will say, based on the source material and some stuff that I had heard before hand, I went into the movie with low, almost no expectations. And perhaps going in that way, I found that I liked it more than I expected. 

There is an underlying theme throughout almost all the movie that Kara is kind and good. Despite the self-destructive journey she is on during the majority of the movie, that continues to bubble up to the surface. So I felt in many ways, the core of Supergirl was present in the story. I was not expecting that.

But there is a Zach Snyder-esque event at the end of the movie that seems to completely unravel that message. An act that seems so out of character from what we have seen before that it comes as close to ruining the film as it can. And it is completely out of character for who I think Supergirl is.

I think Milly Alcock is solid in the role, showing the pain Kara is going through and then having her come out of it in the end. It is a tight rope of 'party girl', 'sad girl', and 'hero' that worked. Alcock is probably the best part of the film. I thought Lobo, played by Jason Momoa was fun to see and quite comic accurate. But he seemed to be sort of tacked on. I wonder if in one of the earlier versions of the movie (remember it had 10 pre-showings and therefore probably multiple edits) he had a bigger role in the finale. 

But the movie itself feels sort of episodic with Kara tracking Krem and luckily running into people who know where to point her next. The film is incredible dull looking with most of the planets and sets very dark, shadowed, and dull. There are plenty of things that happen in the movie that are hard to hand-wave away (non-powered Kara beating up an 8ft highly muscled brute, innocent Ruthye being combat ready in one scene and choking out a brigand with ankle fetters, overpowered Lobo somehow 'trapped' and stuck in a brigand prison).

Even those plot issues didn't seem important next to the 'be good' core.  But then that Snyder moment happened. So I guess it lands as a 3 out of 5.

Review: Summer Of Supergirl Special #1

Last year the Superman movie hit the screens so a Summer of Superman Special hit the racks.

This year ... indeed this very day ... a Supergirl movie will hit the screens. So DC did the right thing meaning a Summer of Supergirl Special #1 hit the stands this week. And what a special it is. We are talking big name creators are on the book. Mark Waid, Sophie Campbell, and Gail Simone write stories. Cian Tormey, Belen Ortega, and Emma Kubert are on art. And most importantly, the stories all say something. 

Campbell and Ortega are on 'Main Man's Best Friend', finishing the story started in Lobo #4. That means we get a story truly in current continuity.

In 'Lost Girls', Simone and Kubert give us a sweet story pointing out, quite elegantly, the similarities between Supergirl and Mary Marvel. It even sets up Supergirl as a sort of mentor for Mary, a nice new wrinkle if kept in continuity and built on. We have seen Kara be a role model for Lesla in her current book. We have seen Kara be Superman's second in command. Why not have her be a 'big sister'.

But the absolute winner of the book is Waid and Tormey on 'Who Is Supergirl?'. I have always known that Waid is a fan of Kara. But in this story, he sort of double downs on what he wrote in the recent New History of the DC Universe. In fact, Waid almost seems to be pulling a 'Morrison on Batman' take on Supergirl's continuity. It all happened. But baked into the story are some funamental truths about who Supergirl is, not just her history but her character, her ethos. Most wonderful.

This truly is the Summer of Supergirl and this special is a great way to kick it off.

On to the book.

My Adventures With Superman S3E2

My Adventures of Superman S3E2 came out last week and continued to push the overall storyline of this season forward. It is clear that the showrunners are going to lean into two areas. The first will be the concept of identity, especially in Supergirl and for plot, the idea of the Reign of Supermen, probably looking at what it means to be Superman, or an evil version, or a clone, etc. Meanwhile, it continues to be amusing and cute in just the right measure.

This episode brings the super-crew to, of all places, a fan con. Most of that plotline revolves around Supergirl coming to grips with being new to the world and wanting to have a partner. From Jimmy's noble worries about Kara's affection to Cat Grant becoming a foil (leaning into Sterling Gates' run), we are going to get a lot of Supergirl dealing with her past and future this season. After last year's rough run of her as Brainiac's weapon, I hope we will see her get to a happy place.

