Interview With Landry Walker

I've been a big fan of writer Landry Walker  since his incredible work on Supergirl Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade book. He is definitely one of those creators whose work I immediately put on my pull file. The works tend to be very complex and layered, with a plot pushing forward but with incredible themes and concepts bubbling along too.

When I heard he was writing a horror book called The Butcher's Boy for Image, I reached out and asked for an interview. Luckily, he obliged. Of note, The Butcher's Boy is only three issues in and well worth looking for.

On to the interview.

Anj: Thanks for doing this.

The Butcher’s Boy comes right out of the gate as pretty stark horror. Is this the first pure horror book you’ve done? (As a 50+ year old, I grew up reading DC horror comics and watching all the horror films I could in the 80s. And I loved your Mad Hatter book.) 

LW: Not the first. Several years back I authored a Manga-style original graphic novel called House of Odd, which was part of the Dean Koontz Odd Thomas series. I collaborated with Dean on that one – he provided a short plot and cast of characters, and I filled out the rest.

I also have done a couple of shorts in Eerie Magazine over the years, and dabbled with a send-up of classic horror monster movies with the Little Gloomy series that Eric and I did (that later became a cartoon series called Scary Larry).

DC August 2020 Solicitations

The DC August solicits have been posted and for the most part they are simply the pre-COVID solicits resolicited with a nice addition. Here is a link"
https://www.newsarama.com/50230-dc-comics-august-2020-solicitations.html

One thing you won't see? Supergirl #41. As stated before, Supergirl #41 will only be available digitally. I am still a bit peeved about the whole thing. That said, we needed a new Supergirl book. A new direction. A creative team that actually likes the character. But when you end a character's title this way, it just makes the whole IP feel toxic. Will we get another Supergirl book any time soon?

SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8TH GRADE TP NEW EDITION
written by LANDRY Q. WALKER
art and cover by ERIC JONES

Supergirl’s cosmic adventure is back in print in this new all-ages book! Supergirl meets Belinda Zee, a new junior high adversary, in this all-ages title collecting the six-issue miniseries. And that’s just the start of the fun that includes super-powered pets and cosmic adventure!

Now this is a pleasant surprise.

One of the best Supergirl properties to come out in the last 2 decades, Cosmic Adventures is a treat. And it is the perfect Kara palate cleanser for the more recent mainstream DCU fare. Go out and buy it. And buy it for any young fan of the series. A young Lena plays a huge role.

And by all means, go back and read my reviews when the issues came out!

ACTION COMICS #1024

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. and KLAUS JANSON
variant cover by LUCIO PARRILLO
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by FRANK CHO

The city of Metropolis has been rocked by Luthor’s latest attack and the drama surrounding Superman’s truth, and that gives the invisible mafia a new foothold to change the City of Tomorrow forever. Meanwhile, the Daily Planet is under siege! The fallout from Superman: Villains continues as Clark Kent steps out into the world as a reporter for the first time.

I am still not a fan of John Romita Jr.

But I have been pleasantly surprised by how this Truth storyline has unfolded.

And you know I love the more city-based Action Comics plots. So looking forward to this.

SUPERMAN #24

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by KEVIN MAGUIRE and JOHN TIMMS
cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
variant cover by BRYAN HITCH
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO

Superman’s legendary susceptibility to magic is about to turn his life inside out and upside down. A mysterious new villain has come into Superman’s world to pit him against the most powerful sorcerer and agent for the Lords of Order: Doctor Fate!

There is a little bit of weird karma that Dr. Fate is going to get a big storyline in Superman so recently after Marty Pasko, the main Fate writer in the 80s, has passed.

I do want to see Maguire's take on Fate. Should be cool.

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #11

written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
art by CLAYTON HENRY
cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
card stock variant cover by JAE LEE 
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by JENNY FRISON

It’s Superman versus Batman as the deadly machinations of the Ultra-Humanite crash to their end! The Dark Knight has been transformed into a human atomic bomb, all in the name of wiping Superman from the face of the Earth! As Batman struggles against the urge to kill his friend, Superman must undo the damage done and help the other victims of the Ultra-Humanite’s experiments. It’s the thrilling conclusion to “Atomic” that will reverberate across the DC Universe for months to come!

As I said before, I love the Ultra Humanite.

And I am interested to see how the relationship between Batman and Superman is pushed forward in this book. Will Williamson continue the dual text boxes to see how they are thinking and how they feel about each other?

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #8

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by EVAN “DOC” SHANER, JEFF LEMIRE, DUSTIN NGUYEN, JOËLLE JONES, MICHAEL AVON OEMING, LIAM SHARP, ANDRÉ LIMA, SANFORD GREENE, CULLY HAMNER, YANICK PAQUETTE, DAN HIPP, DAVID MACK, DARICK ROBERTSON, DAN JURGENS, BILQUIS EVELY, FABIO MOON, MICHAEL ALLRED, RYAN SOOK, ALEX MALEEV, JOHN TIMMS, DUNCAN ROULEAU, and NORM RAPMUND
cover by RYAN SOOK
variant cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN

Beginning a special two-part comics storytelling event! Over the course of two spectacular issues, 44 artists will dive into the 31st century—with each page starring a different Legionnaire! It starts when the team is arrested by a galactic authority that does not approve of the Legion—and it leads into an intergalactic showdown that will affect every member of the team!

