Free Comic Book Day 2020

Welcome to the second day of my brief misery tour.

DC Comics' contribution to Free Comic Book Day has finally been revealed.

And I don't think I am too happy about it.

Here is the link to Newsarama's coverage:
https://www.newsarama.com/48911-dc-s-fcbd-release-generation-zero-links-wally-west-and-doctor-manhattan-and-new-timeline.html

The article delineates some of the particulars and where this story is coming from but here is a blurb of the book being done by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Brett Booth.

In order to save his children and the multiverse itself, Wally West makes the ultimate sacrifice, taking his place in the Moebius Chair. Unbeknownst to him, the chair is packing a little extra power, having been imbued with the godlike powers of Dr. Manhattan! Now armed with infinite knowledge – and the powers of a god – Wally West can see the past, present and future of the DC Universe all at once...Including what needs to be changed.

There is so much about this that makes me bristle.

Yet another event that is centered around the Batman Who Laughs, so prominent on the cover.

Another event that seems to further distort any memory of Wally West being a grounded superspeedster. Hey, if making him a delusional murdered in Heroes In Crisis wasn't enough, let's merge him with Metron and Dr. Manhattan.

The weird aftertaste of Doomsday Clock has barely left my mouth and already we have another Dr. Manhattan sighting and another scrape at the Watchmen cash cow?

But perhaps the most off-putting of this announcement was that Lobdell was writing it.

Because putting a guy whose cipherous skills peaked in the extreme 90s in charge of yet another potential universe rewriting doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to me. That isn't looking forward. That's looking back.

Anyways, at least there will be a Blade Runner book out for FCBD.

Review: Convergence #8

Convergence as an event initially sounded like a two month layover, a way to allow DC to continue to publish comics while the company moved coasts, leaving New York and heading to California.

Somewhere along the way, it became something more. It became another universe redefining event, a way for DC to reset things, a mere 3 years removed from the New 52 upheaval. I have certainly had my issues with the company's approach to their characters in the New 52 DCU but soft rebooting that hard reboot has something of a whiff of desperation.

But I can't have it both ways as a fan, can I? I can't sit back and complain about the New 52 and then complain when DC tries to reshape things away from that harsh new continuity.

And so we get Convergence #8, a book which gives DC readers back a multiverse (which I thought we might already have), folding in some of the Multiversity Earths as being legitimately in canon. But I don't necessarily know if I feel like anything is necessarily different. And I don't know if I 100% understand what happened here. And I wonder of Scott Lobdell had the audacity to rewrite the ending of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the granddaddy of all crossover events and really the gold standard of these sort of books. I know Crisis. I am friends with Crisis. And Convergence, you are no Crisis.

Writers Jeff King and Scott Lobdell do their best to explain things here. Things in the DCU are very different at the end. But I also feel like the first 7 issues were just biding time. Many of the plots and subplots of this series aren't crucial to this ending.

Art is done by a whole stable of artists (Stephen Segovia, Carlo Pagulayan, Eddie Pansica, Ethan Van Sciver, Jason Paz, Scott Hanna, and Trevor Scott). I guess it is too much to ask that a universe-redefining issue gets done by one artist?

Last issue, we had a great moment where Parallax incinerates Deimos, an evil sorceror from the Warlord series who was hoping to rule the universe.

Unfortunately, all the time-traveling chronal energy Deimos had absorbed is now being taken into the Convergence planet, making it unstable.

And since the Convergence planet exists outside the space/time continuum of the multiverse, this planetary destruction will destroy everything.

Now I suppose that since there are cities from all continuities on this planet, it has a sort of finger into all those realities. So maybe this makes sense?

Telos, who name drops both Zero Hour and Countdown, knows that the temporal energy needs to be absorbed by something other than the planet itself.

Initially there is hope that Booster Gold and Waverider could take it in. But it is too much for them to do alone. In fact, the only one who can take it all in is Brainiac.

Brainiac, the villain who started all this, who has imprisoned these people, has suddenly become a needed ally.

We finally learn a bit about this version of Brainiac.

When he survived the Flashpoint event, he went beyond the Source, existing outside reality, and witnessing everything. He saw the Crisis and multiple versions of himself, us reading comics, Infinity Crisis, Countdown, and even the birth of the New 52.

In a moment of clarity, he asks for help, hoping to return to his original form and not this 'cancerous' monster warped by all the continuity-changing events he has witnessed.

So Brainiac living outside time and witnessing all these events is an interesting concept. He is, in essence, the stand-in for long time readers who also have lived through all these reboots and has come out angry and deformed. Maybe Brainiac begging to return to somewhere else, somewhen else is Lobdell and King acknowledging the fans?

