Review: Superman A Friendship Unleashed

We are one week away from the Superman movie. Look for me at the 7:15 show in the IMAX theater. I am pretty excited to see it.

In what has to be one of the most brilliant cross-promotions ever, Milk Bone has thrown Krypto the Super-Dog on their boxes. And even better, if you order the limited edition Krypto box from their website, you get a Krypto comic book with the treats.

So it is with sheer delight I get to give you some of the highlights of the short but very sweet 8 page comic Superman A Friendship Unleashed.

Review: Supergirl #2 (v8)

Supergirl #2 came out last week and just built on the good will that I felt from the last issue.

I find Supergirl such a complex character. It is why I love her. 

Who is Supergirl to me? She is a young hero, learning her way. She can be fallible. She's still figuring things out. She has the unenviable position of having Superman as her cousin. She is expected to live up to his standards, she is wearing his symbol ... but she isn't Superman and isn't as experienced. It is a double edged familial sword - a tremendous role model but someone you might always be found lacking against. She has had tragedy but has overcome it. She should be bright and feisty and fierce in fighting injustice. But she also should be smart and more polished than even younger heroes, filling this middle road. She is also a young girl in this real world with all those issues.

How the heck do you put all that together? 

I think it might be why so many fall short in my mind. She isn't saccharine sweet. She isn't angsty and angry. She isn't sad.

Somehow, in two issues, Sophie Campbell has threaded the needle. This is the Supergirl I want to read. I am really charmed by her. She is sweet. She is friendly. She is a hero, diving in to save people. She is bored with some idle prattle by her teenage friends. She has a supporting cast! She has a history! (As with last issue there a ton of references to her Bronze Age adventures.) It is nigh perfect.

Most impressively, Campbell has given us a villain just as complex. Lesla Lar is clearly misguided and addled. She is thinking only of herself, putting others in peril. She is a brilliant evil scientist. But we get a hint at a troubled past, an aching loneliness in her that probably led to her malevolence. I don't always need a sympathetic villain but it sort of works here.

The art is just stellar throughout. Campbell gives us this charming Linda, fighting giant apes and trying on clothes. It is glorious.

Now as a lifelong Supergirl fan, I am eating up the nostalgia bombs with a spoon. I hope the general population is loving it as much as me. I don't think they pull the novice out of the story. They clearly enhance it for a mega-fan like me. (Heck, even the cover is an homage to Super DC Giant #S-24!

On to the book.

Review: Absolute Superman #5

Absolute Superman #5 came out this last week and it felt like the closing of a first sort of arc. We end on a cliffhanger of a sort for sure. But it feels Krypton is finally behind us.

Writer Jason Aaron has been doing a ton of world building in this series so far. We have had issues focusing on Lois Lane and Krypton and Jor-El and Lara. In some ways it means that Superman has been in the background. We have seen young Kal and heard his thoughts. But grown-up Superman? We know him more from his deeds than his words. 

This issue is similar in approach. We see current day Superman reacting to the death of the villagers last issue, now trying to track down the Christopher Smith Peacemaker. And there is a lot of action for sure.

But the meat of the issue is the flashbacks to Krypton leading us up to its destruction ... finally! Aaron uses Krypton as a cautionary tale for Earth, for sure. There is literal battles between the haves and have-nots. There is the damage to the environment that leads to the planetary explosion. It nears ham-fisted in its telling but doesn't go over the line. And while Krypton is gone, Kryptonians are not. Hmmm ...

The art remains spectacular. Rafa Sandoval is hitting it out of the park here. This is a global destruction issue with earthquakes, spaceships, and civil unrest. It is filled with an angry Superman battering his way through troops. Sandoval makes the whole thing beautifully flow.

We are still world building for sure. On to the book.

Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #34

I hope everyone is having a happy and healthy holiday week!

I am still catching up on the comics from last week which included Batman/Superman World's Finest #34. Waid has been using a great formula for the book. He has a done-in-one rest issue between his arcs. And with the Eclipso story behind us, we get this fun story with a new pair of World's Finest duos - Batgirl and Jimmy Olsen as well as Ace and Krypto. Much like the Supergirl/Robin issue in the first year, it is fun to see Waid handle other members of the Bat/Super family, giving them the spotlight. 

It's a simple plot. Batman, Superman, and Robin have gone missing. The pets seem to sense that something is awry and so find their human friends to save the day.  The fun is seeing Batgirl have to contend with a flirty Jimmy and a super-powered dog. Babs is the 'straight man' here, responding to the insanity around her. 

