Review: Action Comics #1019

Action Comics #1019 came out this week and surprisingly there was very little Superman in this issue. Instead we get a sit-down and ultimately a team-up between two of the heavy hitters squaring off against the Man of Steel. As the cover says Luthor AND Leviathan now stand together against Superman.

Now one thing I have openly questioned on this site is my confusion around the DCU timeline right now. The Legion of Doom teaming up with Perpetua and trying to rewrite the universe? The Batman Who Laughs infecting heroes and trying to bring a satellite into our universe? Event Leviathan? How could they all be happening simultaneously? And if not simultaneously than in what order?

Writer Brian Michael Bendis gives us some answers in this issue. Event Leviathan happened while Lex was working with Perpetua. The current climax of that story in the Justice League is happening now.

Now people know how invested I was in the Event Leviathan mystery. And while the reveal wasn't who I thought, I have come to like Leviathan as a villain. He is trying to do good; he just is using the wrong means to get there. In this issue, I love how completely unimpressed he is with the Legion of Doom members. Who cares if they are trying to bring down the universe. He has his mission and he is sticking to it.

The one down side to this issue? The art. I know I am not a fan of John Romita Jr. But in this issue, his art is pretty painful. In particular, he should shy away from drawing animals or were-creatures. His Grodd and Cheetah look pretty rough.

On to the issue.

Supergirl Episode 511: Back From The Future Pt 1

Supergirl episode 511, titled 'Back From The Future Part One' aired earlier this week and was another interesting chapter in this season. Two things have been a constant so far in season 5. One is that the overall big stories of the season have been moving forward at a very brisk pace. The other is that the writers are really looking back at the history of this show in the earlier seasons and bringing that continuity into play.

This episode we get a lot of Winn history and his legacy as son of the Toyman. It is a great way to bring Jeremy Jordan back for a couple of episodes. Here he has gets to play two versions of Winn and it is a wild ride. It also makes me feel like Supergirl as a show has a foundation and a timeline that it can draw from. I like that.

Add to that some fun action sequences, a couple of comic/Legion of Super-Heroes name drops, a hinted new romance for Kara, and the (now standard) delicious Luthor interactions and you get a solid episode.

This episode was also directed by David Harewood and I like that e got two great little moments for J'onn as well.

On to the particulars.

The Comic Loft And Other Decor

With comic news being a little light this week, I thought I would share a little something personal today on new comic book day.

I have recently struck out on my own and had, for the first time ever, sole decision-making authority on the decor of my place. I knew when I was looking for a place to live that a one bedroom apartment would be enough. But I also envisioned a loft of some sort where the comic book magic could happen.

And lo and behold, I was lucky enough to find such a place.

So I thought I would share some choices here.

From the main room, as you gaze up the stars to the loft, you see the Dave McKean 'There is no such thing as a Black Orchid' print from the Neil Gaiman penned mini-series from the late 80s.

That print was banished to a poster tube for too long in the past so having it framed professionally was my one true luxury item. Eventually I will get one of those little gallery lights to clip on the frame for better visualization from below.

But wait, there's more.

Bullet Review: Wonder Woman #750

 Wonder Woman #750 came out last week and was a thick anniversary issue on par with Action Comics #1000 and Detective Comics #1000. It is a beautiful squarebound book with numerous variant covers including one commemorating each of decade of Wonder Woman stories. Of course, I had to pick the Brian Bolland 1990's cover, the first time I ever read Wonder Woman for any length of time, drawn in by Bolland's covers.

There are a bunch of stories looking at current continuities, Elseworlds, and some just capturing who Diana is as a character. It brings in a bunch of creative heavy hitters including Steve Orlando, Gail Simone, Scott Snyder, Bryan Hitch, Greg Rucka, and Nicola Scott.

If you are a Wonder Woman fan, it is worth the price point.

But this is a Supergirl blog, so I'll talk about 'To Me' by Marguerite Bennett and Laura Braga.

 The two creators worked on DC Bombshells together. And long time readers of this blog know that I loved the first couple of years of the book before it went from being a story with an agenda to an agenda with a story. A fine distinction, I know.

In 'To Me', all the Bombshell characters discuss what Diana has meant to them. That includes Supergirl.

