Happy Anniversary Action Comics #1, 75 Years Strong

It is hard to believe but 75 years ago today Action Comics #1 hit the newsstands, introducing Superman to the world.

What has happened after that is legend. A caped figure hoisting a car was something new in the market. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's strange visitor from another world swept the planet.  Superman became the father of a whole genre of comics, becoming a worldwide recognized character, the epitome of heroism, fighting for Truth, Justice, and The American Way. We met Clark Kent and Lois Lane, intrepid reporters. And we saw incredible strength and nigh-invulnerability for the first time! Suddenly 'super-hero' was a word.

I am sure that other sites are going to do much more comprehensive reviews of the impact of Action Comics #1 and Superman. So I figured I would instead do a quick homage post about Action Comics #1 and Supergirl.

Back during the 'Death of Superman' era, with Superman presumably interred, Matrix Supergirl took it upon herself to fill his void, becoming the 'All-New Metropolis Marvel'. What better way to show how she was being introduced into this role than by doing this homage cover to the original, the iconic pose of Supergirl now hoisting and smashing the car dominating the central part of the cover. But I have to applaud artist Jackson 'Butch' Guice including the men fleeing the scene, including the one in the lower left hand corner. His exasperated look on Shuster's cover has always stuck out in my mind so it is funny to see that reproduced as well.

I think Matrix grew immensely in this arc.

And many of you know I loved Peter David's Fallen Angel comic, both the DC and IDW version. I think David sort of 'nudge nudge wink-wink' continued Linda Danvers story from Supergirl in Fallen Angel.

Once the book moved to IDW, David removed the 'Is she Linda' argument completely, writing the Angel's true origin story as a literal angel called Liandra who was banished to Earth. But David also decided to maybe slip in one more chapter to Linda's story. A young woman with powers named Linda was the 'first Fallen Angel' of the city of Bete Noire. In a quick 2-parter, she returns and teams up with Liandra for an adventure.

To keep the 'Danvers-ness' aspect of the story high, artist Kristian Donaldson adorned the issues with homage covers including this version of Action Comics #1, here Linda smashing the car while Lee oversees in the background. (The second part has an homage cover to Crisis on Infinite Earths #7).

Happy Birthday Superman, Clark Kent, and Lois Lane!

Brian Stelfreeze Commission and Sketch Book

One of my favorite artists in the business is Brian Stelfreeze.



I began admiring his work on his long run of painted covers on The Shadow of the Bat title in the 90's. I also felt his covers nicely captured the moody feelings of Peter David's Fallen Angel series when it was published by DC.

And his interiors are just as dynamic as seen in the over the top 'Kill Bill' style action in Gun Candy and The Ride.

Outside of the absolute kinetic feel of his panels and his uncanny ability to know which panel perspective best captures the moment, I have always felt his women are strong, beautiful, and sexy. Best of all, he is able to capture that without pandering to impossibly curvaceous anatomy. His women seem naturally beautiful.

So last year at the Baltimore Comic-con, he was at the top of my list for a Supergirl commission and I was able to obtain the wonderful piece at the top of the post, playfully titled by me 'Come Hither'. I have to say I saw him produce some great commissions throughout the day including a phenomenal Fallen Angel piece. Just as impressive was how approachable he was by neophyte artists who wanted to show him their work. I saw him take the time to look at their work and, in the most supportive way, give the artists his opinion. He seemed like such a nice guy.

Well, I was thrilled to be contacted by Stelfreeze's management a while back about my Supergirl piece. They were putting together a sketch book for Stelfreeze and they were hoping they could include my piece.

How could I say no? It is every commission owner's dream to have their piece trumpeted in a sketch book, to share it with the world.

So here is "Freezing Point", this year's Brian Stelfreeze sketch book.

And here is my piece how it looks in the book with the sidebar. See what I mean about a natural healthy looking body but also a coy sensuality? The small touches speak volumes ... the upturned eyebrow, the turned in foot ... they make this a powerful piece. This is one of my favorite commissions in my collection.

Also in the book is the eye-popping color Supergirl piece. Whoever owns this commission has an absolute masterpiece.

I have Brian Stelfreeze's blog linked here and I think it is very much worth a look. He often posts sketches, paintings, and comic art there usually with some discussion of his approach to the piece.

The Hunt for Linda Danvers over - Reign in Hell #1; and a poll question from your humble blogger

One week after hinting about the return of Linda Danvers at Heroes Convention, Dan Didio let the cat out of the bag. Here is his response to the same question at Wizard World Chicago.

Q: Linda Danvers coming back?

DiDio: Reign in Hell #1.

This is what I said last week.

5) She appears in Reign in Hell as a major player. She has a angelic background. She hung around with a demon. She was involved in a brief overthrow of Heaven. Who better to be involved in the civil war of Hell? Odds 50:1

So I was a bit off on the odds. At least I guessed it as a possibility.

I am thrilled that the character of Linda Danvers is coming back rather than being doomed to comics limbo. And her presence in Reign in Hell makes some sense given her angelic background in the PAD run of Supergirl. There may need to be some tweaking of her story given that the angelic piece of her was stripped and given to Twilight in issue 74. Maybe she is just a super-powered mortal dealing with Heaven/Hell issues. Or maybe her being a former Earth angel is enough cachet.

That said, she may have more magic in here than we think. In issue 80 (the last issue of that run), Linda's enemy Xenon talks about how women who have worn the S-shield and called themselves Supergirl have been able to call upon the 'mystic puissance' of that symbol and use it for power.

Indeed, Linda calls on that power when she kills Xenon later in that issue. I like how the energy forms an 'S' at it's center.

I love Keith Giffen's work and trust that he will do Linda right. I hope beyond hope they don't make her a villain. Of course, there is no love lost between her and the higher powers, given the abuse she has been put through. Here she says God loves to torment people, like someone pulling the wings off a fly.

Still, in rereading a DC Nation from a couple of months ago they hint about someone 'leading the resistance forces against both Neron and Lord Satanus. That sounds more like Linda than her being an agent for Hell.

This piece of the cover to Reign in Hell 1 could be Linda.

Of course this should have been Linda too. Heck, this *is* Linda in my mind.

But I digress.

Now the poll question.

Technically in the new continuity, Linda was never Supergirl. I absolutely love the character and that run; for me she'll always be a (if not *THE*) Supergirl.

But she is not Supergirl now. So .... should I review Reign in Hell and talk about her character's role in the series on this blog ... a Supergirl blog? I think the answer is yes.

I would love to hear what people have to think. The poll question is there on the right. This is my first poll on the blog so 'vote early, vote often'. And if you want to tell me why you voted the way you did, please leave a post. Thanks !!