Best Of 2016 - Honorable Mention Supergirl Moments In Comics

Welcome to the first in three Best of 2016 posts focusing on the best comic moments for Supergirl over the last year. I found it hard to stick to just the top 10 moments because there was a lot to love in the comics this year.

I will admit this year opened up a little odd for Supergirl in comics. With her popularity peaking in the non-comic world, 2016 opened up with no comic titled Supergirl on the shelves. The majority of the year, we had to read Supergirl in comics that were on the periphery of DC Continuity. She led the team in JL3001. She fought Nazis in DC Bombshells. She existed in a universe based on the television show in Adventures of Supergirl.

It wasn't until the summer and The Final Days of Superman that we saw Supergirl in the main DCU. But then #Rebirth happened and we got a new Supergirl title. So please read on to see my 'almost the best' comic moments for Supergirl in 2016!

Sterling Gates Interview - Adventures of Supergirl

I really loved the Adventures of Supergirl digital comic which came out over the spring and early summer this last year. Sterling Gates really delivered a solid story which built on the show's plots while still being a successful stand alone story.  With the release of the Adventures of Supergirl trade out this week, I tracked down Gates for one more interview about the series and Supergirl in general. Gates was kind enough to answer. Settle in!

Anj: The digital series has been done for a couple of months which means the scripts were probably finished well before that. Looking back at the series as a whole, did you accomplish what you intended? Was there anything you that didn’t make it into the story that you hoped to squeeze in?

Sterling Gates: I’m exceptionally proud of the story we told in Adventures of Supergirl. We set out to tell an original story set in the show’s continuity. We wanted to dust off and update some old Supergirl villains while introducing a powerful new villain to her mythos. I specifically wanted to create a villain who could only be done within the continuity of the show, someone who came from Fort Rozz and who knew Alura as a judge on Krypton. And that’s how Facet came to life.

I had a lot of questions while watching the pilot about how Fort Rozz was run as a prison, and the Master Jailer episode only got me more intrigued. Who runs that kind of place? How? How firm a hand does a place like that need? Is there a warden? Or are the Kryptonians acting as wardens and the master jailers are their guards? Facet came from me wanting to explore all of that.

Truthfully, I could’ve spent 25 more pages just exploring Facet’s life. She’s been cognizant for a thousand years...what kind of perspective does that give you? What has she endured?

And (SPOILERS) why was she so willing to be locked up under the D.E.O. at the end of the story? Is it a good thing that she’s down there? Time will tell!

As for everything else, the show approved our outline from the start, so everything I wanted to do in this story more or less made it in. My goal was to do story beats that they couldn’t necessarily do on the show, due to stuff like time or budget constraints. I’m not sure you could do that dream sequence with Supergirl fighting other versions of herself on the show. It would probably be confusing for a wide audience, but comic fans know who each of those Supergirls are...and hopefully they’re happy to see ‘em! [laughs]

And while we’re speaking about this, a huge thank you to Greg Berlanti, Ali Adler, and Andrew Kreisberg for asking me to write Adventures of Supergirl. I had a really great time playing in their world and continuity, and am constantly amazed at the wonderful things they’ve accomplished for Supergirl.

Sales Review: June 2016

From the beginning, I have been behind the #Rebirth idea. When Geoff Johns publicity piece streamed onto my iPad and he talked about bringing back a feeling legacy and heroism to the DCU, I was thrilled. Because I feel, for the most part, I suffered through the New 52 era. Take a moment and think if there is any arc or title from the last 5 years that will be considered classic or will be a run that you will go back and reread every couple of years.

I guess I would say Morrison's early Action and Supergirl from Red Lantern on. Maybe the Azzarello/Chiang Wonder Woman because it was daring. But besides that ....

So I wondered and worried if #Rebirth would stumble out of the gate. Would it be a jumping off point? Or would the new tone, new titles, and better price point bring readers (both old and new) to the DCU.

Well, the numbers don't lie and in June, DC sales looked fantastic. As always, I find the coverage on ICv2 to be the best. Here is a link:http://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/34914/top-300-comics-actual-june-2016

Eleven books sold over 100K. Civil War 2 #1 sold a staggering 381K (amazing). But DC had 8 of those books.

Review: Adventures of Supergirl Chapter 13

Adventures of Supergirl Chapter 13 was released two days ago. It was the final chapter in this digital first book based on the Supergirl television show. And I can only hope that DC Comics realizes what it has here and gives us more.

