Terrificon Recap #1: Kevin Nowlan Commission, Supergirl Sigs, & More

I talk a lot about my 'convention season', basically the summer and early fall when I am lucky enough to attend several comic conventions situated within driving distance of my house.

Very quickly, Terrificon, a comic convention in Connecticut, has become the 'big con' on my list. This is a tremendous show and I would say for folks considering a stay in New England for a convention, this is the one to hit.

Unlike many comicons of today, Terrificon is clearly a comic book centric convention, focusing primarily on comic creators and less on celebrities (although they have some of them in attendance as well). The guest list has been impressive and is really a great mix of legends, creators from my youth, and current writers and artists, really running the gamut. Trust me when I say that I brought a ton of comics to get signed because I hadn't run into many of these folks elsewhere.

Also, most of the creators weren't charging for signatures. Instead they had a donation bin for the Heroes Initiative on their table. I didn't mind being very generous to that cause.

Lastly, the venue is at the Mohegan Sun Casino. It was a new exhibition hall. It was massive meaning plenty of room between the aisles to navigate. That also means free parking. And at the casino the meal options range from food court to quick decent meals to full on sit down restaurants. Absolutely no complaints.

Great fun!

So what did I get accomplished?

Review: Superman/Wonder Woman #12

Superman/Wonder Woman #12 came out this week, another Doomed Aftermath and the last issue for writer Charles Soule. With both of those endings, the book reads like a 'last issue', a way to once again showcase the Clark/Diana romance and prove that it is valid.

For me, the relationship has been the weakest part of this book. I have enjoyed Soule immensely on She-Hulk and Red Lanterns. But here, it feels like he is trying just a little too hard to make me tolerate this loving relationship. I am sure that much of it is my baggage. I am a Lois/Clark guy. It would take something significant to make me think these two characters should be together. Unfortunately, the romantic interludes in this book have been relatively cringe-worthy. And I have yet to understand why these two are together when they are so wholly different.

Still, Soule gives it a good go here in this issue. The two certainly seem to enjoy each others affections.

Jack Herbert and Cliff Richards split the art on this issue and it is very nicely rendered. There were months were the art of Tony Daniel was the only thing keeping this book on my pull list. But these two do a fine job. And Daniel gives us an excellent cover to wrap up his time on the book. I actually didn't see this was a scrying pool with Strife until I got the book home.

And with the trusted creators Peter Tomasi and Doug Mahnke coming on, looks like this book will remain on my pull list for now.

The book starts with Wonder Woman fighting Giganta on a soccer field filled with fans. How the heck did that happen? I have to say that it felt a little off for me. It just seemed to further advance the "Diana as Gladiator" persona, as if she had people buy tickets to watch her fight a villain. Remember when Diana was an ambassador of peace?

I suppose it did allow Soule the opportunity to have this kiss put on the jumbotron. This is supposed to show us that Superman is now comfortable enough to have their romance plastered in front of the masses. And Wonder Woman raises one of her feet in the air like a swooning princess.

It still doesn't feel right.

I will admit that I liked the next several pages. Soule recaps the whole series in pictures showing us how much time has elapsed. It starts with the scene from Superman/Wonder Woman #1 where Superman gives Diana an alien flower that likes cooking oil.

But then life happened. So while the couple fights Apollo, Zod and each other that flower mutates into something toothy on Diana's kitchen counter.

If this did anything, it reminded me that there really has been no 'down time' for the power couple. Plus it was interesting to see these scenes replayed with the new artists.

Maybe because there has been no 'down time', plus the fact that Superman has been in deep space for months, the two are very amorous with each other ... hugging, touching, squeezing each other!

In fact, there is a sly rapport here as Superman tells Diana that 'he isn't dead' just as she inserts a key into its hole.

I suppose if you like these two together than it makes sense that they would fall into each others' arms with some passion.

The plant likes oil. And as it has been starving it seeks out crude oil, drinking a gas station and then entering an oil pipeline, drinking straight from the tap.

