DC August 2020 Solicitations

The DC August solicits have been posted and for the most part they are simply the pre-COVID solicits resolicited with a nice addition. Here is a link"
https://www.newsarama.com/50230-dc-comics-august-2020-solicitations.html

One thing you won't see? Supergirl #41. As stated before, Supergirl #41 will only be available digitally. I am still a bit peeved about the whole thing. That said, we needed a new Supergirl book. A new direction. A creative team that actually likes the character. But when you end a character's title this way, it just makes the whole IP feel toxic. Will we get another Supergirl book any time soon?

SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8TH GRADE TP NEW EDITION
written by LANDRY Q. WALKER
art and cover by ERIC JONES

Supergirl’s cosmic adventure is back in print in this new all-ages book! Supergirl meets Belinda Zee, a new junior high adversary, in this all-ages title collecting the six-issue miniseries. And that’s just the start of the fun that includes super-powered pets and cosmic adventure!

Now this is a pleasant surprise.

One of the best Supergirl properties to come out in the last 2 decades, Cosmic Adventures is a treat. And it is the perfect Kara palate cleanser for the more recent mainstream DCU fare. Go out and buy it. And buy it for any young fan of the series. A young Lena plays a huge role.

And by all means, go back and read my reviews when the issues came out!

ACTION COMICS #1024

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. and KLAUS JANSON
variant cover by LUCIO PARRILLO
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by FRANK CHO

The city of Metropolis has been rocked by Luthor’s latest attack and the drama surrounding Superman’s truth, and that gives the invisible mafia a new foothold to change the City of Tomorrow forever. Meanwhile, the Daily Planet is under siege! The fallout from Superman: Villains continues as Clark Kent steps out into the world as a reporter for the first time.

I am still not a fan of John Romita Jr.

But I have been pleasantly surprised by how this Truth storyline has unfolded.

And you know I love the more city-based Action Comics plots. So looking forward to this.

SUPERMAN #24

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by KEVIN MAGUIRE and JOHN TIMMS
cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
variant cover by BRYAN HITCH
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO

Superman’s legendary susceptibility to magic is about to turn his life inside out and upside down. A mysterious new villain has come into Superman’s world to pit him against the most powerful sorcerer and agent for the Lords of Order: Doctor Fate!

There is a little bit of weird karma that Dr. Fate is going to get a big storyline in Superman so recently after Marty Pasko, the main Fate writer in the 80s, has passed.

I do want to see Maguire's take on Fate. Should be cool.

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #11

written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
art by CLAYTON HENRY
cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
card stock variant cover by JAE LEE 
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by JENNY FRISON

It’s Superman versus Batman as the deadly machinations of the Ultra-Humanite crash to their end! The Dark Knight has been transformed into a human atomic bomb, all in the name of wiping Superman from the face of the Earth! As Batman struggles against the urge to kill his friend, Superman must undo the damage done and help the other victims of the Ultra-Humanite’s experiments. It’s the thrilling conclusion to “Atomic” that will reverberate across the DC Universe for months to come!

As I said before, I love the Ultra Humanite.

And I am interested to see how the relationship between Batman and Superman is pushed forward in this book. Will Williamson continue the dual text boxes to see how they are thinking and how they feel about each other?

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #8

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by EVAN “DOC” SHANER, JEFF LEMIRE, DUSTIN NGUYEN, JOËLLE JONES, MICHAEL AVON OEMING, LIAM SHARP, ANDRÉ LIMA, SANFORD GREENE, CULLY HAMNER, YANICK PAQUETTE, DAN HIPP, DAVID MACK, DARICK ROBERTSON, DAN JURGENS, BILQUIS EVELY, FABIO MOON, MICHAEL ALLRED, RYAN SOOK, ALEX MALEEV, JOHN TIMMS, DUNCAN ROULEAU, and NORM RAPMUND
cover by RYAN SOOK
variant cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN

Beginning a special two-part comics storytelling event! Over the course of two spectacular issues, 44 artists will dive into the 31st century—with each page starring a different Legionnaire! It starts when the team is arrested by a galactic authority that does not approve of the Legion—and it leads into an intergalactic showdown that will affect every member of the team!