As a reminder, I loved the arc of Kara in the early stories. She was brash at first. Then she was going to sacrifice herself to save the world (shades of Crisis!). And then, instead, when Kara's sister Stargirl sacrificed herself instead, Kara fell into a deep depression.

It was only with Wonder Woman's counsel that Kara was able to overcome that grief and move along in her life.

It was great to revisit these characters and that arc again.

 And then we hear from Diana herself who says that all she wants is to do good, be better, and be kinder and wiser.

That is what her mission is. That is who she is to herself.

Loved this story. This felt like those early stories again. That was a great run.

My other favorite story was 'Emergency Visit' by Shannon and Dean Hale with art by Riley Rossmo.

Now first off, I must admit I love Rossmo's wonky style so your mileage may vary there.

But the tale is that Hippolyta creates a fake emergency (a Hydra attack) to force Diana home so they can reconnect. As the battle goes on, Hippolyta asks about Diana's romance, does she still hang out with the JLA, and is Diana wearing the robes her mother sent her.

Initially Diana is irritated by this waste of time. But later she realizes she has to spend some time with family now and then.

As a parent and as a son, I loved this issue. I found Hippolyta's question barrage during the Hydar fight endearing of a parent who just wants to know what is happening in her kid's life. And Diana coming home in the end for a drink and conversation was perfect.

Anyways, there are a lot more stories there to digest. But this is a bullet review. Head to Mart Gray's Too Dangerous for a Girl Wonder Woman #750 review to learn more.

Overall grade: B+

Review: Batman/Superman #6

Some of you may remember that I had little initial interest in reading the Batman/Superman title as it dealt mostly with the Batman Who Laughs, a character whose popularity is enigmatic to me. Why drop $4 a month to read more dark matter?

Then Supergirl was named one of 'The Infected' and I felt obligated to get at least the first arc. After all, I am trying to stay on point with Kara and all the things involved with her character. And between the Perpetua Wars in JLA, Doomsday Clock, and the Batman Who Laughs, I was already immersed in pretty grim stuff. So if figured why not.

Ahh ... Anj Anj Anj ... you have fallen victim to the oldest comic trick in the book. The bait and switch.

Because it turns out that Batman/Superman isn't where the story of the Infected is going to unfold. That is happening in another book ... Year of the Villain Hell Arisen. That is where the ending of that plot will unfold. Turns out this title was just a tease of that arc.

Batman/Superman #6 is the aftermath of the Infected.
The Aftermath!!!

Writer Joshua Williamson gives us a story of the World's Finest finally seeing the error in their ways of dealing with the Infected. He tees up the next story well.

The art by David Marquez continues to be the highlight of this book. We get a good look at Marquez' Wonder Woman and it is gorgeous.

But ultimately, I got into this title for all the wrong reasons.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #19

Superman #19 came out this week, the second chapter in The Truth and another gripping read by the team of Brian Michael Bendis and artist Ivan Reis.

The issue opens in the Daily Planet as Superman's friends (or pals as Jimmy keeps correcting) come to grips with the new reality of Clark Kent being Superman. I am glad Bendis gives this topic some time. For a paper that touts itself as the model of integrity, to learn that Superman was among them and that Clark and Lois wrote articles about him is hardly objective. I don't know if I quite understand why Perry does one thing he does there, but the sentiment is nice. And there is a lot to chew over here. I doubt this conversation is over.

The back end begins a new arc with Mongul and the United Planets which shows that isn't going to be as smooth a ride as Superman may have anticipated. Of course, Mongul is a rabble rouser and certainly can bring out the worst in people. And when you have an uneasy alliance between empires, things are hardly stable. I don't mind seeing Superman unleash his full power against bruisers who can take it so I hope we see some brawls.

I don't know if I can praise Ivan Reis any more but his work here moving from quiet office discussions to intergalactic war is exemplary. We have a little bevy of inkers here - Joe Prado, Danny Miki, Julio Fereira, and Oclair Albert. You can see some subtle differences in pages, some look 'softer' than others. But the art still shines.

On to the book.

Supergirl Episode 510: The Bottle Episode

Welcome to the new year and my hope to stay on top of my reviews of the Supergirl television show, including this week's episode titled The Bottle Episode.

