Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #56

Batman/Superman World's Finest #56 came out last week, the second part of the Ra's Al Ghul arc in which that villain forms his Four Horsemen to achieve his ecological goal.

Mark Waid has used this book to write a more classic feeling DCU, bringing in so many characters to team up with the big stars. Here we get to see his take on Ra's and Talia. But also the Horsemen include some C and D listers like  Queen Bee and Tokamak. Waid always shines when he dives into these deeper ends of the DCU. 

This story feels fairly standard with Ra's trying to eliminate a huge percentage of humanity to achieve a new eden. But there is a moment with Superman, hinted at on the cover, that stood out. And the ending cliffhanger is definitely fun. But this story can only happen because the rest of the JLA are on a rescue mission in deep space. Mix that all up and you get a fine story.

Adrian Gutierrez is on art and his style seems to be changing from his earliest work, getting sharper and more energetic. There is a kinetic feel to the work here that I really like. I wonder if artists like working on this book given the side characters they have to learn about to draw. 

On to the book and some details.

Review: Superman Unlimited #18

Superman Unlimited #18 came out this week and established a new direction for the book, a father/son team-up book of supers. The El Caldero Kryptonite arc is over. So this book becomes another super-book on the rack. But gone are the days of Jon Kent being Superman or Son of Superman. He is Tomorrow Man. But a Tomorrow Man title won't sell books. So here we are.

I have bemoaned what has become of Jon Kent for too long. I miss the young Super Sons version. I miss the Legion version. I don't miss the Tom Taylor book. And now we have him as Tomorrow Man, living in the shadow of his parents, trying to find out who he is, and trying to find a purpose in life.

This issue tries to address all that. What is his relationship with his father as he tries to break away and secure his own identity? What is he trying to do in life? What does he want his non-superhero life to be like? This is an opening chapter to a new direction. Dan Slott does a good job showing us this big picture nicely in this book. But is this direction enough to sustain the book? As usual, there are a couple of funny moments in here that are classic Slott.

That said, Lucas Meyer is on art and continues to glitter. There is a great fight scene with the Royal Flush Gang that sings. But honestly an opening romantic scene between Clark and Lois is the one that truly glitters. Gorgeous stuff. I hope he stays here for a long time.

On to the details!

Review: Action Comics #1103

The recent issues of Action Comics by Mark Waid have been a look back at the earliest days of Superboy, donning the costume, gaining powers, and learning how to navigate a secret identity. It has been great!

Now in Action Comics #1103, we begin a new arc looking back at the earliest days of Lex Luthor. After reading the first chapter, this looks like it will be just as interesting a refresh of Lex's origins, keeping the best parts and sort of modernizing the rest. Perhaps what I like best of all is that it isn't just Lex's story. We will see even earlier portions of Clark's life as a compare/contrast to how Superman ended up being who he is and how Lex's environments molded who he has become.

Lex is still an early genius. He has an abusive father. But now he has a loving mother trying to escape a toxic environment. She is trying to nurture him and show the world who Lex is. . For sure, this has to be a reason why Lex is so rough around the edges. 

I don't need every villain to have a sympathetic back story. But Lex has really danced all over the line for the last 20 years or so, being in the JLA as much as he has been in jail it seems. So having Waid rewrite and revamp DCU continuity will shore up Luthor's history. 

Throw in the usual nods to DC history that Waid always brings and you have a great opening chapter.

Patricio Delpeche is on art here and his style works well with this tale of Lex and Clark as kindergarten age kids. It just works well. And much of this issue is small town, in home parenting sessions and he brings the emotions there too. 

On to the issue.

Wicked Comic Con Fall 2026

The official end of my con season happens when I head to the fall show of  Wicked Comic Con.

There are three shows I always try to make each summer/fall. Terrificon, Granite State Comic Con, and Wicked Con. There are always dreams of Baltimore and Heroes. But I have to be true to the local shows.

Wicked Comic Con is still trying to find it's legs I think. It is a smaller show but it is growing. It's free. It's always fun.  The show always has a decent roster of local comic talent and try to bring in a couple of 'names' when they can. 

This year the big name was Ed McGuinness who I don't think has done a show in a few years. I like his style so was pumped when I heard he was going to be at the show. I met him at the old Boston Comic Con around 15 years ago, so long ago I was getting commissions on loose pages and not in my sketch book. I got some books signed by him back then too. But I had a few books I wanted to get signed this time. And I figured I could at least ask if he was sketching to try to get something in my book.

But another name I was excited to meet was inker Matt Santorelli . I hadn't met him before at other cons and I like the books he has been on. I was lucky enough to get on his commission list and get some books signed too!

