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 #1058

At NYCC earlier this month, it was announced that writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson is leaving Action Comics with Action Comics #1060. It is not news that I am happy about because Johnson has been crushing it on this book for three years. He will be missed.

That news stung even more when I read Action Comics #1058 last week, a tremendous issue which continues the Blue Earth storyline. Johnson is firing on all cylinders here. There is a tremendous super-hero throwdown in the Metropolis sky. There is a fascinating mystery involving Norah Stone and the Blue Sky. Is she tech based? Magical? And who are her allies? And he continues to write a superb super-family, especially Supergirl who he treats with utter respect. He knows his super-history too, tossing in some old school continuity. This book sizzles. 

Rafa Sandoval has elevated his art on this book bringing us frenetic, messy action when needed. He also is able to amp up the emotion in the quiet moments. He even gets a little old school Kryptonian history time in this issue.

My theory on who Norah Stone is remains intact and viable for now. In fact, I wonder if this time I just might be right. 

The best thing about this issue? Well, Action Comics is an anthology and all three stories in this issue are wonderfully entertaining. Gene Luen Yang and Viktor Bognanovic get the band back together to give us an interesting New Super-Man story exploring the aftermath of Lex's 'anyone who knows Superman is Clark has a stroke' plot. And new to me creators Greg Hahn and Travis Mercer end the issue with a hilarious super-twins story. 

Tack on a gorgeous Carla Cohen Supergirl variant cover and this book was a winner. On to the details. 

Review: Monkey Prince #12

Monkey Prince #12 came out this week, the end of this series which I discovered on the back end. I came for the Supergirl guest star but I stayed for the good story.

Writer Gene Luen Yang and artist Bernard Chang continue to bring a tremendous story to life here. I have really been entertained by this young hero learning the ropes, guided by a mentor, finding his place in the DCU. Add to it a super-villain family and a mysterious origin and  you have a great mix of character pieces to build on. 

But there also was a sense of joy here. And a solid sense of humor. Monkey Prince talks the way I would talk if I was a teenager who suddenly had powers and was rubbing elbows with Supergirl. He relishes his powers with a sense of wonder and fun. 

I guess I would say this reads like classic Spider-Man to me. Quips and kicks flying!

I have always been a fan of Bernard Chang's art and he really shines here. I love the mythic aspects and the action. And his Supergirl is just glittering. I loved him when he was on the Supergirl book back in the day so it is great to see his take on Kara again.

In fact, if there is one thing to complain about here, it is the treatment of Supergirl in this last issue. She is taken out ... albeit by magic ... and needs rescuing. She never gives up. She keeps fighting. But it would have been great if she wasn't the weak link.

On to the book ... and then onto the back issue boxes for me to get the first eight issues.

Bullet Review: Monkey Prince #11

I recently reviewed Monkey Prince #9 and Monkey Prince #10 on the site because Supergirl was a guest star. I was pretty impressed by those issues for a number of reasons. Certainly, Supergirl was fantastic in the book, given proper treatment. Second, the story was a fun, rollicking adventure with great action and dialogue by writer Gene Luen Yang and artist Bernard Chang. The story had more Kryptonian ties than just Supergirl. Lastly, it was a great tie-in to Lazarus Planet. 

So when Monkey Prince #11 came out this week, I grabbed it. Maybe Supergirl would still be in it. Regardless, the story and art grabbed me in the prior issues and I wanted to read more. High praise and shows what a good guest star can do, introduce you to a new book and make you buy it.

This issue was a bit of a revelation for the book. There is no Supergirl, not a big surprise. But the premise of the book (at least that I could glean from the issues I have read) is that Marcus' father, the Monkey King was thought to be an evil presence. Now that might not be true.

Even more interesting, the origin of our title hero not only feels a little more like Superman's but has some direct ties to Krypton. Very interesting for me!

As always, Bernard Chang just brings it on art here. The panels and action sequences are dynamic, innovative, and crazy in a good way! I really like his work and this seems the perfect book for him.

This will be a quick review!

