Back Issue Box: Adventures Of Superman #638

I am taking a break from my Matrix Monday series to take a different look into the Back Issue Box.

Today, I'll be covering Adventures of Superman #638, a fascinating Mxyzptlk story which borders on an Imaginary Story (aren't they all). Greg Rucka brings us a touching but also humorous issue. It also is a tour de force for artist Matthew Clark.

As always, I try to make my looks back somehow related to current stories, even if tangentially.

In Superman #9, Superman had a waking vision of the future including his daughter. I always like these potential family futures. You may recall that I covered possible future daughter Laura in my review of  Superman Family #200 .

But there have been other visions of other daughters out there as well.

Matrix Monday: Adventures Of Superman #444

Last week I began the idea of Matrix Mondays,  a spotlight on some of the pieces of the Matrix Supergirl's history which I haven't covered during the 10 plus years of this site.

First stop is The Supergirl Saga, the storyline which brought back a Supergirl to the DCU. Last week I covered chapter one in Superman #21. Today we'll dive right into the second chapter in Adventures of Superman #444, by writer John Byrne and art team of Jerry Ordway and Dennis Janke.

This was an interesting time in the DC Universe. The Crisis was only a couple of years in the past. The idea of something being pre-Crisis or post-Crisis was still fresh in readers' minds. And the long-reaching continuity ramifications were still being discovered. It also meant that if creators wanted to take one last look back, they could do so. Readers still remembered infinite Earths.

Ahhh ... but we should have been able to remember. There was only one universe throughout time after the Crisis. As a result, if you wanted to cobble together some sort of coherent patch in Legion continuity, you would come up with the concept of a 'pocket universe', a slice of time/space that wasn't a whole universe.

Please pass the ibuprofen.

Still, something had to be done to fix the Legion. So here we are.

This issue does what a middle chapter is supposed to do, filling in the details of a story while setting up a satisfactory ending. This issue is basically a flashback of the Pocket Universe Earth and what happened after the death of Superboy in the Baxter Legion book. It does give artist Jerry Ordway the opportunity to revisit Silver Age looking elements of the DCU. Nothing like old school Quex-Ul to make a long time Superman fan happy!

And we get just a smidge more of this Supergirl.

But this is an info dump in preparation of the finale's conflagration.

One last note. I love that the cover of this issue is basically the first panel of the story. Here is Superman kneeling at the graves of the Kents who on this world have passed.

On to the book.

Strange Visitor Review: Part One

Next month, Supergirl #16 comes out with this fantastic Robson Rocha cover showing Strange Visitor maniacally laughing while she seemingly attacks Supergirl. I was pretty impressed with this medium-depth cut of the Superman lore making it's way into the Supergirl book.

But then I thought I shouldn't necessarily be surprised. In this book alone, writer Steve Orlando brought back Lar-On, Psi, and even the extreme 90s version of the Manhunter!

And I really shouldn't have been surprised because back in Supergirl #6 I already noticed that the DEO was housing the Strange Visitor costume.

It does open up a bit of a continuity can of worms. Does this mean the Superman Red/Superman Blue/Electric Boogaloo storyling for the Man of Steel happened in the current DCU? Has the New 52 been erased to this degree? Or is there a new origin for Strange Visitor?

Regardless, I thought that Strange Visitor was a deep enough cut that I should review her character a bit, specifically the four part arc which introduced her from back in 1999.

Back Issue Box: Adventures of Superman #499

In Superman Rebirth #1, the pre-Flashpoint Superman and Lana Lang head to the New 52 Superman's tomb to enter and move the body. Lana is there to move the body, to bury it on the Kent farm. The pre-Flashpoint Superman is there to take the body to the regeneration matrix to revive the body. After all, the pre-Flashpoint Superman had died and been restored in that way.

The whole scene reminded me of Funeral For A Friend, the arc that happened in the immediate aftermath of the Death of Superman. In that story, the world was reeling from the death of Superman, grieving. But there were other forces at work, many of them nefarious. People wanted the body for their own purposes. I am sure, Superman Rebirth #1intentionally was crafted to call back to this.

