Review: Red Lanterns Annual #1

Red Lanterns Annual #1 came out this week, part three of the Atrocitus storyline. Sometimes comics gives you a surprising treat and this issue was one of those delights. Writer Charles Soule does something extraordinary here.

Sure, this is a high action annual with major brawls and violence. And yes he advances the plot nicely, setting up something of a showdown for next month's finale. But that is the ordinary. That is what should happen in this book.

But you know what makes the ordinary become extraordinary? It's that little extra.

Because there are two things that I enjoyed even more than the action and plot progression. One, he had Supergirl still act like she is part of the team even if she isn't wearing the ring anymore. And two, he includes really fantastic character moments. In fact, those moments were the highlights of the book for me, making these characters deeper and more relateable.

Miguel Sepulveda is on art here and does a fine job. I don't know why he needs to put Supergirl in heels. And I think I like his version of the prior Supergirl more than this New 52 one. But still, the art is solid here.

The plot involves a two front war.

On Earth, Atrocitus arrives with his handful of Red Lanterns, incuding the traitor Skallox, and decides to force Guy's hand by attacking. Atrocitus has his troops destroy the monuments and areas of Earth that Guy has bragged about to Skallox. So Baltimore, the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Canyon are all leveled.

To make matters more interesting, Atrocitus uses his own attacks to incite humanity into a rage. And then, somehow one of the Red is able to vomit up 1000 new Red Rings. Just like that, there are 1000 maddened and insane Reds flying around the planet.

I think it is an interesting commentary on humanity (and the New 52 Earth) that so many people are so easily recognized as being filled with fear.

The 'good' Reds decide to split up. Guy will take Bleez to Earth to defend his home. Zox will fly the Kalvaar to Styge Prime.

I love that Guy grabs command, tactically maneuvering the team according to his plan. So much for the 'team of equals' who each do what they want. I think it is a commentary of Guy and his leadership that he was make this group of rebels into something of a team. And I really love that Zox so easily recognizes it and accepts it.

I like this Guy.

And I like him even more here.

Arriving to Earth, he begins to corral the insane new Reds. Guy finds Batman and tell him to tell the rest of Earth's heroes to back off. The Reds have this under control. It shows how sure he is of himself.

But even better is this nod to the famous (or infamous) 'one punch' scene from Justice League way back in the day. Could Batman drop Guy with one punch? 'Not in this universe, pal.'

Excellent ... excellent.

Of course, heroes aren't going to let Reds run roughshod across the planet. That includes ex-Red Supergirl.

I love this scene. Love it.

One, I like how Kara says that she was able to lose the red ring by simply letting go. She has shed herself of the rage that plagued her. I love it.

But even better, that little extra scene, where Kara joins the fight. She calls Guy 'Kid', his nickname for her, and tells him she is in. This isn't the loner Kara. And she hasn't turned her back on this team. And she has some affection, some relationship with Guy, a sort of mentor. Just perfect.

In the meantime, Bleez has gone to some group of aliens that the Reds befriended before I started to read the book. These Kormoraki have some sort of calming ray. Using their fleet of starships, they bathe the planet with the ray, temporarily soothing the new terran Reds.

Any information about this is welcomed.

Atrocitus isn't going to let that happen for too long. He heads to space and attacks the ships

Meanwhile at Styge Prime, Rankorr suddenly becomes coherent. It turns out the animalistic rage he was showing was nothing but a ruse. He frees himself from his cage and confronts Zox on the bridge, mortally wounding Zillius.

I thought this was a great and brutal panel.

But Soule throws in one more wrinkle. Rankorr is actually possessed, his body under the control of some snake-like other Red Lantern. When Zox gets attacked, Rankorr is able to final resist, regurgitate, and rend this thing.

I have to say, I wasn't expecting that.

I talked about the character moments in the book as being my favorite parts of this issue.

And I have talked about how Bleez is my favorite character in this book, a tortured soul who both thrives on her rage but is plagued by it at the same time. I don't think she has always been portrayed so sympathetically or with such depth.

Here Atrocitus calls her out on it. The 'old' Bleez would have laughed a the blood shed and destruction. But this isn't that Bleez. This is a new Bleez ... but she still won't mourn Atrocitus' death.

I love the undercurrent of tragedy in her rage. Powerful moment here, recognizing who she was and now who she is.

