Superman Treasury 2025: A Hero For All

I am running around this week with so much material I want to cover so I am behind the times. Two weeks ago, DC released Superman Treasury 2025: A Hero For All written by Dan Jurgens with art by Bruno Redondo and Jurgens as well. 

This was a fun story for a number of reasons. 

This is set some years in the past prior to Jon being aged up in the Bendis run. Seeing that young Jon, still learning and wanting to help, was almost worth the cost of the book. I miss that kid. 

This is a sort of primer on Superman, showcasing his leadership, his mentorship, his ethics and goals. But it also includes a sort of quick history of his. In the midst of the story are a number of pages drawn by Jurgens reviewing Superman's life and timeline. 

We get the return of two of the more recent villains in Superman's long history, villains who have stuck around and stood the test of time. 

The art was very slick. I like Redondo's sort of minimalist approach, somehow bringing so much visual information with the art he provides. And, of course, seeing Jurgens on art even for a few pages is always great.

But the real fun of the book is the format. A new DC treasury is on the shelves! Seeing such big art in my hands reminded me of my youth. It has some publicity pages for the movie in the back matter. It is too much fun. 

On to the book.

Back Issue Box: Superman/Doomsday:Hunter/Prey #1

Based on the recent Doomsday storyline in Josh Williamson's Superman book, I pulled out Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #1. After all, the ideas of Doomsday resurrecting more powerful, his connection to Krypton, and the Radiant being from Catalon all are introduced here. As crazy as it sounds and as old as it makes me feel, this mini-series is 30 years old. two years after the Death of Superman storyline. 

It is hard to believe but at this point we really didn't know anything about Doomsday. We knew he seemed to be alive, strapped to a meteor that Cyborg Superman shot into space. But who was he? What was he? 

Legendary creative team of writer/artist Dan Jurgens and inker Brett Breeding decide to answer the question. But this isn't a straight A to B line. Jurgens has this mini-series travel throughout the DCU with guest stars and other villains and pretty big action sequences. 

In fact, this is a big enough story with those big Doomsday reveals, I am surprised this took place outside of the main titles. This gets the slick, square-bound Prestige format which works great. But that means this major event is in a mini-series away from the Triangle era books. Would you feel cheated if you didn't get this and found out Doomsday's origin was here? Or is it par for the course

I don't know if I would call this a great mini-series. But it is very good. And it certainly has had historical legs. This has stuck, as seen even last month.

On to the story.

Perkins Superwoman Interview

I have been lamenting the recent cancellation of Superwoman, a book filled with potential starring Lana Lang. In particular, after the murky opening arc,  I definitely enjoyed Perkins run as writer on the title and the big themes and messages she brought to the book.

Before the book became too distant in the rear view mirror, I reached out to Perkins with a few questions and she was kind enough to answer. So enjoy a little peek behind the curtain of Superwoman!

1) You took over Superwoman after her initial story arc and at a time when the Superman histories (both Convergence and New 52) were being rewritten and melded together. What were the challenges heading into the book? Given the lack of established history, were you given a sort of carte blanche? Or were there guidelines?

There was certainly a lot to keep track of when I was going into my run on Superwoman. As the new writer, I wanted to honor all that was done before me while adding to the history via creating a new status quo. There are always guidelines to work within, but I had awesome editors who were stoked to hear my ideas and were encouraging of my focus on building out more of Lana Lang and her world.

Strange Visitor - Superman Our Worlds At War Secret Files & Origin

We are a day away from Strange Visitor appearing in the DCU again in Supergirl #16, perhaps as a villain who has been brainwashed or confused by Mr. Bones and the DEO. We know that Strange Visitor has always had a short fuse. So maybe a turn to a mad rage isn't that big a shift in character.

Over the last month, I have been reviewing the history of Strange Visitor, her first arc and her last sacrifice. That last issue in which she is a pivotal part of the defeat of Imperiex in the Our Worlds At War mega-arc was interesting to me for any number of reasons. But her appearance in Superman #173, so crucial to the defeat of Imperiex, seemed to come out of the blue. Now I am really glad I reviewed that issue as it is name dropped here in current continuity!

With that sudden appearance of Strange Visitor and her importance to the ending of Our Worlds At War in mind, I scoured the back issue bins and found her in Superman Our Worlds At War Secret Files and Origins #1. And it is an interesting appearance because it may have spoiled the ending of the story.

Now I will admit, I am missing a few more Strange Visitor books from this time, including the Batman Our Worlds at War Secret Files and Origins book and an Adventures of Superman issue. But this book still intrigued me.