Who is to blame? Superman for giving a dangerous gift? Wonder Woman for neglecting it?

The two begin to squabble, trying to blame the other.

Luckily, Diana realizes that it doesn't feel right. She knows this isn't them.

Should this make me think their feelings are legitimate?

Diana realizes that this is the work of Strife. Of course Eris wants to stir things up. And Diana isn't going to have it.

I do like that Diana almost immediately figures out what is happening and how to stop it. This is better than seeing the Clark and Diana come to blows again.

While Diana takes care of family business, Superman tries to stop this plant, now big enough to be draped over an oil platform in the ocean.

I haven't read Swamp Thing for any prolonged period of time since Alan Moore. This interaction does make me want to seek out Swamp Thing #20. Superman tells Swampy that they can be human ... as much as they want to be.

As someone who thinks Superman considers himself a man before a Superman, as someone who loves Earth more than Krypton, he would make a good sounding board for the 'not human ... was human ... more than human' Swamp Thing.

Anyone out there read Soule's Swamp Thing? How is it?

Initially Swamp Thing wonders if maybe he shouldn't stop this thing. If it drinks up all the oil, the world might heal a bit. But Diana, as the god of war, let's Swampy know that first there would be war ... and suffering.

Seeing her wisdom, Swamp Thing calms this thing - "Enough my friend." And he uses his abilities to shrink it back into it's simple flower form.

This is an interesting creative choice for Soule. This is his last issue to write these two. He could have had them go out with a bang. But instead he has a guest star solve the problem.

And suddenly the two do have a moment to catch their breath and enjoy a sunset. Superman tells Diana that no matter what their relationship faces, they are ready.

It is a little cliche to have the two looking out at the sun, a feeling of a journey ahead of them, dripping with love. It can't be coincidence that Swamp Thing guest starred here. Because this ending reminded me of this ...

The cover of Alan Moore's last issue of Swamp Thing oh so many years ago. (Man I am old!) In that issue Swamp Thing  also returns after being away for months (like Superman) ... in space (like Superman) ... with Abby thinking he has died (like Diana). And they rekindle their love.

I have to say that this is as close as Soule has come to me feeling like their might be some real love between these two. They have said it an awful lot in this comic but I haven't *felt* it. At least here he comes close.

But he still didn't get there.

Still, for an epilogue, for a parting issue to show how legitimate this romance is, this was a decent try. But if you want to read what real romance feels like in a last issue, you should seek out Swamp Thing #64. That is a very good read.

Overall grade: B

Review: Superman:Doomed #2

Superman:Doomed #2 came out this week and I am going to be honest and say that I am thrilled that this arc is over.

It isn't as if there weren't fine moments in this somewhat drawn out mega-crossover. There were. In fact, there were plenty of fine moments in this issue, many of which I will share. But finding those moments felt at times like panning for gold. You need to work your way through a lot of silt to find the treasure.

For every great character moment, for every nuance, for every bit of heroes acknowledging what an inspiration Superman there were many more empty cliffhangers, dropped subplots, and character gaffes.

Perhaps most annoying was the concept of the 'infected Superman' which changed issue to issue ... page to page. Was it an infection out of control? Could he will himself back to normal? Was he cured by 'good feelings' at one point? Was he dying? Without clearly understanding the threat of this Doomsday virus, I didn't feel invested. In one issue Superman is so out of control he exiles himself into space. In the next, Baka's warm feelings completely cures him. Huh??

And then there is the 'real villain' of the piece Brainiac. His plot is also something of a jumbled mess. He is draining the minds of humans starting in Smallville and Metropolis. He sends down drones that are a feint. He has the Cyborg Superman as a sort of misdirection. And he has a ship that in some issues is 4x the size of Earth but in others is like the JLA satellite. At least in Doomed #2 we find out his plan.

As if adding to the disjointed feeling of the overall arc, this issue has 9 credited artists. Each page is beautiful. But you can't go from Lashley to Churchill to Herbert without feeling a little dizzy from the stylistic changes.

