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. 

Supergirl Best of 2025 Part One: The Movie, Commissions and Cons, And Comic Honorable Mentions

Welcome to Day 1 of 3 of my year-end review of the character of Supergirl and my comic book year.

I have been doing this blog for a while and every so often a year comes around where Supergirl seems to be everywhere. This is one of those years. Perhaps boosted by the Superman movie and the concommitant 'Summer of Superman' in the comics, Kara has had a very good year. She has been on the big screen. She has an upcoming movie. She has a solo title on the racks. This is not one of the leaner years and I have seen plenty over my time here.

So to set the stage, today I will review the big news of her movie, my commissions and cons this year, and then comic honorable mentions. Settle in ... this is a long one.

As this blog is really comic focused, tomorrow and the following day we will countdown the top ten Supergirl comic moments of the year. 

Perhaps the biggest news for the character was her drunken cameo at the end of James Gunn's Superman. I wrote down my thoughts back in July and they really haven't changed. "Truth. Justice. Whatever." is hardly inspiring.

The teaser trailer just dropped 3 weeks ago and I wrote at length about it then. You can read that here.

I am not surprised she is the cursing drunk girl. The movie is based on Tom King's Woman of Tomorrow. The saucy 'Look Out' very early teaser poster, again focusing on her drinking and her misbehavior cemented it. Krypto peeing on Superman to open the trailer isn't subtle. 

And I am still pretty perplexed by screenplay writer Ana Nogueira saying that she couldn't wrap her head around a character so sunny. Tell me you haven't read a Supergirl comic past 1970 without telling me.

Still, Milly Alcock is a great actress. She looks fantastic in the uniform. The visuals look good. The action looks good. And the end bit of the trailer - Kara, the sun behind her, no duster coat - makes me hope this is a redemption story. That she comes out of the haze and depression and realizes she is a hero.

I have to be hopeful.