I have to start out with a bit of an apology. The hope was that I was going to review the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover but by the time I got settled to take down my notes and grab screen shots, the event was over. I can only say that I was extremely impressed with it. It followed the COIE storyline for the most part, even having the Spectre fight the AntiMonitor! There were cameos which I loved (including the BoP Huntress, Kevin Conroy as a jaded Batman, Marv Wolfman himself - getting autographs from the heroes he killed!, and the Ezra Miller Flash!) And there was a moment in the finale where it looked like Supergirl was amping up to sacrifice herself to save her cousin (in the vein of Crisis #7) only to be stopped by the Ray Palmer Atom. It even stuck the landing showing us how all the DC entertainment universes exist in a multiverse and by giving us the Super Friends. And, of course, it unified the Berlanti-verse, something I have felt was needed since Supergirl jumped from CBS to the CW.

So there is my most bullet-y of bullet reviews.

But just like in the comics, the post-Crisis universe needs to be explored and defined. And that is what makes the latter part of this season so delicious. The heroes and a handful of villains still remember the old time line. But they are working in a new world with new personas. That is certainly going to make things a bit juicy.

And the main part of this episode is to redefine Brainiac 5, bringing him much closer to the comic reality than before, a move that I applaud. Maybe just maybe we'll get a Kara/Querl romance in the future now. We'll have to see.

But onto the details of this overall excellent episode.

December 2019 Sales Review

The sales numbers for December have been released and as usual ICv2 does a good job covering the market of comic sales. Here is a link to their coverage:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/44977/top-500-comics-december-2019

December finally brought us to the end of Doomsday Clock, and the final issue topped the sales charts. I think the underlying theme of putting Superman in the center of the DCU as the soul of the universe makes great sense. I don't know if we needed Dr. Manhattan and the Watchmen crew to tell us that story. And I don't know if we needed all the delays to get us there.

It is a shame. I am sure that at some point I will reread Doomsday Clock. But right now, in my head, it just feels like so much time was spent on characters that ultimately will have very little impact on the DCU that it feels a bit needless and narcissistic.

And for someone who already feels that Superman is the heart and soul of this place, I don't know if I needed this journey. All that said, I do feel that the way that ending was done was exceptional. That is the sort of issue you give a non-Superman fan when you try to convince them why he is so great.

But onto the Supergirl sales!

Supergirl #37 was another chapter in 'The Infected' storyline.

As I said in the review, this wasn't an issue for Supergirl fans. Fans want to read about her heroic journey and her adventures. We don't want to get treated to another twisted take on her skirting villainy.

So how did it sell?

DC April 2020 Solicits

The April 2020 solicits for DC Comics came out last week and there were a couple of interesting surprises and a 'not surprised' solicit as well. There are plenty of anniversary issues and plenty of dollar facsimile comics as well. Not a bad springtime month.

Here is a link to all the solicits for you to peruse over on Newsarama:
https://www.newsarama.com/48662-dc-comics-april-2020-solicitations.html

And now onto the blog-specific solicits.

SUPERGIRL #41
written by JODY HOUSER
art by RACHAEL STOTT
cover by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
card stock variant cover by DERRICK CHEW

Free of the infection and reeling after the events of Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen, Supergirl crash-lands in an area being devastated by a catastrophic storm. Suffering from a series of hallucinations and memories of her past, Kara struggles to keep her mind clear enough to save the people she swore to her cousin she’d protect. She’s got a lot to prove after endangering Smallville and all its inhabitants. Will she be able to save everyone including herself? Or is this the end for our hero?

Well it looks like we are back to Supergirl, freed of the infection which made her dark and edgy.

That means we have reached the 'redemption' portion of the Supergirl cycle of 'hero-edgy-redemption' plotlines.

As I have said I am a bit tired of this cycle. I also am a bit tired of the endless different looks at Supergirl's Kryptonian memory. Maybe we can settle on something this time?

Looking forward to see what Houser/Stott do away from a crossover.

Review: Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #7

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #7 came out this week and was a nice little breather by the creative team of writer Matt Fraction and artist Steve Lieber. I applauded last month's issue for pulling tight on the plot threads and bringing the bigger picture into better focus. This month was more of a look at Jimmy as a person. Yes, the plots were nudged forward. But the big thing about this issue was when I was finished I felt like I understood who Jimmy is a little bit better.