Review: Superwoman #15

Superwoman #15 came out last week and was another very interesting issue in this run by writer K. Perkins. I am an unabashed Lana fan and I have been very intrigued in seeing her as a super-hero. I sort of suffered through the slapdash, ill-focused early run of the book. And Perkins has done her best to try to shore this book up. Lana is much more likeable under her pen than she was before.

This book has always been about Lana discovering herself and dealing with her personal issues. And it was feeling like Perkins was bringing Lana to a place of stability. She was dealing with her anxiety. She was reconciling with Steel. She found out her powers were from Red K exposure. Turns out that stability was a fake-out. Lana is back on unsteady ground again. And while I understand all too well that life's ups and downs can bring peaks and valleys in your personal life and sanity, I keep hoping this book gives Lana a chance to breathe a bit and just do some heroing.

The art on this issue is by Sami Basri, someone I know mostly from the tail end of the last Power Girl book. It has a slightly cartoony, slightly anime feel to it but it works.

And heck, I haven't even talked about the new villain or the guest stars in the book. Let's get there!

Review: Superwoman #14

Superwoman #14 was released last week and a lot happens over the 20 pages. A lot. In fact so much happens, with so much progression and some large plot leaps, that I can't help but wonder if this was three issues of stories shoved into one. And anytime I feel like the creative team is trying to stuff all their stories into a book at the bottom of the sales chart, I wonder if the writing is on the wall.

And that is a shame because writer K. Perkins has clearly righted the ship on this title. Lana is in control of her life. She is seeking out answers for who she is. She wants to be a hero. There is character growth. And it is a shame because the art team of Stephen Segovia and Art Thibert are producing gorgeous art.

This book needs a little promotion, a little love from DC. And it sort of isn't getting any.

So this issue sort of suffers by the breakneck speed as so much happens that I am craving the details to fill in the story.

On to the book.

October 2017 Solicits

The Supergirl news and reviews have been coming so fast that it has been a couple of weeks since the DC Solicits were released. And the October solicits look pretty incredible. So sorry for the delay. If you want to look at all the solicits, you can head here:

https://www.newsarama.com/35405-dc-comics-october-2017-solicitations.html

And now here are the books that grabbed me.

SUPERGIRL #14
Written by STEVE ORLANDO
Art and cover by JOSE LUIS
Variant cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
Supergirl meets the New Super-Man! To help get her amplified powers under control, Supergirl will need to travel to China and train under I-Ching and Kong Kenan for help. But when an international threat hits the city before her training is complete, is Supergirl ready to save the world?

First off, I love the cover, an homage to Superman #205.

And I really like the idea of the Superman family acting like a family, co-starring in each other's books. A Supergirl with amped up powers? Interesting.

Too bad we don't have Robson Rocha on art. I thought Robson was going to be the regular artist.On to the rest of the book!

---

GOTHAM CITY GARAGE #1
Written by JACKSON LANZING and COLLIN KELLY
Art by BRIAN CHING
Cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
Variant cover by DAN PANOSIAN
A new series inspired by the DC Collectibles statue line! It’s been decades since Governor Lex Luthor turned Gotham City into a modern utopia, saving his people from the devastation that made the rest of the continent a wasteland. But his city isn’t paradise for everyone. If the Lexes network misfires, and a citizen wakes up and steps out of line, the Bat and his minions are brutal in restoring the status quo. So when young Kara Gordon, whose ridealong tech has never functioned optimally, rushes headlong into the Freescape, she’s shocked to find Gotham City Garage—where new friends might become family, if she lives long enough.

GOTHAM CITY GARAGE #2
Written by JACKSON LANZING and COLLIN KELLY
Art by LYNNE YOSHII
Cover by JENNY FRISON
Gotham City Garage strategist Barda Free is determined not to let the new kid slow them down. But when her team rolls into trouble in Clayface Valley, will Kara be the only thing standing between them and sudden death?

With Bombshells being dropped, maybe I should give another book based on a statue line a shot. This sounds like Akira or Mad Max meets DC Superhero Girls. I am grabbed by the concept of Kara Gordon, Supergirl as Batgirl's sister. That alone makes me intrigued. I have said I'm not a fan of the waist tattoo. But I didn't like the Bombshell Supergirl outfit either. It's all about the story.

ACTION COMICS #989
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC
Lenticular cover by NICK BRADSHAW
Variant cover by NEIL EDWARDS and JAY LEISTEN
“THE OZ EFFECT” part three! The startling revelation of Mr. Oz’s origin has stopped the Man of Steel dead in his tracks. With Superman distracted by disasters looming around the world, Mr. Oz has the time to confront Lois Lane.

