Review: Superman/Wonder Woman #29

Superman/Wonder Woman #29 came out this week and is an important issue for fans of the super-family for a number of reasons. The Final Days of Superman is coming to an end as #Rebirth is right around the corner. This arc is basically the foundation for the upcoming super-titles. So within this issue, we get some set-up for the Supergirl book, the Super-sons book, and the upcoming Superman books. Previously, we have seen the beginnings of the New Superman book.

Despite having to reset the landscape, writer Peter Tomasi does a great job making this story be compelling on its own. There is more to this arc than just establishing where the #Rebirth books will be in the next couple of months. Tomasi is dealing with the fallout of The Truth. And for the most part, I have been very satisfied with this read. There is something very classic about the feel of these characters. Gone is the deconstructed, brooding versions of these characters. Instead, we get heroes.

All that said, this book is probably the last issue of the Clark/Diana romance. And, surprisingly, there isn't any romance in this issue at all. I wondered if this would be the place we would see one last kiss. Instead, there is one last brawl. As someone who never really understood the Superman/Wonder Woman relationship, I still felt let down that there wasn't one last tender scene.

The art on the book is just wonderful. The cover is by Karl Kerschl and showcases Supergirl and Wonder Woman in action and both look determined. The internal art is by a favorite of mine, Jorge Jimenez. Jimenez shined on an arc of Smallville and brings a stylized kinetic feel to his work. His stuff really catches the eye. And as he is on the upcoming Super-Sons book, it makes sense for him to be here.

And let me say it is hard to write a review when there are three Supermen in the book. So, for clarity:
Fire-Superman=bad guy avatar
Superman = New 52 Superman
PF-Superman = Pre-Flashpoint Superman


On to the book.

Upcoming JLU Variants

I have talked in the past about my love/hate relationship with variant covers. I have talked in the past about how I wish DC would give the Supergirl book a variant cover instead of having her be showcased on variant covers of Superman books. And I have talked in the past about ludicrous DC gimmicky promotions.

And it looks like I will be reiterating all those things here.

There are a couple of beautiful variant covers coming out in the next couple of months prominently featuring Supergirl in a positive way. Hurray!

Both variants are for Justice League United. That's fine it shows the place of prominence Supergirl has in the book.

But I wish that the Supergirl main title would get a variant. I guess I'll have to wait.

So in August, DC is running 'selfie' variants. That seems like a ridiculous gimmick to me. But whatever.

Here is the 'selfie' variant for Justice League United #4 as shown on CBR here.

Do you know what I like about this? That the three young women on the team are acting like friends here, smiling and hanging out. Beautifully drawn by Emanuela Lupacchino, this cover shows no friction between the 'loner' Supergirl, the 'bright' Stargirl, and the mysterious Equinox.

In a similar vein, here is an upcoming JLU variant by Karl Kerschl as he showcased on his site here:
http://karlkerschl.com/post/90665518367/my-variant-cover-for-jeff-lemires-justice-league

This is also for number Justice League United #4. I suppose the 'selfie' could be like the 'bombshell' variants, produced in equal numbers to the regular cover, making this hockey game cover a true rarer variant.

But I love this cover as well for showing the female leads out as friends, this time watching a hockey game. And is that Alanna in 'Strange' armor. That is a nice little leak of the future of her character!

I will do my best to get both of these, begrudgingly. Thus my love/hate relationship with variants continue.

Review: Batman/Superman #11

Batman/Superman #11 came out last week, the third chapter in the Doomed story arc. Knowing the August solicits we are really just at the beginning of this arc. There 3 ... three(!) ... more months of this. That is a bit crazy!

As a third chapter, this one does it's job. We learn much more about the background of the Doomsday attack. We learn about the origin of Doomsday leaving the Zone. There is a fair amount of exposition/plot progression but never by sacrificing the action. That is appreciated.

But for me the best thing about this issue was how well Pak shows us how Superman is an inspiration or at least an influence on the heroes and people around him. I don't know if I have seen or heard that in the New 52. As an long standing Superman fan, I like him being the brightest light in the universe, the light others strive for.

The art on the issue is a mishmash by Tom Derenick, Karl Kerschl, and Daniel Sampere. All have a nice style and the differences aren't so jarring as to knock me out of the story.

I commented how much I have been enjoying these opening recap pages done in the style of the Daily Planet. However reading this one, I think I missed have missed Doomed Chapter 2.5.

The last chapter in Superman/Wonder Woman #8 ended with Superman somehow willing the Doomsday germ inside. He was cradled in Diana's arms.

This says that Superman, in semi-Superdoom mode, went on a rampage in Metropolis. Did I miss something?

