My Adventures With Supergirl Season 3

One day I will get to San Diego Comic Con. It's a sort of bucket list.

Lots of DC news came out of the con with a bunch of new books with classic DC characters coming out as well as the DC All In initiative.

But the big thing about SDCC is all the multimedia news that comes out of it. So after wondering if there would be a third season of My Adventures With Superman, I was able to watch a whole panel about the show. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izLq946kMhI

The panel includes the show runners and the main voice actors. The topics range from character growth to favorite episodes to the future. If you are a fan of the series it is worth listening to.

The above image is the teaser for the now confirmed season 3. 

As a Supergirl fan, I am glad to see she is going to stick around as a focus for the show. She was used as a sort of foil to Clark this last season. My guess is that will continue as we look at the two relationships and how they unfold - Clark/Lois and Kara/Jimmy.

This is a Supergirl site so a couple of things to note from the panel. Of course, my dislike for Kara's backstory. I didn't need the trauma. Some of the answers on this panel perplex me a bit.

Supergirl's voice actor talks about how Kara is a clean slate able to explore Earth and reinvent herself. She is trying to find herself on Earth in this new life with new friends. A clean slate makes me wonder if all that trauma is going to be forgotten or swept under the rug. You would think she should at least reflect or respond to this. It is a huge part of her story. I hope we just don't get silliness from her. Because if ultimately she is going to be the funny 'stranger in strange world', we could have got there without the bleak origin.

Her wanting to mate with Jimmy is also an interesting wrinkle given that compare/contrast aspect. 

I'm hopeful.

On to more details.

DC Comics October 2024 Solicits

October marks the start of a new initiative at DC. The All-In movement begins. 

I wrote a little about it last week. Now the official solicits for that month's comics are out. Here is a link to the complete list:
https://www.gamesradar.com/comics/dc-comics/dc-comics-october-2024-solicitations-covers/

The solicits go a little more into the plots and directions of the titles. I'm not sold on the All-In world. I hope to be proven wrong. This can go two ways. In one, a darker DCU unfolds, making their heroes grimmer or cynical. Or you can go the 'Five Years Later' Legion route, where the universe is darker making the heroes shine that much brighter. Given the comics of the last 20 years, I suspect the former.

On to the books.

DC All In Special #1
Written by SCOTT SNYDER and JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art by DANIEL SAMPERE and WES CRAIG
Cover by DANIEL SAMPERE
Variant covers by WES CRAIG and RAFA SANDOVAL

Following the events of DC’s blockbuster storyline Absolute Power, the heroes of the core DC Universe have fought against the deep divisions in the world around them to usher in a new era of unity. And it’s just in time, too—because Darkseid has returned. Superman must gather every hero on Earth to hold the line against a very different version of the Lord of Apokolips, as they raise our cosmic defenses and prepare for war…and when the first blows land, the shock waves will ripple into every series in the DCU and shake the nature of their reality to its core!

But little do they know…the greater threat is still to come. For there is another Earth: the Absolute Universe. Here, DC’s biggest icons are coming of age with fewer advantages and facing greater opposition than ever before…while miraculously retaining the immutable heroism that has inspired fans for decades. But can they really protect the light that shines inside them when the world in which they live is hurtling toward a terrible destiny?

Can Snyder pull off a 'very different Lord of Apokolips'? Part of my problem with DC recently has been characters with established traits and characteristics being written completely different. I don't know if I need a 'new' Darkseid. But we'll see. 

I'll probably buy this issue. Seeing Superman lead heroes against Apokolips is always a decent draw. After that ... we'll see.

Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #29

Earlier this month, Batman/Superman World's Finest #29 came out ending the Bat-Mite/Mxyzptlk storyline with killer imps and a 6th Dimensions Doom-mite.

I have talked a lot about World's Finest. I think it is the best comic on the rack these days. I love this Else-When, probably in continuity but who knows, almost meta look at the entirety of the DCU. Writer Mark Waid and artist Dan Mora have basically infused Silver and Bronze age joy into a current world comic medium.

Eventually, the best book has to have a less than best issue. The ending of this storyline, in particular the defeat of Doom-Mite, seems to have come out of nowhere, a magical ending literally. As such, in looking back at the incredible run so far, this one falls a little short. 