Looks like a new issue for me to bring to conventions and try to collect signatures! That is a murderers' row of names. I can't wait to see this book. I mean, they had me at Fabio Moon. But there are many favorites listed here.

I do love that each page gives us a different team member. We haven't really met the whole team yet so this will be a good primer.

YOUNG JUSTICE #17

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS and DAVID F. WALKER
art by SCOTT GODLEWSKI
cover by JOHN TIMMS
variant cover by MIRKA ANDOLFO

This very special issue focuses directly on the friendship at the heart of Young Justice: Conner, Tim, and Bart—a.k.a. Superboy, Drake, and Impulse. As younger men, these three iconic heroes built Young Justice on their friendship. Now their dream has grown and changed as much as they have. And with the demands of adulthood pulling them in different directions, they realize that nights like this one may never happen again.

With Supergirl off the board, maybe I should add Young Justice to the review list. I mean, technically, there is a Super-family member here.

I like these characters and I like what Bendis is doing here.

Hey at least we have comics!

Still, I am irked. No print Supergirl. It again proves they just don't care.

April 2016 Solicits

The DC Comics solicits for April came out this week and there were a few welcome surprises. Here is a link to the complete list over on Comic Book Resources:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/justice-league-turns-50-harley-quinns-presence-grows-dc-comics-april-2016-solicitations

The big news for me was that the main universe Supergirl is finally mentioned. We haven't heard from her since the last issue of her solo title. More on this when we hit the appropriate solicit.

And it is clear that DC finally realizes that the Supergirl show is a hit and they should try to cash in on her surge in popularity. The choices they are making are mixed in my mind. But more on that later too.

Onto the relevant solicits.

JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 #11
Written by KEITH GIFFEN and J.M. DeMATTEIS
Art and cover by SCOTT KOLINS

Now that the Justice League is aware of Lady Styx’s ultimate plan, the team is forced to stand its ground to save the human race from extinction. Little do they know that Eclipso is hot on their tails! Plus, the Justice League may have a traitor in its midst.

As the 'go to' book for Supergirl these days, I am glad that JLA 3001 has survived another month without the dreaded 'final issue' tagline. But I worry. Twelfth issues are a perfect spot for the axe.

Giffen and DeMatteis keep pushing things in this book. I assume this is Sinestro on the cover, one more survivor from the 21st century.

I keep wondering if there will be some Twilight Zone ending to this book. Like this universe is a version of comic book hell or purgatory.

DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS #11
Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT
Art by ELIZABETH TORQUE and MIRKA ANDOLFO
Cover by ANT LUCIA

The first of a two-part epic finale to the first year of the war! Tenebrus unleashes an undead army upon London as the Battle of Britain begins, and Amanda Waller’s Bombshells are united at last. But will even the combined might of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batwoman, Stargirl, Aquawoman, Dr. Light and Big Barda be enough to protect a city under siege? Or will one of the Bombshells be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice?

As the second 'go to book' for Supergirl, I am glad this book is such a hit. I have been eagerly awaiting the time when all the Bombshells team up as a team. Looks like we are finally there. How can you not love this cover with Supergirl, a machine gun toting Amanda Waller, and Big Barda!

This book has been a completely delicious treat.

ACTION COMICS #51
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by FERNANDO PASARIN
Cover by KARL KERSCHL
Variant cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and KLAUS JANSON

Superman is shocked to learn that Kara has been missing for some time as part three of “Super League” begins! Now, with Batman’s help, Kal-El is on his cousin’s trail—but he can’t believe where it’s leading him and who she has joined!

Hurray! Supergirl is mentioned.
Well ... I hope hurray.

There are things that bother me about this solicit which makes my 'I generally don't trust the current DC to treat Supergirl right' feelings surge a bit. First off, Peter Tomasi hasn't exactly wowed me in recent days with his stories.

Second, Clark is shocked to learn that Kara has been missing? I guess he doesn't care about his one surviving family member to keep track of her. This seems off given what seemed like a closer relationship in the closing issues of her book by K. Perkins and Mike Johnson.

