Supergirl Show 604: Lost Souls

 Supergirl episode 604, titled 'Lost Souls', aired this week and was another fast paced, 'hold on I have a crazy comic book explanation' episode which already seemingly tied up one of the major plots of this young season, the plague of phantoms on Earth. Alas, I can't think of a movie title which ties into the episode title.

As I said, we wrap up the Prime Phantom plotline here but with the most insane science a Bronze Age writer could shake a pencil at. Whether it is soul percentages, Ghostbuster homages, mirror portals, soul chrysalis, or DNA sensors, you just have to roll with it. Astonishingly, it all works. I grew up on comic book science. It is fun to see it on the small screen.

Outside that, the strength really has been the character development we have seen in this handful of episodes. It is great to see Kara act the hero here, pulling her dad forward. And it great to see that inspiration still impacting her friends on Earth. In fact, like last week, Katie McGrath kills it as Lena Luthor with several excellent scenes. 

And it was great to see the old series opener again with Kara talking of being a refugee and referencing her saving Alex's plane! It made me nostalgic. 

On to the show.

New Tom King Tweet

When Tom King was announced as the writer on Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, I was a little worried. Okay, maybe more than a little worried.

And then he tweeted about how great his new character was going to be in the mini-series making me nervous again. 

Earlier this week I read his Superman Up In The Sky trade and was surprised at how he seemed to understand Superman. 

And yesterday Tom King put out this tweet. And for a second, there was hope.

Leviathan Wednesday: Manhunter (Vol 2) #12

My Leviathan Wednesdays are taking the final turn on the track as we head into Checkmate in June. 

Today I cover Manhunter (Vol 2) #12, the last issue the Manhunter series which sprang from Zero Hour. This was the mid-90s and everything was EXTREME! And everything was very Image-comic-esque. We had lots of big weapons, big spikes, big capes, and insane violence! 

In all honesty, this is the only issue of this volume of Manhunter I have read recently.  I read Manhunter #0 off the racks but didn't read any more. And as of this post, no other issues other than the zero issue is available on DC Infinite. What I do know is Chase Lawler,  to save him and his girlfriend, summoned an elemental type force called The Wild Huntsman. compelled to hunt, he became the Manhunter.

I sought out this issue solely based on the cover which shows Mark Shaw, the true focus of Leviathan Wednesdays. I assumed this wouldn't have much to add to my combing Shaw's history to uncover why he became Leviathan. But I was surprised with what I read. And I know that in the next volume, things we see here are pushed even further.

But overall, this reads like the extreme sort of comic you'd expect it to be. Writer Steven Grant and artist Vince Giarrano give us this insane ride which brings us a wild left hand turn about Shaw's history. So get settled in and get ready to be extreme!!

Review: Challenge Of The Super-Sons #1

While it has been out digitally for some time, Challenge of the Super Sons #1 came out as a true issue last week and I was eager to pick it up. From the initial monthly to the 'Adventures of ...' mini series, writer Peter Tomasi has always swung for the fences with high energy, amusing, and often touching stories of Jon and Damian. And Tomasi has had the luck of being teamed with some of the best artists in the business on these books.

Challenge of the Super Sons #1 maintains that vibe, a perfect palate cleanser from the dark and 'true to life' comics of the modern age. I always smile when I read this book and goodness knows we need more smiles in this world.

For me the juice of the book is the interaction of the characters. Damian is young, vicious, jaded 'son of assassins' who is just starting to soften at the edges. Jon is high energy, brash, good to a fault, and sort of naive. Seeing these two pick up each others better traits and learn to be friends has always been special. This time they are caught up in some crazy super-heroic hijinks that make no sense other than to be fun. I'm all in.

This time the art is by Max Raynor who I recently praised for doing a spectacular arc in Batman/Superman. His art has a little more whimsy to it this time. 

I'll say it again, I miss these guys. I am glad DC is letting Tomasi tell us 'lost stories'.

Review: Superman #30

Superman #30 came out last week, the next story in the Phillip Kennedy Johnson era on the books. 

