DC March 2019 Solicits

Hello everyone!
The holidays are behind me and the New Year's celebrations are looming.
But time waits for no one so back to the fun stuff ... talking Supergirl.

The DC solicitations for March came out last week and included some interesting news and a couple of stunning covers for our super-family. There is the usual extra stuff as well so I advise heading to Newsarama to soak it all in: https://www.newsarama.com/43222-dc-comics-march-2019-solicitations.html

Of note, the new Dial H mini-series is scheduled to begin. And oh yeah, there's Detective Comics #1000! Young Justice continues to sound interesting. But we're here to look at the Super-books. So on to focused coverage.

SUPERGIRL #28
written by MARC ANDREYKO
art by EDUARDO PANSICA
cover by YANICK PAQUETTE
variant cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU 

Supergirl and the Omega Men versus…Supergirls?! The Omega Men’s secret base of operations is attacked by the Citadel, who brought with them an entire army of Supergirls who all don’t seem to be built quite right. With Supergirl fighting multiple versions of herself, it proves the old saying “You are your own worst enemy.”

The idea of Harry Hokum tinkering with Supergirl's genome and making monster copies of her to fight is a winner. The cover by Yanick Paquette (a person favorite) looks like a horror movie poster and that makes it a winner. And even the idea of the Omega Men is fun.

But the big news here is another variant cover by Artgerm. Maybe DC finally saw the handwriting on the source wall that had this formula: Artgerm + Supergirl = $$$

The downside is this is another issue without Kevin Maguire. This is starting to feel a bit like a turnstile title with a new artist drawing every issue. Not a knock on Eduardo Pansica. I just like a creative team on a book, at least for a little bit.

Matrix Mondays On a Thursday: Superman #22

The holidays falling early in the week have made standard scheduling on this blog a bit of a nightmare. I had a decision to make. Keep Matrix Mondays on only Mondays, delaying the conclusion of The Supergirl Saga a couple of weeks. Or somehow transpose Matrix Mondays to another day. Somehow I managed to move it to this Thursday ... but more on that later.

Superman #22 is the last part of the three-part Supergirl Saga. It also is the conclusion of John Byrne's run on the character, with Byrne writing and drawing the issue. The fallout of this storyline effected the Superman books for some time afterwards, leading into the introduction of Gangbuster, the Exile storyline, and the ultimate 'small e' exile of this Supergirl after a bit of misdirection. And then, of course, there is the actual reason why Superman exiled himself to space after this.

Spoiler alert for the 30 year old story, he executes the Phantom Zone villains from the pocket universe.

When this came out, I thought it was a stunning ending. And I thought the repercussions of it were appropriate with Superman questioning himself and whether it was safe for him to stay on Earth. It also made him skirt the edges of mental stability. Things wouldn't be the same.

But now, after all these years, I hate this decision. And I hate it for one reason. This book is one of the primary defenses people use when they defend Superman killing Zod in Zach Snyder's Man of Steel. When fans like me were repulsed by that ending, saying simply 'Superman doesn't kill', the fans would bleat 'What about Superman #22?'

And there isn't an easy comeback to that. He does kill here.

Of course, as I said before, we had his near immediate introspective reactions of regret and shame a mere 30 days later, a self-exploration that lasted over a year. Not the same as movies in which three years pass between plot progression.

But I vowed that I would curse the darkness of the Snyder-verse any more.

Instead, I'll shine the light on the high points of this story. Supergirl was back, in a way. Despite his heroic front, the pocket universe Luthor turns out the be just as big a narcissist as the classic. And Superman learns a hard lesson.

On to the book.

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all those who celebrate!

I'll be taking a couple of days off!

See you soon and hope Santa treats you all well!

(And acknowledging that this is a Mike Maihack pic. Hope he doesn't mind! Please check out all his awesomeness!)

Review: CW Elseworlds Crossover Part 3

I conclude my in depth review of the CW three part Elseworlds crossover today, looking deep into this last episode which seems filled with hints of the future as well as some more incredible comic book homages.

To start off, I have to say that this was, by far, my favorite of the crossovers. I liked Invasion. I loved Crisis on Earth X. But Elseworlds seemed like a love letter to comic book fans who watch the show. There is no reason to put in some of the sequences or shots in this story except to make the seasoned comic reader nod their head in happiness. During these shows if something happens that is very comic related, I usually pause to fill in my kids. This time, I hit the pause button so many times they asked me to reassess what I thought was important enough to tell them.

