Review: Superman #32

Superman #32 came out last week, a true tie-in to DC KO with some replayed scenes and added moments to that storyline. But the main thrust of this issue is two-fold. One, Luthor entering the fray. Two, Lois dealing with the Absolute Legion while she tries to help her husband.

Writer Joshua Williamson has been focusing on the Luthor/Superman relationship this entire series with Lex going from duplicitous and villainous to inspired to amnestic to philosophical to now back to being villainous. Seeing Luthor say he is the better person to wield to Heart of Apokolips and win the tournament is a nice new addition to their dealings in this book. Is this a quick heel turn for Lex who went to Nanda Parbat to hide and meditate? Maybe. But the world is at stake. 

As for Lois, I have been enjoying her dealing with Superboy Prime who is at his most likeable in this story. How did she get her powers back? Who knows. It had been hinted at that they had been stolen from General Zod. Did he regain them only to lose them again? Will we ever find out the hows and whys of these.

Eddy Barrows is on art again and brings a nice aesthetic to the whole thing, a mix of a fine lined pencil work to excellent shadowing. I like how DC is using Barrows, having come in for a few issues and not saddling him with the idea of a monthly book. His art is great and I always like seeing it.

One thing about this issue is that it does spend some pages retelling things I have read in this title and in the DC KO #1 issue. I suppose there are readers who haven't read the other and these recaps help.

On to details.

Bullet Review: DC's I Saw Ma Hunker Kissing Santa Claus - Supergirl Story

DC Comics released their Christmas special, I Saw Ma Hunkle Kissing Santa Claus' this week. These anthologies have been coming fast and furious these days and cost a pretty penny. They also seem to be more of a New Talent Showcase featuring fresh names of creators I don't really know. So there needs to be a draw for me to be lured.

Let's just say DC had me with the Ryan Sook Supergirl/Brainiac Five variant cover. There is sort of a futuristic Norman Rockwell feel to it. And I am a 'KaraDox' kind of guy. So this was a win. It is gorgeous. 

Of course, a cover alone can't get me to buy. Luckily there is a Supergirl story on the inside as well, written by Ash Padilla with art by Anthony Marques, both new to me. 

There are some other fun stories in the book. I mean, where else can I get Animal Man, the 'new' Dr. Light, and Martian Manhunter holiday stories. So I plunked my money down.

What I got was a very sweet Supergirl story, set in a sort of elsewhen past but with a great ending. The hints were planted throughout the story so I can't say it was a surprise ending but it was still wonderful. So let's just dive in.

DC Comics Solicits - February 2026

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate.

For lots of reasons, I think Supergirl fans have a lot to be thankful for in 2025 and these February solicits certainly add to the cornucopia. In fact, I think 2025 has been one of the better more recent years for my comic passion as Superman and Supergirl were front and center and solid comics all around.

Here is a link to the February 2026 solicits:
https://aiptcomics.com/2025/11/21/full-february-2026-dc-comics/

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the Vertigo imprint is coming back. I was there at the beginning of the first go-around and those books were so incredible. They came out at the perfect time in my comic reading life. So I might have to sample these new Vertigo books to see if the come near those halcyon days of Shade the Changing Man, Doom Patrol, Hellblazer, Enigma, Kill Your Boyfriend, etc.

But we're here for the Super-books so let's dive in!

SUPERGIRL #10
Writer(s): SOPHIE CAMPBELL
Artist(s): JOE QUINONES
Cover Artist(s): SOPHIE CAMPBELL
Variant covers by AMY REEDER, JOE QUINONES, and ELIZABETH TORQUE
Valentine's Day variant by CHRISSIE ZULLO

It's Valentine's Day in Midvale, and Kara has finally worked up the courage to ask her crush out for the holiday. Little does he know he'll be on a date with Supergirl! Meanwhile, Lena Luthor struggles with their friendship fallout. Can the daughter of Lex Luthor and cousin of Superman ever see eye-to-eye again?

The goth guy from Supergirl #4 returns and you might remember there was some debate about who he is! So is it H'El? Comet? Dick Malverne? Power Boy? Or someone new?

Joe Quinones is the perfect fill-in artist on this title so I will be glad to see his take on the characters. And his variant showing all the crazy love interests in Kara's past is pretty fantastic.

Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #45

Batman/Superman World's Finest #45 came out last week and it is hard for me to think this book is almost 4 years old. The format of intermittent adventures from some elsewhen in the past has worked perfectly in giving us fun, entertaining stories reaching into the deep recesses of the DCU with a both a classic feel and a modern sensibility. Time flies!

