So overall it looks like 2020 might be coming in hot!
To see all of the DC solicits, here is a link to Newsarama's coverage:
https://www.newsarama.com/47882-dc-comics-february-2020-solicitations.html
Onto the books.
SUPERGIRL #39
written by JODY HOUSER
art by RACHAEL STOTT
cover by KEVIN MAGUIRE
card stock variant cover by DERRICK CHEW
After the Lasso of Truth reveals something unexpected about Supergirl’s infection, Wonder Woman is quickly running out of ways to try to bring Kara back peacefully. Making matters worse, the government has sent robotic military backup to Smallville to deal with the possible atomic threat of Infected Supergirl—and neither Wonder Woman nor Supergirl is prepared for the innocent casualties this could mean for the town.
What do you think the unexpected truth is?
I'd bet good money that Kara 'wasn't really corrupted, she always felt that way' or some such Dark Supergirl nonsense. Hopefully I am wrong.
I am interested to see what Jody Houser will do with the character once this crossover stuff ends. I liked the Orlando/Houser back end of the pre-Andreyko run. So I actually have high hopes.
ACTION COMICS #1020
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. and KLAUS JANSON
card stock variant cover by LUCIO PARRILLO
The alliance between Leviathan and the Legion of Doom has fractured—and all hell breaks loose! The Justice League and Young Justice guest star as the Year of the Villain hits a powerful note. Metropolis won’t be the same after this massive battle for the future of the world. It’s another block-buster Superman epic by iconic writer Brian Michael Bendis and legendary artists John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson!
I am just not a fan of JRJR.
Interesting that Leviathan will stick around as an active villain right after the Event Leviathan mini-series. I feel I need to know more about the Leviathan takeover.
This one sounds like a brawl, with lots of guest stars. So I'm in.
SUPERMAN #20
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
card stock variant cover by BRYAN HITCH
The United Planets is a perfect, beautiful idea…that completely flies in the face of everything the barbaric Mongul has been fighting for his entire life. Mongol will destroy the United Planets and Superman with it. And he said something about using Earth as his toilet. Which doesn’t sound very nice. The return of one of Superman’s biggest and baddest villains…bigger and badder than ever!
I may remember Mongul getting recently trashed in the Naomi book and in the Superman book as a nice workout Superman needed to blow off steam. So I am glad he will be back and hope he puts up a better fight. I like Mongul when he can stand toe to toe and be a threat.
LOIS LANE #8
written by GREG RUCKA
art and cover by MIKE PERKINS
variant cover by KAMOME SHIRAHAMA
As the world comes to realize Lois Lane is also the wife of Superman and mother of Superboy, the DC Universe’s most acclaimed reporter finds herself hunted by a deadly assassin code-named the Kiss of Death. The only thing standing between Lois and execution is the Question, but can Renee Montoya stop the Kiss before she fulfills her contract?
The Kiss of Death is a cool villain name. Surprised it hasn't been taken.
I do hope there is significant fallout to Superman's reveal. How he can think Lois won't be the immediate target for everyone out there who Superman has crossed is ludicrous.
SUPERMAN’S PAL JIMMY OLSEN #8
written by MATT FRACTION
art and cover by STEVE LIEBER
variant cover by BEN OLIVER
Ooh ooh, aah, aah—Jimmy see, Jimmy do! Jix and Jimmy go back to Gorilla City, where they had a one-night marriage-stand. (Don’t believe it? Go reread Superman: Leviathan Rising #1!) Jimmy’s sister Janie and Doc Mantel get to Gorilla City to warn Jimmy about what Doc saw in the future, only to find it’s the attack of the 50-foot Jimmy!
This clues into a couple of Silver Age Jimmy stories so I am thrilled.
I'll miss this series when it is over. Such wonderful nonsense!
