Review: Supergirl #14 (v8)

Supergirl #14 came out this week, the next chapter in Supergirl's battle with the Black Flame in Kandor during the Reign of the Superboys mini-event. For folks like me who wanted more action in the earlier in this title, writer/artist Sophie Campbell is answering the bell giving us another heavy action issue with more brutal fighting between Supergirl and Black Flame.

The violence is tempered with solid characterization here. We see Supergirl as an inspiration for others because of her heroism and tenacity. And yet, at the same time, we see Kara questioning herself, wondering her role in the El family. She is a good friend and ally hoping to help people by talking them through their problems. But she also has no time for injustice and is ready to throw down when ready.

It is this wonderful contradiction that makes me love Supergirl as a character. She is young and learning and caring and maybe a bit unsure of herself. She is also accomplished and capable and inspirational and maybe a bit fierce when necessary. Campbell, perhaps because she seems to be a fan of Supergirl's history, has been able to grasp that conundrum and showcase it.

That love by Campbell of all things Supergirl has been evident from the beginning of the book with her packing the title with nods and references to Supergirl's Silver and Bronze age history.

I didn't think she would be able to lean into the Matrix Supergirl history in this book. It starts with the cover, an homage to a Tom Grummett Matrix Supergirl pin-up in the Supergirl and Team Luthor special from way back when. 

But there is even more inside. Let's get to the book.

Review: Supergirl: The World

The hits of The Summer of Supergirl keep coming with the release last week of Supergirl:The World, a hardcover collection of short Supergirl stories from creative teams from around the globe with stories often touching on the culture and history of the creator's home nation. It is an interesting and rather highbrow concept and one I would never have believed that DC would do for my favorite character. But here we are.

There are a smattering of creator names I recognize but most I don't as I don't read too many international comics. I love the Joelle Jones cover here, a sort of squint and you'll see a  reverse Superman from Superman #1. Even the whirl of clouds on the Supergirl cover evokes the round panel encircling Superman. 

Might be perhaps a bit too much Krypto in the book but that most likely is because of Krypto's involvement in the upcoming movie.

There are fourteen stories in the book but I won't be reviewing all of them. But I did like how the title pages and indicia pages include thumbanils from all the stories inside.

I enjoyed the book a ton but it is pricey at $24.99. 

Here are some of the highlights.

Review: Adventures Of Superman Book Of El #9

Adventures of Superman Book of El #9 came out this week and pushed this storyline forward, explaining a bit more about the aspects of Olgrun in this far flung future. The solicit said that Supergirl was finally going to enter the story but alas, the solicit was wrong. Kara is no where to be found.

Phillip Kennedy Johnson is doing what he does best here, building a world and a history that we saw in Last God, Warworld, and even now in Infernal Hulk. I have said before that I don't think I quite see the big tapestry and occasionally need to remind myself who is who. But there is a depth to this story that I think might be best served when reread, including the text pieces at the end, a sort of appendix/bible for what we are seeing in the story. I almost wish this was a 2 year series where all the exposition in the backmatter was shown; some of the things discussed there sound amazing.

Unfortunately, this is a 12 issue series and we are now 75% done so some things here happen almost too quickly, without explanation, as this story careens to its end. The turnaround for Theand'r for example is confusing to me.

But I don't want to ignore the fact that Johnson not only understands Superman but understands the inspiration he is. We see it in the star-children. We see it in most of his descendants. Superman himself is tremendous in this. 

Scotty Godlewski is back on art and this might be his strongest issue. There are Olgrun manifestations, undead Warzoon, battles on Tamaran, and a killer cliffhanger. 

I am going to miss seeing Kennedy Johnson working with DC characters. On to the book.

Review: Supergirl Survive #1

The Summer of Supergirl started out with a bang this week with both Supergirl:The World and the Elseworlds Supergirl Survive #1 hitting the stands. With the movie around the corner, I am pretty thrilled to see DC pushing the character forward.

Supergirl has only headlined a couple of the old prestige Elseworlds in the past - Wings and Elseworld's Finest - so when Survive was announced, I was intrigued. I know really nothing of the writing partners Ethan Parker and Griffin Sheridan. I am familiar with Rod Reis.

One of the wrinkles added to the Supergirl origin when Jeph Loeb brought her back was the idea that she is older than Kal. That an errant path and suspended animation has her land long after Superman had grown up. Elseworlds are about mixing things up so why not have a story where Kara and Kal aren't separated and she truly has to raise him. That is a decent hook.

Parker and Sheridan definitely give this kick-off issue a political angle. Here, Krypton doesn't explode. It is destroyed in a world war brought on by a splintered culture, evident even in the relationship between Jor and Zor. 

