Review: Superman #35

Superman #35 came out last week, another DC KO crossover and another chapter in the redemption arc for Superboy Prime. It succeeds on both fronts. There is an interesting wrinkle to the Doomsday storyline as well, perhaps leading into a dramatic event in the actual KO finale as well. 

Joshua Williamson has done a good job so far making me a little sympathetic towards Prime, veering into actually liking him. Prime has learned some hard lessons and continues to do so in this arc, reminding him why Superman was his hero so long ago. This issue Williamson reminds us who Prime has been in the past, and maybe showing that he still has some darkness in him. Perhaps some down to Earth Kent wisdom will help tamp down the remaining vitriol.

The Doomsday piece does intrigue me as it is basically a new element to his origin and changes him fundamentally. I suppose that Doomsday becoming the Time Trapper was a big step already, one that makes some sense. I recall hearing that Dan Jurgens didn't like that change so I doubt Jurgens will be on board with this one either.

Eddy Barrows is again on art and continues to show why he is a favorite. The fight scenes are brutal. There are emotional scenes with heft. The pages layouts are interesting. But the high water mark for art here is the expressive work, a strong part of Barrows' art.

Will the events of this change the climax of KO? I think so.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #34

Superman #34 came out last week, a DC KO tie in and a pretty big treat for a Legion fan like me. More impressive than the LSH stuff in the issue is that somehow writer Joshua Williamson continues to make me like reading his Superboy Prime.

The KO stuff is really on the periphery of the issue. The main plot is Prime, Lois, and a Superman Robot trying to get to Doomsday to give him the information we learned from the Lara Lor-Van tapes. That trip takes a few detours as we get to contrast the brash Prime to the earnest Superman simulacrum. We are on a sort of redemption tour for Prime and his being inspired by an automaton is a nice wrinkle.

We know Josh Williamson is going to be writing a Legion of Super-Heroes book in the future. Maybe we see some glimpses of what he thinks of the Legion in this book. I hope that book sings.

Eddy Barrows is on art and I have always loved his work. He really has shined on this arc and it is great to see his take on these DC KO landscape. His splash pages are fantastic. And wait until you see his Legion.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #31

Superman #31 came out this week, a tie in to DC K.O. complete with banner at the top. W e have already had the first issue of that event comic so this is a sort of prequel, showing us what happened just before Superman entered the arena. Maybe there are a couple of hints sprinkled in too.

Writer Joshua Williamson gives us a pretty good tour of Superman's life as he struggles with the idea of entering a tournament, fighting friends, in hopes of coming King Omega, fueled by conquest. On its face, that doesn't sound like Superman. So no surprise, he would be looking for advice and answers. The ultimate answer comes from an unexpected source.

We also get a healthy dollop of Lois in the book which always makes me smile. Even staring a universal cataclysm in the face, she is brave and keeps asking the right questions. I will say there is one part of Lois' story here that struck me as a little off but it is a quibble.

In what is a great surprise, Eddy Barrows is back on art. His work is so polished. Between splashes and subtle flourishes, this exposition heavy book still looks gorgeous. And love his Lois.

All in all, this is a solid issue, an early lead into cross-company event. So glad we got a little of the background on what the super-family was doing leading up to the fight.

On to the book.

Review: Justice League Unlimited #10

 Justice League Unlimited #10 came out last week and was a pretty busy comic, weaving three plot threads together while holding down one overlying arc. 

We just finished 'We Are Yesterday'. Time Trapper Doomsday, World Forger, and Gorilla Grodd had all escaped. Air Wave was revealed as a traitor but redeemed himself. And the Legion of Doom has been defeated.

What we get this issue is the aftermath of all that. And what I like about this is that DC seems to be a bit united in the entire line's storyline. Or maybe I am just reading the titles that are aligning. But Darkseid, and Doomsday are pretty big elements here as well as in the Super books. Given the link to the Absolute Universe and the upcoming mega-event DC KO, it feels like we are in a coherent and consistent universe right now. 

And I am glad that Justice League is part of it. The JL should be the axle the whole universe spins on. Writer Mark Waid has us dealing with Doomsday, Apokolipitian Fire Pits appearing on Earth, and an embedded threat. But the biggest thing in this issue is a sudden disruption in the Trinity. If hero is meant to fight hero in DC KO, you probably need dissension in the ranks. 