SUPERMAN: VILLAINS #1
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, MATT FRACTION, GREG RUCKA, and JODY HOUSER
art by BRYAN HITCH, STEVE LIEBER, MIKE PERKINS, and EDUARDO PANSICA
cover by BRYAN HITCH
The Man of Steel’s greatest villains react to the biggest news to ever rock the DC Universe. Lex Luthor, Mongul, Toyman, The Joker, and more of the world’s greatest villains must come to grips with how the world changes now that the truth has been revealed by Superman. Some of comics’ most unique and creative voices unite to tell a story that changes all the rules.
Let's face it, every villain Superman lost will now know who to attack in Superman's personal life after this reveal. The Kent's graves? Lois? Lana? Perry?
I don't get it.
Hopefully these creators will show my how this won't happen.
LEVIATHAN DAWN #1
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by ALEX MALEEV
Exploding out of the pages of the Event Leviathan miniseries, this all-new special blasts the DC Universe into a dangerous and brave new future! With Leviathan arrived, its leader’s identity revealed, and its plans known, what happens next? Now the heroes fight back! Leviathan changed the rules of the game, so now’s the time for the biggest players to get together and figure out a new strategy in this brave new world. It’s an extra-sized super-spy yarn from the Eisner Award-winning team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Alex Maleev!
I liked the Event Leviathan mini-series. It was a great mystery. And yes, my Leviathan Theory was wrong.
But I do like the idea of a huge sect who poses a threat to Superman. So I am glad Leviathan is sticking around as an entity and a group.
BATMAN/SUPERMAN #7
written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
art and cover by NICK DERINGTON
card stock variant cover by ANDY KUBERT
In the aftermath of “The Infected,” Batman and Superman create new measures to prevent hidden and dangerous super-villain plots in the future. Using new technology to track villains throughout the DC Universe, the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel are startled to discover that General Zod has returned to Earth—and that his new target is...Ra’s al Ghul! What is Zod’s plan, and what does it have to do with the destroyed bottle city of Kandor? Find out in the first chapter of a two-part epic featuring the work of artist Nick Derington!
Zod turned out to be on the road to redemption on New Krypton.
So why would he come to Earth and target Ra's? My guess is he wonders if he can Lazarus Pit the dead Kandorians to return them to New Krypton. Don't raise the dead ... brrr!
Looking forward to Nick Derington on art!
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #4
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by RYAN SOOK and TRAVIS MOORE
card stock variant cover by ALEX GARNER
The secret origin of the Legion of Super-Heroes revealed! Exactly how did this ragtag group of idealistic, super-powered teens from all across the galaxy find each other? What pulls them and keeps them together? Another gorgeous issue of DC’s future superstars also reveals clues to how Aquaman’s lost trident may be the key to Earth’s future and survival!
This Garner cover is gorgeous!
And a secret origin issue! I'm in! Will RJ Brande be on a spaceship? Or is this a completely new Legion??
I'm in!
The ‘unexpected truth’ will be that Supergirl welcomed the infection, because deep down she wants to be Dark. Cliched? Stupid? Yep, so an unassailable guess.
ReplyDeleteOh, I’ve just read the following par of your piece and we’re on the same wavelength. There you go!
I’m not a JR JR fan either but, stupid Bat-ears apart, I thought his recent Batman work was excellent.
Congratulations again on becoming a fan-turned-DC character, joining the likes of Jerry Bails and Richard H Morrisey. I wonder if your dying words will be ‘this time I’m right’!
I need Kandor back, toss them in the nearest Lazarus Pit... maybe their alien physiology will mean they’ll avoid the usual temporary madness.
"The ‘unexpected truth’ will be that Supergirl welcomed the infection, because deep down she wants to be Dark. Cliched? Stupid? Yep, so an unassailable guess."
ReplyDeleteI really, REALLY want to have faith that Jody Houser will know better than to write something along those lines. (I say "want to," because I've been burned too many times by DC in the past to regard any bit of news with anything aside from bone-weary cynicism.) Although I'm inclined to doubt they'll go for the "ME ALWAYS WANTED TO BE BAD HURR HURR HURR" trope, since the official synopsis for SUPERGIRL #37 has a line somewhere about Kara "accepting this new version of herself with pride."