ACTION COMICS #990
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC
Lenticular cover by NICK BRADSHAW
Variant cover by NEIL EDWARDS and JAY LEISTEN
“THE OZ EFFECT” part four! If Superman refuses to join Mr. Oz’s cause, maybe Superboy will! The mysterious villain hits Superman where it hurts when Oz and Jon join forces. But the stakes are raised when the Last Son of Krypton is forced to choose between his son and saving his adopted home planet.

ACTION COMICS #991

Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC
Lenticular cover by NICK BRADSHAW
Variant cover by NEIL EDWARDS and JAY LEISTEN
“THE OZ EFFECT” part five! After being revealed as [REDACTED], Mr. Oz makes his last moves against the Man of Steel and his family and leaves the Man of Tomorrow wondering what other secrets and lies await him in the future as “The Oz Effect” comes to a close.

We finally learn who Mr. Oz is. I love this cover, an homage to All Star Superman #10. But getting to the end of this story makes me very happy. Who will it be??

SUPERMAN #32
Written by PETER J. TOMASI and PATRICK GLEASON
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
Cover by PATRICK GLEASON
Variant cover by JORGE JIMENEZ
“IMPERIUS LEX” part two! As the conflict continues, Superman teams with Lex Luthor to bring peace to a leaderless and warring Apokolips as a new warrior enters the battlefield: Lois Lane, female fury. May Granny Goodness have mercy on all their souls...

SUPERMAN #33
Written by PETER J. TOMASI and PATRICK GLEASON
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
Cover by PATRICK GLEASON
Variant cover by JORGE JIMENEZ
“IMPERIUS LEX” part three! Steppenwolf, field general of Apokolips, enlists Superman’s son Jon into his Canine Cavalry to stop Superman from helping Luthor reclaim the throne once held by Darkseid.

Looks like we’ll be picking up the God-Killer storyline from earlier in this title. Lex leading Apokolips is a fascinating turn, even then. And anytime I see Fourth World characters, I’m happy. And Lois as a Fury … well, I’ll have to wait and see.

SUPER SONS #9
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by JORGE JIMENEZ
Variant cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details. Includes a code for a free digital download of this issue.
“Planet of the Capes” part four! Superboy and Robin were training to become the next Superman and Batman—but they never signed up to be the saviors of the multiverse! Ready or not, the boys have their work cut out for them as the endless alien armies of Yggardis descend upon our young heroes!

Loving this book. The boys being thrust into a Crisis-sized threat is funny. They are so inexperienced. They haven’t gelled as a team. How will they win??

SUPERWOMAN #15
Written by K. PERKINS
Art by STEPHEN SEGOVIA and ART THIBERT
Cover by KEN LASHLEY
Variant cover by RENATO GUEDES
“SUPERMAX” part two! It’s a clash of incredible power as Superwoman and Supergirl struggle to contain the might of Maxima! But with Maxima’s origin revealed, and a startling new villain looming on the horizon, do our heroes actually need to save Maxima...or be saved by her?

Perhaps the solicit I am most interested in. I loved K.Perkins update of Maxima when she was on Supergirl. This looks like a more classic Maxima than the young princess Kara befriended. And, as I said, I love the Superman family starring in each other’s books.

NEW SUPER-MAN #16
Written by GENE LUEN YANG
Art by BRENT PEEPLES and RICHARD FRIEND
Cover by PHILIP TAN
Variant cover by BERNARD CHANG
“Equilibrium” part two! Kenan’s battle with the Suicide Squad ended in disaster, and when the New Super-Man of China comes to, he wakes up in...Gotham City? All-Yang’s plan to corrupt our hero and show him the true nature of China’s destiny stands revealed!

The idea that the evil I Ching might be called ‘All-Yang’ is just about perfect. I am hoping this book sticks around!

DC DESIGNER SERIES BOMBSHELLS BY ANT LUCIA BUMBLEBEE AND SUPERGIRL ACTION FIGURES
Inspired by the art of Ant Lucia, the new DC Designer Series Bombshells Action Figure line continues with Bumblebee and Supergirl, as seen in the hit comic-book series! These action figures capture the spirit of the Bombshells line and come with their own character-specific accessories!

Definitely not for me. I’m not a fan of this costume enough to grab this for the collection. But if you like this outfit, it looks like a great figure.

So a pretty good month!

Back Issue Box: Action Comics #674

Earlier this week, on the Supergirl show, Supergirl faced off against Draaga in Roulette's fight club. And, while Draaga was formidable, Supergirl ended up taking him out pretty easily. It made me think that it was time to review Action Comics #674, the prologue to Panic of the Sky and the reintroduction of Matrix Supergirl into the DCU after a prolonged absence.

