Merry Christmas, Mike Maihack Style

I have been covering Mike Maihack's art here for a long time. I love his style. I love his humor. I love his take on Supergirl, so akin to my own. 

And every year I await his Supergirl/Batgirl Christmas comic. It is always a gift, highlighting the wonderful friendship of the two heroes. It is always funny and uplifting. 

But  I find this year's strip in particular to be fantastic. 

Supergirl in Maihack's strip is always a super-charged bundle of frenzied energy, changing costumes, handing out cookies, and being almost silly even in the face of super-villains. I love those as they show the inherent brightness and optimism of Kara.

Now this year, with the Supergirl movie, based on Woman of Tomorrow, in the near future, showcasing a traumatized, drunken, angry mess of a Supergirl, Maihack again shows how he gets the character. 

Bullet Review: DC's I Saw Ma Hunker Kissing Santa Claus - Supergirl Story

DC Comics released their Christmas special, I Saw Ma Hunkle Kissing Santa Claus' this week. These anthologies have been coming fast and furious these days and cost a pretty penny. They also seem to be more of a New Talent Showcase featuring fresh names of creators I don't really know. So there needs to be a draw for me to be lured.

Let's just say DC had me with the Ryan Sook Supergirl/Brainiac Five variant cover. There is sort of a futuristic Norman Rockwell feel to it. And I am a 'KaraDox' kind of guy. So this was a win. It is gorgeous. 

Of course, a cover alone can't get me to buy. Luckily there is a Supergirl story on the inside as well, written by Ash Padilla with art by Anthony Marques, both new to me. 

There are some other fun stories in the book. I mean, where else can I get Animal Man, the 'new' Dr. Light, and Martian Manhunter holiday stories. So I plunked my money down.

What I got was a very sweet Supergirl story, set in a sort of elsewhen past but with a great ending. The hints were planted throughout the story so I can't say it was a surprise ending but it was still wonderful. So let's just dive in.

Christmas Gift #1: Gulliver Supergirl Figurine

I am like a big kid around Christmas time and nothing makes me giddy like a great present. When it is a Supergirl related gift I am even giddier. And when it is a Supergirl item I have never heard of before, I am at my giddiest.

So imagine how tickled I was when I got this small Supergirl figure from my middle daughter as a gift. 

It is very cool, about 2 inches tall and well sculpted. 

But I honestly had no idea where it was from. And the auction she won it from had few details. 

So a 'new to me' Supergirl item in my possession?? Best Christmas ever.

Christmas Gift

My comic store's DC delivery was delayed by a day this week which means that, unfortunately, reviews will be pushed back to the beginning of next week.

So instead I present to you a pretty cool Christmas gift one of my daughters got for me this year.

Here are two comics from the Middle East. Silver Age reprints of Action Comics but in Arabic!

The seller told her that many of these were destroyed in some of the more anti-Western times over there. But that might be apocryphal.

Regardless, as someone who loves seeing comics in other languages and formats, this was a very cool gift to receive!

 Of course, I was even luckier to have the actual comic of one of them. Action Comics #316 is of some import to Supergirl history. In that tale, Zor-El and Alura return to Kandor (after having lived on Earth for a bit). And the Danvers, who had moved to Kandor, return to Midvale.

As you can see, the comic in Arabic is a little smaller than the actual comic.

And since reading there is right to left, this cover feels like the back cover to me, the staples being on the right.

But wait there's more!

Mike Maihack's 2022 Supergirl/Batgirl Christmas Comic

Every year Mike Maihack gives us a Supergirl/Batgirl Christmas comic and it is always a delight.

Maihack seems to get the essence of both characters. Supergirl is joyous, fun, creative, and bright. Batgirl is a little tight, a little buttoned up, maybe a little suppressed as she tries to remain in serious bat mode.

This year's comic is another wonderful entry. I mean, it starts out with Supergirl helping Santa deliver presents. Utterly fantastic. Supergirl would help Santa. Heck, Supergirl should help Santa.

But then the punchline is priceless. Even though Santa has 'sight beyond sight' for Christmas presents, he still can't come up with something for Babs. 

Supergirl's reaction ... perplexed that even Kris Kringle can't pierce the Babs veil ... is just fantastic. 

I am always thrilled when Maihack gives us another comic. This is always a Christmas gift I love.

Merry Christmas And Happy Holidays!

 

May everyone's days be merry and bright!

Taking a couple of days off here but will be back and ready to go after some festivities!

(Thanks to Mike Maihack for always giving us great Supergirl content, like above!)

Christmas 2021

Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate! After a rough stretch at work, I have several days off around the holidays and that makes me happy! I hope everyone can celebrate a little.

And what better early gift than the annual Supergirl/Batgirl holiday strip by artist Mike Maihack. 

I have gushed about these strips before. They are too cute, too funny, too adorable. 

