Agent Liberty Coming To The Supergirl Show

Continuing my coverage of the upcoming Supergirl Season 4, I thought I'd do a quick review of Agent Liberty.

The announcement about Liberty's inclusion on the show was announced a week ago, naming Smallville alum Sam Witmer as playing the part. Here is a link and a blurb.

http://ew.com/tv/2018/07/17/smallville-sam-witwer-supergirl-season-4-agent-liberty/

In the show’s interpretation on the character, Agent Liberty is the ruthless and terrifying founder and figurehead of Children of Liberty, a hate group that supports a human-first world order. According to a description from the show’s producers, he’s “a brilliant orator in the guise of a family man” and the scariest thing about him is how easily he can convince people that he’s right. Given that Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and the DEO tend to be pro-alien integration, it’s definitely fair to assume they won’t get along with Agent Liberty and his Children of Liberty.

As I said in earlier posts and reviews, political stories are often delivered in a ham-fisted way on the show. So it is a shame that Agent Liberty, a star-spangled hero, is the terrifying founder of a hate group. I'm not denying the existence of hate groups. I am not saying that some of these groups hide behind patriotic iconography. I'm just saying that I wish that shows wouldn't add to that twisting.

Supergirl and Superman fight for truth, justice, and the American Way. They defend the flag and its ideals. I don't want kids to be watching a show and learning to hate the flag and America. Hopefully, the writers and Supergirl will present a solid counterpoint. That the Children of Liberty aren't representatives of what America means. Give me one shot of Supergirl standing hands on hips with the American Flag flapping in the wind behind her ... pretty please?

Anyways, onto the DC character.

Review: Adventures Of Superman #4

Adventures of Superman #4 came out this week and continued to be one of the most enjoyable books that DC is putting out.  So far, each issue has really been a treat with at least one stand-out story in each. As a print guy, it pains me to hear comments on the weekly stories knowing I am going to wait for the paper copy.  With such high standards now expected, I have come to really look forward to this book.

Adventures #4 continued the trend. I have to say after the first reading I was a bit let down. But on subsequent readings, I was definitely pleased. This is an entertaining book allowing great creative teams to tell a brief Superman story, focusing on some facet that is fascinating. I hope DC doesn't change this format because it has been a home run.

Having a Bruce Timm cover with Clark in a classic pose is the cherry on top. This book inside and out really has a 'classic' feel to it and I am not complaining.

The first story is 'A Day in the Life' written by the tandem of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning with art by penciller Wes Craig and inker Craig Yeung. It focuses on a day in the life of Lex Luthor. And the pages are broken in half such that the top half of the page shows Luthor's activities while the bottom half shows Superman fighting a sort of giant robot.

The split page technique was used recently on this book (with Lois talking to Lex on her part) so I thought it might have been too early to use it again. Of course, who knows if these teams have any idea what the next creators are planning.

But on second reading it works very well. Throughout the early pages, we see Superman struggling with the mecha. And above it all is Luthor who is extremely calm and collected regardless of who or what he is facing. He is unfazed by government officials. He is unfazed on a date with an upcoming starlet. He is even calm when facing Gorilla Grodd (and the old SSV). I mean look at him dab the corners of his mouth despite a huge telepathic gorilla threatening him!

And all the while he jots down ideas in a notebook on how to destroy Superman.

That calm is shattered when he has some face time with an angry Superman who knows (although can't prove) that Luthor was behind the robot attack. Suddenly Lex is a screaming, furious, his armor down. In some ways it humanized Lex to know that something could get under his skin.

And as interesting is Superman's rather terse response and his angry reaction, burning Lex's notebook with his head vision.

It was that sudden change in tone that made this story work for me. I liked this story a lot.

The middle story is 'The Deniers' by writer Tom Defalco and art by PeteWoods. I have to say this is a new, much more cartoony look for Woods. And that goes right down to Superman's uniform with the Fleisher Studios style S-shield.

It is something of a funny story as two plumbers in a dinner debate if Superman really exists, or at least has all the abilities he is vaunted to have. After all, wouldn't super-villains just sell their ideas rather than lead a life of crime. Also, despite years in the city, neither have seen him in person.

Of course, just outside, Superman is battling a robot squid, unseen by these two.

It is a cute story.

But for me, the best story of the book was 'Savior' by writer Rob Williams with art by Chris Weston. I loved the retro feel to this story, both in words and in art. The art has a sort of Currier & Ives prints sort of feel. I mean look at that last panel, hugging Ma in front of the weathered farmhouse, chickens at their feet, old pick-up in back.

In the story, Ma Kent (I guess Pa has passed like in the Donner movies) worries that Clark never has time to just sit down and relax. She wishes he could stay for dinner. But here, after fixing the clothesline, he already needs to rush off.

Telling a story from Ma's point of view is somewhat fresh. To hear her worry more about his mental well-being instead of fearing his life from physical confrontations is a nice wrinkle.

As is the case with these stories, we often get montage sequences to show the passing of time. We see Superman fighting classic versions Bizarro, Brainiac, Luthor (in the purple/green body suit),  as well as rescuing Lois (who is rescuing a kidnapped child). I thought all of that worked.