As for the other theme of Superman's identity, we already had a version of Bizarro introduced. In this episode, we get Hank Henshaw's Cyborg Superman. Perhaps the thing that pleases me the most is that Luthor is really deep in that mess. I want to see Lex sort of emerge as the arch-villain here.

Despite the heavy topics, there is still the humor I love in the show. A super-villain wanting to date Superman. Jimmy Olsen's self-made comic books. Lois losing her mind. Cat Grant cackling like a Disney evil queen. It all made me smile between the action.

Love the series. On to the episode.

Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #52

Batman/Superman World's Finest #52 came out last week and sported a pretty nifty Dan Mora Supergirl movie variant cover. I will never complain about seeing Dan Mora Kara.

Outside of that, this second chapter of the Skartaris adventure was otherwise just okay.

It is hard to dislike a Mark Waid moment. There are always character moments and history mentions that make the book solid. In this title, he has really poked around the DCU. This story visiting the Warlord and his supporting cast shows that premise. My guess is this story is, for many readers, the introduction to this world. Throw in some great Robin moments and the book remains the fun title it has always been.

It is the plot that those moments exist in that is what I am finding a little lacking. We definitely get two exposition dumps to explain the plot progression. The plot isn't exactly innovative. And I don't know how long I think a side adventure to Skartaris is warranted. Not when the Earth 3 story was rushed to just 2 issues.

Adrian Gutierrez remains on art and continues to sparkle. I love how he uses silhouettes now and then to accentuate the action. His take on the Warlord cast is solid. Plus we get all sorts of primitive landscapes too.

But I expect a lot from this title and this one didn't hit the usual mark. On to the book.  

Review: Superman Unlimited #14

"The Reign of the Superboys" continued in last week's Superman Unlimited #14, a book with a big reveal that most of the folks who come to this site guessed right from the start! Good for you all!

Writer Dan Slott brought back a young Superboy, a young Jon, and readers like me were perhaps hopeful that this was a way for DC to correct aging the character up. But from the beginning, astute readers picked up the hints. Krypto growling. Damien suspicious. Young Jon's temper and lack of memories. Still ... I hoped. In this issue, that mystery is answered. But what I like about this is seeing other characters' responses to this young Jon, in particular Lois who is a sort of POV character for me here.

But there is more to the book than just this young John. We continue to have deal with the 'Too Too Much Kryptonite' storyline. That story takes another left hand turn as experiments on it bring about yet another new manifestation of the mineral. I don't know where this is going but I wish it might go away.

Meanwhile, Lucas Meyer continues to be a revelation on the book. His clean style is a welcome change to the book. I love his expressive work conveyed on Tomorrow Man's black faceplate, no easy task. His expressive work on Lois here also shines. But there is one chilling panel of young Jon I'll point out later. 

On to the book.

Review: Lobo #4

I have never been a fan of Lobo, a parody character that somehow took on a life of his own. The crude humor and bloody action just doesn't grip me. So when Lobo was announced as a 'next level' book, I knew it wouldn't land on my pull list.

With Lobo a big part of the upcoming Supergirl movie, I figured a comic crossover between Supergirl and Lobo was bound to happen. And, in what I think is a sign of the times, Supergirl is the guest in Supergirl's book and not the other way around. Guest stars are supposed to tempt fans of the guest to try a book. Heck, I am trying this book I would otherwise be avoiding because this week's Lobo #4 has Kara front and center. In his heyday in the 90's, Lobo would be the guest to lure in readers.

Skottie Young is the writer of the Lobo book and brings to the proceedings what you would expect - loud, brash violence peppered with curses and lowbrow humor. If you are looking for that, you got it! In the issue here, Lobo is trying to break into an auxiliary Fortress of Solitude and runs into Supergirl. Mayhem ensues. Not much else happens here other than a few good quips.

Jorge Corona's art is the perfect style for this title. It veers near some Trencher-esque Giffen electricity. There also is a sort of Howard Porter feel to some of this, reminding me of the JLA 3001 book Kara starred in.  It is rough and almost blotchy in places, evoking the chaos of Lobo and his world. His Kara jumps right into the action, punching with her fists while still remaining cute and pouty. If I was a Lobo fan, I'd want someone like Corona on art.

