Review: Superman #42

Superman #42, the penultimate chapter of the Kingdom of Zod crossover, came out this week and brought us closer to an ending. But I don't know if it brought me closer to liking this event. So many questions. So many magical answers. So much I don't understand. 

Joshua Williamson does a solid job on this from a character viewpoint. There are good character bits for Prime and Superman. There is a wonderful moment for the cousins. And there is some intersesting interaction between Superman and this young Zod. There is even a nod to some Krypton history that might make me crack open old books to remind myself.

But the big parts of this story - the Kryptonite meteor, Zod's plot, the removal of the expanding Green K- have been inscrutable. Why would Zod want to invade Earth and thought the best way was to shower it with variant Green K? How did he get it? How did he coat it in inertron? Why did it grow? How did Superman deactivate it? All stuff I have to roll with and since all those are key points to the story, it feels like too much. In this issue we get a preview for what will for sure be the deus ex machina for the finale.

So will I be a bit happy to see this wrap up next week? Yes. It is too much of a headache to think about.

The art is a nice split between Eddy Barrows, who continues to shine and Eduardo Pansica, an old friend around these parts. Their styles are sort of similar so the issue flows fine. There are a couple of very well done big art moments that added some punch here. And I love love love the Takara variant cover above.

But on to the book.

Review: Superman #41

Superman #41 came out this week, the next chapter in the Kingdom of Zod crossover. This is a 9-parter and this is chapter 4 so we are basically at the halfway mark. And this is quite an issue as it takes a hard ... and I mean HARD ... left turn taking this story to two places I was not expecting.

I will say that this whole arc is building off of the  Kneel Before Zod mini-series from 2 years ago. (All those issues are reviewed here at that link so feel free to dive in!) I will remind you that mini-series was supposed to be 12 issues but was cut by DC to 9, so I wonder if some of this plot was supposed to be touched on or even begun there. Also, as pointed out by friend Mart Gray, the opening pages which fill in what happened in that mini are direct lifts from that book. (Hope writer Joe Casey and artist Dan McDaid are getting some compensation.) In that book, I was surprised by how beaten down Zod was initially and how domineering Ursa was. Suffice it to say, we see that play out here.

I will also say that one of my biggest peeves about this whole story is the 'Kryptonite everywhere' aspect when it seems to have little or no impact on the action. Our Kryptonian heroes seem more irritated by being surrounded by Green K than in agony. So I decided to read this issue ignoring the Green K conundrum and I found that it reads better that way. But it seems odd that I can ignore the driving plot element. And I wonder if we will ever learn how Zod got that massive Green K meteor, altered it, covered it in intertron, and sent it on its way.

But enough backstory, Joshua Williamson and Eddy Barrows give us the best chapter of this arc. We get decent action. We get some plot progression. We get to see Superman in action. And we get two ... no three ... major developments and plot twists. I don't know if those new threads will pay off but I am more interested in them than the growing Green K stuff. 

On to the details.

Review: Superman Annual 2026

Last week in Action Comics #1100, we saw Superman drained of his King Omega power and rescued from the time stream by Superman. This week in the Superman Annual 2026, we get the story of what happened to him between the end of D.C.K.O. and the rescue.

I'll start out by saying I liked this annual a lot. Writer Joshua Williamson and artist Eddy Barrows give us a pretty wild story, bouncing from the time stream to a desolate future to a villain's headquarters. We get plenty of Legions, an old Legion villain, a hero I haven't seen in a long time, and a character I thought forever in the dustbin of DC's limbo.

Barrows' art is it's usual graceful beauty. When the stakes get big, his art get big as well. But lately I have found his quiet moments, Clark talking to Lois in their apartment, where his art really sings. Yasmine Putri is on art for the back end of the book, introducing us to a new villain and showcasing the upcoming LSH book.

But what is this annual? The epilogue of D.C.K.O.? A backdoor prologue to the new Legion of Super-Heroes? The beginning of Kingdom of Zod? All of those things?  One thing that I like is that DC, at least the super-books, seem to be going from mini-event from mini-event. And yet, there hasn't been any event fatigue because while there is a thread through all of them, each book has been able to stand alone.

Whatever this book is, it works. As an long long long time Legion fan, I was pretty thrilled with the end of the story. On to the details.

Review: Superman #35

Superman #35 came out last week, another DC KO crossover and another chapter in the redemption arc for Superboy Prime. It succeeds on both fronts. There is an interesting wrinkle to the Doomsday storyline as well, perhaps leading into a dramatic event in the actual KO finale as well. 