I especially liked this banter between Superman and Lois. She complains he was a little late. He drops her off at the Planet despite he being covered in filth (the bad guys were going to drown her in a sewer).

Can't those two just admit they love each other!!!!

Throughout the story we hear Ma's dialogue as we peek in on Superman's life.

She feels that Superman can't rest because his mind is always on those he couldn't save, always on the tragedy of Krypton. I don't think of Superman as being a morose guy, perseverating over his losses. But maybe I can understand if Ma thinks that. Maybe she is always a little afraid that Clark doesn't think of her truly as his mother when he knows about his biological parents. I suppose that is natural.

Despite the sad tones of these panels, I loved this scene. It really struck me as the Superman of my youth, back when I was first following the character. The Super-mobile, a thought beast, Beppo, Kandor, General Zod looking out the Phantom Zone viewer. Nostalgia sometimes is a good thing.

And then there is this sweet ending.

Maybe feeling a bit weighed down by life (boy that Kandor panel feels sad), Superman heads to Ma's for dinner. The title is Savior and the easy assumption is that refers to Superman as we see him whisk from one cataclysm to the next. But really it refers to Ma and how she is able to help Superman stay grounded, to take a breath and just be calm. She is the life saver.

Everything about this story works. The interesting point of view of Ma as narrator. The concept of a Superman who is sad about what he can't do. The country boy having dinner with his Ma ending. The superb artwork perfectly capturing the tone of the story. Everything works. It is wonderful.

So another great issue showcasing parts of the Superman legend I will always love.

Overall grade: B+

Review: Vibe #6

The comic world seems to be missing out on something special because DC Comics Vibe is one of the best super-hero books on the market right now, a fun, fast, classic-feeling take on the teenage super-hero struggling to come to grips with his powers and doing what is right.

Vibe #6, which came out last week, continues this trend. While maintaining a solid theme of family fidelity, Gates continues to show just how difficult it can be to do what is right in this cynical world we live in. Moreover, he shows that sometimes it is the young and optimistic who can remind the older and jaded that they can return to light.

But what truly amazes me about this book is the breakneck speed that Gates is bringing to the book. The main action in this book is a breakout at the Circus. It is spurred on by Vibe fighting against A.R.G.U.S. And we have the return of a character we thought dead. All that in six issues! In standard comic timelines, the first 6 issues would be Vibe's first mission, the next 6 would his questioning of ARGUS, and the third issue would be the revolt and escape from the Circus. But why wait!

Part of me wonders if some of the pace is being dictated by sales. The book isn't doing well and maybe DC needs some part of Vibe's story to play out before cancellation. It is a shame. Maybe it is the very idea of Vibe that has kept people away, thinking he is the parody break dancer from the 80's. But the truth is this book is a bright spot in the bleak tapestry of the DCnU. Here is a young hero with ideals and morals and optimism inspiring people! If you are complaining about how dark DC is, you need to be reading this book.

Last issue, Vibe helped Gypsy escape and as a result was captured and imprisoned by A.R.G.U.S. It was clear that Cisco was not going to be able to abide by the rather draconian view of breachers that Amanda Waller and ARGUS espoused.

The idea of family love and protecting your loved ones has been a thread running through this book. Cisco feels compelled to do good because of the sacrifice of his brother. Cisco then tries to protect his father and brother Dante from any of the fallout from his life as a JLAer.

Now the tables are turned a bit. With Cisco dropping off the grid, Dante decides he needs to help his brother for once. And the best person to turn to is Dale Gunn. Gunn is a great foil for Cisco. He also works for ARGUS but has allowed his fear harm befalling his loved ones (protecting his husband) to tarnish his ideals and maybe fall in line and follow orders a bit too much. But you can see the sympathy for Cisco's ideals and some need to do what's right bubbling under the surface.

Now why Dante thinks he needs to shatter a window with a soccer ball to get Gunn's attention is a stretch. I suppose ringing the doorbell wouldn't be as dramatic.

As for Gypsy, we heard a snapshot of her origin last issue. Even then I wondered why Waller is so keen on keeping her trapped and has labeled her such a huge threat. Gypsy seems to be just a marooned young woman.

There must be more to her story to garner such close attention. And Waller teases us with this statement. What is Gypsy's true story?

Amazingly, Dante convinces Gunn that they have to rescue Cisco. They sneak in with Dante dressed up as a 'dog soldier' breacher.

As I said, that idea of family is such a strong undercurrent here. Armando, Vibe's older brother who died in the Apokolips invasion, is considered the first subject, the first breacher because he absorbed some of the vibrational energy.

Despite their stealth, Gunn and Dante are discovered. So rather than a quiet rescue mission, Dante blasts Cisco's prison tube apart.  I love this quiet moment amid the chaos as the two brothers reunite.

Again, Dante is portrayed as something of a slacker. So to see him risk all this for Cisco shows how his brother's heroism is inspiring.

I also love ... love ... that we hear that Cisco's middle name is Paco (that being the original Vibe's name).