Throughout this book, writer Sterling Gates has been giving us the best of all worlds. He has mined the Supergirl and Kryptonian mythos from the comic book continuities. We have had huge action sequences. He has woven this story into the television show timeline seamlessly, even using the book to smooth over some questions I had about show plots. And throughout, he has given us wonderful character moments, especially between the Danvers sisters.

This chapter gives us all of that. But interestingly for me, the action takes a bit of a back seat to concentrate on the character moments instead. We get the fight we want between Kara and Facet, trust me. But instead of many pages of the two exchanging blows, we get a few, just enough. This gives Gates the page space to wrap up the story and how it has impacted the cast. And we get a new tagline for Supergirl, one that I hope every creator moving forward thinks of when they write Kara.

The art by Emma Vieceli is solid. There is a sort of rough feel to it at times which works well with the battle sequences. Kara looks strong and determined throughout. And the melee has a palpable energy.

But seriously, I hope we get more Adventures of Supergirl with Sterling Gates at the helm.

Review: Adventures of Supergirl Chapter 12

Adventures of Supergirl, Chapter 12 came out this week, the penultimate chapter of this book. As always, I read the second to last chapter of arcs pretty critically as it has to bring the story to a place where it can be wrapped up.Have the subplots been addressed? Has the main plot been brought forward to a point that it can be finished? This chapter is crucial.

I believe writer Sterling Gates succeeded here. There is a lot going on. But the story has been pushed forward so much the last couple of chapters that I feel we are close to an end. The main villain and our hero are about to square off.

But most impressive for me is that Gates has injected personal/emotional subplots into this brief series. The foundation of the show and a big part of its success was the relationship between Kara and Alex. Gates has leaned on that as well. In this chapter and comic, that relationship is the bedrock as well. The ending of this part is an emotional scene which resonates with the show nicely.

As for the art, Emma Vicieli continues to shine. We get to see action and character scenes here and both have some artistic heft behind them. In particular the expressive work here, especially with Alex, is the high point. On to the book.

We start out with Suoergirl facing off against Facet. We are dropped into this scene which is very different from where we left off last chapter. Facet begins monologuing a bit to Kara. She has been slowly destroying Supergirl's Earthly life, removing all her connections. Her friends at CatCo, her sister, the DEO, and her mother have all been disgraced or killed. Now there is nothing left to tie Supergirl to this planet. Instead, Facet will be free to mold Kara into whatever warped image of Alura she has.

It has been implied here that Alura looked the other way while Facet used here Draconian techniques to keep Fort Rozz orderly. Facet probably thought that meant Alura approved of her methods. And so, Facet would want Kara to be just as Machiavellian as she is, as she perceives Alura was.

I love this thread. Throughout the show and this comic, Alura has slowly been humanized. She has gone from being immutable perfect mother and judge in Kara's eyes to someone much more flawed, much more real. And that makes Kara's feelings about her mother that much more conflicted and interesting.

Big moments deserve big art. This is a 'splash page' for a digital book. But I'm guessing we get a true splash page once we hit the printers. I love this page, both characters poised for battle, Facet bracing for this attack.

That is what big art should feel like.

But this should be the cliffhanger page for this chapter, setting up next issue's finale. So why would Gates put it at the beginning? I think I know why.

We flash back to one hour prior to that opening scene, right where chapter 11 left off. Back in the DEO, Rampage is truly Hulking out, getting angrier, bigger, and stronger. Kara is pretty much overpowered. Alex keeps trying to talk down Rampage but the shrill sonic attack by Vril Dox keeps Carin enraged.

Luckily, there is someone in the DEO who can stop Dox. J'Onn. Remember, last chapter we saw Hank get supposedly crushed by Kara's pod. So it makes sense that Kara feels relieved to hear Hank's voice. But I still don't think she is aware he is a Martian.

I'm going to assume that J'Onn will mentally shut Dox down. Perhaps that is who he was practicing on between the guard at Lord Industries and the later villain he mind wiped in the show. We all wondered who he had been practicing on.

Just as it looks like Alex is about to die, she drops a bombshell. Rampage's sister died because she save Alex's life. The art in this sequence by Vieceli is particularly strong. You can see the emotional pain on Alex's face throughout.

But this is a revelation!

We finally learn about what actually happened on Alex's first mission. Alex went off over-confident, tracking down Rampage's sister. Thinking things would be like a training mission, Alex isn't careful and almost tumbles to her death off a building. Moyer reaches out and saves Alex, unfortunately revealing herself. The DEO agents then killed Moyer.