I will also add that Crisis On Infinite Earths is the foundation of this crossover. I have already mentioned the red skies, the Monitor, the upcoming threat the Monitor is trying to prepare for, and the E-90 Flash appearances. But this episode really mines that material. And I was shocked to see how much that original material is ingrained in me. When we got into destinies and anticipated deaths in this episode, I got goose bumps. Supergirl's death in the Crisis still effects me, this wizened comic reader, 30+ years later.

All this to say kudos to Marc Guggenheim and the show producers and the stars for putting together something I thought would never happen. And I get the sense this was just the appetizer.

On to the show.

Review: CW Elseworlds Crossover Part 2

The second part of the CW Elseworlds was a bit more serious comic crossover, like a big annual crossover, and less like a silly single issue of Super-Team Family. The stakes became very real in this episode of Arrow. The immersion into the whole DC became deeper. The emotions, foreshadows, and angst that much more palpable.

I said in my review of the first part that this felt a little like Crisis On Infinite Earths Lite and this episode continues that with direct homages and indirect homages to what happened in that landmark series. As a long time fan, and someone who bought COIE off the rack, I can tell you I was basically gobsmacked this whole crossover.

There was so much to love about this. And I always worry that I might be focusing too much on the minor little Easter eggs in these reviews as opposed to recognizing the story as a whole. Yes, the body swap and the 'relationship' stuff was a very 'CW' layer to add. But this story of heroes getting together, fighting bad guys, meeting up with new allies, and saving the world was just classic comics, the reason why I still read these things today. And that makes me happy.

This is what a DC movie should feel like. I won't belabor that point. 

On to the show.

Review: CW Elseworlds Crossover Part 1

I know I am over a week late in reviewing the three part CW crossover event Elseworlds but it took me a while to wrap my head around how I wanted to go about reviewing it.

Initially the thought was to review it all in one big post, covering all three episodes and creating a massive missive about all that happened.

But after attempts at doing that I realized that would be doing this crossover an injustice. Because this is flat-out, one of the best DC super-hero live action products to be done. It deserves to be looked at closely and have its beauty acknowledged.

For one,  it completely embraces its comic book roots. Unlike the Snyder-verse with its dour washed out tones, unlike Smallville and its 'no tights/no flights', this show wallows in its four color history. It plays out like 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' Lite, a sort of stripped down COIE. But for a comic nerd like me, there are so many nods, acknowledgements, and Easter Eggs sprinkled throughout that I couldn't help but be thoroughly impressed.

Next, it also leans into its own history. These are characters with years of their own stories. So to see Ollie and Barry call back to something that happened when they first crossed over 4 years ago showed me how important the internal continuity is.

Also, it is clear that these actors simply enjoy working with each other. There is tremendous chemistry throughout. I was actively rooting for them. And, no word of a lie (and you'll hear about it when I cover part three), I actually got chills once.

Then there is a spot on Batwoman performance and a Gotham I want to explore more.

And, perhaps most of all, we got a Superman and Lois that I can 100% get behind. This is the Lois and Clark I want. Perfect.

So get ready to hear me gush a bit. Onto Elseworlds ...

Review: Superman #6

Superman #6 came out last week and was a very entertaining read.

From formatting decisions to plot progression to knock down fight sequences to emotional beats, this whole thing gave me a lot to mull over when it was done. And that isn't even mentioning the highly anticipated and highly dreaded cliffhanger ending.

But there was a story-telling moment that I have to admit surprised me and therefore impressed me quite a bit. When this grizzled and semi-jaded comic reader is caught off guard, it needs to be mentioned.

All of that means I must extend my respect to writer Brian Michael Bendis who has somehow made me interested in this Rogol Zaar story. I started out shrugging at this whole thing and looking forward to Action Comics much more. But these last couple of issues have really been standouts.

Of course, equal credit rests on the art team of Ivan Reis and Joe Prado. The book opens up with amazing double splash pages as Superman's conflicted thoughts surround the slugfest between titans. The art is just stunning. This is one of those issues where I paused before turning the page to make sure I was drinking in all the artwork.

Anyways, there is a lot to mull over in the details so on to the book.

Matrix Monday: Adventures Of Superman #444

Last week I began the idea of Matrix Mondays,  a spotlight on some of the pieces of the Matrix Supergirl's history which I haven't covered during the 10 plus years of this site.

First stop is The Supergirl Saga, the storyline which brought back a Supergirl to the DCU. Last week I covered chapter one in Superman #21. Today we'll dive right into the second chapter in Adventures of Superman #444, by writer John Byrne and art team of Jerry Ordway and Dennis Janke.