Review: Monkey Prince #10

Monkey Prince #10 came out this week, the second part of his team-up with Supergirl and basically a prelude to Lazarus Planet:Alpha. Monkey Prince is definitely going to have a role in that crossover given the main villains, so I was glad to see that the main cover was adorned with some trade dress promoting it as a Lazarus Planet tie-in. I do think DC missed an opportunity here. Lazarus Planet:Alpha was a critical hit. DC really should have tossed the 'prelude' word on the cover to bring in more eyes. 

Writer Gene Luen Yang does a great job of pushing the title's storylines forward, embedding this story within the Lazarus Planet storyline, and shine a bright spotlight on the guest star Supergirl. Seriously, in some ways this reads like a Supergirl book with Monkey Prince as the guest. I love the interaction between the two as well. Supergirl is definitely the veteran here. She is amazing in this issue and it makes me wonder what a Yang/Chang Supergirl solo book would read like. 

While the Lazarus Planet:Alpha issue was able to stand alone perfectly, this issue truly builds on that story, filling in some of the questions I asked when I read it. So kudos to Yang. 

As always, Bernard Chang delivers beautiful art. This issue (and I assume this book) is a mix of big action and silliness. That is a tough line to walk. And yet somehow Chang is able to deliver monstrous battles and clone dandruff scenes effortlessly. 

If you like Supergirl in Lazarus Planet:Alpha, I would recommend seeking out this issue.

On to the book!

2022 In Review: Best Of Supergirl Comic Moments #10-#6

Welcome to day two of my look back at the year 2022 and Supergirl. 

Yesterday, I took a look at the non-comic Supergirl news for the past year as well as the Honorable Mentions for the best comic moments of the year.

Today we begin the look at the top ten Supergirl moments in comics for 2022. I'll cover numbers ten through 6 today and the top 5 tomorrow! As I mentioned yesterday, Supergirl fans have to be pleased that our favorite hero has been shining in World's Finest and Action Comics. So you should expect a healthy dose of both of those titles in this list. Both of those titles have really been stellar this year.

And I'll reiterate that Zala, the Supergirl analogue in Dark Knights of Steel, is not included in this list. I very much like that book. It is worth reading with the best Harley Quinn I have read in a while. 

On to the list!

Bullet Review: Monkey Prince #9

No big surprise that I picked up Monkey Prince #9 this week. With a guest star like Supergirl and a fantastic variant cover by Inhyuk Lee featuring her, it was a cinch that I'd pick it up and cover it here. I mean, look at how cute this cover is.

I also wonder why I haven't been reading this book to begin with. The writer is Gene Luen Yang, whose work I liked on New Super-Man and The Terrifics. I sort of liked his work on the Superman book. The art is by Bernard Chang, whose work I have loved just about everywhere. Whether Supergirl or Wonder Woman or Demon Knights or you name it, I love Chang's art. Seriously, I loved Chang's Kara and even have an original Chang Supergirl page hanging in my office.

The two treat Supergirl with a lot of respect. She is smart and pro-active. She is clearly established. And she doesn't suffer fools lightly here. I'm very happy with her here.

But I don't know if I can comment as easily about the main character. I know, I am jumping on board at Monkey Prince #9. 

Everybody's comic is their first comic. This is my first Monkey Prince. I know nothing about his origin, his powers, his motivations, or anything, I am usually against recap pages but I sure could use one here. Or maybe even a little origin box around the issue's title. But nothing.

The issue opens with the Monkey Prince's parents are scientists who work for LexCorp. A trio of demonic beings, calling themselves Generals, break into LexCorp to find Bizarro clones to eat in hopes of getting powers. Crazy opening scene ... but one I could barely follow.

The Monkey Prince's mother, Laura, has her neck snapped by one of the Generals. The Monkey Prince's father takes her to Prince's maternal grandfather, a super-scientist with a penchant for transplanting brains and healing injuries. Can the Prince's mother be saved?

But wait there's more. 