Looks like a new issue for me to bring to conventions and try to collect signatures! That is a murderers' row of names. I can't wait to see this book. I mean, they had me at Fabio Moon. But there are many favorites listed here.

I do love that each page gives us a different team member. We haven't really met the whole team yet so this will be a good primer.

YOUNG JUSTICE #17

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS and DAVID F. WALKER
art by SCOTT GODLEWSKI
cover by JOHN TIMMS
variant cover by MIRKA ANDOLFO

This very special issue focuses directly on the friendship at the heart of Young Justice: Conner, Tim, and Bart—a.k.a. Superboy, Drake, and Impulse. As younger men, these three iconic heroes built Young Justice on their friendship. Now their dream has grown and changed as much as they have. And with the demands of adulthood pulling them in different directions, they realize that nights like this one may never happen again.

With Supergirl off the board, maybe I should add Young Justice to the review list. I mean, technically, there is a Super-family member here.

I like these characters and I like what Bendis is doing here.

Hey at least we have comics!

Still, I am irked. No print Supergirl. It again proves they just don't care.

Review: The Last Siege #8

The Last Siege #8, the final issue in this mini-series, came out this week and was a bloody finish to an incredible story. No big surprise on the visceral factor. I compared this movie to 'Seven Samurai meets Braveheart' at some point. But there was for me a surprise at the end of this story. But as I have heard Landry Walker say in the past, 'give the audience what they need, not what they want.'

There is so much that I have liked about this book, all spelled out in prior reviews. To reiterate, there is a very cinematic feel to this story, leaning into certain film genres like 'spaghetti westerns' with extreme close-ups getting more and more focused.

The art has been raw and gritty with Justin Greenwood managing the pacing and page layout expertly. Sometimes it is just a panel of an eye. Other times it is a battle of armies. Other times, the panels tilt more as we read, mirroring the action of the characters. Colorist Brad Simpson started out with a palette of purples and grays but quickly has moved to oranges and yellows as the battle field has gone ablaze.

For me, it is the story that fuels this. Tomislav, the absentee prince who returns home from carousing to find his land in ruins. Istva, the warlord king who thinks fear and power leads to nobility. And most importantly Lady Cathryn who has to grow from innocent girl playing with dolls to battle scarred leader over the course of days. It is truly her story. She is the one who grows here, changes.

I am sad to see this book ending and would recommend folks seek out the trade. It is definitely worth it.

Review: The Last Siege #7

The Last Siege #7 came out last week, the penultimate issue of this extremely enjoyable mini-series.

I have been reviewing comics on this site for 10 years and there are a few sayings that crop up every so often.

One is 'big moments need big art', a statement I make when a splash page is utilized appropriately to convey the enormity of a moment.

Another is 'when words and art complement each other, comics is at its best'.

The former applies to this issue. The latter does not.

This issue portrays the title. This is the siege moment. This is Istvan's army storming Lord Aedon's castle. It is told in a series of two page spreads, one side a splash, the other side, panels conveying smaller moments of action. There is a thread in the book, a series of panels designed to build suspense in the tale, told through panels growing larger and brighter. This whole book is big art. And for the battle that has been brewing this whole mini-series, it is thrilling.

But, amazingly, this is a 'silent issue'. There isn't one spoken word. There isn't one text box. There isn't one 'meanwhile'. Words can't complement the story. There are no words. Instead, the art has to carry the story. The pace of the battle. The passing of time. That increasing suspense. The characters' thoughts and feelings. It all has to be shown, not told.

And it all works.

Even the cover is part of the story. A torn doll lying in the rubble of a castle under attack. It shows a loss of innocence. Queen Cathryn cannot be a child anymore. Not here. The image tells us that.

Kudos to writer Landry Walker and artist Justin Greenwood for this accomplishment. Congratulations to colorist Brad Simpson for his use of yellows and oranges for this fire-drenched battle. Amazing.

Review: The Last Siege #4

The Last Siege #6 came out last week and continues to be an ultra-dramatic story racing towards its conclusion.

I have said all along that this movie has been playing out in my head like a film, Braveheart meets The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly meets Seven Samurai. From the pacing to the panel composition to the plot, it all feels like a Spaghetti Western hopped up on mead. And I have loved every minute of it.

Writer Landry Walker has done a great job bringing this tale up to a roiling boil. After issues of set-up and back story, the pieces are all on the board. And now the board is on fire. Incredible. Along with this deliberate ratcheting up the action, we still get great character beats. We learn the history of Tomislav and Istvan both within the illustrated comic and in the text pieces in the back. We see Lady Cathryn go from innocent silent girl playing with dolls to wounded combat leader rallying the troops. This has been a meaty read from all angles.