The art is by Fran Galan. His work is new to me. There is an energy and style here that reminds me of Dan Brereton. This is no small compliment. I love Brereton. So this issue shines artwise for me. I wouldn't mind seeing Galan doing more Batgirl stuff in the future.

On to the book. 

Super-Family Mobile Toy

Some time in July I celebrated a birthday. One more trek around the sun! Still here, old friends!

One of the Supergirls has been helping me add to the Supergirl collection and gave me the best gift.

Check out this old school, tin wind-up toy of Superman, Supergirl, Streaky, and Krypto flying around the Daily Planet.

Everything about this sings! The Daily Planet globe. The catchphrase around the bottom. Super-pets! Super-cousins! The classic feel!

It all works, Just a great gift.

Who's Who: Krypto (And A Little Bit Of Action Comics #500)

Over the last several years, Krypto has more and more become Supergirl's pet. I don't know if it is that Superman is too old to be romping with a dog or if Streaky is way too Silver Age for people to take seriously but we have seen a lot of Krypto and Kara. And that relationship is only going to get stronger with the Dog of Steel heading into space with the Maid of Might in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

With that in mind I thought I'd share the Krypto page from the original Who's Who. Just fun art by Colleen Doran and Rick Magyar!

I had forgotten some of this history, specifically the timing of things. I knew his rocket went up before Kal's but I thought he was in suspended animation and delayed in getting to Earth. But instead he was floating in space for about a month until Krypton blew up and Kal's warp dragged him through too.

Some of this is downright silly especially his relative names. I love that he became 'Skip', Clark's dog with the big black spot for a while. 

But for me, I love that Krypto just always loved frolicking in space. That part makes his leaving with Kara every time someone has her leaving Earth makes sense.

Krypto is a good boy and a good friend. We learned that in the historic Action Comics #500.

Review: Death Metal: The Secret Origin

I say it often but I'll say it again. I am very thankful for the community of comic fans that I call friends. Often times, they will tell me about books I should be getting and reading.

For the umpteenth time, I have to thank blog friend Martin Gray for tell me that I shouldn't pass on Death Metal: The Secret Origin. I have, for the most part, been avoiding the Metal event. When I saw this was a Superboy Prime book, a character I never thought I would want to see again, I figured this would definitely be a book to keep on the shelves. 

Instead, what we get is the redemption story this character needed. 

As someone old enough to have bought the DC Comics Presents issue which introduced Prime, I liked his innocence and his role in Crisis on Infinite Earths. So I definitely was miffed when he was turned into a sadistic monster in Infinite Crisis and beyond. (Don't get me started on the tarnishing of the Earth-2 Superman.)

I came to hate this character and all he represented for DC. He was the poster child of the darkening of the DCU.

But I trust Martin so I plunked down my money and read this book. It certainly has a deep bench of talent attached to it. Scott Snyder, Geoff Johns, Francis Manapul, Jerry Ordway, Paul Pelletier, and Ryan Benjamin. That's talent. 

So let's dive into this book, a delightful surprise.

Review: Supergirl #41

Supergirl #41 came out digitally this week, the penultimate virtual issue of a title which has limped to cancellation. I have talked a lot recently about the ever erroneous decision to darken Supergirl by DC. It inevitably leads to a cancellation and unhappy Supergirl fans. And this volume is no different. From Marc Andreyko's axe-wielding space explorer to the tainted viral infected Goth villain, Supergirl fans have suffered for the last 2 years. To have the title end digital only adds to the somberness of this.

Perhaps even worse is that the book continues this darker tone even as it winds down. Supergirl was cured of the Batman Who Laughs virus somewhere in some mini-series I wasn't collecting. I have to assume the other tainted folks (Donna Troy, Hawkman, Captain Marvel, and Jim Gordon) are also cured. But in this issue Supergirl continues to reel a bit from the infection, suffering hallucinations. I don't know if it is editorial or writer Jody Houser or just DC in general who feels like even in her own book Supergirl can't go out the hero.

Rachel Stott is on interior art and does a solid job of showing just how unsteady Supergirl is mentally, slipping in demonic imaginary images between the normal things Supergirl should be seeing.

The high point of the book is the imaginative cover by  Carmine DeGiandomenico. We see the world and visions collapsing down on Kara, putting pressure and stress on her. But the borders and her body are in the shape of the S-shield, as if it is the strength or what the shield represents which is aiding her. Very slick.

On to the book ...

