Review: Superman Unbound

I bought Superman:Unbound on May 7th, the day it was released on Blu-Ray. I have watched the movie a couple of times in the interim and have been trying to figure out the best way to review the film.

Based on 'Brainiac', the Geoff Johns/Gary Frank arc from Action Comics #866-870, Superman:Unbound is a difficult movie for me to easily review as I think there are some ups and downs. While I tried to wrap my head around the whole product, the review sort of sat on my 'to do' list, languishing. Anyways, all of this is an early warning that this might be an uneven review, a post where you don't quite know what I thought about the movie. And that isn't far from the truth because there are parts of this movie I love and parts that seem to lackluster. So I will break it down into things that worked, didn't work, and sort of worked.

What Worked:

Supergirl: One of the things this movie captures nicely is the complicated nature of Supergirl's character. On one hand, she is incredibly powerful. She is a force for good. She knows what needs to be done and she does it. On the other hand, she is psychologically scarred by witnessing Brainiac's attack on Kandor. She is feels alone and sort of alien on Earth. And she is still learning to be a hero, how to go about doing that.

Kara felt powerless when Brainiac attacked Krypton and she won't allow others to suffer the way she has. She says outright she doesn't tolerate bullies. So we see her taking down human traffickers, stopping terrorists, we hear her stopping Somali warlords. We see her eventually gather herself to battle Brainiac, her personal boogey man, the thing which frightens her to the core.

And at the same time, we see her scared and shaky. We see her talking to both Superman and Lois, crying or scared, trying to come to grips with the horror in her life. This is a Supergirl who has just arrived on Earth, trying to become used to this world. I didn't mind seeing this more vulnerable part of her character.

Sometimes it surges a bit too much, as she initially wants to leave Earth when Brainiac arrives, or when she becomes semi-catatonic on Brainiac's ship. But each time it does become so apparent, she shakes it off and doles out some Kara-tharsis.

And Supergirl does get to save Earth, like she did in the comic, stopping Brainiac's solar aggressor missile.

Mollie Quinn does a great job voicing Kara, showing a remarkable range in capturing Supergirl's anger, sadness, fear, and love.

As this is a Supergirl blog, I felt she deserved a deeper review, the rest will be briefer I promise.

The Brainiac/Superman similarities: One of the things that is shown over and over in the movie is that Brainiac lives a sort of lie. He captures life, leaves it stagnant in his bottled city, absorbs a finite amount of knowledge but doesn't allow anything new to flow from his captured cities. He leads this very safe and very sterile existence. Brainiac might feel like a god, above everyone ... but he is too far removed. It is this vain attempt to literally bottle life that leads to his downfall.

At the same time, Superman is dealing with his own feelings about keeping those he loves safe from harm. He tries to put Kara on the Kent's Farm, hiding her away. He tries to keep Lois overly safe, asking her to stop putting herself in danger, and hiding their romance from everyone so she can never be harmed by an enemy. He is doing the same thing Brainiac is doing, trying to shove life into a bottle and keep everything locked away. The problem is life becomes stale that way. Lois doesn't want to be shut away. Superman has to learn that he needs to let go a little. And this adventure teaches him that.

It is a nicely nuanced plot line that works very nicely. It is refreshing to see that sort mature juxtaposition done in a 'cartoon' like this.

Lois: She is strong here, standing up to terrorists, Brainiac (giving him a 2-fingered salute), a creepy Steve Lombard, and even Clark when she feels he isn't treating her the way he should be. She simply won't let herself be hidden away, or sheltered, or overly protected by Superman. But she also has this soft side when she befriends Supergirl. And there is a wonderful undercurrent of sarcastic humor in her. It really is a great movie for Lois, showcasing everything that is right about her character. And Stana Katic really does wonderful job voicing her.

The voices and dialogue: John Noble is great as a cold haughty Brainiac. He talks about the overly emotional Kryptonians but there is definitely subtle emotion in his performance, this feeling of superiority that seeps into every word. And Matt Bomer is solid as Superman, strong when he needs to be.