Artist Justin Greenwood continues to bring us a bleak gritty landscape with his inky work. But one thing I have appreciated along the way has been his ability to convey information through body language. In this book, you can feel the weariness in the beaten warriors' bones. You feel the nervousness of the characters fleeing the carnage. So much is said without words.

Rounding out the team is Brad Simpson on colors. Given the amount of gore and fire in this chapter, we get a brighter palette than the usual one for this book. We are bathed in yellows and oranges that bring the story out of the shadows. We also have Pat Brosseau on lettering and he brings his usual panache.

I've been thrilled with this book so far. The end is nigh!

Review: Last Siege #5

The Last Siege #5 came out last week and this title continues to impress me. As I have said before, this book has played out in my mind like a movie. At times the art has felt like storyboards. The panel layouts and viewpoints and extreme closeups have reminded me of spaghetti westerns or Kurosawa films. Trust me, all of that is high compliment. I have loved this story.

This issue, in one brief moment and one panel, I was thrust away from film and back into the comic book form. We'll get there I promise. But when something jarring or different happens in a book the way this did, I was shocked. And that is the best compliment of all. Because after reading comics as long as I have, being shocked is hard to come by. It's a small moment for sure ... but it mattered. So kudos to artist Justin Greenwood for bring this wonderful style to the book.

Best yet, writer Landry Walker starts to peel back the origins of the mysterious swordsman who has been protecting this last castle. We learn his name and his backstory.  We see how he is linked to the warlord King running roughshod across the land. We see how imagery from early in this book is paid off here. It all just clicks.

My comic store has been getting only a handful of these issues each month. So head out and find them or buy the eventual trade. You won't be disappointed.

On to the book.

Review: The Last Siege #4

The Last Siege #4 came out last week and once again it was one of the most cinematic books that I have read recently. Everything about this title screams film to me. From my description of this as spaghetti western meets Braveheart, to the way the panels flow almost like storyboards, this comic plays out in my mind while I am reading it like a movie. And that is high praise. Because comics are all about filling in the gutters, about intuiting what happens between panels. When a book flows the way this one does, it is magical.

To put it in even stronger terms, I am starting to hear a score in my mind when I am reading this, from percussion beats as our hero is kicking down a door to frenetic strings as our Queen is running on rooftops dodging arrows.

Writer Landry Walker continues to slowly unwind this story of a single castle holding off the hordes of a warlord conqueror. But that external threat still hasn't manifested. Instead we have been shown the internal conflict within the walls of those who are willing to fall in line with the current regime even if it means losing their souls and those holding on to their integrity and identity. It all unfolds in the midst of brutal scenes of violence which makes it all the more glorious.

The art team consists of penciler Justin Greenwood, colorist Eric Jones and letterer Pat Brousseau. They bring a muddy and murky feel to everything here, creating the perfect tone for this dark play. Even when blood is shed, it is more of a black ink than a shock of red. It complements the writing perfectly.

This is the halfway point and it feels as though we have hit the apogee. Our queen has finally talked both in word and in deed. No turning back now.

Review: The Last Siege #3

The Last Siege #3 came out last week and continues to be the perfect meld of samurai drama, spaghetti western cinematography, and medieval warfare. Despite that heavy smorgasbord of genres, there is a slight injection of racial and gender politics into this little battlefield story. Simply put, I am loving it. You could write this like a simple barbarian story if you wanted. But it is this depth that makes this special.

One of the things that really strikes me about this book is the multi-layered story that writer Landry Walker is presenting to us. There is internal strife within the walls of this last castle. There are power struggles on a political scale. There are brawls on a street level. And all of this is happening while combat is about to come to this land from a national scale. How can this one small estate hold off the armies of the warlord king when it can barely maintain stability on its own? The house's leadership needs to get settled before it can face off against a country.

This issue is all about this internal struggle. The Easterner who has arrived with papers declaring him in charge is trying to shore up the defenses of this place while mentoring the Queen. The knight Feist, who had power stripped from him, is back with a vengeance. He wants to rule, humiliate the Easterner, and abuse the Queen, all as a way to usurp power. And while we get plenty of sword and shield action, blood smeared everywhere, I am most intrigued with the Queen character. She hasn't said one word before this issue. She seems a child. And yet, I think there is steel in her, conviction. Despite all of Feist's haughty cries about debasing her, I think in the end she will emerge as the leader this place needs.

The art by Justin Greenwood and Eric Jones continues to fit the narrative perfectly. For me, the whole book reads like a movie. From the gritty mud to the battered mugs, with extreme closeups, odd angles and panel shapes, to whirling points of view, I feel like I am reading a film. Everything complements each other. This book crackles. High praise indeed.

On to the book.

Review: Last Siege #2

The Last Siege #2 came out this week and continued to weave a fascinating story of mixing medieval with samurai/spaghetti western sensibilities. A sole castle is holding out against a marauding warlord who is taking over the land. A lone stranger, well versed on martial arts, arrives to the leaderless castle with a decree from the dead king that he is in charge. Whether it is Yojimbo or The Magnificent Seven, a stranger aiding an overmatched land is a well traveled road. But that in medieval times feels fresh.

