Back Issue Box: Action Comics #297 (sort of) - The End Of Lesla Lar (sort of)

With her return in the current Supergirl book by Sophie Campbell, I have been doing a deep dive into Lesla Lar's first storyline, a multi-part classic with a million twists and turns. I'd advise you go back and read those reviews before this one.  But the last part ended with Lesla being discovered by Kandorian police and hauled off to jail.

But what ultimately happened to her? Well we find out in 1962's Action Comics #297, a whole 15 months after her last appearance! And when I say 'ultimately', I mean until she is brought back decades later. 

One thing I have to say about this era of Supergirl stories, which appeared as back-ups in Action Comics, is that they really told a running narrative, more akin to current comics than the time. There were subplots and multi-part stories that ran through several issues, unlike the Superman stories which were mostly 'done-in-one' adventures.

Nothing shows that more than Super DC Giant #S-24 from 1971 which sports a great Curt Swan cover (with Mike Sekowsky throwing in the bottom costume bit), a cover which Sophie Campbell homaged with Supergirl #2 . 

My review of the story comes from this reprint which covers four consecutive back-up stories which comprise one long narrative. And what a story. We get the introduction of Lena Thorul, who doesn't know she is Lex's sister Lena Luthor. We learn about Lena's ESP powers. And we get the return of Lesla and Supergirl defeating both Lex and Phantom Zone villains. Kudos to DC for recognizing this is a banger of a story and worth collecting.

Lesla appears in chapter 3. So buckle up!

'The Forbidden Weapons of Krypton' was written by Leo Dorfman with art by Jim Mooney.  As you see, there is the 'from Action #297' box from my reprint issue. 

We get this mini-splash to open the proceedings and tease the story. Supergirl stands alone against Phantom Zone villains in a battle of survival. With Superman in the past and a barrier blocking time travel, she stands alone!

But we start with more mundane proceedings.

Lena (who at this time doesn't know she is a Luthor) has entered Linda's life. Through the usual shenanigans, Dick Malverne thinks Lena is Supergirl. Even stranger, Lena admits she IS Supergirl to Dick. 

Supergirl can't understand why Lena would lie. But I love the miffed face she is sporting in that first panel. She can't quite get over it, even complaining to her step parents that night. Perhaps there is a little jealousy since Dick is involved?

But in a flashback we see why Lena lied.

Lesla has broken out of prison and is up to her old tricks. Holed up in a secret lab, she begins to hatch a plot. She uses her mind control ray to make Lena say she is Supergirl, knowing the real one is eavesdropping. 

Lesla is just delicious in her schemes.

But she feels a bit like a one-trick pony here.

Instead of switching places with Supergirl, this time she'll switch with Lena. So now Lena is in the mind-control helmet being convinced she is Lesla while Lesla goes up to Earth and takes Lena's place.

Even better, she sets off an 'anti-monitor' bomb, blocking all video transmissions out of Kandor and even plugs the cork. The Kandorians have no idea what is happening on Earth and they cannot warn the cousins.

A bit to unpack. 

The switch identities trick is such a complicated plot but I guess if Lesla doesn't want to appear to be missing from Kandor she has to do it. Also, isn't it strange that Lesla/Lena/Linda all look so much alike that they can swap in and out for each other? Crazy.

But lastly, we could have used an Anti-Monitor bomb in the Crisis. Just sayin'.

When Supergirl goes to visit Lena and confront her about the lie, she is actually visiting Lesla. 

Lesla shows off that she has super-powers (she is Kryptonian after all) but then spins a tale to explain things. She says, as Lena, she discovered she was a Luthor and drank a serum Lex was making that gave her powers. Moreover, 'Lena' wants to become a super-hero fighting evil.

I just have to say it again. Lesla looked enough like Supergirl to replace her. And she looks enough like Lena to replace her? Three exact duplicates!

And crazy artistic choice in the second panel. I suppose with that many words, to construct a panel with people might be too hard. So Mooney pulls back to show the house! Incredible.