Joshua Williamson has done a good job so far making me a little sympathetic towards Prime, veering into actually liking him. Prime has learned some hard lessons and continues to do so in this arc, reminding him why Superman was his hero so long ago. This issue Williamson reminds us who Prime has been in the past, and maybe showing that he still has some darkness in him. Perhaps some down to Earth Kent wisdom will help tamp down the remaining vitriol.

The Doomsday piece does intrigue me as it is basically a new element to his origin and changes him fundamentally. I suppose that Doomsday becoming the Time Trapper was a big step already, one that makes some sense. I recall hearing that Dan Jurgens didn't like that change so I doubt Jurgens will be on board with this one either.

Eddy Barrows is again on art and continues to show why he is a favorite. The fight scenes are brutal. There are emotional scenes with heft. The pages layouts are interesting. But the high water mark for art here is the expressive work, a strong part of Barrows' art.

Will the events of this change the climax of KO? I think so.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #34

Superman #34 came out last week, a DC KO tie in and a pretty big treat for a Legion fan like me. More impressive than the LSH stuff in the issue is that somehow writer Joshua Williamson continues to make me like reading his Superboy Prime.

The KO stuff is really on the periphery of the issue. The main plot is Prime, Lois, and a Superman Robot trying to get to Doomsday to give him the information we learned from the Lara Lor-Van tapes. That trip takes a few detours as we get to contrast the brash Prime to the earnest Superman simulacrum. We are on a sort of redemption tour for Prime and his being inspired by an automaton is a nice wrinkle.

We know Josh Williamson is going to be writing a Legion of Super-Heroes book in the future. Maybe we see some glimpses of what he thinks of the Legion in this book. I hope that book sings.

Eddy Barrows is on art and I have always loved his work. He really has shined on this arc and it is great to see his take on these DC KO landscape. His splash pages are fantastic. And wait until you see his Legion.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #32

Superman #32 came out last week, a true tie-in to DC KO with some replayed scenes and added moments to that storyline. But the main thrust of this issue is two-fold. One, Luthor entering the fray. Two, Lois dealing with the Absolute Legion while she tries to help her husband.

Writer Joshua Williamson has been focusing on the Luthor/Superman relationship this entire series with Lex going from duplicitous and villainous to inspired to amnestic to philosophical to now back to being villainous. Seeing Luthor say he is the better person to wield to Heart of Apokolips and win the tournament is a nice new addition to their dealings in this book. Is this a quick heel turn for Lex who went to Nanda Parbat to hide and meditate? Maybe. But the world is at stake. 

As for Lois, I have been enjoying her dealing with Superboy Prime who is at his most likeable in this story. How did she get her powers back? Who knows. It had been hinted at that they had been stolen from General Zod. Did he regain them only to lose them again? Will we ever find out the hows and whys of these.

Eddy Barrows is on art again and brings a nice aesthetic to the whole thing, a mix of a fine lined pencil work to excellent shadowing. I like how DC is using Barrows, having come in for a few issues and not saddling him with the idea of a monthly book. His art is great and I always like seeing it.

One thing about this issue is that it does spend some pages retelling things I have read in this title and in the DC KO #1 issue. I suppose there are readers who haven't read the other and these recaps help.

On to details.

Review: Superman #31

Superman #31 came out this week, a tie in to DC K.O. complete with banner at the top. W e have already had the first issue of that event comic so this is a sort of prequel, showing us what happened just before Superman entered the arena. Maybe there are a couple of hints sprinkled in too.

Writer Joshua Williamson gives us a pretty good tour of Superman's life as he struggles with the idea of entering a tournament, fighting friends, in hopes of coming King Omega, fueled by conquest. On its face, that doesn't sound like Superman. So no surprise, he would be looking for advice and answers. The ultimate answer comes from an unexpected source.

We also get a healthy dollop of Lois in the book which always makes me smile. Even staring a universal cataclysm in the face, she is brave and keeps asking the right questions. I will say there is one part of Lois' story here that struck me as a little off but it is a quibble.

In what is a great surprise, Eddy Barrows is back on art. His work is so polished. Between splashes and subtle flourishes, this exposition heavy book still looks gorgeous. And love his Lois.