Review: Batman/Superman #22

Batman/Superman #22 came out earlier this month, the last issue of this title. It's a shame to see another version of a World's Finest title fade away. Yes, this one started as basically a side series for the Batman Who Laughs mega-arc. But throughout the book, the heroes have been partners and friends. I am always glad to see Batman and Superman working together.

Writer Gene Luen Yang has been on the book for a while and as is his fashion, he gives us a quirky story with a meta-textual peek at comic books in general. His Auteur.IO story riffed on comics and fandom. This issue is even crazier.

Yang is almost a gimmick writer at times. You couldn't do something like this as a title long term. But Yang can inject some fresh air and some humor into books. Think about his 'choose your own adventure' Terrifics book or his 'flip book' Annual on this title. 

This issue has a Mxyzptlk-powered Calendar Man learning he is in a comic and taking advantage of the panels and gutters. And it is funny and cute. Why not do something like this in a final issue?

Artist Paul Pelletier brings solid story telling to the insanity. I like how he breaks the rules here. 

The only thing missing is an Ambush Bug cameo!

On to the book.

Review: Batman/Superman Annual 2021

The Batman/Superman title is leaving us soon, canceled within the next couple of months. It is a shame because I never tire of seeing these two icons working together as heroes and friends.

In particular, once the Infected storyline ended in this iteration of the title, the book has really soared. In particular, writer Gene Luen Yang has done a great job injecting some life and fun into the proceedings. While I thought his last story arc regarding Auteur.IO went on a touch too long, there is no doubt I liked these alternate versions of the characters.

The Batman/Superman Annual 2021 came out a couple of weeks ago (sorry it has taken me so long to get to it) and gave Yang the opportunity to play with those characters one last time. Given they will most likely be lost to comic limbo and that I enjoyed them, I was happy to read this solicit. The concept of the flip book also was interesting. We have seen split pages used with these characters and Yang himself did a 'choose your own adventure' Terrifics issue. So I liked that idea too. The plots are fine, picking up some threads from the prior arcs and padding out the textures of these worlds.

I also liked the artists on the book. Francesco Francavilla has a very film noir style which worked swimmingly for the Superman tale set in the grungy Gotham of Batman's world. And Paul Pelletier's clean pencils also shine in the Batman story in the clean cut streets of Superman's Earth.

I will say the flip book trick wasn't really necessary as the two sides meet in the middle just for a second and neither really is needed for the others story. This could have been just two chapters in one standardly oriented book.

On to the details.

Review: Batman/Superman #21

Batman/Superman #21 came out a while ago, just reaching the top of my review pile today. Pardon for the delay. 

This is the conclusion of the Auteur.IO arc and while I have enjoyed it, I do wonder if this has been padded a bit to fit the trade. I have enjoyed seeing the 'film' versions of Batman and Superman here. This is a classic Batman, actually caring and mentoring Robin. I have liked the this Fleischer-esque Superman. And I have even liked the sort of metatextual look at comics, fandom, and an auteur director trying to force his view of the DCU on everyone. 

But we sort of meandered a bit these last couple of issues. And despite that, the ending in this issue just sort of happens. I don't know if I exactly know who this being is or why what happened happened, despite the expositional origin earlier. 

No complaints about the art. Ivan Reis has crushed it this whole arc. I have loved his rendition of different worlds. The whole film borders and burning panels has been sharp. I'll never complain about Reis' work.

On to the book.

Review: Batman/Superman #20

Batman/Superman #20 came out last week, the next chapter in the Auteur.IO storyline of a visionary being/story god who is looking to create the 'perfect' universe in a multiverse where that isn't possible.

It has been a fun ride with writer Gene Luen Yang giving us a Fleischer Studio style Superman with a Silver Age Batman and Robin teaming up with other alternate versions of DC heroes. Meanwhile, the 'real' Batman and Superman remain trapped in Auteur.IO's Phantom Zone crystal.

I have really enjoyed this arc. Yang has really used the other Batman and Superman to give us a very classic feel to the heroics. They read like the heroes of my own youth. He also has been giving us a sort of meta-commentary on current comics and movies. Whose vision is 'the' vision? Which is the 'perfect' vision? Does there need to be one take on these characters? Does the audience get to dictate the story? All things that I find fascinating.