Instead of doing some low-level scheming and living a bit as Lena hoping to slowly destroy Supergirl, Lesla kicks her plan into high gear with 'Operation Breakthrough'!

She creates a 'trans-dimensional lens' out of a simple television!!! Her tech is insane! Imagine if Lesla was a force for good! 

By the way, check out that costume and now look at the last page of Supergirl #2. Bless Sophie Campbell for the deep cuts.

The plan is relatively simple. Use the lens to open up the Phantom Zone and bring out some of the worst of the worse - Zod, Kru-El, and Jax-Ur. I love that Dorfman gives us little bios about the criminals so we know their bona fides.

And even better, I like that he realizes that Mon-El would also try to get out to fight the bad guys. How crazy that Lesla was prepared with a 'lead gun' to drive him back into the Zone.

This was before the internet and Who's Who. Those history lessons, like with the villains, was essential back then and even when I was first reading.

You would think that 4 Kryptonians on Earth would be enough of a threat to the world. But they want to beef up even that threat level. They head to the bottom of the ocean to find Kru-El's cache of weapons. Could this be the same trunk seen in Adventure Comics #283? No editor's note but given Kru-El's dialog I am saying that it is the same.

And what a cache! First off, a force beam that blocks the Earth from outside forces including temporally! Superman is in the past on a mission. The Legion is in the future. Neither can come to help fight these villains.

Now that is some weapon!

Also inside is a disintegrator pistol. Will it work against a super-powered Kryptonian? There is only one way for the villainous group to find out ... fire it on one of their own members. 

Alas, Lesla loses the draw. So despite freeing these guys they kill her. 

Goodbye Lesla Lar (sort of). 

The gun shorts out so it cannot be used again. I don't know why the writer felt they needed to kill of Lesla in this way. They didn't even need to bring the gun into the story (which, of course, couldn't stick around because it could kill our heroes). 

Poor Lesla.

Left alone, Supergirl seems to be able to stymie the villains. But then Kru-El hits her with another weapon. Struck by a 'plague beam' from his belt, Supergirl radiates an aura that turns any living being into a plant!

That is some crazy cache of weapons!!

Now you think Supergirl would go to the Justice League and recruit Wonder Woman and Green Lantern. But instead she thinks the best person to team up with is Lex. He initially laughs her off but she then tells him that Lena is stuck in Kandor. With his sister in peril, Lex joins the fight! TO BE CONTINUED!

I still feel Lesla's death was too quick and so needless. Supergirl needed a rogue's gallery. Lesla was a perfect Lex-like foil. But as I said she only sort of died.

Lesla Lar comes back in another multi-part story by Jack C. Harris in Superman Family in the early 80s. As a disembodied sentience, we see her manipulate events in her quest for revenge! 

And now we have her back in the current book!

I loved this long story as much as the first Lesla one, especially since this had big stakes and Supergirl forced to use her wits to defeat everyone. The weapons cache is crazy but certainly pushed the threat level up. Perhaps one day I'll own the actual issue!

Overall grade: B+

DC Superhero Girls: Tales From The Krypto-Mites Part 1

DC Superhero Girls has entered its third season of shorts on their website. As I noted in past posts, it seems this season will be something more of an ongoing show with running plots as opposed to silly one and done episodes.

And we didn't have to wait long for this to be apparent. The third episode of the season is called 'Tales from the Kryptomites, Part1'. The very fact that it says part one shows the website is thinking more long form while not heading more into feature length DVD films.

I also love that Supergirl seems to be a central part of this arc. The main bad is Lena Luthor (or perhaps here Lena Thorul)! And clearly that history of being a Luthor is part of the plot. I also like some nods to the past within the episode (although I admit that I might be reaching here.

And we end on a nice cliffhanger, making me want to come back.

Go ahead and can watch the episode here.

In the meantime, here are my thoughts.

Lego DC Superhero Girls!

Supergirl and the DC Superhero Girls are everywhere. They have a website, animated shorts, full length features, graphic novels, and Happy Meal toys. And now they are making the jump to full fledged Lego!