Gates' turns things up a notch when the A.R.G.U.S. troops arrive to contain Vibe. Dante is shot in the chest. Nice dramatic panel here by Pete Woods. You can feel the impact here. There is no way a 'normal' human could survive a bullet through the middle of the chest like this. Dante does get to say a few more words but I have to assume he dies here.

Is this a 'great power, great responsibility' moment? How will Cisco react to this? How will he avenge his brother? Will this make him turn more to the light to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else? Or will he become mired by this evil and respond in kind. This is a reminder about how difficult and dangerous it is to do what's right. It would be easy to turn to the dark side. Fight not monsters Cisco, lest ye become a monster.

Unfortunately,  I moved past Dante's being shot (and presumed death) pretty quickly when I saw all the other Circus prisoners who have been let loose by Vibe.. The DC geek in me let the drama and power of that Dante moment melt away in the excitement of seeing a bunch of beloved characters.

Spanner!
Asmodel!
Abnazer, Rath, and Ghast!
The Nebula Man!
Pariah!
Phantasm!
Maaldor!
The Warlock of Ys!!
LADY QUARK !!!

We even see more of the Scissormen and Gates has them talk in their peculiar speech. Adumbrate the breadfruit!!!

There are even a couple I don't recognize.

Unbelievable!!

Vibe's powers continue to ripple out and we see again the fabric of the world torn by his vibrations. Glimpses of other dimensions peek through the tears in space.

More intriguing is Vibe's dialogue. Voices in his head. Drums beating. Echoes. Is someone from one of the other sides trying to communicate with Cisco?

Again, great art by Pete Woods here.

Amazingly, Dante seems to still be alive, held up by Cisco here. Hmmmm.

Before I could dwell on that, the weakness in the dimensional fabric is cut from the other side by a scythe-wielding  warrior called Rupture.

And, as hinted at, we hear a bit more about Gypsy's story. I said last issue it was a bit of a risk for Cisco to simply take Gypsy's Cinderella origin story as truth. Maybe she was hiding something. She knows that there is a someone named Mordeth - a mass murderer bent on controlling all dimensions. And Rupture is Mordeth's hound here. Gypsy assumes he is her for her.

Hmmmm again.

It sounds like her father was battling Mordeth. Maybe he tucked her away on our dimension to keep her safe. A bit more plausible than the 'wicked step-mother' line she gave last issue.

Could an inter-dimensional story be coming up? Vibe vs. Mordeth on another plane of existence?

Then Gates blows the doors off the joint.

Rupture unmasks to show he is actually Armando, the presumed dead older brother!

Whoa ... nice cliffhanger!

What did I say above - fast, fun, and classic. I love the adherence to 'doing good' by the characters here. Gunn going against protocol to save Vibe and Dante acting grown-up and trying to save his brother show the effect Cisco has had on them. Immense action here with a bevy of DC dimensional characters was the highliight for me. But the addition of Armando and the villain in hiding 'Mordeth' is probably the biggest news for this title. Seriously, more story has happened in 6 months of this book than in the 2+ years of many of the DCnU books.

I'll ask those who haven't read the book to try it. I'll ask those who read the book to talk it up. This is a winner!

Oh yeah ... and LADY QUARK!!

Overall grade: A

Review: Vibe #5

Vibe #5 came out last week and certainly had the title take something of a left hand turn onto a new path. It is interesting to see things change so quickly here rather than simmering slowly. I wonder just how much this quick pace and shift in story is being driven by the unfortunate poor sales numbers on this book.

In this issue, Vibe goes from being an agent of ARGUS to being a fugitive hunted down by the very agency he has served. We had seen in the early issues of the book that Vibe was starting to question whether or not he was truly working for the 'good guys'. Whether it be Kid Flash or this issue's Gypsy, Vibe can't just hang his hat that he is doing the right thing. And that questioning of their authority would have been a great thing to slowly heat up over time until it hit a full boil.

There would be an awful lot to explore there. Cisco's family would be endangered if he runs. He is being compensated/rewarded by Argus for his service. There are probably real threats that ARGUS is dealing with. There could be a lot of plot lines and hand wringing about turning on them.

No complaints about this issue as things move forward quickly and ends with a fantastic cliffhanger. I was hoping that this decision to run would be more drawn out.

Pete Woods is on art on the book with inks by Sean Parsons. Parsons brings a sort of Cully Hamner flourish to Woods excellent pencils which makes this book very visually appealing. Brett Booth pencils the cover with great design.

Last issue, Vibe decided to help Gypsy rather than bring her in. With the ARGUS troops closing in, Vibe makes that bold decision. He is going to quit his job dramatically, turning on the troops and helping Gypsy escape.

I think it is interesting that Cisco decides to completely trust Gypsy as quickly as he decides to turn against ARGUS. This shows just how new Vibe is to this game. She actually could be the vanguard to an invasion who has charmed him. I would have liked at least one panel where he weighs what he knows of both sides before changing his life so profoundly.

After all trusting Gypsy completely is no different than trusting ARGUS completely.

Dale Gunn has always appeared to be his own man, working for ARGUS but not necessarily blindly following orders. I like how he stands up to Amanda Waller, asking her for some leniency with Cisco. Vibe is just a kid only doing what he thinks is right.

