Review: Superman #29

Superman #29 came out last week and featured Superman fighting against and then with Starfire.

We all know that come June, Geoff Johns and John Romita Jr. will be taking over the book. That means we only have a couple more months of writer Scott Lobdell on the book. And it also means Lobdell only has a couple of months to tie up several of the plot lines that he has had churning along in the book.

It also means that I only have a couple of more issues to read Lobdell's take on Superman which has never read quite right.

Ed Benes provides the art here and it is clear that he was having a good time drawing Starfire. She certainly is drawn in a very provocative manner throughout.

And is there any cover that describes the New 52 DC Universe more that this one? Starfire, one of the company's hero, is attacking Superman, endangering a young boy, at a State Fair! A State Fair! If it wasn't depressing it would be ridiculous in its cliches.

You might recall that last issue Superman was going to interview the criminals Lois helped bring in when Starfire blasted the police station wall. She was going to kill the criminals regardless of what Superman had to say.

But right from this first page I am confronted with the odd voice of Superman in Lobdell books. "As much as he tries to fit in on this world ..."?? "He's always going to be a strange visitor."??

It is as if Lobdell wants to move Superman away from humanity, have him forget the Smallville origins, make him alien.

I get that he is from Kryptonian. But he was raised in Kansas. By the Kents. It is that upbringing that defines him. Not standing in the sun.

Superman is able to immobilize Kory briefly so he can interrogate the criminal. But the crook mutates in front of him, becoming this monstrous thing. Before Superman can ask him any questions, Starfire returns and incinerates the guy with a starbolt.

The criminals are acting as hosts for alien life forms which are mutating them. In theory, the 'man' is dead, his body just a vessel for the Daemon being. Kory says since the man was dead, she didn't have to worry about killing 'him'.

Of course it means she killed 'it', a sentient albeit evil Daemonite.

At least Lobdell has Superman chastise her for killing anything.

I have to say, if you like nonstop cheesecake, Benes has to be a favorite. We certainly get enough of a view of her chest and behind throughou.

The 'guns' the beings were toting were inoculators. The man injected himself with a Daemonite, willingly becoming its vessel. I wonder if these people know they are basically killing themselves?

So let's also take a look at the New 52 universe. In this universe, Starfire ... a hero supposedly ... blasts through a police station wall. She kills someone in front of Superman. He doesn't chastise her in any meaningful way. The Metropolis police waste no time in emptying their revolvers at the two heroes.

When Starfire learns there are more of these guns on the streets, she leaves to mete out some fatal justice.

Last issue, Cat Grant decided to reject Morgan Edge's offer to buy ClarkCatropolis.com.

In a rather creepy way, we see Edge, in his car, approach Grant as she walks home. When she tells him she isn't selling, he gives her this veiled threat.

Now after Jimmy warned her about Edge trying to hide something, and after this sidewalk approach, you think Cat might be a little more aware that this is a threat. But instead she seems to take it at face value. This is a brief scene, so maybe we will see her be more astute the next time.

Sure enough, all the criminals Lois brought in have mutated into monsters and are tearing apart the jailhouse. Starfire is quite verbose in her hatred swearing to turn all the monsters into smoldering ash!

Superman does arrive to try to stop her, reminding her that there are alternative to killing. He freezes the monsters in their place.

Another look at the sorry state of the New 52? Starfire calls Superman a childish prig. So much for him being the inspirational figure for the world.

The Daemonite-possessed inmates are brought to STAR Labs where the scientists there basically say there is no cure. The scientist actually belittles Superman a bit saying he can't 'super-believe' a cure into being. That's right ... a STAR Lab employee making fun of Superman's ethics and hope. Classy.

Luckily Superman is able to detect energy off the inoculating guns which leads him to the Daemonite headquarters.

On the outskirts of town in an abandoned building, Starfire and Superman run into this kid. Does anyone think he isn't a Daemonite? Look at how Benes' draws him.

While Superman talks to him as if he were human, Kory reminds him that Daemonites can remain dormant. This kid 'could' be a Daemonite. Duh ...

Then, after revealing he is Daemonite, the kid self-immolates, vaporizing himself. Ummm ... okay. If he was going to kill himself, why reveal himself. He was, in theory, safe and undetectable in the human form.

Starfire tells Superman that the Daemonites are putting the world on notice.