Wanting to look back at Funeral For A Friend, wanting to revisit a scene at the tomb, and wanting to showcase Supergirl (this is a Supergirl blog), I thought I would review Adventures of Superman #499.

Before we get to the story, a couple of comments. One, I really love Funeral For A Friend. Death of Superman had many wonky story beats (Doomsday heads to Metropolis because he overhears a wrestling commercial?). Reign of Superman (which I also love) has huge action sequences, the mysteries of the four replacements, and the return of Superman. Funeral takes a pause to let us see how the loss of Superman hits everyone. It really is a character driven arc, even if it has its own action sequences.

And I'll remind people that I think that Funeral For A Friend is the turning point for the Matrix Supergirl. The arc starts with her as the subservient lover and ends with her questioning Lex and moving towards being an independent hero. We see her take the next step in Reign of Supermen. But this chapter is when she is still naive to be listening to Lex completely.

Written by Jerry Ordway, with art by the stellar Tom Grummett and Doug Hazelwood, here is Adventures of Superman #499.

Review: Convergence Adventures Of Superman #2

Convergence: The Adventures of Superman #2 came out this week and gave us another peek at the pre-Crisis Supergirl. Last month, Marv Wolfman, the writer who killed off this character, showed us a Kara who learned of her ultimate destiny and continued to fight the never-ending battle.

I commented last month on how Wolfman continues to pick the scab of Supergirl's death, revisiting it and her a number of times over the course of his career. Perhaps we Supergirl fans can take some smug satisfaction in  a couple of things. For one, we know that Supergirl isn't worthless and superfluous, her character surviving and thriving past her 'death'. And, for me, I find it fascinating that Wolfman does come back to this event. I don't know if he thought that Supergirl's death would resonate so much that it is still this important 30 years later.

This issue, Wolfman has Supergirl really trying to deal with the knowledge of her own death. Does she continue to move towards that fate? She never wavers in understanding of her role and what she must do. But the thoughts plague her as they would any of us. I cover most but not all of these scenes here. And I suppose that this is the crux of the story for Wolfman. (Certainly the gorillas from Kamandi aren't real threats to 2 pre-Crisis Kryptonians.) I just wonder if we needed to see and hear it so often in the issue.

The art on the book is done by Roberto Viacava, a newcomer to me. He acquits himself nicely here. There is nothing splashy about this. Just solid composition.

Last issue ended with the super-cousins fighting the Phantom Zone villains within the Zone. There is a little artistic license here as the Zone is a more physical realm than the ghostly ether I grew up with.

Right off the bat, we hear Supergirl's inner monologue about her death. She knows she is going to die. She know she needs to protect Kal and save him so he can ultimately stop the destruction of the universes. She has to protect Superman.

In some ways, Kara knowing she is going to die diminishes her sacrifice in Crisis a smidge. On the other hand, it makes this whole story one about Kara protecting Kal and not the standard reverse.

In fact the two sort of trip over each other to save the other.

Superman throws Supergirl out of the rapidly closing rift out of the Zone, staying behind to most likely die at the hands of the Zone villains.

She then uses a grappling gun (conveniently left available in the Batcave, where the two have set up shop) to pull Kal out.

It is a bit of a stretch. Would she be trained enough on a grappling gun to pull this trick shot off?

While Supergirl would most likely act the same as she has here, her visions have put a bit more emphasis on her protecting Superman. While she might otherwise be acting independently, trusting that Superman will survive, she sort of mother hen's him throughout the issue. And he can tell that something is up.

She isn't exactly hiding that she knows something when she says what she does in the second panel. Yes, both would do their best to save the other. But the Infinite Earths (or one amalgam Earth) needs Superman to survive and save them.

(On a side note, it isn't like this Superman is the ultimate hero in Crisis. It is more Kal-L.)

Like I said, this emotional aspect of the story is more compelling that the action sequences.

Back on Earth, the cousins see the Kamandi Earth has invaded Gotham, ready to challenge the 'champions' per the tournament edict of Telos from last month.

But can a gorilla wielding a sword really be a challenge? Does this provide conflict?