Unfortunately, Waller isn't buying this. She sends in the Suicide Squad to clean up this mess.

I don't think Gunn's role in Cisco's life is over. My guess is he is going to be an ally in this mess.

On the run, Cisco goes off-line, destroying any tech that he could be tracked by. While running, Gypsy gives us a one panel origin story.

She comes from a dimension-hopping family who has been stranded here by her ... wait for it ... evil step-mother. As daughter of the caravan leader, she might even be a princess. This isn't lost on Cisco. He says she has walked out of a fairy tale.

Now Gypsy needs to find a dimensional rift to rejoin her caravan. This leads to the best pages in the book.

Cisco is still learning his powers and we get to see him figure things out. It leads to some wonderful images like this one.

Vibe decides to open up his eyes to all the dimensions to see if he can hone in on Gypsy's. We get this fantastic 2 page wide-screen panel showing the dimensions just behind the veil of our reality. It looks like a hole-riddled quilt. Some of these other dimensions look relatively 'normal'. But in others we have fairy appearing people, dinosaurs, and futuristic buildings.

I thought this was great, grabbing me as a reader visually and showing the potential for this book.

It is almost too much for Vibe to take in. So to help him concentrate, Gypsy kisses him.

As someone who grew up reading about teenage heroes struggling with their powers, feeling a little isolated, and often being socially awkward, this felt like a classic moment. Who wouldn't want to be kissed by an extra-dimensional princess? Again, this felt perfect for the book. With that contact, her particular dimension pattern becomes clearer.

Hmmm ... maybe physical contact with breachers somehow gives Paco information about where they came from? Maybe helps him open up specific portals? Hope this is explored soon.

The next pages are a decent fight sequence between Vibe and Gypsy against the Suicide Squad.

Vibe ends up skirmishing with a villain named Crowbar. During that battle, Vibe ends up using his power full throttle. After some buildup, the battle explodes with vibrational energy and when the dust clears, Crowbar is simply gone.

Again, we are seeing Vibe's powers as they manifest. I doubt Crowbar was vaporized. Instead, I bet he has been shunted to some other dimension. It is a brief reprieve as Vibe is knocked unconscious shortly thereafter by Deadshot.

While the two page dimension-viewing spread was my favorite moment of the book, this was an extremely close second.

Gypsy tries to hide in plain sight as King Shark but that is literally sniffed out by Harley Quinn. While we can't see all of it, I have to assume that Harley knocks out Gypsy with the giant wooden mallet she uses. That is equal parts ridiculous, brutal, and fabulous. Perfect for Harley!

And suddenly Gyspy and Cisco are imprisoned, bottled in the Circus. And when Vibe tries to escape, the tube ends up binding him even tighter.

Again, Dale Gunn comes out as the voice of reason and I presume an eventual ally to Vibe. He asks how many people Waller will imprison for 'safety'.

Given what I have read, the next two issues are going to be a crazy breakout from the circus which means we might get to see other extra-dimensional DC characters in the book.

So overall a rapid and very fun ride with dramatic character movement forward. I would have expected this sort of story more around issue twelve of this series, so to get it so early is interesting to me. How will this effect the JLA book? Will this remain a 'teen hero discovering his place' book? Or will the cruel reality of rebelling against a black ops system with family and friends being caught in the crossfire end up working into the book? Will trusting ARGUS then trusting Gypsy leave Cisco jaded and cautious? Or will he continue to try to help those he feels need it without reservation.

This book has been consistently entertaining. It has a classic 'struggling young hero' feel like early Spiderman, Firestorm, etc. But it also is moving at a breakneck pace which leaves you breathless as a reader, wanting to read more almost immediately. It is a shame that sales aren't healthy. People are missing out on a great little comic here.

Overall grade: B+

Review: Smallville Season 11 #14

Smallville Season 11 #14 came out last week and as usual, I am a bit tardy in putting up my review.  And that is a shame because of all the books came out last week, this one should have been at the top of my review pile. This was a great Supergirl book and should have been showcased here earlier.

I have sung the praises of this book for over a year now so I don't need to beat the Smallville drum again. But, once again, writer Bryan Q. Miller does a great job with characterization, grasping a lot who Supergirl is and making her compelling here. This is the Smallville Kara, so you have to pick up where Laura Vandervoort's character left her. But I can't help but feel like there are echoes of Silver/Bronze Age Supergirl here as well. Her reactions to some things in this book feel like what a classic DCU Supergirl would do. Others sound more like the current Supergirl. It is like reverberations of all her incarnations seem to feed into this Kara.

The art is done by Daniel HDR who brings a very smooth and polished look to the book, befitting of a Legion-era book. His Kara is strong and expressive. The cover is by old Supergirl friend Pete Woods. I love this version of the costume, a sort of flight suit with duster jacket sort of bottom. The design is by digital Smallville cover artist Cat Staggs.

I can't help but concentrate on the Supergirl aspects of the book in this review.

As I said, this Supergirl has some reactions that feel like the Bronze Age Supergirl, the one who felt like she needed to escape the shadow of Superman and become her own hero, the one who was initially thrown into an orphanage and 'hidden'.