Alex didn't pull the trigger but in some ways is just a culpable. But the point is Rampage's sister wasn't a monster, wasn't evil, and actually was doing good when she died. And Alex wasn't going in guns blazing, mowing down a helpless victim. It's complicated. War often is. It is this nuanced look at these characters that makes this book so compelling.

I have to assume Agent Moss is a nod to editor Wil Moss.

After hearing the true happenings of Alex's first meeting, Rampage runs through a gamut of emotions before finally forgiving Alex.

But what was interesting to me was reading Kara's inner monologue as she watches Alex and Rampage come to terms with what happened. Kara mentions that Rampage has been harboring anger for her sister Moyer for not hiding out, for forcing the confrontations with the DEO. Rampage transferred that hate. And now Rampage has to deal with the fact that Moyer's sin was that she saved someone.

Hmmmmm.
This scene plays out with different characters in the show.
Alex does 'something wrong', killing Astra. Hank takes the wrap.
Kara is so angry at this that she shuts down, avoiding the DEO.
Then Alex comes clean, but the bad act was to save someone (Hank).
And Supergirl has to ask herself the same questions. How do you feel? Happy? Sad? Or relief?

It isn't a complete copy but it resonates enough to hit with more power than it would on its own. Yes, this has been an arc about Facet. But, like the best of show episodes, it is also about Kara and Alex. So I loved this ending.

And this is the biggest moment in the book, bigger than the Facet/Supergirl face off. So by writing in a nonlinear way, Gates has this be the ending, the scene we close on, the scene we mull over. If we ended with the action shot from above, I don't think this scene would have felt as impactful. This was the emotional climax of the story leaving us the physical brawl next time.

Alas, this means that Sterling Gates only has one more chapter to wrap up the Facet arc and this book Will we hear more of Facet's plot? Will we see the subplots wrapped up (what does happen to Rampage, Dox, and Psi?)? Will we see more from Eliza? Another sighting of Alura? I hope so.

I also hope that DC announces a 'second season' of the book with Gates at the helm.

Overall grade: A

Sales Review: May 2016

The sales for May have been released and, as always, I use ICv2 to review the numbers. Here is that link:
http://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/34698/top-300-comics-actual-may-2016

The last week of May saw DC finally release #Rebirth. It may not be a reboot. It certainly was a bargain at 80 pages for $2.99. And it did hit on a lot of the problems with DC over the last few years. But this was also the lame duck month for DC. The real #Rebirth is happening now as the specials are being released, new titles are appearing, and older titles are getting bold new directions.

As such, it is not surprising that Marvel continued to dominate the scene in May. DC was running on fumes until the Rebirth Special hopefully filled up the creative tank again.

As I said, the DC Universe Rebirth Special was the high point of the month.

Whether you agree with the idea of the Watchmen being part of the current DCU, or part of the creative problem, the book was something of a godsend for someone like me who has bemoaned the overly dark tone of the entire DCU.

Seeing Wally back, seeing Aquaman propose to Mera, seeing all of it worked.

It seemed to capture the imagination of the comic public as well. It sold over 250K.

Basically this was a one-shot that declared a collective 'do over' for the DCU. I'm glad it sold well.

The Superman books will be pretty heavily effected by change post-Rebirth as well.

The New 52 Superman is dead. The old pre-Flashpoint Superman is now the Superman of the DCU. Supergirl is back in action. Lois has powers. A new Superman is working in China.

All of these changes came together in the final pre-Rebirth arc 'The Final Days of Superman'. I was pretty impressed with the story as it seemed to capture what Superman should be.

It sold pretty well and that makes me happy. I wonder if word was getting out that we were finally moving away from the grim, gritty, aloof, angry, occasionally creepy Superman in prior New 52 stories. Maybe this is a sign that old Superman readers are coming back.

Superman #52 sold 54K. Action Comics #52 sold over 40K. Both those numbers are better than prior months.

Supergirl fans who don't read digitally finally got a book on the shelves.

The digital first Adventures of Supergirl, written by Sterling Gates with art by a rotating group, was put into print form. These issues are coming out every two weeks. That means we saw the orders for Adventures of Supergirl #1 and AoSG #2.

I have really enjoyed this book as Gates has written a long form story which bolsters the television show while also recognizing Supergirl history.

The first issue sold over 16K which I think is decent for a digital first book.

The second issues numbers were far less at 11K. I wonder if retailers responded to how well the first issue actual sold.

