April Solicits

Every so often an advance solicit is released and is so absolutely tantalizing and exciting that I feel like a kid again. I wonder just how many Supergirl fans out there got that same giddy rush when they saw the Super title advance solicits on Newsarama late last week. Here is the link:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/superman-solicitations-april-2010.html

And right at the top here is that wonderful solicit.



SUPERGIRL #52
Written by STERLING GATES
Art by JAMAL IGLE & JON SIBAL; Cover by JOSHUA MIDDLETON

Continued from ADVENTURE COMICS #10! Supergirl meets Brainiac 5 of the Legion of Super-Heroes for the first time! But Brainy has not only already met Supergirl, he’s already loved and lost her. Confused? Not as confused as Supergirl! Plus, Brainiac unleashes a weapon that spells the end for New Krypton and only Superman and the Legionnaires can stop it!

A reunion/first meeting of Supergirl and Brainiac 5! Just spectacular.

The thing is that for a lot of older readers the Brainiac 5/Supergirl relationship was a big part of both characters. It was even revisited in a Justice League Unlimited episode. It was hinted at when Supergirl was the star of the three-boot LSH> So to see Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle revisiting and reimagining it ... well that is just a delicious treat.

And how about Brainy having 'already loved and lost her'? I assume that means he has some memory of the pre-COIE Earth-1 Supergirl. We saw shots of her in the Legion-laden Final Crisis:Legion of Three Worlds. So she must have existed on some timeline!

This early version of the cover by Joshua Middleton perfectly shows this Supergirl's feelings of confusion as Brainiac 5 hugs her while she puts an arm up as defense.

My guess is a lot of Supergirl fans were cheering a little bit when they read this.



SUPERMAN: LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON #2-3

Written by JAMES ROBINSON & STERLING GATES
Art by PETE WOODS; Issue 2 cover by GEORGE PEREZ; Issue 3 cover by RYAN SOOK

LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON ships twice in April as the biggest Superman story in years rockets towards its mind-blowing conclusion!
In issue #2, things look bleak for the Kryptonians as Brainiac reveals his trump card for destroying the planet, leaving Zod grasping at straws as to how to defend his people. But Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes have made it aboard Brainiac’s ship, determined to stop the tyrant at any cost!
In #3, the epic conclusion, Superman and Zod must work together if they’re to have a chance of stopping Brainiac! But a victory for New Krypton means a devastating loss for the Legion!
Over a year’s worth of stories builds to the final page of this series, and you don’t want to miss it!
Over a year’s worth of New Krypton stories has been building up to the final page of this series, and once you see it, you’ll know there’s only one outcome: the WAR OF THE SUPERMEN!

Of course, Supergirl is just a part of the Last Stand of New Krypton story arc in April.

The miniseries ships twice that month to tee up the War of the Supermen storyline which starts on Free Comic Book Day in May.

At least we get a hint about why there would need to be a War of the Supermen. If Brainiac destroys New Krypton, Earth might be the only place they could easily settle. I don't know how saving New Krypton would lead to a Legion disaster but I am eager to see. Hopefully all the Superman title threads will weave into this story.

And finally, I love the cover here with Conner and Kara squaring off against the Brainiac probes.



ADVENTURE COMICS #10

Written by JAMES ROBINSON & STERLING GATES
Co-Feature written by ERIC TRAUTMANN
Art by JULIAN LOPEZ & CLAYTON HENRY;Co-feature art by PIER GALLO
Cover by Joe Quinones

Continued from LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON #2! It’s Superman, Supergirl and Brainiac 5 against Brainiac as Superboy and Mon-El fight Zod, Ursa and Non!
And in the co-feature, the Human Defense Corps manages to sneak aboard Brainiac’s ship amid all the chaos – but what exactly are they up to? Continued in SUPERGIRL #52!

And another piece of the Last Stand arc is in Adventure Comics #10, putting Conner back where he belongs ... in Adventure.

The most exciting thing about this solicit is that Ursa is mentioned and seen on the cover. I thought she would have a much bigger part in Greg Rucka's Action Comics run. She was vicious in the early issues there.



ACTION COMICS #888-889

Written by GREG RUCKA & ERIC TRAUTMANN; Co-feature written by JAMES ROBINSON
Art by PERE PEREZ; Co-feature art by CAFU

ACTION COMICS ships twice in April! With Nightwing nowhere in sight, ACTION #888 finds Flamebird face-to-face with the rampaging Rao! But can she defeat him by herself? Luckily, it looks like she won’t have to! Enter: Wonder Woman and the Justice Society of America! And in the co-feature, Captain Atom discovers that to complete his journey, he must first travel through the lost world of Skartaris!

And in issue #889, with the fate of both New Krypton and Earth weighing on their young shoulders, are Nightwing & Flamebird prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice? And in the co-feature, Captain Atom has managed to find a way back to Mirabai’s world, intent on confronting the woman who made him a tool of destruction — but what stunning revelation awaits him there?

Another title with 2 issues released in April. It looks like DC wants May to be a 'clean slate' for the Superman titles. So the Nightwing and Flamebird storyline is going to come to an end. I, for one, have enjoyed there story .... more than I thought I would.

But the ultimate sacrifice? We know that the entities are always doomed to die. Could this be some suicidal event to stop whatever Rao is rampaging? I am torn. I think there are too many Kryptonians so I think DC should weed some out. But I have come to like both Thara and Chris.



SUPERMAN #699

Written by JAMES ROBINSON • Art by BERNARD CHANG
Cover by AARON LOPRESTI

Superman has defeated Brainiac before, but it cost him the life of his father. Now Brainiac has returned, more powerful than ever, and the entire planet of New Krypton is at stake! Things look bleak for the Man of Steel and his people, but for all Brainiac’s knowledge, he still has one lesson to learn: Superman. Never. Gives. Up.

Sounds almost too good to be true! I hope Kal thrashes him. And I hope that Robinson is able to pull it all together.

And next month will be Superman #700. Incredible.

I hope that War of the Superman brings people back to the titles and garners as much praise as a mega-event as Blackest Night. But really, Supergirl is going to meet Brainiac 5! Not much more needs to be said.