Here is a link to the announcement from Time Magazine:
http://time.com/4516126/dc-comics-super-hero-girls-lego/

And a quick blurb:
The first three Lego sets—Batgirl and her Batjet, Harley Quinn and Super Hero High School—will all be available in time for Cyber Monday on Nov. 27. Fans will have to wait until January 2017 for the next batch of ‘Super Hero Girls’ LEGO sets to be released, though, which seems like a super long time to wait.

For me, there are some things that need to be said.

First off, who would ever think that a Supergirl toy would be announced in Time Magazine. I grew up in an era where Time was the staid and reserved 'high water mark' of news journalism. I don't know if this shows that the geeks have inherited the Earth or that news journals need to cover entertainment like this, but I can't believe Supergirl is in Time. 

Second, there is a bit of a spoiler in this fluff piece. That has to be Lena on the left. So Lena Luthor will be part of the DC Superhero Girls line. And she'll be wearing the Bronze Age classic Luthor armor. Now that is news!

And here is a closer look at some of the sets: http://kotaku.com/dc-super-hero-girls-sets-make-the-most-of-legos-friends-1787437642

Looks like Supergirl will only be available in the big Super Hero High set. But there's a Krypto one! And is that Lashina? Lashina in a kid's toy? This world is crazy.

Still .... Supergirl in Time Magazine! Incredible!   

Back Issue Box: Action Comics #295 - Lena Thorul

I am a little late in blogging about this but a while back Katie McGrath was cast as Lena Luthor on the Supergirl television show. Here is a link:http://tvline.com/2016/08/04/supergirl-katie-mcgrath-lena-luthor-cast-season-2-the-cw/

I have seen exceedingly little of McGrath's work although plenty of people tell me her work on BCC's Merlin was exemplary. So I am looking forward to see what she brings to the table.

The character of Lena is no stranger to Supergirl or the DCUniverse. She was a recurring character in Supergirl's Silver Age adventures, she popped up in Superman Family, she was an antagonist in Cosmic Adventures, in a vegetative state in the pre-Flashpoint world, and has been in opposition of her brother in more recent times.

I have covered Lena a lot on this site but I was surprised to discover that I have never covered her introductory story to Supergirl and so I thought it was time to rectify that. (As an aside, you know you have been blogging a long time when you can't remember which issues you have reviewed!)

'The Girl with the X-Ray Mind' was originally printed in Action Comics #295 back in late 1962.
For the sake of transparency, I need to let you know that my scans are from the Super DC Giant Supergirl issue from 1971. I don't own Action Comics #295 (yet).

The story is a brief 13 pages but, like many Silver Age stories, it is jam packed with story. This is no decompressed tale. Creators Leo Dorfman and Jim Mooney spin a yarn which introduces us to Lena and her power set, talks of Lena's early years, sneaks in a Luthor guest spot and reviews his origin, has Lena become a criminal, and wraps it all up in a bow. Whew ... they knew how to tell them back then!

I love this splash page. Lena is fetching in the red cocktail dress and domino mask, invoking images of the old pulp heroine the Blonde Phantom.

Bullet Review: Justice League #52

I don't normally review Justice League as a book by Justice League #52 could have been named Lex Luthor Rebirth Special #1 so I thought I would bullet review it here. It definitely has some impact on Action Comics where right now Lex is headlining.

Written by Dan Jurgens with pencils by old friend Tom Grummett, the story looks at Luthor in the immediate aftermath of Superman's death.What is his purpose in life now? Who is he?

One of the things that I liked about this story was that we really see how conflicted Lex is. There are definite elements of his prior super-villainous ways. And then we see evidence that he is trying to turn over a new leaf and become someone new. Can he change? Is his impetus to change strong enough? Does he truly want to change?

We have seen Lex headline a super-book before. We have seen him try to be the hero and lead the Justice League. But all of the prior times he was clearly still self-absorbed and villainous. I do wonder if we will see some sort of good (or good-ish) tendencies in him.

On to the story.