Remember all the maneuvering of the New 52 heroes outside the Convergence planet the last 2 weeks? Well that also seems completely superfluous. Because once the planet manifests itself in the Earth 0 universe and nears destruction, those characters all turn tail and run, returning home to 'say goodbye'. Only Superman and Supergirl stay behind to watch.

You would think that Superman and Supergirl being there together, holding hands and hoping, would be a good moment. But for me, this was a horrible moment.

First off, how terrible is it that with the universe, heck all reality, about to be snuffed out, the heroes of the New 52 left. Did they really exhaust all their options? Did they try to save everyone? Nope. They left to say goodbye to their loved ones. I would think the heroes would be trying anything to save everyone.

Brainiac absorbs the temporal energy and promises to return the occupants of the cities to whatever universe they desire.

His plan goes awry when the 'First Crisis' is too strong to send everyone back. If that crisis, Crisis on Infinite Earths, is not 'changed' the DCU will become a universe again, rather than a multiverse as where all can exist.

Brainiac sends Supergirl and the Flash back to that Crisis to meet their fates. But then, oddly, Parallax and the Pre-Flashpoint Superman (with Lois and his newborn son in tow) also head there to try to help.

Of course, this Flash and Supergirl are heroes willing to sacrifice themselves to save everyone. But their mission isn't to save the universe. Their mission is to prevent the collapse of the multiverse.

I don't know how to read this. Are they trying to change the ending of Crisis on Infinite Earths? Stop the creation of a Universe? Altering that story?

Or is it that they simply  need to relive the ending of the Crisis, create a universe, so that all the subsequent event comics can unfold as they did?

I am sooooo confused.

Because if the Crisis ended differently, did Supergirl live? Is Superman/Lois/Baby Jon out there somewhere? Inside Alex Luthor in Paradise (we know how that goes)?

And who would dare to try to change that book? 

And then we get to see that they were 'successful'. There is now a multiverse.

We see multiple Earths again.

But you see how behind each Earth is a 'shadow' of characters. The pre-Crisis/pre-Flashpoint trinity are behind the New 52 characters. We see worlds from the Multiverse sourcebook.

And we hear that each world has evolved.

We don't get an old school Earth 2, we get the New 52 Earth 2. We don't get the pre-Crisis heroes, we get the 'evolved' New 52.

So do we have all the continuities in play? Or not?

Meanwhile, the Convergence planet survives, is reinvigorated by Alan Scott, and becomes the new Earth 2.

Why is Dick Grayson so important? Unknown.
What is Telos' real name and why was that crucial? Unknown.

Is there really anything that different about this DCU now than there was before this? Didn't Multiversity give us these worlds anyways?

And is what about Crisis on Infinite Earths? Undone? Changed? Redone? If it is changed, I have a doozy of a Supergirl prediction.

As for Convergence, it is no Crisis. It is just another event on the pile.

Overall grade: C+

Review: Convergence #7

Convergence #7 came out last week and once more I feel compelled to review the book. For one, there are some great Supergirl moments in the book and from multiple incarnations of the Girl of Steel. Second, the art on the issue is done by one of my all-time favorites Aaron Lopresti. Third, there was finally a moment in this storyline that made me sit up and take notice, a sort of ka-pow moment that was appreciated by an old timer like me.

That doesn't mean I think this is a fantastic event comic. I don't know if I actually 100% understand what is happening, why things are happening, or  what the motivations of the main characters are. I can imagine the pitch meeting.

DC exec 1: You know what would be cool? Having all sorts of historical incarnations of all our characters meeting and brawling!
DC exec 2: Sounds awesome! How are we going to do that?
DC exec 1: Who cares! We'll figure that out as we go.

And I have to agree with those imaginary executives. Seeing the pre-Crisis Supergirl fighting along side the original Captain Atom and Harley Quinn is cool. And seeing temporal rifts bringing back images of prior versions of characters made me smile.

But this 'dome city world', Brainiac's role, Telos' role, Deimos' goals, and the motivations of all the domed city prisoners? I don't know if I actual get what Brainiac was doing. I don't know how Telos got his powers, how powerful he is, and why he is doing what he is doing now. And the idea that one of the big bads is a villain from the Warlord comic makes it hard to take seriously. Just what the heck is actually happening here?

All of that confusion is swept under the carpet though because of the superb art by Aaron Lopresti art. I loved Lopresti on Wonder Woman and even bought a couple of issues of that awful Amethyst book solely because of him. This book was worth the cost just for his art and his rendering of Supergirls.