Meanwhile, Dan Mora continues to just light the comic world on fire with his incredible work. He is doing multiple titles too! But seeing his take on Metamorpho (again), Power Girl, and a new hero (for me) Capejos makes me want him to draw everything. 

On to the book. 

Review: Superman #28

Last month I talked about how Joshua Williamson seemed to be wrapping up a bunch of plots that have been running through the Superman title since its launch. No more Lex. No more Supercorp. No more Superwoman. No more Red K poisoning. 

Williamson doesn't waste any time in getting on to the next thing. Superman #28 came out last week, the first part of Legion of Darkseid, and was a fast-paced, engaging, and very entertaining opening chapter. We are heading to some Darkseid-centric event and this sets the stage. 

Now I am a huge Legion of Super-Heroes fan so seeing only a dark version of them recently has been a bit of a let-down. I can only hope we are heading to a relaunch. But if you want to see how brutal and powerful the original trio of Legionnaires could be, this issue will open your eyes. This isn't your dad's Legion. 

I have already said how somehow Williamson has made both The Time Trapper and Doomsday be interesting to me. No small feat (perhaps smushing them together has been multiplicative not additive). But perhaps the most incredulous thing Williamson has done is made me intrigued about a character that appears on the last page ... a character I have wished I would never see again. That is truly an epic accomplishment.

Add to all this Dan Mora's standard impeccable art and you have a complete winner. No Supergirl here but a lot of pizzazz nonetheless.

Everyone should dive in right here. On to the book. 

Review: Justice League Unlimited #9

I was unsure if I was going to review Justice League Unlimited #9, an epilogue to the We Are Tomorrow arc. But it is clear that DC is building on something here. There is a lot happening here, weaving nicely with this week's Superman #28 and pulling the eventual clash with the Absolute Universe and Darkseid that much closer. Throw in a killer Supergirl moment and it was a no-brainer.

Writer Mark Waid brings this arc to a high-energy close by bringing in some old villains, peppering in time-tossed (and reality-tossed) DC characters, and giving us a subtle cliffhanger that left me wondering what is next. I wonder if Waid is taking advantage of his writing the New History of the DC Universe to remind him of character variations to try to showcase here. And he and Joshua Williamson are making me like this Time Trapper Doomsday, no small feat. 

Dan Mora is on art here as well as Superman #28 which makes these two issues read like a mini-event or double sized Annual. And Mora gets to have fun as he is also allowed to pepper in these character variants. He draws everybody so well so whenever he spotlights a favorite of mine, I smile. 

I will say it was luck that I read this before Superman #28 because it sort of reads better that way. Interesting they came out on the same week with this being a 5 Wednesday month.

On to the book.

Back Issue Box: Superman/Doomsday:Hunter/Prey #3

With no new super-books on the shelves this week and a splendid Doomsday story finished up in the current Joshua Williamson Superman book, I have been dipping into the back issue box to review Superman/Doomsday:Hunter/Prey, wrapping it up today with the third issue, the finale.

Writer/artist Dan Jurgens has been weaving a pretty good narrative here, filling in Doomsday's origin and amping up the threat of both Doomsday and the Cyborg Superman, both fresh from their debut storylines. This wasn't long after the monumental 'Death of' and 'Reign of' arcs. We were just getting to know these characters. 

Last issue, we learned how Doomsday was the product of an accelerated evolution experiment by a scientist named Bertron. We saw the Cyborg Superman get atomized by Darkseid. We saw Desaad send Doomsday to the planet Catalon, the planet Doomsday was killed on prior to Superman doing the same deed on Earth. But since his resurrected form is invulnerable to his last mode of death, Catalon is in trouble. 

As I said, Jurgens is wrapping up the loose ends of the first Doomsday story, giving us a narrative. This is the beginning of Doomsday's story, explaining his powers, and here tying him in specifically to Superman, linking them forever.  I have to give him credit. He does a fine job explaining everything. And he seems to put an end to it all. The ending feels like an ending ...