And it would be nice if digital numbers were known.

Finally, last month was the final issue of the other Supergirl book on the shelves, Justice League 3001.

JL3001 was a weird, wild, fun book that was sadly overlooked. I suppose continuity-loose stories set in a possible future with no impact on the current timeline will always be a hard sell.

Taking it's last breath, Justice League 3001 #12 sold just over 11K.

It is a book and a Supergirl that I'll miss reading each month.

Review: Adventures of Supergirl #11

Adventures of Supergirl Chapter 11 came out yesterday and continued to move this story forward at an incredible pace. While there have been great cliffhangers in this series so far, this one takes the cake. Seriously, I wish the next chapter was coming out tomorrow.

One of the things that has been bubbling throughout this series has been how family is such an important part of Supergirl's life. Her relationship to her sister is important. Her relationship with her mother Alura is changing, even after Alura's death. The relationship of Rampage and her sister is an interesting contrast. In this chapter, we add Eliza Danvers to the mix. And that is great given last issue's confrontation with the Alura A.I. That foundation of family is so key to the show so it should be key here.

Writer Sterling Gates continues to give us these important relationships. He also continues to build up Kara Danvers' history. And he continues to link this book to Supergirl's comic history. It really all works.

The art in this chapter is done by Emma Vieceli and is great. In particular, I love the panel edges and background art which add to the tone of the book. The cover is another action cover by Cat Staggs. Brilliant.

I really feel lucky, as a Supergirl fan, to have had this book, complete with a writer who obviously cares about the character and a line of great artists.

Review: Adventures Of Supergirl #10

Adventures of Supergirl Chapter 10 came out this week and continued to mine the show's universe in a very entertaining way. As readers, we have seen a mystery slowly unwind before our eyes. What seemed to be a 'escaped inmate of the month' first few chapters has become a villainous riddle involving Fort Rozz and the mysterious Facet. Each chapter has brought us deeper down the rabbit hole leading to this issue where we finally get some answers.

No surprise, writer Sterling Gates has really done a wonderful job on the story. From the villains' motives to the interaction between Kara and her supporting cast to the homages to Supergirl/DC history, this whole book has been a treat. But for fans of Gates' initial run on the character, this chapter will really resonate as we get to see Kara interact with Alura. There was a lot of friction between the two back then. And even if this Alura is AI, we see some of that here as well.

This chapter we also get the treat of Cat Staggs on both the cover and the internal art. Staggs' art has an inky weight to it. It feels like a cousin to Sean Phillips or Alex Maleev. And that weight works here given the story here. I also like the cover here. This moment with Alura was the defining one for Kara for a while, a moment of heroic self-sacrifice from her mother. Given the slow humanizing of Alura, the cover strikes a nice contrast.

On to the book.

Review: Adventures Of Supergirl #9

Adventures of Supergirl Chapter 9 came out this week and it was a game changer. Writer Sterling Gates and artist Carmen Carnero deliver one of those fantastic comic issues which is completely action packed while also moving the plot forward. It isn'y easy to accomplish both of those. So when it happens in comics, it makes me very happy.

As readers, we have been wondering about who the villainous mastermind. Rampage, Vril Dox, and Psi have all mentioned a woman who has pushed them to attack Kara. Now, finally, we get to see who that is. And things looks pretty scary for Supergirl. Facet has knowledge and power. And that makes her dangerous.

But outside all the reveals of Facet, and there are plenty, we also get more insight into who Supergirl is and how she interacts with her sister Alex. Kara is such a straight shooter in this universe. She's honest and doesn't hide her feelings. She doesn't like deception. Whether it comes from villains or her sister, she doesn't like mysteries.

The art on the book is fantastic. The cover by Cat Staggs gives us the first shot of Facet's crystalline form. And I am a sucker for images of heroes reflected off the surface of their villain. And the inside art by Carmen Carnero is just as impressive. This is a battle heavy chapter and Carnero shines with the action.

On to the book...

Review: Adventures Of Supergirl #8

The television show Supergirl has ended and its future is still up in the air. Lucky for fans, the comic version of this incarnation of Kara is still going strong.

Adventures of Supergirl #8 came out digitally this week and continued to unravel this complex story which takes place during the early episodes of the program. We are three mini-arcs in here with three different villains who have attacked Supergirl. But rather than this being a 'monster of the week' sort of book, writer Sterling Gates has been weaving a big story arc through these supposedly separate events.