Once more, Johnson gives us a story involving Superman and Superboy, leaning into the relationship of a father has with a son. Johnson has already showed us how this is going to be a theme in his works starting with the 'Golden Age' discussion of when a child realizes their parents are vulnerable. Here it is Superman trying to hold onto the memories of good days, trying to work towards a day when every day can be perfect. As a dad of 'kids' who are now basically adults, this resonates. But if we keep heading to this emotional well, I wonder if it will start to feel trite. 

The story also takes us off-world where we see that Superman is a universal legend, helping a far off planet rid itself of a planetary threat called the Shadowbreed. In some ways, this reminded me of Bronze Age stories I read as a kid where Superman was a presence seemingly everywhere with alien races recognizing the S-shield and knowing how he is a hero.

The Shadowbreed sounds like a serious threat, a sort of smaller version of a Suneater. Will this mega-threat feel a bit more long lasting than any of the others which we have seen recently? Or will seem to fade in my consciousness once the story is over like Ulysses, Rogol Zaar, Synmar Utopica? One thing that I find a bit interesting is that Superman seems to willing go along with killing Shadowbreed. That seems like a sort of misstep.

The art is done by Scott Godlewski and is vibrant. Godlewski is a rising star in my mind. He certainly conveys the alien environment and their rituals dynamically. But for me it is the quiet scenes on Earth that really sparkled.

Finally, on to the book!

Supergirl Show 603: Phantom Menaces

'Phantom Menaces', the second episode in this last season of Supergirl, aired earlier this week. If the first two episodes are any indication, things are going to happen fast. Some of those things might have explanations. Some may not. But whatever you do, don't blink.  But will the pace detract?

Like last week's, this episode has basically four plots. One is the heroes dealing with the new threat of phantoms on Earth. There is a lot of quick exposition about the phantoms. What they are. How they conquer. How they replicate. And there is a lot of talk about the soul. If you thought the phantoms were curt rate Dementors last week, you'll think their actual Dementors now.

Then there is the Lena and Lex subplot which brings Brainy along for the ride. I have to say, this plot had the best acting of the three. In particular, Katie McGrath really crushes it this week. She brings it. She holds her own against Jon Cryer's Lex and that is no easy thing.

Then there is the characters continued response to Supergirl's absence. Whether they are grieving or burying their emotions or just missing her, Supergirl being gone is impacting our heroes.

But let's not forget whose show this is. The last plot is Supergirl in the Phantom Zone, finding a friend and continuing her struggle to get free.  Melissa Benoist just sparkles.

Last thoughts before digging into the show itself. One, the Phantoms in the Zone remind me a little bit too much of the phony Phantoms Zor-El claimed haunted the Els in the dreaded Joe Kelly run of the Supergirl comic. Also, given last week's 'A Few Good Women' and this week's 'Phantom Menaces', looks like our episode titles will all be riffs on movie titles.

On to the show!

Leviathan Wednesday: Manhunter #23 And Manhunter #24

Welcome back to Leviathan Wednesdays where I look at the character of Mark Shaw in hopes of figuring out why he turned and became Leviathan.

We are about to close a pretty big chapter in his timeline. Manhunter #23 and Manhunter #24 are the last issues of his solo title from the late 80s, closing out the Dumas storyline and wrapping up any number of lingering plotlines. 

In retrospect, I can see why this book only lasted a couple of years. For the most part, Shaw is ineffective, getting routinely beaten up by the villains and never seems to improve in his game. 

On the other hand, when I reread this book, I could easily see how Shaw became Leviathan. The themes of the title are fascinating from that viewpoint. It has to do with identity and masks. Loyalty and charisma. Technology and truth. All of those are seeped into the Leviathan character. 

All that makes Shaw a complicated character. One that I know gets explored a bit more in later volumes of Manhunter, some of which I will cover here as part of this side mission. 

Kudos to Kim Yale, John Ostrander, and Grant Miehm for picking up the baton that Steve Englehart passed off. 

Also, I have to love the cover to Manhunter #24, a clear riff on the iconic moment of 'Spider-Man No More' in Spider-Man #50.

On to the books.