A bit of history before we jump into the story. The Matrix Supergirl was part of the (in)famous Supergirl Saga in the waning days of the John Byrne Superman run. Supergirl was back in the post-Crisis universe but she was a protoplasmic Matrix from a 'pocket universe' created by the Time Trapper and ultimately overrun by that universe's Phantom Zone villains, still amped up to Silver Age Kryptonian level. In that story, Superman executed the other universe's villains with Green K, thus giving Zach Snyder apologists an easy counterargument against his vile interpretation of the Man of Steel.

After that story, Matrix ... now called Mae ... became a childlike featureless being who was taken in by the Kents and slowly introduced to the new world around her. However, when Superman exiled himself from Earth over his guilt from killing those villains, Matrix used her shape-changing powers to live the life of Clark Kent and Superman. While it protected Superman's secret identity, it did further shatter Matrix's fragile psyche. When the real Superman came back, Matrix fought him in an attempt to keep the Superman identity for herself. After that brawl, the Matrix (now in the form of a gray clad Superman) flew into space to find herself.

Whew ... you get all that?

Suffice it to say, it wasn't an easy time to be a Supergirl fan. The Matrix Supergirl may have had a nice costume but she was a bit of a disaster. And in the end, she was so schizophrenic that she wasn't even Supergirl anymore. Instead she was Matrix Superman! Really?!?

So why does this cover sport the 'Supergirl in Action Comics' title font with a lovely pic of her standing over Draaga? Well, you'll have to read on as I present 'The Past is Prologue' by writer Roger Stern and artists Bob McLeod and Denis Rodier. Stern does a great job of weaving this story and setting up Panic in the Sky. And McLeod and Rodier have a clean house style which works nicely.

And while it was good to see Supergirl again things are going to get worse before they get better for her.

Review: Supergirl #39

Supergirl #39 came out this week, the penultimate issue for this arc, creative team, and title. It is hard to believe that I finally have a New 52 Supergirl that I want to read, a Supergirl who has consistently been a hero, and ... just like that ... DC has decided to pull the plug. It is almost ironic. After completely shedding the angry, loner, disaffected, 'Hell on Wheels' persona that DC forced on us at first, Supergirl is being canceled.

Ah well, enough lamenting the ending of this book. Instead I should be praising the work that the creative team is doing here. Writers K. Perkins and Mike Johnson, artists Emanuela Lupacchino and Ray McCarthy, and colorist Hi-Fi have been putting together a wonderful book here. It is interesting, engaging, beautiful and bright. Crucible really has been a superb arc. In fact, the only knock on this issue is that it reads fast, as if the creative team realized they needed to sprint to the finish line to effectively finish the story. There are plot threads which I think would have percolated for a bit longer if this team had more time on the book.

Perkins and Johnson also write a great Kara. She is smart, brave, strong, optimistic, and loving. She also is a bit brash, one of the things I love about a young hero learning the ropes. It is sad that we won't be reading more of her.

Oops ... I said no more lamentation! On to the book.

Last issue Supergirl returned to Earth and fought off Roho and his gang, stopping them from kidnapping Superboy. Despite that win, Kara's ally Maxima turned on her and tried to do the same thing. Superboy is of some importance to Crucible and the different factions there.

One thing that I have liked about this new run is the internal monologue that Kara has. She has seemed to not only accept but embrace a new path in life as a leader and a hero. But there is also this sort of resiliency. Even here she notes that life continues to throw her curve balls. It seems as if her life will never be stable. The idea that Crucible might bring some order to her life is wrong ... but she rolls with it. Instead of sulking, or bemoaning her life, she decides to be pro-active and try to improve it.

Just jaw-dropping art by Lupacchino and McCarthy here. And the colors really pop.

Most importantly, we see growth in Kara. I said before she was embracing this new life as a hero. Does anything say that more than her leaping to the defense of Kon? Remember the Lobdell version of Kara calling him Abomination and vowing to kill him? Now we get her protecting him.

Even when she is called on her past actions with him, she feels regret. She says she realizes that he is a person and worth saving. And look at her expression here. Sort of an apologetic look on her face as she looks at Kon, knowing that she was so bull-headed and biased before. Such strong work by Lupacchino.

It is so important for me that Supergirl is a true hero, looking for the best in people, and rising ... sometimes passionately and fiercely ... to help them. We have that here. And I like that Perkins and Johnson are acknowledging the stuff from Kara's past rather than sweeping it under the rug.