All in all, this is a solid issue, an early lead into cross-company event. So glad we got a little of the background on what the super-family was doing leading up to the fight.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #27

Superman #27 came out this week and it felt a little bit like a whirlwind as a lot of plots and subplots were wrapped up in the span of this one issue's pages. Perhaps some upcoming mega-event required writer Josh Williamson to clear the decks. But consider them cleared. I will say up front I was happy to see some of these subplots wrapped up. Others? Not so much.

From the beginning of this title, Joshua Williamson has been firing on all cylinders. The whole book was built on the Lex/Superman relationship as we try to figure out if Lex is evil and doing a long con or actually turned a new leaf. He introduced Pharm and Graft as villains with a long history in Metropolis. He introduced Marilyn Moonlight, a hero that has always been in Metropolis (but somehow has never been seen before). Add in Perry being Mayor, Lois being editor/Superwoman, Jimmy dating Siobhan, Red K rage, and other stuff and these two years have really been fun and entertaining.

After this issue, it looks much of these are either wrapped up, put on ice, or entering a new phase. But this really felt like an ending of sorts. So much of an ending that I immediately went to see if Williamson is still on the book next month.

The art is by the trio of Eddy Barrows, Sean Izaaske, and Eber Ferreira. There is some decent action in the book and Barrows is always a treat. 

On to the book.

Review: Superman #26

Superman #26 came out last week and was another solid issue for writer Joshua Williamson as he weaves a very classic-feeling Superman run. 

Last issue, Williamson had Mercy Graves turn on Superman, releasing X-El and leading to a mega-battle ending with the loss of Superwoman's powers. This issue, we are still marinating in that storyline. In particular, we get more great Superman/Lex interaction, the backbone of this book. We still have a couple of lingering plotlines out there that he catches us up on. But most importantly, he sprinkles in some new subplots, whetting my appetite for more. He even puts in a nice hook for the new Supergirl book too. 

I definitely like the Superman/Lex stuff as this still seems to be the 'good' Lex, the amnestic good guy reeling from his past.

The art is split between Eddy Barrows, bringing his usual feathery, pencil-stroke art and Sean Izaaske who has a rougher more visceral take. Barrows has always been a favorite. DC should just give him mini-series to write and finish in their entirety. Izaaske works well for his pages but his style breaks from Barrows in a startling way.

To repeat, Williamson continues to bring us a great Superman book, highlighting the main character but giving us great supporting cast moments and plot threads. On to the issue.

Review: Superman #25

The extra-sized Superman #25 came out this week and was a pretty rollicking issue that pushed forward one of the biggest storylines of this comic. The Lex/Superman dynamic has been the foundation of this book since its inception.

 Is Lex an ally? Is he an enemy, a wolf in sheep's clothing? Is this new amnestic Lex truly and ally? Or is the whole thing a ruse? Writer Joshua Williamson let's us peek behind the curtain, bringing us back to the earliest moments of this run and letting us hear Lex say his plans. But the amnesia from Brainiac must have been an unanticipated event, changing things. (I do wonder if Williamson had this all mapped out, including that turn, when the book was initiated.)

But this is a stuffed issue. So we get to see Mercy continue her heel-turn. We see Marilyn Moonlight for the first time in a while. We get to see more of the Red-K poisoning. And substantial movement in the Superwoman arc. And we get the introduction of a villain with a name that I can't believe hasn't been used before. Kudos to Williamson!

The art is done by a trio of superstars - Jamal Campbell, Dan Mora, and Eddy Barrows. It was good to see Campbell back on the book, especially since his pages are the flashback to the beginning of the book, the arc he drew. Gave it some artistic weight. Barrows and Mora finish the book with some flair, including the use of 2 page splashes and oversized panels. Mora also gives us this wraparound cover. 

I know it is going to sound insane but that jacketed Supergirl look has really grown on me. I wonder how much of that is Mora and how much is the look.

On to the book.

Review: Superman:Lex Luthor Special #1

Last week the Superman:Lex Luthor Special #1 was released, an interesting spotlight on Lex who has been going through quite some changes over the last 2 years. 

Since the inception of the latest volume of the Superman comic, writer Joshua Williamson has been focusing on the Lex/Superman dynamic. The whole book started with Lex saying he wanted to work with Superman, not against him. LexCorp became SuperCorp. Superman was a leader in the company. Work was done to help Superman. All the while I kept wondering if this was some trap set by Lex, a long con.