As a double pleasure, Ivan Reis is on art and his stuff remains impeccable. As we are traveling from one film universe to another, Reis has to jump from environment to environment. Sci-Fi? Western? Horror? Metropolis and Gotham? It all looks great. And when you add in the film reel motif of the story, you get a difficulty multiplier. Seriously, there are two double page spreads in the middle of this issue which must have induced either a migraine or a hand cramp or both.

It makes me sad to know this book is ending. Because it has been a real treat on the shelves.

On to the book.

Review: Batman/Superman #19

Last week we learned in DC's September solicits that the Batman/Superman title was ending. I was surprised and a bit dismayed by the news. Since taking over the title, writer Gene Luen Yang has made this title one of the most fun and entertaining book on the shelves. It has been fun to see our heroes sort of romp through adventures as pals.

Batman/Superman #19 came out last week, the next chapter in the Auteur.Io storyline looking at different 'universes' as written by the insane movie mogul. This book hasn't really starred out main heroes. Instead we have followed a Superman from a Golden Age movie serial and a more Silver Age Batman complete with boy wonder. In this chapter, Yang decides to delve deeper into the filmography of Auteur.Io and the DC Universe. And so we have Alanna Strange and El Diablo in the mix as well.

I also see that Yang is talking about some creative loss here. Auteur.Io is trying to create the perfect world. But it seems impossible in the current world where everyone has an opinion on how everything could be better. No longer can people just enjoy a story, foibles and all. Instead they have to comment. Heck, I do that almost every day here. But you can't please everyone and as a result, the stories become muddled messes. And great stories might be scuttled because some audience might find it horrible or offensive. I find the theme fascinating.

Alas, Ivan Reis has the month off here. Instead we have a smorgasbord of artists. It is quite a row of talent. Emanuela Lupacchino, Darick Robertson, and Steve Lieber are all top notch talents on their own. So to see them bring their styles to the various landscapes here is an added bonus.

On to the book.

September 2021 DC Comics Solicits

The September solicits for DC Comics are out. Here is a link of all the comics that'll be on the shelves:
https://www.gamesradar.com/dc-solicitations-september-2021/

As usual, Batman and Bat-books abound in the month. Also, there are plenty of Suicide Squad books coming out. No big surprise there given the upcoming movie. But the super-books are holding their own. It does seem like the futures seen in Future State are coming to fruition in the present. 

We also have now sampled Tom King's Supergirl book. Having read that opening chapter, I am now looking more closely at the solicits for that book. 

SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW #4
Writer: TOM KING
Artist: BILQUIS EVELY
Cover: BILQUIS EVELY
Variant Cover: ROSE BESCH

Supergirl sets her sights on the Brigands, a group of dastardly nomads hell-bent on slaughtering all they come across. Now she must follow their path of destruction to find the fugitive they've been hiding who set her on this intergalactic journey in the first place!

Since we know that King borrowed liberally from True Grit in the opening chapter, I am wondering which Western this might be leaning into. The Magnificent Seven with Calvara's horde? 

It seems the Brigands are hiding Krem and Supergirl is on the trail. 

Hoping this book somehow rights after that first issue.

Review: Batman/Superman #18

Batman/Superman #18 came out last week and was another fun romp through alternate universes and the machinations of Auteur.10. 

Writer Gene Luen Yang continues to spin this fun tale of Elseworlds and showcasing the differences between a world where Martha Wayne lived and Superman is a peak hero with one where Batman is fighting standard corruption in a world without the Man of Steel. Moreover, he shows how these two pieces of the World's Finest, even when from disparate universe, would quickly become friends and partners. I like that. I also like that some characters, particularly Robin and Jimmy Olsen, have a sort of refreshing innocence to them. A Boy Wonder should be happy, not grim.

 

But I also can't help but think that part of this story is a commentary on the Snyderverse, fanatical fans demanding their views be the only view, and how big media is trying to warp these characters into something mass marketable. If you look for the meta-text, it's there.