It doesn't mean it is a bad comic. It is a lot of fun. Waid continues to sprinkle in a bunch of DC history into the book that made me smile. Robin's outwitting of Mxyzptlk was flat-out fantastic. Even the resolution of Bat-Mite and his place in the cynical new world of comics was solid. Add to that Dan Mora showing he draws everyone in the DCU perfectly and you have an entertaining issue.

And so this book suffers from comparison to itself. If only Waid stuck the ending!

On to the particulars.

Review: My Adventures With Superman S2E10

The second season of My Adventures With Superman ended this weekend with the final episode, titled 'My Adventures With Supergirl'. 

As usual, this episode was filled with great anime-infused action, great character moments, and some nice DCU homages and references. I'll say it again. I like this show. I love the Clark/Lois interactions and arc. I love how deep it dives into the DCU. And even this whole storyline about Brainiac has been solid.  This is a good show.

The depth of Brainiac's involvement in the destruction of Krypton ratchets him up as a villain. Although I do have to wonder about his overall strategy in some places. The theme about Clark feeling alone and how he overcame that on Earth is a nice parallel to how Kara was raised. I like how we see Superman as an inspiration, making some of the villains from earlier episodes rally around him to fight Brainiac.

And, of course, the season ends with the redemption of Kara. No surprises there. But, no surprise, we have to darken things up one last time to make the redemption that much brighter. We see, in no uncertain terms, that Kara was raised as a psychologically abused child. We know she is a killer of worlds, even if she was being controlled. You'd think she still feel some guilt about that. In this episode we see one more time how she has been controlled by Brainiac. One more fight against Superman ... of course.

Look, am I glad Supergirl is on a successful cartoon? Yes. Am I glad she is redeemed at the end? Yes. Do I hope we get a season three with Kara as a cast member? Yes. 

But I still think Josie Campbell could have done almost this exact story without all the trauma, without all the carnage, without all the darkness. I will never say 'I'm glad she was a dupe and a weapon and an unwitting killer of worlds'. I don't need it. 

Still, hopefully it's all in the past and if this show goes on she's a true hero. 

On to the particulars. Settle in. There is a lot to talk about.

All-In DC Comics And A Supergirl Back-Up News

Absolute Power is the current summer event churning through the DCU but news has been out for a while that it was just the precursor to a new initiative at DC Comics called DC All In. Solicits are out and will be reviewed in depth. But for now, let's talk about the set-up.

Spear-headed by DC alum Scott Snyder, the early news was that it would be a sort of Marvel Ultimates universe allowing new stories to be told with new characters on a more established new Earth. 

Perhaps to get ahead of the craziness of San Diego Comic Con or in fear of being outshone at SDCC, DC has released a ton of information about this. Head here for what is known:https://aiptcomics.com/2024/07/17/dc-comics-absolute-dc-all-in-line-comics/

Since hearing about this, I wondered how this was going to differ from the Earth One books or even a plain old Elseworld. This looks much more cohesive and more tied into the main DCU. The idea that the current DCU is built on the idea of Superman (something good that came out of Doomsday Clock) is fantastic. Darkseid wanting to build a universe in his image is not a bad idea.

“If the main universe is set up by Superman energy, this universe is founded on Darkseid energy,” Snyder added. That makes the heroes underdogs. “They have to be tougher. Have to be more resourceful,” and that makes them more badass.

Of course, Snyder says it means the heroes will be more 'bad ass' usually means it is something I'm probably not going to like but I'm willing to give it a shot.

But there's more.

Review: Superman #16

Superman #16 came out this week, an Absolute Power tie-in and the first issue post-'House of Brainiac'. It re-unites writer Joshua Williamson with the original artist on the title Jamal Campbell. Not surprising, it is a fun read with beautiful art.

I am not collecting Absolute Power. The concept of Amanda Waller somehow depowering all the heroes and taking control of the planet was completely uninteresting to me. It seems these days I collect every other 'DC Event'. Lazarus Planet yes. Beast World no. Absolute Power no. All In ... probably.