Because one of the things about Jimmy Olsen as a character is that he is hard to pin down. Is he the hard-hitting investigative journalist Mr. Action? An 'in the right place at the right time' photojournalist? A Silver Age wacky transforming man? An action hero enmeshed in Kirby-esque plots? A cub reporter trying to break in? All of these things?

Somehow this book has shown him as sort of being all these at the same time. And in this issue, Fraction and Lieber double down saying he is all those things. And he has been dreaming of being all those things since early on in life.

Between the grittiness of the mainstream DCU and the inky noir of the Lois Lane book, this title has been a refreshing palate cleanser. I have said it before and I'll say it again. I hope we see more of Jimmy from these creators once this maxi-series is over.

On to the issue.

Review: Legion Of Super-Heroes #3

Legion of Super-Heroes #3 came out this week and after a couple of months of set-up and settling in, we finally got an issue that felt unabashedly Legion to me. There are plots and subplots. There is interlac everywhere. There are romances and teen angst. There's interplanetary politics and super-villains. And there are a lot of Legionnaires in this book.  I was tickled.

Writer Brian Michael Bendis does his usual great job with snappy banter and characterization here. We pick up a lot of information about some of the Legionnaires we haven't really met yet. Everyone seems to have their own personality, a key to a successful Legion book. He even tosses in some Easter Eggs for fans. By far, this is his best issue of Legion yet.

The art is a mix of Ryan Sook's usual amazing work as well as Travis Moore's more thin lined and refined style. The book really crackles. The scenes on Rimbor and with Crav Nah are well paced and laid out beautifully. The characters really seem like individuals and the action is palpable.

After a long time, there really feels like there is a Legion book on the shelves and in my hand! On to the details.

Back Issue Box: Superman Adventures #31

Superman Adventures #31 is the second part of a fun story which includes a dark take on Supergirl, a crazed surviving parent of Supergirl, and perhaps the bleakest ending I have ever seen in an all ages book. I guess is shouldn't be surprised given that Mark Millar of Kick-Ass and Wanted fame is the writer.

The initial impetus to review this story was to once again show that the trope of a Supergirl turned evil had permeated even the all ages continuities. But to be honest, I like how this resonated more with the recent Mr. Oz/evil Jor-El stories that we saw in recent years in the Superman books.

And it is interesting to see all of this Kryptonian fighting Kryptonian given the Zod/Superman fights of recent years as well.

But it is the bonkers ending of this tale that really struck me.

Aluir Amancio is again on art and brings the dynamics of the cartoon series to the page. This is an action heavy issue and despite the 'cartoony' style, Amancio does a good job of showing the destruction that would ensue if Earth had to try and fend off three insane Kryptonians.

On to the book.

Back Issue Box: Superman Adventures #30

It's been a while since I thumbed through the back issue boxes and looked at an issue from the past which somehow resonates with what is happening in comics now.

Once again we are in the midst of a 'dark Kara' run in the world of Supergirl and so I thought I would take a look at Superman Adventures #30 and #31 for yet another take at an evil Supergirl. But these issues resonate even beyond that initiating fact. There is STAR Labs working with dimensional gate technology that overwhelms them. There is a surviving parent of Kal's who has gone dark (much like Jor-El did recently). There is even some life/death issues with the Kents although I don't know if the resurrection in Doomsday Clock has hit the main DCU.

The issue is written by Mark Millar. This is obviously early Millar, before he hit it big with Wanted, Kick Ass, and every other deconstruction of the superhero genre he has done. It is pretty clear, that at least these days, Millar loathes the concept of hero. Interestingly enough, in this story you see he still believes in the heroic ideal but for a kid's book this story is pretty dark.

The art is done by Aluir Amancio in a very Bruce Timm-esque style including some rather saucy appearing panels for Kara and Lois.

These issues are on the DC Streaming App which made my needing to scan a heck of a lot easier. So enjoy the bright colors.

On to the story.

Supergirl's Target Audience?

Last Friday I posted my review of Supergirl #38 and once again lamented how the character seems to be stuck in a  creative vicious cycle.

We get a dark turn for the character.
It isn't well received.
A new creative team comes in and redeems the character.
We get a couple of years of solid stories and solid sales.
The creative team just seems to be hitting their stride.
DC decides to do a dark turn for the character.