Realizing they are outmatched by two Kryptonians, the apes detonate bombs around Gotham as a delaying tactic.

I loved this little sequence of the Kal and Kara saving people around the city rather than pursuing the apes. They are heroes. And it is great to see these two incarnations working together, being heroes.

But, again, we see Supergirl perseverating over her fate. Once again we see images pulled directly from Crisis on Infinite Earths #7. And we see that dismay on her face as she realizes she has to move forward with this.

I still think that knowing this fate takes away from the actual act in Crisis. If she knows she is going to die, it carries less weight ... at least for me.

And once again, Superman asks her what is going on. I like that Wolfman has Superman know his cousin well enough to read her emotions, even if they are a little obvious.

The cousins and Kamandi head to the ape city to fight General Symian to find the gorilla's great weapon. It turns out to be an ancient unused nuclear missile.

Am I the only one who got just a whiff of 'Beneath the Planet of the Apes' with this whole scene?

Superman is captured and Supergirl is knocked unconscious. But it is all a ruse to get Symian to reveal the missile.

In short order, the super-cousins rout the apes. Supergirl has some nice moments in the fight. Here she seems to be having fun, a hallmark of this era of Supergirl.

With the threat over, and now the Convergence Earth rumbling into the main DCU (an event seen in all this week's Convergence cross-overs), the cousins decide to take the fight to Telos.

But first, we have one more moment with Kara thinking about her death and how she has to save Superman. One of the core parts of this original Supergirl was her admiration of Superman, how she strived to be a hero like him, how she ended up being a hero like him, stepping out of his shadow and establishing herself. So I like how she outright tells him that he is the best person she knows. And how he will always save the world. The lip bite is a bit on the nose, but it shows she realizes her role here.

I was cringing a bit when this mini-series was first announced. The Wolfman connection to the pre-Crisis Supergirl isn't one I need to revisit. But, of all the times he has returned to the character and this moment, I think this one is his best. For the first time, it felt like he respected this character. In many ways, she is the hero of this 2 issue story. And she is a hero, knowing that she will need to pay the ultimate price, her life. But she knew that going into this adventuring business.

And, despite the good stories I have read of Matrix, and the reboot Supergirl, and even the New 52 Supergirl in places, it was good to revisit this Supergirl one more time. And it wasn't the naive, super-sweet young Supergirl. It was the mature Supergirl, at the height of her game.

Overall grade: B+

Review: Convergence:Adventures of Superman #1

Convergence: Adventures of Superman #1 came out this week. This was the book I had the most trepidation about prior to reading. Sure Keith Giffen was handling the Matrix Supergirl and was probably going to make her a laughing stock. But Marv Wolfman was writing pre-Crisis Supergirl and, to be blunt, he doesn't have a great track record with the character.

Thirty years ago, Wolfman declared that Supergirl wasn't an integral part of the Superman mythos or the DC Comics universe. In a move to add some weight to Crisis on Infinite Earths, Wolfman killed Supergirl off. Now she dies heroically there, saving the universe, and that moment has carried weight moving forward to all later incarnations of the character. It has provided Sterling Gates and Landry Walker and others a powerful moment  to build on, a sort of legacy to play off of.

But Wolfman did kill her off.

Moreover, Wolfman has revisited this moment in the past in books like Legends of the DC Universe and DC Retroactive. Those books have seemed in places to be an effort to justify his killing off Kara. They also have concentrated more on Superman's reaction rather than Supergirl's heroics.

So it should make sense that I went in to this book warily, wondering if Wolfman would abuse the Kara character again.

Incredibly, I thought this was a great book, showcasing Supergirl and all the positive things about the character. While Wolfman takes some continuity liberties which I'll point out later, I was able to look past them.because of the brighter parts. I also know that this is a Supergirl that hasn't been seen in 30 years, who many readers have no experience with, and that Wolfman has only 2 issues to push through a character arc. So some minor characterization wrinkles to add conflict are probably a story-telling necessity.

Roberto Viacava and Andy Owens are on art here and bring a steady influence to the book. Certainly, their Supergirl looks good.

