The January solicits for DC comics are now out and the new year is ringing in with a dose of darkness and a recent blighted storyline revisited. Will this be a banner ringing in of 2020? Or will DC look back at this decision and realize they weren't seeing things clearly?
I'll cover the super-specific stuff but if you want to see the total solicits, you can head to Newsarama here: https://www.newsarama.com/47466-dc-comics-january-2020-solicitations.html
But I will say, I don't think I am feeling too excited about much of this.
SUPERGIRL #38
written by JODY HOUSER
art by RACHAEL STOTT
cover by MIKE PERKINS
card stock variant cover by DERRICK CHEW
After Batman and Superman couldn’t stop the Infected Supergirl from trying to thee entire world, they knew they had to call in the only person they trust can bring Kara back...Wonder Woman! Will Diana’s compassion be enough to cure Kara of the infection that’s taken over? If not, what’s a fight between an uninhibited Kryptonian power house against a god like? You’ll find out here!
So this is a solicit with a typo. What was Dark Kara trying to do?
Anyways, you know how much I am sick of Supergirl being tainted and corrupted, so it is going to take something special for me to like this. And ironic that it is Wonder Woman's compassion that is the weapon here. You would think that Supergirl and her 'compassion for all' mantra would mean she wouldn't be darkened by the Batman Who Laughs.
Sigh. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
ACTION COMICS #1019
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. and KLAUS JANSON
card stock variant cover by LUCIO PARRILLO
One of the biggest battles in Superman history tears through Metropolis as the super-villain team-up of Lex Luthor, the Legion of Doom, and Leviathan come to change Superman’s city forever! The blockbuster creative team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artists John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson create a Superman epic for the ages—as the Man of Steel deals with the public disclosure of his secret identity!
The new year is filled with The Truth, a storyline where Superman reveals his secret identity.
Now we just went through a very rough Truth storyline where Superman's identity is revealed. At least this time it is Superman's decision. But honestly, we just read this a few years ago and it didn't work.
At the very least we still have Leviathan. And he looks quite Manhunter-y here.
Still, it is going to take something special for me to like this.
SUPERMAN #19
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
variant cover by BRYAN HITCH
One day later! What happens the day after Superman reveals his secret identity to the world? And what repercussions will his decision have across the entire DC Universe? Plus, Superman: president of Earth?
Superman as President? We saw this by Morrison on another Earth. We have seen J'onn yell at Superman to take the lead. We have even seen him become Earth's rep to the UP.
Look closely at this cover for a second. No Supergirl there. Bummer family isn't there for this moment.
But revealing his secret identity? It is going to take something special for me to like this.
SUPERMAN: HEROES #1
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, MATT FRACTION, JODY HOUSER, and GREG RUCKA
art by KEVIN MAGUIRE, STEVE LIEBER, MIKE PERKINS and others
cover by BRYAN HITCH
Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, the staff of the Daily Planet, even the Justice League—their lives all changed when Superman revealed his secret identity to the world! This unique Superman experience explores what the identity of Clark Kent meant to those close to him—and what their relationship to Superman will be in the future. All the rules are about to change—and it all starts here.
The dream team of writers Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Fraction, Greg Rucka, and Jody Houser team up for this amazing special, with art anchored by DC legend Kevin Maguire, plus sequences focusing on each corner of the Superman universe by artists Steve Lieber (Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen) and Mike Perkins (Lois Lane). ONE-SHOT
Now look at this cover!
Reverse perspective of Superman #19. That's pretty cool.
I do like the idea that we will be getting the response from the other corners of the Superman family. I am glad the creators on Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Supergirl are here.
But look at all those heroes ...
Still no Supergirl. Wonder Girl? Yes. Teen Lantern? Yes. His cousin? Nope.
SUPERMAN’S PAL JIMMY OLSEN #7
written by MATT FRACTION
art and cover by STEVE LIEBER
variant cover by BEN OLIVER
The doctor will see you now, Jimmy...and you, Jimmy, and you, and you, annnd you, too, Jimmy! How can there be five different Jimmy’s, and how will our Jimmy handle keep the other four Jimmy’s together without bursting into smithereens? Well, to answer that, Jimmy will first have to us about your mother. And what about your brother Jamie and sister Janey? Ah, yes, but how does that make you feel, Jimmy?
Finally! Elastic Lad! Turtle boy! And the obnoxious Timmy Olsen.
I do like the riff on Lucy Van Pelt.
This book is perfect bonkers. I love it.
BATMAN/ SUPERMAN #6
written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
art and cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
card stock variant cover by MARK BROOKS
The Secret Six may have met their match when they faced the combined might of Superman and Batman, but don’t count these infected heroes out yet. With the Batman Who Laughs freed from his prison at last, the clock is ticking for the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel to track down the escaped Deathbringer, Sky Tyrant, King Shazam, Scarab, and the most tragic to Superman...his cousin Kara.
I said I would be in for the first arc.
How tragic ... Supergirl is evil.
Is this like a quasi-fridge? Like something happened to Kara to spur Superman.
She just shouldn't have been part of this.
It is going to take a lot for me to like this.