On to the book.

Bullet Review: Fury Of Firestorm #3 - Supergirl Sighting

This will be a quick review of a Supergirl appearance in Fury of Firestorm #3, one of the DC Next Level phase books. But it also is a plug for this book because it is a great title, especially if you are a fan of the character.

As many know I am old and I was a big fan of the Fury of Firestorm book out out in the mid-80s by Conway and Broderick. I have followed and dabbled with the character ever since. 

On the current book, writer Jeff Lemire is honoring not only the classic continuity of the book but also bringing in some of the darker aspects of the origin that were revealed in, of all things, Doomsday Clock. The main plot is that the Firestorm Matrix is operating without a human mind to guide it and taking apart Colorado. 

But Lemire shows how Ronnie Raymond's mind is trapped in the Matrix, repeating sunnier memories of the earliest Firestorm adventures with ben-day dot art to match the feel. Firehawk is called in to try and connect with Firestorm but is unsuccessful. She then seeks out Jason Rusch and Martin Stein. Stein admits he was behind the accident which made Firestorm but can't reach into it now. Really great stuff. In particular, Firehawk (a long time favorite of mine) is the star of the book, determined, strong, and smart.

Rafael De Latorre is on art and the book is gorgeous, especially the when the art flips from the darker present to Ronnie's Bronze Age memories.

This is a great book and folks should be reading. Let's peek into the beginning of Fury of Firestorm #3.

Review: My Adventures With Superman S3E1

Season three of My Adventures With Superman started this week and truly hit the ground running. It is a brisk half-hour show with all the action, comic history and homages, and whimsy of the first two seasons. I don't know how the creators are walk the tightrope of anime slice-of-life young romance, deep existential dread of overcoming early trauma, scifi action, DC lore, and enough hints of ongoing threads to make my head spin.

It is clear based on the season card, name-drops, and plot points that we will be circling the 'Reign of the Supermen' storyline. Or, at the very least, what it means to be Superman, what it means to be Kryptonian, and how one can define themselves. We hear about Hank Henshaw. We see Bizarro. We see Supergirl recognizing the psychological weight of needing to redefining herself away from Brainiac, Kryptonian robots hinting at the need to reinvigorate their culture, and we even see Lois dealing with her upbringing and how that made her who she is. All of that is reflected against Superman's sunniness and his Kent upbringing. Whew ... all that in the first episode.

But in all that thick plot, there is still the fun and joy we saw in this show's first two seasons. Clark and Lois' flirting and teasing. Jimmy and Kara's romance. Kara still being a bit of a stranger in a strange land. And Clark just wanting the simple things in life like a Halloween festival, the crispness of an autumn day, and a dog.

For Supergirl fans, she will clearly be a central figure on the show as she struggles with her new life. Should be a great showcase for her and will resonate with the movie's take on Kara.

On to some details and highpoints. There are a lot so settle in!

Review: Action Comics #1099

Superboy has taken over Action Comics but Superman is due to return in next month's Action Comics #1100. This made me think that this week's Action Comics #1099 might be the ultimate or the penultimate chapter of this remarkable run. 

Interestingly enough, this felt like a normal issue of this Superboy run. Yes the current story of some JLAers in the past fighting the time villain Epoch. This issue does push the plot forward quite well. But it doesn't feel 'almost over'. We had two new plots introduced in this issue! So is Superboy continuing as a back-up? As a new book? Or is Mark Waid going to rush to the end next issue?

Enough worrying about next month. Let's celebrate this month. Waid does such a great job of showing the emotional swings of an adolescent male like Clark, as he goes from anger to losing his powers to joy of getting to be a 'normal kid' to back to maturity and recognizing his need to regain his powers. We get two Lana plot threads! One, she finally seems to see Clark as a possible romantic interest. And second, we see what her father has been up to. And we get to see the problems of time travel up close as our heroes literally fade from reality. So much fun.