Like many of the Convergence books, this one is set in Gotham. Superman and Supergirl were there for an unrevealed reason when the dome went up, trapping them and rendering them powerless.

But they aren't helpless. They work with Wayne Foundations Lucius Fox to try to find a way out.

This is the first continuity stretch for Wolfman. I think he is thinking about the Christopher Nolan Morgan Freeman Fox. In the comics, he's no tinkerer.

They do have a decent idea. Why not create a Phantom Zone projector, use it to get beyond the dome, and then find some rift in the Zone to exit on the way out. Of course, that means they might run into the imprisoned criminals. There are no guarantees here but after a year under the dome, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Kara strikes me as a little young here, making some jokes and snarky comments about their chances. This pre-Crisis Supergirl was pretty established, the hero of Chicago, and mature.

And hearing Zor-El helped create the Phantom Zone was strange if not outright wrong.

This was my favorite page of the book. Superman talks about how he is inspired by Kara as well as impressed by her. For once, Wolfman talks about the strengths in her character. Her warmth, caring, and optimism. How she is pro-active and determined. It sounds as if Wolfman finally gets just why people love the character. She wasn't a worthless part of the DCU. She was unique and valuable.

Most people know how Supergirl is inspired by Kal. It was refreshing to hear the reverse.

Unfortunately, the Phantom Zone is also very different than I am used to. Instead of a ghostly limbo, it's a true material plane, a blasted wasteland where you can be physically hurt. It struck me like the Phantom Zone in Smallville.

The Phantom Zone villains do end up attacking. The cousins split up to maximize their chances of escape. The bulk of the villains stay and overpower Superman while only four trail Supergirl.

Now after waiting decades for revenge, you think the villains would kill Kal outright. But instead, they decide to prolong this ... by setting up a trial by combat?? You think that their bloodlust would overtake them. And considering how many times Superman has defeated them, you think they wouldn't take this chance and would just kill him.

I think Wolfman adds a little Crisis wrinkle to the proceedings. The Zone's skies turn red. And while in this place, Supergirl gets a vision of her entire life. It actually is a nice little homage to so many parts of Supergirl's career. Argo City, the Midvale hollow tree, the reveal to the world, the Gang, the crying cover from the 70s solo title, and ... of course ... her death in the Crisis.

It shows a little respect for her history. Maybe more than Wolfman has shown her in the past.

It does mean that Kara now knows her fate. If she escapes the dome, she is fated to die at the hands of the Anti-Monitor.

There is a brief period where Kara questions what to do. Should she streak to her death? What if her death doesn't matter? But that period of doubt is brief. She gathers up her resolve and moves forward.

Now I said that this is supposed to be an established Kara. She is far along the hero's journey. And seeing her wonder about the vision and wonder if she should save Kal if it meant her own death seemed off for me. (Think of her speech in Crisis #4 to hear her thoughts about doing what's right and fighting.)

But for people who haven't read this Supergirl, it allows Wolfman to show that she would make this decision. Adding a little emotional punch makes it a more powerful moment.

The rest of the issue is really a showcase for Supergirl's fighting prowess.

She defeats the four villains who tailed her. Then she is able to stealthily overcome a number of the other Zone prisoners before bashing her way through them and saving Superman.

Supergirl saves Superman. This is her story.

Unfortunately, the rift from the Zone closes before the cousins can escape. It looks like its going to be a brawl.

I love how Supergirl is poised and ready, defending a battered Kal.

Of course the dome has dropped. And this Gotham is under attack by armed gorillas from Kamandi's time I presume. The cousins need to return and defend! This was almost an unnecessary and silly cliffhanger for the issue.

In many ways, I felt this was something of a love letter by Wolfman to the Crisis-era Supergirl. We hear about her warmth and compassion. We see her willingness to sacrifice herself to save her cousin and the universe. We see her strength and skills in defeating the Zone villains and saving Superman. This is really a Supergirl adventure. Superman had little to do here. And that made me happy.

Happy enough to look past Lucius making hard-core tech, Zor-El creating the Zone projector, and the Zone itself being a physical plane.