That is really what I love about this book. The idea that there is a big plot running through this that has been slowly revealed over time has been a great way to keep me engaged as a reader. Yes, the 'episodes' with Rampage, Vril Dox, and Psi have been wonderful as stand alone issues. But this deeper plot has me guessing and wondering. And that makes me happy as a reader.

This chapter finally lets us peek behind the curtain a bit, showing us who has been pulling the strings. It is a great reveal which works nicely with the television shows arc and answering a couple of questions I have had since the show started. Kudos to Gates for fleshing out the show's universe even more.

The art this chapter is by Carmen Carnero. I'll be honest, I had never heard of Carnero before this. But her stuff is powerful. There is a fine lined sensibility and photo-realistic feel to the work here which fits the serious tone of this chapter. I hope to see her work on other books.

On to the book.

July 2016 Solicits

I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around when everything is changing and happening in DC Comics in regards to Rebirth. The new books are being rolled out a few at a time so I guess I just need to be patient and wait for everything to finally be new and fresh.

I say this because the July DC solicits are out and I was expecting to see the new Supergirl book (or at least the Rebirth Supergirl Special) to be among the books listed. But I was wrong. I have to wait a little bit longer. Still there are a lot of new books out there which sound interesting enough for me to give them a whirl. Here is a link:
http://www.newsarama.com/28896-dc-comics-full-july-2016-solicitations-rebirth.html

And on the to new solicits.

ADVENTURES OF SUPERGIRL #5
Written by STERLING GATES
Art by CAT STAGGS and EMMA VIECELI
Cover by CAT STAGGS
Supergirl has met her match in Facet, who sends her back to the DEO with questions: what did Alura have to do with Facet’s past—and what is her continuing mission on Earth? And now Kara’s foster family is threatened by the diamond-hard former head of Fort Rozz!

Piecing together this solicit, it sounds like Facet was the head of Fort Rozz. So what opened that made  a prison official become a villain attacking Supergirl? This has been a wonderful series so far. Now I get an issue other art by both Cat Staggs *and* Emma Vieceli? 

I hope that when the show gets renewed, this book gets renewed too!

ADVENTURES OF SUPERGIRL #6
Written by STERLING GATES
Art by EMMA VIECELI
Cover by CAT STAGGS
Who is Supergirl? Kara Danvers has learned a lot about her super-abilities, her strengths as a friend and as a sister, her love of being human and alien at the same time. And now she’ll need to pull it all together to defeat her most dangerous foe to date!

I guess this is the final issue. For now.

Love this cover!

DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS #15
Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT
Art by LAURA BRAGA and MIRKA ANDOLFO
Cover by ANT LUCIA
Mera adjusts to a life without her powers—and starts to fall in love with Arthur. Meanwhile, as Batwoman reunites with Renee Montoya in hopes of freeing Jewish prisoners from concentration camps, Harley and Ivy encounter Zatanna and Constantine, and plans to form a rebellion begin.

Let me say I am thrilled that this book seems to have survived #Rebirth. It has been a consistently entertaining book. While this issue solicit doesn't mention Supergirl, she is a part of the book. In theory, there may be a time that three books starring Supergirl are on the racks at the same time!

As for this issue, I have loved the free-spirited Mera in this title. So glad to see her spotlighted.

And now the Superman books.

ACTION COMICS #959
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by TYLER KIRKHAM
Covers by CLAY MANN
Variant covers by RYAN SOOK
“PATH TO DOOM” Chapter Three: Clark Kent gets caught in the crossfire as Doomsday crashes through the streets of Metropolis! As Lois struggles to keep young Jonathan out of the path of destruction, can former enemies Superman and Lex Luthor stop the monster that once destroyed the city and killed the Man of Steel—or does Luthor have other plans?

ACTION COMICS #960
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by TYLER KIRKHAM
Covers by CLAY MANN
Variant covers by RYAN SOOK
“PATH TO DOOM” Chapter Four: Wonder Woman joins the fight, but even her added might can’t slow down Doomsday’s rampage! As Superman comes face-to-face with the woman who once loved him, the Man of Tomorrow must also wrestle with the reappearance of Clark Kent.

I think it is a little early to be revisiting Doomsday given the nutty mega-crossover Doomsday virus story wormed through all the super books just a couple of years ago. 

I suppose we have the old Superman back, so touching on some classic ideas might not be bad, re-establishing them as much as the Man of Steel.

