December 2016 Solicits

The December DC Comics solicits came out this week and there weren't too many surprises. That doesn't mean that I don't have things to say. In fact, there is something about these solicits that troubles me. And we'll get to that right up front.

I'll be looking at the super books but if you want to see all the DC solicits, here is a link to Newsarama's coverage:http://www.newsarama.com/31093-dc-comics-december-2016-solicitations.html

On to the books!

SUPERGIRL #4
Written by STEVE ORLANDO
Art and cover by BRIAN CHING
Variant cover by BENGAL
“REIGN OF THE CYBORG SUPERMEN” part four! Supergirl struggles to escape the perverse reincarnation of Argo City as her father, the Cyborg Superman, attacks National City and her new home with the DEO! To face her ultimate test as a hero, Kara must let go of her past and embrace the future.

So here is my immediate problem.

This cover.

I am not thrilled with the Kara side of the cover. There is something just a bit too hentai for me in this look. A bound Kara, her eyes wide looking down at the growing mechanics heading towards her skirt. There is just something a little icky about this image, especially given the tone of this new book. This isn't overtly salacious. It isn't a Zenescope cover. But this is supposed to be a 16 year old girl and there are some things implied here.You can have an imperiled Kara who isn't in *this* position. Add to that the word perverse in the solicit and my remembering that Eddie Berganza is the editor who okayed this cover and I cringed a little.

As for the solicit, I thought this Kara had already let the past go and embraced Earth. But as this is a #Rebirth with 90K more readers, I guess Steve Orlando felt he needed to cover that one more time. So long as the story is good, I am in.

SUPERGIRL: BEING SUPER #1
Written by MARIKO TAMAKI
Art and cover by JOELLE JONES
Flying and crushing coal into diamonds may come easy, but try popping a Kryptonian zit! Caldecott Honor-winning and Eisner Award-winning writer Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer) teams with Eisner Award-nominated artist Joëlle Jones (Lady Killer) for a coming-of-age tale like you’ve never seen before. But while growing pains shake up Kara’s world, a deadly earthquake rocks the small town of Midvale beneath her feet! The Girl of Steel has a choice: let her world die, or overcome her adolescent insecurities and be super!

I covered this announcement recently and I am wondering about how this take will read. You knew this would be considered a 'coming of age' story given writer Mariko Tamaki's pedigree. But I am interested. For one, there is a lot of classic Supergirl in this solicit, from adolescent insecurities to Midvale. Add to that Joelle Jones art and I am in.

I love this cover. I don't know the orientation. From this view she is clearly flying upside down. I could have posted it upside down. Just gorgeous.

ACTION COMICS #969
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM
Variant cover by GARY FRANK
“MEN OF STEEL” part three! Trapped on the Godslayer’s home world, Superman and Lex Luthor must unite if they want to make it back to Earth! But does Luthor deserve his freedom or should the Man of Steel make sure he stays locked away?

ACTION COMICS #970
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art and cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Variant covers by GARY FRANK
“MEN OF STEEL” part four! Godslayer’s origin reveals him to be very different than the Man of Steel imagined! Will even the threat of universal Armageddon be enough to make Superman sacrifice Lex Luthor?

Glad to see Zircher on both issues as I find his stuff solid and tremendous.

I suppose this Superman had to come to terms with this Luthor. So what better way than forcing them to fight together.

I do hope we see some story where the super-cousins meet.

SUPERMAN #12
Written by PETER J. TOMASI and PATRICK GLEASON
Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
Variant cover by ANDREW ROBINSON
“SINISTER PURPOSE” part one! Frankenstein has come to Hamilton County, home of Superman, and Hell has come with him. It’s Man of Steel vs. the Monster to save the life of someone in the town with a horrifying secret.


SUPERMAN #13
Written by PETER J. TOMASI and PATRICK GLEASON
Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
Variant cover by ANDREW ROBINSON
“SINISTER PURPOSE” part two ! Here comes the Bride and her four arms are loaded with weapons. And on what side of those guns is Lois Lane going to be? The mystery of one of the citizens of Hamilton will be exposed with monstrous consequences for all.

I don't mind putting Superman in some unfamiliar environments as a way to increase the freshness of the story. Superman in horror books always seems to work for me (see Greg Pak/Aaron Kuder's ghost story in Smallville for a recent one).

I assume this is Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE. Will this be Morrison insanity? Horror? Or lean more towards sci-fi.

SUPERWOMAN #5
Written by PHIL JIMENEZ
Art by PHIL JIMENEZ and MATT SANTORELLI
Cover by JORGE JIMENEZ
Variant cover by BEN OLIVER
“WHO IS SUPERWOMAN?” part five! With her powers killing her every time she uses them, Superwoman must work with Steel to mount a last-ditch counterattack as Ultra Woman lays siege to Metropolis! Will Lana Lang be the second Superwoman to die protecting the City of Tomorrow?

No complaints so far about this book. Two Superwomen? Did Lena clone Lana?
Can you imagine if Jimenez kills Lana too?
Will we see the Insect Queen armor?

I'm in.

NEW SUPER-MAN #6
Written by GENE LUEN YANG
Art by VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC and RICHARD FRIEND
Cover by VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC
Variant cover by BERNARD CHANG
“MADE IN CHINA” conclusion! Kong Kenan is in the fight of his life against the insane Human Firecracker and his Starro bomb! New Super-Man must confront his darkest demons as he tries to save the Bat-Man and Wonder-Woman of China! Alliances will be tested, heroes will be forged—and the shocking fate of Kenan’s family is revealed!

Nothing makes me smile like seeing Starro drones! Hurray!

But a shocking family fate? I hope Kenan's father doesn't die. I'd rather learn his mother survived!

So far this has been a fun, wild book.

SUPERMAN/BATMAN: SAGA OF THE SUPER-SONS TP NEW EDITION
Written by BOB HANEY and DENNIS O’NEIL
Art by CURT SWAN, DICK DILLIN, KIERON DWYER, ERNIE CHAN and others
Cover by NICK CARDY
The complete saga of the Super Sons is back in a new edition starring the sons of Batman and Superman! Features stories from the pages of WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #215-216, 221-222, 224, 228, 230, 231, 233, 238, 242, 263 and ELSEWORLDS 80-PAGE GIANT #1!

The new Super-Sons book was delayed. As a result, the trade reprinting the zany Haney, insane, 'the heck with continuity' stories has also been delayed. Given my current love of nostalgia and old stories, I think I may have to get this!

DCTV: SUPERGIRL STATUE
Sculpted by ADAM ROSS and GENTLE GIANT
Direct from her own hit TV series, it’s Supergirl! This new statue captures the Girl of Steel as she appears in every action-packed episode.
Retailers: This item is resolicited. All previous orders are canceled.
Limited Edition of 5,000
Measures Approximately 12.92” Tall
RESOLICIT • $130.00 US • On Sale MARCH 2017

This statue was first solicited last year!

And yet here we are again.
If you pre-ordered this (like I did), make sure you tell your store to re-order. All previous orders are canceled.

I wonder why this happened? Maybe the first version was ugly? Unstable?
Maybe there weren't enough pre-orders so they figured they'd re-solicit?

It is just irritating.

Anyways, not a bad month outside of that weird Supergirl cover.