Five New Characters On Supergirl Show

With the Supergirl second season still several months away, the show runners have done a good job of keeping fans interested and talking by leaking news and talking about the future run now. Just last week we heard that Superman will be in the first two episodes.

Now SupergirlTV has learned that five new characters will be on the show next season. Here is a link:
http://supergirl.tv/5-new-characters-in-season-2

All the characters intrigue me, some more than others. They all sound like they will be good additions to the mix and keep the plots moving. The one question I have is if they are replacing some of the characters we have come to know and love. Will one of them step in to replace Maxwell Lord? Is one designed to soften the blow of less Calista Flockhart? I guess it all needs to play out. But I hope these new characters don't upset the chemistry that exists already.

Here are the character blurbs and my thoughts:

Bullet Review: Forever Evil #7

Forever Evil #7 came out last week ... finally ... ending a company-wide crossover that plodded along, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

There were many reasons why I didn't enjoy this book or feel invested in it.

Maybe it was the chronically delayed nature of the book. Maybe it was the overwhelmingly violent tone of the book. Maybe it was that it really felt like Geoff Johns fan fiction, a DC company wide crossover where the majority of the hero characters were stuffed into Firestorm. Maybe it is because there seemed to be no ramifications in any of the ongoing monthlies that for a period of time villains devastated the Earth. Maybe it is because ....AGAIN .... Batman seems to be invulnerable, having slipped through the grasp of the Crime Syndicate while immensely powerful heroes with planet-shaking skills are trapped.

But most of all, it is because this whole book was done to make villains and evil seem necessary, desired, or hip. The tagline was that 'Evil is Relative' and maybe that is true. But I don't think I want to cheer for Black Manta as we get a whole page of watching him stab someone to death.

And, the big player in this idea was Lex Luthor, a character that Geoff Johns early on described as a good man trying to help humanity. At the time it reminded me of Al Pacino's speech at the end of The Devil's Advocate. Playing Satan himself, Pacino gives a rambling speech that he is the ultimate humanist, only giving mankind what they deserve.

Lex Luthor ... the humanist?

Let's see what our new super-hero does in this last issue.

Amongst all the death and destruction he has wrought throughout the series, here was the final chapter.

Lex kills his evil doppelganger Alex Luthor by stabbing him in the chest with a mystic lightning rod and then literally rips out Alex's heart.

Oooohhhh .... soooooo cool.

And then a couple of pages later, he crushes Atomica, killing her.

This is the person that Geoff Johns and DC are promoting as their latest hero.

Perhaps recognizing that it would be hard to portray this cold-blooded murderer as a hero, Johns tries to soften Lex at the end. He performs life saving surgery on Superman. And he doesn't buy out and take over Kord Industries.

Wow ... isn't he grand?

And then he calls his estranged sister Lena. She isn't dead after all, just paralyzed from Lex's attempts to cure her.

And now look as he stares at his computer screen ...
Her want to grow and learn.

Sigh.

I don't know if I need to read a redemption story about Luthor. I don't think I am going to cheer for a guy who I have seen kill people, viciously, for the last year - throwing assistants of skyscraper roofs, ripping out hearts, blasting people, etc.

So not taking over a business and finally calling your ill sister isn't exactly going to erase all that. I just have to realize this isn't a DCU that I am going to be comfortable with.

It's funny. I didn't have this problem when Lex was named President way back when. Back then we knew he was still a villain, just one a position of power. And, of course, the heroes were brighter back then. By making the heroes darker and then painting the villains as heroes, all DC has done is made this whole place gray.

Hopefully this won't last too long or encompass the whole universe.

Alas Poor Lena ...

A couple of months ago I wrote about Forever Evil and how it was hinted that Lena Thorul was once again back in continuity.

Alas, while she might be back into the history books, this page from Forever Evil #4 reveals that she has died. And she died because Lex was too afraid to try to save her, too afraid to fail. This is such an interesting page.

It is a shame because Lena has played a role in Supergirl's life in prior incarnations and she could have been an interesting foil for the current Kara as well. Imagine the two of them, dealing with older family members with huge reputations (albeit on opposite sides of the ethical fence), trying to figure out who they are without being defined by their family name, trying to figure out the balance between nature and nurture.