Third, he is surprised to see who she has joined? If they make Supergirl dark again, have her join a villain group, I'll be really disappointed. I am hoping its the Legion!

Lastly, we haven't seen Supergirl in months. She is now a TV star. She doesn't merit a spot on the cover?

I generally don't trust DC to treat the main universe Supergirl well. Should I have optimism?

SUPERMAN #51
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by MIKEL JANIN
Cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and KLAUS JANSON
Variant cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and DANNY MIKI
On sale APRIL 6 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

It’s the start of a new chapter in the Man of Steel’s life that will change everything you know as the epic eight-part “Super League,” all written by Peter J. Tomasi, spans BATMAN/SUPERMAN, SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN and ACTION COMICS in April and May!
His time without powers made Kal-El realize that the world is in need of more protectors...more super-powered beings like himself. But where will he find such beings?

And now the premise of the next crossover is revealed. The world needs more protectors? More than the Justice League?

I hope Tomasi can deliver. And I look forward to seeing Mikel Janin on a Superman issue.

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #31
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
Cover by YANICK PAQUETTE
Variant cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and KLAUS JANSON

In part two of “Super League,” Superman enlists Batman’s aid in seeking out people that can help form his new super-league. A shocking discovery is made about a new super-being no one knew existed, and something is beginning to stalk Superman...

Interesting and eye-grabbing cover by Yanick Paquette here. He has been killing it in recent months on these books' covers.

I wonder if this new super-being is the pre-Flashpoint Superman? Is it a new character or reboot of an older character? And interesting to see Mahnke on this book.  Ed Benes is on the SM/WW book this month.

SUPERMAN: LOIS AND CLARK #7
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art and cover by LEE WEEKS
Variant cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and DANNY MIKI

The cosmic menace of Hyathis hits Earth—and this Superman may not be enough to stop her from obtaining the power of the Oblivion Stone. And is Jon starting to manifest superpowers of his own?

So Supergirl being back in the Superman book was the biggest surprise of the month. But this was the second. Don't ask me why I love the old DC character Hyathis but I do. She's awesome. So to see that she is one of the big bads in this book (which I also love) was a very pleasant surprise.

Hyathis!!

SUPERMAN: THE COMING OF THE SUPERMEN #3
Written by NEAL ADAMS
Art and cover by NEAL ADAMS

As Superman tries to find answers as to why Darkseid’s son, Kalibak, has kidnapped a young Middle-Eastern boy and his dog, three other Kryptonians have come to watch over Earth. Meanwhile, the planet Nibiru, which became New Krypton for the liberated Kandorians, is preparing to host Darkseid as he attempts to subjugate their world to make it his New Apokolips.

This book is going to be crazy. I don't know if I have anything more to say. That solicit is nuts.

SUPERGIRL BOOK ONE TP
Written by PETER DAVID
Art by GARY FRANK, CAM SMITH, TERRY DODSON and KARL STORY
Cover by GARY FRANK and CAM SMITH

In this 1990s reimagining of the Girl of Steel, Lex Luthor’s familiar synthetic creation “Matrix”—who mimics Superman’s powers—merges with human girl Linda Danvers to create a new Supergirl! So why does everyone believe she’s dead? And what is the secret behind Linda Danvers’ evil past? Collects issues #1-9, SUPERGIRL PLUS #1, SUPERGIRL ANNUAL #1, and a story from SHOWCASE ’96 #8.

And then a couple of nice surprises. DC has been putting out more Supergirl trades and collections which is always welcome. People who come here know how much I love David's take on Matrix and Superman. So I am happy to see this trade reprinted. But unlike the last version, this one includes Supergirl Plus and Supergirl Annual #1, neither which impact the story dramatically. I wonder if these were put in as an incentive for people who own the original printing to buy this one.

This isn't Kara Zor-El. But it is a great read.

SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE EIGHTH GRADE TP NEW EDITION
Written by LANDRY Q. WALKER
Art and cover by ERIC JONES

Supergirl’s cosmic adventure is back in print! Supergirl meets Belinda Zee, a new junior high adversary, in this all-ages title collecting the six-issue miniseries. And that’s just the start of the fun that includes super-powered pets and cosmic adventure!