But 30 years later we know better. We have seen Doomsday a lot. We have seen Superman turned into Doomsday. We have seen a Doomsday plague. We've seen an army of Doomsdays. We've seen Doomsday in Hell. And know we have seen a Time Trapper Doomsday, intelligent and skinny. 

Joshua Williamson has been doing a great job mining this story for its key elements and bringing them to the current arc. Heck, in Superman #20 he has Dan Mora draw Superman in the Mother Box armor we see him in here. We have The Radiant, the Aftermath of the planets Doomsday has destroyed, and a Time Trapper Doomsday, perhaps echoed in the finale here.

I haven't thought about this series much over these last decades. But revisiting it, I have to say, its embers still glow in the DC Universe. It has had impact.

On to the book.

Back Issue Box: Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #2

Today I review Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #2, the middle chapter of the 1994 mini-series that filled in the backstory of Doomsday and set up the first of many rematches between the Man of Steel and his killer. 

Doomsday has returned in recent issues of Superman and writer Joshua Williamson has really leaned into this Prestige Format mini which I found impressive. One of the strengths of DC, as crazy as it sounds in the current comic world, is it's continuity, is its history. But it also makes me feel wizened and archaic when I realize this book is almost 30 years old. As such, reviewing this to remind folks of this history made sense.

It is in this issue we learn about the planet Catalon and its hero The Radiant, both heavily involved in Williamson's story. In this issue we learn about how Doomsday went from world to world, devastating places, the origin of Williamson's Aftermath. And we learn about Doomsday's origin, about how he resurrects and is impervious to his last weakness, all of which ties into the evolution of him to the Time Trapper Doomsday. So once again, kudos to Williamson for leaning in.

And kudos to Dan Jurgens, the writer/artist of this series. It couldn't have been an easy task to bring back Doomsday. Not only Doomsday, but the Cyborg Superman as well. These were the ultimate villains of both Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen. Can you write them in a way to make them more compelling? Doomsday felt like a literal tool in Death, there only to kill Superman and not have any sort of story. Jurgens brings a horrific origin to the thing which has stuck.

On reread, I'll say the series is solid. But there is no denying its impact on the Superman mythos.

Review: Superman #22

My Red K detour has delayed my current comic reviews on the site. And at some point I'll need to cover all the 'Summer of Superman' books we have heard about with some interesting creative teams.

But for now, allow me to review Superman #22 by Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora. 

I really think that Williamson has hit his stride on the book for a while now and this latest Doomsday story is really solid. I have been pretty tired of Doomsday but bringing in a Time Trapper version into the mix is a great idea, injecting something new into an older character, a change that actually makes sense. 

Now Williamson does a great thing and leans into Superman's history, going all the way back to Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey, a mini-series over 30 years old. But if you are telling a Doomsday story, why not utilize the continuity? I mean, I haven't read the mini in at least 25 years. (Should I cover it here?)

Should Superman give Doomsday over to the Aftermath (the remnants of races decimated by Doomsday)? Or does he think Doomsday deserves to be watched over on Earth? It is an interesting question. And Williamson injects a little mystery and a little new wrinkle to things that made me want to hear the debate more.

I'd be remiss if I didn't say that there are some small Supergirl moments in this issue that really let her shine. Williamson really seems to have taken a shine to her.

As always, Dan Mora's art is just spectacular. He makes Supergirl's jacket outfit look good. He gives The Radiant a shiny, slick look. He has a tremendous two page spread showing a great battle. Mora is a gold mine.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #21

With the weekly schedule of Action Comics done and the holidays and year reviews behind me, I am finally getting to Superman #21 to review. (I have to say that the last few months have been busy here on the site with the two-fer Action Comics reviews but it also assured content. I might miss that.)

Superman #21 is a sort of breather issue to catch up on the characters and their private lives. Between Doomsday, Time Trapper Doomsday, Superwoman, and other mysteries, there is a lot of plot happening in this book. I give writer Joshua Williamson some kudos for recognizing that giving the characters a moment to breathe and giving the audience some moments to remind them why they like these characters is a brilliant move.

As always, Superman and Lois and their relationship is the axle this book revolves around. So this 'date night' issue is focused on them. It would be hard enough to stay connected when both are ultra-busy journalists. Now both are super-heroes on top of that. So seeing the two taking time for each other is great. Williamson realizes we are in a superhero comic so this isn't without action. 