This issue actually is just what a tie-in/crossover should be. It is clearly an issue of Superman, telling its own story. But it is clearly taking place in the Absolute Power big story. As such, Williamson gives me enough info to get me up to speed as a non-reader of the event. Even more impressive, he hints at something that happened in Absolute Power that made me want check out that book. As I said ... impressive. If only there was one of those little editor boxes that might have led me to which of the books I should look. Without that info, the yearning dissipated.

The plot is simple. The heroes are in disarray and trying to get coordinated. Superman is in critical condition. Zatanna has an idea that can help everyone. Meanwhile, the Metropolis gang try to stay alive. It all works well. But there are smaller moments from the supporting characters that really are the high points here, showing how Williamson is working with a full cast and keeping me interested in all of them.

As for Campbell, his art is as polished as ever. I love his take on Zatanna. We get a Smallville flashback that is wonderful. He even makes amnestic Lex seem fresh, like a new character ... which in some ways he is.

Solid issue. Solid crossover. No complaints. On to the particulars.

Review: My Adventures With Superman S2E9

The penultimate episode of season 2 of My Adventures With Superman came out this week. 

It is intriguingly called 'Superman!' and I think that title works for a number of reasons, especially given the exclamation point. This is Clark shaking off the fake life Brainiac has been giving him, rebecoming Superman. But we end on what seems to be doomsday and so that scream might be people asking to be saved.

I like this show. I love the dynamics of Lois and Clark in this show. I like how she saves him in this episode, opening his mind to the fake life Brainiac has fed him. I like how Superman and Kara decide to team up and fight in the end. I even like how Amanda Waller and Lex Luthor are shown, perhaps, the error of their ways. There are some nods back to this show itself and even to comics. It is both serious and comedic and wholesome all at the same time. This show is way way better than I thought it was going to be and I had pretty high hopes.

This is 'Supergirl Comic Box Commentary' so I have to talk about Supergirl's role here. 

As I have said, at length, I don't think that we needed her to have a dark past, whether as cruelly raised tool of Brainiac or mind-controlled/possessed genocidal weapon of destruction. I did know she would end up in a good place. And this episode cements both that dislike and ending. Kara starts the episode utterly defeated. She thinks Brainiac-possessed Clark is unstoppable. She calls the situation 'hopeless'. She sulks a little. She knows she has killed. It is only when Jimmy spurs her to be a hero that she shakes the doldrums and flies into battle. Heck, she seems ready to sacrifice herself for Earth. She ends up a hero.

But the truth is we could have eliminated all the darkness and got to this same place. She could have been happily exploring for Brainiac as a student for him. He could have destroyed these worlds while she was out on the next mission (we see he has to tech to destroy worlds). She might have realized she was a well-meaning dupe who didn't kill opposed to the 'raised as an angry warrior and world-killer'. We have been shown she has good traits throughout the show. Why we needed the dark varnish over her character still perplexes me. It wasn't needed. (And I know there is an outside chance that everything Kara remembers are implanted ... so maybe she isn't a killer. I can still hope.)

Anyways, I am glad Kara will end up a hero. And overall the show is entertaining and fun. Intrigued to see how it all wraps up. 

Review: Action Comics #1067

The second installment of the 'Superman Superstars' initiative on Action Comics began this week with Action Comics #1067. The latest superstar creative team to join the book is writer Gail Simone and artist Eddy Barrows.

I have been a fan of Simone for a while having been there for her Birds of Prey run (hard to believe that was 21 years ago) from the beginning. I liked her Wonder Woman run as well, especially the Ends of the Earth arc which brought in some of my favorite DC Sword and Sorcery characters. So i have been a bit interested to see what she'll do with Superman.

I also have been a fan of Barrows since his brief stint on Action Comics back in the New Krypton arc. My problem with Barrows has always been his inability to stay on a title long. So perhaps a brief story like this, written well in advance, might mean we'll see his art on the entire thing. His precise work is always wonderful to behold. And this issue, filled with moments big and small work, shines.

'Challenge from the Stars' includes the credit page which dedicates the story to Denny O'Neill and Neal Adams. And this opening chapter shows us why that dedication is present.

This fast-moving first issue is a definite riff on the classic Superman Vs Muhammad Ali treasury (one of the few treasuries I still own from my youth). In that story, an alien race challenges Earth's greatest warrior to a one-on-one fight for the planet. 