Review: Adventures of Superman #440

It is hard to believe that Sophie Campbell has somehow brought the concept of a Matrix Supergirl back into the mainstream continuity. One thing that I have loved about Campbell's run has been her respect and honoring of the Supergirl mythos. Matrix was Supergirl for almost a decade. I liked the Matrix Supergirl and the arc and growth she had. So I am thrilled to see what Campbell is going to do with her.

It's also hard to believe that it has been 7 years since I did a run on this site called 'Matrix Monday', a side project where I reviewed the history of the Matrix Supergirl. Kara Zor-El was gone from the DCU and in the post-Crisis Superman universe, just about three later, a new 'Supergirl' arrived. 

I recently realized I missed a couple of those early appearances when Supergirl had just been discovered in the Antarctica ice, didn't know who she was, and was trying to figure out her mission on this Earth. This was a true mystery! Who was this person? John Byrne and the super-creators were slowly leaking out information, one subplot page at a time.  It started in Superman #16. Here in Adventures of Superman #440 some very interesting clues are revealed.

We are also only about 18 months into the John Byrne reboot when Byrne was still rebuilding and modernizing so much of the Superman mythos. After spending some of those early issues doing reboot or homage issues, we were now into more original takes. In this issue, we get a very interesting early moment between Batman and Superman. This was still a sort of new relationship in this post-Crisis world.

I plan to do cover the Adventures of Superman lead-in pages, filling in the beginning of the Matrix story, before the Supergirl Saga.. I won't be covering this entire issue just some key moments. We'll see how the rest of the issues play out.

Jerry Ordway is on art and these issues remind me why he is called Extraordinary. Everything shines here. I also like this cover, drawn by Dave Gibbons with Ordway on inks! Superman smiling when shrugging off lightning is always a great image. We have seen it a million times.

Going all the way back to the first 'It tickles' cover from Superman #33. Amazing!

On to Adventures #440!

Review: Supergirl #18 (v8)

From the beginning of this volume of Supergirl, I have been completely impressed with writer/artist Sophie Campbell and how much she has acknowledged and respected the history of the character. There are little nods and homages to famous stories and panels. But more importantly, there is a deep understanding of the character being one of hope and kindness. But one willing to throw down if it is required. 

In Supergirl #18, we see that Campbell brings the same sense of honor to the 'other' Supergirl, the Matrix Supergirl. Matrix was Supergirl for a while. So seeing Campbell bring her back to continuity and really doing so well just makes this old Supergirl fan smile. Matrix Supergirl grew as a character and grew into a character I truly loved. I am thrilled to see her back. And I think a subplot introduced here probably hinges on her too. 

Now we had learned in New History of the DCU #3 that Matrix was in continuity. And now I wonder all her history is in continuity. Blog friend Mart Gray thought there was a side door reference to Superman killing the Pocket Universe Kryptonians in the Kingdom Of Zod Special. I think he is right!

This issue is the first Supergirl one since that end of the Kingdom of Zod event so we are sort of laying out a new playing field. We are getting back to the plots that have been simmering in this book. And we also launch the next big arc here. The book is chock full of characters. Super Force is a true Legion. But in this issue, it is clear that Kara is the straw that stirs the drink. I read this book for her. Seeing her inspire all the others is great.

Campbell is on art this issue as well and that makes the book just feel whole. I love Campbell's style. It is perfect for this title and its feel. From the new Reactron to the diagram of the Fortress to the brawl to Matrix in all her purple goo glory, the book is gorgeous.

This might be my favorite single issue of this title to date. No small feat. On to details.

Comics Feature July/August 1984

I have been reading comics for over 5 decades (I am old) and I have been blogging about Supergirl for 18 years (this site is old!). So when I discover something new and novel and fun about my favorite character, I get completely thrilled.

One of the things that I have started to look to are the comic magazines from the 80s and 90s to crack open the time capsule and learn what people were thinking and doing back then. 

At this year's Terrificon, there was a dealer who had a whole section of old magazines - Starlog, Comic Scene, Amazing Heroes, and Comics Feature. I'd never heard of this periodical but what an issue for me to stumble on.

From July/August 1984, this issue covers the Supergirl movie and gave me some new interesting info about it. But moreover, there is a Julie Schwartz interview! There is a Thor article which talks about Simonson's run which was in its infancy. There's all sorts of background info on editorial teams and creative changes. Plus, an article by Steve Bissette who was less than a year into his run with Alan Moore on Swamp Thing!

You want a cool time capsule, this is it! Come for the Supergirl movie info. Stay for everything else!

On to some details.