Dan Mora continues to shine. His work is just so beautiful, full of energy. I will admit that there are some places in the book that seems a little rough, a little unpolished. Still stellar for sure. But I wonder if Mora is burning the candle a bit too bright given the number of Mora covers I see on the racks.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #20

Superman #20 came out last week and was a crackling issue. This one sizzles. Kudos to all involved.

I guess you don't need to read the rest of the review because you know what I think. But there is a lot of goodness in this issue. A LOT of goodness. So please keep reading.

I have really enjoyed Joshua Williamson's run on this book. But he is firing on all cylinders here. I will start with the obvious. He has made Doomsday interesting. The reveal last issue that Doomsday is intelligent and the Time Trapper makes perfect sense. We see both that future Doomsday and the current mindless marauder in this issue. But there is a lot of ideas built on top of even that great idea. What does the Time Trapper Doomsday really want? What about all the hints about the future he drops? Real seeds for upcoming arcs? 

And what about Superman's Red Energy? Superwoman? What about Doomsday's origins and how that is going to impact things based on a killer cliffhanger? What about amnestic Lex doing good? 

There is a lot of great plot happening here but it is wrapped in solid super-hero action. Brilliant.

Not to be forgotten is Dan Mora being on the book. Mora is my favorite current comic artist. He dazzled on World's Finest. So to see his take on the skinny Time Trapper Doomsday, the current hulking Doomsday, Superwoman, even Superman in the total Liefeld-90s Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey mini-series makes my eyes smile. Incredible work throughout, no surprise. Slap a gorgeous Dan Panosian variant cover of Lois and you have a treasure trove of visual sizzle.

I wanted to read the next part when I finished this book. 

On to the details. 

Review: Superman #19

I am finally catching up on my reviews after my vacation which means I have reached Superman #19. This is the first 'All In' Superman, bringing us the introduction of Lois 'Superwoman' Lane and the return of not one but two (but really one) classic DC villain to thwart the Man of Steel. It also unites two of DC's creative powerhouses - writer Joshua Williamson and artist Dan Mora.

I'll start by saying this 'All In' initiative feels a bit like Rebirth/Anti-Rebirth. The Absolute Line, with the new dark Earth and the darker takes on our heroes, feels like a step away from Classic DC. But the new teams, the new books, heck even these new pin-up covers of our heroes looking heroic, all seems to be a step towards a more traditional feel to our heroes. Add in a few wrinkles (like a powered Lois) and you have a great jumping on point.

I will start out by saying I think Williamson crushes it on this issue. You want to bring in new readers? Maybe people coming here because of the new initiative or Mora's art, you give them big action and intriguing hooks. He does both. Incredibly, he somehow brings new life to three stories we have seen before - Doomsday, 'good' Lex, and Superwoman. Heck, I am pretty tired of the first two. But somehow, they work here. In particular, the Doomsday one has such a fantastic cliffhanger ending here that I want to read more. Trust me, I never want to read more Doomsday! So kudos to Williamson.

There is also one little 'blink and you'll miss it' exchange at LexCorp that really interests me. More below.

As for the art, Mora has crushed it on every issue I have seen him on and this is no different. Mora is great on character design. His versions of Superwoman, the Atomic Skull, the Time Trapper all glitter. But it is smaller moments, the expressive work, a throwback Daily Planet front page, a world weary Lex, that really grabbed me. 

And yes, I bought the cardstock metallic cover featuring Lois. But come on DC! Wrong credits on the back cover? Waid didn't write this!

On to the book!

All-In DC Comics And A Supergirl Back-Up News

Absolute Power is the current summer event churning through the DCU but news has been out for a while that it was just the precursor to a new initiative at DC Comics called DC All In. Solicits are out and will be reviewed in depth. But for now, let's talk about the set-up.

Spear-headed by DC alum Scott Snyder, the early news was that it would be a sort of Marvel Ultimates universe allowing new stories to be told with new characters on a more established new Earth. 