The art is split by Skylar Patridge and Patricio Delpeche. Patridge just sings in the small town Smallville stuff. Her Lana has been luminous, showing why Clark would be smitten. I don't know if I am ready to not see more of this stuff. Patricio Delpeche has a very different style, rougher and looser. His pages are mostly in a Metropolis lab and that style works well there.

All in all another fantastic issue in this run. On to some details.

Review: Supergirl #14 (v8)

Supergirl #14 came out this week, the next chapter in Supergirl's battle with the Black Flame in Kandor during the Reign of the Superboys mini-event. For folks like me who wanted more action in the earlier in this title, writer/artist Sophie Campbell is answering the bell giving us another heavy action issue with more brutal fighting between Supergirl and Black Flame.

The violence is tempered with solid characterization here. We see Supergirl as an inspiration for others because of her heroism and tenacity. And yet, at the same time, we see Kara questioning herself, wondering her role in the El family. She is a good friend and ally hoping to help people by talking them through their problems. But she also has no time for injustice and is ready to throw down when ready.

It is this wonderful contradiction that makes me love Supergirl as a character. She is young and learning and caring and maybe a bit unsure of herself. She is also accomplished and capable and inspirational and maybe a bit fierce when necessary. Campbell, perhaps because she seems to be a fan of Supergirl's history, has been able to grasp that conundrum and showcase it.

That love by Campbell of all things Supergirl has been evident from the beginning of the book with her packing the title with nods and references to Supergirl's Silver and Bronze age history.

I didn't think she would be able to lean into the Matrix Supergirl history in this book. It starts with the cover, an homage to a Tom Grummett Matrix Supergirl pin-up in the Supergirl and Team Luthor special from way back when. 

But there is even more inside. Let's get to the book.

Review: Supergirl: The World

The hits of The Summer of Supergirl keep coming with the release last week of Supergirl:The World, a hardcover collection of short Supergirl stories from creative teams from around the globe with stories often touching on the culture and history of the creator's home nation. It is an interesting and rather highbrow concept and one I would never have believed that DC would do for my favorite character. But here we are.

There are a smattering of creator names I recognize but most I don't as I don't read too many international comics. I love the Joelle Jones cover here, a sort of squint and you'll see a  reverse Superman from Superman #1. Even the whirl of clouds on the Supergirl cover evokes the round panel encircling Superman. 

Might be perhaps a bit too much Krypto in the book but that most likely is because of Krypto's involvement in the upcoming movie.

There are fourteen stories in the book but I won't be reviewing all of them. But I did like how the title pages and indicia pages include thumbanils from all the stories inside.

I enjoyed the book a ton but it is pricey at $24.99. 

Here are some of the highlights.

Review: Adventures Of Superman Book Of El #9

Adventures of Superman Book of El #9 came out this week and pushed this storyline forward, explaining a bit more about the aspects of Olgrun in this far flung future. The solicit said that Supergirl was finally going to enter the story but alas, the solicit was wrong. Kara is no where to be found.

Phillip Kennedy Johnson is doing what he does best here, building a world and a history that we saw in Last God, Warworld, and even now in Infernal Hulk. I have said before that I don't think I quite see the big tapestry and occasionally need to remind myself who is who. But there is a depth to this story that I think might be best served when reread, including the text pieces at the end, a sort of appendix/bible for what we are seeing in the story. I almost wish this was a 2 year series where all the exposition in the backmatter was shown; some of the things discussed there sound amazing.

Unfortunately, this is a 12 issue series and we are now 75% done so some things here happen almost too quickly, without explanation, as this story careens to its end. The turnaround for Theand'r for example is confusing to me.

But I don't want to ignore the fact that Johnson not only understands Superman but understands the inspiration he is. We see it in the star-children. We see it in most of his descendants. Superman himself is tremendous in this. 

Scotty Godlewski is back on art and this might be his strongest issue. There are Olgrun manifestations, undead Warzoon, battles on Tamaran, and a killer cliffhanger. 

I am going to miss seeing Kennedy Johnson working with DC characters. On to the book.

Review: Supergirl Survive #1

The Summer of Supergirl started out with a bang this week with both Supergirl:The World and the Elseworlds Supergirl Survive #1 hitting the stands. With the movie around the corner, I am pretty thrilled to see DC pushing the character forward.