And then another great great surprise! Another printing of Cosmic Adventures.

Maybe ... just maybe ... if sales are great ...
WE'LL GET A SEQUEL!!!

So some interesting stuff for April. Hopefully Tomasi writes a good Supergirl.

An Early Holiday Gift: Belinda Zee

I was on Twitter the other day and I asked Eric Jones for an early Christmas gift.

I have never understood why DC hasn't published more Cosmic  Adventures of Supergirl. Landry Walker and Jones clearly want it. Lots of Supergirl fans want it. It is a no-brainer.

Anyways, I was bemoaning the lack of new Belinda Zee in my life and asked Jones for a doodle and he obliged, posting this new picture on Twitter.

Since some people might have missed it and since it is so fantastic and since I really miss the character, I thought I should share here. Heck, I might make a t-shirt to wear at next year's conventions.

Now, if only DC would do the right thing and put out a sequel!

Supergirl Comic Being 'Rushed'

Since the announcement of the Supergirl television show and the cancellation of the last book, fans have been wondering when Kara would end up getting her own book again. As publicity of the show grew to supernova intensity, the questions about a book grew louder and more frequent. What was DC thinking? Didn't they realize this was a nonsensical decision?

Well, maybe DC heard all the buzz from fans. Or maybe they just realized they weren't being savvy. Regardless, the news came out on Bleeding Cool that a Supergirl book is being rushed to production. Here is the link:

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/11/06/supergirl-comic-being-rushed-out-asap-but-in-the-meantime-heres-the-tp-bundle/

Now there isn't much to go on here but a couple of things stuck out to me.

One, this is described as being digital first which makes me think that this is going to be a tie in to the show. I wouldn't mind seeing a book about that Supergirl and that universe. We are at the beginning of world building, so why not learn more. And DC has a track record with similar Flash and Arrow books.

Second, it is described as being female friendly. While I hope that means that a woman will be on the creative team, it isn't a necessity for me. Sterling Gates is out there. So is K. Perkins. Both wrote a great Kara.

Lastly, why not flood the market if the show is successful. Give us a DCU Supergirl. Gives us an all ages Supergirl. I mean, her book was selling 26K when it got cancelled. Landry Walker and Eric Jones want to do a Cosmic sequel.

I doubt we'll get a Kara DCU book while Kal is depowered (we could never have Supergirl stronger than Superman). But at least we are getting something soon.

New Cosmic Adventures Art??

Since 2009 I have been begging DC Comics for a sequel to Supergirl:Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade. Landry Walker and Eric Jones created a phenomenal all-ages Kara book which just resonated with everyone who read it. Old school Supergirl fans loved it. New fans loved it. It was truly all-ages in that all ages were entertained. The book was lauded on social media and is consistently listed on 'best of Supergirl' lists.

Walker and Jones had grand plans as well. They had plans for every year through to the end of high school.

Still, DC has never solicited a second mini-series.

With Supergirl being everywhere because of the publicity push of the show, Comixology put a whole slew of Kara stories on sale including Cosmic Adventures. And to promote the sale, Walker and Jones got together again to produce this advertisement with .... gasp ... new Cosmic Kara art.

I love it.

This is clearly their Kara, but she looks a little bit older than the tween we met in the eighth grade. She looks great.

And I have seen a little more than this single pic. This is a story waiting to be told.

The world is clamoring for a new Supergirl book.
Why not Cosmic Adventures in the Ninth Grade?

DC Comics ... take my money!!!

Original Art From Supergirl Cosmic Adventures

I can't believe that I somehow have not posted about this before now. Since I recently talked about a self-gift I got for my birthday, I thought I would showcase my holiday self-gift.

Back at Christmas (!!) I contacted artist Eric Jones to inquiry about the original art from Landry Walker and Jones' Supergirl Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade. The original purpose was to buy a page for the oldest supergirl at home who has a nice little collection of original art pages. I was lucky enough to pick up a great page for her which had Supergirl and Lena talking in the foreground while Streaky mauls Belinda Zee in the background.