Then in House of Brainiac, Williamson changed even that dynamic, giving Lex amnesia and softening him considerably. Gone was the aggressive, Type A megalomaniac. Instead, there was a gentle soul. But even there, I was wondering if this was another long con ... a con within a con.

Perhaps with the Superman movie on the horizon, there was some impetus to put Luthor back in the super-villain ranks. This issue Superman nudges Lex more towards his purer form, ending the amnesia at least. Will Superman regret it?

It also layers in the dreaded 'sympathetic backstory' that every villain seems to need these days. Gone are the days of  'I'm just an evil SOB' villain. I like my Lex to just be a narcissist. Not someone emotionally abused as a child who must be dealing with his trauma.

The art is done by Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira. I have always like Barrows. This is a low key issue without a ton of action. But Barrows brings the emotion to the proceedings. I really like his ink style in the flashbacks, reminding me of legendary inker Alfredo Alcala. High praise.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #1069

Action Comics #1069 came out this week, the last part of writer Gail Simone and artist Eddy Barrows' three part story. This one was a winner for sure, both the issue and the arc. 

I have always been a fan of Superman and one of the reasons why I love the character is that he is an inspiration. I can think of all the ways that someone with Superman's powers would work in this jaded world. Many of them would be selfish or unsavory. But he is a hero. He fights for what's right. He believes in truth, justice, and the American way. And when he is at his best, he inspires people to do what's right as well.

Simone and Barrows leans into that in this story. That is basically what this is about. Superman fighting for us, fighting for what's right. Superman fighting even when he could stop, when he is battered, when he is exhausted.  But instead he keeps at it. It is a simple concept ... Superman as inspiration. But it works. We have seen this story type before. But it still works. Whether it is Tom King's Up in the Sky, or Phillip Kennedy Johnson's Warworld or even All-Star Superman, Superman as inspiration works. 

Barrows is one of those artists who can't stay long on a book. So a three parter is perfect for him. He shines here, giving us a beautiful book. 

But wait, there's more. We get the conclusion of the Rainbow Rowell and Cian Tormey story focusing on the journalistic integrity of Clark working as a reporter for the Planet. This was another winner.  I really liked this story too.

Tack on a variant cover by Nicola Scott focusing on Supergirl and you get a big winner. I love this cover. DC should make a poster or a t-shirt out of it.

Review: Action Comics #1068

Action Comics #1068 came out last week and was another crackling good issue with two very entertaining stories in the issue.

In the opening story, writer Gail Simone and artist Eddy Barrows give us another very Bronze Age feel tale of Superman thwarting aliens who are putting Superman through a series of contests he must overcome. The reason? Gambling! Last issue was a love letter to Superman Vs Muhammad Ali. This issue continues that early 70s feel from invulnerable capes to Lois demanding to be called Ms. to Jimmy's signal watch, it screams Bronze Age in the best way. Barrows art is dynamic with more action lines than you can shake a stick at. We end on a great cliffhanger. I have loved this more than I thought I was going to.

Just as entertaining, but in a different way, is the back-up written by Rainbow Rowell with art by Cian Tormey. Last issue, Lois took Clark off the Superman beat. This issue we see the fallout .. personally, professionally, heroically. This is a great story as I can understand both sides of the professional story. I appreciate seeing how this seeps into the marriage. And it ends with another great cliffhanger. Cian Tormey brings a very thick-lined approach to this grounded story which works very well. 

No complaints here on this very entertaining issue. On to the specifics! 

Review: Action Comics #1067

The second installment of the 'Superman Superstars' initiative on Action Comics began this week with Action Comics #1067. The latest superstar creative team to join the book is writer Gail Simone and artist Eddy Barrows.

I have been a fan of Simone for a while having been there for her Birds of Prey run (hard to believe that was 21 years ago) from the beginning. I liked her Wonder Woman run as well, especially the Ends of the Earth arc which brought in some of my favorite DC Sword and Sorcery characters. So i have been a bit interested to see what she'll do with Superman.

I also have been a fan of Barrows since his brief stint on Action Comics back in the New Krypton arc. My problem with Barrows has always been his inability to stay on a title long. So perhaps a brief story like this, written well in advance, might mean we'll see his art on the entire thing. His precise work is always wonderful to behold. And this issue, filled with moments big and small work, shines.

'Challenge from the Stars' includes the credit page which dedicates the story to Denny O'Neill and Neal Adams. And this opening chapter shows us why that dedication is present.