I was hoping ...

I suppose her death could have been faked so she could live life as a Thorul, away from Lex. We'll see.

I also found this issue a bit too over-the-top in its handling of Lex. It felt like Geoff Johns was trying a little too hard to make 'evil relative' and to make Luthor relatable.

There is this moment where a tired Lex pauses to tell this story of personal defeat and tragedy, a time when he failed to act. It almost looks in that last row of panels that Lex might be close to tears! And then he 'inspires' Bizarro to try to overcome fear and there is a shocked look in Lex's eyes.

Also in the issue, there is a Luthor internal monologue where he talks about an aspect of him which is ... wait for it ... humble. HUMBLE? Luthor?

I only need to go back to his Villains' Month issues to think differently. Defiantly looking at Metropolis as something he should control. Tossing his assistant off the skyscraper roof. Sending a satellite down onto a competitor's house. Using and ultimately killing humans in his Bizarro experiments. All the while talking about how he is better than everyone.

This New 52 universe is a twisted place. We are forced to feel compassion and root for the villains. In the meantime we are dealing with heroes who seem to loathe being heroes and act awfully.

Again though, I am disappointed that Lena won't be around.

Villains' Month And Forever Evil - One Last Look

Villains' Month is now officially behind us but there were a couple of small things which I wanted to cover here. Now one thing I very much like. The other I am cringing at a bit. Both warrant some coverage. And I thought I would bullet cover the other issues I bought that month.

Forever Evil as a whole is what I thought it would be. It is vicious with the usual amount of blood and gore. While there are some mysteries (who is the hooded figure, what invaded Earth-3 forcing these guys to come here, where is the Justice League), overall the story hasn't grabbed me. And as I thought, since 'evil is relative', Lex Luthor is viewed as the hero here despite releasing Bizarro and having him tear an innocent security guard apart.

Will Forever Evil end with a brighter more optimistic DCU when the heroes return? Who knows.

I suppose it is my own idiosyncrasies that this panel was my favorite one from Forever Evil #1. And the reason why I love it is because with this Lex Luthor memory, Geoff Johns has put Lena Thorul back into continuity.

Lena has always had a strong connection to Supergirl and so I hope that this isn't a throwaway line. If Lena is mentioned, she should be used.

Lena first appeared in Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #23 but became a recurring Supergirl character in Action Comics #295.

In this issue, Lena shows her patented telepathy obtained by her interaction with a space brain. She doesn't even know she is a Luthor here.

Of course, Lena played a huge role in the classic Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade.

I have covered Lena before on this blog here and there. She is an interesting character with some potential outside of the Silver Age.

I hope that Tony Bedard or whoever is the new long term Supergirl writer picks up on Lena being in continuity and uses her as a supporting character. It would be a nice nod to Supergirl's history.

As for the other moment worth some coverage, it was in Justice League #23.1, Darkseid written by Greg Pak and drawn by Netho Diaz and Paolo Siqueira.

I will say I didn't like this issue too much with Darkseid not being 'created' with the explosion that created New Genesis and Apokolips. Instead, Darkseid is a god-killer on his world, destroying the 'titans' of that planet and gaining their power.

The issue ends on a down note for me and here is the moment I felt I needed to cover.

We see Darkseid in a room of dead Supermen. I guess he has traveled throughout universes killing other Supermen. And then we see this abomination of Superman, stitched up and attached to machines. I can only assume that this is the Superman of Earth 2 who wasn't killed in battle but kept alive and perverted. One thing I liked about Earth 2 and Worlds' Finest was that the Trinity on that planet seemed purer than the New 52 versions and that they sacrificed themselves as heroes should. Now, I suppose, DC is going to make the Superman of Earth 2 a villain, a dupe of Darkseid.

And that just seems wrong.

A few other comments on books I bought in Villains' Month. I will list the books by their villain as I don't know which 23-point-what the issues are off hand.