This was an interesting time in the DC Universe. The Crisis was only a couple of years in the past. The idea of something being pre-Crisis or post-Crisis was still fresh in readers' minds. And the long-reaching continuity ramifications were still being discovered. It also meant that if creators wanted to take one last look back, they could do so. Readers still remembered infinite Earths.

Ahhh ... but we should have been able to remember. There was only one universe throughout time after the Crisis. As a result, if you wanted to cobble together some sort of coherent patch in Legion continuity, you would come up with the concept of a 'pocket universe', a slice of time/space that wasn't a whole universe.

Please pass the ibuprofen.

Still, something had to be done to fix the Legion. So here we are.

This issue does what a middle chapter is supposed to do, filling in the details of a story while setting up a satisfactory ending. This issue is basically a flashback of the Pocket Universe Earth and what happened after the death of Superboy in the Baxter Legion book. It does give artist Jerry Ordway the opportunity to revisit Silver Age looking elements of the DCU. Nothing like old school Quex-Ul to make a long time Superman fan happy!

And we get just a smidge more of this Supergirl.

But this is an info dump in preparation of the finale's conflagration.

One last note. I love that the cover of this issue is basically the first panel of the story. Here is Superman kneeling at the graves of the Kents who on this world have passed.

On to the book.

Review: Supergirl #25

Supergirl #25 came out last week, a double sized anniversary issue celebrating ... I guess ... the title making it to the quarter century mark. It is amazing what passes as a high number in comics these days.

The book is made up of three stories. The first continues the current plotline with Kara investigating Rogol Zaar's part in the destruction of Krypton. Writer Marc Andreyko does a decent job here mixing in visions and reality, playing on a bit of Supergirl's history, and adding a new rogue to her villain list. The art there is done primarily by Supergirl veteran Emanuela Lupacchino and fits in well with the Maguire/Shaner look to the book.

The second story focuses on a past encounter of current shipmate Z'ndr Kol. We get a better sense of the sort of swashbuckling, Tomb Raider-like adventurer he is. But we also get some crumbs to deepen the current mysteries of this title. I don't know how much I can trust this guy. And there are so many apostrophes in his language that I can't help but think he's a Martian.

The last story feels like an inventory holdover for some never published holiday special. Dan Jurgens and Tom Derenick give us a story from Supergirl's past, clearly set in the Steve Orlando era, with a simple but beloved holiday message.

Overall I thought this was a very good issue but for one overused plot element that bores me.

On to the book!

Sales Review: November 2018

Perhaps it is that everyone has less cash to spend because they are buying holiday presents.
Perhaps it is that everyone has less money to put to floppies because they subscribed to the DCU streaming service.

But comics sales went down pretty badly last month. And the super titles were not immune. As always, head to ICv2 for coverage here: https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/42021/top-500-comics-november-2018


You might recall that sales on Supergirl #23 were ludicrously high, perhaps bolstered by a foil enhanced Artgerm cover.

I thought fan favorite Doc Shaner being on art for Supergirl #24 might keep the ball rolling.

Supergirl #24 not only sported that spiffy Shaner art but introduced a suave Coluan into the mix. It had some fun Kara/Krypto fighting sequences. And we even saw how quickly Supergirl can become non-super if she taxes her system and isn't bathing in yellow sun.

Overall, not a bad issue. And definitely easy on the eyes.

So how did it sell.

The Albatross

In Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge, a sailor who shot an albatross which had given the ship good fortune is forced to wear it around his neck as the boat sinks into a hell. The word albatross subsequently has become synonymous with a burden on someone, especially in the context of some sin or ill fortune that has fallen on them.

A rather literary start to a post on Supergirl Comic Box Commentary but bear with me.

Because today I thought I would comment on characters who have had an albatross placed in their continuity and how difficult it sometimes is to move past that burden, even in a genre where resurrections, retcons, and reboots are common. In comics, it is often a dark moment for a character where it is simply too hard to move on.

And I wonder if, when such a story element is being pitched, if the creative powers that be realize that such a plot point might be extremely damaging moving forward.

Let's start with the impetus for this post, Doomsday Clock #8 and poor Firestorm.

I have been sort of underwhelmed with Doomsday Clock as a whole. Time delays within each issue and a sort of plodding pace so far has made it difficult to embrace. While moments have been interesting (old green lanterns, Johnny Thunder, Rorscach II), I have read and bagged and haven't revisited. Even the back matter, which I am sure is filled with goodies has been skimmed and been mostly forgotten.