With the plot established last issue, writer Landry Walker decides to use this second chapter to nudge the story forward as well as giving us character motivation and depth. We are sort of in the same place we were at the end of the last issue but we know have a better sense of where we are going.

Really, the power of this issue is contrasting the stranger and his approach to the situation to that of Feist, the soldier almost put in charge of the castle. One is ordered and strategic. The other is unhinged and brutish. There will be more conflict ahead.

The art by J.K. Greenwood and Eric Jones really complements the plot points extremely well. It is the power of comics! Meshing words and art! There is that raw feel to the proceedings. fitting of the time period. But the Feist sections are intentionally muddy and almost messier, giving Feist a certain feel.
And yes, I got to the store early enough to get this moody Gabriel Hardman variant. Fantastic.

I'm enjoying this book a lot.

Review: The Last Siege

I have been a fan of the creative team of Landry Walker and Eric Jones for some time now, following them from Supergirl Cosmic Adventures to Danger Club and beyond. So when I heard they were being joined by artist Justin Greenwood on the Image book The Last Siege I knew I would be there.

Now Cosmic and Danger Club are two very different styles of books so I didn't know what to expect with The Last Siege. It leans more towards the darker end of the thematic spectrum mixing medieval politics with sword play and desperate battles. I have been trying to come up with a sort of elevator pitch shorthand for the book and I guess I would say it's "Seven Samurai meets Braveheart meets Yojimbo". But even that sells it short for what I am sure will be an exploration of power and the corruption of power throughout the story.

Walker brings the reader into this first issue effectively, going back and forth between two plotlines which are inextricably linked and therefore laying the foundation for what the story is about. In particular, the opening pages are quite cinematic and let's the reader know this isn't going to be a sunny romp.

Greenwood's art is new to me but very much works here. I think of medieval times as a sort of dingy, rough time period and there is a raw quality to the linework here which just puts me into the story. You can feel the grime and grit as warriors battle in the rain.

I'm in and hope you will give it a try.

Happy Anniversary! Top Ten List of Top Supergirl Moments of the Last 10 Years

It is absolute insanity to realize that I have been blogging about Supergirl for ten years now. I hope I have maintained the passion for her and DC in the entries that made me think of starting a site to begin with.

One of my favorite posts to do each year is my 'Best Moments' of the year. I review all of the comics Supergirl appeared in, I make a file of all the biggest moments from those reviews. I then prune what is usually a big folder of 30-40 moments down to something like 12-15 of the best. And then from there, I pick honorable mentions and rank a top ten.

With my tenth year anniversary approaching, I realized I had done ten "end of the year" 'Best Moments' posts. And that means I had my ten #1 Supergirl moments for the past decade.

So I thought, as a celebration of my anniversary, I would look at the #1 Supergirl moments for the last ten years and then rank them, making a Top Ten of the Top Ten list. This would therefore create an ultimate #1 Supergirl moment for the last decade!

A couple of caveats. One, I limited this to the actual #1 moments I picked each year. With the passage of time, I don't know if I would rank them as a #1 now. But I have to keep them. Two, I not only ranked them based on overall importance to the character but also my personal reaction to the moment. If this floored me but now is forgotten, it still might rank high.

So settle in for the Top Ten Supergirl moments of the last decade, based on my #1 Supergirl moments for each of the last 10 years. And settle in ... because I discuss each moment!

April 2016 Solicits

The DC Comics solicits for April came out this week and there were a few welcome surprises. Here is a link to the complete list over on Comic Book Resources:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/justice-league-turns-50-harley-quinns-presence-grows-dc-comics-april-2016-solicitations

The big news for me was that the main universe Supergirl is finally mentioned. We haven't heard from her since the last issue of her solo title. More on this when we hit the appropriate solicit.

And it is clear that DC finally realizes that the Supergirl show is a hit and they should try to cash in on her surge in popularity. The choices they are making are mixed in my mind. But more on that later too.

Onto the relevant solicits.

JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 #11
Written by KEITH GIFFEN and J.M. DeMATTEIS
Art and cover by SCOTT KOLINS

Now that the Justice League is aware of Lady Styx’s ultimate plan, the team is forced to stand its ground to save the human race from extinction. Little do they know that Eclipso is hot on their tails! Plus, the Justice League may have a traitor in its midst.

As the 'go to' book for Supergirl these days, I am glad that JLA 3001 has survived another month without the dreaded 'final issue' tagline. But I worry. Twelfth issues are a perfect spot for the axe.

Giffen and DeMatteis keep pushing things in this book. I assume this is Sinestro on the cover, one more survivor from the 21st century.

I keep wondering if there will be some Twilight Zone ending to this book. Like this universe is a version of comic book hell or purgatory.

DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS #11
Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT
Art by ELIZABETH TORQUE and MIRKA ANDOLFO
Cover by ANT LUCIA

The first of a two-part epic finale to the first year of the war! Tenebrus unleashes an undead army upon London as the Battle of Britain begins, and Amanda Waller’s Bombshells are united at last. But will even the combined might of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batwoman, Stargirl, Aquawoman, Dr. Light and Big Barda be enough to protect a city under siege? Or will one of the Bombshells be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice?