And there is some great dialogue in the movie as well. One exchange I like between Brainiac and Superman has Brainiac calling Superman 'nothing but fists' followed by Superman replying 'when I need to be'. Or when Supergirl talks about 'not liking bullies' and how she won't let 'anyone feel powerless again' or even her 'I'm on it' when she flies off to grab the missile, the dialogue was very good.


What kind of worked:

The Easter Eggs and wow moments: I know they were part of the comic story, but as a long suffering Supergirl fan, I never thought I would see an animated Zor-El and Alura. And we also got to see a young Kara and best friend Thara Ak-Var. Not bad. Also, we got to see a Kara Kent too!

The epilogues: Once the Brainiac threat is over, some of the other plots need are wrapped up.

I loved the ending of Clark on bended knee proposing to Lois. Amazing that this romance keeps popping up in every version of Superman except the actual current comic!

But I didn't like the implied ending that Supergirl will stop being Supergirl and instead live with her parents on a red-sunned New Krypton. It is implied ... but I would like to think this Supergirl would want to continue to use her powers to help other people on Earth, driven to be a hero.

What didn't work:

The defeat of Brainiac: I suppose it goes along with the theme of being unable to remain completely safe, but a big part of Brainiac's defeat is because he is overwhelmed by all of the life around him on Earth. All the things he would need to catalog makes him short circuit allowing Superman to pound him. But you would think that a being who has absorbed thousands of planets of knowledge wouldn't be so easily buried in data.

In the comics, I think it is more that Brainiac is a germaphobe and that helps Superman throttle him.

The time: I felt a bit cheated by the movie being only 75 minutes long. I mean, can't these things be 90 minutes?

The action: Most of the action is scenes of Superman and Supergirl smashing Brainiac drones. While the action is beautifully rendered, this is Kryptonians against helpless robots. There isn't any sense of conflict or danger here. And, to make matters worse, in one scene we are shown the action in slow motion! Pretty to look at, but sort of empty.

In the end I think this a fine movie. It didn't blow me away. But I was entertained.

And I have to applaud the characterization of Supergirl and her portrayal by Molly Quinn.

Overall grade: 3.5/5 stars

August 2013 Solicits

The solicits for August have come out and boy, were there some surprises (well ... sorta surprises). Here is a link to CBR's coverage of DC's August: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=45463

As anticipated and feared by me for a while, Demon Knights solicit says Final Issue. I am going to be very sad to see this title go away. Also Dial H and Threshold also get the ax. And one more title is being cancelled... Legion of Super-Heroes.

It pains me to see another incarnation of the Legion fail but sales were abysmal and, to be honest, the title itself felt stalled and stale most of the time. I can't imagine Legion being away for too long. But what will emerge? A "new" Legion? A complete reboot? A dark and edgy version (shivers)? We have seen all these things but for some reason Legion just can't seem to find a new audience. I can't blame DC that much. They gave the Legion 2 titles in the New 52. And I don't know the solution. What I don't want is a new problem. Don't make them dark and edgy ... that still won't sell because it is 'Legion' and it will irk long time fans.

On to the super-solicits:

SUPERGIRL #23
Written by MICHAEL ALAN NELSON
Art and cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
Supergirl struggles to survive against one of the most dangerous villains in the entire universe – Cyborg Superman! But what could superman’s robotic doppleganger want with Supergirl? The answer will blow your mind—and set the stage for a massive story this fall!

How fantastic to see the Cyborg Superman back in the DCU. And I love the fact that such a powerful foe is becoming a Supergirl rogue. We will be 4 issues into the Michael Alan Nelson era so we should have a feel for the direction of the book then.

Add to that this sort of art deco super-slick cover by Mahmud Asrar and I am excited to see this book.