This fast-moving first issue is a definite riff on the classic Superman Vs Muhammad Ali treasury (one of the few treasuries I still own from my youth). In that story, an alien race challenges Earth's greatest warrior to a one-on-one fight for the planet. 

And that's the plot of this story too as Superman, early in his career, must take up the mantle to protect another planet from destruction.

A lot happens in this issue. No complaints about deconstruction here as Simone whips through the events a record pace, with Barrows bringing it all together beautifully. Nice cliffhanger too! This was a solid opener. 

On to the particulars.

Review: Action Comics #1060

Action Comics #1060 came out this week, the penultimate issue in the Phillip Kennedy Johnson run, ending in the upcoming Action Comics Annual. It's hard to believe that it has been a nearly 3 year run on the Superman titles for Johnson. I had no idea who he was when he started on the book but I am going to follow him around comics, for sure.

I think one thing I have loved about Johnson's run has been his pacing. Arcs like Warworld weren't rushed but weren't slow either. They felt epic. Each issue pushed the story forward but left you wanting more.

The current Blue Earth storyline has a different feel. I almost wonder if Johnson had to compress the story he wanted to tell. These issues feel a little too rushed. A little too much happens off screen. Reveals and movement happen quick. This is still a very solid story. But the Earth Al Ghul reveal happened last month and we only have one more issue to wrap it up. That's fast.

I also wonder if Johnson isn't taking advantage of his last story to put in all the things he dreamed of. Superman wielding a sword? Done. Constantine and Superman? Bloodwynd? Why not play with the toys while you can. 

I do like that the axle of this story is Osul and Otho. I do wonder if they are going to stick around after Johnson leaves. Surely the Kryptonian myth of their family is foreshadowing.

As has mostly been the case, the back-up stories in the anthology aren't as solid as the main feature. Steve Orlando, Nicole Maines, and Fico Ossio gives us a story of Dreamer being recruited by Amanda Waller. It is pretty impressive how that Dreamer, a character created for the Supergirl show, gets a back-up feature in Action before Supergirl herself. I am pretty sick of Waller. Joe Casey and Dan McDaid give us a prologue of the upcoming Kneel Before Zod mini-series. But I have more questions than answers about what that story will be about. 

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #1059

Action Comics #1059 came out this week and was another fascinating chapter in Phillip Kennedy Johnson's last storyline. The secret of Norah Stone is revealed and alas, this time I was wrong. My guess that Norah Stone was a Warworld refugee and relative of Otho-Ra was incorrect.

Stone and her now super-powered Blue Earth are starting a smear campaign against the Super-family as well as bringing a new brand of vigilante justice to Metropolis. While that is happening, the plot to recruit Otho-Ra to the dark side goes into full swing. For me, Otho is the most interesting character of the issue as we see her struggling to decide which road she will go down in life. In a wonderfully subtle moment, you see how she looks to Kara as a role model. But we are heading to a showdown. Which side will Otho be on?

I also think that Johnson must realize his time on Action Comics is indeed coming to a close. So why not put in all the cool things he has dreamed about in the past. Johnson has talked about his love of Superman Annual #10, so why not have Superman wield a sword during his run!

Rafa Sandoval has the month off but Eddy Barrows comes in and brings a very slick issue. Some very powerful moments here. I usually think of Barrows as the artist I'd want for a super-powered brawl. Here, the moments of Otho-Ra battling on a mental landscape really stand out. Strong stuff. 

As for the back-ups, the New Super-Man story by Gene Luen Yang and Viktor Bogdanovic really crackles. It explains why Kenan is on the team now and not in China. It includes a moment which, I think, is a reference to the Jean Claude Van Damme movie Bloodsport. Big win. The Jon Kent story, written by Dan Parent with art by Marguerite Sauvage, is a little too precious and too light on action for me to like. Someone along the way must have felt we needed a romance comic story here.

I don't quite know why Johnson is leaving Action Comics. He will be missed. On to the book.

Review: Action Comics Presents: Doomsday Special #1

Action Comics Presents: Doomsday Special #1 came out this week and was an unexpected treat in my pile. If you are a Supergirl fan, you need to read this. If you are a Doomsday fan (and I am not), you need to read this. If you are a fan of the darker corners of the DCU, you need to read this. This was a lot of fun.

Dan Watters writes the main story here. I really loved Watters' take on Azrael this year. So I was hoping he would bring that energy here. Every character that we get in this book has a moment to shine. We learn the psychological impact that Doomsday has on Superman. We see how strong and heroic and incorruptible Supergirl is. We get a wonderful Martian Manhunter moment where he shows why he is a leader. We are shown how a time in hell has made Doomsday deadlier than ever. It all sings.

