Review: Adventures Of Superman Book Of El #7

Adventures of Superman Book of El #7 came out this week, turning the corner to the back half of this sweeping mythological story. As I have said in prior reviews, I feel that this series is huge in scope, steeped in a mythology I don't fully grasp, and so I have felt a bit lost.

This issue only skirted all the dense mythology and focused really on one side adventure, Otho trying to save Superman by outracing the Black Racer. Yes, there are elements of the mythic setting in this tale, details you need to just take as comic book science/religion. As a result, I understood the stakes and characters' motivations here more than usual. Understandably, this was my favorite issue of the mini so far.

Maybe because I liked the story so much, I thought Scotty Godlewski's art was strongest here. The space action is pretty slick. And his style seems to be veering a little to anime-esque which works here.

This issue is really Otho-centric but the cover is Osul, trapped behind the S-symbol of the Red King Pyrrhos, estranged son of El. Nice cover for sure. But the Pyrrhos S-shield is sort of different. Some elements feel like political symbols of hammer/sickle. But also maybe a snake wriggling through the classic S? It reminded me of Gene Ha's Corporate Superman symbol.

On to the book!

Review: Absolute Superman #18

Absolute Superman #18 came out this week and was another whirlwind of an issue, pushing the old Al Ghul plot forward while introducing not one but two new Absolute characters.

After the wonderfully paced first arc which lasted 14 issues, establishing the world and informing us about Clark, Jason Aaron has really sped things up over the last three months. A battle with Hawkman. A new Parasite. Jimmy and Lois settling into civilian roles. Talia trying to rescue her father.

In this issue, Talia gets to her father and is trying to bring him back to world prominence. At the same time. Lois is ready to get some old school revenge on the Al Ghul's for killing her father. Superman is trying to stop Lois from becoming a murderer. And then ... they show up. 

I am quite impressed with how fully formed all these characters feel. I think I 'know' Kal and Lois and Talia. I truly think that simmering first arc really gave Aaron a defined world to now write fully.

Rafa Sandoval is back on the art and continues to shine. I like his version of Clark on the farm. I like the design of the two new Absolute characters in the book. And, as always, the action is energetic and palpable. 

I continue to be impressed with this book. Kudos to all involved.

Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #50

Batman/Superman World's Finest #50 came out this week, an oversized special celebration. Since this title hit the stands, it has been one best books on the racks month in, month out. Writer Mark Waid has been here throughout. As I have said time and time again, Waid has a perfect understanding of these characters and is able to walk the tightrope between classic and modern.

Waid crafts two stories for this issue. The first is a pretty fun team-up of our title characters. One of the things that people have asked in the past is how Superman and Batman could be friends when they methods are so different. In the first issue, Waid plays up the differences to a hundred, a level that has been in continuity in the past but no longer. It is fun to see Waid have them arguing with each other. 

But it is the second story that is the big win here. We go to the back-up World's Finest teams, Supergirl/Batgirl and Jimmy Olsen/Robin pairs in an old-fashioned contest to see which team is better. Waid has made the Kara/Dick relationship crackle in this else-when book. We have seen Jimmy team up with Babs here as well. So fun seeing them mix and match here, first racing each other then teaming up. This is a super-fun story.

Throw in some deep DC cuts in both and you have a win.

The first story is drawn by the masterful Dan Mora who gets to stretch his Ditko muscles in a crazy dream world. Whether it is insane action or crazy page layouts, Mora understood the mission. Regular title artist Adrian Gutierrez draws the second story and shines with his usual sound effect flourishes. Yes, I like his Supergirl, always a bonus.

On to the fun!

Review: Superman/Spider-Man #1 Back-Up Stories

I reviewed the main story in the DC released Superman/Spider-Man crossover here. But just as satisfying were the back-up features teaming up members of the Super-family with the Spider-verse. 

I liked all of them, some more than others.  But they all were entertaining and that isn't something I can say about many of the anthologies DC puts out. And obviously on a project this massive, DC brings in the big guns. This isn't some lesser known creators that DC is letting dip their toes in the DCU. These are veterans and superstars. 

The good thing about families as big as the Supers and the Spiders is that there are enough to give us 7 different team-ups. Impressive. 

These will be bullet reviews of these quick stories. 

We'll start with 'The World's Finest' by Tom King and Jim Lee teaming up Lois and MJ.