ACTION COMICS #23
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Backup story written by FRANK HANNAH
Art and cover by TYLER KIRKHAM
Backup story art by PHILIP TAN and JONATHAN GLAPION
Superman battles the constructs of an immense alien civilization that has built a feudal system based on pure evil! Plus, in the backup story, Jor-El and Lara try to save the Science Council from the colonel who seeks to make all of Krypton kneel before him!

The double dose of Scott Lobdell Superman books continues. I am a Tyler Kirkham fan so I am interested in seeing his take on Superman. But the story solicit is pretty sparse.

The Jor-El and Lara back-up story continues. It seems as though the military man who broke into the Science Council last issue might be Colonel Zod. Interesting.

SUPERMAN #23
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
The “Psi-War” epic begins! Psi-War erupts as Hector Hammond tries to take control of H.I.V.E. from its queen, but there are other forces in play as well, as a new Psycho Pirate emerges, and Superman is caught in the middle, unable to protect those closest to him.

I give credit were credit is due. I think the Psi-War storyline sounds very intriguing simply because it is an obvious threat to Superman. And the art by Kenneth Rocafort continues to wow. I like the new look for the Queen Bee.

And a new Psycho Pirate?? I hope he still remembers the Crisis ... that was a bunch of Crises ago.

SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #3
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
Backup story art by DUSTIN NGUYEN
Retailers: This issue will ship with ten covers.
Superman’s found out the secret the U.S. Army tried desperately to keep from him—or more specifically, that secret’s found him! But with hijacked drone aircraft tearing Tokyo apart, there’s not much time for mystery…and with Lois Lane on the case as well, what’s in the darkness will come to the light!

This is the cover for the first issue which makes me worried that Jim Lee is already falling behind on art. Or maybe the real cover has a reveal they are hiding.

I am glad to hear that Lois is active in the story. Snyder's interviews make me think his Lois will be treated right here.

And what could that secret be? Has to be Bizarro. You heard it here first.

Lastly ... ten covers! TEN??

SUPERBOY #23
Written by JUSTIN JORDAN
Art by R.B. SILVA and ROB LEAN
Cover by KEN LASHLEY
“Psi-War” continues! Superboy’s ultimate nemesis is revealed as the secret head of H.I.V.E. steps forward! Bonds will be broken and the game will change in this important issue, as a major threat to the DC Universe debuts!

It is really incredible just how much I have turned around on this title based on Justin Jordan's debut issue. In a recent interview he said the book wouldn't be too dark, more Buffy than Walking Dead, and that also made me happy. It is like that last issue was a tiny little sorbet ball that cleansed the palate from the prior stuff. And his telekinesis powers make his inclusion in Psi-War sensible.

Any guesses about the secret head of H.I.V.E.? Queen Bee seems logical given the name. I doubt it is Doctor Light. So???

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #4
Written by DAN ABNETT, ANDY LANNING, TOM DeFALCO and ROB WILLIAMS
Art by WES CRAIG, PETE WOODS and CHRIS WESTON
Cover by BRUCE TIMM
Join comics’ finest talents as they celebrate The Man of Steel himself: Superman! This issue features The Last Son of Krypton in timeless tales of truth and justice, featuring appearances by Lex Luthor and Brainiac! Plus: A meteor that’s headed straight for Earth!

They had me a "Cover by Bruce Timm'. But the rest of this solicit reads as classic as that pose on the cover. A Luthor/Brainiac team-up? A meteor heading to Earth? Abnett and Lanning? Pete Woods?

It all sounds great.

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #3
Written by GREG PAK
Art and cover by JAE LEE
1:25 Variant cover by PATRICK GLEASON
It’s a showdown that could shatter two worlds when Batman and Superman battle the Superman and Batman of Earth 2!

At first I wasn't sure what to think about this Superman/Batman/Superman/Batman crossover. But then I remembered that this is the 'work boots' Superman, early in his Earth 1 career. Maybe the point of this story is to show the novice E1 Batman/Superman that they can be close friends and work together when they see just how close the E2 versions are.