I also have been pretty rough in my assessment of the New 52 Superboy here. He has been a 'living weapon' and out of control. He has been a bank robber, covering himself in bling. He has been a blank slate, someone who could be controlled. He has never quite been enough of a hero for me.

In this book we have seen Superboy doing some soul searching too, trying to reach some sort of understanding of who he is. He actually agrees to go with Maxima to Crucible. Maybe Crucible holds the key to him finding himself. He and Maxima teleport away, leaving Supergirl on Earth to give Comet time to heal.

We have seen tremendous progression in Kara over this last year under Bedard, Perkins, and Johnson. I am glad to see Superboy on this same journey.

But remember how I said that this issue felt like a bit of a sprint. Here is where I felt it the most.

The Crucible plot goes from simmer to a full boil quickly. We had the sense that Korstus was up to know good, mobilizing the Crucible students into an army. And we knew that Amata seemed to have nobler goals. My guess would be that the plots of these two would have been slowly unveiled over the next year.

But the creators don't have the luxury of time.

So instead Amata is attacked by Korstus, who is in cahoots with Roho and his band. Korstus is going to seize control of Crucible and force it into his image.

Meanwhile, Kara brings Comet to the place she feels is safest on Earth ... Michael's apartment.

This is a brief scene but you can feel some sparks fly between the two. Whether it is Michael saying he would be there for Kara, or her telling him Comet is just a friend, or the peck on the cheek she gives him when she heads back to Crucible, this is a relationship I have loved see grow a bit.

Over and over, we have heard creators who come to Supergirl say that this book needed a supporting cast. That's hard to do when the initial concept is Kara being a loner in an isolated Sanctuary on the bottom of the ocean. Thanks to Perkins and Johnson, we finally got one - Michael, Maxima, Comet, Tsavo, Amata - only to have the book dropped by DC.

Oops ... no lamentations.

Back at Crucible, Supergirl finds that Korstus has changed things dramatically and quickly ... maybe unrealistically quick? Again ... there is that feeling that things are being rushed a bit.

Think of how dark Hogwarts became when Snape took over. It's like that. The school is in shutdown, with curfews and defense robots and deserted halls. As soon as Supergirl arrives, she is attacked by drones for being out of her dorm.

I guess that means it is up to Supergirl to free the school and save the day!

During her fight through Crucible, Kara comes across Korstus and attacks him. But he is able to shut down her powers with a failsafe switch, something Crucible has built into every student. (Nice negative coloring here by Hi-Fi to show the effect.)

Crucible is a high school of incredibly powerful teens. I remember the roughhousing that happened in my high school. Here, with super powered students, that could be extremely destructive. So it makes sense that the faculty would be able to shut people's powers off. But you would think the students would have to agree to that ... or know about it.

I liked how Kara was able to activate her armor during the fight.  I am normally against armoring up but it works for me. There have been nice little touches to this run, many of them artistic. I love the subtle changes we have seen in her costume, changes which have improved it tremendously. And having an armor costume for defense is a nice addition.

Then we get to the cliffhanger. Korstus has decided to make Crucible into an army. Why train the students and hope they become heroes when they graduate? Why not create an obedient attack force and make order happen?

And what better way to churn that army out than to clone a clone! This is why Korstus wanted Kon.

Nice set-up into next issue's story finale and series finale!

With the book ending, Perkins and Johnson do have to rush to this ending. This could have unfolded over the usual 6 issue 'ready for trade' length. But I would rather have a rushed ending than no ending at all. I suppose I should be very happy that the team had enough forewarning to try to wrap things up. But I would have loved to explore Crucible for a bit longer.

I was going to write a long list of things that I think would have been introduced into the book if it was going on but I said from the beginning that I would not lament the passing of the book. I come to praise this issue. (Lamentations might be coming next review.)

Suffice it to say, I have enjoyed this Perkins/Johnson/Lupacchino/McCarthy/Hi-Fi run. It has been bright, fun, action-packed and filled with great characterization. We have a heroic passionate Kara. It has given us a supporting cast. What more could Supergirl fans want?

Overall grade: B+

Back Issue Review: Action Comics #651

With a new Maxima gracing the pages of Supergirl, I have been going back through my long boxes and rereading some of Maxima's appearances in the pre-New 52 universe. She is a relatively complicated character, starting out with the basest of motivations and slowly becoming a hero and planetary protector (albeit with a couple of lapses back to super-villainy). And so I thought I should review the first appearance of the real Maxima in the post-Crisis world.