Supergirl has only headlined a couple of the old prestige Elseworlds in the past - Wings and Elseworld's Finest - so when Survive was announced, I was intrigued. I know really nothing of the writing partners Ethan Parker and Griffin Sheridan. I am familiar with Rod Reis.

One of the wrinkles added to the Supergirl origin when Jeph Loeb brought her back was the idea that she is older than Kal. That an errant path and suspended animation has her land long after Superman had grown up. Elseworlds are about mixing things up so why not have a story where Kara and Kal aren't separated and she truly has to raise him. That is a decent hook.

Parker and Sheridan definitely give this kick-off issue a political angle. Here, Krypton doesn't explode. It is destroyed in a world war brought on by a splintered culture, evident even in the relationship between Jor and Zor. 

But this is a Supergirl story. In this issue we get a sense of who this Kara is, a little shy, a little smart, completely loving. It will be interesting to see where this story leads here.

Rod Reis really has a soft touch here. He brings an almost Phil Noto feel to the art, a high compliment from me. I like his Kara a lot.

On to the book.

DC Comics August 2026 Solicits

The August solicit for DC Comics have been released and this is the month the Kingdom of Zod event hits the stands. That alone would be news, especially when it sounds like Supergirl will be playing a major role in the event. But there are some other interesting tidbits this month that got my attention. 

If you want to review the entire list, here is the link:
https://aiptcomics.com/2026/05/22/full-august-2026-dc-comics-solicitations/

And now on to the super-books.

SUPERGIRL #16
Written by SOPHIE CAMPBELL
Art by JOE QUINONES
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
Variant covers by NOOBOVICH, STEPHANIE HANS, and JOE QUINONES
Foil variant cover by MARK SPEARS

The Kryptonite Kingdom of El Caldero has been taken over by General Zod! Supergirl gathers her own super-force to infiltrate the Kingdom! Superboy-Prime, Conner Kent, Tomorrow Man, Lois Lane, Steel, Lana Lang, Natasha Irons, Princess Shark, and more of Supergirl’s wild cast!

But before they can remove Zod from power, he unleashes a dangerous new force… What is the K-Zone?!

Do I think it is pretty cool that the opening chapter of the event is in the Supergirl book? Yes I do.

We haven’t seen Zod in a while so I like that his return is splashy in this way. How much of this is coming out of the Kneel Before Zod ? Is he still leading a ragtag group of prisoners? Is he still powerless (as it was implied Superwoman Lois stole his powers)? Is that how he can stay in a K-filled nation?

But the big thing here is Supergirl gathering a super-team to infiltrate. Lois being on the team makes me wonder if she is Superwoman again, perhaps explaining Zod being able to be there. But then again, how can Kara be there if the place is dripping with Green K. 

I’m pretty excited for this.

Review: Superman Father Of Tomorrow #1

Superman Father of Tomorrow #1 came out this week, an Elseworlds mini-series that has Jor-El make it to Earth rather than Kal. I have read many Superman Elseworlds around the arrival. Kal in Civil War times, Kal in Soviet Russia, Kal in King Arthur times, the whole family making it to Earth. But I think this is the first time that Jor being the only survivor has been explored.

Kenny Porter is writing the series and I really only know him from the Superboy Man of Tomorrow mini-series, a fun ride with Conner. This is the first chapter so Porter is setting the stage a bit, although we do get a pretty significant event here that is the catalyst for Jor-El to become this world's Superman. I also like how this 'Superman' is not only relying on the super-powers his physiology gives him, but also the super-science he knows. How much should he share? Interesting.

Danny Earls is on art and he is also relatively new to me. I really only know him from some of the rest issues of Phillip Kennedy Johnson's current Hulk run. His art is a little rougher in style than the usual house style for DC but it works here, really making me feel like this is a completely new world.

I do like that the timeline for Kal is basically preserved, meaning characters like Lois and Lex are as old as Clark would be even on this world. That might be the most interesting wrinkle to be explored.

On to the book.