Perhaps to get ahead of the craziness of San Diego Comic Con or in fear of being outshone at SDCC, DC has released a ton of information about this. Head here for what is known:https://aiptcomics.com/2024/07/17/dc-comics-absolute-dc-all-in-line-comics/

Since hearing about this, I wondered how this was going to differ from the Earth One books or even a plain old Elseworld. This looks much more cohesive and more tied into the main DCU. The idea that the current DCU is built on the idea of Superman (something good that came out of Doomsday Clock) is fantastic. Darkseid wanting to build a universe in his image is not a bad idea.

“If the main universe is set up by Superman energy, this universe is founded on Darkseid energy,” Snyder added. That makes the heroes underdogs. “They have to be tougher. Have to be more resourceful,” and that makes them more badass.

Of course, Snyder says it means the heroes will be more 'bad ass' usually means it is something I'm probably not going to like but I'm willing to give it a shot.

But there's more.

Review: Action Comics Presents: Doomsday Special #1

Action Comics Presents: Doomsday Special #1 came out this week and was an unexpected treat in my pile. If you are a Supergirl fan, you need to read this. If you are a Doomsday fan (and I am not), you need to read this. If you are a fan of the darker corners of the DCU, you need to read this. This was a lot of fun.

Dan Watters writes the main story here. I really loved Watters' take on Azrael this year. So I was hoping he would bring that energy here. Every character that we get in this book has a moment to shine. We learn the psychological impact that Doomsday has on Superman. We see how strong and heroic and incorruptible Supergirl is. We get a wonderful Martian Manhunter moment where he shows why he is a leader. We are shown how a time in hell has made Doomsday deadlier than ever. It all sings.

This is a Supergirl site so I have to really point out how great a Kara story this is. She wants to help her cousin. She is the expert on Kryptonian culture. She tries to help the damned and literally tells off the Devil. She enters a fight she knows she is probably going to lose because it is the right thing to do. Heck, Watters even manages to bring in a Satan Girl riff. DC should be reading this and the recent Supergirl stuff Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Joshua Williamson have done with her to get the imprint of the character. She should not have a special coming up where she is questioning who she is. It flies in the face of her definitive actions here.

Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira are on the art here which switches from Earth to Hell. If you have a Doomsday story, you know you are going to get high actions and big punches. They bring the violence here cinematically. I could feel every blow. And yes, I did fork over a few extra bucks to get the rare variant you see above. But how could I not get that Jon Bogdanove cover.

My only complaint about this is that the kernel of the story is somehow linked to Lazarus Planet and must have been in one of the specials I didn't get. We get a sentence or two about the origins of this but  I could have used a 3-4 panel recap. 

On to the book!

Supergirl in Action Comics Presents: Doomsday Special #1

Since we learned about the conversion of Action Comics from a Superman solo book to a Superman Family anthology book, I have been hoping for a Supergirl solo story. 

Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow ended over a year ago. The last page of that book has her watching Ruthye execute a repentent Krem. The Supergirl solo book ended over three years ago and ended with an arc where she was infected by the Batman Who Laughs and turned into a villain. 

Thankfully, in the main Superman books, we have been given bits of a more heroic, intelligent, and optimistic Kara. But these were simply bread crumbs. And I wanted a meal.

So I was pretty thrilled when I came across this story about the Action Comics Presents: Doomsday Special #1, solicited for August! 

The book is written by Dan Watters with art by old friend Eddy Barrows. And here is the solicit!

It is a creature beyond reason—and the only force in the universe strong enough to kill Superman. It’s Doomsday, the living embodiment of death, destruction, and evolution! In the wake of Dark Crisis and Lazarus Planet, King Doomsday now sits on a throne of skulls across a river of blood, holding court over the demons that swarm in the depths of Hell...and he may have just found a way back to the land of the living. It’s now up to Supergirl and Martian Manhunter to drive the beast back and see that he never again returns to our earthly plane—even if they must die to do it! Plus: the return of Bloodwynd, the debut of the Doomhounds, and a clue to the next big Superman event!

So I admit that the title highlights Doomsday, a character that I think is overused. But this is a Supergirl and Martian Manhunter adventure as they try to stop Doomsday. 48 pages! And Bloodwynd!! Holy 1990's!

We finally will get a Supergirl adventure where she is at the center of the action ... and hopefully not evil, angry, overly traumatized, or sad! 