Review: Supergirl #34

Supergirl #34 came out this week and was the first issue since the Rogol Zaar storyline ended. It also was a strong tie-in to Event Leviathan, a book that I am loving and also enmeshed in the the Superman books. And on top of that, it also had a strong 'Year of the Villain' JLA hook as well. More than ever, Supergirl felt like a DCU book, involved in the events of the entire universe. Yes, it will be nice when this book is solely Supergirl's adventures. But this issue made it seem like Kara matters in the universe writ large.

All that said, this was also an opportunity for writer Marc Andreyko to bring Supergirl back to Earth and try to re-establish her here. There was plenty of stuff happening in the book before the Zaar arc, back when Steve Orlando and Jody Houser were guiding the ship. Thankfully, Andreyko picks up some of those plots. There are plenty of stories still waiting to be mined there.

Eduardo Pansic remains on art here and brings a certain scratchy feel to the proceedings. The issue runs the gamut of science fiction, character conversation, and street fighting, showcasing Pansica's range. There is even a sort of gratuitously grotesque scene in the middle making me think Pansica would be perfect should DC restart a horror anthology book.

Overall, this felt like a big step up from the prior angtsy, angry, axe-y books which preceded it. Hopefully, this means the tone of the book will be better. Just in time for infected Dark Kara?

Review: Superman #12

Superman #12 came out last week, the next chapter in The House of El portion of the Unity Saga. It is an interesting book because it overlaps heavily with Supergirl #31. The two books tell the same story from the different angles of their main characters. In many ways it succeeds in giving us some added information of the perspective of the other protagonist. In others it fails where dialogue and some interactions are different.

Of the two, the Superman books succeeds more in my mind. Remember, this is coming from an avid Supergirl fan.

Writer Brian Michael Bendis succeeds in showing us the power of a united El family. Superman, Supergirl, Superboy, and Krypto all clearly love each other and are supportive of each other. That felt like a wonderful throwback to past times when the super-cousins regularly teamed up and had each other's back. We haven't seen much of that since 2011. I also love the outright respect that Bendis gives Supergirl as a character. Kara is treated very well.

The down side to the story is my rather lack of sustained interest in Rogol Zaar. I also fear about the long lasting besmirching of Jor-El's character. I liked the noble scientist who tried his best to save the world but could only save his child. Not this Mr. Oz character who seemingly knew about Zaar's plans to blow up the world.

Ivan Reis has shined on every Superman issue. But this issue with it's double page vertical spreads and space battles as well as family hugs and reunions is a tour de force. I knew I would love seeing Reis draw Supergirl. I didn't think I would love it this much.

On to the book.

Review: Supergirl #30

Supergirl #30 came out this week and definitely was something of a reviewing conundrum.

Frankly, I have grown tired of this arc. The angry Supergirl, Queen of the Axe, pulping hands as she wallows in rage, is not a Supergirl I want to read. A plot about finding scattered stones that took an Omega Man detour. A panel in comic admitting the plot wasn't progressing. Then a deus ex machina assembling of all the stones to bring the plot to a rapid close. And then, this issue, more rage wallowing. I just need this approach to end.

So this was not a good story to read.

That said, it was an absolutely gorgeous book to read. Kevin Maguire is back on art and just shines on every page. Yes, the story beats are rough. But boy, are they presented in a beautiful way. I found myself lingering on each page, just soaking it all in. I can't think up enough adjectives. Sumptuous? Phenomenal? Spectacular?

And, it seems, this portion of the story has come to a bit of a close. We end this issue with the opening of the next super-arc.

But have we reached the end of this spin on the 'dark Kara doesn't work, let's bring in a new creator who understands her' cycle?

Review: Supergirl #22

Supergirl #22 came out this week, the second chapter in the Marc Andreyko era, and a decent move forward in the storyline of Kara's space investigation of Krypton's destruction. I was heading into this new time with some trepidation. Steve Orlando and Jody Houser had really got their sea legs and were crafting great stories in this title just to have the Bendis-izing of the super-titles rock the boat. Plus, images of an axe-wielding Supergirl being portrayed as an enemy of the Green Lantern Corps seemed like a step backwards.

This second chapter does push the overall storyline forward nicely. We get a lot of internal monologue here which does a good job of telling us just what Kara is feeling here. I have a better sense now of why she is so hell-bent on this mission. There is a nod back to the Silver Age which made me smile. And Kevin Maguire hits another home run on art here, giving us every bit of expressive emotion he can in the art. And there is no doubt this book is linked to the ongoing Superman books. Overall, I liked this issue.