Should I review this book here?

SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #16
Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER
Art by JORGE JIMENEZ
Cover by CAT STAGGS
“Olympus,” part 1! Twenty years ago, a young boy washed up on a mysterious island and met a princess. Now, that princess has come to look for the mother who disappeared when she took the boy back. But if Smallville is prepared for strange beings, Washington, DC, certainly is not!

Wonder Woman in Smallville! I cannot wait for this. Smallville has not let me down as a comic book. Can't wait to see Diana in action!

WORLDS’ FINEST #15
Written by PAUL LEVITZ
Art and cover by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
Power Girl and Huntress find that a major player from Apokolips is stuck on Earth just like they are! How will their next move affect Earth 2?

I think Emanuela Lupacchino is a good choice to take over on art for this book.

I hope this solicit isn't talking about DeSaad but instead another major player from Apokolips. Is that DeSaad on the cover? Or someone else. The hood reminds me a bit of Himon ... maybe it's a good guy who's trapped.

So that's August! Break out the black armbands for the Legion. And great solicit for Supergirl.

Review: Supergirl #20

Supergirl #20 came out this week, the first issue with writer Michael Alan Nelson. For me, I was glad to finally have this issue in my hands. Nelson is best known for a Cthulhu and his Supergirl was being touted by the DC higher-ups as being 'dark very dark. And yet, Nelson's own interviews talked about wanting Supergirl to be happy, wanting her to strive for joy, and wanting her to embrace Earth a bit more. 

What was this title going to be like with Nelson at the helm?

Well, if this first issue is any indication, I think Supergirl is in good hands. I liked this issue very very much and I felt that it hit upon a lot of the things that I think make Supergirl such a great character. We see her intelligence, her resilience, a sort of self-deprecating attitude about herself, and ... shockingly ... her humor. We haven't had too many laughs in this book so far to have some humor enter the story was heartily welcomed. This felt a bit more like a classic Kara to me, and that is a great thing.

The book also nicely sets up two things for the future, best discussed during the review.

The art on the book is done by Mahmud Asrar and is even a notch above his usual superior stuff. In particular, he seems to have an innate grasp on Power Girl, making me wonder what he would be like on Worlds' Finest (without ever wanting him to leave Supergirl). His ability to make the two Karas appear similar enough for them to be the same person but distinct enough to be different is amazing. And colorist Dave McCaig really shines here, steeping the Sanctuary scenes in orange and keeping the deep sea and space scenes dark but clear.

The cover by Emmanuela Lupacchino is lovely and updated from the original solicit to show the 'old school' Power Girl costume Karen is now sporting.

On to the book!

Last issue ended with Supergirl's Fortress AI, aka Sanctuary, declaring Power Girl a clone and stating that she would need to be killed. Kryptonians don't like their clones!

The math is a little off here as the computer has the odds as 93% clone, 44% doppelganger, 13% random imposter, and .0457% quantum anomaly. That's 150.0457%. Is that fuzzy math? Or maybe a sign that Sanctuary is somewhat compromised?

I love the fierceness of Power Girl here. And there is the orange hue of the Fortress, bathing everything. Just superior art.

Outside of just the art her, I love the dialogue between the 2 Kara's as they come to grips with talking to ... well .. themselves. It is snappy and funny and feels true. I can only imagine what the young Anj would say to this old one walking around.

I love how Supergirl thinks the Power Girl 'boob window' outfit is a bit much, even though it came from her closet. And I like how Power Girl defends the choice. It is nice characterization, so different from the usual Supergirl/Power Girl brawls we get.

One thing I still think DC doesn't have their editorial heads wrapped around is how much these two know of each other. Heck, I don't even have a good sense of just how much the world knows about Power Girl. Is she a known hero? I have had the feeling in Worlds' Finest that she is sort of a stealth hero and not out and about that much. And again, these two haven't met before this. So Supergirl saying she hopes she will be half the person Power Girl is felt just a tad off. Does Supergirl even know about her?