First the good:

Rogues - I have shied away from Flash in the New 52 but this issue was pretty good, making me think I am going to get the Rogues mini-series.

Killer Frost - great issue by Sterling Gates showcasing a sympathetic villain. Well worth reading.

Riddler - solid stuff by Scott Snyder, showing a psychopathic Riddler

Ra's Al Ghul - a very good story telling Ra's origin, riffing on classic O'Neil/Adams stories, and showing Ra's has a different long-term view about the Earth. He could not care less about the CSA.

First Born - this issue read like another issue of Wonder Woman, working the story into the longstanding arc in the main book. I liked that.

Mongul - fun book recreating a completely ruthless dictator

And the not so good -

Harley Quinn - I want to root for Harley, I want to think she is just misguided. But she kills thousands of people with booby trapped gaming system which seems wrong. Also, in this issue it appears the Joker threw her into an Ace Chemical vat, recreating his origin. Seems needless.

Deadshot - I like his old-school 'rich boy who is psychotic' much more than this 'poor kid witnessing his family's murder'.

Poison Ivy - forgettable

Cheetah - not really a Cheetah book although the inclusion of a Mark Shaw (Manhunter) almost raised this.

Any Villains' month book I miss that I should go out and get?

Cosmic Adventures In The Ninth Grade ??? Pretty Please DC !!!

It is really hard to believe that Supergirl Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade was released 2 years ago. I gushed over the series back when it came out, the perfect entry drug to Supergirl mythos, accessible to the supergirls at home but stuffed with Easter Eggs for old timers like me. I was thrilled when it came out, sad when it ended. A moment from Cosmic actually was my #1 Supergirl moment in 2009. I shouted from the hilltops for DC to do a sequel. It hasn't happened so far.

And yet, I have never given up hope that it would and over on his blog, Landry Walker rekindled that hope by showing some of the concept art he and Eric Jones had done for the possible sequel. Here is that link:
http://landrywalker.blogspot.com/2011/06/supergirl-cosmic-adventures-in-9th.html and here is a blurb. Please go to the site and read the whole thing. It is worth it.

I think with the slight changes to the artwork here we really begin to see Kara's self confidence manifest physically. This would have continued on a curve, all through 12th Grade. By the end (and there was a definitive end planned) 18 year old Kara would have looked like an adult - particularly because you watched her grow up.

I guess what I'm saying is: It's a mistake to expect a character to be perfect right out the gate. Where do you go from perfect? Perfect makes for boring storytelling and boring reading.

Ideally we would have similar development with the emotional status of the character. And I think we do see that evolution just over the course of the 8th Grade mini-series. It was a trend intended to continue.

We would have seen some similar evolution for Belinda and Lena - for at least as long as they were around. And if that sounds vaguely sinister, it probably is. Or maybe it really isn't. Hard to say.

Anyway, that's some Cosmic Adventures 9th Grade stuff for you.

It is clear that Walker understood Supergirl, making this a wonderful version of the character, a version I would eagerly read again. I am aching for a sequel.

I know I have asked for letter bombs from readers here before. But if you think DC should do Supergirl Cosmic Adventures in the Ninth Grade, take two seconds now to drop them a line! Here is the handy link:
http://www.dccomics.com/sites/dcletterspage/

And now the concept art! First off, the 9th grade Linda at the top, looking a bit more polished, her hair more coiffed.

Belinda Zee was one of my favorite new characters of 2009. Belinda was such a wonderful foil for Linda, someone so polished and popular on the outside but just empty and hurting inside. In that second picture, she clearly is becoming more of a Bizarro, the imperfect duplicate she always has been.

And here, a brawl between Supergirl and SuperiorGirl, Belinda's villainous identity. Walker talks about the evolution, the maturation of Linda he had envisioned. You see it here just in that punch by Linda. She looks tough and capable, a determined look on her face; shedoes not appear uneasy in her shoes.

And, I talked of Walker including so much of Supergirl's history into Cosmic. Lena Thorul played such a big part of the first mini-series. Here, it looks like Walker is invoking her more classic 'ESP' powers. And a reappearance of Streaky! And even Krypto!