Now that series is beloved by me and so I couldn't help but ask about the above page for myself. And so I got myself one of my favorite pages and favorite moments from the book.

It is a great page with Supergirl, Supragirl (from the future), and Belinda Zee. And, in that last panel, we see Belinda become Superior Girl!

This is one of  my favorite panels in the comic and includes one of my favorite lines.

"Minions! Do minion-type things!"

That is perfection.

Rapid Fire Supergirl News

Just a couple of brief news items worth mentioning here. Hope everyone in the states enjoys Labor Day weekend!

Over on Comic Book Resources, Michael May wrote a "Women of Action:Supergirl" column extolling the virtues of the current title. Here is the link: http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2012/08/women-of-action-supergirl/

And here is one of the blurbs I particularly like:

I’m also impressed with how they’re leading into the zero-issue event next month. While Supergirl’s character arc has mostly been about finding her place in the universe, she also has some obvious questions about how she got to Earth and why she has no memory of it. That quest for answers has ramped up in the past couple of issues, and Issue 12 ends with the promise of her finally getting them. That’s quite a nice lead-in to a zero issue that’s editorially mandated to provide an origin story. Rather than taking a break from their ongoing plot, Green, Johnson and Asrar are wrapping the event into it in what promises to be a clean, organic way. It’s just the most recent bit of impressive storytelling on a series that’s already pretty remarkable.

May does a great job pointing out the strengths of the book giving the title some publicity. He is a bit more accepting than me of the 'no English' aspect of the book as well as the current relationship between Kal and Kara. But I think his overall take on the book, of Supergirl's struggles here, is right on the money.

Over on Deviant Art, blog friend Valerie21601 has started a letter writing campaign to try, once again, to spur DC into green-lighting Supergirl Cosmic Adventures in the 9th Grade. Here is the link:
http://querl-and-kara.deviantart.com/journal/Supergirl-9th-Grade-Letter-Petition-Campaign-322618580

I think it speaks to the excellence of this mini-series that there is still buzz about the book 3 years later. Will DC listen to this rally?

Lastly, I can't get enough Mahmud Asrar art and he has been posting his most recent commissions on his blog Creative Differences. There have been too many fantastic ones to post here but this one caught my eye.

Yep, I can never get enough Streaky so to see Asrar's take on Supergirl and her super-cat was too great not to share. Here is the link to that specific page on Asrar's site: http://mahmudasrar.com/post/30251715368/supergirl-iii-wizard-world-chicago-2012-pre-show

With any luck, I will run into Asrar at a con and will be able to procure a commission.

Landry Walker Interview & Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow

You know what I can never get enough of? Supergirl Cosmic Adventures by writer Landry Walker and artist Eric Jones. It is hard to believe that the Eighth Grade mini-series came out 3 years ago. Despite that time lag and that this was a all ages mini-series, the series continues to get publicity. It makes me wonder why DC never gave the green light to a sequel.

The latest love lavished was in the War Rocket Ajax podcast over on Comics Alliance. Writer Landry Walker was interviewed by Chris Sims and talked for a fair amount about Cosmic Adventure before even getting to Danger Club. Here is the link to the interview, well well worth listening to if you were a fan of Cosmic: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/07/30/war-rocket-ajax-123-landry-walker-talks-danger-club-and-sup/

Walker shows up around 35 minutes in. On Alliance, there is this one blurb about how in Cosmic Adventures in the11th Grade we were going to get a reverse point of view of the Fortress scene in Alan Moore's Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? Here is that transcript:

WALKER: We were hoping to do Supergirl's Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade, then 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, and then after that is Crisis on Infinite Earths. So it's sad then.

SIMS: So you were building to her death?!

WALKER: It's in there! Read issue 6. We mention it, Lena actually says "the red skies are coming!" I don't think we were going to actually get to that, but one of the scenes I had planned for 11th Grade, you know the scene that takes place in Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow, where Supergirl visits Superman after her death? We were going to redo that scene from Supergirl's perspective, because she was going to spend that 11th grade year in the 30th Century. I usually don't like to tell this stuff, but we're not going to get to do it, so...