SUPERMAN #2
Written by PETER J. TOMASI and PATRICK GLEASON
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
Variant cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT

“THE SON OF SUPERMAN” Chapter Two: In #2, Superboy takes flight as he accompanies his father, the Man of Steel, on their first mission together to confront a creature more dangerous than anyone realizes. Will the duo triumph...or will they die when they face the lethal force of the Eradicator?

SUPERMAN #3
Written by PETER J. TOMASI and PATRICK GLEASON
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
Variant cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
“THE SON OF SUPERMAN” Chapter Three: In #3, with a touch that means death, the Eradicator proves he’s a match for Superman, but his super-powered offspring may be more than anyone can handle—including the Man of Tomorrow.

Now we are cooking.

Unlike Doomsday, The Eradicator hasn't been revisited in some time, probably since his most recent stint on the Outsiders. Bringing back a Kryptonian cultural remnant and putting it in Jon White's life is an intriguing storyline.

NEW SUPER-MAN #1
Written by GENE LUEN YANG
Art and cover by VICTOR BOGDANOVIC
Variant cover by BERNARD CHANG
“MADE IN CHINA” Chapter One: An impulsive act of heroism thrusts an arrogant young man into the limelight of Shanghai as China begins to form its own Justice League of powerful heroes. Rising from the ashes of The Final Days of Superman, award-winning writer Gene Luen Yang and on-the-rise art star Victor Bogdanovic introduce readers to Kong Kenan—the New Super-Man! When the world needed a new hero, China made him!

I gotta say, I'm on the fence. Yang didn't do himself any favors in my book with The Truth.

I'll give it a shot.

SUPERGIRL VOL. 2: BREAKING THE CHAIN TP
Written by JOE KELLY, MARC SABLE, TONY BEDARD and KELLEY PUCKETT
Art by JOE BENITEZ, IAN CHURCHILL, ALE GARZA, RENATO GUEDES, DREW JOHNSON and others
Cover by ALE GARZA and RICHARD FRIEND
Learning the truth of what happened to Krypton, Kara must separate fact and fiction and believe in herself! And after teaming up with Power Boy to stop a hurricane in Mexico, Dark Angel attacks the Girl of Steel! Then, Kara accidentally wrecks Air Force One, only to hide out at the Kents’ home in Kansas. Collects SUPERGIRL #11, #13-22 and a story from the DC UNIVERSE INFINITE CRISIS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL #1.

Hard for me  to understand why this is being reprinted and the Gates/Igle stuff isn't. This is a rough run on Supergirl. She flirts in bars, getting in because she is wearing tight shirts. She apparently gunned down her Kryptonian school Columbine style. She wants to kill Superman. I mean it ... this is rough. That said, the Infinite Crisis Christmas story is wonderful.

I suppose more stuff being printed and resolicited is a good thing for Supergirl.

Review: Adventures of Supergirl #7

Adventures of Supergirl Chapter 7 came out yesterday and was absolutely delightful. New Supergirl fans will surely love this chapter where Kara fights in the battle field of her own mind. But for old time Supergirl fans, this was a walk through history.

One of the things writer Sterling Gates has always emphasized is that he wants to respect the history of Supergirl. When other creators and fans scoffed at the idea, Gates (in his original run) was building up a rogues gallery, was weaving in some of the Supergirl movie ideas, and respecting Kara's presence in comics.

Another thing we have seen in Adventures of Supergirl is Gates dropping in Easter Eggs and homages in the story. From name drops of Kupperberg and Igle to Kryptonian culture to panels reminiscent of X-Men, sharp eyed readers have seen some comic history hidden in plain sight.

This issue is the best of all worlds. By having Kara fighting in a dreamscape, Gates can directly reference tons of Supergirl history while moving the plot of this book. Heck, even the villain of the chapter, Psi, is a throwback to a classic Supergirl villain. I'm going to do my best to point out the historical bits. But if I miss any, please chime in.

All that is brought to life by artist Emanuela Lupacchino and inker Ray McCarthy. Lupacchino has to show her range in all the crazy environments of the story. We roam from bedrooms to battlefields, from reality to the astral plane.  And Lupacchino totally shines. I love seeing her versions of all the Supergirls.

And Hi-Fi on colors brings a blazing palette to the book. Nothing is as unnerving as those looming pink eyes of Psi.

On to the book...

June 2016 Solicits

The recent #Rebirth announcements shook up the landscape of DC Comics, bringing in new creative teams and new directions to just about all the DC titles. The transition to the new universe will occur over the early summer months. So June is sort of an odd month as some titles receive a Rebirth special while others wrap up their New 52 runs.