And then the inclusion of a Metallo like villain, truly a heart of Kryptonite. This had to be a 'romance' subplot, Linda's first crush. Even that harkens back to earlier Supergirl stories where many guys she fell in love with was a criminal of some sort.

And a Cosmic version of Satan Girl. It amazes me that the concept of Satan Girl, a one issue castaway character in a Legion story, has such a stranglehold on Supergirl history, appearing in Peter David's book, Sterling Gates' book, and potentially here.

And perhaps the most intriguing picture, Supergirl's first interaction with Batman!

There are more pictures on Walker's blog so you must go there.

And if after looking at this art, you want to let DC know you want to see this book, I am re-providing you with the link. Here it is: http://www.dccomics.com/sites/dcletterspage/

I truly truly hope I see this book some day!!

Review: Adventure Comics #6

Adventure Comics #6 marked the end of the Geoff Johns/Francis Manapul Superboy story. As I have said before I have been impressed with the arc and have enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.

I have collected Teen Titans on and off throughout its current run but somehow missed all the key Conner story arcs involving his ancestry with Luthor. This story has been Conner's introspective look at himself as he wonders where he will head. Is his future the product of nature or the product of nurture? Which half of him will eventually win out ... Superman or Lex Luthor? I can understand why any adolescent would have these questions, let alone someone whose '2 fathers' are on such opposite ends of the moral spectrum.

The notebook checklist has been a nice little plot point throughout this story as Conner makes this mental checklist, hoping to sort this whole thing out.

The last issue ended with Luthor arriving at Lori's house wielding some Kryptonite as he tries to retrieve 'his property', Conner himself.

As we saw in the preview of the issue, it turns out that Lori's mother is none other than Lena Luthor (Thorul?). We saw a glimpse of her in Superman: Secret Origin but it is great to see her actually named.

Unlike the Silver Age Lena, this one has no apparent telepathic powers. Nor is she close enough in age to Supergirl to be a friend of Kara.

Unfortunately, she is afflicted with an unknown malady which has effected both her mind and body. Weakened and in a wheel chair, she seems confused and diminished.

Throughout this arc, we have heard Luthor talk about how it is the presence of Superman which has impeded mankind from growing, prevented Lex from doing more for his fellow man.

Superboy finally calls him on it. If he is capable of such greatness, why doesn't he help his own sister.

I thought this was a nice moment for Conner. Despite being incapacitated by Kryptonite, he is still think of others. But remember, he is trying to come to grips with his Luthor roots. He hopes that Lex has some goodness inside. If not, that means Superboy is somehow half monster.

In a movie I didn't initially understand, Lex agrees to help. He holds Lori at bay with a pistol (somehow pedestrian for someone like Luthor) and tells Superboy to gather the ingredients he will need to help Lena.


The first ingredient is a type of leaf from prehistoric time. It isn't needed for the cure. Luthor uses it to make tea to help him think. Only Luthor would think of such a thing.

Of course, seeing Superboy and Krypto running away from a T-Rex was worth this interlude.


The next few pages show Superboy gathering up the needed bits for Lex. His travels take him to Paradise Island (where a young Amazon calls him handsome ... nice touch). He goes to Atlantis. Those trips are all things Superman would do. But more than that, the task is something Superman would do ... going to great lengths to help someone.

The snippets of Conner's journey are intercut with Lori talking to her Uncle, asking why he left the family, left her mother the way he did. His answers come off as self-serving, selfish. It is that juxtaposition that clearly shows that Conner is not Lex.


But Luthor comes through! With one simple injection Lena is cured. She suddenly is aware of her surroundings and stands from her chair. That one simple word of clarity 'Lori' as she knowingly stares at her daughter for the first time in a while ... wonderful.

This will be another one of those panels I dissect a bit. I love the point of view from above. By looking down upon the scene, we really get the sense of the height of Lena. The perspective gives her simple standing a sense of more power and importance. But we also get a sense of how miraculous this is ... we are looking at this scene from above, a sort of angelic viewpoint.