This is a Supergirl site so I have to really point out how great a Kara story this is. She wants to help her cousin. She is the expert on Kryptonian culture. She tries to help the damned and literally tells off the Devil. She enters a fight she knows she is probably going to lose because it is the right thing to do. Heck, Watters even manages to bring in a Satan Girl riff. DC should be reading this and the recent Supergirl stuff Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Joshua Williamson have done with her to get the imprint of the character. She should not have a special coming up where she is questioning who she is. It flies in the face of her definitive actions here.

Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira are on the art here which switches from Earth to Hell. If you have a Doomsday story, you know you are going to get high actions and big punches. They bring the violence here cinematically. I could feel every blow. And yes, I did fork over a few extra bucks to get the rare variant you see above. But how could I not get that Jon Bogdanove cover.

My only complaint about this is that the kernel of the story is somehow linked to Lazarus Planet and must have been in one of the specials I didn't get. We get a sentence or two about the origins of this but  I could have used a 3-4 panel recap. 

On to the book!

Supergirl in Action Comics Presents: Doomsday Special #1

Since we learned about the conversion of Action Comics from a Superman solo book to a Superman Family anthology book, I have been hoping for a Supergirl solo story. 

Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow ended over a year ago. The last page of that book has her watching Ruthye execute a repentent Krem. The Supergirl solo book ended over three years ago and ended with an arc where she was infected by the Batman Who Laughs and turned into a villain. 

Thankfully, in the main Superman books, we have been given bits of a more heroic, intelligent, and optimistic Kara. But these were simply bread crumbs. And I wanted a meal.

So I was pretty thrilled when I came across this story about the Action Comics Presents: Doomsday Special #1, solicited for August! 

The book is written by Dan Watters with art by old friend Eddy Barrows. And here is the solicit!

It is a creature beyond reason—and the only force in the universe strong enough to kill Superman. It’s Doomsday, the living embodiment of death, destruction, and evolution! In the wake of Dark Crisis and Lazarus Planet, King Doomsday now sits on a throne of skulls across a river of blood, holding court over the demons that swarm in the depths of Hell...and he may have just found a way back to the land of the living. It’s now up to Supergirl and Martian Manhunter to drive the beast back and see that he never again returns to our earthly plane—even if they must die to do it! Plus: the return of Bloodwynd, the debut of the Doomhounds, and a clue to the next big Superman event!

So I admit that the title highlights Doomsday, a character that I think is overused. But this is a Supergirl and Martian Manhunter adventure as they try to stop Doomsday. 48 pages! And Bloodwynd!! Holy 1990's!

We finally will get a Supergirl adventure where she is at the center of the action ... and hopefully not evil, angry, overly traumatized, or sad! 

Okay, I won't curse the darkness! There is a lot to love here. 

Review: Superman/Wonder Woman #7

Superman/Wonder Woman #7 came out last week and acted as a sort of pause between the opening Zod/Faora arc and the upcoming Doomed storyline.

Writer Charles Soule does his best to use this issue to synch up this book with the mainstream DCU, particularly with Wonder Woman. In many ways, some of that contradicts the earlier issues of this book. That has been a problem for me since the inception of the New 52 ... and not just with Diana. The Wonder Woman in her main title is very different from the one in this book which has a different feel than the one we have seen in Justice League. The Superman in the Lobdell books is very different than the one in Greg Pak's Action which is also different from the one in this book. Reconciling all of this is tricky.
While I commend this attempt, it also irritates a bit.

On top of that, this issue slams the door shut on the Zod/Faora story a bit too quickly, a bit too easily.

Lastly, there is no Tony Daniel on art here and Daniel's work has been one of the consistent wins of this book. There is a very good triumverate of artists here - Paolo Siqueira, Eddy Barrows, and Barry Kitson. And the styles seem to meld into each other decently. I have enjoyed these artists on other books in the past, especially Kitson. However, there are some sequences where the art doesn't fully convey the story which made me go back to reread. It definitely re-emphasized just how important Daniel is to my enjoyment of this book.

So we start with a flash forward of a sort. We aren't picking up where last issue ended, our heroes almost killed by a nuclear explosion. Instead we are 'now'.

The question is 'when is now?' Is it pre-Doomed? Or is it post-Doomed?