Still, the preceding conversation is right on the money where Power Girl says she remembers being as frustrated with life as Supergirl is. It humanizes Supergirl a bit, makes her relatable.

Unfortunately Sanctuary is still hunting them and in a decent turnabout, says that its scans prove Supergirl is the 'clone' not Power Girl.

The bulk of the issue is now spent with Sanctuary both verbally and physically attacking Supergirl. After jettisoning Power Girl outside, the AI begins reminding Supergirl of her short comings.

First it reminds her how she fell for H'El. I love the 'yeesh' semi-embarrassed look on Kara's face as she is forced to recall that debacle.

Then it says she isn't much of a thinker, relying on her fists, and thus her attacks are easily countered.

I do like the top panel where a determined Supergirl talks about how she never gives up fighting. There is a tenacity here that feels very classic for Supergirl.

And then, in a very nice montage page, Sanctuary shows Kara every reason why she should simply give up fighting - how she fell for the wrong man, is constantly being attacked, has been shunned by her cousin, has been poisoned. It does seem a bit odd that a computer would resort to such vile mental tactics. I have a theory ... seen at the end.

Despite this Supergirl continues to fight on.

I felt like Nelson was trying to show just who his Supergirl is going to be on these pages. He has said his Kara is going to search for joy in this world. It is as if he wanted to remind us of all the bad things that have happened to Supergirl over these last two years and show that she is moving beyond them. I thought it was wonderful.

And then add to that a nice little showing of how smart Supergirl is, another nod to the more classic scientist Kara, we see her defeat Sanctuary by 'oh you know ... thinking'. She has Power Girl freeze the place from the outside and then she releases her  'corona wave' sunburst inside, rupturing the mechanics from within, destroying the fortress.

We just got this fortress into the book and now it is gone. I think that having Kara lose one more link to Krypton has to force her to look at Earth more as a home now. She has to find an apartment, meet people, etc. instead of simply hiding away from everything.

I love the little physics formula she says in the middle. This isn't some child. This is a strong, intelligent, young woman who is able to use her powers effectively. The scientist Kara has been present in almost every incarnation.

As I said before, the interplay between the Kara's is really wonderful in this book. With Sanctuary defeated, the two head into the high atmosphere to see the sun rise, so similar to how it looked on Krypton.

The line by Supergirl that she is starting to forget the Krypton sunrise is such a loaded sentence. Is it that she is having a hard time remembering it? Is it that she wants to forget, put the pain behind her and embrace Earth as home? Or is it a little bit of both? Such a great little line. I love the small moments.

And then to have Power Girl acknowledge Supergirl's loss, when both come from similar tragedies, is fantastic. Even the look on Power Girl's face, so understanding, but with a twinge I think of sadness. She has literally been there.

 It is great to see these two be so friendly. Supergirl even gets in one more zinger about Power Girl's costume.

Sanctuary doesn't seem to be done though. A robot drone vows to eradicate 'Not-Kara', what he called Supergirl throughout the book. The verb eradicate always carries extra weight when it comes from Kryptonian technology. Was Sanctuary somehow built with Eradicator technology, that fervent xenophobia we saw in the 90s, crazy enough to carry out psychological attacks.

Or is it that the Cyborg Superman, a known villain in upcoming issues, was somehow inside, trying to eliminate his enemies with their own tech? Maybe that explains his powers in this new universe, a merging with Kryptonian mechanisms.

I have to say, I was thoroughly impressed with this comic. We had a couple of years of watching Kara deal with her grief and learn about her past. Mike Johnson seemingly had her poised to turn the corner and embrace life. And new writer Michael Alan Nelson seamlessly picks up from that point and runs with it showing us an intelligent and strong and even funny Supergirl who now is forced to leave the comfortable trappings of Krypton on behind and learn to love Earth.

If the rest of Nelson's run has this feeling, I will be happy.