The Convergence world is somehow being thrust into the main DC Universe. The main heroes were mobilized in last week's issue to see if they were needed and to witness. Even Scott Lobdell's Watcher, the Oracle is present.

Superman is outside the JLA satellite Saving lives as usual. I don't know what happened to Stormwatch, but there they are needing to be scooped up and brought to safety.

But this is where that shoddy DC editing rears its ugly head again. Last month, the interaction between Supergirl and the Red Lanterns was completely wrong. And Guy was once again wearing a red ring.

Here he is in a Green Lantern uniform. But he still calls the Red Lanterns his team. And there is the dead Zilius Zox again alive and well.

Meanwhile, the lines have been drawn on the Convergence world. Those heroes fighting for survival are brawling with Deimos' organized troops. It is weird to see the pre-Crisis Superman fighting the Kingdom Come Superman. Weird.

But I love the pre-Crisis Supergirl fighting the Flashpoint Wonder Woman. Fantastic!

And great splash page by Lopresti. Gorgeous.

Telos arrives with Grayson to battle Deimos for control of the world and somehow all of the space-time continuum (or is it continuums).

What I like about this whole Convergence series is how strong and heroic the pre-Crisis Supergirl is shown to be. Whether in the Convergence Adventures of Supergirl series or this main series, she is right up front.

Here she makes the call to trust Telos and rallies some heavy hitters, old school Captain Atom and Ultra Boy. How great that she is at the forefront of this group, as the leader, and an important part in their campaign!

I will say again, Lopresti draws a gorgeous and strong Supergirl. But the best is yet to come!

The current Superman, Supergirl, and Martian Manhunter are on the satellite when a wave of temporal/spatial energy hits them. Suddenly, they are every other incarnation they were all at once.

For a Supergirl fan like me, this was pure gold. Yes, the headband costume is missing the red shoulders. Yes, the midriff costume skirt was blue, not red. But who the heck cares. We see the current version, the Lupacchino variant with full red bottom and weird S. But we get the 70s hot pants. And the white shirted Linda Danvers. And immediate pre-Crisis. All in one panel, all drawn with Lopresti flair. Incredible.

And we see Fleischer Superman, energy Superman, old school J'Onn. This is the power of DC history.

I have to say it again. It is great as a Supergirl fan that she has such a prominent place in the issue. I means she is square in the center of a two page spread here.

Clearly one of the best moments of the year so far.

Meanwhile, on the planet, now in the main universe, Deimos shows his true colors.

He doesn't care about those who are fighting for him. He gains power from their deaths, from all deaths.

Just like that the two factions of characters are all on the same side against a common enemy.

Now why Deimos wants everyone dead, I have no idea. I don't know if I understand the hows and whys of anything on this planet. And really ... Deimos?

There haven't been many moments in this series that have made me smile and giddy like a young comic book fan. I crave those moments that suck me into the story and make me think 'THAT JUST HAPPENED!"

Well, we finally get one here.

Hal Jordan Parallax decides Telos is the best chance he has of regaining Coast City. He makes the sort of decision Parallax would. He incinerates Deimos with a massive single blast. There is nothing left but a smoking crater.

I wasn't expecting that. But it makes perfect sense.

Unfortunately, because Deimos absorbed the power of the time-traveling heroes, and Parallax killed Deimos, that energy isn't available to Telos any more.

So instead, time and reality goes insane. Reality is being ripped apart.

So, of all the Convergence issues, this one was the most fun for me.

Supergirl is really featured prominently throughout. We get to see all her incarnations. There is a'ka-pow' moment with Parallax. And we are near the end.

I do wonder though. Should I be worried?

Lobdell writing. Supergirl featured prominently in a Crisis-esque mini-series. No solo book. A possible 'new version', more like the show's Kara, possibly on the horizon. Could Supergirl die in the next issue???

But, rather than dwell on ugly possibilities, I'll concentrate on the fun. I was entertained. And that's all I can ask for.

Overall grade: B+

Review: Convergence #6

I have not been reviewing the main Convergence book on this site. It isn't a great story. I'm not particularly engrossed with the premise. And I don't know if I am feeling invested in the main characters here - the displaced heroes of Earth 2.

I thought Convergence #6 was worth taking a closer look at because it prominently features 2 Supergirls, the current Kara and the pre-Crisis Supergirl as well. But I also felt that I needed to also show just how sloppy these books can somehow get when writers and editors don't seem to know the continuities they are writing. There are parts of this book that make no sense.

There are a lot of artists on this issue but Ed Benes is the primary penciller with Eduardo Pansica pitching in as well. I think Benes' art looks the best it has in some time. This is the best I have seen him render Supergirl in a while.