Because it had been a long time since I read this Supergirl in all her glory. So a tip of the hat to Marv Wolfman for writing a great Supergirl issue. (Now that's something I thought I'd never write!!)

Overall grade: B+

Review: Adventures Of Superman #17

Adventures of Superman #17 came out this week, the last issue of this title which has been a true joy for me. For the last year and a half I could count on this book for showcasing a classic take on Superman, an inspirational figure, a true hero. And this book always seemed to come out just when something particularly odious happened in the main books. Ranging from straightforward 'Supes fighting Brainiac' to more philosophical treatises on Superman as immortal hero, this book stretched my mind and made me glad to be a Superman fan again.

And so it was with a sad heart that I see this book come to an end.

But what a way to end. We have three very different stories, each of high quality, proving that in the right hands we can have a cosmic Superman, a Superman horror story, and a Superman romance story. The next time I hear someone tell me Superman is boring or that you can't tell a compelling Superman story, I'm going to hand them this issue.

Just fantastic stories and from great creators. Jerry Ordway and Steve Rude. Steve Niles and Matthew Dow Smith. Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine DeLandro. It is a perfect lineup for this title's swan song.

The first story is written by Jerry Ordway and drawn by Steve Rude, two creators I have complimented many many times on this site. There is something timeless about Superman and Rude's style has that timeless feel to it. I mean, just look at this panel as Superman streaks to stop a massive asteroid from crashing into Earth. Beautiful.

But knowing that OMAC was going to be in the story was bonus. Rude has always shined when doing Kirby.

Landing on the satellite, Superman is startled to see a robot assemble itself and start a fight.

There is something amusing about seeing Superman, under rubble, cape over his head, wondering why every robot he encounters starts a fight.

But this is more than just your standard robot. This thing can somehow has Kryptonite and actually gets the upper hand.

That is, until OMAC arrives. And it is the classic OMAC. Not evil robots. Not the finny New 52. Buddy Blank, sent by Brother Eye back in time to rescue Superman and stop robot G-7.

This just screams Kirby. The poses, the line work. Classic.

It turns out that G-7 was sent from the future to kill Superman. The hope being that without Superman as a symbol of hope and selflessness that Brother Eye and OMAC would not exist allowing the nefarious villains from the future to reign supreme.

Luckily, with OMAC's help Superman survives and the bomb is brought back to the future where OMAC uses it to blow up the headquarters of Dr. Skuba (the villain of the piece).

"The great heroes of the past have inspired us to pursue justice for the oppressed Brother Eye."

This is why I love this book.

But the last panel is great as well, showing the inspiration as it exists. After all a satellite saw the asteroid coming and a one-man-army-corps named Superman was sent to stop it.

Now I love Ordway and I really love Rude. But this was just the appetizer in this book.

"Ghosts of Krypton was the next story in the issue, written by horror specialist Steve Niles with moody art by Matthew Dow Smith.

In this story, Superman is the dedication of a moon base when a ghost from Krypton's past arrives. It turns out that this astronaut also left a dying Krypton and was rocketing to Earth. But he died during the trip, crashing on the moon.

With the usual powers of a poltergeist, this ghost begins to shake the foundations. And then he sets his eyes on Kal, wondering why he hasn't conquered Earth.

You know, call me old fashioned, but I still like to think of Krypton as a peaceful, advanced society and not a bunch of expansionists.

Superman finds the actual body of the ghost and then says ...

"I am of both worlds. Krypton is in my soul. But Earth has my heart."

That is why I love this book.

And rather than fight this specter, Superman decides to help it. He reunites the body and soul of this explorer and gives it a burial. Incredible.

It turns out Pa gave Clark some advice about ghosts, about how they only have the power you give them. And that helped in a pinch.

So science fiction Superman story? Check.
Horror Superman story? Check.

How about some romance to close the book?

"Mystery Box" is written by Kelly Sue DeConnick, one of my favorites. And there is wonderful understated art by Valentine DeLandro on the piece.