Not to say it wasn't perfect. I don't quite understand why Supergirl is being so secretive about her mission. She seems a bit all over the map here emotionally, more than I would expect from someone who has lived the New 52 life she has. I don't want all those lessons to simply be swept under the rug.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #258 - Supergirl meets Krypto, Sent Into Space

Marc Andreyko has sent Supergirl into space with Krypto to investigate Rogol Zaar. Here at the site, I am continuing my unofficial and somewhat random look at adventures with Supergirl in space. And what better issue to look at than Action Comics #258, Supergirl's first adventure in space and the story where she first met Krypto! I strive to have these back issue reviews have some bearing on current arcs. So this seemed perfect.

This story also plays into the Silver Age theme of Supergirl being extremely worried of letting Superman down and kowtowing to his various demands and rules. It also shows Superman to be a rather nasty individual, putting Kara through the wringer for reasons that don't warrant such harsh treatment. Supergirl was truly cringing in his shadow back then.  Remember, we are only 6 issues into her very existence.

Once again the creative team here is the legendary team of writer Otto Binder and artist Jim Mooney. And it pushes the Supergirl narrative forward a fair bit, not only with this ongoing theme of needing to prove to Kal that he can trust her but also by introducing her to more of the Superman universe.

I wish I owned the issue itself. Scans come from the Supergirl Archives, volume 1.

Onto the story!

DC Superhero Girls: Dog Day After School

I haven't reported on DC Superhero Girls cartoon shorts for a long time. It isn't due to lack of interest. They remain a fun little intro to the characters for kid.

But when they are Supergirl-centric and appropriate for the current climate, I feel obliged.

Recently, Supergirl starred in "Dog Day After School" (a nice pun for adults who remember Dog Day Afternoon) and as the name implies it involves a pooch. Given the recent reintroduction of the Super-Pets, I felt covering this now made perfect sense.

We start out with Supergirl flying her version of the super-mobile around the Metropolis skyline.

I have no idea why she would be flying a rocket instead of just flying. Perhaps there is a toy out there?

But the flight is interrupted when her 'Kryptonian proxmity alert' goes off. Is she that worried about other Kryptonians being both alive and around that she wants it available? That also seemed weird.

It turns out she is worried that maybe the alarm means that Kryptonian criminals have escaped the Phantom Zone. As that would be a tremendous disaster, I guess having an early warning alarm makes sense.

Batgirl is able to tell that it wasn't a malfunction. The alert triggered appropriately.

I love the worried look on Supergirl's face when hearing the news. She is sort of worried about the criminals. Maybe there is a back story there? Or are they simply like the boogey men of Krypton in her mind?

A team of heroes - Supergirl, Hawkgirl, and Beast Boy - head out to try to track down whatever triggered the alarm.

A quick loop of the city finds a number of fire hydrants knocked over.

And then a huge number of cats come scurrying around a corner as if being chased by something or someone. Luckily Catwoman arrives with her Cat-van to shelter them.

If you take a step back, you'll realize the team has an animal theme to it - Hawkgirl, Catwoman, and Beast Boy. Hmmm ...

Then the coffee shop run by Steve Trevor gets torn apart by something moving so fast that it is just a white blur.

There are just too many yummy treats in there for this thing to resist.

Ultimately, the team corners the perpetrator in the alley behind the store. It has the 'angry red eyes of anger'. Catwoman readies her whip. Beast Boy becomes a bear. It looks like it might come down to a 'tooth and claw' battle.

But then who comes bounding out and jumps into Kara's arms? Krypto!

And in this universe, Krypto is her dog. (I'm not even sure. Do Superman and Batman exist in this universe?) She is thrilled to have another piece of home and normalcy here on Earth now. And it is apparent that the schoolgrounds will have a new pet.

As usual, this is a fun little episode. There is something of a nice depth to Kara here, from her fear of the Phantom Zone criminals to her love of Krypto. As usual, Beast Boy is a comic relief character, trying to 'meow' some sense of calm into the cat crowd who simply ignore him.

And I haven't seen too much of Catwoman before so she was a nice addition.

I love DC Superhero Girls.

Review: Super Sons Annual #1

Super-Sons Annual #1 came out last week but really was more of a Super-Pets one shot with a dash of of our main characters. Jon and Damian appear in a framework sort of style, giving us some interaction at the beginning and end of the tale. But everything in the middle is all super-pets.