And Zox? He knows he is dying. He tells Rankorr to abandon ship and goes on a suicide run, flying the Kalvaar into Atrocitus' new temple and lake of blood. It is a hero's death.

At the very least, he gets a nice moment to go out on, finally learning what a testicle is.

With his Reds and Guy's Reds (plus Kara) at a sort of standoff, Atrocitus' takes off to the other side of the planet. Both realize that it is the throng of Reds on Earth that will sway things. And so a mental battle ensues to see who can bring the troops into the fold - Atrocitus or Bleez.

Bleez is able to ensnare a handful. That means Atrocitus has an army. Nice cliffhanger.

So yes, a two-front war was waged with a series of action sequences. But it was the small moments in this book, adding depth to the characters and their relationships, that made this book a winner. Solid work by Charles Soule.

But with characters changing affiliation and dying as well as a crowd of new Reds, who knows what the Red Lanterns book will look like after this arc?

Overall grade: B+

Review: Justice League Of America #58

Justice League of America #58 came out last Wednesday, the penultimate chapter of the Eclipso Rising storyline. The second to last chapter of story arcs like this are crucial for me. I have to feel at the end of these issues that the arc is teed up to be completed. If there is too many plot threads hanging, I worry that the conclusion will be rushed, that plot points will be glossed over or unanswered.

James Robinson does a good job here lining everything up for next month's conclusion. He even adds a number of small flourishes that show just how extensive his knowledge of the DCU is. I enjoy hearing some of the crazier or more esoteric DC stories referenced in stories like this. And they are never crucial to the story; the newer reader can just move on without wondering what is going on.

But more importantly, Robinson continues to show just how this League is growing together. There has been something of a formula in these stories, the team regrouping somewhere in the middle of the arc and Dick coming up with a great plan. But here, Dick uses his knowledge of prior adventures as well as characters other skills to put together a solid plan. And Robinson plays out the plan slowly, flashing back to the strategy discussion and then moving to the actualization of that part of the plan. It works better than hearing the whole plan and then seeing it play out.

Miguel Sepulveda (who did the recent Superman/Batman Annual) and Daniel Sampere split the art here, presumably to give Brett Booth some lead time for his new Titans book. It is a very different look than Booth's but it is solid, with a lot of wide action shots of the brawling on the moon.

We only have 2 more issues of this JLA moving forward ... heck we only have 2 more months of 'this' DCU ... but I have enjoyed this group a lot.And how wonderful has it been to have Supergirl in the League!

Now last issue ended with Eclipso splitting the moon like an avocado, the culmination of his plan to destroy Earth and therefore kill God.

As I have said before, Robinson has really ratcheted up the threat levels that the League has fought. From the Starheart to the CSA and the Omega Man to Eclipso, it has been world threatening to universe threatening to deity-threatening villains that need to be squashed.

In one of those small moments, Robinson shows us that the Eclipso's ascendancy to ultimate Shadow power has effected the universe, the people of Talok VIII (and long lost LEGION member Lydea Mallor) are suddenly overwhelmed with bliss, succumbing to the evil shadow wave. I know this was a page taken away from League action but it showed just how encompassing Eclipso's plans are. This truly is a universal threat. I thought this added something to the story.

Meanwhile, on Earth, the splitting of the moon is wreaking havoc on the planet. We see heroes scrambling to save people from all manners of disasters while Eclipso sits smugly on the moon. That is, until the League comes over the hill for one last assault.

While we see most of the Leaguers struggling against Eclipso's army, we flash back to Batman discussing his plan.

He realizes that The Shade and his mastery of Shadows is how Eclipso is controlling so many people. And the Shade, who has turned over a new leaf, must be being dominated by Eclipso in a more subtle fashion. The Shade seems like he is self-aware but Batman realizes that is a sham. The Shade is under Eclipso's control ... and if that control is broken, Eclipso's army will stop fighting.

So how to stop the Shade? The first step is to get the Atom up to the moon.

And then shrink the Atom and Starman down, put them into a blue energy bullet, and have Congorilla shoot the Shade in the head. Again, I like how Dick uses Bill's skills as a hunter to his advantage.

Dick reminds the Atom how he 'kick started' Batman's brain waaayyy back in The Brave and the Bold #115, an issue from the 70s where The Atom keeps Batman from brain death with direct physical intervention. Maybe the same can be done to the Shade's brain.

