Review: Kneel Before Zod #7

Kneel Before Zod #7 came out last week and was another brutal, fight-filled brawl of an issue. But it is also about as close to a Keith Giffen Legion issue I have read in a long time. As a long-time LSH fan, I was pretty tickled by the issue.

Outside of the nostalgia of this issue (and trust me there is a lot of stuff for a Legion fan to love here), I have sort of turned the corner on this book. Yes, the issues are mostly violent action and a lot of it. But the real foundation here is that, for all his bluster, Zod is a broken man. From visions of Jor-El to losing his family to looking into the abyss this issue, Zod is falling apart. This is a very different take from the character that has always been a ramrod straight, narcissistic despot. It finally has added some depth to the character for me.

Dan McDaid continues to be a sort of revelation on the book. His art remains a sort of rough beauty, perfect for a melee like this title. Moreover, this issue he really leans into Giffen, from the 9 panel grid to Munoz-esque faces in shadow to the Kirby-esque Emerald Empress. And more. 

I am pretty sure this series got cut short and will end soon. I doubt writer Joe Casey is going to tell us the full story he wanted to. And there are a lot of loose ends. But for now, I am going to enjoy this dive into Zod.

On to the book.

Review: Kneel Before Zod #6

Kneel Before Zod #6 came out this week, meaning the book is at the halfway point. 

I have pretty interested in the overall plot of the book, giving us a deep dive into the persona of General Zod. We have seen him in a sort of 'mid-life crisis' mode of ennui as he rebuilt New Kandor. He is haunted by visions of Jor-El.  Then there was a moment where he was sort of down and out with Ursa taking over. And then there was rage as he bashed his way through several attacks and ships.

While this peek into Zod's mind has been interesting, the issues seemed a bit light with many pages filled with over the top, brutal action.

This issue is much more story-driven than action driven which made me happy. I don't know what Zod's plans with New Krypton will be. I think it is fascinating that he seems interested in leading an army out for unknown conquest. Writer Joe Casey is peeling back Zod's gruff exterior to show me a more complicated being. 

But the big thing about this issue is that it is  chock full of Legion of Super-Heroes mythos. From character races to 9-panel grids, this felt like an 'evil Legion' book. For a Legion fan like me, this was wonderful. Made me realize how much I miss the IP. 

Artist Dan McDaid continues to bring a sort of rough, grungy style to the book, perfect for this prison ship environment. I love how his Jor-El is clean and unblemished, a stark contrast to everything else in the book. 

I still don't know how I fully feel about this book. Pieces really grab me. But this issue sparkled. On to some specifics.

Review: Supergirl #13

Supergirl #13 came out this week and not only wrapped up the current Emerald Empress storyline but effectively blew up the landscape of the book, resetting it a bit for the year to come. When I finished reading the issue, I sort of shook my head to grasp everything that happened. In some ways this felt like the sort of issue that happens right before a creative team shake-up, a sort of clearing of the playing field. But we know that Steve Orlando and Robson Rocha are sticking around.

I wonder, if after a year of stories, the creative team sort of reassessed the book, looking at what was working and what wasn't, at what stories they wanted to tell and which they didn't, and decided to nudge the book in that direction.

Trust me, I'm not complaining. There was a sense of added energy for me when I was done. Things are going to be shaken up ... and in a good way. And perhaps, most important of all, the characterization of Supergirl despite all the upheaval remained sound. I was smiling. Because it would have been easy for the writers to march down the 'dark Supergirl' road, making Kara bitter. Instead, they have her shine even brighter.

I'll get into particulars in a moment. But I have to add that the addition of Robson Rocha on art has added a lot to my love of the book as well. This was a high action issue and demanded some detail and some dynamism and some 'oomph' and we got it. Add to that the Artgerm covers and suddenly Supergirl is firing on all cylinders.

On to the book!

Review: Supergirl Annual #1

Supergirl Annual #1 came out this week, a middle chapter in the current Fatal Five storyline and boy, was this one busy. Writer Steve Orlando keeps things moving forward at a near incalculable speed, switching scenes, having characters move in and out, and revealing plot points in a machine-gun style. This was one of those issues that while I was reading I needed to flip back a couple of times to make sure I knew where the action was taking place. It also was one of those issues that I read twice in the same day to make sure I understood it all.