I have been running this site for 11 years now ... almost 12 ... and I have had to review that cycle at least 4 times. It is insane. In fact, an impetus for this blog at the time was to try and redeem the character myself, showcasing how great she is.

Anyways, the comments on that review were pretty lively and it took an interesting turn where commenters asked 'who is the target audience for Supergirl?'

I also think you can look at that question differently and ask '?'

And so I thought that I would open this site up for a discussion trying to answer those questions. Of course, I'll start.

Review: Supergirl #38

Supergirl #38 came out this week, another chapter in yet another iteration of something I call 'Dark Kara', the inevitable every 4 yr turn of the crank where DC tries to make Supergirl evil or edgy.

I'm kind of sick of it. And this issue didn't curtail that feeling. In fact, I have gone from really loathing these takes to something worse ... being bored with them. How many times, even within this one continuity, do we have to see Kara dealing with her grief about Krypton by becoming evil or dark or edgy?

From her initial hatred of Earth when she arrived to her teaming up with H'El to her leaving Earth entirely to becoming a Red Lantern to her wielding an axe and nearly killing people to now being infected by the Batman Who Laughs, we have read this story before.

And Dark Kara fighting Diana, which she does in this issue, is also a common response.

Here, Kara bemoans the 'weakness' of humanity for feeling 'safe'. And yet she wants to 'free' people from this weakness by infecting them the way she is. So, becoming evil and not caring about things at all is the cure? And even then, isn't her 'caring' about people to the point she wants to infect them showing that she cares? I don't know.

I'm just sick of reading issues of my favorite character where she is the villain.

That said, the art by Rachel Stott and Inaki Miranda, is beautiful even as it presents Supergirl as a pro-Wrestler or fan of G'War. And Krypto remains a bright spot.

I hope Jody Houser turns this into something worthwhile. But the end can't come soon enough. On to the details.

DC Comics Presents Pin-Ups

Two of my favorite titles growing up were Brave and the Bold and DC Comics Presents.

Simple team-up books with Batman and Superman, most often done-in-one stories, the titles exposed me to the DC universes by showing me new characters interacting with my favorites. Many of my treasured comics of my youth are from these books.

As I settle into the new place I have been revisiting these books and came across a couple of pin-ups in DCCP which are worth revisiting given the Supergirl focus of the book.

DCCP #38 guest starred the Flash and also had one of the best 'Whatever Happened To?' stories, documenting the last adventure of the Crimson Avenger.

It also marked the first DCCP with the higher price point of 60cents, including 'more pages of story and art'!

I wonder if DC needed to pad the book with a couple more pages given the new price and so tapped George Perez on the shoulder and asked him to do a pin-up of all the guest stars to grace the book since its inception.

The result is a pretty cool double page spread of a boatload of DC Super-Stars!

Pretty cool to see Perez's take on all these stars.

Mike Maihack's 2019 Christmas Comic

Happy New Year to everyone!

One of my favorite parts of the holidays is the annual Mike Maihack Supergirl/Batgirl comic.

Maihack has been making these comics for a decade now! And I have loved them since their inception! Check out my Maihack coverage on the site over the years:
http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/search/label/Mike%20Maihack

There is a lot to love about these sweet little strips, specifically the built-in continuity he has put in the strip. This is a Barbara who is trying to be 'the Darkness ... the Night' but can't help but let her sweet demeanor sneak out now and then.

We also have seen how Supergirl is over the top sweet, to the point of bringing cookies to the Batman Rogue's gallery one year. That explains their sudden presence at the end of this strip.

But seeing Babs slip up and admit she is friends with Supergirl is fantastic. And the response from Kara is perfect.

I mean the teary-eyed, goofy smile Supergirl in the top panel is just tremendous.

This is the World's Finest team I want to see.

Thanks to Maihack for making me smile as I rang in this new year. His stuff is always a wonderful gift!

Review: Lois Lane #7

Lois Lane #7 came out last week. We have entered the back half of this maxi-series and I am starting to feel a little worried about this book. You see the book has several subplots which have been introduced into this book but I feel we haven't seen much progress in those stories. And I wonder if we will have enough time to handle them all in a satisfactory way.