Batman, Wonder Woman, and Steel all decide to team up to help find a cure for Superman. And they have to act fast. In the media-saturated world, Superman being a monster is big news. What better way to get ratings than to whip the public into a panic, terrified of their hero. Even Batman knows that these terror tactics work.

Already we begin to see how important Superman and his image is to Batman. He knows he has to bring this problem to an end and soon. He, Wonder Woman, and Steel all head to the Fortress to try to find a cure.

When  I read Action Comics #31, I saw a panel where Krypto licked Superman's hand and at the time I wondered if that was a key. Wouldn't Krypto get the virus? Maybe him having the disease will help people figure out a cure?

Well, Krypto is indeed pretty sick when the heroes arrive in the Arctic. The heroes think it must be from the proximity Krypto was to Superman, that 'Doomsday plague wave' that made everything die around the original Doomsday.

But I think this is because he has the virus as well. Will see if that plays out.

A suddenly spry Krypto does bound about the Fortress and ends up jumping into the Phantom Zone. And Batman immediately assumes that Krypto is trying to tell them something. But that something is that he is on the trail of Doomsday.

Umm ... didn't Batman see Doomsday get ripped asunder? How can you be on his trail when he is dead?

And there is a little bit of Lassie here. Lassie barks and the owner knows the dog is saying Timmy fell down the well. How does Batman know what Krypto is thinking?

But I am nit-picking. What I liked about this panel was what Batman is saying. Batman is thinking of Superman fighting this disease. He thinks about what might happen if Superman succumbs. With his friend suffering, he is willing to jump into the Zone with Diana.

But he does tell Steel to stay out and shut things down if any villains try to escape.

The Zone seems off. There is some solidity to things, including the heroes. And that makes them easy targets for all the villains still in the zone - Mongul, Non, and others. In fact, those villains are trying to seal a rift between the Zone and Earth, perhaps the very rift Doomsday went through, a rift pouring energy into zone, changing its properties and killing those trapped there.

But Diana and Bruce aren't the only ones in there. The Ghost Soldier arrives and just in time to make the heroes intangible, saving them from Mongul. And under the influence of Diana's lasso he states he has left the Tower. He can't believe the Tower helped release Doomsday and he wants to make amends.

I said I liked how the heroes here are comparing themselves to Superman. Despite being saved by the Ghost Soldier, Batman attacks him. He says that he isn't Clark.

The search of the Zone leads Batman, Diana, Krypto and the soldier to a large Kirby-looking device which seems to be generating the energy causing the rifts.

And right nearby is Dr. Xa-Du, the phantom king, the first prisoner. We last saw Xa-Du in Morrison's Action arc, a member of the Revenge Squad. We know that his 'ectoplasmic' bandages allow him to be solid in the Zone and on the outside as well. Here he is wielding a pretty big gun and he doesn't seem to happy.

We really don't know too much about this Xa-Du. The original was introduced way back in Action Comics #283, a physician who killed his patients when he experimented on them. Hopefully we'll get some of his backstory because he seems to be a big part of this story.

We have heard how Batman is thinking about Superman, comparing himself to Kal. Now we see Wonder Woman doing the same thing. Batman can see that Wonder Woman is trying to think like Superman. She doesn't jump to the sword and tries to gather info. I like that, that even Diana is willing to strive to be like Clark.

It turns out that Xa-Du was recruited by Harrow to help bring about Superman's end. And thirsting for revenge he acquiesced. He freed Doomsday from a Zone within a Zone (a pocket Zone?).

So Xa-Du helped create/manifest/substantiate the Ghost Soldier? Fascinating.

And Harrow is also way more interesting now. How did she know about the Zone? Who is she really?

I need more backstories!

Part of the problem of releasing a monster is that you don't know how monstrous it has become. The released Doomsday was something different than Xa-Du expected. Doomsday broke the Zone. Superdoom will kill everything. Xa-Du wants to kill it. And he has a big old gun to do just that.

According to him there is no cure.

So there is the exposition. Who made the Ghost Soldier? How did the Tower know about Doomsday? Who released him? Xa-Du has a pretty big part to play in this. And, knowing that Diana and Bruce subdue him to bring him out.

In the meantime, Steel had to keep Non from escaping the Zone through the portal while keeping it open to let Diana and Bruce (with Krypto and Xa-Du) return.

Batman actually chastises Steel for endangering the world by keeping the door open. When asked, Steel responds simply. It is what Superman would have done.

Three heroes ... all influenced by Superman. All willing to risk their lives to save Superman. Fantastic. I think of Funeral for a Friend, the story after the original Death of Superman Doomsday story. That arc showed how much Superman was revered, how his death effected people. This reminded me of that a little. Superman is sick, dying, in peril ... and these heroes realize what he means to them and everyone else.

So this was a good chapter in Doomed, moving the story along, raising some new subplots, and showing how important Superman is. This wasn't a jaw-dropping issue. But it was perfect for a third chapter. And it was very good.