Maybe Kara performed some kind of action during her first hours post-"evilled" that was so reprehensible, allowing her conscience to be restored would be too emotionally devastating for her to bear? Almost a distant echo of the attempted rehabilitation scene between Batman and Joker towards the end of THE KILLING JOKE, where the Joker flat-out confesses that coming back to the light would be downright unthinkable for him at this point.
Anyway, I'll admit the idea of Supergirl not necessarily being instantly cured, but instead becoming an "anti-villain" in the same vein as Jason Todd/Red Hood (as I've heard some online rumors about future issues toss around), has...possibilities. At least it could promise a longer story arc I'd be more interested to read.
I do not want to see Supergirl become the Superman family's Jason Todd. However, the promo doesn't say that Wonder Woman has completely run out of ways to bring her back to her senses. Also, the cover shows her helping Wonder Woman try to stop innocent people from being killed-much more like her usual self. I hold out hope for a return to sanity.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think DC looks at Supergirl as a character they can experiment with and do things to. If Superman becomes corrupt, we know it's temporary-because he's Superman. But if Supergirl turns evil, who knows? It could be permanent. We've recently seen her come close to killing. DC's history with the character these last 30 years doesn't engender much confidence that she will be treated right.
ReplyDeleteNice to see Ivan Reis back on Superman.
I don't remember what comic character was based on Richard Morrisey. "Jerry Thomas" in Justice League of America 16 (volume 1) combined the names JERRY Bails and Roy THOMAS, and "Guy Gardner" came from GUY Lillian (a fan and frequent letter writer), and GARDNER Fox. Milton Caniff's Steve Canyon comic strip featured a football player named Thud Shelley, based on Shel Dorf. Caniff modeled 2 characters on his friend (and WW 2 hero) Phil Cochran: Flip Corkin in Terry and the Pirates, and General Philerie in Steve Canyon.
The Threeboot Legion had a teenage genius, M’rrisey, who handled logistic and accounts.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know if she was ever a fan, but Roy Thomas based Firebrand II on his wife Danette (later Dann).
Maybe the sight of a few innocent civilians being critically injured, or even killed, is awful enough to knock some of the wind out of Evil Supergirl's sails. The cover showing Supergirl and Wonder Woman stuck in the same pickle instead of pummeling each other all over again actually surprised me. I have some hope that Jody Houser will do right by the character, even if just about everybody else isn't.
ReplyDeleteWhy is this still going on in February?
ReplyDeleteMe sad
"Why is this still going on in February? "
ReplyDeleteBecause DC Comics is run by malevolent idiots who could screw up a two car funeral thats why....
:)
JF
I have got a great idea. Superman has two comics, Batman has two comics. Let Supergirl have two comics: "Supergirl" which is the hope, help and compassion for all version that we love, and "Supergirl the Infected" which is the shitty version for edgy writers and editors and people who believe that brainwashed teens in latex is good comics.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere out there, Bob Harras just read your comment and is stroking his chin in thought. "Hmmmmmm…"
ReplyDeleteGreat comments.
ReplyDeleteI do wonder why DC doesn't have a 'retro' line of books set in the precrisis universe for old timers like me. Two Supergirl books, one Daring New and one current would be fantastic.
I hope the me character in Leviathan doesn't die!
I feel a bit sorry for Andreyko, he tried hard to provide Kara-related content during the editorially mandated Rogol Zaar story, and now that it's over he's off the book so they can give us another editorially mandated crossover. He started putting together a Supergirl centered arc with Brainiac, and this month I could almost hear the needle-scratch as he quickly ended the whole thing so he could step aside and not leave too many dangling threads.
ReplyDeleteI hope this doesn't turn out as tropey and cliched as this issue and the previews of upcoming issues seems to indicate.