As these are animals, writer Peter Tomasi tells the tale with almost no dialogue. We get growls, meows, and coos. And so, as is sometimes the case with comics, the art really has to carry the story. Artist Paul Pelletier has to rely on the emotive expressions and body language of the pets to get across the vibe of the animal-only scene. Pelletier does an amazing job as I had no problem intuiting what each of the pets was thinking. And, in fact, at times, Pelletier seems to be drawing like Patrick Gleason or Jorge Jimenez, leaning into those artists' styles and giving this a very Super Sons feel.

For a long time Supergirl fan though, the biggest revelation of this issue was that Streaky the Super-Cat is back in continuity. Now historically, Streaky is a tomcat and belongs to Supergirl. He also had powers because of exposure to X-Kryptonite. Here, Streaky is a female cat. And how she got her powers remains a mystery. I hope that she isn't from Krypton. I also hope that eventually she will find her way in to Kara's life.

So this was a lot of fun. Glad I got it. On to the book.

Back Issue Box: Action Comics #306

A Kryptonian is somehow cursed with a death field, killing those they love the most when approached. With little choice, the Kryptonian is banished to the Phantom Zone until a cure can happen.

Sounds like Superman:Doomed, doesn't it?

In fact it is the Supergirl cover story in 1963's Action Comics #306, in a story by Leo Dorfman with art by Jim Mooney. We don't get to see the plot on the cover as Supergirl was the back-up feature.

But we get a cover when the story was reprinted in Adventure Comics #398. Look at this great piece by Dick Giordano!

One of the things that I love to do on this site is look back at Supergirl's history and review past issues that resonate with current stories. And this story sure does resonate!

It is a classic Silver Age Superman/Supergirl interaction on this cover with Superman chastising Supergirl. And look at that word balloon. "I have to do this Supergirl -- because everything you touch dies!" Replace Supergirl with Superman and you could have a line from a comic from this month - 51 years later!

Even the title of the story, "The Maid of Doom" reminds me of Superman:Doomed!

In the last chapter of Doomed, Superman gives Steel the key to the Phantom Zone projector, telling his friend to send him to the Zone if things get out of control. And here in this title panel we hear Superman sharing a similar sentiment.

I love the peaceful sort of angelic look on Kara. You know she is going willingly, to protect people.

The story starts out a bit dated, with Linda Danvers on a date with Dick Malverne. At the movies, she pretends to be scared of the monster to show she is a 'normal member of the fairer sex'. Okay ... you have to consider the timing of this story. But very quickly we see just how brave and strong Supergirl is.

She has been given a mission from the U.N. to deliver messages of peace to three war-mongering planets. One of them is the planet Mutor, ruled by the shape-changing Plasmos race.

Despite the harsh environments, Supergirl delivers the treaties.

When she returns, Supergirl approaches her cat Streaky. Suddenly, Streaky keels over dead, emanating some odd blue glow.

It pains Supergirl to see her beloved pet dead.

Almost immediately thereafter, Krypton arrives. When he is touched by Supergirl, he also suddenly dies and he also glows with blue energy.

Surmising that she must have picked up some odd form of radiation poisoning from one of the planet's she visited, Kara speeds home to tell her mother Edna.

Amazingly, when Edna rushes to comfort Supergirl, she touches Kara and doesn't die.

And when the two go to investigate further, the two dead super-pets are gone.

Did they disintegrate from the radiation? Turning to ash like those Superman kills in Doomed?

Or was this all some odd hallucination.

Supergirl heads to the Fortress. After some investigation she learns it isn't a Red Kryptonite fugue.

Heading back to Midvale, Supergirl runs into Mr. Mxyzptlk. She accosts him thinking that he must be behind the apparent deaths of the pets.

But this really isn't a hallucination. When Supergirl grabs Mxy, he dies ...glowing eerily blue as well.

There is nothing left for Supergirl to do but admit to herself that she kills any super-powered being she touches. She is a murderer.+

She begins leaving a taped account of her problems for Superman to find explaining what has happened. She has no choice but to banish herself to the past.

But before she can leave, Comet shows up. He talks to Kara telling her that he can help. But as he approaches ... you guessed it ... he also dies. Glowing blue, he has an odd last statement, noting the irony of wishing to help her but getting himself killed instead. 'What did I do ... to deserve this?'

Perfectly odd.

And as Supergirl tries to figure out what to do next, the dead bodies seem to disappear, a side effect of the radiation.

Finally, Superman shows up, ambling up to Supergirl. He convinces her to not go to the past because she could still kill people there. The only choice is to banish herself to the Phantom Zone until a cure is found for her affliction, similar to Mon-El. He tells Kara to fly to the Fortress and return to with the Phantom Zone Projector.