But the muddled plot, dominated by Warlord  and Earth 2 characters, is something of a drag. I don't care for Deimos. I don't care for Telos. I don't understand how/why Brainiac is trapped in a force bubble. And I am not feeling just how special this particular Dick Grayson is.

On to the highlights, mostly Supergirl stuff.

This the first the first time we have seen Supergirl since the last issue of her own series. That issue ended on a cliffhanger. Supergirl had lost her powers. I guess I was supposed to forget that.

Assuming I move away from her continuity, I suppose I should be happy that she is helping Superman. The Convergence planet is coming into our universe. And the cousins are thereto investigate it together.

Supergirl acting like a hero in a Scott Lobdell book is something novel!

Unfortunately, the continuity mistakes pile up.

The Red Lanterns show up to investigate as well.

Kara seems afraid of them, or upset at seeing them, needing to be emotionally supported by Superman.

Except ... Kara loved the Lanterns. They acted like her family more than Superman did. She hugged Guy. They had nicknames for each other. She helped them even after she had shed the ring. She'd probably fly up and hug them. She definitely wouldn't be uncomfortable around them.

Also, Zilius Zox died in Red Lanterns! How is he here?

And in Red Lanterns #40, Guy gave up the Red Ring. 

That is a lot of gaffes for one scene.

And to make matters worse, Lobdell makes his Watcher clone, The Oracle, also show up.

One thing this while Convergence thing has done has made me realize how much I miss the pre-Crisis Supergirl. And she is featured nicely in this issue. Too bad the colorist doesn't make her shoulders red, like they should be in this costume. I blame the predilection for piping on current costumes.  Peter Steigerwald, the colorist, must not have realized the lines on her shoulders demarcated a change in color.

In the book, Telos has been replaced as master of the world by Deimos, a lair error from the a Warlord comic. And Deimos has a new proposition for the trapped cities. Those who will serve him will be spared.

A set of detainees decide to unite and fight rather than bow to Deimos' will. Great to see the old school Superman, red trunks and all, leading the team.

As I said earlier, the Earth 2 characters take center stage here. That includes Dick Grayson who somehow felt to be the most important person n the planet. Even Superman says so. Grayson's perspective is paramount.

But I don't know if I have ever understood why people think Grayson is the keystone here.

And the heroes think that Telos is the key. Last issue, Telos was able to recall that at some point he was a denizen of this planet, a man with a wife and family. It was Brainiac who stripped him of that mortality, that normalcy, and set him up as caretaker of this zoo-like world.

That knowledge seemed to shake Telos' resolve. He fled the world allowing Deimos to take over.

Now Grayson plays that key role, telling Telos that he needs to rejoin the fight, to wrest control from Deimos, to shrug off the slavery of Brainiac. Now is the time for Telos to make amends for past misdeeds.

I don't know. I can think of dozens of characters who could give that speech. Perhaps it is my lack of Earth 2 knowledge that makes me not grasp why Grayson is the one, called out by Superman, and thrust into this role.

Telos thinks that Deimos might be able to tell reveal his true name. And somehow that knowledge will make him free. As one of my daughter's once said after watching one of the many Hiyao Miyazaki movies - "If it's one thing I've learned, never reveal your true name or have it taken from you."

The time has come. The time for battle. Let then the armies form.

Agsin, nice that the pre-Crisis Supergirl gets a nod, along with the pre-Flashpoint Superman and Parallax. Quite a trio.

Great shot of Kara. If only the shoulders were red!

And so we see the 'good guy' army, the troops united to fight against Deimos and for a shared reality. I see among the troops two Superman, Donna Troy, old school captain Atom, and Supergirl.

I absolutely love that shot of Supergirl, very apt for this period in her life. At this point she was confident, independent, defending Chicago. She was a hero in her own right, not just 'Superman's cousin.' She would be there, arms crossed, defiant in the face of the enemy, sure of herself.

But then we see the army that has been mobilized on the side of Deimos. It's one thing to see the Flashpoint 'heroes' there. They have always been on the dark side of things. And I can see why the Extremists and the Crime Syndicate would join in.

But the Kingdom Come Superman? And while it isn't in my scan, the Huntress is there too! Why would she join Deimos?

It all sets up a classic brawl of a next issue.

Overall, I think Convergence has been something of a mixed bag. Some things have been good. Others missteps. And this main story has been up and down.

Still, how great to see that original Supergirl again.