As the second 'go to book' for Supergirl, I am glad this book is such a hit. I have been eagerly awaiting the time when all the Bombshells team up as a team. Looks like we are finally there. How can you not love this cover with Supergirl, a machine gun toting Amanda Waller, and Big Barda!

This book has been a completely delicious treat.

ACTION COMICS #51
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by FERNANDO PASARIN
Cover by KARL KERSCHL
Variant cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and KLAUS JANSON

Superman is shocked to learn that Kara has been missing for some time as part three of “Super League” begins! Now, with Batman’s help, Kal-El is on his cousin’s trail—but he can’t believe where it’s leading him and who she has joined!

Hurray! Supergirl is mentioned.
Well ... I hope hurray.

There are things that bother me about this solicit which makes my 'I generally don't trust the current DC to treat Supergirl right' feelings surge a bit. First off, Peter Tomasi hasn't exactly wowed me in recent days with his stories.

Second, Clark is shocked to learn that Kara has been missing? I guess he doesn't care about his one surviving family member to keep track of her. This seems off given what seemed like a closer relationship in the closing issues of her book by K. Perkins and Mike Johnson.

Third, he is surprised to see who she has joined? If they make Supergirl dark again, have her join a villain group, I'll be really disappointed. I am hoping its the Legion!

Lastly, we haven't seen Supergirl in months. She is now a TV star. She doesn't merit a spot on the cover?

I generally don't trust DC to treat the main universe Supergirl well. Should I have optimism?

SUPERMAN #51
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by MIKEL JANIN
Cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and KLAUS JANSON
Variant cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and DANNY MIKI
On sale APRIL 6 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

It’s the start of a new chapter in the Man of Steel’s life that will change everything you know as the epic eight-part “Super League,” all written by Peter J. Tomasi, spans BATMAN/SUPERMAN, SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN and ACTION COMICS in April and May!
His time without powers made Kal-El realize that the world is in need of more protectors...more super-powered beings like himself. But where will he find such beings?

And now the premise of the next crossover is revealed. The world needs more protectors? More than the Justice League?

I hope Tomasi can deliver. And I look forward to seeing Mikel Janin on a Superman issue.

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #31
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
Cover by YANICK PAQUETTE
Variant cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and KLAUS JANSON

In part two of “Super League,” Superman enlists Batman’s aid in seeking out people that can help form his new super-league. A shocking discovery is made about a new super-being no one knew existed, and something is beginning to stalk Superman...

Interesting and eye-grabbing cover by Yanick Paquette here. He has been killing it in recent months on these books' covers.

I wonder if this new super-being is the pre-Flashpoint Superman? Is it a new character or reboot of an older character? And interesting to see Mahnke on this book.  Ed Benes is on the SM/WW book this month.

SUPERMAN: LOIS AND CLARK #7
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art and cover by LEE WEEKS
Variant cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and DANNY MIKI

The cosmic menace of Hyathis hits Earth—and this Superman may not be enough to stop her from obtaining the power of the Oblivion Stone. And is Jon starting to manifest superpowers of his own?

So Supergirl being back in the Superman book was the biggest surprise of the month. But this was the second. Don't ask me why I love the old DC character Hyathis but I do. She's awesome. So to see that she is one of the big bads in this book (which I also love) was a very pleasant surprise.

Hyathis!!

SUPERMAN: THE COMING OF THE SUPERMEN #3
Written by NEAL ADAMS
Art and cover by NEAL ADAMS

As Superman tries to find answers as to why Darkseid’s son, Kalibak, has kidnapped a young Middle-Eastern boy and his dog, three other Kryptonians have come to watch over Earth. Meanwhile, the planet Nibiru, which became New Krypton for the liberated Kandorians, is preparing to host Darkseid as he attempts to subjugate their world to make it his New Apokolips.

This book is going to be crazy. I don't know if I have anything more to say. That solicit is nuts.

SUPERGIRL BOOK ONE TP
Written by PETER DAVID
Art by GARY FRANK, CAM SMITH, TERRY DODSON and KARL STORY
Cover by GARY FRANK and CAM SMITH

In this 1990s reimagining of the Girl of Steel, Lex Luthor’s familiar synthetic creation “Matrix”—who mimics Superman’s powers—merges with human girl Linda Danvers to create a new Supergirl! So why does everyone believe she’s dead? And what is the secret behind Linda Danvers’ evil past? Collects issues #1-9, SUPERGIRL PLUS #1, SUPERGIRL ANNUAL #1, and a story from SHOWCASE ’96 #8.

And then a couple of nice surprises. DC has been putting out more Supergirl trades and collections which is always welcome. People who come here know how much I love David's take on Matrix and Superman. So I am happy to see this trade reprinted. But unlike the last version, this one includes Supergirl Plus and Supergirl Annual #1, neither which impact the story dramatically. I wonder if these were put in as an incentive for people who own the original printing to buy this one.

This isn't Kara Zor-El. But it is a great read.

SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE EIGHTH GRADE TP NEW EDITION
Written by LANDRY Q. WALKER
Art and cover by ERIC JONES

Supergirl’s cosmic adventure is back in print! Supergirl meets Belinda Zee, a new junior high adversary, in this all-ages title collecting the six-issue miniseries. And that’s just the start of the fun that includes super-powered pets and cosmic adventure!

And then another great great surprise! Another printing of Cosmic Adventures.

Maybe ... just maybe ... if sales are great ...
WE'LL GET A SEQUEL!!!

So some interesting stuff for April. Hopefully Tomasi writes a good Supergirl.

An Early Holiday Gift: Belinda Zee

I was on Twitter the other day and I asked Eric Jones for an early Christmas gift.

I have never understood why DC hasn't published more Cosmic  Adventures of Supergirl. Landry Walker and Jones clearly want it. Lots of Supergirl fans want it. It is a no-brainer.

Anyways, I was bemoaning the lack of new Belinda Zee in my life and asked Jones for a doodle and he obliged, posting this new picture on Twitter.

Since some people might have missed it and since it is so fantastic and since I really miss the character, I thought I should share here. Heck, I might make a t-shirt to wear at next year's conventions.

Now, if only DC would do the right thing and put out a sequel!

New Cosmic Adventures Art??

Since 2009 I have been begging DC Comics for a sequel to Supergirl:Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade. Landry Walker and Eric Jones created a phenomenal all-ages Kara book which just resonated with everyone who read it. Old school Supergirl fans loved it. New fans loved it. It was truly all-ages in that all ages were entertained. The book was lauded on social media and is consistently listed on 'best of Supergirl' lists.

Walker and Jones had grand plans as well. They had plans for every year through to the end of high school.

Still, DC has never solicited a second mini-series.

With Supergirl being everywhere because of the publicity push of the show, Comixology put a whole slew of Kara stories on sale including Cosmic Adventures. And to promote the sale, Walker and Jones got together again to produce this advertisement with .... gasp ... new Cosmic Kara art.

I love it.

This is clearly their Kara, but she looks a little bit older than the tween we met in the eighth grade. She looks great.

And I have seen a little more than this single pic. This is a story waiting to be told.

The world is clamoring for a new Supergirl book.
Why not Cosmic Adventures in the Ninth Grade?

DC Comics ... take my money!!!

30th Anniversary Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 - Creators Thoughts

With today being the last day of July, I am ending my 30th anniversary review of Crisis on Infinite Earths #7. Throughout this month I have reviewed the issue, the decision to kill Supergirl, an immediate response to her death from someone supposedly in Supergirl's fandom, the merchandise generated by the issue, and finally how the death of Supergirl rippled forward into future incarnations.

Over the course of this month's review I have also talked about my own feelings about the death of Supergirl.

In the immediate aftermath, I was upset. DC had felt that Supergirl was expendable.

In the years after, I have softened, realizing that this moment was a crucial moment in comic's history and it is Supergirl's moment. It gives her current incarnations a sense of legacy, that when she dies it will be saving the universe.

I appreciate Crisis for what it has done for her as a character and a legend.

I thought I would reach out to some of the more recent creators who wrote Supergirl after the Crisis. And wanted to hear their thoughts about the Crisis and Supergirl. I want to extend a huge thanks to Landry Walker and Mike Johnson sending me some Supergirl love!

Landry Walker:
In many ways, Crisis was my introduction to Supergirl. I was familiar with the character but hadn't invested myself in her previously. I know that in many ways this will be an unpopular opinion, but Supergirl's death in Crisis defined her in a way that other heroes were largely lacking. Her willingness to throw everything into the fight, her optimism in the face of adversity. I read the story of her death over and over, and in doing so became a fan, not just of Supergirl, but also of the finite nature of the heroic journey.

In this way, the story has affected my writing. I was maybe 14 years old at the time, but I was already growing tired of the infinite carousal that is a comic characters life. Supergirls' death (for me) did not weaken her or diminish her. It defined her. I could step back and look at the entire history of the character  - much in the way we might with a character of Greek myth. And like any great mythological hero, her story is one tinged with both elation and tragedy. Carrying that with me, I now look to endings of stories to determine their quality. And stories that don't end, like the endless cycle of reboot and relaunch that is mainstream comics, rarely interest me either as a writer or as a reader.

Mike Johnson:
I confess: when I was a kid, I wasn't a Supergirl fan. To this obnoxious little boy, girls were annoying cootie-laden creatures that secretly terrified me. I wasn't NOT a Supergirl fan. She didn't seem to annoy Kal-El too much. But it wasn't until CRISIS #7 that I really appreciated how great a character she was... and by then it was too late. I think CRISIS caused a whole generation of readers to grow up. We'd never seen good vs. evil on that scale before. We'd never seen sacrifice like that. And there was no greater sacrifice than Supergirl's. Eventually I grew up, cooties actually began to seem like a good thing, and by then I was a die-hard Kara fan. When I lucky enough to have the opportunity to write her adventures years later, I went back and re-read CRISIS #7. It hits as hard today as it did then. But, like all iconic characters, Kara has endured. She always will. 

Thanks to Landry and Mike for their comments.