Now listen ... I am about to show you the high points. And they are good high points. But as a whole Doomed was like a runny omelet. Some bites were delicious. But mostly it was a mess.

Last issue ended with Brainiac's ship arriving and Superman deciding the only way to break into the Collector ship and stop him is to go full-Doomsday mode. He sheds his humanity and lets the Doomsday in him surge. See ... maybe I am trying to think about this a bit too medically. How does this even happen? From human to Doomsday because he willed the infection to go out of control??

There are only a few free minds on the planet and Lana and Lois are among them. I like that first panel with the two most important women in Clark's life looking up, confident he will save everyone. It is nice that they have faith in him.

And I also liked the next panel explaining the coloring snafu of a couple of issues back when Lois was her normal skin tone. She turns green when she uses her psionic powers. Nice recovery.

 Superdoom basically begins tearing through the ship, hoping to get to the core and disable/dismantle the Brainiac tech.

While Lana and Lois were on the same page just before, here we see how they differ. And it might be the first time I haven't liked Lana in the Pak era.

Lois tells Clark to not lose himself to the monster, to not do something he might regret. But Lana ... she outright tells him to kill Brainiac. It makes me think that maybe Lana doesn't understand Clark quite as well as I thought she did.

 Like much of this arc, a lot of time takes place on the mental plane. Brainiac might be safe in his control room and Superdoom might be running through walls but the real confrontation is taking place in the mind as Brainiac tells Clark his plot.

It turns out that Brainiac is gathering all the sentient mind energy he can. He knows that observation can change reality. He hopes to have enough 'observer power' to recreate the universe.

It is a riff on the old 'light will behave like a wave or a particle depending on the belief of the observer' experiment. But it is a bit much to swallow.

But let's say that I decide to swallow it. Let's say that Brainiac needs lots of minds to do this (indeed he says he has already drained billions). The last place you would ever go is Earth!! Why go to the place with the guy who has trounced you over and over? Drain every other planet you find. Why poke the beehive?

 Back on Earth, Brainiac discovers that the resistance is hiding in the Fortress. So he sends his troops in hoping to distract them. One of his army is the Cyborg Superman.

Now after being sullied and mistreated in the prior big Superman crossovers, Greg Pak and Charles Soule treat her very well in her few moments in the book.

First off, the Cyborg tells her of Brainiac's plans, saying that Brainiac could give them back Krypton. He asks her who would even care about Earth when that could happen. It is basically the same hook that H'El tried to get Kara to help him The same.

And yet it is clear Kara has grown a bit. She isn't lured by that anymore. She cares about Earth and wallops him with a nice left jab.

 Again, conversing in their minds, Brainiac warns Superman what is going to happen if the fight on Earth continues, if Superman doesn't allow Brainiac to rewrite history.

Supergirl will kill her father the Cyborg. Then she will be forced to kill Superman who will be out of control as Doomsday. Then she will become infected by the spores and become Doomsday herself.

I had to include this page. There is something very meta about this page with an enraged Kara, having killed her father, splitting Superman in two and becoming a monster. It is drawn by Ian Churchill who drew the Jeph Loeb and early Joe Kelly Supergirl issues, the one where she is a monster who gunned down her classmates and was trying to kill Superman.

That has to be why he was chosen to draw these pages right? It would have fit right into the last Supergirl series, somewhere around issue #10 I would say.

That said, Churchill does draw the bottom of the costume differently. Look at the second panel. The red area is broader and it looks more like gym shorts than a bathing suit. I like that way more than the usual interpretation.

This is a very good page by Pak with a very good moment for Supergirl.

Superman tell Brainiac is that he doesn't understand the cousins. Kara might have been a little out of control at one point but she won't kill the Cyborg.

And she doesn't. Instead she just pounds him and is victorious.

After seeing him utterly defeat her and kill her in her own book a couple of times over, it is great to see Kara finally win here.

But this is Superman and Brainiac's battle on the psychic plane.