I love how Supergirl is always cheery, bright, and energetic. I love how Batgirl is always trying to be serious but is often stymied by Supergirl being extra.\

Here they are garbed in the most holiday-based variants of costumes. But, as always, it just isn't enough for Kara. She has to decorate the Babs-tree. 

The banter is wonderful. Their friendship is undeniable.

This is always a palate cleanser and given the current take on Supergirl, it is much needed.

I always appreciate what Maihack does for the holidays. 

But wait! There's more!

Mike Maihack's 2019 Christmas Comic

Happy New Year to everyone!

One of my favorite parts of the holidays is the annual Mike Maihack Supergirl/Batgirl comic.

Maihack has been making these comics for a decade now! And I have loved them since their inception! Check out my Maihack coverage on the site over the years:
http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/search/label/Mike%20Maihack

There is a lot to love about these sweet little strips, specifically the built-in continuity he has put in the strip. This is a Barbara who is trying to be 'the Darkness ... the Night' but can't help but let her sweet demeanor sneak out now and then.

We also have seen how Supergirl is over the top sweet, to the point of bringing cookies to the Batman Rogue's gallery one year. That explains their sudden presence at the end of this strip.

But seeing Babs slip up and admit she is friends with Supergirl is fantastic. And the response from Kara is perfect.

I mean the teary-eyed, goofy smile Supergirl in the top panel is just tremendous.

This is the World's Finest team I want to see.

Thanks to Maihack for making me smile as I rang in this new year. His stuff is always a wonderful gift!

Merry Christmas!

For those who celebrate, Merry Christmas!!!

Hope everyone has a happy holiday season!

I'll be back tomorrow with a Supergirl Christmas gift, tucked away in a recent comic!

Happy New Year Mike Maihack Style

Happy New Year!

Before the glow of the holidays completely fades away, I thought I would share (albeit late) Mike Maiahack's Supergirl/Batgirl Christmas comic. These strips have become something of a tradition around here. And with each one, I always hope that somehow DC will hire Maihack for something and allow him to publish an all ages book.

Usually these comics have an overly powered and overly cheery acting as the comic foil to the comic 'straight man' of Batgirl. But this time the table are turned a bit.

This time Batgirl won't be caught by surprise and instead hopes to prance away to a sunny vacation. I love that third panel Batgirl stripping into a bat-one-piece bathing suit and vaulting onto the beach. It is a rare moment of levity for the usually dour Babs.

And I love ...and I mean love ... the bathing cap/cowl with the little ears.

Unfortunately the beach has been turned into a 'Winter Wonderland' by the Mad Hatter. Even Kara (dressed in her holiday striped tights) is trapped.

For once, Babs gets to save the day. I love how cheery it makes her to finally get to be the action hero in her own strip.

And the last panel with Kara warming up with cocoa is priceless.

As usual, Maihack hits all the right tones in this little comic. I suggest you head out and look for all his prior World's Finest strips.

And please visit his sites and check out his Cleopatra in Space comic! Here are some links!
http://operationspacecat.com/cleopatra/
http://mikemaihack.bigcartel.com/

Happy 2018 everyone!

Merry Christmas!

Totally chilling out on Christmas Day ... family, good will, and lots and lots of egg nog!

The presents under the tree were well protected by the Super-Cousins!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Holiday season.

See you here tomorrow with the usual content!

Merry Christmas From Supergirl Comic Box Commentary

And Happy Holidays!

Hope everyone has a great season!

Christmas Goodies

We are basically nearing the end of the holiday season with Christmas around the corner and a New Year following right behind.

One thing that I have been pleased to note this year is how Supergirl is represented in gifts and holiday decorations this year. I am still amazed that Supergirl has become such a huge pop culture presence. For me, these last couple of years, every day has been Christmas. Just incredible.

Let's start out with the item that floored me. The DC Superhero Girls Supergirl was a collectible Christmas tree Ornament from Hallmark.

There are certain items that make me think that a character has 'made it'. One would be a Happy Meal toy (which we got for Supergirl earlier this year). Another would be a Hallmark ornament.

I'll be hanging this on my tree this year. It is a gift for myself that I'll open on Christmas Eve. Amazing!

But I also saw this the other day! A Supergirl specific Christmas Stocking.

I love that is has the specific S-shield and the pointy 'belt' portion and a cape. Brilliant!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! Hope you all have a great time!

Merry Christmas And Happy Holidays

To all those who celebrate, Merry Christmas!

And a happy holiday season to everyone!

I'll be busy opening gifts and hanging with family, drinking egg nog and singing carols like a lunatic for the next couple of days. So no new posts until next week.

Reviews for this week's comics will also be delayed a bit for some 'Best of 2015' columns running Monday through Wednesday.

Thanks to all who come here and support the site! You all are the best!

Happy Holidays!

Mike Maihack's 2015 Supergirl/Batgirl Christmas Comic!

I have gushed about Mike Maihack's Supergirl/Batgirl comics in the past. Maihack has this uncanny knack to get to the heart of these characters. From Supergirl's endless optimism and cheer to Batgirl's dour Bat exterior masking a brighter interior, these comics are pure pure joy.