Action Comics #651 brought Maxima to Earth and showcased her tremendous psionic powers and her somewhat petulant personality. With a creative team of Roger Stern, George Perez, Kerry Gammill, and Brett Breeding, the book is beautiful. And this issue not only introduces us to Maxima but also continued 'The Day of the Krypton Man' arc in which the Eradicator continues his mental manipulation of Clark.

Maxima was something of a mainstay to the Superman universe and always interesting. I am very glad that K. Perkins and Mike Johnson are bringing her back.

"Not of this Earth" starts with Clark beginning his life as editor of Newstime magazine. In the span of 3 panels we see him go from a back-slapping team player to something of a dictator, brusque with some co-workers and firing others. One of the Newstime employees thinks what we are thinking ... "hard to believe this is the same Clark Kent who wrote for the Daily Planet."

And then Clark thinks something very un-Clark. "If fear yields the results I desire ... so be it."

Is this the result of harsh big business? Or is it something more?

To be honest, I had completely forgotten this blip in Clark's career. He just sort of needs to be at the Daily Planet.

One of the things on Clark's mind is Earth's reaction to aliens, especially given the Invasion megaevent that had just happened.

In thinking of the aliens he has come across, he recalls Sazu and Maxima (from Action Comics #645). So technically this isn't the first time we have seen Maxima. But as we learn in this flashback, that Maxima was a simulacrum, destroyed by Sazu (who was acting more like a handmaiden).

As for the real Maxima, she is streaking her way to Earth. She feels betrayed by Sazu and she does want to meet Superman. And that means sending her true self to our 'backwater world'.

I sort of love the design of Maxima here. The boots being different lengths but diagnonally forming one line, the gold neck piece which extends to the torso, the pleated gauzy cape, even the little seen battle mask. It all works for  me, visually engaging.

First stop on Earth? To punish Sazu (who has been captured and psionically weakened by S.T.A.R. labs).

The Maxima drone was supposed to create a mental link between Superman and the real Maxima. When the simulacrum was destroyed, the link was as well.

Sazu has her reasons for doing so. She found Superman lacking. But Maxima isn't listening. She sends Sazu back to her home planet for further discipline.

But right off the bat, we see that Maxima is something of a hot head, and certainly powerful.

The arrival of Maxima and Sazu's deportment is noted by Superman across town who goes to investigate.

Despite wanting to meet Maxima, she isn't going to take his orders. She is in charge. She then literally flies circles around him, leading him on a merry chase that has just a hint of foreplay to it. "Can you catch me Superman ... do try ... I have waited so long for this ... don't disappoint me!"

Everything about Maxima is bold and unrestrained. And powerful. She is able to stand up to Superman physically.

But then the chase is over. She creates a bubble of air underwater to discuss her plans with Superman.

It is an interesting panel. She is definitely vamping here. Her hair tousled and in her face, innocently running a finger across her chest, the see-through cape seeming more like lingerie, the comment about only being adversaries for 'mutual amusement' (a little rough and tumble I suppose) ... it is all very seductive.

And yet, here she is in the muck of the Metropolis river, surrounded by trash.

Odd. Not exactly a sensual environment.

And so we finally hear a bit of Maxima's origins.

She is of an imperial bloodline from the planet Almerac, a 'hearty star-spanning people'.

Her bloodline has been carefully controlled, her ancestors picking the people of the strongest genetic stock, the greatest warriors, to hone the power of Maxima's lineage.

And now is the time for Maxima to continue the power of her people.

While lounging on her planet in some unmentionables, she spies Superman when he was fighting in Mongul's arena. And Maxima was impressed by Superman's ... ahem .... prowess.

You get the sense that everything about Maxima is based on emotion. And also that she lives her life on the extremes.

And then it becomes clear.

Maxima wants to get busy!

She wants to mate with Superman so that the power of their bloodlines will merge. She has actually already done a genetic scan to show they are compatible. Their children would be unstoppable.

Remember how odd Clark sounded in the beginning of the book. We hear that again when he says 'continuing the Kryptonian line is intriguing'.

But then the real Clark shines through. He will not father despots.

Maxima does not like to be spurned ... not at all. What was a seduction scene becomes a battleground. Superman and Maxima end up fighting until it seems that Maxima has been killed.

It turns out she psionically shut herself down to lure Superman in. And when close enough to be in her clutches, she invades his mind.

Initially it looks like Maxima's world. She is dressed in strips of cloth and Superman has very little on himself. It is clear that Maxima would be in charge, Superman would be her consort. And life would be ... physical.