Add to that the continued stellar art by Mahmud Asrar and I was one happy Supergirl fan.

Overall grade: A

Review: Smallville #13

Smallville Season Eleven #13 came out last week and as usual I am a bit delinquent in getting to the review.

Smallville has yet to disappoint bringing action and drama as well as some much needed levity to the DC line. It also has a more classic Superman feel to it with Superman being an extremely good hero, an inspiration, with Clark and Lois together happily. It amazes me that Smallville ... which mired a bit as a show ... has turned the corner and become the place to go if you want some pre-New 52 Superman. This issue has all that!

And as if that wasn't enough, writer Bryan Q. Miller is using this 'season' to really expand the Smallville universe wider and wider, bringing in all the other DC characters that we was in the television show as well as other heroes. Can't tell you how great it has been to see Cyborg Superman, Jay Garrick, Impulse, Batman, and Steph Brown Batgirl in this book.

Now we have 'Argo' which includes two of my favorite DC  properties: Supergirl (shocking I know) and the Legion. And we also have Booster Gold and Blue Beetle in this issue too! Incredible.

Daniel HDR does the art here and he has a nice smooth style which works well with this arc's futuristic bent. I have seen his work in Legion of Super-Heroes as well as Green Lantern Corps and R.E.B.E.L.S. His stuff works well in that sort of story environment.

I have never warmed up to Booster Gold as a character and I wonder if I am limiting myself by not trying his book. I will admit that my exposure has been in the animated JLU and Smallville where he is really smarmy and almost idiotic. I am sure he has greater depth in his own book.

This issue starts with Booster trying to save an Antarctic exploration team from a Yeti-type creature. Unfortunately mid-battle, his Legion gear recognizes him as a non-Legionnaire and stops working.

As I said, humor plays such an important part of this book. I love how the helpless Booster yells to Skeets 'Tell the world my story!'. Awesome.

The Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle shows up to save the day and Booster's bacon.

Another thing that Miller does incredibly well is showing the love between Clark and Lois. Their dialogue always crackles. And he does their small moments wonderfully as well. Here Miller initially titillates the reader by implying that Clark and Lois are having sex in the shower when, lo and behold, it turns out Clark is washing Lois' hair and she is really ... and I mean REALLY ... enjoying it.

These two have recently been apart so it is nice to see these little moments in their lives which show just how much they love each other.

And yet, as soon as they are together, they are going apart. Lois is going to explore a news story (which we know will be Lana in an upcoming special). And Clark, still feeling the loss of Impulse heads to the Planet where he runs into Booster.

Now as I said, Clark really comes across as a (pardon the pun) super-nice guy in Smallville. So I love that we finally see him a bit miffed when he sees  Booster in his office. It is clear he doesn't like Booster ... and why should he!

When the two come together, Booster's Legion ring activates 'Legion Protocol Six'. The ring opens up some time rift, flinging the two into the future for a presumed threat.

It is a stark image of the future with the city aflame and a giant Superman statue in ruins. I have certainly read many stories with dystopian futures which have forgotten Superman's ideals. So what is up with this one?

Last month Tess was downloaded from Lex's mind and uploaded into some new electronic form of life.

I like this new look for her which has just a smidge of Tron to her, something which will never be frowned on by me. And I like how she has taken over the Chloe job of Watchtower monitor duty, touching the floating screens of the heroes ... Blue Beetle, Impulse, and ... Lois! How great that Lois has made the cut for her own screen.

Skeets arrives looking for her help, knowing Booster has been flung into the future.

Back in the future, we see how the Legion have become 'enemies of the state' and Lightning Lad has been captured. Brainiac Five has arrived and freed Garth but the resulting fight causes the ship to nearly crash.

A couple of things here.

First off, I like how Lightning Lad here is really something of a hothead, wanting to lash out even with lethal potency. There is sort of a 'Livewire' feel here.