Overall grade: C+

Review: Superman #31

Superman #31 came out last week, another chapter in the Superman:Doomed storyline, even if it isn't labeled as such on the cover. It is strange that the Doomed cover dress isn't here because the book is clearly lodged in that story and follows the format of those chapters (including the opening Daily Planet recap page). All that said, this issue really pushes the Lois/Brainiac story more than the Doomsday one so maybe it was a conscious decision.

This is also Scott Lobdell's last issue on Superman! Ironically, it is also probable his best. While this issue doesn't progress the Doomsday storyline that much, it progresses the Brainiac story a bit. But most importantly for me, it includes some solid characterization showing once again how Superman's affliction is effecting those around him. And, the Superman characterization regarding Lois is intriguing. Maybe there is an undercurrent of some Clark/Lois romance?

The art here is split by Ed Benes and Jack Herbert. I have to say Herbert has a solid and smooth style. It is clean and seems to mimic the DC house style with some nice flair. I hope to see more of him soon.

The book opens with Superman in chains, being held and studied in the prison that was built for Lex Luthor. In fact, this page is a clear homage to the cover of Superman #15 which showed Lex similarly bound by chains.

It is a clear sign that the roles of Luthor and Superman have been reversed. Now Luthor is the hero and Superman is imprisoned in a so-called 'inescapable' cell. This holding cell has been put together for the greatest scientific minds to study and hopefully cure Superman of the Doomsday virus. Luthor, Cyborg, Batman, Ray Palmer, and Shay Veritas are all trying to their best ... but to no avail.

In fact, things are getting worse. Intermittently the withering death wave emanates from Superman forcing the group of scientists to be careful and ready to run.

 We see how upset how this inevitable worsening and death of Superman is shaking up his friends. Wonder Woman is putting on a strong face but is saddened. Lex is cautious and concerned. And Veritas is outright upset that she can't figure it out and save Superman. This is the first time I felt that Veritas was a true good guy. Many of her other appearances have been oddly vague as if she might be a villain in waiting. Here she is so upset that she can't help Superman (as he has helped her) that she flings her cane.

I love this panel with her throwing the cane towards the reader, outside of the panel. It adds some dynamism, showing her exasperation. Nice work by Herbert. Love it.

 Superman has asked for Lois to come to the facility to talk to her.

Lois has been somewhat lost under Lobdell. Pushed aside, possessed, comatose, still possessed, she just hasn't been classic Lois here. It has been a shame.

Weirdly, Lobdell decides to up the ante and add a wrinkle to the Superman/Lois relationship - maybe showing that there are some unrequited feelings still there.

Here Superman calls Lois his best friend. And when she arrives, he looks up and smiles. There isn't much Doomsday in this face. This felt classic.

Even Batman knows that there is something is special with Lois. When Lex worries that the withering Doomsday wave might happen at any time, Batman knows it simply won't happen. Superman won't let that happen around Lois.

That hasn't been said about Bruce, or Kara, or even Diana. But Superman won't let it happen around Lois.

Hmmmm. Interesting.

Could this be some foreshadowing of what will happen once Johns takes over? Or simply stating the obvious?

Why did Superman call Lois to his side? With the incurable Doomsday virus progressing, Superman tells Lois to let everyone know that people should never trust him. People will believe it if Lois tells them. Again it shows that somehow Lois is special.

But ...

This is the New 52.

Do people really trust Superman in this universe such that this needs to be said? The military hates him. STAR scientists disrespect him. His JLA teammates don't trust him. And Lobdell hasn't done him any favors. So I don't know if he needed to state this.

Of course, Lois is possessed by Brainiac. While in person she is all nice, on the telepathic realm, in Superman mind, she is green with Brainiac forehead nodes. And on that mind-level, we see her 'astral form' belittling Superman for even caring what people think. She also thinks this is meaningless given Brainiac is coming.

Now why a calculating, cold 12th level intellect's internal astral image would be in a shredded, midriff baring, bad girl outfit, I can't answer. I would think a Brainiac-Lois telepathic form would be in a cold science tunic thing or something more machine-like.

This is Benes being Benes ... and sort of odd.

I don't quite know why Lois does what she does next. She uses her mind powers to plant the idea that the Teen Titans need help fighting Detritus. And with that nudge, Superman flies off, bashing his way out of the prison.

I suppose this might be Lobdell trying to write the Titans one last time? But it seems forced.

Of course, Superman being Doomsday, he crushes Detritus underfoot, smashing a city intersection in the process. Not surgical, but overwhelmingly destructive. And he does it with glee. It shows that the Doomsday virus is progressing.

And then, Superman regains his senses and realizes that everything is wrong with him right now. It is harder to control. And I suppose this scene shows that heroes will now distrust Superman. So maybe there is slight progression here.