Finally we see why Superman has been acting so cold. He rejects Maxima's advances ... he rejects all emotion and physical attraction. He is acting completely emotionless ... completely rational. The Eradicator is a stronger power in Kal's mind, making him the cold Kryptonian of Jor-El's time.

And this 'true son of Krypton' is not only able to resist Maxima's love; he quickly dispatches her.

Before anyone else can see this transformation, this Kryptonian housecoat becomes his classic S-shield suit again.

Maxima might be misguided. But this Superman might become a threat.

As for Maxima, she is imprisoned right where Suza was. With her psionic powers dampened, she is caged.

And I don't think someone like Maxima would tolerate this ... at all.

As I said, Maxima ends up working for Brainiac, joins the Justice League, tries to woo Superman again, becomes part of the Superman Revenge Squad, leads her planet away from Imperiax, etc. etc. She proves to be a strong female in the Superman mythos both as an ally and enemy. She is complex and I like complex comic characters. I wouldn't mind doing more Maxima coverage ... thoughts?

The current Maxima in the Supergirl book is being driven by the same familial push to mate with someone. But I wonder about that Maxima ...

Overall grade: A

Review: Supergirl #36

Let's see ... over three years, Supergirl has had the following writers.

First Michael Green and Mike Johnson.
Then Mike Johnson.
Then Frank Hannah.
Then Michael Alan Nelson.
Then  Scott Lobdell, Justin Jordan, and Nelson.
Then Tony Bedard.

Over that time, this book and the New 52 Supergirl has had her ups and down. There were times in the first two years ... a time when she was 'angry, disaffected, a loner' ... a time when she was 'Hell on Wheels, as likely to fight her friends as her enemies', someone with no love of Earth ... that a glimmer of heroism shone through. Then H'el on Earth made her bitter and willing to sacrifice billions of people to get home a story where she fell in love too soon and was dupe. Then she was actually killed and disintegrated by her father. And then she reverted to being chilly and angry in Krypton Returns. And then, in the biggest shock, she was made a Red Lantern of rage and had her character actually rehabilitated and redeemed by Charles Soule and Tony Bedard.

I give all of this primer on the DCnU Supergirl to show just how tumultuous the life of our poor Kara has been. And here we begin yet another 'bold new direction' under the writing of K. Perkins and Mike Johnson.

When first announced, I was dismayed that things were changing yet again, especially when Tony Bedard had actually made Supergirl a likable hero once more, bringing her closer to the 'classic' Supergirl, a hero looking to help and learning on the way. How could DC derail this title yet again??

Then I began reading the publicity, listening to interviews, and hearing the plans the new writers had. And things seemed better. It felt like both Perkins and Johnson understood who Supergirl was. They were building on what came before, not blowing things up yet again. And there wasn't a mention of 'angry' or 'loner' or 'bitter' or 'Hell on Wheels'. Suddenly, I was optimistic!

Well, this week, Supergirl #36, written by Perkins and Johnson with art by Emanuela Lupacchino came out.

And I have to applaud it for being a great first issue, setting up the new direction of the book while acknowledging and respecting what came before. In that way it is akin to the setup for Daring New Adventures of Supergirl that we saw in Superman #376 and saw in Supergirl #34 by Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle. That is high praise.

It starts out with a great majestic picture of Supergirl flying in the sunlight, determined look on her face, cape billowing. It is a beautiful panel.

But the words are as important. "The past is the hardest thing to escape from." From the first line, we know that this team isn't going to ignore the troubling past of this incarnation of Supergirl. She can't escape what has happened before in her continuity.

Like I did with Sterling Gates, I applaud the team for acknowledging that there are some skeletons in the closet here. We'll be dealing with the history of this Supergirl, warts and all.

But then things get even better. This image is Kara lost in thought. That 'let go' is Kara's boss at a coffeehouse yelling at her to let go of the cappuchino steamer. We are brought back to reality where Kara is a flustered and pestered barista! And just like that we know that Kara has finally embraced Earth as her home. I mean, she is getting yelled at while working a blue collar job ... and accepting it! This is a far cry from the girl who wanted to be alone in her Sanctuary at the bottom of the ocean!

In one page I got two things that were important to me. One, we acknowledge the past. This was no hard reboot. And two, we are moving away from the rough earlier characterization and are building on Tony Bedard's foundation.

Now my absolute favorite part of this issue is a scene where Kara and Clark have a heart-to-heart conversation, talking about both the past and the future. It is, by no means, warm and fuzzy. But it feels like the way family sometimes talk to each other. And it amazes me that Kara comes off as the more mature one here, trying to shake Superman from the post-Doomed doldrums.