Second, I didn't realize Brainiac Five was Brainiac at first. I know we are in the Smallville universe so Brainiac has never been green. And yes, after I realized that it was Brainiac I noticed the classic three circles and belt. But at first I thought it was Cosmic Boy. Then I thought it was Element Lad. The pink aspects of the jacket (pink being part of Jan and Rokk's uniforms), the circles (which have been on Rokk's costume), and the lack of green skin made me confused at first.

Lastly, in one panel, I liked how the S-shield is reflected in Brainiac's eyes as Superman streaks to save the ship.

After saving the ship, the heroes are accosted by the Science Police. It turns out that the reason why things are so tense on Earth is that a war is going on between Earth and New Krypton! Booster Gold finally gets to do something functional, helping the Legion and Superman escape.

Hard to believe that the New Krypton story arc in the Superman books is about 3 years old now. Maybe Miller will pick up some of the beats of that mega-arc.

But the plot thickens a bit.

The Legion did not activate the Protocol Six. So who did? And why?

My guess is someone wants all the Legionnaires together so that some sort of group arrest or assassination.

New Krypton is the result of Clark defeating Zod and the Kandorians on the show. He flung them to 'Argo' ... which I assume is Argo City although it might be an actual planet. Those Kandorians survived and built the place into New Krypton. Unfortunately, the planet was denied entry into the United Planets becayse they were 'too young'.

But that can't be all that caused the 'war'. Earth has 'earned' the attacks. Before they reveal what it is, Brainiac asks Superman if he can control his temper. So it must be a doozy.

The question is just what is the culture on New Krypton after 1000 years of rebuilding. Are they war-like? Peaceful? And why were they denied? I hope we get to see more of the world. This is a place Zod built. Will 1000 years be long enough to wash away any of his taint?

As if riffing on the New Krypton arc wasn't enough, Miller also seems to be melding the Geoff Johns' Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes story arc from Action Comics as well. It is hard to believe that story line was 5 years ago!

Here we see Earth Man, the xenophobe from the Legion, who is working with the EarthGov to keep New Krypton at bay. But he sounds like he and they are all against 'aliens' calling the Legion 'xenos' and only tolerating them because they bring in funding to build a fleet of warships.

Seeing Earth Man puts the earlier views of life on Earth into a different context. We have seen how awful life was on Earth under his rule in Action.

As he discussed 'the prisoner', Superman breaks into the facility and ...

Discovers that the 'prisoner' is Supergirl!! Yeah, I think telling Superman his cousin has been imprisoned might make his temper flare.

Is Kara's incarceration the root cause of the war? Was she leading New Krypton? Was she on the Legion and considered a possible 'embedded enemy' on Earth?

Regardless, I am thrilled to see Supergirl here and to see what Miller has in store for her. She was a true hero on the Smallville show, often overshadowing Clark with her proactive nature and her willingness to be out in the open as a hero. And I loved how Miller wrote Supergirl in Batgirl (although that is a very different Kara than the Smallville Kara).

So this was a perfect opening chapter. It showed up enough of the plotlines to get an understanding of the story but there is still a lot that needs to be shown and explained. It continued to expand the Smallville universe, giving us great guest stars. Despite the main story being in the future, Miller still shows us enough of the present to keep the 'small moments' quotient steady. And what a cliffhanger!

Oh yeah ... and Supergirl has a big role in this arc.

I'm happy. This comic has not disappointed.

Overall grade: A

Channel 52 Retraction

When DC started the 'Channel 52' promotional pages in the back of their books, I thought it was a great idea. It would serve as publicity for the DC books and might entice me to buy something I otherwise might not. But it also included Vartox, Ambush Bug, Bethany Snow, and Calendar Man as a phony news crew, injecting some humor into the plugs.

And, best of all, it had Freddie Williams II art. I love his art.

Pretty quickly however, it became apparent that the pages weren't exactly plugging books in a truthful way. I commented on my problems with the 'ads' here and here.