And that's the plot of this story too as Superman, early in his career, must take up the mantle to protect another planet from destruction.

A lot happens in this issue. No complaints about deconstruction here as Simone whips through the events a record pace, with Barrows bringing it all together beautifully. Nice cliffhanger too! This was a solid opener. 

On to the particulars.

Review: My Adventures With Superman #2

The comic My Adventures With Superman #2 came out last week, the second part of a mini-series with Superman dealing with a new version of Amazo.

I have been watching and enjoying the show this comic is based on, even while dealing with its terrible backstory behind Supergirl. This is a new Superman universe so everything feels fresh here as we see Clark learning his powers, dealing with his dual identity, and (most importantly) loving Lois Lane. 

This comic continues to focus on the Lois/Clark relationship as well as Jimmy being part of the news team. The scenes that sing the most in this book are those of these three interacting. I especially like Lois and Clark sort of feeling each other out as new daters. Part of that is learning more about this Lois and contrasting (and comparing) her to her father. Given what we have seen this season on the show, I like seeing more of what life was like growing up as Lois with Sam.

In this issue, the Jimmy/Clark/Lois trio head into an army base to try to find and free the Amazo robot. But it isn't Superman; it's Clark. Seeing him deal with decreased powers and try to remain a hero and help Amazo is another part of this chapter that works well. 

We end on a solid cliffhanger putting Clark in some peril. 

Pablo Collar brings the style of the show to the book as well making this smoothly slide into this universe. 

On to the book.

Review: My Adventures With Superman S2 E8

The eighth episode of the second season of My Adventures With Superman, titled 'The Death of Clark Kent',  came out this week and was another interesting episode, perhaps opening up a door for a better ending for Supergirl than I have been expecting.

My reviews of this show have been an interesting exercise for me. I actually am enjoying the show as a whole with its wholesome foundation, its somewhat darker plot themes, and it's anime twee-ness. It is a crazy mix. 

There is no doubt this is a small town Superman with small town beliefs and a very earnest approach to helping people. Superman is that wholesome protagonist that the whole show is built on. But the themes of the show are ones of isolation, persecution, and loneliness. This season has Superman truly questioning if he fits in on Earth and it is amplified by Luthor and the government turning the people against him. 

Add to that, you have the Brainiac/Supergirl story. Brainiac wants to recreate Krypton. He wants to convince Superman that he doesn't belong so he can use Kal. And he has been using Kara this whole time. It means that Superman is going to have to choose Earth. Kara is going to have to reject Krypton, at least the vision of it Brainiac has been filling her head with. 

But mixing anime cuteness and wholesome 'aw shucks' Smallville with genocidal Supergirl's and depressed, isolated Superman and keeping it cohesive is tough. I think about the movie Thor Love and Thunder which had Jane dying of cancer, a god-killing being kidnapping children and threatening to sacrifice them mixed in with ludicrously bad humor attempts. It didn't work. 

Somehow this show is pulling it off. I'm enjoying it overall. 

I still wish Supergirl had a better backstory ... but the truth is that might come to pass. On to the particulars.

Review: Kneel Before Zod #7

Kneel Before Zod #7 came out last week and was another brutal, fight-filled brawl of an issue. But it is also about as close to a Keith Giffen Legion issue I have read in a long time. As a long-time LSH fan, I was pretty tickled by the issue.

Outside of the nostalgia of this issue (and trust me there is a lot of stuff for a Legion fan to love here), I have sort of turned the corner on this book. Yes, the issues are mostly violent action and a lot of it. But the real foundation here is that, for all his bluster, Zod is a broken man. From visions of Jor-El to losing his family to looking into the abyss this issue, Zod is falling apart. This is a very different take from the character that has always been a ramrod straight, narcissistic despot. It finally has added some depth to the character for me.

Dan McDaid continues to be a sort of revelation on the book. His art remains a sort of rough beauty, perfect for a melee like this title. Moreover, this issue he really leans into Giffen, from the 9 panel grid to Munoz-esque faces in shadow to the Kirby-esque Emerald Empress. And more. 