Brainiac enters the marauding Superdoom's mind and shows Clark possible futures ... if only Superman will let the Coluan recreate the universe. In one of them, Steel and Lana marry and become the heroes of Metropolis allowing Superman to retire.

In another, drawn by Dave Bullock, Superman's very presence has an effect on humanity. The world becomes a better place, inspired by Superman. Crime and evil fades away. And Batman gets to retire!

But these glimpses into a possible peaceful future doesn't change the fact that the universe would be rewritten by a tyrant. Superman is able  to shrug these off as folly.

Bullock's style is pleasingly like Darwyn Cooke's. It works for this sequence.

Oh yeah ... remember that subplot where Wonder Woman went into the Phantom Zone to convince Mongul to use Warworld to attack Brainiac? Remember?

Well, we get reminded of it for 2 pages. Diana fires Warworld from within the Zone, blasting Brainiac's ship, weakening Brainiac's defenses and resolve.

Can you fire a weapon from within the Zone, through a portal, and out into the universe??

And I think of the time spent in the Phantom Zone over the issues - hunting Dr. Xa-Du, fighting Mongul, etc. It all seems like a waste of time as none of it seemed to impact the story greatly.

With Brainiac weakened by Superdoom beating him up, the mental plane becomes something of an even playing field. In fact Lois is able to join Superman there to try to battle Brainiac.

In this state, Brainiac's true intentions are finally revealed. His origin includes him losing his wife and child. He is anguished by this. He wants a universe where they are still in his life. And that touches Superman. When Lois is about to psionically kill Brainiac, Superman talks her down.

They should want peace, not punishment.

It is a nice moment showing the core of Superman's beliefs.

That said, I am a bit tired of the 'sympathetic back story for a villain'.

This stay of execution is something of a pause. Brainiac ends up continuing his assault on Earth, is killing the population by draining them, and still wants to recreate the universe. There is no easy way to stop this plot now that it has gone this far.

The only solution is for Lois to drain Brainiac of all his power and then shove it into Superman.

Again, I have some problems with this. Brainiac is the most powerful psionic in this universe (personally I just miss him being super-intelligent). So how can Lois, a neophyte given powers by Brainiac be capable enough to drain him.

And then giving them to Superman?

Look at this panel. Is this what we want Superman to be? This monstrous amalgam. Can't we just have Superman? You know what it reminds me of ...

That's right. Morrison looked into the future.

And then a whole bunch of things happen that I don't know if I quite follow.

Superman, energized by his powers, Doomsday strength, and billions of sentients mental energy, grabs Brainiac and flies him to a black hole. Or maybe he creates the black hole with his 'observation powers'.  Somehow all of this strips Lois of her Brainiac power and rids Superman of all the Doomsday virus particles.

It may be that both Brainiac and Superman head through the black hole ... it's hard to tell. At the very least Superman shoves Brainiac through it.


So is it the black hole or the observation powers that does all this. I guess I have to roll with it.


But once again, the whole 'Doomsday infection' is so convoluted that it is hard to wrap my head around. Gravity cured him? Good feelings? And as this infection was the crux of this whole arc, I am both irked and underwhelmed.

But within the black hole, Brainiac seems to have been placed in a Hypertime like area of alternate realities.

There is a lot to digest here. That's a pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths JSA (based on Huntress costume). That's Plastic Man and Uncle Sam on Earth X, also pre-COIE. There's Lord Volt and Lady Quark, peri-COIE. But also a red trunked Superman, the Flashpoint world, the vampire Batman from the Red Rain Elseworlds. And a classic Harley Quinn!

This really had nothing to do with Doomed and might be the best page, with great art by Aaron Kuder.

So, mercifully, Doomed ends.

For this issue, we have Lois having faith in Superman, that great moment of compassion by Superman, the future sequence with a retired Batman, and all the Supergirl stuff as high points. But I have to weigh that against all the low points here ... the concept of rewriting the universe, the Lois power levels, the cure at the end. And against the big issues I have had with the Doomed arc itself, the feints, missteps, and inconsistencies.