 

Ivan Reis is on art with inks by Danny Miki and everything just sings. This really is a sort of romp of a story and the art pushes that pace along. Wonderful.

On to the book.

Review: Batman/Superman #17

Batman/Superman #17 came out last week, the second part in a very entertaining story pitting our heroes and other versions of our heroes against Auteur.10, a seemingly extremely powerful being trying to rewrite the DC Universe through film.

Now as someone who has lived through #ReleaseTheSnyderCut hysteria and actually watched the 4 hour Snyder Justice League movie, I have to wonder if this is writer Gene Luen Yang's metacommentary on that whole thing. 

I mean, Auteur.10 thinks the current DCU is a rough cut and his vision is much much better. He has an army of archivists who want his films to be completed. It all could fit.

But the films the Auteur is making feel more like 1940's movie serials. They are fun and silly in some places. And the villain himself looks and feels more like Otto Preminger. Maybe Yang is poking fun at old stodgy folks like me who want to go back to the old ways? And as an old movie fan, I ate this up.

Doesn't matter. It is very entertaining.

Ivan Reis is again on art and Reis continues to dazzle. He is bringing us three worlds each with different environments. And it is gorgeous. Plus, I'm a complete sucker for the tagline 'Together again! For the first time!'

On to the book.

Review: Batman/Superman #16

Batman/Superman #16 came out last week, the first issue with the new creative team of Gene Luen Yang and Ivan Reis. And, to be honest, it felt more like the first two issues as Yang spins a tale of two new worlds, each with one of our titular characters acting as a super-hero. Then, just before the end, Yang splices the stories together and gives us a glimpse at our actual DCU heroes and how they are going to get pulled into the mix. 

I like this issue a lot. While Yang's run on Superman wasn't a favorite, his New Super-Man and Terrifics work was stupendous. He seems to have a good handle on fun, super-hero adventures. He also is quite creative in his story-telling approach. While not as wild as the Terrifics 'Choose your own adventure' issue, this issue's double plot was interesting, so much I read the book twice in a row, utilizing both ways of reading the layout.

Ivan Reis is on art and just shines. Reis work was spectacular on Superman with Brian Michael Bendis so I am glad he remains on a semi-super-book. He really embraces the weird new worlds and the very structured panel layouts. Just great stuff.

And a solid cliffhanger ... maybe three cliffhangers ... to leave me wanting more.

On to the book!

Review: Future State Batman/Superman #2

Future State Batman/Superman #2 came out last week, finishing a two part story set in the near future. I thought the first issue was a decent story by writer Gene Luen Yang (who is taking over the book once Future State ends), showing his thoughts on the pair, having their thoughts contrast and setting up what they think of each other.

This issue seems to push that a little bit further in a direction I'm not exactly happy with. While last issue it was clear that while fundamentally different, the two work together well and like each other. This issue again veers into the all two common realm of breaking the two apart. I mean, these are the World's Finest and should be best friends. But here Batman can't even be honest with Superman, even if the lie is to protect his friend.

I am hoping that this doesn't continue in the main book once Yang takes over. I'd rather see the two be buddies working together. But that might be too much to ask these days.

One thing that is interesting is that I feel that Yang likes Superman more than Batman (no surprise given prior works) as the Man Of Steel's character really kind of shines here.

The art is a hodge podge with Scott McDaniel doing breakdowns and Ben Oliver and Stephen Segovia splitting the hard work. Segovia and Oliver's art complement each other. The book feels seamless. And the art is gorgeous. But I wonder who couldn't meet the deadline.

On to the book.

Review: Future State Batman/Superman #1

Future State Batman/Superman #1 came out last week and I have to admit I was looking forward to this one.

For one, Gene Luen Yang is the writer here. He is also going to be the writer on the main Batman/Superman book in the coming months. I liked Yang's work on New Super-Man and The Terrifics so I was interested in seeing what he would handle the World's Finest duo. Yang picks up what Joshua Williamson has done so well in the main title, contrasting the two heroes but showing why they work well together and are friends.

