The September solicits for DC Comics came out and, yet again, there is a conspicuous dearth of Supergirl. We will be 4 months in to the DCYou direction although it remains DCNotMe for Supergirl fans. Here is a link to the Newsarama coverage:http://www.newsarama.com/
Yes, I keep hearing rumors that there will be a big splash/reintroduction to Supergirl at the time of the show's premiere. But they are simply rumors until they become more concrete.
Now the lack of Supergirl doesn't mean there isn't interesting stuff out there. In particular, there is a solicit for a Sterling Gates story involving Cisco and Caitlyn Frost in Flash Season Zero. Gates has had major history with the comic version of both those characters.
And JLU #13(cover seen above) continues to sound interesting despite Supergirl being the only hero apparently not on the team. This issue includes Robotman from by beloved Doom Patrol.
Onto the Super-solicits ...
ACTION COMICS #44
Written by GREG PAK and AARON KUDER
Art and cover by AARON KUDER
The epic “Truth” arc reaches its finale as Superman makes some brutal choices and discovers the source of the Shadow Warriors.
The Truth gets to its finale this month in all its titles. But the solicits simply don't make it sound like it is linear. This is something that has felt true in the first two released chapters. So I think that whole idea that the individual books are looking at one aspect of the story is going to hold true. But the solicits are going to be brief.
The cover is striking. The art by Aaron Kuder is great. But this is a flying Superman in his standard suit. Does this mean his powers have returned?
I am glad that writer Greg Pak is bringing back the Shadow Warriors, a big part of his earlier arcs. I like the mythos being built here.
Written by GREG PAK and AARON KUDER
Art and cover by AARON KUDER
The epic “Truth” arc reaches its finale as Superman makes some brutal choices and discovers the source of the Shadow Warriors.
The Truth gets to its finale this month in all its titles. But the solicits simply don't make it sound like it is linear. This is something that has felt true in the first two released chapters. So I think that whole idea that the individual books are looking at one aspect of the story is going to hold true. But the solicits are going to be brief.
The cover is striking. The art by Aaron Kuder is great. But this is a flying Superman in his standard suit. Does this mean his powers have returned?
I am glad that writer Greg Pak is bringing back the Shadow Warriors, a big part of his earlier arcs. I like the mythos being built here.
SUPERMAN #44
Written by GENE LUEN YANG
Art and cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. and KLAUS JANSON
The epic “Truth” arc reaches its finale as the Daily Planet and its staff may be the first casualties of Clark’s identity being revealed!
Hard to know what to think here since I haven't read anything from Yang yet.
We have heard in this month's issue that the Planet staff have had death threats. So maybe that goes even further here.
This cover shows us Superman in the jeans/t-shirts. So maybe the Kuder cover, which links to this one, is more showing a timeline.
Written by GENE LUEN YANG
Art and cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. and KLAUS JANSON
The epic “Truth” arc reaches its finale as the Daily Planet and its staff may be the first casualties of Clark’s identity being revealed!
Hard to know what to think here since I haven't read anything from Yang yet.
We have heard in this month's issue that the Planet staff have had death threats. So maybe that goes even further here.
This cover shows us Superman in the jeans/t-shirts. So maybe the Kuder cover, which links to this one, is more showing a timeline.
BATMAN/SUPERMAN #24
Written by GREG PAK
Art and cover by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES
The epic “Truth” arc reaches its finale as Superman discovers the true fate of Batman and makes a fateful decision.
Written by GREG PAK
Art and cover by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES
The epic “Truth” arc reaches its finale as Superman discovers the true fate of Batman and makes a fateful decision.
Do Batman fans know the true fate of Batman already?
SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #21
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
Cover by PAULO SIQUEIRA
The epic “Truth” arc hits close to the heart as dark secrets come to light, forcing Superman and Wonder Woman to question whether their relationship can work in this new world of identities revealed and questionable actions.
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
Cover by PAULO SIQUEIRA
The epic “Truth” arc hits close to the heart as dark secrets come to light, forcing Superman and Wonder Woman to question whether their relationship can work in this new world of identities revealed and questionable actions.
So what am I to do here? We now have Wonder Woman in her 'end of days' Forever Evil outfit. I keep thinking of dropping this book. I decided to hang on for The Truth, a chance for Tomasi to bring up his game and for me to stay in touch with this big arc.
But dark secrets and questionable actions? Yeesh.
But dark secrets and questionable actions? Yeesh.
DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS #2
Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT
Art by BILQUIS EVELY and STEPHEN MOONEY
Cover by ANT LUCIA
Wonder Woman defies her mother’s orders and attempts to break Captain Steve Trevor out of his prison cell on Themyscira. But to accomplish this, she’s going to summon a little help from the deep in the form of Mera, Princess of Atlanta. Meanwhile, in Russia, two new heroes are about to be created to serve the Soviet Union: Supergirl and Stargirl!
At last we have a mention of Supergirl!
It is in the Bombshells book, an out of continuity book based on a merchandise line.
So, of course, she is going to be evil, a dupe of the Soviet Union.
I hope Kara gets treated better here than she did in Ame Comi.
Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT
Art by BILQUIS EVELY and STEPHEN MOONEY
Cover by ANT LUCIA
Wonder Woman defies her mother’s orders and attempts to break Captain Steve Trevor out of his prison cell on Themyscira. But to accomplish this, she’s going to summon a little help from the deep in the form of Mera, Princess of Atlanta. Meanwhile, in Russia, two new heroes are about to be created to serve the Soviet Union: Supergirl and Stargirl!
At last we have a mention of Supergirl!
It is in the Bombshells book, an out of continuity book based on a merchandise line.
So, of course, she is going to be evil, a dupe of the Soviet Union.
I hope Kara gets treated better here than she did in Ame Comi.
JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 #4
Written by KEITH GIFFEN and J.M. DeMATTEIS
Art by SCOTT KOLINS
Cover by HOWARD PORTER
Teri’s had a rough time since she joined the League. She’s died, been reborn as the new Flash, and battled against the Five, demon armies, and a world full of Starros! She’s even dated Superman! Along the way, she’s always had help, but now she’ll have to face one of the original Flash’s greatest enemies: the Mirror Master!
Remember when we had a cover of JL3K1 that had Supergirl on it. And we were trying to decide 'is it the Silver Age Kara??' and 'Who is she?' Well, since that cover, we haven't seen her on the cover or had her mentioned in the solicits.
Is she, whoever she is, still in this book?
Written by KEITH GIFFEN and J.M. DeMATTEIS
Art by SCOTT KOLINS
Cover by HOWARD PORTER
Teri’s had a rough time since she joined the League. She’s died, been reborn as the new Flash, and battled against the Five, demon armies, and a world full of Starros! She’s even dated Superman! Along the way, she’s always had help, but now she’ll have to face one of the original Flash’s greatest enemies: the Mirror Master!
Remember when we had a cover of JL3K1 that had Supergirl on it. And we were trying to decide 'is it the Silver Age Kara??' and 'Who is she?' Well, since that cover, we haven't seen her on the cover or had her mentioned in the solicits.
Is she, whoever she is, still in this book?
GRAYSON ANNUAL #2
Written by TOM KING and TIM SEELEY
Art by ALVARO MARTINEZ and RAUL FERNANDEZ
Cover by MIKEL JANIN
When Dick comes home to find that the Batman he knew is gone, he seeks out his mentor, Superman. But both friends have changed since they last met. Can they find common ground and team up to stop Blockbuster’s plans for Spyral?
This is, I believe, the 5th time Batman has died or gone away during my comic reading lifetime. It is pretty worn out. That said, I do like seeing the response of characters to the loss of Bruce. And I like that Dick might actually talk to Superman about Batman's disappearance.
It also will introduce me to Grayson, a book I haven't sampled.
And that's it...
Let's see if October's solicits have Supergirl!
Written by TOM KING and TIM SEELEY
Art by ALVARO MARTINEZ and RAUL FERNANDEZ
Cover by MIKEL JANIN
When Dick comes home to find that the Batman he knew is gone, he seeks out his mentor, Superman. But both friends have changed since they last met. Can they find common ground and team up to stop Blockbuster’s plans for Spyral?
This is, I believe, the 5th time Batman has died or gone away during my comic reading lifetime. It is pretty worn out. That said, I do like seeing the response of characters to the loss of Bruce. And I like that Dick might actually talk to Superman about Batman's disappearance.
It also will introduce me to Grayson, a book I haven't sampled.
And that's it...
Let's see if October's solicits have Supergirl!
The solicit for 'DC Comics Bombshells' 2 with Kara serving the Soviet Union makes me very worried. This news (along with Supergirl's costume style) makes me lean towards not reading this title.