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #3
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by TRAVIS MOORE and RYAN SOOK
cover by RYAN SOOK
card stock variant cover by JIM CHEUNG
You knew there was no way Jon Kent was going to leave his best friend behind! Welcome to the future, Damian Wayne! (This is such a terrible idea!) Also, meet the new Legionnaires as they head to a secret undercover mission on the first man-made planet: Planet Gotham. Every page of this new DC epic plants seeds and ideas that will blast out across the DC Universe for months to come! All this, and Monster Boy is on the loose!
And finally something to be happy about!!
The Legion!
Thanks goodness!
Jimmy Olsen looks great, I’ve really been enjoying this book. So entertaining!
ReplyDeleteAnd the Legion of Superheroes is a book I’ve wanted back for a long time. I’m glad to see this on the shelves again, it’s on my pull list.
Most of the rest looks like new versions of storylines I’ve seen too many times already so I’m not interested, but for new readers there may be a place for more evil Supergirl, exposing Superman’s identity, and so forth.
A side note: That Batman Who Laughs solicit mentions the Secret Six Kara as “most tragic to Superman”, but there’s been so little positive interaction between the two in the New52 that it’s hard for me to see how Superman would care that much. And it’s also interesting that this happening to Supergirl is being promoted as a tragedy for... Superman.
All I can say is those solicits look utterly unappealing. Dark Supergirl versus Wonder Woman? Geez, that's right what the Supergirl fandom wants and needs. Kara turned into a monster and jobbed to Diana. I'm sorry for Jody Houser, who is stuck with The Supergirl Who Laughs.
ReplyDeleteAnd what's Supergirl trying to do, exactly? Ugh.
And speaking about rehashes. "Truth" was only four years ago. Not even Mort Weisinger recycled stories so quickly.
I think the cover of Superman #19 is a homage to "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow".
And, yes, still no Supergirl. I'm sick of her being snubbed out.
Or used as cannon fodder in crappy storylines. I hate that The Batman Who Laughs thing.
I posted this under the Jimmy Olsen review, by mistake. So, at the risk of boring everyone, here it is again:
ReplyDeleteLegion #3:
I suppose Damian can stay in the future as long as he wants, and so can Jon for that matter, since they can return to whatever moment they want. Otherwise, what happens to Damian's Teen Titans?
Now, you can't very well show Jon and Damian returning whenever they want, unless you keep them continuously in all the books!
Jon to Lois: "Hi Mom, I'm back."
Lois: "You left?"
Jon: "Oh, wait just a second."
Jon to the Legion: "Hi, I'm back."
The Legion: "You left?"
Action #1019:
What, no Batman Who Laughs?
Batman/Superman #6:
I guess Commissioner Gordon's codename will be Sky Tyrant, since Donna Troy is Deathbringer, and we know who the others are. Interesting name. How come everyone gets a new name except Kara?
The September sales are out, with fused numbers including variant card stock covers at comichron.com again. They are trending up.
T. N.
“If not, what’s a fight between an uninhibited Kryptonian power house against a god like?”
ReplyDeleteWell, I could always go check out the Wonder Woman and Supergirl fight in the Robinson WW run where Supergirl was mind controlled by “Dark Gods”. Or I could try the H’El story when Supergirl was being gaslighted and fought Wondy.
You know the Wonder Woman and Supergirl story we’ve never seen in the New 52? The one where they kinda don’t fight and get to team up. Or maybe sit down for a nice dinner. Or have some ice cream. That might be nice, but maybe it’s too unexpected and edgy for DC.
To be fair guys, I think the reason Supergirl is not on the cover is because she is the Supergirl who laughs. Really wouldn't make sense for her to be there.
ReplyDeleteRe the relationship between Kara and Kal has been much closer since Man of Steel and it makes sense that Kal being reason for Kara's infection would be considered TRAGIC.
It's not tragic to infected Supergirl(the infected apparently enjoy it) so I don't understand the capitalised HIM.
"Jobbed out to Wonder Woman" (again)...actually Kara and Diana haven't have a proper team up since the late bronze age, but that is a digression. Every eighteen months DC Comics "Turns Supergirl Bad" because DC Editorial has no functional institutional memory that might cue them that these storylines are at best harmful cheap heat that degrade the character over time...moreover DC seems to delight in hiring jobber-@ss writers who cannot dream up anything different.
ReplyDeleteI've said it before and I'll say it again, I love DC Characters and I hate DC Comics the Corporation...
JF
Forget Wonder Woman. All Superman and Batman have to do is bring in Krypto the Superdog to do the "Big Soulful Eyes Routine" and Kara would be cured instantly!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I would hope that, in the end, Kara herself will be strong enough to overcome the corruption. We'll see.
Rinse. Wash. Repeat again. But people apparently want to see this fight go down between Supergirl and wonder woman again because two behemoths going head to head is exciting. But yes Supergirl is again stuck into the same storyline. I hope Eliza comes to her senses and stops attacking Kara. It's so hard to think that this is the same Eliza who accepted and loved Kara as her own and was scared for her in Orlando's run. Jody houser got the short end of the stick in this run for sure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for great comments.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame we are back to dark Kara. I don't get why it is so easy to land there.
I've no interest in this Dark Supergirl story -- I've dropped her book for the duration, and until I get a compelling reason to read it again. The whole "infected" story doesn't impress me, and I'm avoiding it for as long as I can.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I suspect that Clark revealing his identity will be a change that lasts for some time, and will be treated better--much better--than the last time this happened. Probably even special enough for you to enjoy.