Overall grade: C

Review: Superman/Wonder Woman Futures End #1

Superman/Wonder Woman Futures End #1 came out last week. It is written by Charles Soule. It has strong art by veteran artist Bart Sears. It looks five years into the future at a desperate Wonder Woman trying to save the world.

I can't remember ever being this torn about how I feel about a comic.

You see, I have read the Brian Azzarello/Cliff Chiang Wonder Woman since the New 52 started. And while there are aspects of that Diana and her story that I don't particularly like (daughter of Zeus not animated clay, Amazons killing men and male offspring, Diana as War), I have liked the book. It has internal consistency. It is written well with a flair for mythological politics. That Diana has passion and integrity and love for her family and other. But ... and it is a big but ... she is also not animate clay, the product of a murdering society, and War.

In the end, I have decided to read Wonder Woman as if it were on ongoing Elseworlds book. The problem is that Diana also exists in mainstream books like ...well like Superman/Wonder Woman. And as it is, even in the mainstream books, Wonder Woman has been much too bloodthirsty, much too sword happy, much less interested in being an ambassador of peace lately. I want to go back to a more classic interpretation of Diana.

But I also like the Azzarello book ... even if its days are numbered.

With that conflict of Wonder Woman characterization in mind, lets look at this book.

This issue is the second part of a story that started in Wonder Woman Futures End #1.

In that book, the Greek deity Nemesis has raised an army to try to take over the world. Wonder Woman, as War, has raised an army of dead warriors (with the help of Hades) to try to keep Nemesis at bay. But she is losing ground.

Suddenly Superman appears to help.

At first Wonder Woman thinks he has joined Nemesis' army. But Superman sets her straight. If anyone is fallen it's Diana.

And if you take a step back and think about Diana's character and its history, he is right. Do we want a Diana wearing a horned helmet, so quick to slit a throat, so eager to slaughter her enemies?

Do we?

The speech by Superman snaps Diana back to reality. It turns out the entire first part of this story was an illusion Nemesis put into Wonder Woman's mind. While she thought she was fighting Nemesis' armies, she was really fighting demons in Tartarus. Superman went into Tartarus to get her out.

I have never been a big fan of the Diana/Clark romance. But this panel worked. The exhausted Diana ruing what she has done and Clark supporting her saying they can repair things. Even the way they are holding each other. That is support and feels like love more than the raised eyebrows and make out sessions we have seen in this book in the past.

And then this scene. Diana wonders why Superman would risk everything by entering a labyrinth like Tartarus to save her.

"Isn't it obvious?" Because he loves her.

Even that feels more real than the 'romance' we have seen in this book before this. (Indeed, the romance part of this title has always been the weakest part.)

But wait ... isn't Superman brooding in the desert in Futures' End? How can he be here?

It turns out he is a Superman from one year in the future (not five) pulled forward in time by Amazons so he can help Diana.

I love that this Superman hasn't lost hope yet and wants to talk to this Superman in hiding.

Superman shouldn't hide from humanity.

While Diana was lost in Tartarus, Nemesis' army has taken over the world. Only Themyscira stands free. (Is this the threat Batman fought in the future in Batman/Superman? Or are there multiple world threats five years from now?)

Soule does a good job at explaining Diana's life as God of War here. She tried to reward the noble warriors. She didn't help those on the wrong side of a conflict.

But it turns out she couldn't change war even as its avatar. If anything war changed her.

Nice panel here, defeated appearing Diana without background, making her seem as isolated and alone and defeated as she sounds.

Superman and Wonder Woman leave for Olympus, asking the Amazons to buy them some time why Diana tries one last stratagem.

It turns out Nemesis killed the Eirene Goddess of Peace early on in the conflict. By making Earth only a planet of war, without an avatar of peace, Nemesis could succeed more easily.

I thought this was a nice little plot wrinkle.

