Free Comic Book Day 2017: DC Superhero Girls:Summer Olympus

I wasn't sure if I would be able to make Free Comic Book Day last Saturday but luckily I was able to leave work on time and hit the store before the doors close.

My story allows 2 free comics per customer and I decided on Dragon Ball Z and DC Superhero Girls. The  Superhero Girls book 'Summer Olympus' was written by Shea Fontana with art by Yancey Labat (the usual creative team). And, as usual, this was a lot of fun.

I am relatively certain that Summer Olympus is the next DCSHG graphic novel so this is probably the opening chapter. Similarly, last year's FCBD DCSHG book was the opening chapter of Finals Crisis. So this is a nice way to grab new readers and give them a taste of the bigger product.

I was definitely glad to get this because there are moments that should be shared and enjoyed!

On to the book!

Bullet Review: DC Comics Bombshells #26

DC Comics Bombshells #26 came out this last week, the print version of the digital first comic based on the Bombshells merchandise line. It is a comic which started out on fire. The first twelve print issues were fantastic. But after that it seemed to lose its way. It has been a bit on the firing line for me recently, always about to be dropped.

It didn't help that Wonder Woman and Supergirl basically disappeared from the book after the climax in issue twleve. They were my two favorite characters, especially with their character arcs in the earlier books, and suddenly they were gone.

Luckily, writer Marguerite Bennett has decided to bring those two back into the throng. Diana and Kara are back. And nothing says that more than the Supergirl cover on this issue. Hurrah!

All that said, the current stories haven't grabbed me as much as the origin story did. I also think that Bennett is walking a fine line for me on the focus of the book. Initially, this was a character driven book which clearly had a political agenda as a foundation. At times recently this has felt more like an agenda driven book which has characters. And I'll tell you, for me historically, when the agenda overtakes the characters, the story tends to suffer.

The art continues to be a high point. In particular, Mirka Andolfo, who does the Supergirl pages, is a favorite of mine. And Adventures of Supergirl alum Carmen Carnero does very crisp pages here as well.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #22

Superman #22 came out this week, the next chapter in 'Black Dawn'. But to be honest, the cover should have had more trade dress. It should have said 'starring Lois Lane' because this is a Lois issue. And I loved it.

While Action Comics has been more invested in Superman's place in the entirety of the DCU, Superman has been much more of a family book. This has been the true Superman family book, showing life for Clark, Lois, and Jon. Recent turns in continuity has made who Lois is something of a mystery. Ms. Lane? Mrs. Kent? Mrs. Lane-Kent? Action hero? Investigative journalist? Suburban Stepford wife? All of the above? Did the streamlining of the Superman timeline somehow make Lois take a step backwards?

Story tellers Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason hopefully put that to rest in this issue. Lois is following clues, investigating mysteries, throwing front round kicks, and taking names. Lois shines in this issue. And that makes me very happy. Because, especially this Superman - mostly templated on the pre-Flashpoint Superman - is really one member of a team, the team of Lois and Clark.

Doug Mahnke is on art and I have been talking about how much I love his art for a long time on this site. Nothing changes here. The book is beautiful to look at. Vivid and gorgeous, with brilliant colors by Wil Quintana.

On to the book!

Supergirl Episode 219: Alex

Supergirl Episode 219, titled 'Alex', aired this week and was another episode which focused more on the characters and less on the main storyline of Daxam's impending invasion. The main arc isn't completely ignored, a crucial piece is definitely put into place here. But this is about how important Alex is to this universe.

Alex is kidnapped and we see how that effects Kara. We see how that effects Maggie. And we see how that effects J'onn. Alex is an important figure in all of their lives - sister, girlfriend, and daughter respectively. And when she is put in peril, we see just how much Alex is the rock these characters rely on.

One of the underlying themes of this episode is seeing how different Maggie and Kara's methods are in delivering justice. Maggie is a 'by the book' detective, following procedure, and using her interrogation and investigative skills in a deliberate manner. She is aware of the long game and doesn't mind playing it. Kara, on the other hand, is a 'fly in and rescue' sort. She doesn't wait, she acts. That plays out well with this sort of over-confident Supergirl we have seen this season.