This issue starts a new arc bringing us a Joker/Luthor team-up, the perfect contrast to our heroes. Throw in a guest star and some nods to some Silver/Bronze age goodness and you have another win. Writer Mark Waid has been walking that tightrope of classic and new for a while and definitely continues to shine. For me, the best part of this set-up issue is that a Lex/Joker team-up would not be an easy alliance. These two would not get along even if they have similar difficulties with heroes.

Adrian Gutierrez remains on art and his scratchy, energized style works very well with this story. An intangible Lex falling through a building? A violent Hawkman lashing out against the villains? A mash-up of Lex/Joker? All those things leans into his strengths and he hits it out of the park.

This is an opening chapter to an arc so we are just starting out here but there is a zaniness to this story already which was refreshing. 

On to the book.

Review: Superman Unlimited #7

Superman Unlimited #7 came out this week and was another sort of side-mission in this book which has been dealing with the over-arching plot of near limitless Kryptonite being available on Earth.

This is the second sort of side mission issue in this series already, with the Man-Bat issue also was off the beaten path. Now there are titles where a break from the action is a nice pause but here I kind of bristle. It took me a while to figure out why. Frankly, I am eager for the 'Bounty of Kryptonite' story to be done ... because we all know it will be undone somehow. And every pause we take means the story is lasting that much longer.

As for this issue, it is a Superman book in name only. This is a Jon Kent 'Super-Son' issue, focusing on Jon and a new life he is trying to create. I haven't read anything substantive about Jon since his mini-series a while back. He seems to be the forgotten El. So maybe a new, more stable life will help him. The story is plotted by Dan Slott with finished script by Jeremy Adams. There are a few fun moments but really this felt like a story where a punchline was thought of and the story was written to get us there. And a new wrinkle of labeling Smallville a 'weirdness magnet' is a more difficult choice for me as I like to think of Smallville as the place to escape the weirdness. 

The art is by Lucas Meyer who has been popping up across my comic reading recently and who brings a nice polish to everything. He recently did the Supergirl/Robin adventure issue in World's Finest. Here he gives us a modernized Smallville with a slick looking Super-Son. 

But this was really a pause. Can we get back to the main story so we reach the inevitable conclusion of 'not a lot of Kryptonite', 'everyone forgets Superman can go gold', and other pieces destined to be forgotten?

On to the book.

Comics Collector Fall 1984

As I have mentioned recently, I have found a new source of joy ... old comic fanzines that have articles about my favorite characters. I recently went to a local comic store that was having a massive sale, 50% off everything! And, to my delight, they had a pretty good section of comic magazines including the  Fall 1984 issue of Comics Collector. Right there on the cover 'She's a Supergirl'! 

To put this in context, the movie hadn't been released yet. The Kupperberg/Infantino comic had been cancelled. The Superboy/Supergirl Double Comics was in the works (although never published).

Writer Kim Metzger wrote 'Girl and Supergirl' for Comics Collector. Metzger sounds like a huge fan of the character in this article. Great Jim Mooney pic to open the proceedings.

This is a beefy article (I will include it in total at the bottom). It is a historical document, tracing Supergirl's stories from her first appearance to her last (at that point). It is a love letter, written with the tone of a fan. And it is an exasperated plea from a fan wondering why Supergirl isn't more recognized and appreciated. This is as much Metzger's personal opinions of Kara's history as a litany of the stories. 

But when the opening paragraph is 'why don't more people know who Linda Danvers is?' you know this is a fan who wonders why everyone else isn't a fan? I am going to highlight parts of the article that struck me first.

Review: Action Comics #1092

Action Comics #1092 came out last week, the first part of the next Superboy arc in the title by writer Mark Waid. 

Waid has been doing a good job of re-establishing Superboy as part of the Superman mythos here, slowly showing us early Clark discovering his powers, stretching his limits, and trying to become a public hero. The first arc showed us his reveal to the public. This arc he is more of a known commodity but still figuring it out. For long time readers, there have been hints at well established pre-Crisis moments perhaps coming back. But even Zero Hour friend Kenny Braverman has shown up.

This arc seems like it will focus on Superboy's public persona and how that aligns with the military and General Lane. I guess here is where the lifelong hatred starts. It is pretty interesting to see our hero stand up to Lane for the first time. 

Cian Tormey is on art this time and brings a sort of smooth if slightly cartoony style. Slightly! But it works for a flashback story with a sort of teenage dorky Clark. He does well with some powerful character moments here, building the panel to accentuate the proceedings.

I am liking this stealth Superboy book. Hoping others are too! On to the book.