Writer Greg Rucka is giving us a great book. I love his Lois, a dogged investigator interested in justice even if it puts her smack dab into danger. I love how she doesn't suffer fools lightly. And that she exudes confidence. And as Rucka gives us slices of Lois' life we see that. It is a Lois I love reading.

But the subsidized detention center story is nudging forward. The dead Russian journalist storyline has simply stalled. The mystery woman hiding from Leviathan is revisited briefly this issue. Instead of us getting more of those stories, much of this issue is spent on visiting the plot of Lois being outed as having an 'affair' with Superman. I just think I get enough Superman/Lois stuff in the main books. I'd rather have this focus on Lois' solo stuff.

Mike Perkins really sparkles this issue. His Question and his Superman are spot on. I hope he finds more work at DC when this ends.

Review: Action Comics #1018

Action Comics #1018 came out last week, a cracking way to start the New Year. With The Batman who Laughs infecting heroes in Batman/Superman, The Legion of Doom ruling the skies in Justice League, Leviathan absorbing the spy organizations, and with Superman revealing 'The Truth' over in Superman, there is a lot happening in Superman's life right now. The problem is all these things seem to be occurring all at once which means there is a lot to deal with in the Superman titles.

Thankfully, Brian Michael Bendis gives us a breather in this issue to catch up on the other things happening in the world of Superman. You know, he has subplots of his own to deal with. He has a supporting cast that have stories to tell. And frankly, it is the Daily Planet and newsrooms plots in Action Comics that have been my favorite bits of the entire Bendis run.

So we finally catch up with Fire Chief Melanie Moore ... remember her? And we also get the back story of Robinson Goode and how she became the Red Cloud. And these stories are woven into the current battle with the LoD, told in flashbacks. I'm okay with it. I like those characters much more than The Batman Who Laughs or the insane 'Apex Lex'.

The art is done by John Romita Jr who brings his blocky style to the proceedings. I am not a big fan of JRJR but the way he handled the Red Cloud pages was pretty impressive.

On to the book.

DC Superhero Girls #PowerSurge

Last week, DC Superhero Girls showed an episode called #PowerSurge which is truly a love letter for fans of Supergirl and Power Girl. As I have said before, this show really leans into the history of these characters but also adds a ton of Looney Tunes fun and even a lesson or two.

I have been pretty thrilled with the Supergirl character as well. This Kara has a bit of a chip on her shoulder, stuck in the shadow of Superman. That results in her having a short fuse and a quick punch. As a result,the average citizen seems to have tagged Supergirl as a troublemaker.

While she acts as if it doesn't affect her, we have seen in episodes that she does take it to heart.

We start this episode at a Metropolis power plant where Supergirl and Livewire brawl. No punches are pulled here. Supergirl swings a girder like a baseball bat. Livewire blasts away. As a result the plant is pretty much demolished.

But before the entire thing falls, Livewire soaks up all the juice and unleashes a Kamehameha that seems to incinerate our Girl of Steel.

Supergirl Best Of 2019: Top Ten Comic Moments

I have now been doing these 'Best of Supergirl' end of year lists for 11 years now and some years are definitely better than others. But I have never felt that a year encapsulates the difficulty DC seems to have with Supergirl better in that time span than this year does.

2019 wasn't a great year for Supergirl. In her own title, she leaves Earth on a wild goose chase, embracing an rage-inducing axe and coming within a whisker of killing people all while wallowing in anger and sadness. She subsequently succumbs to an evil virus becoming a Goth Supergirl embracing anarchy and anger, DC doubling down on the 'Mistress of the Axe' plotline. Since I started this blog alone we have seen the 'dark, angsty, angry, very sad Kara' trope several times. It never seems to work. Like ... NEVER.

And yet, 2019 was also a very good year for Supergirl. She sheds the dark, angsty, angry persona (again) and embraces Earth as home (again). She clearly is a valued and loved member of the Super-family and her relationship with her cousin Kal hasn't seemed this strong in a long time, maybe since Gates/Igle. And she had a number of one-shots and specials that built up her character arc and history in a powerful way.

Still, as I put together this list, some of the moments seemed to be repeats from prior years.

Enough talk, on to the top ten Supergirl comic moments of 2019!