Next, Ben Oliver is on art and I love seeing anything Oliver does. No doubt his work is meticulous and clean. I love his Superman. So big draw.

And lastly, I am basically staying away from Batman books. While I have heard some reviews on Magistrates and new Batmans, I haven't seen it first hand. So I thought this would be a good dip of the toe into the Gotham waters.

I do have to say that it has been hard for a simple mind like me to keep all this Future State timeline in my head. This looks like it could have been an issue from next month. But at some point Superman is on Warworld. At some point Superman is free and talking about Lexor. At some point, Superboy becomes Superman. It is enough to give me a headache. Are all of these Future States on one timeline? Or can some exist as their own fractured timeline.

On to the book.

DC April 2021 Solicits

The DC Comics solicits for April came out last week and I just get the sense that DC is in a sort of transition period for the Super-titles.

I have listened to interviews with Phillip Kennedy Johnson and he doesn't sound like someone who is on a long run on the Superman titles. We are coming out of Future State and it looks like some of the stories there are being touched upon now. And it seems like he is moving away from the Metropolis-centric Bendis feel to these titles.

Also, Supergirl isn't mentioned pretty much anywhere so I think Kara is on a bit of a hiatus.

For those interested, here is a link to all the solicits:
https://www.gamesradar.com/dc-april-2021-solicitations-and-covers-revealed/ 

 On to the super-books.

Action Comics #1030
written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON
art by DANIEL SAMPERE
backup story written by
BECKY CLOONAN and MICHAEL W. CONRAD
backup story art by MICHAEL AVON OEMING
cover by MIKEL JANÍN
card stock variant cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO

"Warworld Rising" starts here! A new chapter in Superman's life begins as the challenges of Dark Nights: Death Metal are causing Clark Kent to feel...a change in his powers. Is it possible the Metropolis Marvel could be losing a step? His struggles in taking down the creatures from the Breach would suggest as much! If he's going to continue to protect the people of Earth, he'll have to adapt—especially with threats like Mongul out there waiting to launch their biggest attacks on the Earth yet. That's right, those are Warworld battleships just outside our orbit, and they are heading straight for us!
Meanwhile, in the Midnighter backup story, the bad boy of the Authority has to figure out what Andrej Trojan is up to in the present if he ever wants to get back to Future State and swap places with the Midnighter of 2021, whom he left stranded on Warworld.

We have had Mongul show up a couple of times back in the Bendis run. When Superman was named the Earth rep for the UP, Mongul showed up. So it is interesting that we are heading back to that ground. Now I don't know anything about Death Metal. So is Superman depowering? Or changing his powers.

I am not a huge Midnighter fan but seeing the name Andrej Trojan, the implied baddie in FS Superman of Metropolis, is a nice hook. I don't know if Future State considered the future or a possible future. But I am glad some of the ideas will be played out in the current books.

Review: New Super-Man & The Justice League Of China #24

New Super-Man and the Justice League of China #24 came out this week, the last issue of this book, and I am sad to see it go.

I wasn't sure what I was going to get when I bought issue #1 of this book. Writer Gene Luen Yang was writing the main Superman book taking it in a direction I didn't like. But I figured with the name Super-Man, I was obligated to give it a shot.

What I have read for the past two years has been, month in and month out, an entertaining and complex book. Yang has had the luxury of giving us DC archetypes through an Asian lens, so it is both comfortable and new. He has looked back at some of the uglier sides of early DC comics and put them into a modern context. He infused Asian mythology into these new characters, especially in my favorite character of Wonder Woman. But most of all he has given us a young hero in Kenan Kong, a school bully lashing out because of his own familial problems and dropped onto the hero's journey. It has been a tightrope walk of action, politics, and comedy but somehow the book pulled it off. Never preachy, stodgy, or boring, I looked forward to seeing this book in my pull file. This issue was Yang's chance to say goodbye and push Kenan farther down the road of that journey.

We have had great artists on the book the whole time but Brent Peeples. His style definitely has grown over the time here. He also has had to deftly jump from silliness to earth-shattering action and has done so extremely well.

So long New Super-Man, I'll miss you.