So it is true that Superman has come to the future and just rescued his cousin from a red sun prison.

But he also is someone who didn't seem to notice or care that his cousin, his only family, simply disappeared from his life months ago. Initially Supergirl seems to take it in stride, smiling.

But then the classic Kara strength and fire right afterwards. She looks downright peeved that she was ordered by Jor-El to vacate Earth in a time of Crisis so that Clark could accept his destiny.

I think all Supergirl fans had a similar look in watching that episode as the active and heroic Supergirl was shunted away so the mopey Blur could finally seize the day.

And then there is this exchange which feels like the current Supergirl.

After landing in the future, Supergirl was accepted by the Legion and joins the team. But then Argo was discovered and she finally felt like she had a place to belong. Look at the pain in that second panel. This sounds like the Supergirl struggling to find a place to call home.

It is a whirlwind of emotions and feelings but I suddenly felt like I understood this Supergirl completely. Miller brings us up to speed immediately. It's like we see the gamut of Supergirl-ness in three pages.

But then he adds another wrinkle.

Kara wasn't truly a prisoner for the EarthGov. She was a spy for Argo allowing herself to be captured to gather intel. That is because a Legion diplomatic mission to Argo ended with their cruiser exploding. It was rigged by the EarthGov as an opening volley against the Kryptonians. With three sides to the conflict - xenophobic Earth, New Krypton, and the Legion - Supergirl sides with her people.

This 'imprisoned' strategy sounds like a crazy plan. Because just how much information would she be able to share stuck in her red sun prison. She is lucky that Clark was there to spring her.

So the actual reasons behind all the animosity still seems cloudy to me.

But it has reached a point where EarthGov has actually sent to agents to New Krypton to plant a bomb. I guess the government is so isolationist that they are willing to send terrorists to their 'enemy'.

Anticipating such a move, the Legion has some agents on the ground. Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy are there and they stop them.

Superman and Supergirl arrive just after the bomb is disarmed.

Clark is shocked to see just how he is revered on Argo. After all, it was the Zod military pack that Clark shunted away that ends up being the first citizens on this world.

I love the look of shock on his face. Superman is a humble guy. He isn't into this sort of worship.

Now, I freely admit I watched Smallville weekly but casually. So I don't remember a lot of the details of episodes. So I am thankful that Miller gives some background info when information is crucial.

Here Superman learns that while he is considered a hero on Argo, they actually worship Faora. Thankfully, I am reminded that she was Zod's partner, was pregnant with Zod's child before he killed her. And that fetus growing in her, born on a yellow sun world is considered a sort of keystone for the Kryptonians' future.

And Faora's tomb, on Earth, is actually a focal point to the friction between Earth and Argo. Earth won't tell the Kryptonians where Faora's body is nor will they turn the body over. The Argoans want the body returned.

So I don't know if I quite understand why EarthGov would do that other than they are xenophobic and don't want to help.

I don't quite understand why Kara seems so peeved here. She was told to spy on the Earth to try to find out the coordinates of Faora's tomb but she wasn't told the messiah overtones. As a result of being kept in the dark, she feels she has been taken advantage of. It does allows us to see her dealing with her life a bit. At least in Smallville she seems to be a good soldier following the orders of Jor-El, the Science Council, etc. It is time for her to start doing what she wants.

I did like the middle panel where Clark shows some compassion and even discusses his own reluctance to achieve his own destiny.

Faora is there and Clark seems to have bought into the legends. Could that baby really have led to complete understanding?

Unfortunately, it is suddenly clear why the EarthGov wasn't ready to turn the body over. They were extracting the baby's DNA for their own uses.

And they are using that DNA to make their own uber-Kryptonian, something EarthGov can use to eradicate the Kryptonian threat. No doubt we are looking at a new Doomsday. This outfit looks completely like the way Doomsday looked when he crashed on Earth way back in the 'Death of Superman' story.

So this was a great issue for Supergirl fans as it really shows how complex and intriguing a character she is. I will say that I am suddenly a bit worried that this story ends with her battling this Doomsday to both their deaths. It would be a riff on the original Death of Superman, it would bring about a heroic Supergirl dying to save the world like Crisis, and it would satisfy the 'grabbing her destiny' plot we heard in this issue. I will be very sad if this Supergirl goes away like that.

And there are other good moments in this book. We see Booster Gold dealing with his own inadequacy and lack of heroic history. We see how the Legion Protocol Six was activated.

That said, this war storyline between Earth and Argo with the Legion caught in the middle is still a bit amorphous to me. I don't know if I quite understand enough why they are at each others' throats. Is there open war? Is the Faora body enough to bring about war? Is it just fear that a planet of super-humans is a galactic hop,skip,and jump away?? I don't know if I have my head wrapped around this plot well enough to feel I understand it.

Still, that isn't a major complaint because the rest of these this issue is so great. Supergirl and the Legion is like chocolate and peanut butter. They always go great together.