Still, this issue shows more of the Brainiac arc than Doomed. I enjoyed that opening scene where the heroes try to help Superman, especially the Veritas interaction. And the Lois moments (when she isn't Brainiac) are very interesting. It seems to imply that there is something special between Superman and Lois. And despite the fact that seems right, it is new in the New 52. It isn't this evident or out front.

The Lois/Brainiac outfit seems odd. The 'tell them not to trust me' seems unnecessary since no one seems to trust heroes in the New 52. And the Titans scene seems forced. Why would Lois know about this ... unless she is psionically scanning the world. And why send Superman there? Especially since she doesn't think anything matters.

Jack Herbert is a name to watch though. Nice art!

Overall grade: B-

Review: Superman Doomed #1

Superman Doomed #1 came out yesterday, the opening chapter of the Doomed arc which will run through the super-books during the summer. It is a joint effort by the writers of the Superman books: Greg Pak, Charles Soule, and Scott Lobdell with artwork by Ken Lashley.

The issue could almost be called a prologue as we learn pretty quickly that the villain of this piece isn't going to be Doomsday but Superman himself. In a universe where Superman isn't beloved, turning him into a monster feels a little bit like piling on for me. The power of the original Death of Superman arc was that Superman's sacrifice effected everyone. He was the ultimate hero paying the ultimate price. In the New 52, even scientists snark at Superman. Turning him into a monster seems more like a natural progression.

Given that sentiment going in, I had little optimism for this storyline. And, happily, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with was has come so far. DC starts the ball rolling by releasing the first 3 parts this week, giving the arc some momentum. And, surprisingly, there is a fair amount of characterization in the books, showing the issues that spring from the Doomsday event. Moreover, I feel like this arc is going to clear the decks of some lingering subplots like Lois/Brainiac and Clarkcatropolis. Geoff Johns might have a clean slate when he comes on.

Lashley is a great artist pick for this opening issue. His style is just rough enough to give the blistering Doomsday plague waves and power of the resulting brawls a chaotic feel.

 Remember we last saw Doomsday killing the prancing honeymooners in Superman #30.

It turns out that Doomsday actually has manifested several new powers. One is something I am calling the 'plague wave'. Basically, waves of power are emanating from Doomsday, sucking the life out of anything that it hits. The energy even breaks down the substance of nonliving things. Doomsday is a walking incinerator. And any life energy these waves snuffs out strengthen him.

I don't know how the script chores break down but this scene sounded like Pak. Superman is basically able to save only one Air Force pilot that was in the vicinity of the island. But Clark doesn't dwell on the man he saved. Instead he is dismayed at all the people he couldn't.

It is a nice shot. We see pure death in the foreground, a blasted skeleton among the fire. And Superman is small, almost inconsequential, in the background. Nice art/words mix.

Unfortunately Doomsday isn't around. Looking for answers, he heads to talk to Shay Veritas. Veritas notes the changes in Doomsday. How this Doomsday might be the evolved form of the larval Doomsday Superman fought before. And his 'plague wave' will ultimately destroy everyone.

It leads to a crisis in Superman. Is Doomsday sentient? Is he alive? Can Superman kill it without feeling that he has compromised his ethics. Veritas cuts to the heart of the question. What will Superman become if he kills?

In this instance, the question isn't just a metaphor. I thought this was a nice foreshadow to the crux of this arc.

But is Doomsday a sentient being? And did I have as much angst about this question when Superman battered him to death decades ago?

 Meanwhile, Smallville remains comatose. And both Lois and Lana are trying to get in to figure out why.

Look, it is the first time the two women in Superman's life (at least his past lives) finally meet. Lana actually looks like she is going to fight the army soldier guarding the entrance to Smallville to get in. Luckily Lois comes by and uses her 'jedi mind tricks' to talk her way in. We know that's probably Brainiac power.

I like Lana being an adventure scientist, even here hanging off Lois' moving car to sneak in. But going for a weapon to beat up a sentry? It seems just a bit much.

Clark seems resigned to the fact that he probably will need to kill Doomsday. But he continues to mull over this decision knowing it is a dramatic turn in his life. Looking for more advice, he talks to Perry White, cloaking his problem as more of an ethical conundrum in journalism.

White seems like the perfect sounding board - a man of integrity who has been doing his job for a long time. And Perry says that every so often, for the good of all, ethics need to be bent. And those breaches hurt when you do it, when you cross that internal line. But the fact that Clark is already weighed down by the decision, the fact that he is pained by it, is a good sign that things won't change that much.

I don't know if I want this to be a carte blanche for Clark to do anything. But I thought this was a good speech.