And then we get into my problem.

Diana enters Eirene's tomb. While Superman tries to hold off Nemesis' army, we hear Diana's voice.

We hear her say words that ring true to her character historically.

War is terrible. You can be a warrior but not embrace war. War is death. Diana loves life.

As Superman says, it is wonderful to hear her say that.

Because historically, Diana was an ambassador of peace, sent to our world to teach us the error of violence and oppression.

And just like that, in the future, Diana is the new Goddess of Peace.

So ...

I like Diana turning away from war, realizing she has fallen away from her ideals, and embracing ... becoming (!!) peace.

But it also seems like a bit of a slap in the face to Azzarello and Chiang's work. And, as I have said, while I don't agree with all of it, it has been a tight and entertaining story of a possible Wonder Woman.

But Azzarello's Diana isn't what I think Diana should be in continuity.

But Azzarello's book was quality for the story it was telling.

I guess since this is as much an Elseworlds as anything I can enjoy it for what it is. And that is a story that finally shows me who Wonder Woman should be. Not the sword wielding, stab first, 'kill your enemies' person. But a hero who is looking to move away from war and death.

Overall grade: B/B+

Review: Superman/Wonder Woman #11

Superman:Doomed ....

Will it never end!

I must admit that my interest in this mega-arc has waned dramatically over the last couple of weeks. As the plots spin out of control, as the infection waxed ... waned ... waxed ... and then was cured because Baka believed in Superman (an overly easy answer to such a key plot point), I have just grown fatigued with reading this story. There is too much happening, too many plots and subplots, and too many feints by the creators. I don't know what is important. And I can't believe that the Doomsday virus was cured by good feelings.

This week Superman/Wonder Woman #11 came out, one of the final chapters of the arc, and writer Charles Soule basically continues the cycle I have described above. Last week's cliffhanger turns out to be a fakeout (like the Cyborg Superman cliffhanger was something of a fakeout, like the incurable Doomsday virus has been something of a fakeout). There is some action sequences that seem like filler. And yet another new plot element is added. Does DC think this bloated storyline is going to be easily wrapped up in this month's Superman:Doomed #2?

Tony Daniel is sadly not doing art on this book, most likely because he is hard at work on the new Deathstroke comic. So newcomer Thony Silva does interior. Silva's art is stylized. His characters look gangly and angular. And Superman oddly never has pupils. I think I would rather see this style on something like Deathstroke and bring Tony Daniel back.

The last issue of Doomed ended with another cliffhanger ... Non and Mongul leaving the Phantom Zone! Yet another new element added to this incredibly overly complicated mega-arc!

But I should have remembered some of the other cliffhangers in this arc, threats or events which quickly downshifted or disappeared. Here Non and Mongul see that Earth is being overrun by Brainiac. And despite their combined might, neither of them wants to face that threat. They actually retreat back to the Phantom Zone! So much for that cliffhanger.

I suppose I should be happy that they weren't added given my concern that there are too many moving parts here.

I did like how Mongul tries to explain to Non that he isn't scared of Brainiac as he is retreating.

And Lana continues to become smarter and smarter. Somehow she is able to figure out that Brainiac is draining neurological energy from the populace of Earth. But it is a progression from higher thinking to the most primitive neurologic impulses until everyone is dead.

Now how an electrical engineer can figure out an alien genius' neurologic draining mechanisms I don't know.

Look ... I love this Lana. But let's not make her too unbelievable. I would have had less of a complaint if Shay Veritas said this line.

Superman realizes that he needs to head to the Fortress and reorganize the few troops he has left. So Steel, Lana, J'onn, and Superman all head to the north pole to try to figure out a plan.

In one of the nicer moments, Cyborg stays behind to hold off the tough Brainiac drones so the others can leave. It is a nice page and a nice moment ... albeit brief. Very quickly, Brainiac adapts his mechanism to drain Vic's half robot brain as well.

If you count it up, only 7 free minds remain on the planet - Superman, J'onn, Steel, Lana, and these three: Bruce, Diana, and Lois.