Overall grade: B+

Bullet Review: Vibe #3

Let's start this bullet review off with an confession. I never ever ever ever thought I would be buying a comic with Vibe as the lead. One, I never thought that there would be a Vibe comic. Two, I had no interest in Vibe at all. I thought he was something of a joke in the Justice League Detroit book. And I really didn't like the Detroit books to begin with. So two major hurdles would need to be cleared for me to even try an issue.

And yet, here I am bullet reviewing Justice League of America's Vibe #3.

Why am I here?

For one, Sterling Gates took over as writer with this issue. As long time blog friends know, I loved Gates' run on Supergirl. Vibe is a young character, just developing his powers and learning the ropes. Thematically, it sounds like it is right in Gates' wheelhouse. So how could I not try this book. Knowing Gates' was coming on, I bought the first two issues, penned by Andrew Kreisberg and Geoff Johns.

Furthermore, Pete Woods is on art and he is one of those artists whose work is so appealing for me. I have loved his work on everything he's done so right writer and right artist to grab me!

But also, I have to say I am a bit intrigued with this version of Vibe. This isn't just a kid with sonic powers. He is vibrationally attuned to the planet. He can detect incursions from other dimensions and as a result can be used to detect invasions. With Apokolips having done some major damage to Earth years ago, the government wants to be prepared. If Vibe is going to detect these interdimensional incursions, it means we, as readers, might see a bunch of older DC characters. Characters stuck in comics limbo might end up back here.

So those are the reasons I am here. Here is a brief look at the last issue.

I think DC must realize that they have an uphill battle convincing the comic audience that Vibe is something new and different and important.

So opening scenes like this with Amanda Waller walking through ARGUS and telling Dale Gunn that Vibe is a crucial player in the defense against interdimensional breachers. Not only can his powers potentially shake the Earth apart but he could become ... wait for it ... one of the world's greatest heroes.

I don't mind hearing it this early in the series but I hope it won't become a monthly statement. Remember when every issue of James Robinson's JLA that he had someone pointing to Congorilla and Jesse Quick saying 'THIS IS THE JUSTICE LEAGUE!' I get it. And I am willing to accept it!

But one thing I like about this is the dichotomy of the book. On one side is ARGUS wanting to train (and control) Vibe, using him as a soldier in their war. On the other side is the sort of innocence and optimism of Cisco who wants to embrace his new super-hero persona by patrolling and representing.

This isn't an angsty teen weighed down by his powers. This is someone who wants to use his powers for good.

Unfortunately, Cisco has been keeping his powers and new role with the JLA and ARGUS from his father. The problems of a secret identity are part of the undercurrent of the book. It is a classic conundrum for the young hero.

Now the main story here is Waller sending Vibe to face off against Kid Flash. While not a breacher, Kid Flash's speed is vibrational and Vibe can hone in on him. Somehow this cross-reactivity allows Vibe to psychically link with Bart, peek into his history, and learn about him.

Despite being told to 'bring him in', Vibe breaks rank figuring the right thing to do is to help Kid Flash.

For me, this is going to be the gold of this series. Vibe is going to continue to run into problems with ARGUS; he is going to realize that maybe ARGUS isn't 100% on the level and he is going to need to follow his own moral compass. That is an angle that I hope will be explored more and more.

Again, we hear how powerful Vibe is, even if he doesn't realize it. There could be negative feedback of this connection that could unravel time!

But my favorite part of this book is 'The Circus', the area of ARGUS where breachers have been imprisoned. In the first issue, we saw some familiar faces. Pariah! A Scissorman! And Gypsy.

Gypsy gets the most face time and is clearly going to be a player here. When Vibe's powers, from a distance, temporarily knock out the power grid at ARGUS, Gypsy uses her powers to escape. It is the oldest play in the book for a shapeshifter, appearing as a captured guard. Once freed, she takes out the real guard and takes off. Now Gypsy, in the old DCU could camouflage herself. Here she is something new.

Who else is down there? I have some suggestions!

So not a bad beginning for a title I am surprised to be buying. The friction between Vibe and ARGUS's goals is going to be the big draw for me. The possibility of classic inter-dimensional characters showing up is some nice spice. And Gates' sensibilities on a young hero along with Woods' slick art.

Pretty good!

Overall grade: B+

June 2013 Solicits

The June solicits for DC Comics were recently released and boy, it looks like it might be an expensive month for me as new titles are being introduced and some great trades are coming out.  And there is one spectacular surprise this month. Well, an expected surprise if there is such a thing.

Here is a link to CBR's listing of all the solicits: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=44222

SUPERGIRL #21
Written by MICHAEL ALAN NELSON
Art and cover by MAHMUD ASRAR

It’s Supergirl vs. the mysterious Mekka—but what is the secret of this new menace? And what is Lex Luthor’s envoy Alphina planning against Kara?

The cover for #19 has Supergirl crushing the world. The cover for #20 has her dying. Now the cover for #21 goes back to the 'angry Kara' genre again. Can't we at least get an action shot of something that happens in the book.

This is the second issue of Nelson's tenure on the book. The addition of a new menace and a Luthor derivative as a nemesis sounds like a good direction for this book to be going in. Not much more to comment until I actually read what Nelson is going to do. This cover doesn't convey Supergirl looking for joy.