Now people have heard me lament the treatment of Lois Lane in the New 52 for the last 3 years. And, much like I look for a classic Superman in this book, I also get to see a more classic take on Lois as well. Thanks goodness Adventures and Smallville are around for Lois fans!

We start out almost with an Bond movie teaser, Lois in disguise, running from bad guys, jumping out of a moving car and into a propeller plane. It's almost a riff on Indiana Jones!

Just a perfect opening hook!

And then we find out it's Valentine's Day later in the week and Lois has given Superman a mystery box. It is small, leadlined, wrapped.

And so begins a mystery. What should she have given him?

And more importantly what should he give her?

It leads to an interesting travelogue through the DCU as Superman asks friends - Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman - what the box could be and what should he get her.

The answers are hysterical. And frankly, I'm not sharing. You need to buy this issue to see those scenes.

But the end scene is fantastic and deserves to be shared. Lois and Superman are at nice romantic picnic for Valentine's Day.

So Superman presents Lois with his gift to her, in a little velvet box.

The progression of the panels is great. First some incredulity by Lois - 'seriously'. Would Superman ever get on one knee and propose?

The that middle panel, wide smile, you know she thinks it is going to be an engagement ring.

Then the look of disappointment. But also a hint of annoying. He got her a watch? Not exactly romantic!

The art is sooo wonderful here. That expression in the third panel is perfect.

But there is more, Superman's watch is made from pieces of her most recent adventures. And it doesn't tell time because he will wait for Lois. Their love is timeless.

Again, great middle panel art here with Lois smiling wide.

She then gives Superman her gift again.

It turns out it is a box that can't be opened. Her gift was a mystery ... something rare for Supergirl.

But this is the best part ... at least for me.

Lois is giving this long prepared speech about how awesome her gift is when Superman starts laughing.

Initially Lois seems irked. Is he laughing at her? But then he brings back the romance as he says she is a constant mystery for him. He didn't need the box.

Wow.

A happy, loving Superman and Lois. Complete with a little adventure and romance. And the art captures it so effortlessly!

It is just fantastic. And it makes the perfect capstone for this book. Because who knows if we will ever see this Lois and Superman in a New 52 book.

So a trilogy of stories showing how great Superman could be in multiple genres. And just like that Adventures of Superman is over.

And it will be missed. Thanks to Alex Antone, the editor of this book, for crushing it for a year and a half.

Overall grade (issue): A+
Overall grade (series): A

Review: Adventures Of Superman #16

Adventures of Superman #16 came out this week, a brilliant story by Joe Keatinge with an all-star artist lineup including Ming Doyle, Brent Schoonover, and others. And it is the perfect sort of story for an anthology series like this. It is a philosophical look at the character of Superman, reviewing a variety of time periods of the Man of Steel, while showing that the core of the character is basically immutable. And as such, it is a rare joy.

Growing up, there used to be special anniversary issues for titles which reached a certain number. Detective Comics #500 had a slew of stories including a look at a different universe where Thomas and Martha Wayne live, answering the question 'Must there be a Batman?'. It is brilliant. In Superman #400, Jim Steranko does a Superman story with overwhelming messianic overtones. It is fantastic, rejoicing in the then  75th anniversary of Superman.

This story, 'Strange Visitor', would fit right in with those classics. It is beautiful and sad and joyous.

And it makes me once again lament the fact that this book is going away.

There is a framework story with art by Ming Doyle which runs throughout the book, leading into the different peeks at Superman. In that far flung future, Kamandi is leading the last survivors of Earth off the planet before it explodes. Before leaving he needs to say goodbye one last time to Superman.

It leads into his telling a humanoid cat Rathotis all about the Man of Steel. We see a very classic-looking Superman teaming up with Batman and Dracula to fight Frankensteinian monsters. It is a very retro sort of story and it shows in the costumes and art.

And yet, even then we see Superman's optimism. We hear him say 'there's always a way!' There is always a way to triumph over evil. There is always a way to win.

Staying in the that time period, we see that humanity has moved forward because of Superman. His existence has made people dream to be more, to go farther, to become something better. As a result, a Kryptonite-fueled rocket is scheduled to take astronauts deep into space. Unfortunately, something happens and the rocket disappears.