ReplyDeleteI miss reading a monthly Supergirl book. I wonder if a Supergirl comic will appear in October. The Supergirl TV series originally was slated to start in November. I guess it is possible for DC and whomever is working on the comic to meet an October deadline. Only time will tell!
I take it then that Supergirl isn't in the first issue then, or the second we see her creation and her double agent business as to why she's helping fight the villains in WW II. With all their statues, dolls, stickers, and so forth, how popular will Supergirl be if she's actually a villainous traitor working for the enemy?
ReplyDeleteWhile DC thew a bone to the fans with Kara surviving COIE, they also seem to have this ongoing hatred for the character except when it comes by a merchandising stand point. Sure, we get a TV series, but there's no comic book except as a possible villain in one and possibly used as a joke in another title. DC's latest (non-)reboot should have had a relaunched Supergirl title, either New52 in the Marvel style of relaunches or like with Black Canary. While I'm excited to read adventures starring the TV version, I'd just like a confirmation from DC that there is a real place for Supergirl in their company. I mean, there seemed to be a drive to include her, and make her more of a presence. She was guest-starring in multiple titles, and she was even made a Justice League member among the rest of the big guys via that Justice League theme park ride. She was in video games as unlockable characters, and even had a Lego mini-figure made of her. Was Convergence just a way to say good-bye to every main incarnation of Supergirl? Is this 1986 again? Is Power Girl are only Kara in the funny pages, as it were?
By the way, Superthug and Xenules, Bloody Warrior of Death, and Batbunny make me wish I didn't even know what a comic book is.
*are=our
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I'm glad there isn't a Supergirl comic as part of the relaunch of DCYou. I feel as if Batgirl and Black Canary have been de-aged, and I'd rather read Supergirl with the same dynamic artwork we've had in the last two series.
ReplyDeleteBoth Batgirl and BC seem to have changed dramatically--remember that BC was in TEAM 7, which supposedly took place before the first appearance of the JL--so my best guess continues to be a new Supergirl as reflected on TV. Face it, DC has given us BC and a new-ish Batgirl as if the other two had never appeared in the DC52/You. I'd be happy to see the previous books ignored if it meant getting a new Supergirl comic out in the fall.
In the time in which Bombshells is set, wouldn't the Soviet Union be allies of the US? So it's probably premature to day she's "evil, a dupe of the Soviet Union" or "a villainous traitor working for the enemy"?
ReplyDeleteShe'd only be working for "the enemy" if she were, you know, a German who is part of the Nazi military. Otherwise, she's part of the Allies.
Anj: I was thinking on this later in the day, and wondered if the writer thought about all the times Superman was portrayed as being a weapon of Germany in WWII and putting Supergirl in the same situation. And, as Caoimhe wrote above, Russia was an ally.
ReplyDeleteIn JSA: THE LIBERTY FILES, Superman is portrayed as the US's surprise weapon, Germany actually had pulled Martian Manhunter to Earth, and then it turned out Superman was actually Zod. But I could see Supergirl as an undercover agent, perhaps. That is what Superman was until the big surprise.
It is true Russia helped us against the Axis. But we weren't super chummy. Maybe we were Frenemies?
ReplyDeleteWeird that the Super-character isn't the representation of the American Way.
I agree with almost everything you've said about the "Truth" arc. I really hope that a lot of this is just temporary. But the following interviews with Gene Yang and John Romita worry me. I'd like to see your take on them.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.comicvine.com/articles/gene-luen-yang-john-romita-jr-discuss-superman-s-c/1100-152655/
http://www.newsarama.com/24871-superman-gives-clark-roguish-personality-brings-him-into-information-age.html
Its temporary, but I think some aspects are going to be more temporary than others. For example, I think he's going to get his powers and costume back well before something happens to give him his secret identity back. I think Clark Kent and Superman being one and the same is going to be something that lasts a long time as far as status quo changes are concerned. A couple years at least.
ReplyDeleteYep on Russia. Without Russia, we would have lost WWII on the European front. RED SON was probably the best thing Mark Millar ever wrote, so its not a stretch if they use Supergirl as a spy or even a hero to help the Russians on their end.
ReplyDeleteI always thought "the American way" was too insulated, like it should be more like "the world's way", but set in WWII, "American way" would make sense.
Or we could just apply Ockham's Razor which suggests that Supergirl is gonna get jobbed out again by creatives that don't give a rat's**s about her.
ReplyDeleteJF