My guess is that it is post-Doomed given that the London in the background is nearly leveled. Every corner is filled with cracked buildings, rubble in the streets, or construction vehicles.

If it is post-Doomed, then we know the particulars survive. We know London is nearly leveled. And we know that despite the clean-up, that Wonder Woman and Superman are going to take some 'me time'. I guess if a major battle has ended they deserve it. But it feels a little weird to see them happily cavorting while London tries to pull itself together in the background.

It also means, based on the dialogue, that Diana still hasn't said she loves Superman back. If this is post-Doomed that is really crazy. I assume Kal is near-death again at some point.

We cut back in time to the cliffhanger. Wonder Woman seems in better shape than the skeletal Superman. Maybe that invulnerable cape helped.

I will say that this is the first panel that I actually felt like there may be true feelings between these two. I may be wrong but I think that this is the first time she has called him Clark in this book. She has been confused about his need for his Clark persona, maybe even chided him a bit. Calling him that in this intense moment made me think ... for once ... that she actually cares about him.

But the plan works. The Phantom Zone, Zod, Faora ... all gone. But we only hear that in one word bubble. Seems like a let down from the actual build up of that confrontation. And what's to stop Zod from exiting again. The defeat of the villains happens off-screen, technically between issues!  I wanted more closure. But I guess with Doomed teed up, there isn't time.

I talked above about how sometimes the art doesn't necessarily convey what is happening making me have to fill in some info.

First Wonder Woman touches a button in the invisible jet which shoots a beam into the air. The clouds part and the yellow sun comes down onto Superman's hand. But I had to look back at those panels a couple of times to make sure I understood what was happening.

The same thing here. Ghost Soldiers attack Wonder Woman (synching up with a scene discussed in Action Comics #30). I assume that the second panel is Superman blasting them with heat vision (what else could it be). But we see Superman looking absolutely emaciated the panel before this. Could/should he be able to pull this off? Since I have no other explanation I guess the answer is yes. But I had to look at the panels again to make sure I had followed things, even making sure pages weren't stuck together.

And then it seems like Wonder Woman is worse for wear. The two struggle to fly off. But it is Superman that takes Diana to Hessia first, rather than she getting him aid. He looked way worse for wear initially. But by the time they get to London, he is looking plumper and less spectral.

Separately they heal. He goes to the Fortress for a sunbath. She gets some purple ray therapy.

But before parting ways, Clark again tries to drop the L word on Diana. She stops him ... saying she knows it. She doesn't reciprocate. Weird.

Meanwhile, Doomsday bursts from his Urchin-like cocoon and seems different. He seems intelligent, climbing out of the deep sea trench. And I don't know what this black energy/light he is oozing/emanating.

What I do think is crazy is that the Tower, which supposedly released Doomsday, thinks they can simply scoop him up and contain him for their purposes.

Will this be a super-intelligent Doomsday? A thinking Doomsday? Or simply a monster?

I talked about the awkward panel progression in the invisible plane sequence and the heat vision sequence. There was another.

The Tower submarine closes in on Doomsday. Then there is a panel with THOOOM. Then there is splash of the submarine exploding.

Now I can assume that Doomsday leapt out of the shark that had swallowed him, swam to the submarine, and destroyed it. And that would be a fine guess. But I wish I could say I knew that. At first I didn't know what was happening in that second lower panel. Was the sub firing on Doomsday? Or Doomsday heading to the sub? As a reader I don't know in what direction that action is happening.

Again, I have to commend Soule for trying to reconcile the disparate takes on these characters. It is a shame that writers have to deal with such diverse representations of popular characters. You would think the higher-ups at DC would lay out a plan or template for writers to follow.

So while London smolders, Superman and Wonder Woman catch up while sitting on a rooftop. She divulges that she is now the Goddess of War, and she hopes to use that change mankind's views on the topic.

Might be hard for Superman ... at least the Superman I know ... to be comfortable with that.

But this scene at the end of the book, again trying to streamline all the presentations of Diana, made me question if Soule went too far.

Remember, in the Wonder Woman main title, writer Brian Azzarello has shown Diana in street clothes listening to rock music at a club. That Diana hasn't been seen anywhere else ... especially not here. Soule has had Wonder Woman questioning Superman's love of humanity. She has asked him why he has a civilian identity. She has talked to her friends about why he would have a secret identity. She has even tried to talk Superman out of being Clark in this book. It is one of the things that has made me think these two aren't meant for each other.