Rather than give up hope, Superman looks at a vanishing rocket not as a tragedy but as a mystery. He refused to give up hope.

Now in a nice wrinkle, Keatinge has the characters in the story age around Superman who remains young.

Kamandi continues to lecture his co-pilot about Superman. Rathotis seems to be cynical, not buying into this legend. I wonder if Rathotis is supposed to represent the current comic reader, weaned on grim and gritty milk and fed nonstop violence to the point that nothing else tastes right.

But Kamandi isn't wavering. He talks of how Superman (now garbed in his Silver Age costume, complete with dotted inking) could have conquered, slaughtered, or become corrupted. But that isn't Superman who remained true to who he is.

"It's in this that his true purpose lies."

I don't know if any two panels convey my thoughts about Superman better than these. This is who Superman is. Who he should be.

It is perfect.

Time moves forward. Superman is wearing a modern age costume. And Lois has aged accordingly.

The world is celebrating Superman's anniversary and, as usual, he is uncomfortable with the attention.

And then Lois says everything that I think of Superman as a reader. He is everything 'we should become'. He is loved ... as a person ... as an ideal.

It is why a floating aloof Superman, avoiding his cousin, and willing to kill, just doesn't work. Because who should aspire to be an aloof, disaffected, killer.

We see more brief excerpts of this life until finally we are billions of years into the future, a time when the last human is dying. It is only Superman, and all his incarnations, which are keeping the entropic universe intact, saving lives until the end.

Again we here the true strength of Superman ... his optimism that things can get better, his eternal hope.

The Super-sentries, the various Supermen in existence all meet for one last time, observing a massive Superman balled up, holding the universe together. It is a powerful image.

I also love how the Supermen use Roman numerals to indicate who they are. Of course, Superman MCMLXIII (1963) would be a bug-headed version, a perfect representation of the Silver Age.

We have heard about the never-ending optimism, the immutable truth of Superman, the love and inspiration.

Here, Superman sees a vision of Lois one last time. She says more of the simple truths of Superman. He will always be the Man of Steel, the amazing stranger from the planet Krypton, but also ... and maybe most importantly ... the boy from Smallville. Because it is those human roots that make him relatable, make him more Man than Super, make him someone we can be inspired to be like.

We can't change to courses of mighty rivers. But we can help people.

And yet, at the end of time, at the end of one universe and the birth of another, he is still a hero.

The missing ship from the beginning is found, in some dimensional fold, and finally rescued by Superman. That alone would be a great ending for a great story. But Keatinge goes farther.

Listen to those words, given the New 52 revamp of the DCU, as it seems to comment on the darker nature of the DCnU.

"I can't promise what this new universe will bring.
I can't promise it will be familiar.
I can't promise it will be safe.
But despite all this I swear to you - no matter what happens, no matter what this new home holds for us, I promise -
I will never leave you."

I got chills reading this.

Again, the immutable goodness and heroism of Superman is touched on.
And yet, the unfamiliar, unsafe new universe awaits. And the new 52 DC Universe is still unfamiliar to me. It is a violent world, unfriendly, with heroes who don't like each other. A place where Lex is a hero and Superman is hunted.

It is wrong.

At least this book existed. It was a place where creators, for the most part, understood who Superman is and what he should be doing.

I cannot praise this story enough. And I thank all the creators involved, especially Joe Keatinge. This whole issue felt like a love letter to a classic Superman. And I swooned along.

Overall grade: A+++

Review: Adventures Of Superman #15

I am going through the five stages of grief when it comes to the ending of Adventures of Superman. I was finally coming to acceptance (pushed there by the awful Landis story last month).

And then Adventures of Superman #15 by Ron Marz and 'Doc' Shaner came out last week. And just like that I am shifted back to denial. Because stories like this one make me want to deny that this title is being canceled.

Everything about this story was perfect. Superman's actions. A determined and independent Lois. A connection to Krypton. And especially ... especially ... the 'villain'/'hero' of the piece, a clear homage to The Iron Giant, with an ending as sad and wonderful as that movie.