One of the things about these strips is that Batgirl tends to be the 'straight man', the character who sees the insanity around her and might look at the crowd exasperated. Supergirl has been able to handle just about everything that has been thrown at the duo and the most Batgirl has had to do is shake her head.

So I love this year's Christmas strip. Realizing that Batgirl might feel unneeded, Supergirl gives her the best present ever. Purpose. She'll sit this battle out so Batgirl can save Gotham.

How can you not love the lower 1/3 of this strip, both characters smiling brightly, doing the right thing. Wonderful.

As always, a big thanks and Merry Christmas to Maihack for producing these strips. I love them.

Supergirl Christmas Gifts

The Holiday season is unfortunately behind us meaning I have to face the drudgery of the upcoming winter.

But there is still time to reminisce about the holidays and to share some Supergirl gifts that happened this season.

First off, I have to thank my friend Russell Burbage for sending me this great Christmas gift, a Paul Kupperberg autographed Supergirl postcard. This postcard is based on the Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #1 postage stamp of 2006. Just So fantastic!

To be honest, I had no idea that postcards were made of these stamps to begin with!

What a great addition to my Supergirl collection! The postcard alone would be fantastic! But adding the Kupperberg autograph makes this priceless.

Thanks so much Russell!

Here was the sheet of postage stamps including the Supergirl ones!

And then blog friend Gene sent me these pictures, the Christmas gift his sister gave him!

It is the new Supergirl Lego figure ... but delivered in a iPhone package!

How great is that!

The figure alone would be a great gift, but the packaging is great. It looks like Supergirl is saying 'hello' to the world.

Love it.

And Gene added this comment:
If I was promoting the CBS show, I would have a poster of Supergirl floating in the sky with just "Hello" above her. Tell me that would not get people's attention.

I agree.

So there are the Supergirl gifts from this holiday season. Anyone get any good loot? 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

No matter what you celebrate, hope everyone who stops by here has a happy holiday season and gets all the loot they want!

I'll be back soon!

Lego Set 76040: Brainiac Attack - Supergirl!

Is it too late for me to contact Santa Claus and let him know I really really want this Lego set!

It features a Supergirl figure! And a Martian Manhunter figure!

And you make a Brainiac ship!

I don't think I want it! I think I need it!!

Here is the picture of the figure you get when you head to Lego. It isn't the New 52 costume and looks much more Matrixy. That is a big win for me.

And if you look closely at the box, it looks like she might have a reversible face. The one on the box looks like she has glowing red eyes and a stern look. The one above looks happier.

If it looks like this one featured in the Lego Batman game I'll be thrilled! A pleated red skirt! My favorite look!

Okay, I'm off to rewrite my letter to Santa!

Merry Christmas Mike Maihack Style

We are one week away from Christmas and I feel like I got an early present when Mike Maihack posted his latest Batgirl/Supergirl comic on his site:
http://mikemaihack.tumblr.com/post/105441491322/i-feel-like-every-batgirl-supergirl-comic-ive

I have loved Maihack's take on the characters - the overly serious Batgirl who is probably hiding a warm heart and the overly bubbly Supergirl who is looking to have fun while battling crime.

So this one really warmed the heart. To see Supergirl in her 'winter costume', singing carols in a sort of 'trick-or-treat' modality, hoping to get sweets is great. I mean look at Kara's face in that middle row ... pure joy.

So much joy that she even melts the heart of the big bad Batman, seen only as an imposing shard of black.

That is the power of Supergirl and the power of happiness. Even an Ebenezer like the Dark Knight can't help but melt. And Babs 'seriously' is a perfect retort. She probably hasn't seen *that* Batman before.

As always, thanks to Mike Maihack for providing these sweet treats for us fans. They are the candy cane of comics!

Merry Christmas Mike Maihack Style

In what is becoming a very nice holiday tradition Mike Maihack has written another Supergirl/Batgirl Christmas comic.

This has been out for almost a week but I think it is deserving of being posted on this site on this day. It is amazing to me how Maihack is able to capture the spirit of these two characters in all of these strips whether it be Christmas themed or otherwise.

There is something over-the-top about his Supergirl. She has this infectious energy and always is willing to go that extra step to do what's right. Last year it was giving Killer Croc cookies and making him promise he wouldn't kill anyone.

Here it is decorating an entire forest of pine trees for Christmas! And I love the Christmas-themed costume, all white fur and candy cane leggings!

One of the ongoing gags is how Batgirl is trying to be all 'dark and moody' but vexed by Supergirl's optimism and joy. Two years ago, Supergirl made Batgirl a santa-style Bat-costume. This year she sleigh-ifies the Bat Cycle. Batgirl's exasperated expression in the last panel is the perfect contrast to Kara's wide smile.

I can't thank Maihack enough for making these strips and hope we keep getting them. This was a great gift for Supergirl fans!