But what is this pose by Benes supposed to be telling me. Is she smacking her forehead like 'Hello M'Ghann?' Is she squinting at the nighttime sky, hoping to see a Daemonite ship in orbit? I don't get it. Maybe it is just supposed to be eye candy.

After the end of that story, we peek in on Lois who continues to manifest Brainiac power.

I have talked about the sorry state of the New 52 a lot. Has anyone suffered like Lois? Here, she uses her powers to tampers with her boyfriend's mind. Does that sound like something Lois, a pursuer of truth, would do? Maybe the Brainiac piece is making her borderline evil? I actually have to hope Lois is evil to explain this because I don't want my Lois to do this.

Plus, talk about convenient ... the Parasite drained Lois of just enough energy to remove her memory of Clark being Superman ... but not enough to drain her completely. Guess I have to roll with it.

And what is stopping Lois from using her powers to rediscover Superman's secret identity. She has to be powerful enough if she is freezing a platoon of criminals last issue and wiping minds in this one.

If there is one bright thing about this issue it is the reintroduction of Blackfire in the DC universe. She is working for Helspont and the Daemonites. But her dialogue makes it seems as if she is doing so begrudgingly, somehow protecting Tamaran by serving the Daemonite cause.

I do like the goth sort of look for her, especially the Alice Cooper eyes. I am not surprised about the skimpiness of the top. But the hair, eyes, and spiked cape all work.

But this issue is ultimately forgettable for many reasons. I don't think the Daemonites story will be concluded in the next couple of months. So maybe this was a way to put this arc on the backburner for a different time.

Overall grade: C-

Review: R.E.B.E.L.S. #17

R.E.B.E.L.S. #17 was released this week and was the conclusion of the 'What Happens in Vega' storyline, effectively setting up the title's post-Starro landscape.

Just as he did in the earliest chapters of the Starro arc, Tony Bedard does a great job of juggling the many cultures and characters of this book, keeping the momentum that this title has had. It can't be easy. The problem is Bedard is not only dealing with a relatively large super-team's characters but also the main planets and races of the DCU galaxy. With so many moving parts, some people can be lost in the shuffle. Let's face it, Vril Dox is the main draw to this book. But some people probably want to read the book for Starfire ... or Adam Strange ... or even Captain Comet. I keep hoping to see more of Wildstar.

But when a book is set on such a big stage, the ancillary characters can start to feel more like 'chorus' rather than characters. Bedard has the characters show unique personalities and continue to shine even in somewhat truncated roles.

And the truth is the book continues to be of the highest quality. I devour each issue happily and only afterward do I think 'hey we didn't see Ciji this issue'. The biggest challenge for Bedard has to be to continue to have Brainiac front and center. I have said it before, Vril is the straw that stirs the drink here. He cannot shrink into the background.

The funny thing is he isn't seen that much here physically ... but his presence is felt throughout the book. More on that later. This is another long review, so bear with me.

The book picks up with the Tamaranian forces led by a re-powered Blackfire battling the Rannians and L.E.G.I.O.N. troops, trying to grab Rann (now in Tamaran's orbit) as a new home world.

In many ways, this issue is a Blackfire spotlight, an interesting choice. But if we say that Dox is an anti-hero acting as the title's star, then why not let a villain shine as well.

But is Blackfire a villain? Bedard really paints her in a lovely shade of gray here. This isn't the Blackfire from the earliest Teen Titans issues, motivated by jealousy of her sister's beauty and ability to fly. This Blackfire is much more complicated.

Here, despite the agony she knows it will cause her, she tracks down the Psions who originally gave her her powers and forces them to give them back to her. There is 'an offer he can't refuse' feel to this panel that shows the lengths that Blackfire will go to get what she thinks she and her people need. We would cheer Dox on for doing the same.


And then there is this panel which muddies the water even more. Yes, the Tamaranians know that Blackfire has, in the past, been a traitor to her people. But know they see her as the person who kept them together, who did not let them spread to the corners of the universe or die. She is the true leader of her people and they will die for her.

Those motives are admirable here. This isn't the Blackfire who gave her sister to the Citadel, who plotted against X'Hal for no good reason other than to achieve power and revenge. She is almost a patriot here. Heck, described like this, she is almost likeable.


While her motives might be noble, her methods aren't. Her troops are in a firefight with the L.E.G.I.O.N. and the Rannians. Might doesn't make right.