 Doomsday shows up again in Africa, sucking up the life of herds of animals, getting stronger and stronger. His rampage gets the attention of Steel (who just happens to be visiting the area - a bit of a stretch), Wonder Woman, and eventually Superman.

The plague wave seems to wither Steel and Diana. But Diana is fierce, running her sword through Doomsday's chest. But it isn't enough. And when Superman and Diana turn to face Doomsday together, Doomsday shows his newest power. He teleports away.

I like that we see Superman and Wonder Woman fighting this thing together. This scene works well, showing how powerful Doomsday has become and making it clear that he is threat that needs to be put down.

 Limping away with the post-Forever Evil Justice League, Superman gets a hard lesson from ... of all people ... Lex Luthor. Doomsday is gathering energy. He doesn't have enough yet to go toe-to-toe with Superman so he keeps blipping around. Maybe the best thing for Superman to do is leave and hopefully lure Doomsday away with him.

It is sound advice I suppose. But the flip side is without Superman around, Doomsday might simply tromp around the world killing everything.

I also wonder, if Doomsday is interested in gaining energy, why isn't he going around killing lesser super-heroes and villains gathering their energy? I wondered if this could be a sort of Dragon Ball Z 'Cell' story.

 Amazingly, Superman agrees with Luthor. He will leave ... but he will take Doomsday with him.

Now that does make sense. The main thing is to limit death and taking the fight somewhere else makes perfect sense. If only the Superman in the Man of Steel movie knew that.

Knowing he might die, Superman begins to settle up some business. I liked this moment when he gives Bruce a key to the fortress but lets him know that Diana has one too. I have never understood the Clark/Diana romance. But that was a nice moment.

 As I have said, I don't understand this romance. This is supposed to be an endearing moment I suppose. And I suppose that people who like this relationship think this is great.

For me this cemented just how disconnected these two are, just how much Diana doesn't understand this man. Behead it and bring me its head? Who would say that to Superman? We see how the idea of killing Doomsday is weighing on Clark already. Shouldn't she know that he isn't a killer ... a beheader? She simply doesn't get him.

And Clark saying it is romantic?? Really?

I just don't get this relationship.

Superman does indeed grab Doomsday and whisk him to Venus where he thrashes the monster. It seems like the fight is over, so Superman limps back to Earth.

Ah ... but remember ... Doomsday can teleport. Doomsday also returns to Earth leaving Superman no choice. He rips Doomsday apart. Again, the rougher art by Lashley works here, throughout this battle, making it feel frenetic and chaotic.

So ... Superman is a killer.

Well ....

This didn't irk me as much as the Zod death did at the end of Man of Steel. For me, this Doomsday is like a germ, a virus. I don't think Superman would have a hard time fighting a virulent strain of the flu to save people. Killing this Doomsday is like eradicating smallpox in my mind. So maybe he isn't a neck-snapping killer. At least in my mind.

Or am I simply trying to convince myself that Superman is still Superman, even in The New 52.

So, overall, I thought this was a decent opening chapter. For me the best part was seeing Superman mulling over the decision of dispatching Doomsday. There is that core that life is precious. And the best moment was Perry's nuanced speech. How far can a good person be pushed and remain a good person.

Doomsday is already dead, in the prologue! So on to the next chapters.

And as I said, this was better than anticipated.

Overall grade: B

Review: Superman #30

In a couple of months Geoff Johns and John Romita, Jr. will be taking over the Superman title. That means that the Scott Lobdell era on the character is coming to a close. And it seems to be ending with a whimper than a bang.

Maybe that is being kind.

Because this isn't a whimper. It is just a lousy comic.

Lobdell must know that he is working on borrowed time because he tries to shove as many subplots into this issue as he can. But do all of these things need the time that is devoted to them? For me the answer was no. And do I wish some of these subplots just disappeared? Yes, I do.

Also, since we get a ton of subplots, the transition from one scene to the other is so jarring that there is no flow to the book at all. Things happen in a strange way to move a scene along. And there is little characterization here.

The internal art is by Ed Benes and his style is well known. But this is a 20 page comic that has 6 single splash pages. There are several 2 page spreads where the upper half of both pages are one big panel. Almost none of these moments require 'big art' to tell the story. If Lobdell had so much to cover, he could have tightened up the art for more description and depth to the scenes he wants to cover.

And while I don't bother assuming that covers have anything to do with content, Andy Kubert's cover showing a Superman thrashed in Smallville isn't even approached inside.

