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/
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.
ACTION COMICS #1009
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by STEVE EPTING
variant cover by JEFF DEKAL
As clandestine organizations—both good and evil—continue to fall, the official countdown to one of the biggest stories in DC history begins here! Clark Kent and Lois Lane go undercover to find out who is behind the destruction of the Kobra cult, the DEO and some of the greatest organizations in the DC Universe. As the threat of Leviathan looms over everything, the Man of Steel must trust Amanda Waller with his biggest secret: his identity as Clark Kent! All bets are off and all rules will be broken as Leviathan has come to change the DC Universe forever.
Now this is an amazing solicit.
One, I love the cover. I fell in love
with Steve Epting's art on the Brubaker run of Captain America. So I can't wait to see him work on Superman.
Two, the idea that this new entity Leviathan is picking off or destabilizing smaller threats (if you can call Kobra and the DEO small) is a great hook. We all can name others - Skull, ARGUS, STAR Labs - that could be in danger.
I am not the biggest fan of Amanda Waller but she sure would be a good thorn in Superman's side. I can't imagine Clark sharing his secret identity with her. But the scenes leading up to it should be great.
SUPERMAN #9
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by IVAN REIS, JOE PRADO and BRANDON PETERSON
cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
variant cover by ADAM HUGHES
The secrets of the house of El are revealed as the Unity Saga continues! Traveling through space, young Jon Kent has faced everything the universe could throw at him, but after an accident sends him and his grandfather Jor-El across dimensions, the new Superboy comes face to face with a terrifyingly evil version of his own father: Ultraman and his horrible version of the Justice League, the Crime Syndicate! Find out what happened to Superman’s father and how Jon made it back home from this strange and crime-ridden alternate world.
We have lived through so many boots, reboots, soft reboots, and reimaginings that I don't know if the Crime Syndicate is supposed to be around any more. And please don't ask me to remember Forever Evil. I know I read it. But I couldn't tell you much about it.
Maybe this Jon aging thing is something to do with the timey-wimey dimension jumps? Time travels differently in Hypertime?
Anyways, none of this takes away my general distaste that Jor-El is still alive, kind of evil, and calls himself Mr. Oz. Dr. Manhattan ... make it go away!!!
ADVENTURES OF THE SUPER SONS #8
written by PETER J. TOMASI
art by CARLO BARBERI and MATT SANTORELLI
cover by DAN MORA
Incarcerated on the prison planet of Takron-Galtos, Superboy and Robin face off against their fellow inmate Rex Luthor and the newest members of the Gang! But Robin has a plan, and it involves a piece of glittering jewelry called a Green Lantern ring! Be here for the start of “No Evil Shall Escape Their Sight”!
Peter Tomasi had me at 'Takron-Galtos'! I am loving this funhouse ride through different, dusty corners of the DCU.
And yes, I keep hoping that in some issue members of this Gang are members of The Gang, which Supergirl fought in Daring New Adventures of Supergirl. A man can dream!
SUPERGIRL VOL. 1: THE KILLERS OF KRYPTON TP
written by MARC ANDREYKO
art by KEVIN MAGUIRE, SEAN PARSONS and others
cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
Superman and Supergirl, the last two Kryptonians on Earth, have had their beliefs shattered. With new revelations about their home planet—and the man who destroyed it—Supergirl builds a star cruiser using whatever tech she can scrounge, and after receiving intel from Green Lantern, she blasts off into the cosmos with Rogol Zaar’s deadly axe to solve the mystery! Collects SUPERGIRL #21-26.
Interesting that the Artgerm foil cover will adorn the trade. You would think a Dodson cover, which at least hints at the story, would have been chosen. That said, we know Artgerm sells, so why not.
I do wonder how this arc will read in one sitting as a trade.
I remain interested. But I am not super-engaged.
4 books and a trade. Makes me miss those days of twice a month Superman and Action, Supergirl, Superwoman, Super Sons, and New Superman.
What if Brian Bendis is being really rather clever in setting up an encounter on Earth 3... what if Mr Oz is actually not the father of our Superman, but of Ultra Man?
ReplyDeleteThat’s brill, Mart!
ReplyDeleteYanick's Instagram and Twitter accounts have a few Supergirl posts and comments, including some uncolored covers and an extra sketch. On Instagram he includes the hashtag #failexperiment which matches the solicitation text "army of Supergirls who all don't seem to be built quite right."
ReplyDeleteCould have sworn one of the bios at those 2 sites said "Currently working on Supergirl" just a few hours ago, but doesn't say that anymore.
T.N.
Eduardo Pansica's Instagram page DOES say "currently working on Supergirl". Doc Shaner's Twitter page DID say that, but not anymore. Shaner was supposed to do more Supergirl work, but maybe that's changed.
ReplyDeleteBecause of all these games of artistic musical chairs, I wonder if Kevin Maguire is still Supergirl's "regular" artist?
SG's cover is suitably creepy. I'm glad that Artgem keeps drawing covers, but I hope that the book finds a better way to draw readers.
ReplyDeleteMaybe SG's readers would feel inclined to return if Kara returned to Earth and got her history and supporting cast back.
Supergirl being cloned reminds me of Bizarrogirl or "Reign to the Tomorrow", where Matrix found out about Lex's little dark secrets.
"4 books and a trade. Makes me miss those days of twice a month Superman and Action, Supergirl, Superwoman, Super Sons, and New Superman."
On the other hand, I don't do. Four monthlies and two bi-weeklies is completely overkill, and I bet it contributed to most of those books crashing and burning.
Thanks for comments.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if these artists say what they are working on even if it is just for an issue.
I agree that too many super-books could be saturating the market. But hard to believe I went from 8 reviews a month to 4 so quickly.
I'm honestly glad you missed the DC Ink Super Sons title from last month's solicits. I read the preview on Bleeding Cool and was VERY disappointed. For some reason, it's set in a mid-apocalyptic flood, Jon acts like a bad Lisa Simpson clone & is super unlikable, and Damien is a stereotypical rich kid (also super unlikable). It might as well be a whole new series, since the characters don't even look like they could be the same, let alone act it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame this run only has a few more months. I could share that book with my kids, but that Ink book seems to be talking down to them. It's what I was afraid the line would be. It'd be nice to see an animated series of the Tomasi comic on Cartoon Network (it could be short form like JL Action), but it feels like DC wants to sweep it under the floorboards.