I am pretty sure this series got cut short and will end soon. I doubt writer Joe Casey is going to tell us the full story he wanted to. And there are a lot of loose ends. But for now, I am going to enjoy this dive into Zod.

On to the book.

Review: Power Girl #10

Settle in ... this is probably my last review of this Power Girl run. Barring some major Supergirl crossover, I think Power Girl #10 will be the last issue in my collection. 

This issue was a loose tie-in to the House of Brainiac storyline. But in a very tangential way. So with that connection to the main books over, I'm done.

This issue shows much of what I have been struggling with in terms of the book. Writer Leah Williams continues to me a Power Girl I don't particularly recognize. It leans into a current trope in comics - that our heroes are just like us, traumatized and hurting. That means we are heroes. I go more for the heroes aren't like me but are people I should aspire to be like.

But, for me, this issue's fault lies with the plot. A lot of what we are told seem spurious or coincidental. Much of it doesn't make much sense within the confines of the DCU. It will be easier just to show you.

The art continues to be solid in a sort of grungy way. I like Eduardo Pansica a lot and think his stuff would be perfect for a back alley, ground level book. And I like the Nicola Scott variant cover even more than the standard Yanick Paquette one. No denying the source for Scott's vision.

When does an homage become a copy?

But I seriously love this Kerry Gamill cover from the 80's Power Girl mini-series. Nice updating.

On to this book.

Review: My Adventures With Superman S2E7

My Adventure With Superman S2 E7 came out this weekend and was a fun side adventure showing just how Lois and Jimmy ended up in deep space at the end of E6. 

Titled 'Olsen's Eleven', a nice grown up homage to the heist Ocean's films, the episode has Lois and Jimmy putting together a gang to steal a jumpship out of STAR Labs. Having them team up with some 'villains' added a fun element. 

The show is a bit progressive and certainly in line with the current themes of comics. The 'villains', like Livewire and Heat Wave, or Brain and Mallah, are in loving, committed relationships and only want to live their best lives freely. Meanwhile, the usual 'good guys' are militaristic and dictatorial. 

Supergirl herself is only in this episode for a few seconds. But her presence is felt throughout. The government is using her as propaganda to tout the anti-Superman, anti-alien message. Lois also thinks of her as a threat and is ready to use deadly force. Meanwhile, Jimmy keeps bringing up how Kara seems to have a good heart and is who she is because of the lack of love in her upbringing. 

I'll say it again. I know Supergirl will be left in a good place when this season ends. It is the story to bring us there, the 'genocidal, mind-controlled weapon' of the villain that I don't like. It is a shame we couldn't get a different, less dark, less difficult origin for her in this universe. Because I have been very entertained by this show. We are on the redemption trail. How I would have loved something less edgy from the start! Ah well.

On to some particulars.

Review: Superman #15

Superman #15 came out last week, ending the House of Brainiac arc and bringing us into Absolute Power. I have enjoyed Joshua Williamson's run on the character and this Brainiac arc has been pretty engrossing. I think it has nicely showcased the new world order that Williamson has made - villains as allies, family as phalanx, Brainiac as universal threat. 

Does this closing chapter stick the landing? The answer is mostly. 

I love the way this story ends, mirroring Superman's origin and leading us to 2 major new plots. I like how the super-family has to come together to bring about victory. Throughout Williamson's run I have been intrigued by this 'new Lex', the guy who wants to be Superman's partner. We see that, at least in this storyline, he was telling us the truth. 

Things I don't know if I completely understand is Brainiac's overall plot. He wants to bring about the Brainiac Queen, it seems, to destroy all life in the universe. That doesn't jibe with historic Brainiac, the one who wanted to gather knowledge. I still don't know if the other Brainiac's are from other timelines? When did Brainiac become overwhelmed with emotions? I suppose if I just say Brainiac is evil I can just accept much of this. I was hoping for more understanding of Brainiac's motives. 

The art is again by Rafa Sandoval who is now one of my favorite artists working for DC. I love his take on Supergirl! And the page layouts, panel construction, and pacing of the book really sing. This felt like a finale to a big story artwise.

I am hoping Williamson stays on the book because I have enjoyed his run and this arc was another good chunk of his run. On to the particulars!