And, like the hero she is, Supergirl agrees that for the good of the world, she must leave. She is sent to the Zone. (Funny, why doesn't Superman know to do the same in Doomed?)

But why is Superman gloating? Have you figured it out?

It turns out that Superman is one of the shape-changing Plasmos from Mutor. When Supergirl delivered her statement of peace, they decided to attack. They sent their cleverest warrior to rid the world of Supergirl and Superman so they can invade.

We flashback to the beginning of the story. While Supergirl is still in space, the Plasmo comes to Earth and mimics Supergirl. He is able to convince Superman to take Kandor and the Super-pets into the future where a scientist has learned how to enlarge it.

Suddenly Supergirl is the only Super left on the planet.

Then the shapechanger begins his nefarious plot. He splits his body in two, becoming Streaky and Krypto. When Supergirl touches each 'pet', the Plasmo pretends to die, changing part of his body chemistry to glow blue.

As for the bodies disappearing, the alien changes into something else to reappear later. First he is the tree trunk near the trapdoor leading to the Danvers. (Hmmm ... I wondered where that came from.) Then he became Mxyzptlk and then Comet and then Superman.

With Supergirl in the Zone and now in possession of a Phantom Zone Projector, nothing can stop the evil invaders from Mutor!

Wrong!

Supergirl can stop the Mutor war mongers!

She arrives on their planet as they are planning their attack. The Phantom Zone projector is nothing but a flashlight. She never was sent to the Zone. She had figured the whole plot out beforehand. And know that the Mutorians know that their best agent was outwitted they need to sign a peace treaty.

And incredibly, the Mutorians roll over pretty quickly. Not only do they agree not to attack Earth. They agree to destroy all their weapons! Such is the power of Supergirl!

But how did she figure it out?

Well for one, Comet actually spoke to her ... like Mr. Ed! But Comet always telepathically talks to Supergirl.

For another, none of the 'supers' ever flew to her. Superman walked up to her. And asked her to get the projector. There is no other conclusion to reach other than Superman being an imposter.

Armed with that knowledge, she brought the fake Phantom Zone Projector and 'disappeared' so she could follow the phony and uncover the whole plot.

If there is one thing I love from the Silver Age Supergirl, it is the personality quirk of putting her finger to her face when thinking things through.

The other members of the Superman family return from the 40th century ruse to discover all that Supergirl has done. Not only did she figure out the plot, she got the peace treaty signed leading to peace.

And a proud Superman ... a proud world ... raise an S-shield flag to honor Supergirl!

Okay, so she didn't really have a death touch like Superman in Doomed. But I thought it was close enough to review here.

This is an interesting story. There is clearly an 'old school' feel to this story.  And yet the second half of the Adventure Comics issue is one of the Mike Sekowsky Supergirl stories. The cover is the 'New' Adventures of Supergirl. This was a time when Superman was being depowered by the sand creature Quarmm. This was a time when Wonder Woman was depowered and fighting with I Ching. And DC was trying to bring Supergirl into the modern world. Soon these quainter stories and reprints soon disappeared for a more 'modern' Kara, albeit one where she was depowered.

Still, I love this story showcasing a caring and self-sacrificing Supergirl who is also smart enough to outwit the villains and strong enough to make them change their ways. I really think this a great look at the maturing hero.

Overall grade: A

Review: Action Comics #5

Action Comics #5 came out this week and continues Grant Morrison's reimagining of the Superman mythos. While the first four issues have been showcasing a younger crusading Superman facing off against his first 'super-villain', this issue takes us back in time to the actual destruction of Krypton. It also begins a sort of side adventure straying from the 'Collector of Worlds' story arc for two issues.

At first I was against this sidestep of the main arc as I wondered if it just might be a way to give Rags Morales some time to catch up on art duties. But in classic Morrison manner, there is a method to the madness. This isn't simply a trip back in time but instead a story which temporally picks up where last issue ended. Brilliant.

It also does give us some back story to this activist Superman, letting us see the doomed planet, the desperate parents, and the kindly couple. Let's face it, this is Superman's origin. I'm glad that we finally get to see it in the DCnU.

Andy Kubert pencils the issue and provides his usual solid work despite having to deal with the multiple setting within the issue.

The issue opens with Krypton in its death throes. The planet is erupting around Jor-El and Lara. So much of the classic origin are recreated here. Jor-El's attempts to persuade the Science Council, his Space Ark plans are all there. But some new splashes are also there.