And then Doomsday Clock #8 happened and it just seemed to matter. Geoff Johns made the whole thing click. It didn't hurt that the issue basically revolved around Superman, something Clock was supposed to do from it's inception. It also helped that Superman was portrayed perfectly, from an implied beat down of an obstinate Black Adam to a friendly and inspirational voice to Firestorm and people in general. I was happy. But not everybody was.

Review: The Last Siege #7

The Last Siege #7 came out last week, the penultimate issue of this extremely enjoyable mini-series.

I have been reviewing comics on this site for 10 years and there are a few sayings that crop up every so often.

One is 'big moments need big art', a statement I make when a splash page is utilized appropriately to convey the enormity of a moment.

Another is 'when words and art complement each other, comics is at its best'.

The former applies to this issue. The latter does not.

This issue portrays the title. This is the siege moment. This is Istvan's army storming Lord Aedon's castle. It is told in a series of two page spreads, one side a splash, the other side, panels conveying smaller moments of action. There is a thread in the book, a series of panels designed to build suspense in the tale, told through panels growing larger and brighter. This whole book is big art. And for the battle that has been brewing this whole mini-series, it is thrilling.

But, amazingly, this is a 'silent issue'. There isn't one spoken word. There isn't one text box. There isn't one 'meanwhile'. Words can't complement the story. There are no words. Instead, the art has to carry the story. The pace of the battle. The passing of time. That increasing suspense. The characters' thoughts and feelings. It all has to be shown, not told.

And it all works.

Even the cover is part of the story. A torn doll lying in the rubble of a castle under attack. It shows a loss of innocence. Queen Cathryn cannot be a child anymore. Not here. The image tells us that.

Kudos to writer Landry Walker and artist Justin Greenwood for this accomplishment. Congratulations to colorist Brad Simpson for his use of yellows and oranges for this fire-drenched battle. Amazing.

Matrix Monday - Superman #21

Last year I celebrated a ten year anniversary on this site, something I am pretty proud of.

But when I was putting together the celebration, what stood out to me was the stuff that I haven't covered here. The Supergirl Helen Slater movie. The Elseworld's Finest book. The Supergirl mini-series by Roger Stern and June Brigman. Even Action Comics #252. I'll get there; I promise.

One of the things that also stood out was that I never covered The Supergirl Saga, the re-introduction of a Supergirl character into the DCU in the post-Crisis era. I have exhaustively covered Crisis on Infinite Earths, and Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 in particular. So why not Supergirl's return ... okay a sort-of return of Supergirl?

This was brought a bit more into focus this summer when I met John Byrne at Boston Fan Expo (here's a pic of him holding my signed copy). I had grown to love the Matrix version of Supergirl, mostly in the post-Death of Superman time period, when she left Lex, became an independent hero, and ultimately an Earth Angel. I thanked Byrne for bringing Supergirl back and he looked at me wryly and said 'in way'. I wished I could have talked to him more about this decision but the line to see him was enormous. You got your 30 seconds of time and you left happy.

So I thought I would cover this three part story over the next few Mondays, Matrix Mondays if you will. Today we'll cover Superman #21, the first chapter as written and drawn by John Byrne.

And I'll do my best to go back in time and remember what I was thinking at that point in time. This hit the stands on May 17, 1988, almost 3 years since Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 was released. What were Supergirl fans thinking?

Review: Adventures Of Super Sons #5

Adventures of the Super Sons #5 came out this last week and was a fun interlude in this rather bonkers title. Changes are upcoming for Jon Kent so Peter Tomasi is taking advantage of this series to expose the fun-loving sons to all the madness the DCU can provide.

As I have said in prior reviews, Tomasi has been inserting nods to prior DC history events throughout this series. There is a 'plot' of sorts; a young version of the Injustice League, fanboys of criminals from an alien planet who are basically cosplaying the real baddies is after the sons. But mostly this seems like a madcap race. That thread might be weaving through the book. But mostly this feels episodic.

This issue wraps up a two part peek at the horror anthologies of the Bronze Age. Stuck on the Planet of Mystery and Secrets, the boys are stuck in a spooky house and faced with potential future versions of themselves. There will be Easter Eggs! But all in all, the boys both learn a lesson and inspire. Not bad for kid heroes.

The art by Carlo Barberi is still wonderful, cartoony and stylish enough to fit the material perfectly.

As I have said before, it'll be a shame when this version of the sons moves on. On to the book.

Steve Rude On Supergirl ... What Might Have Been

Thanks to blog friend Jon Francis for pointing out a juicy little tidbit about one of my favorite artists, Steve Rude, and Supergirl.