And when a sick Krypto recovers and we learn how to cure Superman from his dog ... well remember you read it here first.

I think Greg Pak has a nice handle on Superman. I am glad he is on the super-books.

Overall grade: B+/B

Review: Batman/Superman #10

Batman/Superman #10 came out this week and was an entertaining and fun issue. And if there are words I haven't been able to say too often with the New 52, they are entertaining and fun. This has the feeling of a late Silver Age early Bronze Age 'one and done' issue. Maybe the best compliment I can give it is that it reminded me of a DC Comics Presents issue. We have heroes teaming up, fighting an enemy together ... an enemy we probably won't ever see again, in a ridiculous setting.

And you know what. I didn't mind.

Every so often, my mind could use an issue like this. It is break from the 6 issue trade stories, the overlapping ever-increasing event arcs, and ... gasp ... it is fun and entertaining!

Writer Jeff Lemire does a great job introducing the Atom to the New 52 universe. This Ray Palmer is a bit quirky, a little sardonic, and smart. But when asked, he risks his life to help someone. I am becoming more impressed with Lemire as he is able to write the darker seedy Green Arrow, the more mystical Animal Man, and the bleak and too dark Futures End. This story is really wild in comparison to those settings.

Art is done by Karl Kerschl and Scott Hepburn and they bring a breezy feel to this issue which works well with this story.

Let's dive in so I can talk about setting and events.

The issue starts with Superman flying to the miniscule headquarters of S.H.A.D.E. The HQ is a small globe that Superman can hold in his hand thanks to Palmer's shrink technology. And Superman needs Palmer. So we already have a sense of Ray here, a physicist who has already perfected the technology.

Superman and Batman  were in space rescuing a space station when Batman fell into a coma.

So why does Superman need Palmer?

Because after a microscopic vision scan of Batman, Superman discovered a tiny dead superhero and in intact microscopic city in Batman's brain. This is preposterous ... but isn't that what comic books are supposed to be all about.

Let's see ... the last time we saw tiny people inside someone's brains it was Jean Loring killing Sue Dibny or Atomica killing the New Doom Patrol.

Remember when people could be inside someone and not be causing a lethal stroke?

It is all so Fantastic Voyage!

Palmer and Superman don shrink belts and head into Batman's body.

Inside Batman's cerebral vasculature, they discover this alien culture. And with the aid of SHADE universal translators, we learn a bit more. The city's version of Superman ... Captain Boldstar ... was the dead hero floating around.

And super-villains have taken over the city-ship, enslaving the populace.

I always think these adventures in someone's blood stream are odd. Where is the light source? Are those clouds? I suppose this is a bit more realistic than that time Supergirl went inside Fred Danvers to fight a germ.

Even the villains are sort of fun. They have silly names like Dr. Smashhammer and Titan Super Gladiator.

The two tyrants walk up and engage the heroes in combat.

Gladiator accidentally rips off Superman's shrink belt. In an odd twist, the Gladiator grows huge, luckily flying out of Batman without exploding his head. But that means the microscopic villain is now on our world.

Inside Batman, Superman subdues Smashhammer. Palmer uses a P.R.I.M.P. to shrink Hammer into an even tinier prison.

I like how Palmer at least acknowledges how omnipresent and silly all the acronyms are.

He uses the P.R.I.M.P. to shrink the city-ship into a different globe, reviving Batman.

Of course, this is the New 52. Despite this guy being 3x Batman's size and tough enough to help kill a Superman equivalent, Batman is able to beat him up.

Still, the art here is nice with good panel progression and a nice kineticism. 

But remember, Superman doesn't have his shrink belt anymore.

I like the odd humor that Palmer has. He jokes with Superman, telling the Man of Steel he'll have to remain in Batman's blood forever.

It is a joke. Palmer's belt can handle both of them. But how crazy is it that this scientist has the courage or will to tease Superman a little.

And just like that the adventure is over. Batman is now free of all foreign alien cultures.

For a while now Batman has been all business and rather dour. So Lemire giving him a punch line about how Batman shouldn't leave Gotham was fantastic.

That sounds like the quips friends would make to one another.

And, despite saying he is just a scientist, Palmer decides he just might become a super-hero. And when he does he'll use the code name The Atom. Nice. I like this Palmer ... a bit more interesting than the staid Silver Age guy.

Of course, Batman recognizes the similarities with Atomica ... and is worried. Ah, the New 52.

Still, this was a breath of fresh air. Heroes teaming up. A normal person inspired to become a hero. An adventure in another hero's blood stream to save an alien city. It is ridiculous ... incredible ... perfect.

There was a time that comics could be entertaining and fun all the time. I guess I'll have to be happy with 'every once in a while'.

Overall grade: B+