Before things can get out of control, the Green Lantern recruits from last issue arrive and try to maintain the peace. In what I think is a perfectly appropriate response, the Rannians and Tamaranians stop shooting at each other and instead shoot at the Lanterns. They don't want the Corps to meddle in business that doesn't concern them.

And again, Blackfire actually does the right thing. She is willing to talk with Adam Strange about her grievances but that can't happen with the Green Lanterns around.

She convinces Strange to use Zeta tech to teleport him and her and the GL's into space.

When Strange states that he works with Brainiac not for him, she actually thinks there is hope. She tells the Lanterns to leave. She will have her troops stand down and she will begin negotiations with the Rannian leaders. Blackfire ... negotiate? Unbelievable! But it reads very natural.

Just as the discussion turns interesting, Brainiac shows up with the Thanagarian fleet. While this skirmish has been going on, Vril has been doing his own negotiations.

And, most amazingly, he has negotiated a standing peace treaty between Rann and Thanagar. Rann and Thanagar no longer need to be mortal enemies. They are far away from each other; their leaders have changed. The roots of their war aren't there anymore.

Blackfire's first thoughts are for her people. What of Tamaran?


Well, for one thing, the fighting has been stopped by the Thanagarian army. Surprisingly, the Hawk-warriors merely captured the Rannians and Tamaranians; they didn't kill them. Dox' peace treaty extends even there.


Blackfire couldn't care less. Who cares of Rann and Thanagar when her people are still refugees.

As usual, Dox has thought of all the angles. The Tamaranians no longer need to be nomads. The recreated Rann has an uninhabited southern continent. Dox is able to include the Tamaranians into the treaty, insuring peace between the three warring races.

It is a classic Dox moment, although I have to admit I would have loved to see his meeting with the Thanagarian leaders. He would need to be at his Dox-iest to convince them that peace was the best answer.

And here is the best panel of the whole book. Here is exactly why I love this book.

Blackfire has a new respect for Dox. He is 'ruthless, driven, smart, and charismatic.' That is why Brainiac is such a revelation as a main character.

But then she says 'he is like she.' Awesome.

It could mean that, as I have said throughout this review, that we need to reconsider Blackfire. Maybe we need to view her as a hero to her people. Sure, Dox is more likely to use a threat and a feint and a nudge to get what he wants whereas Komand'r would use a pistol and a starbolt. But really, she acted a lot like him this issue.

Or this panel could mean that we need to reconsider Dox. If he is like Blackfire ... isn't that awfully close to being a villain? Am I singing the praises of a narcissistic brilliant super-villain?

Or maybe it is a little bit of both, that both characters are a murky gray of good intentions and questionable methods.

Favorite .... panel!

What's more is we really see just how Dox is viewed by the outside world.

The Lantern recruits sound like they admire Dox' ability to work this treaty and end the hostilities. But Salaak is outright angry. He views Dox as a threat the the Green Lantern Corps.

So even though the resulting peace is good, the fact that Dox brokered it makes it a sour deal for Salaak. Or maybe that should be sour grapes.

With the Vegan system recreated, the book ends with a cliffhanger setting up the next arc.

Lyrl is still out there and still unhappy with his family. He creates Pulsar Stargrave from a dying star, a being that looks suspiciously like the Solaris evil sun from DC 1,000,000. And with this new weapon at his disposal, Lyrl plans to kill the original Brainiac and take his grandfather's knowledge for himself.

So there wasn't much Dox here but he is a presence in the book, especially when Blackfire is shown to be a sort of ersatz Brainiac in her own way. I do think it will be interesting to see if Blackfire remains a character in the book. How will Starfire interact with Blackfire if they are 'on the same side'?

And this quick storyline was the perfect way to follow-up the lengthy Starro arc. It cemented the make-up of the team, added a visible new member in Starfire, and reset the galactic politics of the region. And all in 3 quick issues! In this day and age of mandatory 6 issue arcs, this was refreshing.

The art was done by relative newcomer Sergio Arino. His stuff is very solid. I don't always talk about inkers here ... a terrible bias on my part. But I have to commend Scott Hanna. He has inked Andy Clarke, Claude St. Aubin, and now Arino and has maintained a consistent look to this book. Bravo Mr. Hanna!

And now a Brainiac family feud is on the horizon!

Overall grade: B+