Superman's cape is actually his paternal grandfather's Kryptonian cloak. Krypto is a more wolf-like pet and is still there. I guess he didn't take an ill-fated test flight in this new world.

One thing I did like in this opening part of the scene was Jor-El's lamenting being right again.

The panels here are askew and angled adding to the seismic feeling of the pages.

In another new wrinkle, Jor-El considers pushing the family into the Phantom Zone as a way to escape the planet's destruction. Now this felt a bit like the Silver Age as we see a gaggle of psychopaths awaiting the Els on the other side of the glass, anxious to psychologically torture the family when they enter. While none are named, there is a Zod-appearing guy wearing a clawed gauntlet who actually almost escapes the 'anti-Universe' to physically attack Jor-El.

Heroically, Krypto forces "Zod" back in, smashing the portal as he does so.

Now how could that villain be able to leave from that side of the mirror? Is the glove the key? Is there unknown tech in the Zone? Or did someone send it to him?

At least we know the answer to the 'ghost dog' question posed last issue.

With no choice, Jor-El and Lara put Kal into the prototype rocket he just happens to have in his living room, activates the Brainiac A.I. and sends Kal off.

More goodness here. I like how Lara also helped design the rocket, the 'Mothermatician' she is. That is nice.

And the Brainiac A'I.'s narration of the story from here on out is a sort of physics epic poetry, both lyrical and clinical at the same time.

The fact that Brainiac is AI on Krypton makes me wonder if that means Jor-El co-opted some of the collector's tech when he took Kandor. Or maybe the Collector is a separate entity who gets inoculated with Brainiac in this arc. All too interesting.

After an initial bumpy ride, the ship's guidance system gets Kal to Earth. And discovered by the Kent's on the lonely Kansas road, Martha and John take the baby into their care.

I do like that the scene is updated such that search copters and government men are already combing the scene. There is no doubt things wouldn't be as easy as they were in Siegel and Shuster's original origin or even John Byrne's 'isolated by a massive blizzard' explanation. The Kents are showcased in the back-up feature and I'll review that soon.

As for the ship, without Kal it assessed the situation. As human converge on it, it senses our technology levels, our weaponry, and declares us 'apes with atom bombs'. Realizing that Kryptonian tech in our hands would be like giving a loaded gun to a baby, it goes into sleep mode ... that is until awakened by Kal last issue.

I have to say there was enough classic and novel in this origin so far to make me happy.

 I thought this whole issue was simply retelling the origin from the rocket's recorders.

But this is where things take an unexpected left hand turn. First off, now awakened by Kal, knowing that this is the dawn of super-heroics and super-villainy, the ship begins to morph, growing into an almost floral crystal form. Was this to be the beginning of the Fortress?

I think no. This sounds more monumental. Could this somehow be an evolution seed spurring the creation of super-beings? Could this be the 'origin' of the DCU on Earth? I wouldn't put it past Morrison to do something so trippy.

But before it can get too far, 'new evils' come and rip it's Kryptonite powered engine out of the chassis.

We see different shadows speaking with different word balloons. But recognize the clawed gauntlet from the first act, wielded by someone strong enough to crush Kryptonian sunstone? I guess "Zod" somehow does escape.

It also answers a question I had from Supergirl #4. Now it looks like Kryptonite did exist on Krypton before the explosion. Maybe it is uranium like as it is used as a fuel source here.

And here are the bad guys, mobilized by a 'mysterious benefactor'. One is identified as a version of the Kryptonite Man, the only one of the villains able to safely handle the K-Engine.

We learn that all the 'isotopes' of Kryptonite are here as well. Maybe synthi-K and Kryptonium are Blue and Red Kryptonite?

Again, the Kryptonite Man's comments about this is where it all started, gives this a more cosmic feel.

And the importance of the moment is solidified when Superman (clearly from the future as he is in his battle togs) arrives with a high-collared Legion. They were hoping to stop this wrinkle in time. The villains stealing the engine is a history altering event, something beyond the Time Trapper. Even the ship knows, if the engine isn't returned, no one will live.

I don't think I like this DCnU version of the Legion uniforms. All too Jim Lee for me. And Rokk looks down right evil, even Cosmic King-y.

Amazingly, this story looks like it is wrapped up next issue as Action Comics #7 is back to Morales on art and Superman trying to save the shrunk Metropolis.

I don't know about everyone else but I am really loving this title right now as we get solid fast paced story telling in the midst of a compelling young Superman and a rethinking of his origins. This issue continued that as this issue was almost perfectly paced with action sequences sandwiched around the calmer moment of the Kents' discovery. I hope we will see more of these earliest days, those Smallville days, at some point.