If there was any scene that truly frustrated me about this issue it is the opening one. We have 4 pages ... 4 pages! ... that's 20% of this book ...delving into the back story of a couple on their honeymoon. How they met. Their jobs. There struggles in staying together. Their undying love. How happy they are.

Then they are killed by Doomsday.

That is a lot of time spent on people we will never see again. The point of view of the average human in a world with metas has been a well-worn device to talk about how life is precious and tenuous. But 4 pages? And that is more backstory than we have seen for almost any of the true supporting characters of the book. The whole book includes the presence of an omniscient narrator who has some cringe-worthy, ham-fisted, sometimes inscrutable lines.

And, I may be off but Alistair looks sort of like Scott Lobdell.

Okay, 20% down. Two civilians dead.

We jump to Smallville. We have a page with 2 panels. The Welcome to Smallville sign. And police in riot gear searching the library. It seems that Smallville, as a town, has fallen into a coma. Sam Lane has been called in to help the military figure out what has happened.

We have a splash of Superman landing in the town, complete with some inscrutable text.

But I like this moment. Superman wants to know what is happening and the Colonel in charge storms off. I suppose her line is supposed to be a 'burn' ... but wouldn't she want Superman's help? And I would need to count off how many words the sentence is before I said it. Has she used that before? Is that her go-to exit line?

And it contributes to the 'world/military dislikes Superman' attitude that has been in this book. Amazingly Lane asks for Superman's help. But Clark can't get figure it out.

Lane wonders if new crop circles are a key. Turns out they spell out Doom in Kryptonian. As he flies around Superman sees something hiding in a silo. He heads to investigate only to have his powers leave him suddenly. It turns out the person making the crop circles, the guy brooding in a silo, is Lobdell's Eradicator, the living entity of Krypton's death. It was sent here in Krypton Returns. And yes, the picture of the Eradicator, sitting on hay bales, is a splash.

So ... green Kryptonite doesn't take away Superman's powers.

But moreover, why would the Eradicator sit in the silo for the time he has? Why did he write the circles? Didn't he want to kill all Kryptonians to complete his mission?

Turns out ... somehow ... the Eradicator has looked into the future and seen that the Earth will be destroyed by Superman! How does he know this? Is prognostication one of his powers? We don't find out.

After telling Superman this, The Eradicator tosses Kal into space and disappears. Was this a way to remind us (unfortunately) that this Eradicator exists? Because I don't know if it added anything.

And I don't know if I understand the Eradicator as a character at all. What are his motivations? Why did he stick around Smallville? Couldn't some of the page space used in large panels been used to fill us in more?

Cut to Metropolis where Lois is mind-locking people around her with her retained Brainiac powers.

Remember when the Parasite drained Lois of her powers and memories that Clark is Superman? I guess he somehow drained just the memories. Because Lois is again approaching 12th level intellect/psionic. Shouldn't she pick up that Clark is Superman again?

Remember when everyone else with Brainiac powers became hideous creatures with huge heads? I guess it doesn't effect Lois that way?

Remember when Lois was a valued part of the Superman mythos?

Anyways, she is now a herald for the Collector of Worlds. If any page deserved a splash, it was this one.

And, of course, we get more over the top bombast from the omniscient narrator.

Meanwhile, Superman has gone to his fortress to try to find Doomsday with Cyborg's help. On this page, we have a half panel outside shot of the Fortress.

Clark feigns illness so he, again, won't be doing any work for Clarkcatropolis.

I don't know what to think about Clark telling Cat that she often acts 'vacuous and self-centered'. Even if he says it is a schtick, it sounds like an insult.

Despite being in the Fortress, Superman doesn't hear the people in Kandor awaken and bang on the glass.

See how their fists make a 'doom' sign!! Okay, okay ... not subtle.

And the book ends with another splash page! This one showing the tropical island from the first scene, smashed apart.

I suppose that the Smallville and Kandor plots are linked.

I just think this was something of a jumbled mess, jumping from subplot to subplot with no transitions or linking of any kind. Some scenes, like the opening one, are simply too long. That story hook of innocents dying could have been done in one page. Other scenes, like crop circles and the Eradicator, are meaningless, not adding much to the story ... or at least adding in a way that is comprehensible. Add to that a Superman that is disliked by the Army even in the face of a disaster and a Clark that insults his friends. It is rough.

In fact, the only subplot worth checking out is the Lois subplot. But to chew on that, I have to simply forget pieces of that subplot that have been lingering for a while now. I can't forget that the 'Twenty' died as misshapen beings. I can't figure out how Lois doesn't know Clark is Superman. And her current situation makes the Parasite issue (remember when Superman risked Lois' life to protect his interests?) even worse than when I read it!

Overall grade: D