While Superman and Spider-Man fight off a Sentinel tracking down a surprise guest-star mutant, Lis and Mary Jane talk about life as the better halves. How many times have they hung from bridges, met other-dimensional versions of themselves, and even died.

As someone who thinks Peter should have ended up with Gwen, I like that MJ talks about how Spidey has a thing about bridges.

Supergirl Trailer #2

The second trailer for Supergirl the movie dropped on Tuesday and I have to admit that I am feeling just a touch better about the whole thing. Yes, it is based on Tom King's Woman of Tomorrow book and that is quite evident in the trailer. But there are enough elements that are different that make me think this movie is going to end more hopeful than that book.

(To reread my thoughts on the first trailer, head here.)

I'll get to the trailer but I am going to start with the poster. 

Let's look at this. Supergirl staring right into the camera, in the classic three-point super-hero landing pose, her left hand ready to strike. And she dominates the frame. Contrast that to the first posters. 

Remember that one? Supergirl small in the frame. She's drinking. 'Look Out' instead of 'Look up'. Not exactly heroic. The next poster had the infamous 'Truth. Justice. Whatever'.

This poster really feels more like a heroic epic than those. And it is a dramatic departure from those earlier efforts which many people questioned.

I like this poster for sure. That shift away from that party-girl, 'no responsibility' non-hero is evident in the trailer. Instead this leans into the sadness side of things, with a pinch of heroism (maybe). There is clearly a tonal shift.

Anyways, watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1-pfiVMKAs

Review: Superman/Spider-Man #1 Main Story

Superman/Spider-Man #1, the DC version of this historic crossover, came out this week! It's been 50 years since the original team-up so the time was right to put this out. And after the success of Batman/Deadpool and Deadpool/Batman, this made sense.

I'll start by saying that there are a million variants out there and for once I am completely on board with the sheer number of them this time. The covers delve into the deep benches of both IPs to come up with some cool concepts! Supermobile and Spider-Buggy?? Black suit Spidey and Black Suit Superman? Spider-Punk and Conner Kent? Peter Porker and Krypto! Too fun. Love the 70s Supergirl and Spider-Woman by Adam Hughes!

But it all comes down to the story. Mark Waid and Jorge Jimenez are on task for the main story, my coverage today and they nail it.

Obviously Waid is going to have a deep understanding of the characters' histories. So seeing some homages to classic Spidey made sense. Seeing Super-supporting characters from the Bronze Age made me smile. But seeing the two heroes so easily interact with each other was the special sauce. I used to read Spidey as a kid (haven't in decades) so there was a page filled with quips that made me honestly laugh out loud.

Jimenez brings the fun too. I like his Clark/Peter pages almost as much as the action stuff. But his take on STAR Labs made me want him to do a whole book with that cast. I might be biased!

It's pricey at $8.99 but I think it is worth it! There are a chunk of other Super/Spider stories after this main one I will cover in a couple of days!

On to the main tale!

Review: Superman #36

It is only March but I can tell you that if I had a vote for Best Comic Writer of 2026 in any of the major award ceremonies, I would vote for Joshua Williamson. Somehow Williamson has made a character I have despised for a score years somehow likeable. A Superboy Prime book I am enjoying?? Who'd have thought.

Superman #36 came out this week beginning Prime's run as the main character in the book, part of the Reign of the Superboys event crossing the titles. Somehow there is an 'aw shucks' aspect to this Prime as he gleefully, almost nerdily recounts all the comic knowledge he has to the faces of the heroes. I can't help but smile as he fourth-walls his way through event fatigue and reboots. But even with this sort of fanboy sensibility, there is still this undercurrent of menace that continues to surge now and then. It makes me doubt my own take on the book, wondering if Prime is going to let me down again. 

In this book, he is trying to establish himself in the main DCU for the first time in a while. What does he do with his time? Who does he hang out with? What do others think of him? Why are all the women attracted to him? This read like a first issue, sort of laying the groundwork while adding a big mystery and throwing in a great cliffhanger.  Kudos to Williamson.

Dan Mora is back on the book and makes the whole thing crackle. From cover homages to the JLI women sort of panting over Prime to an Ed McGuinness-esque villain from the 90s to that cliffhanger, everything just leaps off the page. But my favorite page of his is the one stoking the mystery. More on that later.

A Superboy Prime I am excited to read. Who would think it could happen? On to the book.