I think I have gushed enough about Walker and Jones approach to Supergirl here. But I will reiterate that I loved that they acknowledged Supergirl's history in so many ways during Cosmic. To know that this scene was being planned and will never be seen just adds frustration. Why hasn't there been more?

Anyways, here is the scene Walker was going to recreate. This was the last pre-Byrne Superman story and Alan Moore was allowed to pull out all the stops. At this point, Superman has gone to the mattresses, using the Fortress of Solitude as a bunker, hunkering down with his friends while super-villains amass outside. While in the Fortress, the Legion shows up ... with Supergirl in tow. Remember in this continuity Supergirl has died in the Crisis.

Superman is, of course, shocked to see his cousin again. And this is a very young Kara, in her original blue skirt uniform, wondering if she has grown up to be pretty.

Stammering a bit, Superman leads Supergirl away from her memorial statue so she doesn't see her fate.

Superman chastises Brainiac 5 for bringing Kara. It is more than distressing; it is unnerving.

Brainy hints that there is more here than meets the eye. Superman equates it with the Legion paying their respects, one final visit.

Moore does a great job conveying Supergirl's youth and innocence, showing her immediately going to play with Krypto.

Of course, the rules of time travel (at that time in the DCU) is that two versions of the same person couldn't exist at the same time. So the young Supergirl wonders how it was that she was able to materialize. Of course, that is because there is no other Supergirl at this time; she has passed.

Look at how easily the master Curt Swan is able to convey Brainy's quiet grief. Wonderful.

Quickly Superman says that the current Supergirl is 'in the past', not a lie but not exactly the truth.

There is something about the first panel there with Supergirl's face completely hidden that is unnerving. It almost feels like we are too late to catch her, to stop her from her fate. She is beyond us and we are only seeing her from behind. I can't put it into words easily ... but somehow not being able to see Kara's face there made this scene that much sadder. Their message (and a hint of escape in the form of a statuette) given, the Legion leaves. Look at the blank faces and teary eyes on the Legionnaires.

This was such a fantastic story and this was such a wonderful scene for Supergirl fans, one last look at her. I can only imagine the magic that Walker and Jones would have done with this scene in a Cosmic book.

It is too bad DC simply can't hear the clamor for more.

Bullet Review: Danger Club #1

Danger Club #1 came out this week, the latest work of Cosmic Adventures of Supergirl creative team Landry Walker and Eric Jones. I don't think I need to linger on the fact that I loved Cosmic and subsequently the duo's work on Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

So there was no doubt I would be on board for Danger Club. I've been looking forward to it since it's announcement. The premise sounded a bit darker than those other books. The Earth's adult heroes have all died leaving the sidekicks in charge. Can super-powered teens keep things in order?

There is no doubt things are darker right from the cover. The title name is blood spattered. The city behind the heroes is a ruined mess. And the light is shining on spiked knuckles on a clenched fist.

 And yet the opening page is something of a throwback, looking like the first page in a comic from the 70's.

The page is a great opener. It introduces us, at least in name, to the Danger Club. The "titanic teen trio' is made up of Kid Vigilante, Fearless, and The Magician. It shows us Apollo, a key character in the issue and even hints at his weakness. And we see Kid Monstro and The Princess, characters we learn very quickly have been taken out by Apollo.

But most of all, it works because of its innocent feel. This looks like Silver Age material. But the following pages are all brutal and dark. The world is in danger. The majority of sidekicks appear out of control. They are fighting amongst themselves in an arena, all for the amusement and approval of Apollo who has set himself up as a messiah. So this opening page lets us know that things were simpler and better at one point. Things have changed.

Luckily, the Danger Club has kept its moral compass and knows it needs to shut Apollo down. An unbelievably savage battle between Kid Vigilante and Apollo. Vigilante comes across as a Tim Drake sort of Robin-like character, always one step ahead. The pages explode off the page and are truly pulse-pounding!

We also see the rest of the team in action. Fearless seems to be a Bucky style brawler. The Magician is a spellcaster. Robot 9 is a mecha piloted by technophile young girl named Yoshimi. I even like the look of Apollo who just reeks of Kirby-ness.