And thank you all for sticking with me this month as I remembered and revisited Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 on its 30th anniversary. It has been interesting for me to sort through my own feelings about this issue as I reviewed it. 

Would love to hear anyone's last thoughts about this issue as the month closes. 

Review: Danger Club #8

Last week, Danger Club #8 came out ... twice ... ending this great mini-series, written by Landry Walker with art by Eric Jones. Now I have sung the praises of this book on the blog before so, no big surprise, I really love this finale. 

As I have said before, this is a complex book which can be read on so many levels. You can enjoy the surface story, seeing these sidekicks suddenly thrust alone into a Crisis-style disaster and scrambling to save the universe. And, on that level, with a brilliant Kid Vigilante, a miniaturized Tokyo, a mad Captain America analog rewriting time, it completely works.

But for me, the more fascinating layer has been looking at this book as a discussion on comic book continuity in general. How universal rewrites can warp the intent of characters, leading to disastrous interpretations, and eventually overall instability. From the golden/silver age opening pages to the Image-esque splash page to the near unrecognizable brutality of the current line, this book has walked us through comic history. Brilliant.

This issue is a mostly a big-scale brawl against the villain Chronos but it ends with another universal rewrite. That reminded me of Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 in which the bulk of that issue was a fight with the Anti-Monitor but ended with the DCU being finally streamlined.

One of my favorite parts of this whole series has been these opening retro-pages. These have been reflections of prior times in comics but also echoes of the prior timelines in this Danger Club universe. This is the way things used to be before the American Spirit/Chronos wrote and rewrote and rewrote the timelines.

This issue looks like a Lee/Kirby era book. The heroes poses, the title 'Lo, the end is Nigh!', the Romita-style Jack Fearless in the lower half feels like an old school Marvel book.

But it still shows us the big event of the story ... the older heroes being betrayed and disappearing leaving the sidekicks to try to survive.

 Last issue was the third issue in a row in which the universe winked out of existence and seemed to be reformed. Kid Vigilante is in Olympus begging for the elder gods to lend their power.  The Magician, existing outside of time, finally cast the Apocatastasis spell, looking at all the timelines and choosing one.

Most interesting, the Magician picked the main timeline of this book, the brutal era we have seen these sidekicks exist in. But it is his timeline, his home.

And Chronos is suddenly back on the timeline he destroyed two issues back.

With little time, a dying Jack Fearless, Ladybug, and the rest of the team on Earth engage.

Meanwhile, back in Olympus, Kid Vigilante continues to plead his case. The Gods know what Chronos means, what will happen if Chronos succeeds. He needs their power ... even rival Apollo's.

There is something very classic about this, the Greek pantheon fighting Chronos. And I love Jones' interpretation of Artemis, Hermes, Hephaestus, Ares, Aphrodite, and Athena.

On Earth, all the pieces of Kid Vigilante's plan start to come together.

Jack Fearless, his power at critical levels, activates a flying fortress powered by the Omphalos stone, a weapon mentioned in a prior flashback page and known to be effective against the gods. He teleports Ladybug to safety flies towards Chronos.

Meanwhile, the Magician begins downloading Kid Vigilante's memories into the body of his twin brother. Vigilante is only able to talk to the gods because he is dead, his brains shot out a few issues ago. He needs a place to come back to.

And finally, he does, animating his brother's body, fueled by the essence of the gods.

Talk about a crazy plan!

The risks are incredible ....

Fearless does his job, going on a suicide run with the Omphalos-ship, skewering Chronos with its power.

And then, right behind, is Vigilante, flying with the avatars of the gods, and flying through Chronos and killing the mad titan.

Dying, all the divine creative energy that Chronos had stolen is released into the universe. The stars realign. There is rebirth to this world.

Now throughout this title, we have had homages and callbacks to key events and eras in comics.

There is no doubt that this page of the older generation of heroes returning is a take on Kingdom Come. Brilliant!

Many of us know that Kingdom Come was a warning to comics about the direction comics were going in that time, of things getting more brutal and insane. Instead of recognizing it as a warning, DC looked at it as a recipe to make things even grimmer.

So what will happen here.

Now think of what Kid Vigilante has just done.

Recognized the universal threat. Concocted a plan to defeat him. A plan that hinged on his getting killed and convincing divine beings to resurrect him and empower him. A plan that involved killing a mad god. And then had to have the dying mad god's energy lead to a cosmic rebirth.

So what does his suddenly alive father, the 'Batman' of this universe say to him?

'Acceptable.' And then he walks away!

Kid Vigilante, dripping blood, looking like a revenant, looks floored.

I was floored.

This is comics these days. 'Batman' so aloof and infallible that this miracle is only 'acceptable'. This was a gut punch, the ending that I deserve as a reader who has been a willing participant in the slow devolution of many comics and characters.

The new universe is the old universe, the blood soaked reality seen in the first issue.

These sidekicks can never be children again.

This should be a glorious victory, one that makes the characters (and me) exhilarated and happy.

But I am far from it.

But wait ... there's more!

Walker and Jones knew this book was too big to be saddled with just one ending.