Batman realizes that it simply isn't enough to defeat Brainiac. They need help.

So I don't know why Lois is green here when she had her normal coloring last issue.

It would have been nice to see some of the other telepaths on the planet to see how they fared. The fact that J'onn and Lois can shield people makes me wonder why others couldn't do the same.

But if it is true that only 7 are free and they need more firepower there are only a couple of places they can turn.

Superman turns to the mentally caged Doomsday. Why not let the monster take control again? After all, despite issue after issue of hearing how the virus was spreading, how this was an infection, all it took was the Ghost Soldier to tell Superman that people believed in him for the Man of Steel to cure himself.

I am so confused about this infection. Is it an infection? Like a disease? A mental problem? How can good feelings cure it? How can Superman willingly suffer the relapse? This whole ending of the Doomsday virus threat weakens the foundation of the entire conflict of this arc.

I also don't know why Silas never drew Superman with pupils.

And Wonder Woman goes searching for more firepower by heading into the Phantom Zone. Looks like she will try to lure Mongul and Non out to help fight for the cause. I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.

And it looks like Wonder Woman is willing to use Warworld as a bargain chip to get Mongul into the fold. Boy, I know that Warworld is a Death Star analogue. But this sure does look like a certain 'fully operational battle station'.

Well, another chapter down. The plot moved forward a bit. And we are set up for the final part (outside of the Supergirl crossover issue). Superman:Doomed #2 will be out soon and this arc will be over. And I will be thankful. I am hoping this will erase the last bits of Lobdell plot threads from the super-titles. I am hoping that Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder can get back to the sort of stories they were doing before this arc. And I hope I never have to think about what this Doomsday infection was all about. Because my head hurts from trying to figure it out.

Overall grade: C

Review: Superman/Wonder Woman Annual #1

Superman/Wonder Woman Annual #1 came out yesterday, chapter 3 of the Superdoom portion of Superman:Doomed. It was also one of three parts of the Superman:Doomed storyline that was released yesterday, a glut of this story. And, unfortunately, I think it was too much all at once.

I have been sort of teetering about this whole story arc recently. While there have been some interesting scenes and small moments of characterization that have shined, over all it just hasn't grabbed me. Now it is true that I don't particularly like the idea of Superman as Doomsday, as a feared being, as a monster. I don't know if he has been established enough in the New 52 as a pure hero where such a devolution would have a strong impact. But more importantly, I think the story has become too big, with a lot of moving parts, all that need to be accounted for. As a result, sometimes I have to make a leap of faith in understanding what is happening. I just don't know if I 100% understand exactly what is happening right now. And that is never good.

Now this book and Action Comics Annual #3, in theory take place simultaneously, which is an interesting way to try to market the books. It also means something big happens at the end of this book that doesn't make sense until I read the Action book.

Lastly, I actually like most of the artists listed on this book. And there are a lot of them - Tony Daniel, Ed Benes, Cliff Richards, Pascal Alixe, and Jack Herbert. But there are so many that I think it sort of was distracting. It is a stunning cover by Tony Daniel. I think it is a shame he is heading to Deathstroke.

The book opens up with a recap page of the electronic version of the Daily Planet. I do like that there are more '404' errors on the page, maybe showing that Brainiac is coming nearer?

But this paragraph puzzled me. I wondered why Smallville has become comatose, why it was targeted. Now this paragraph says Superman has 'centered his activities' there.

Has he? When in the New 52 did Superman establish himself in Smallville?

Last issue ended with the Cyborg Superman leading a fleet of Brainiac ships to Earth. I thought this might be an introduction of the Cyborg as a Superman rogue. But turns out, this was something of a feint.

Superman rips off the Cyborg Superman's arm while the fleet flies by. The Cyborg says he was there to simply delay Superdoom from trashing the fleet before it made it to Earth. Superman leaves him and tails the ships.

We see the Cyborg Superman again ...