Okay, I won't curse the darkness! There is a lot to love here. 

Review: The Death Of Superman 30th Anniversary Special, pt 1

 It's hard to believe that it has been 30 years since the Death of Superman storyline. But it has been and DC decided to commemorate the occasion with an oversized one shot, appropriately named The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special. 

It is a wonderful book, bringing together the architects of that classic arc for several stories. The book is too big to cover all in one review so I'll be covering the first (and longest story) by writer/artist Dan Jurgens with inker Brett Breeding.

The story takes place in the recent past, recent enough that Jon is around but not recent enough for Jon to be aged. I am surprised that once more DC is giving us stories of a de-aged Jon. Perhaps they realize that a tween Jon still has story opportunities. Here Jon learns about how his father died at the hands of Doomsday. It is an excellent retelling of the classic story (it was 30 years ago, maybe people haven't read it before) while adding a new character. 

But the joy here is the retelling of the story from Lois' perspective, teaching Jon about how deadly Doomsday was and how noble Superman was in sacrificing himself.

I grabbed the Franscesco Mattina cover because the punched out symbol cover is a nice riff on the similar covers introducing us to the four wannabe Supermen that emerged in The Reign of the Supermen arc.

On to the story.

Review: Action Comics #962

Action Comics #962 came out this week and brought the Doomsday storyline to a sort of close. It isn't really a finale and more like a pause. And I am okay with that. This is the beginning of the Rebirth era. This is the first arc of many that will build up the Mr. Oz character and plan. And we as readers are still getting acclimated to this Superman being part of this DCU.

Bringing Doomsday into the opening arc was something of a risk. If you start out there, where do you go? And certainly writer Dan Jurgens has played up the threat of Doomsday nicely. The heroes have barely been able to contain him here. So I was worried that the ending might be too pat. As we'll see there is a sort of deus ex machina ... or at least a machina ... which helps speed things along.

But Doomsday is a plot device, not a character. The real enemy here is Oz. And we still don't know much about him. I know we are only a month into Rebirth but I keep hoping for some more clues. Throw me a bone!

Stephen Segovia is on art here and does a good job with the proceedings. He seems to be a nice halfway point between Pat Zircher and Tyler Kirkham. He is almost perfect in that manner in that he bridges the other issues in a way that will make this artistically fluid when this arc is read in one sitting.

On to the book!

Review: Action Comics #961

Action Comics #961 came out this week and continued the Doomsday storyline. Once more the issue is packed with a huge brawl as the villain and heroes demolish the countryside. It is big and loud and somewhat glorious in its action sequences, reminiscent of the original Doomsday where page after page was bonecrushing punches and devastating attacks.

But there is only so much action I can read before punches become repetitive and kicks become tedious. I need story behind the action and luckily, mercifully, we see some progress with some of the plots that have been simmering since Doomsday first tromped onto the scene.

Writer Dan Jurgens has been making Action Comics live up to its name. But frankly, I think Doomsday is a bit overused. And there needs to be something behind the monster for me to get completely engaged. I am hoping the end is near.

Stephen Segovia and Art Thibert step in on art for the issue. Their style is more on the Kirkham spectrum than the Patch Zircher side of things. In fact, in places it felt almost like Leinil Yu.

But the biggest thing for me about the issue was the ending, as it marked some progress in this 12 round fight.

One thing I have been trying to deal with is the 'Lex as Superman' arc. Perhaps the best thing is that Jurgens continues to show us glimpses into Alex's soul. He isn't a hero. He definitely seems to be selfish, occasionally deluded.

Nothing said that more this issue than these panels. Instead of being happy that Superman and Wonder Woman took the fight away from Metropolis, Lex instead thinks this love means they abandoned the city.

That's crazy. And a little self centered. It shows just who Lex is.

Now initially I thought that Mr. Oz was the villain behind everything that is happening. But more and more it seems like he is merely observing. He isn't moving these game pieces; he is merely noting them. Makes me wonder about who he is. Maybe I have another theory.

And then we get a classic comic book trope. Lex examines the craft Doomsday fell from and notes that, despite having worked with every metal on Earth, that this one is different.

So where did Doomsday come from.