Well, that moral compass is strained here as tough times lead to hard decisions.

Good first issues need a hook to keep me coming back and this one did it with this declaration by the Kid. Whatever killed the heroes is still coming to Earth. There is a threat here that needs to be prepared for, that needs to be fought. There isn't time to waste on nonsense like this. And Danger Club is preparing for it ... hopeful that others will join.

This would have been a great last panel. I was hooked here. But Walker and Jones have a couple of more pages to show us, making it clear that the Danger Club won't let anything stand in their way of defending Earth and it's people, will cross some ethical lines if they have to.

Well, all I can say is 'wow'. This book was just fantastic, introducing us to the characters, setting up the premise while delivering unreal action, some of the most blood-soaked fight scenes I have read recently. And it left me wanting more. That is what a first issue is supposed to do.

This isn't Cosmic. But it is great. I highly recommend it!

Overall grade: A

2011 In Review: Part One - What Might Have Been

Let's face it, 2011 was a crazy year for comics in general and DC Comics in particular.With sales down and cries of gloom and doom for in the industry echoing, DC gambled, blowing up the DCU, relaunching the DCnU, and churning up the mainstream publicity machine. And so far that gamble has been a win.

With that much upheaval as well as with all the great stuff that happened this year, there was simply too many Supergirl moments to have only one 'year in review' post. So this year I'll have three.

Today I'll review what I call the 'what might have been' moments of 2011, things that were hinted at or discussed ... things that might have come to pass with Supergirl if things had happened differently.

We'll start off with the appearances of future Supergirls in variant costumes in comics. So techinically these 'did' happen. They are just things that some day might have been.

First off, JSA All-Stars #17 we saw an alternate timeline were a super-hero named Regal eliminated evil from the Earth and led a massive Justice Guild to patrol the planet. One of those guild members was this snazzily dressed Supergirl, complete in a one piece blue dress. I loved Freddie Williams' art on this book and thought this was slick.

At around the same time, in Red Robin #19, Tim Drake set up a virtual future Justice League to safeguard the Unternet, the criminal internet world. This was the current Titans and next generation heroes as the League and front and center is Supergirl, again wearing a more classic one piece all blue uniform. I don't think it is coincidence that Kara is in front. She would lead that team.

The variant costume, some version of an all blue dress has popped up now and then, usually as a colorist or artist error.

But the DCnU relaunch put an end to those storylines. And it also put an end to the future plans that some creators had for their books. These may have been throw away ideas but they might have been real arcs planned.

James Robinson had put together a very enjoyable run on Justice League of America with his unique team of legacy heroes and other versions of the Big 7. That run came to an end with the old DCU and in JLA #60 Robinson teased some of the future stories he might have had in mind for the team.

Robinson always had his League fighting the most monumental of threats and these glimpses of what he had planned next were of the same caliber. In this one, Supergirl saves the day, stopping The Construct from firing off all the Fortress' weapons leading to a robot Armageddon. While this page showcased Supergirl, the other teases (fighting Martians, fighting Dark Opal) were just as interesting.

While the relaunch affected Robinson's JLA, it basically erased Steph Brown's career as Batgirl. And that is a shame because Bryan Q. Miller's book was a pure joy, a book I looked forward to month in month out.

Much like Robinson, Miller gave us some glimpses of his future arc ideas in Batgirl #24, the last issue of that book. This one looked great, the young female heroes of the DCU cast as Disney-style Princesses in the Queen of Fables world. Check out Kara as Cinderella. How I wish this one actually happened.

I miss this book.

But the 'New 52' happened and with it all the changes to the DCU.

Other creators on-line had their own ideas about what should be in the DCnU. Mike Maihack designed this Supergirl/Batgirl cover for the 'DC Fifty-Too', a site devoted to 'might have been' books for the new DCU. Maihack's cover got such buzz that he has since written and drawn a couple of well-received web comics with Batgirl and Supergirl. This is a 'sort of might have been' book because future strips still might happen!

But what else might have been in 2011?