And so they came out with a second ending, a second Danger Club #8, with a similar but more tattered appearing cover. This is what my comics used to look like before I slavishly bagged and boarded them, creased, rolled, and readable anywhere.

The bulk of the story mirrors the other issue. Except now, the death of Chronos leads to his temporal energy being released and recreating all the universes, all the timelines that the American Spirit had destroyed.

Now we get a much more Silver Age ending, Vigilante gets thanked as he should. This time he is told that he did a good job. And he is called 'son'. They shake hands. Suddenly, there is a world where these characters can be heroes again.

Look at the smiling Kid Vigilante here. His mask isn't one from his own blood streaming from his eyes.

Now there is once again a multiverse where everyone can live.

I needed this second ending. But I deserve the first.

I really love this book. It pains me to think that it was lost on the shelves, harmed by a delay in the middle. Because it is such a meaty read. It is brilliant.

I can only hope that a trade comes out with the entire series. And I would love some foreword or back matter by the team explaining their hopes and ideas of the series. We need books like this out there, commentary on comics.

So which ending did you prefer??

Overall grade: A

Review: Red Lanterns #40

What do you do when you are a good person, trying to do good, but grow weary of fighting a battle that is truly never-ending? What do you do when fatigue sets in? When you lose sight of all the good you have done, instead focusing on everything else that still needs to be helped? What do you do?

Red Lanterns #40 strives to answer those questions.

It shows us a Guy Gardner who has just about reached his limit. He is a good man. He is trying to purge the world of Atrocitus' plague of rage. But no matter how much he does, there is always more madness, more rage, more death and horror. And despite realizing that he will never be able to win this war, he plods on. He is broken man, despondent, exhausted, trying to do good but about to lose hope.

Landry Walker writes this brilliant issue looking at a super-hero burned out from the fight. This is the last issue of Red Lanterns and so why not make it a character driven issue, focusing on Guy, and giving us an open-ended finale. I worry if this gem will somehow be lost on the racks, the forgotten 'last issue' of a corner of the universe about the be rebooted.

There were parts of this issue that truly resonated with me. There are times where the grind is about to finally pulverize me and then suddenly I am reminded  to keep my eyes on the prize.

And as usual, Jim Calafiore's thick lined is perfect for this book.

In the last three issues, we have seen Guy trying to root out all the pockets of rage left by Atrocitus. We have seen him wade in the abattoir of a destroyed town. We have seen him battle a rage vampire. Around every corner is some depravity, some reminder of how cruel and terrible humanity can be.

Even Guy realizes that wearing a Corps ring changes a person. Makes them someone different.

Being a Red, seeing all the things he has seen, exposing himself to this mad rage has changed him. Look at this panel with Guy sporting this mane of hair, those sullen eyes, that crazed grimace. He has seen too much and fought too long. He has been changed.

And who wouldn't be when day in day out you are exposed to scenes like this, a blood bath in an ice cream shoppe, a crazed elderly woman floating over carnage.

Who wouldn't grow tired of this fight if you knew the next round was going to be just as horrific?

He turns to his sister for some solace.

He is trying his best to rid the world of anger. He has been absorbing this rage. He is trying to save people. But all he sees is the next fight.

His whole body language, his unkempt appearance screams he is losing hope. He knows he has to keep fighting ... but how do you pick yourself up when life is pulling you down?

His sister decides that he needs a little tough love. That seems like the Gardner way.

But this is a bit of a 'pull yourself together' speech. He can't rid the world of anger because sometimes rage is a healthy response.

And calling Guy a pretentious jerk is cutting. When did Guy decide he had the right to speak for the world? Guy might always be a jerk. But pretentious? Never. He's down to Earth.

It doesn't work.

Instead all this rage that Guy has absorbed seems to overwhelm him. He is ready to release it all back to the Earth ... all of it and more. And with the world on the verge of being engulfed in madness, Guy sends his sister and the baby from last issue into a orbiting life pod.

The thing that got me here was the image of Guy on the pretaped message.

When was the last time we saw a clean shaven, crew-cutted Guy? That is a different Guy, one that hasn't seen what the current Guy has seen, hasn't done what the current Guy has done.

From space, Guy's sister still tries to help him.

He is attacking this problem wrong. You need to not dwell on the darkness, not be overtaken by it, not give in to it. Instead, help the world and see the bright side.

It all comes down to this one statement. 'Don't give up on yourself.'

And maybe ... just maybe ... this speech jars something in Guy. There is always hope. Before he lets the rage consume him, he needs to have hope in humanity. Of course he has hope. Otherwise, why would he keep fighting?

In a truly cathartic page, Guy vomits all the rage away, ridding himself of all of it.

That second panel is just sublime, just enough of a tint of blue in to give us that hint of hope.

With the rage gone, we see the Red Ring on the ground.

And then we see Guy again. Suddenly he is ... well ... he's Guy again.

And then we see the classic Guy smirk with hope to find a ring and use it for good. No more weariness. No more pain. No more rage. No more self-loathing. No more despair.

The name of this story is 'Hope'. Classic.

Overall grade: A