And Kara standing up to Superman for trying to get her to not act or use her powers is fantastic. I love how she throws Super-Doom up to him when he comments on her turn as a Red Lantern. He did way more damage than Kara did in Red Daughter. In fact, she was her most heroic in that arc.

There was also a whiff of Silver Age here when Kal tried to hold Supergirl back until she 'learned her powers'. This isn't the 50s. She isn't going to tolerate that.

And it is so awesome that Kal is the one who no longer wants to act while Kara is the one who wants to protect people and live among the people!

This thin panel, with those piercing eyes is perfect. How could Superman forget that it is a NEVER-ENDING battle??

And to hear Kara say she wants to embrace a 'normal life' on Earth. Hurrah! Bedard set this up. But this is cementing it!

And the ending of this scene really reminded me of Superman #376. Sure, she is part of the Super-family. But Supergirl has to live her own life, make her own decisions, and not blindly listen to Kal, especially when he is trying to make her take steps backwards.

Sure, they aren't hugging. But there is respect and I would say some love between them, even if they don't agree.

As I have said before, even within this review, one of the things I was looking for in this new direction was for it to build on the plots that have gone before, both the good and the bad.

So I had to show this panel where Kara hears (from across the city) Siobhan playing a song. Siobhan was one of the best parts of this book. To see Kara recognize that she has wronged Siobhan by pushing her away, is wonderful. The Banshee needs to be part of this book. But I hope it is as a friend and not an enemy.

The quiet walk home ends abruptly when Supergirl is transported away, to alien worlds and environments, where she has to battle opponents to prove how 'worthy' she is.

These are pretty straightforward action sequences where Supergirl prevails over all. I had to showcase this fight just because the new Maxima looks great.  Kara also defeats a cat-man named Tsavo and Captain Comet.

These 'fights' were recruiting battles to see if Kara was worthy of Crucible. We knew all about this before the issue given the publicity. But it is great to finally hear about it from the characters.

This does sound a bit like the Warrior school on Okaara in a prior DC Universe. Supergirl will learn to better her skills to better defend her world.

I do wonder if Superman's sudden lack of interest in heroing as well as Supergirl deciding to have a life on Earth and protect people might be the impetus for Kara to agree to come here. Maybe she feels that she needs to insert herself into Superman's role if he continues this 'retirement'.

As if that wasn't enough, Perkins and Johnson throw in a delicious wrinkle.

Shay Veritas was a student at Crucible!

Now that is a great little hook. Maybe we will learn more about Shay, her origins, and what she did here.

And then, if all this great characterization wasn't enough, we get a killer cliffhanger.

Kon-El didn't sacrifice himself in Krypton Returns. He is trying to lead a quiet life until he figures things out. He is living as a monk! Phenomenal. Remember, I had problems with the narcissistic bank-robbing Kon. And I didn't like the angry weapon Kon. This is a big step forward for the character. One that makes sense.

In case you didn't get the vibe, I thought this was a great issue. Sure there was some great action of a powerful Supergirl. And yes, the art is just stunning. But it is the characterization of Kara that I loved the most. She is on Earth and accepting it. She is working a job. We see her food shopping and washing clothes. This is her home. And she is suddenly an eager hero, willing to stand up to Superman and tell him he needs to do what's right. Wonderful ...

This issue is 2 days old and I already want to read more. So congratulations to this new creative team. Thanks for accepting the past, making Supergirl great and heroic, and moving things forward!  I couldn't ask for more from a 'bold new direction'.

Overall grade: A

DC All Access With K. Perkins

We are only a couple of days away from the release of Supergirl #36, the first issue by new writing team of K. Perkins and Mike Johnson. And DC has been doing its part by drumming up the publicity. That included a live interview between DC All Access host Tiffany Smith and Perkins herself. Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9yA81miMI4&feature=youtu.be

For me, this was similar to prior interviews as we learn about Crucible and hear that Kara has finally embraced Earth as her home. But there were a couple of things I loved here.

One, I loved that Supergirl's 'Humanity' class is her time on Earth. It is sort of like on the job training. As someone who went to a liberal arts college and was immersed in the 'Humanities', I loved this statement.

And to hear Crucible described as the child of Galactica and Hogwarts made me smile. That is an odd and sort of explosive conglomeration.

On top of those tidbits, we also get a couple of new images from the issue.

That includes this picture of Maxima ...

And this picture of Maxima!

Wow! She looks fantastic. Between these images and the pictures of Kara in the coffee shop, I think that artist Emanuela Lupacchino has really kicked up her game a notch. Unbelievably beautiful!

2 more days!