If I couldn't believe the publicity DC was giving me about the books, why would I ever bother to actually buy them?

Well, it seems like maybe I wasn't alone in my complaints because last week's Channel 52 was an actual retraction of prior 'episodes'. To quote the Bethany Snow character:

I'd like to address some of the confusion we seem to have had on air lately.

The world we live in changes by the minute which means that getting you the most accurate news and information can be what saves you family when disaster strikes.

We are pleased to comply with the request to clarify a few possible inaccurate statements we made in the heat of producing a live news show.

We're truly sorry for any misunderstandings.

She points to the screen filled with tiny text as the 'inaccurate statements'.

Okay, it sounds like an apology done in a humorous fashion and I am okay with that. Assuming that future 'episodes' are more in line with the books they are showcasing.

And if I complain when DC does something wrong, I should apologize when they do something right.

Thank you DC for recognizing and rectifying.

Review: Batman #20 Back-Up Feature

Batman #20 came out last week, finishing the two part back-up story featuring Superman and Batman.

Writer James Tynion IV and artist Alex Maleev grabbed me with the first part, showcasing how deep Superman and Batman's friendship is as they battle a demon.

It is one of the conundrums of the New 52. The 'age of heroes' started 5 or 6 years ago. A lot has happened in between those initial adventures and now. As readers, we have no idea just what sort of friend Superman and Batman are. My sense of it is based on older universes and prior relationships. They certainly haven't seemed like chums in their interaction in Justice League.

So in these brief pages, I was impressed with how Tynion is able to convey how close these two are. And I like a DCU where Superman and Batman are allies and friends.

As I said last month, Alex Maleev is the perfect artist for this story with its insane demonic presence and the grimy, slimy pit it lives in. His stuff shines here.

Last month we saw a soul-sucking Will O' The Wisp, squatting in a Gotham apartment, laying waste to any who entered. We also met the ghost of the young girl who helped summon this thing. With her ghost safe in a magic circle drawn on the floor, the Wisp is bound to apartment. And with each soul it drinks, it gets stronger.

I like how Batman seems to be watching this fight like a boxing match and warning Superman not to get killed. You would think Batman would join in somehow! It turns out he decides that information will be more powerful than batarangs and so he talks to the girl.

I do find Tynion's take on Superman and magic interesting. It seems to be like Kryptonite, weakening him just by being nearby. I wonder if this idea will carry forward.

As I said above, the real juice for me in this story wasn't this magic battle but in the exploration of the heroes' friendship. As Batman tries to get information from the ghost, he talks about how great a friend and a man Superman is. Superman is here because he cares about Batman. And Batman counts him among his closest friends. Nice.

It also shows the perseverance of Superman as he continues to fight even as he is dying.

I just this whole part of the story, showcasing all this is great about Superman, showing Batman's deductive skills, telling us about their friendship, it all worked very well.

The girl tells Batman where the summoning spell is so Batman can form some counter-spell. There is some excellent Uber-Bat moments here, like him lighting the candles for the spell with a flaming batarang and his knowing enough Gallic language to say the spell (even if he needs to confirm the Gallic word for expel with Superman).

Only Batman would know Gallic ... just in case.

The spell cast, the Wisp disappears. And with the Wisp gone, the girl's hold on this world, even in ghostly form, also wanes. She fades away.

But not before she tells Superman to take care of Batman. She even calls Batman 'sweet'.

It is true that Batman's dialogue with her was more emotional than I am used to seeing him. But it fits with the context of the story and Damien's death.

And that sort of softening of Batman continues. With the threat gone, Batman lowers his defenses a little. He thanks Superman for coming to check in; he recognizes what Superman was doing and appreciates it. It again shows just how deep the friendship is here, but in a subtle way. And that 'showing' rather than 'telling' is always the sign of a superior story.

This was a great story all the way around - writing and art, a perfect mesh.

With Batman/Superman around the corner, I look forward to more stories of the original World's Finest.

Overall grade: A