But then Soule has Diana take Clark to a club to dance. It is a club she is a regular at ... the bouncer knows her name, tells Clark she has never brought a beau with her before. She slinks onto the dance floor, telling Clark how much she loves to dance. And he is happy they have this night.

But .... ummm .... how can someone who for 6 issues has said she doesn't understand civilian time turn around and be a regular at a dance club? A regular! They know her name!

It is this sort of uneven characterization that has plagued the New 52 all along, especially Superman and Wonder Woman. I would have actually liked it more if Soule kept portraying Diana as he saw her. At least this book would be internally consistent.

I have to say, between the easy ending of the Zod arc, the off storytelling, and the schizophrenic Diana, this should be my last issue of this title. But I will stick around through Doomed. If only to see the Tony Daniel's art.

Overall grade: C-

Supergirl And The Emotional Spectrum

I have talked about my unease with Supergirl upcoming donning of a Red Lantern ring in the coming months to the point that I don't think I need to reiterate my concerns.

But I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at Supergirl's interactions with the emotional spectrum in the past. I know that this is a different Supergirl in essentially a different universe. But it isn't like that last Kara had an easy life with no concerns. She had just as many bad turns in life if not more. And yet somehow, after some rehab with Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle, and despite ongoing tragedy, she never succumbed to the dark path of rage.

The most we have seen of Supergirl and the emotional spectrum was in the Blackest Night:Superman mini-series, written by James Robinson and drawn by Eddy Barrows. I reviewed these issues when they came out but that was over 4 years ago. I hope this doesn't feel like a retread. You can look at late 2009 to see those reviews.

Given the upcoming change, I thought it would be worth revisiting.

So in 2009, the Black Lanterns were threatening the entire DCU, raising the dead to become an army for Nekron.

But there was a slight problem. You see concurrently, DC was also doing a long arc in the super-books where a New Krypton was in our solar system, on the opposite side of the sun, and filled with the citizens of Kandor.

A city filled with super-powered Kryptonians would be a bit of a wild card in the Blackest Night story arc. Wouldn't thousands of Superman-equivalents impact the threat. They needed to be dealt with and Blackest Night:Superman is where that happened.

There were 2 plot lines in the series. In one, Superman and Superboy (Conner) battle the pre-Crisis Earth-2 Kal-L and Lois (both of who died in Infinite Crisis).

In the other, Zor-El rises from the dead on New Krypton and battles Alura and Kara. Remember, these aren't loving zombies. They are vicious and this Zor-El attacks his family both physically and psychologically.

Let's see how Kara deals with facing her loving father in a cruel undead form.

First a wild conglomeration of feelings.

Fear of this creature.
Hope she can return her father to normal.
Love for her father.
Compassion for what has happened to him.

Zor-El unloads with a string of insults about how Kara has disappointed him, a pathetic creature.

And then the realization by Kara that while this might be her father's remains, it isn't her father.

I loved this panel back then and I love it now. Kara an even mix of rage for this desecration and will to battle him.

I have said before that Kara can be fierce in her desire to do what is right.

And then that continued mix of will to weather the mental and physical barrage by Zor-El and rage for this indignation.

Yes there can be rage. But always tempered by a strong will, a control.

This Supergirl had a rough early history on Earth - brainwashed by Darkseid, split into Dark Supergirl, failing in the phony Kandor when she was seduced by Pru-El. Then she dismissed a life of heroism, went rave dancing, got duped and abused by Power Boy, bled crystals, and tried to kill Superman.

Yep ... DC loves piling tragedy and angst onto Supergirl. Don't you think that this Supergirl could have given into rage and joined the Red Lanterns?

And yet with strong writers and a rehabilitation of sorts, she didn't. Instead she tried to deal with her life, to better herself, to help others. And even after that rehabilitation, when it looked like life had dealt her a bad hand again (here, the death of Alura and the destruction of New Krypton, survivor's guilt), she still strove to do what was right.

See DC! The right writers can bring her there. You don't necessarily need to go darker before turning to the light.

Now maybe Tony Bedard and Charles Soule are planning this redemption. But it is still nice to see that this Supergirl didn't succumb to mindless anger.

As for DC, the took New Krypton off the board of Blackest Night. A force field was erected around the planet, trapping the Kryptonians on New Krypton, negating Nekron's ability to raise the dead and keeping the zombies out.

Personally, I still think Kara would be an Indigo Lantern before she would be a Red.