ACTION COMICS #21
Written by ANDY DIGGLE
Backup story written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art by TONY S. DANIEL and BATT
Backup story art by PHILIP TAN
Cover by TONY S. DANIEL
1:25 BandW Variant cover by TONY S. DANIEL

Superman is betrayed by his own DNA! And in the backup story, learn The New 52 origin of The Parasite!
 

One thing that I have noticed is that DC is getting pretty sparse with their issue descriptions. I suppose his DNA could have been used to make the monster on the cover? Or maybe it has a weakness to be exploited?

My instincts tell me Diggle will be very good on the book so I remain hopeful.

SUPERMAN #21
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art by AARON KUDER
Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM
1:25 BandW Variant cover by TYLER KIRKHAM

Witness the horror of Hector Hammond as Metropolis burns! What happens when a city is taken over by a nightmare?

This looks like an homage cover to a Green Lantern/Hammond book seen recently. I think telepathy/mental attacks have always been an underutilized strategy against Superman and at least is different from magic and Kryptonite.

I like Aaron Kuder's art. It has a Frank Quitely feel to it which should look good here. But where has Kenneth Rocafort landed?

 SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #1
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
Backup story art by DUSTIN NGUYEN
1:300 BandW Variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS

When thirteen satellites fall from the sky in one day, the logical suspect is Lex Luthor—even though he’s still locked up in prison! But a stranger question remains: If Superman didn’t stop the last satellite from falling, who did? There’s a mystery hidden where even Superman can’t see it—Can The Man of Steel drag a decades-old secret into the light? Don’t miss the debut of this red-hot new series from two of comics’ brightest superstars: SCOTT SNYDER and JIM LEE!
This debut issue also includes a bonus two-sided, tipped-in poster measuring 11.6875” x 18.875” that is part of the reading experience and can be easily removed for display!
 

I suppose this is the biggest mega-star creative team on a Superman book since Morrison/Quitely on All-Star Superman. The thing that I like about this solicit is the plot sounds very retro to me. Superman catching falling satellites. Luthor pulling strings from behind bars. And yet, you just know Snyder is going to knock this out of the park.

Superman needs some buzz ... desperately. I don't know what could be bigger.

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #2
Written by MICHAEL AVON OEMING, BRYAN J.L. GLASS, JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV and J.M. DeMATTEIS
Art by MICHAEL AVON OEMING, JOELLE JONES, GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI and SAL BUSCEMA
Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI

Comics’ finest talents have assembled to bring you all-new, non-continuity short stories featuring the Man of Steel himself — SUPERMAN! This month’s issue features a super artist lineup featuring the work of Michael Avon Oeming (Powers), Joëlle Jones (FABLES), and Giuseppe Camuncoli (Superior Spider-Man) with Sal Buscema (The Incredible Hulk)!

With the Orson Scott Card debacle behind them, Adventures of Superman can now be recognized for what it is ... wonderful mixture of great talent. To be honest, they had me with Michael Avon Oeming. The rest is gravy!

And the old school costume appears on another cover of this book. Fascinating!

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #1
Written by GREG PAK
Art and cover by JAE LEE
1:100 BandW variant cover by JAE LEE
1:25 BATMAN variant cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
1:25 SUPERMAN variant cover by GUILLEM MARCH
“We Can Be Heroes” blank variant cover available

A new epic begins with the debut of this new, ongoing series! Don’t miss the first fateful meeting of Batman and Superman in The New 52!

To be honest, I am on the fence about getting this book on a monthly basis. I didn't get Superman/Batman regularly when that came out. I think the team of Pak and Lee is astounding and I would like to read more of the 't shirt' Superman so I will be in for the first arc.

I will try to get a blank variant cover in hopes of one day having Mike Maihack do a Batgirl/Supergirl commission on it.

SUPERBOY #21
Written by JUSTIN JORDAN
Art by R.B. SILVA and ROB LEAN
Cover by KEN LASHLEY

Krypto comes to the rescue as Superboy is on the trail of Dr. Psycho and the new, mysterious H.I.V.E that has infested Metropolis.

I am glad that Krypto has some role in the DCnU. I actually wouldn't mind it if he became Superboy's pet, reminiscent of Kon and Wolfy on Young Justice. I don't know if I like this new Dr. Psycho as a villain (having just read Superboy #18). So I hope he doesn't become the main baddie.

WORLDS’ FINEST #13
Written by PAUL LEVITZ
Art by ROBSON ROCHA and WAYNE FAUCHER
Cover by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO

As DeSaad’s Hellhound hunts Power Girl and Huntress, the duo must struggle with how far underground they’ll have to go before they can turn the tide and take the fight back to the man who’s been impersonating the missing Mr. Terrific.

I was hoping that Dr. Bedlam was impersonating Mr. Terrific. This implies it is Desaad.

This 'going underground' piece of this arc is interesting. It seems that the two have been trying to be low-key in their costumed lives. But how will Karen Starr run Starrware if she is on the run.

This book seems to be heating up after a somewhat slow start.

I don't know Robson Rocha at all. We know Kevin Maguire is leaving the book. Is Perez off as well?

SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #14
Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER
Art by DANIEL HDR
Cover by PETE WOODS

Reunited with Supergirl, Clark must find a way to keep the peace between EarthGov, the Legion, and all of…New Krypton?! Plus, Booster Gold and Skeets struggle to find their place in a world that doesn’t want—or need—their help. Superman’s 31st-century adventure continues in “Argo” part 2 of 3.

Since the word 'Crisis' was mentioned in the first issue of this book, I have been waiting for Supergirl to appear. In the show she was shoved into the future so Clark could ascend. So what has Kara been doing with the Legion? This was the expected surprise but I have to admit I was giddy when I saw the cover. Bryan Q. Miller treated Supergirl well in his Batgirl book. I don't expect anything different here.

And I love this Supergirl costume, designed by cover artist Cat Staggs. There is some Kingdom Come Supergirl in there. There are the new boots from the current incarnation. It has a sort of military feel to it. It even has a whiff of Gates/Igle Alura. Just fantastic.

AME-COMI GIRLS #4
Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by EDUARDO FRANCISCO and DEREC DONOVAN
Cover by JONBOY MEYERS

In this epic issue, Power Girl and Green Lantern battle Star Sapphire while The Atom goes inside Supergirl’s brain to remove the last vestige of Brainiac! Plus: Prepare for the origin and coming of…Sinestra!

I have to say that Supergirl has been treated oddly in this book. But as I recently said, it is a fun book, crazy and loud. So I am still in. Plus, this issue will be the rare instance to literally get inside Supergirl's mind. Nice cover by Jonboy Meyers.

SUPERGIRL VOL. 2: GIRL IN THE WORLD TP
Written by MICHAEL GREEN and MIKE JOHNSON
Art by MAHMUD ASRAR, GEORGE PEREZ and others
Cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
On sale JULY 10 • 144 pg, FC, $14.99 US
The last daughter of Krypton has a friend: a young woman name Siobhan. Too bad she carries the curse of the Silver Banshee—and Siobhan’s father, the Black Banshee, isn’t far behind! Don’t miss these stories from SUPERGIRL #0 and 8-12!

Hard to imagine that these issues might be considered 'the good old days' for the DCnU Supergirl. This trade includes some good stories. Supergirl makes a friend in Siobhan and rushes to help her. She fights the Nanite suit sent by Tycho and is recognized as a hero by the bystanders. And the zero issue is filled with some great moments, including Alura on her knees crying as Kara is rocketed away.

Fare thee well Mike Johnson.

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: DC COMICS PRESENTS SUPERMAN TEAM-UPS VOL. 2 TP
Written by MARV WOLFMAN, LEN WEIN, GERRY CONWAY and others
Art by RICH BUCKLER, JIM STARLIN, JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ and others
Cover by JIM STARLIN

Superman battles for justice alongside heroes including Supergirl, Black Canary, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Starman and more in these stories from DC COMICS PRESENTS #27-50 and DC COMICS PRESENTS ANNUAL #1!

As a younger reader, I loved the team-up books like The Brave and the Bold and DC Comics Presents. In many ways, those books were what exposed me to the DC Universe. There is no other place I would have learned about Kamandi, Ragman, The Unknown Soldier, The Creeper, etc. I used to love the one-and-done style of these adventures. This Showcase volume of DCCP includes the great three-part story introducing Mongul and the Warworld to the DCU. I covered the second two parts of that story here for those that want a sneak peek. First DCCP #28 with Supergirl: http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2011/11/review-dc-comics-presents-28.html And then in conjunction with Diabolu Frank we cover the finale with the Spectre (over on the DC Bloodlines blog): http://dcbloodlines.blogspot.com/2011/11/review-dc-comics-presents-29.html

I know Frank covered the opening chapter with the Martian Manhunter in DCCP #27 over on his Martian Manhunter blog somewhere but I can't find that link! Sorry!

Anyways, this will be a fun book and cheap. So I will probably need to grab it.

SUPERMAN: PHANTOM ZONE TP
Written by STEVE GERBER
Art by GENE COLAN and TONY DEZUNIGA
Cover by GENE COLAN and DICK GIORDANO

Explore the history of Krypton and the origins of The Phantom Zone, Krypton’s otherdimensional prison, in this new title that collects PHANTOM ZONE #1-4 and DC COMICS PRESENTS #97.  

And then this goodie showed up. Finally Stever Gerber and Gene Colan's fantastic Phantom Zone mini-series is being collected. This was a wild hallucinogenic trip through the Zone with bizarre images and fevered dream sequences. It also includes the Phantom Zone villains running roughshod over the Earth. And yes, there are some great Supergirl moments. I briefly ... briefly ... cover it here: http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2011/06/rip-gene-colan.html

And it also includes the even more bizarre DCCP #97, which is a pre-Crisis story told in a post-Crisis world. It includes the wild scene of Mr. Mxyzptlk throwing Argo City onto Metropolis like a K-missile, scattering the Kryptonian dead. Unreal. I reviewed that issue here:
http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2012/03/argo-city-silver-age-part-2.html 

I guess I have been doing this blog for a while when I can post links like that. Anyways, I am definitely going to get this one!

So lots of stuff to buy in June!