I wonder just what is going to become of this Zor-El Cyborg. He is a slave of Brainiac. He is Supergirl's dad. Can he ever become someone I am interested in?

Part of the moving parts is Steel and Lana, in deep space, tracking the Smallville brain signal but now turned around and streaking back to Earth.

I don't mind Lana being feisty and strong and part of Superman's life. But I don't necessarily need her to be pumped up too much. Here she notices that Brainiac's ships are landing in a specific pattern, most likely to boost the coma-signal to encompass the whole planet. Steel patches her through to the gathered resistance (Wonder Woman, Batman, Cyborg, Harrow, Ghost Soldier, Shay Veritas, and Luthor).

So one of the most talented electrical engineers can recognize and intergalactic despots fleet placement? Maybe too much?

Regardless, 36% of the pods need to be destroyed to snuff out the plot.

Throughout Doomed we have had these internal monologues between Clark and Doomsday. Here is one moment of good characterization. Clark knows that he can destroy the Brainiac probes but to do so means entering the K-cloud surrounding Earth and therefore losing control. The Doomsday virus would take over.

The Doomsday persona actually wants to go to Earth knowing that he will win. I don't know if it is flattery or a sarcastic jibe, but I like how he tells Clark that Pa Kent would be proud of him.

The fact that the internal monologue is Clark and not Superman, the fact that Jonathan Kent is an important part of him ... these are important parts of a Superman I want to read.

Clark wins out and Superdoom flies to Earth.

Meanwhile, Earth's heroes are swarming to destroy the probes as well. Humanity's fighting nature is enough to impress the Cyborg.

While not strictly cheesecake, Diana is nearly falling out of her top this whole issue.

But the coma-pods also seem to be a Brainiac feint. Or maybe he has a plan B?

Because while the probes are being knocked out, the Cyborg is constructing some kind of Star-gate near Earth.

Steel feels he has no choice but to try to stop the Cyborg even though he is hopelessly overpowered.

I am beginning to think that John Henry Irons is starting to get some feelings for Lana. While I doubt he is about to say 'I love you' (he just met her), he might be saying that he cares or would like to know her better if they survive. We'll see if I'm right.

Superdoom and the heroes on Earth start to make some headway against the probes, but Superdoom does indeed gain the upper psychological hand. He is about to wade into a small town in Romania, killing the inhabitants with his killing field.

There isn't anyone who can stand up to him except Wonder Woman in her God-mode.

Didn't we already see a scene like this in this arc. When I feel like we are retreading things within an arc, it might mean it is too long.

Wonder Woman fighting Superman. The internal monologues where Clark says he will prevail. Superdoom reverting from full Doomsday to completely normal to just a couple of horns. It seems like we are walking in place sometimes.

Steel does indeed get thrashed by Cyborg Superman such that Lana has to fly into the fray, firing phasers at Cyborg.

The Cyborg is pretty much unscathed by simple lasers. He rips the ship apart. Luckily Steel can fly to the rescue and spread his skin over Lana to rescue her. I do sense some romance here.

But the coma-nodes begin to self-destruct? It is odd. And it also seems like a forced plot point that in the end doesn't matter. Sort of a maguffin.

That's because the Brainiac mother ship, which is bigger than Earth (!!!), arrives through the stargate.

The end of the book has the Kryptonite in the air suddenly disappear (we need to read the Action Annual to see why). As a result Clark can overcome the Doomsday persona. But on one page an artist has him being mini-horned. And this artist has him being completely normal and not shedding the Doomsday death field at all.

I just can't wrap my head around Doomsday virus and what it is doing. The complete mutation and significant death field to completely normal switcheroo seems to be almost variable. If, this many chapters in, I don't have any idea about the threat of this infection or cannot anticipate how it can effect Superman, I feel frustrated.

Add to that the feints of what is a threat and what isn't and I am starting to feel a little bored, despite all the action. It makes me wish that this story was ending sooner than it is.

And there were 2 more chapters released yesterday.

Overall grade: C