And everything about this issue's art was perfect as well. Shaner's work is so well-suited for this tale, classic and retro, pure gold. This is one of those truly rare issues where when I finished reading it I immediately reread it. When done the second time I said 'I would read a Marz/Shaner Superman book. But more specifically ... I would read a Marz/Shaner Lois book!'

Seriously, this was a perfect sort of Elseworlds' DC Comics Presents. Superman teaming up with the Iron Giant. Too fantastic!

The issue opens with Lois playfully jabbing at Clark that his news articles are nothing but fluff pieces. Here Clark has just written a story about twin brothers separated at birth now meeting each other for the first time. That theme of long lost relatives will travel through the story.

But I love this Lois ... her thoughts, her words, her body language.

And you can't tell me that there isn't something smoldering beneath the surface in that last panel, Lois and Clark's faces just a bit too close, their looking into each others' eyes just a bit too long.

The scene is broken up by a meteorite landing in the harbor outside Metropolis. In some ways it is reminiscent of the opening scene of every issue of Superman Family Adventures. In the midst of the action, Clark slips away and shows up as Superman.

This is such a great panel by Shaner. I smiling Superman swooping in for the rescue. But I love his body language here. There is something about him flying in boots first that makes this seem more fun and light and optimistic.

The meteor turns out to be a giant robot, eerily similar in appearance to the Iron Giant. And it seems bent on destroying the city. Amazingly, it seems to have enough strength to effect Superman, swatting the Man of Steel around.

Another small but great moment. Superman's first thoughts are of the safety of the people of the city. He asks that the harbor area be evacuated.

During the skirmish, a piece of the robots head gets broken off revealing an S-shield built into the machinery.

It turns out that the giant robot was built by Jor-El! Odd coincidence.

Another great panel here. Definitely a perspective shot letting us get a sense of just how massive the giant is. But there in the foreground is Lois, on the trail of a great story. It shows how brave she is.

It also puts some humanity into scene for me, showing just how small 'we' are here.

During the fight, the robot ends up de-escalating. Superman's blows have jarred it free of outside control. And we are given some back story.

He was originally a deep space probe by Jor-El to find some world where Kryptonians could potentially re-settle. Somewhere along the way he was captured by a race called the Vendai (invade spelled sideways?). They fit him with weapons and reprogrammed him, and made him the vanguard. The Vendai conquer planets and this robot softened up the worlds before the fleet arrived.

You know, I always wondered about the Iron Giant's back story, why he was laden down with weapons despite seemingly being a peaceful being.

Marz leans a little bit on the Silver Age notion that Superman feels alone, mourns the loss of Krypton. So it is interesting to see Superman suddenly feel a sort of familial connection to this thing.

Still, it is reminiscent of Hogarth in the Iron Giant. And it does feel like Superman to feel an attachment to this thing.

Every year on this blog I list the top ten Supergirl moments for the year.

If I did a top ten moment list for Superman, this would be number 1.

Is there anything that screams what is great about comics more than this panel? Superman, back to back with an Iron Giant, fighting off the invading Vendai, and making sure the other is okay. This is the power and glory of comics.

And I like that Superman and this Giant not only repel the invasion but remove the guns from the Vendai ships. No one else will face their weapons.

Unfortunately, the Vendai are a vindictive bunch.

They built in destruct mechanisms into the robot. And they aren't happy he betrayed them.

How sad! Does the Iron Giant have to die at the end of every story!!

(I know he is rebuilding himself at the end of the movie. But I still well up.)

Marz and Shaner give us a nice moment to end this story. Mirroring the reflection in the 'brother' panel, we get a cracked eye lens showing a sad Superman, talking about how he shouldn't feel sad for losing something he only had for a moment.

And there is Lois. She is in the thick of it during the story. Here she shows her human side a bit. There is a 'fluff' component to this moment, but she feels it too.

Beautiful story. Beautiful art. Great action and character moments. And the Iron Giant.

I don't want to believe this book is being canceled. Thank you Ron Marz and 'Doc' Shaner.

Overall grade: A+