As a result, there will be just a few books for me to cover on this post. To look at all the solicits head to Newsarama here:http://www.newsarama.com/28585-dc-comics-full-june-2016-solicitations.html

Now there are a lot of titles in this month which I am probably going to sample that I am not covering in this post. But, amazingly, Rebirth is a jumping on point for me. This sounds like a more organized revamp of the universe than the New 52. I'm probably going to be checking out Flash, Titans, and Green Lantern. And I haven't read those properties in years. I'm probably back on board with Wonder Woman. So check out the whole solicits.

On to the super-stuff.

Review: Adventures of Supergirl #6

Adventures of Supergirl Chapter 6 was just released and continues to impress as writer Sterling Gates keeps the pedal down on plot progression. This was a dense book looking into Kara's psyche and showing us some lingering fears and desires she has. While there are the usual number of Easter Eggs and comic history mentions to keep an old-timer like me tickled pink, it was the emotion of Kara that made me happy here. Remember, Supergirl is truly a newcomer right now as this story takes place early in the season. So seeing some doubt in her as she faces her fears makes sense.

Now whether intentional or not, this story also seems to impact some of what comes in the future in the show. The Rampage chapter riffed on the idea of aliens, imprisonment, and justice, topics which were covered in the 'Truth, Justice, and American Way' episode. Last month, Vril Dox tried to attack Supergirl via computers which definitely riffed on the 'Indigo' episode. Now this month seems to resonate with the 'For the Girl Who Has Everything' episode (more on that later). It is as if this series is enriching the show's themes that much more.

The art in this arc sparkles. The cover by Cat Staggs is a visual delight as we see several incarnation of Supergirl in one, including the K-Armor we saw in the Crucible arc of the comic and what looks to be an 'Iron Munro' sort of white pants/black t-shirt look. We see an armored cat (Streaky?) and a zombified Alex as well. Grabbing.

Internal art is by Emanuela Lupacchino and Ray McCarthy. I love her art both on the old Supergirl title as well as on Starfire. Lupacchino seems to be perfect for Supergirl so I am glad we are getting some extra pages of the Girl of Steel by her. This is really dazzling.

Review: Adventures Of Supergirl #5

Adventures of Supergirl Chapter 5 came out this week, the finale of Supergirl's battle with Vril Dox. For me, my biggest questions about this chapter was going to be how it was going to be able to be told from a fresh viewpoint when so much of it seems to happen down the line in the Indigo episode of the aired show. Dox historically is from Colu and is attacking the internet, much as Indigo does on the show. So how could this have happened before but the characters seem surprised by her then.

I shouldn't worry too much. Writer Sterling Gates smoothed over any concerns I had about the plot as well as putting in a nice line which hints about something I criticized in the episode when it aired. As a result, both stories seem better. And, as usual, there are a ton of homages and Easter eggs for those who are looking for them.

This chapter also introduces a new character who I wouldn't mind seeing again either in this book, the #Rebirth book, or the show itself.

Everything is neatly wrapped up at the end of this chapter, making this a faster paced story than Rampage. As a result, much of the fallout is given as exposition at the end. We don't get much Alex here, but that may be on purpose given the semi-falling out the sisters had at the end of Rampage.

The art here is done by Pop Mhan who I know mostly from Spyboy way back in the day. His art is a sort of a more standard house style. After the electric art by Bengal and then Jonboy Meyer, it did make the book feel more classic and less stylized than usual. This felt a little old school in a good way.

Adventures Of Supergirl Heading To Print!

When Adventures of Supergirl was announced, I was puzzled that it wasn't going to be solicited in print form. After all, Smallville, Flash Season One, Bombshells, and all other 'digital first' books get issues on the rack as well as the eventual trade collection.

But Adventures of Supergirl was going to be digital only until the trade. It was so odd that it made me, a 'digital never' reader, set up a Comixology account and get the book electronically.

Well, probably because sales have been brisk, DC has reversed course. They announced last week that the book will be released in print form. Here is a link:
http://www.comicosity.com/dc-to-publish-six-issue-periodical-of-the-adventures-of-supergirl/

And a blurb:
Due to popular demand, DC Entertainment will now be offering The Adventures of Supergirl as a limited-run six-issue periodical, prior to the collected edition release this fall. The Adventures of Supergirl will now ship twice monthly for three months, beginning with The Adventures of Supergirl #1 (collecting Digital First chapters 1-3) on May 11th, 2016.