And while there can be times when either method are needed (in fact that plays out a bit), these women are a bit entrenched in their style. And the friction that arises when they disagree impacts Alex who loves them both. It gets a little awkward.

I also have to applaud Chyler Leigh as Alex who not only plays the personal moments extremely well but also shows how resourceful she is as an agent. You see why Alex has her position in the DEO.


Lastly, I love that the writers throws long time fans some Easter Eggs. It makes me happy.

On to the episode!

Bullet Review: Justice League Of America #5

I wasn't sure if I was going to collect Steve Orlando's Justice League of America when it was announced. I am sort of a Big 7 sort of a League reader. And when not the Big 7, I like the idea of a legacy league, sort of what James Robinson did with the Dick Grayson Batman, Supergirl, Jessie Quick, Donna Troy model.

But the roster was a bit too interesting for me as a reader to ignore. There were too many characters I like solo to not want to read them as a team. Black Canary? Killer Frost? Vixen? I mean seriously! Even the presence of Batman and Lobo couldn't deter me from trying the book out.

The first arc had the team fight The Extremists, a group of villains committed to creating an orderly society, even if the means to that end are evil. The latest issue has them mobilizing to fight a group of villains trying to bring about total chaos. That is an interesting hook.

There is also a ton of character arcs for these heroes. Can Vixen lead a team with Batman as a member? Can Killer Frost redeem herself from her villainous past? Can Lobo be reined in? Where does Canary fit in? It has been a very enjoyable read so far.

But the last issue had two small moments worth showcasing, important for this blog.

Review: Action Comics #978

Action Comics #978 came out last week and basically could have been named 'the history of Superman'. With the merging of the lives of the New 52 Superman and the pre-Flashpoint Convergence Superman, there is a whole new timeline. And unlike past reboots where either things started from scratch or the reader was left to their own devices to figure out the past, this time DC lays the whole thing out in front of us.

Writer Dan Jurgens started this run through history last issue where Superman asks Kelex to replay his history. We got flashbacks to Krypton and Smallville then. Here, with artist Carlo Barberi, we get the Man of Steel's early life in Metropolis and all the main adventures up to now. It is a bit of a clip show. We don't get much of a new plot moving forward. But this cements that much of the pre-New 52 Superman mythos has survived. As with last issue, it is clear that Geoff Johns' Superman Secret Origin mini is the template.

I have to applaud Jurgens for doing this right. I had a lot of questions about how the lives of the 'Smiths' in Hamilton could be folded into the main timeline where Lois and Clark still work at the Planet. Somehow, Jurgens is able to pull it off.

Barberi has a snappy art style that works well. In particular, the Lois/Clark moments (and there are a lot of them) are fantastic.

On to the book.

Review: Supergirl Being Super #3

Supergirl Being Super #3 came out this week and was a very good issue of this coming-of-age story by Mariko Tamaki and Joelle Jones. The Kara of this book is working through some common issues that crop up in adolescence - that feeling of otherness and perhaps your first dealings with grief. This issue continues to cultivate those themes but adds the new theme, the lure of belonging.

Now I'll admit I am just about 3 decades north of adolescence. But the book is written so well, the images so compelling, that I felt back in that space. And my 'otherness' of Math Club, D&D, and comics is probably nothing compared to some feelings of isolation that others are dealing with. Still, to see Kara sort of walk through her life, reeling from the death of her friend, feeling a bit numb, and getting support from her family and other friends felt very real.

In fact, if there is one thing that really stood out about this issue it is the support structure in Kara's life. She knows she is an alien. She has never felt like she truly belonged. She has struggled sometimes with wondering what she should do with her powers, use them or hide them. And despite all that, it is made abundantly clear that she is accepted and loved by her closest relationships. It is unconditional. And that was wonderful. Because it would have been easy to portray the Danvers as 'stuck in the mud', stereotypical, close-minded folk. Instead, Tamaki gives us the absolute reverse.

The subplot of the 'evil coach' and the possibility of another Kryptonian survivor comes to a boil here as well. Tamaki gives us a very nice curve ball here, zigging where I thought the plot would zag. And that always makes me happy.

Finally, Joelle Jones art, as always, is just wonderful. There is a nuance to the art here, subtle expressive work and body language that adds tremendous volume to the proceedings. This book is as much Jones' as it is Tamaki's.

On to the book!