In TwoMorrow's Comic Book Creator #18, Rude discusses what sounds like a near miss for being on the Supergirl title in some role. Whether it was regular artist, fill in artist, or cover artist, we almost had a Rude awakening on the book. But I guess it wasn't meant to be.

It's a shame because Rude has a clean style that I love. There is a classic feel to his stuff, timeless and beautuful.

In an article aptly called 'DC: Hello, Goodbye ... ', Rude talks about a this possible assignment.

As you can tell by the title, it ends with Rude saying goodbye to DC.

Supergirl Episode 408: Bunker Hill

Supergirl episode 408, titled 'Bunker Hill' was another very good episode for this season. As a 'midseason finale' (I guess the Elseworlds crossover is a stand alone event), this moved the overall plot themes of the season forward while also stuffing in a ton of small character moments, strong dialogue, and Easter eggs to keep the fan in me smiling. No big surprise given the fact that the episode was directed by Kevin Smith and written by Eric Carrasco and staff.

The title Bunker Hill refers to a sentiment from Ben Lockwood in the episode. He says that Bunker Hill was a case of losing a battle but ultimately winning a war. And that theme is going to play heavily into this episode's outcome. But it also resonates with how well the show has been handling this political topic of immigration and prejudice.

While it is clear the side the show's creators are on, I love how they haven't been heavy-handed in their presentation. In fact, they have done a very good job of showing how people don't consider themselves villains; they think of themselves as the hero in their own story. It shows how circumstances can breed hate in all sides of a problem. And it shows how when you look deeply, we still have a lot common with each other, enough that you think we would all care.

You can look at Ben Lockwood and Manchester Black as the same coin but on opposite ends of a political spectrum. You can look at Ben Lockwood and Supergirl as two people who believe in their personal definition of justice and have a 'secret identity' to protect their loved ones. And you can look at Supergirl and J'onn as people who can inspire, who keep trying to help people who are villains by their action but are rebuffed.

I think this is the strongest season of this show so far in that they are giving us powerful stories. But this review will cover that and geeky moments too, so settle in.

DCSHG: For The Girl Who Has Everything

I have been remiss in recent times to review all of the Supergirl appearances in DC Superhero Girls. Perhaps I am falling into a 'comic continuity' funk, knowing that Shea Fontana's version is going to be replaced by Lauren Faust's soon.

Thankfully, I stumbled upon the most recent episode, a Supergirl-centric tale available on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJWCG4ZyTm4

It is a shame I lost track of this because it is a ton of fun.

The title is 'For the Girl who has Everything' and comic fans know that title as a riff on 'For the Man who has Everything', the classic Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons Black Mercy story from Action Comics Annual #11. We know in that story the Black Mercy flower shows Superman his fondest desire, that Krypton did not explode and he has a family. Of course, he realizes (with the help of this friends) that this is a flawed 'perfect reality' and breaks free.

And this isn't the first time we have seen a Supergirl take on this story. It was part of Supergirl season one on CBS:
http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2016/02/supergirl-episode-13-for-girl-who-has.html

So what is the DCSHG Supergirl's perfect world?

Review: DC Nuclear Winter Special #1

I had seen the solicits for DC's Nuclear Winter Special #1 and I saw the creator list included a number of names of creators who I trust. This includes but isn't limited to Steve Orlando, Paul Dini, Tom Taylor, Cecil Castellucci, Phil Hester, Scott Kolins, Jerry Ordway, etc.

That's a lot of names of people whose work I routinely love.

But then I saw the price point. $10 is a lot to shell out for a collection of post-apocalyptic, 'this isn't a holiday special', 'out of continuity book. I'd almost rather buy three monthlies and keep those titles afloat. It's like a $10 lottery ticket. It might be a winner. But it might not. And shouldn't that sawbuck go elsewhere?

Luckily I have friends who don't overthink things so much and had bought it. Those folks loved it. So when you say there are creators who you trust in the book and there are comic friends who you trust telling you to buy the book, you reach into your wallet and you plop the Hamilton down.

I am so happy I did. I won't cover all the stories here but they are all very good. But tucked in there is a Supergirl story by writer Tom Taylor with breakdowns by Tom Derenick and finished art and colors by dazziling newcomerYasmin Putri. The tale is absolutely wonderful. It certainly will make my top ten list. It leans into so many things I feel about Supergirl's history. It is hopeful, even in the nightmarish world it exists in. And it is beautiful. This alone would have made the book worth buying.