In some ways, that rat-a-tat style works well for a summertime annual. Like an action movie, the pacing was so brisk that it felt like a roller coaster ride. In some ways, it didn't work for me as the information flowing was happening so fast that I needed to pause and absorb it (or reread it), breaking that momentum.

Perhaps I am being too grumpy. There is a lot happening here. But I shouldn't complain when most of the time I am complaining that nothing happens in comics.

The art here is done by Steve Pugh. Pugh's art has certainly changed over time. His work on the Vertigo Animal Man back in the early 90s is the style that I have imprinted on. This seems a bit more straightforward than that thick-lined style.

Buckle up your seatbelts. We are moving on to the story.

Review: Supergirl #12

Supergirl #12 came out this last week and is probably my favorite issue of this run to date. This is a fast moving issue with intrigue, action, and some teenage angst. There is punchy dialogue. There is a some mystery. There is just incredible art by Robson Rocha and Daniel Henriques. And there is a Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau variant cover. If this title started out like this, we might still be selling 40K a month.

It's not that I disliked the first year of stories. But the Cyborg Superman arc was something of a bummer to start out on. And Brian Ching's somewhat loose pencils were definitely a style I needed to become accustomed to.

Now with the opening arc behind us, we are moving out of 'origin' and into adventures.

Steve Orlando is crackling here. This is the Cat Grant I want to read. These are the villains I want to see fighting Kara. And this is the caring Supergirl still reaching out to those who have hurt her as she moves forward. Plus, there is a lot of Legion working its way into this arc. Maybe Supergirl will join that team when we eventually meet them in the Rebirth DCU.

And I just have to say one more time in this introduction how much the art just sings on the page. This is detailed, energetic work which just sings. You see every clothes wrinkle, every hair strand, every crackle of energy. I hope everyone out there in comic land notices this book and trumpets it.

On to the story.

Review: Supergirl #8

I am on the back side of my forties and occasionally I still get the question 'why do you read comic books?'

I think the next time someone asks me that I am going to shove Supergirl #8 into their hands.

For Supergirl fans, the last dozen years have been an up and down affair. Kara Zor-El was back from being erased from continuity. But she was immature and angsty. But then Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle came along and she was a hero again, a part of the super-family. Then the New 52 happened and we took a step back. She was angry and angsty now. She hated the Earth and shunned her cousin. But then Tony Bedard, K. Perkins, and Mike Johnson came back and suddenly she was a likeable young hero again. Alas, nothing gold can stay and the book was canceled. Then the show hit the airwaves and Kara was in SuperheroGirls and DC realized she should have a book. And we got one with a young, eager hero who embraced her new home and was on a journey. And all seemed well again.

Except one thing ... where was Superman in all this?

Trust me, long time Supergirl fans know the big role Superman has played in Supergirl's life. In the Silver Age, he was like a shadow of doom, willing to hide her away and always ready to exile her from the Earth. But in later years, the two had a very good relationship ... as mentor and student or eventually super-partners.

Since the New 52, most Supergirl fans have been waiting for the two to get back to that sort of loving familial relationship. These two are the last survivors of their world and families. They should want to be part of each other's lives. They shouldn't be angrily avoiding each other. But storylines made it impossible. When Kara was heroic, Superman was Grounded, or powerless and angry, or aloof.

Thankfully writer Steve Orlando fixes all that baggage in one fell swoop. With Superman Reborn behind us, it is time to rewrite history a little and smooth over the rough patches. And so we get Supergirl #8, a book where the cousins hang out together, as family, and love it. But moreover, this isn't a Superman trying to guide Kara. It is a Kal appreciative and proud of all Supergirl has accomplished. She is an ally he will need to rely on. And Kara isn't put off by this. She is thrilled to have dinner, meet Jon, and play with her older cousin.

The art is by Matias Bergara. His style is very reminiscent of Brian Ching's so the book's overall feel remains intact. And some of his expressions and quiet scenes are done in a very charming way.
I can only show the highlights here but I honestly wanted to scan every page. On to the book.