The Adventures of Supergirl is a fun, accessible, exciting comic featuring an optimistic and positive heroine going up against some huge threats,” Gates told Newsarama in a recent interview. “There are so few books like that in the current comics marketplace, in my opinion, and given the show’s popularity, Supergirl should be leading that charge.”

The words 'popular demand' linked to a Supergirl book? And a digital Supergirl book? These are great days my friends! And a Supergirl book being shipped twice monthly?? Incredible.

 More from the article:

Paralleling but not duplicating storylines from the Monday night TV show, The Adventures of Supergirl introduces fans to Kara Zor-El, who is determined to grow into the super-hero her powers promise. But are dark forces pushing her to improve faster than is safe? As Supergirl faces classic DCU villains like Rampage, Vril Dox and Psi, she’s got no reason to suspect that their attacks have been coordinated, but when the final battle comes to a head, she’ll need to use all of her training, her DEO contacts, her friends’ talents and her sister’s love and support to get through it all!

We see the covers of the first four issues including the one above.
 
My guess is this issue (the cover above is for Adventures of Supergirl #3) is where Kara fights Psi. The glowing eyes in the background are very Psi-like. But the rest of the cover is a mystery. The left side looks like the Kryptonian armor Kara wore in the Crucible arc. But the right side? White pants? Is that an Iron Munro version of Supergirl?

And what's up with the cowled cat? Is that an updated Streaky?
And the screaming DEO agent? Is that an evil Alex? She looks sort of like Domino in the X-Force.

 And this is the cover for Adventures of Supergirl #4.

This is clearly a reflection of Supergirl in the face of someone crystalline. I don't think it can be Bizarro as this story takes place before that episode (in this Kara's timeline). So this one makes me very intrigued. Is this the 'dark force' pushing her?

Anyways, given that Cat Staggs is coming to Boston Comic Con this year, I'll probably get the floppies so I can get them signed. I going to have these books in digital, print, and trade?

Regardless, this is great news showing how popular Supergirl has become. 

Review: Adventures of Supergirl #4

Adventures of Supergirl:Chapter 4 came out digitally yesterday, starting a new mini-arc within this 13 chapter storyline. Writer Sterling Gates continues to have a great hold of the characters' voices. This is still a show Supergirl who is early in her career and so still working out the wrinkles of being an active hero. So seeing her response to difficulties here, both inflicted and self-inflicted is spot on.

The new villain is Vril Dox, an old frenemy of Supergirl's from the R.E.B.E.L.S. days and close enough visually to Brainiac 5 to make their encounters a bit more juicy as a fan. This storyline dovetails a bit with the recent Indigo episode, focusing on computer threats.

Jonboy Meyers comes on board as artist and brings a very stylized look to the book. I'm used to a more cheesecake-y take with Meyers but he reels that in nicely here. There is a jagged sort of electricity here to the proceedings, best scene in a panel shown below. And that Cat Staggs cover is electric. I like the mix of photo-realism with Supergirl/Benoist mixed with the pixel-y Brainiac screens.

Gates continues to shine, no big surprise. There is a wonderful mix of character moments, nice little riffs on his prior runs, homages, and action that really makes this crackle.

Review: Adventures Of Supergirl #3

Adventures of Supergirl Chapter 3 came out yesterday and was what I like to call a 'world building' issue. The first two issues really did a great job of dropping us into the Supergirl universe, giving us a high action hook to keep us riveted. A Supergirl who is early in her DEO career and, alongside her sister, fighting the Hulk-like Rampage is a great way to grab the reader.

With the action sequence set, writer Sterling Gates does a good job of easing off the gas, giving us a lot of character moments to build on. That's not to say there was no character progression in the earlier chapters just as I am not saying this issue is devoid of action. Instead, we really get to learn about who this Supergirl is and how she thinks.

Better than that, we get the backstory of Rampage. Building on the idea that Rampage had a sister, Gates is able to give us an origin which is similar enough to the Kara/Alex relationship to get me comparing and contrasting. It helps that this is still an early enough adventure that the Danvers are still feeling each other out in the field. While I have become a bit tired of sympathetic back stories on villains, this one works as it plays better as a reflection of Supergirl.

But for me the real juice was us getting a glimpse into Fort Rozz. The inner workings of the prison are unknown. The television show hasn't really told us anything about what life was like there. Seeing Rampage inside there is great.

Onto the issue.