But this is a Supergirl story. In this issue we get a sense of who this Kara is, a little shy, a little smart, completely loving. It will be interesting to see where this story leads here.

Rod Reis really has a soft touch here. He brings an almost Phil Noto feel to the art, a high compliment from me. I like his Kara a lot.

On to the book.

DC Comics August 2026 Solicits

The August solicit for DC Comics have been released and this is the month the Kingdom of Zod event hits the stands. That alone would be news, especially when it sounds like Supergirl will be playing a major role in the event. But there are some other interesting tidbits this month that got my attention. 

If you want to review the entire list, here is the link:
https://aiptcomics.com/2026/05/22/full-august-2026-dc-comics-solicitations/

And now on to the super-books.

SUPERGIRL #16
Written by SOPHIE CAMPBELL
Art by JOE QUINONES
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
Variant covers by NOOBOVICH, STEPHANIE HANS, and JOE QUINONES
Foil variant cover by MARK SPEARS

The Kryptonite Kingdom of El Caldero has been taken over by General Zod! Supergirl gathers her own super-force to infiltrate the Kingdom! Superboy-Prime, Conner Kent, Tomorrow Man, Lois Lane, Steel, Lana Lang, Natasha Irons, Princess Shark, and more of Supergirl’s wild cast!

But before they can remove Zod from power, he unleashes a dangerous new force… What is the K-Zone?!

Do I think it is pretty cool that the opening chapter of the event is in the Supergirl book? Yes I do.

We haven’t seen Zod in a while so I like that his return is splashy in this way. How much of this is coming out of the Kneel Before Zod ? Is he still leading a ragtag group of prisoners? Is he still powerless (as it was implied Superwoman Lois stole his powers)? Is that how he can stay in a K-filled nation?

But the big thing here is Supergirl gathering a super-team to infiltrate. Lois being on the team makes me wonder if she is Superwoman again, perhaps explaining Zod being able to be there. But then again, how can Kara be there if the place is dripping with Green K. 

I’m pretty excited for this.

Review: Superman Father Of Tomorrow #1

Superman Father of Tomorrow #1 came out this week, an Elseworlds mini-series that has Jor-El make it to Earth rather than Kal. I have read many Superman Elseworlds around the arrival. Kal in Civil War times, Kal in Soviet Russia, Kal in King Arthur times, the whole family making it to Earth. But I think this is the first time that Jor being the only survivor has been explored.

Kenny Porter is writing the series and I really only know him from the Superboy Man of Tomorrow mini-series, a fun ride with Conner. This is the first chapter so Porter is setting the stage a bit, although we do get a pretty significant event here that is the catalyst for Jor-El to become this world's Superman. I also like how this 'Superman' is not only relying on the super-powers his physiology gives him, but also the super-science he knows. How much should he share? Interesting.

Danny Earls is on art and he is also relatively new to me. I really only know him from some of the rest issues of Phillip Kennedy Johnson's current Hulk run. His art is a little rougher in style than the usual house style for DC but it works here, really making me feel like this is a completely new world.

I do like that the timeline for Kal is basically preserved, meaning characters like Lois and Lex are as old as Clark would be even on this world. That might be the most interesting wrinkle to be explored.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #38

Superman #38 came out this week, the next chapter in the Superboy Prime arc in this book, and frankly another winner. As I have said almost every Prime issue I have reviewed, I am impressed at the creative team who somehow made a character I have loathed for a long time into one I am eager to read each month. This book, a redemption arc with more fourth wall breaking than a Byrne She-Hulk book, has crept to the top of the read pile. Kudos to the creative team who are firing on all cylinders together, writer Joshua Williamson and artist Dan Mora.

Williamson has been doing a fanastic job showing us how earnest Prime has been in trying to be a hero while also having him recognize Prime's unsavory past. I have read lots of 'villains become the hero' arcs in my comic career but few have had the murderous past or the eagerness to amend than here. This book reads like a standard teen hero book with our hero struggling with a job and romance and adventures which is refreshing all while layering in Prime's history. And I appreciate how Williamson is leaning into Prime's probable prime reading window, bringing in characters and villains from that era.

Meanwhile, Mora is just sublime here. From a Prime's day job to a rapid fire descent into hell to a goth club to a meta-look at comic art pages, Mora sings. His Witchfire is gorgeous. One could say she's hot! The outlandish demon fight pages sing especially when Witchfire exhibits some angelic (or evangelion) powers. But the pages at the end of actual art pages really cinches it.

The whole book is a fast-paced book propelling the story forward. I loved it.

On to details.