This panel would not have the same power if this was shown from the side, from the eye level of the characters.

That viewpoint is suddenly sullied when Luthor he reminds everyone that he was responsible fomr the miracle. He sets himself up as a god.

And yet look at Conner as he contemplates the situation. "What does Lex Luthor do? Makes people walk again." Not like the other things he has written on that side of the ledger. And yet that is what Conner has been looking for, that spark of humanity.

The spark is extinguished when Luthor injects Lena with another solution, effectively reverting her to her prior condition.

Talk about cruel and deranged. There would be no reason to go through that set of events ... curing Lena then having her relapse ... except to crush hope, to show that you have the power and control, to further destroy your past.

I wonder if Luthor needed to do it to further distance himself from his roots, as if Lori's pointed questions to him exposed some minor weakness in him he felt he needed to eradicate. It is a clear break from the Silver Age Lex who went out of his way to protect Lena from his legacy, something I always felt humanized him back then.

Overwhelmed with anger, Conner comes close to emulating Luthor. It appears as if he would kill Luthor over this if Brainiac had not arrived to stop him.


Somehow the combination of Superboy, Krypto, and a gun wielding Lori are able to drive the villains away.

Luthor seems to revel in his act, asking Superboy to tell Superman what he has done here. It is as if this horrific act perpetrated on his own sister is a badge of honor, a demonstration that he is capable of anything. It is chilling.


But it finally answers the questions inside Conner.

"What did Superman do? Was Superboy." With that he burns the notebook he was keeping. It isn't needed any more. There is something purifying about those flames. He doesn't throw the book away, he burns it. Like he is cleansing himself of the worries that he will bed up like Luthor.

But the truth is he is neither Superman or Lex. He is Conner. But that person is closer to Clark than he is to Lex.

It was a fitting ending to this run. Words and art meshed seamlessly. Yes this was heavy on angst and feelings and short on action but it definitely worked for me. This was a tale of introspection. This was a battle in Conner's mind more than a brawl in Smallville. As I have said before, I have never been a huge fan of Superboy. But I cared about him here and that is the sign of a high quality book.

While I look forward to Levitz' Legion run here ... while I will probably sample Johns and Manapul of Flash, I will miss this book and this story.

Overall grade: A/B+

Cosmic Adventures Production Art

I really like any glimpse I can get into the creative process behind comic book production. Whether it is promo art or concept art or the travel from thumb nail to finished sketch, I like seeing it all. It gives me a better handle on what the writer or artist is thinking.

Anything I run across like that involving Supergirl I will always post here. So imagine how excited I was to see on Landry Walker's blog that he is going to start showing the production art behind Supergirl:Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade. Here is the link for the Lena Thorul page: http://xray-studios.livejournal.com/49567.html . As always, it is best to head to the source itself and read Walker's whole entry.

On the blog, Walker says that the general look of Lena was already cemented and that the big decision was her hair style ... hence the pics above. Looks like they knew what they wanted there too.

More interesting was the development of her battle armor. Here is one design that was shot down.

And Walker's own words on the subject:

Part of it was that these designs were way to busy. Part of it is that they removed to much of Lena's personality. But mainly, it was that we needed to strengthen the association between Lena and Lex. By having Lena in battle armor reminiscent of her brothers giant indestructible robot, we helped create a visual short-cut between the two characters. This is just as effective at establishing the relationship as the secret emails between brother and sister at the end of issue 2.

I agree that you sort of lose Lena in the proposed armors above. It looks a little too Gundam-y insect-y for me. The top one looks more like she would be the sister of The Great Machine in Ex Machina.

Here was the final armor which clearly shows a more Luthor family feel to it. It makes you instantly know where Lena's loyalties lie.

Walker has since posted production stills of the series' teachers including Mr. Mxyzptlk in his Principal Pycklemeyer guise.

And next he says he is going to post sketches of other students including one based on Dick Malverne! The student is named Ricky Wilson (of course Dick Malverne was Dick Wilson before he was adopted).

I hope some of these can be included in the back of the eventual trade.