But then we get a lot of battle on the outskirts of town. Doomsday pounding Diana. Doomsday pounding Superman. Superman pounding Doomsday. It is a lot of back and forth. Wonderfully rendered. But just a brawl.

It is only when Superman is truly in danger that we see something new. Jon lashes out with his heat vision and does some damage. It reminded me of Jon's big moment in the Superman book.

Temporarily free, the Man of Steel says goodbye to his wife and family. Their safety is his primary goal. I have liked these tender moments again showing why Lois and Clark work so well as. Couple.

Superman convinces Diana to take his family off world to the JLA satellite while he tussles with Doomsday more.

Interestingly enough, Mr. Oz decides that the time is right for him to get involved. Doomsday needs to be taken off the board. 

Suddenly a henchman arrives and Oz gives some orders.

So this was both progress and a bit of a letdown.

The mysterious Mr. Oz seemed like a zen-master, almost mystical. It seemed like he was operating from limbo. He was so enigmatic he seemed like something bigger than the usual villain. Now I know these are my perceptions. But the way he talked, and how he acted, he seemed like someone outside of or bigger than reality.

But then he goes and has a henchman. Something rather tawdry, ordinary. He goes from being a philosophical force to being akin to the head of Intergang. The appearance of this flunky somehow minimized Oz.

But then the henchmen squad go out and save Superman! Using force beams, they corral Doomsday.

Hmmm... this kind of looks familiar.

That can't be by accident. It certainly looks like Jurgens is riffing the original story. 

And so now I need to rethink my guess about Mr. Oz. you may recall I recently thoug he might be Jon Osterman. But now, having henchmen, talking like he did, I'm wondering if he is something more mundane. Maybe he's another survivor of the pre-Flashpoint universe? Someone from Cadmus? Hopefully not that version of Luthor. That'd be too trite.

I'll continue to hope it's Osterman. 

And at least the appearance of these flying men trying to capture Doomsday is a new wrinkle to the plot, moving things along. Maybe this Mr. Oz thing will wrap,up sooner than I expected.

Overall grade: B

Review: Action Comics 960

Action Comics #960 came out this week, the next chapter in the Doomsday story arc in this new Rebirth DC Universe. Writer Dan Jurgens continues to shine in this new world, bringing a great mix of action and plot progression, and character moments. It is hard to say just how happy I am to have Superman books on the shelves that I enjoy reading! The last couple of years I have struggled to find moments I enjoyed in the super-books while feeling that the overall arc isn't working. Now I get the best of all worlds.

Tyler Kirkham is on art again this issue and brings a wild energy to the piece. His panels all seem to be hand drawn to give a frenetic feel to the action. The action is well choreographed and there is a physical feel to it. His women all are doe-eyed, like Shuster's Lois, but there isn't anything pandering. How amazing that this book has such great artists - Kirkham and Patrick Zircher.

But the big thing about this issue is that it sparked a new theory in my brain about who Mr. Oz. is. I wish I could say why the idea came into my head. But there it was. And I think I may be right.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #959

Action Comics #959 came out last week, continuing the Rebirth arc pitting Superman and Lex Luthor against Doomsday. This issue is mostly a large action sequence with Doomsday and the Supers throwing down in Metropolis. But writer Dan Jurgens realizes this is a sort of new start for this set of characters. There are mysteries to unravel. There are emotional points that need to be struck. It is overall gripping.

Jurgens is a veteran on the super-books and he really seems to capture the voices of almost all these characters. I like Lois' internal monologue as she watches her husband again battle the creature who killed him. I also like how she manages to push her fears down so that Jon doesn't see her worry. I like Luthor's standard pomposity although there is a moment of humanity. I like Clark Kent's insistence that he is who he says he is. In fact, of all the characters in the book, Superman is the one who comes off a bit odd and I find that surprising.

Tyler Kirkham is on board as artist (he and Patrick Zircher are splitting up the pencilling duties here). Kirkham brings a bit of style and flair to the proceedings here. His Doomsday looks particularly monstrous, enormous and laden with spikes. I love Kirkham's expressive work too.

Overall, having read many stories where Doomsday and Superman punch each other for pages, I found myself getting a little bit bored with the throwdown and much more interested with the character interaction. Still, these new Superman books have hit the ground running. I am impressed.