Well way back in Superman #700 (June 2010), Sterling Gates reviewed his 2011 plans for Supergirl on a preview page he got to write about the book. While we got to see some of those stories, we missed out on a lot. Gates planned on sending Linda Lang to college. There was going to be another showdown with Superwoman. And it sounds like there was going to be a massive brawl with all Supergirl's rogues. But more importantly, it sounds like Gates was going to give us a happy Supergirl, stronger for all the lessons she learned in New Krypton.

Despite this long term plan and the printing of this page, Gates was taken off the book a short while later. I would have loved to see these stories as it would have really been the next phase in Supergirl's heroic journey. This is no knock to either James Peaty or Kelly Sue DeConnick, both of whom wrote arcs I thoroughly enjoyed. But it seems like Gates had a long term plan until he was presumably bumped for Nick Spencer, who lasted 15 pages. Ahh ... what might have been!

And, as if being denied those Gates' stories was tough, in 2011 we also saw some glimpses of what might have been if DC had given the green light for a Cosmic Adventures in the Ninth Grade. Landry Walker had a lot planned for their Kara and had some concept pictures to share. A team up with Batman?? The Locker of Solitude??

The first Cosmic book was near perfect. These glimpses of a potential Ninth Grade book only make me want to see a sequel even more! While this is a 'might have been', it really should be a 'make it happen'!

And so those are the 'what might have been' moments on 2011, a crazy year in comics as it was reflected by Supergirl.

Tomorrow, the honorable mentions for the Top Supergirl Moments of 2011.

Supergirl Bullet News

Lots of small bits of business to catch up on here, so I thought I would batch them!

Over on Jamal Igle's blog, he has announced that he is going to take a look back at his time on Supergirl. He is going to post 5 pages from his Supergirl issues, including process sketches, etc. He is going to do that for every issue he drew on the title! As  a fan of Igle's work and process pieces, I can't wait to look at this series of posts and will probably comment on some of them here.

He announced his plans here: http://jamalligle.blogspot.com/2011/11/from-vaults-returns-in.html and included this great pencil page, the opening page of Supergirl #34, his and Sterling Gates' first issue.

I was thrilled to see that Jamal will be coming to Boston for the Boston Comic-Con in April. I can't wait to talk to him again.

As I said before, as a comic book fan, I love process pieces so any time an artist let's me see that creative side of things, I am thrilled.

Current Supergirl artist Mahmud Asrar has been great about sharing on his blog including the above picture seen here: http://mahmudasrar.com/post/13417041334/rough-thought

Asrar usually then will post the more tightly penciled and ultimately the inked/marked final product. I hope he continues to do this.

I spoke here about some similarities in the opening flight sequences in Cosmic Adventures and the new Supergirl comic. Bleeding Cool also talks about it with a nifty page by page comparison at this link:
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/11/24/swipe-file-supergirl-and-supergirl-and-wile-e-coyote/

Finally, the Comics Should Be Good blog on Comic Book Resources have been posting panels of characters and asking readers to guess the artists. It is Supergirl's turn here: http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2011/11/27/name-that-supergirl-artist/

I was all full of hubris figuring I would be able to name the artists immediately but it is trickier than I thought. Maybe some of you out there will have a better time. Make sure to submit your guesses over at CBR!

World Wide Reach Of Cosmic Adventure In The Eighth Grade

How cool was Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade? Cool enough that it was collected and marketed in Italy.

Of course there it's Supergirl: Incontri Ravvicinati Della Terza Media.

But for me, it makes me happy that this book is still out there and has some sort of universal appeal and influence.

The book is sort of digest sized. Here you can see it is smaller than the usual U.S. released comic. Perfect to shove in your back pocket and carry around.

And it's a nice collection. I like how the covers have little inside folds.

Here are the credits for testi Landry Walker and disegni Eric Jones.

And the back cover press. For the time being, I will think of Supergirl as Kara Zor-El, la cugina di Superman.

The inside back flap has brief bios for the creators as well as a picture of the team.

So, maybe if the Italian market sells like wildfire DC will give us a sequel?

Thanks to Landry Walker for letting me know about this trade. It must be cool to know that your work has an international appeal.

I'll say it again. DC, give us a Cosmic Adventures in the Ninth Grade!!