But for now, Morrison continues to pinball us as readers through this opening arc, shoe-horning a quick time travel story, big villains, and a new Legion in the middle of Superman's coming out party. Incredible. Add to the big plot all the nuances and details and language and you have a great book.

Overall grade: A

Review: Superman #712

Boy, a lot has been said about Superman #712, mostly about what wasn't in it ... the intended 'Grounded' story by Chris Roberson involving Muslim hero Sharif.

First, there was this very good article by Jill 'The Nerdy Bird' Pantozzi where she lays out why she thinks the story was dropped: http://blog.newsarama.com/2011/06/22/whats-missing-from-superman-712/
Given the recent concerns about Superman's patriotism (Goyer's story in Action Comics #900) and some concern about DC's lack of commitment to diversity, this would have to be a perfect issue not to put Superman into a tempest within a teapot.

Shortly after that Newsarama story, Bleeding Cool broke another story about the issue change here:
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/06/22/superman-712-not-changed-over-muslim-content-but-over-kitten-content/  Now the book was pulled not because of patriotism or Muslim issues but instead because Superman rescued a kitten a tree, a symbol of Superman that DC didn't like. Could this image be that awful as to scrap the whole issue? After all, there have been some pretty lousy images earlier in Grounded than that.

And then Comics Alliance put out there story about the change:http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/06/22/superman-712-muslim/ CA wondered if this kitten story was a sham, a snow job to move away from the fact that DC pulled the issue because of the recent kerfuffle with Superman's American leaning. This, of course, after Roberson's last issue being very pro-American doesn't make much sense. Nor does it make sense for DC to do this when they have been under the magnifying glass with the announcement of the reboot and the concerns by some of a lack of diversity.

As for me, I worried about this issue when it was announced. Much like other pieces of Grounded, it is tough to have Superman in a story centered around prejudice. Superman can never win that war and in the end usually comes out looking inept. Also, it sounded from the solicitation that Superman was going to be facing the ire of Americans who don't trust Sharif as a hero. That means once again we would have a story with people hating Superman and Superman feeling hated. And that wouldn't feel right given the turn around in the tone of Grounded these last 3 issues.

I am not saying I am against comic stories centered around the issues of race or sexuality or prejudice of any sort. It is just they need to be very good stories ... or else they come out as cringe-worthy as an after school special. Given what I have seen in Superman, I probably would trust Roberson more than Straczynski to pull this off. I guess we'll never know.

Instead of that story, we have the release of the Busiek/Leonardi Krypto story promised and shelved years ago. I am glad that we got to see this story finally.

With so much talk about this issue, I will be brief with the review of this sweet story.

The story is called 'Lost Boy' and shows us how Krypto is mourning the loss of Superboy. It starts out with a flashback of Conner playing frisbee with Krypto ... ultimately settling on a manhole cover as the sturdiest 'frisbee' he can use with a super-powered dog.

I am pretty blown away with Leonardi's art throughout the book. I mean his flying Krypto looks so natural flitting and darting around the skies.

The thing is the impact of this story has faded a bit. If this was released when Superboy was still dead it would resonate more than now when we have seen the two of them horsing around together again.

Of course, I think Krypto is probably going to be retconned away in 2 months so I am glad this was dusted off.

The remainder of the issue shows Krypto wondering why Superboy isn't around. We see him looking to the sky for Con. And then finally, he decides to follow any scent he can get of Superboy. And at each site we see him reliving memories of him and Superboy.

That brings him into to the Titans Tower in San Francisco.

Back to Smallville and the Kent's barn where she remembers Con and Cassie sharing a quiet moment. That top panel is one of those 'nice flying dog' panels.

And then finally to the Arctic, the site of Alex Luthor's vibrational tuning fork, and the site of Superboy's death at the hands of Superboy Prime.

This is a great scene, Krypto finally realizing why Superboy isn't around and then letting out that funereal howl. We see the howl on several places around the world, a super-howl of mourning.

But this panel with a small Krypto surrounded by the wreckage just feels sad.

And with that realization, Krypto heads to an asteroid to quietly grieve, his favorite toy by his side.

So a sweet story with a somber ending, simple and pure. But we know things change pretty quickly and Conner comes back. I don't know the whole story about why this story was scrapped way back when.

Why did DC scrap the Sharif story? We may never know the reason. But this was certainly my favorite 'Grounded' interlude.

Overall grade: B+