While I think it is silly and awesome that Robinson brings up this pre-Crisis story as though it happened a short time ago and is in continuity, I am pretty sick of the Atom (or others using his powers) walking on people's brains.

Didn't we see enough of that in Cry for Justice and Identity Crisis? And kicking the brain into right thinking?

Once in the brain, Starman and the Atom begin walking, trying to find the focus of Eclipso's control. Again, Robinson drops a nice Silver Age reference, the Atom meeting Edgar Allen Poe way way way back in 1964's The Atom #12 ( 'The Gold Hunters of '49'). How does Starman know about that story?

I don't know what the heroes are breathing in there ... but if I can buy that they were shrunk, put in an energy bullet, and shot into a super-villain's brain, I guess I have to buy that they can breathe something when shrunk and walking inside someone's skull.

And I wanted to include the panel below where Batman talks about how while the Atom and Starman are dealing with The Shade, the rest of the League will try to free Zauriel.

I include it to show that the panel and some dialogue is repeated ... this time with the added element that Zauriel is not the goal, but a decoy. Again, by slowly revealing the plan, Robinson let's the reader be as surprised as Eclipso is when the League changes tactics. Up until that point, I thought Zauriel was the goal. But I was wrong. Nice use of repeat panels and dialogue ... I usually find it lazy but this time it worked.

And it turns out that the real plan is to get Donna one on one with Eclipso. Remember last month, Saint Walker said he detected that someone had the power to defeat the villain. It turns out it is Donna. Walker knows that Donna can unleash her anger and pain onto Eclipso, let her 'bright energy' shine.

Now I have been a Donna fan since forever. I thought she was such a steady influence in the Wolfman/Perez Titans, probably where I really latched on to her. I really think that putting her through the mill has become almost cliche with every possible tragedy foisted upon her. And yet, through that, she has remained a fierce hero. Even when bristling with anger, she has always channeled it into heroics. Robinson had her defeat Prometheus in Cry for Justice. I am glad she had a chance to be the big hero here.

While I guessed just about every female character last month when Saint Walker talked about this hope, I did think it would be Donna. Here were my thoughts last month:

My best guess is Donna. Somehow it will come out that her ability to persevere and carry on, to continue to look to the light despite the horror in her history, is able to dispel Eclipso. Okay, it's a stretch ... but I am a Donna fan.

Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Now another comic tradition I like is having germs or body-invading organisms take on human or animal characteristics. Here Eclipso's control of Shade takes the form of large spiders. So the Atom and Starman have to eradicate these things to free the Shade. It is sort of reminiscent of the climactic battle in The Incredible Shrinking Man.

My favorite version of this is when the Kryptonite germs in Superman's body in 'Critical Condition' took the form of K-Supermen. Look at how beautiful that Matrix costume is!

And for a second, it looks like Donna might win. She just takes it to Eclipso, focusing all the negativity in her life into her fists.

I have to say, I thought this was great. I was really hoping that Donna would stop being the cursing, always angry hero we saw. I wanted her to have the quiet dignity I have seen in her before. And it looked like this might have been some catharsis. Donna-tharsis??

Until this ...

Donna dies ... again!?

Well, she is pictured on the cover of Justice League of America #60 so maybe not? Maybe somehow she survives this? And, of course, there is no mention of her in the reboot! Knowing we might not see her in the near future, I hope she survives this and leaves the current DCU on top, as a hero. But if she dies here, at least Robinson has treated her as the warrior she is.

So the table is set for next month's finale. The Shade will get freed. Eclipso's army will desert him. And then, I think, Jade has to be the one to ultimately defeat him. She has been trumpeted throughout this run as stronger than ever, massively powerful. Freed from Eclipso's control and seeing Donna, I bet trounces him. Now, as for the moon, I bet the Starheart somehow undoes the damage to recreate the mystic city.

As much as I am looking forward to seeing how all this wraps up, I actually am looking forward to JLA #60 more, Robinson's epilogue/love letter/finale to this team. I constantly remind myself that I only came to this book because Supergirl was on the team. I am glad I came because this has been a year plus here, bringing this quasi-'Big Seven' team together.

Overall grade: B

Review: Action Comics #900 Part 1

Action Comics #900 came out this week, a truly historic issue. And like many I was excited to read the main story by Paul Cornell, Pete Woods, and Jesus Merino as they wrapped up the Black Ring storyline.

But like many, it was the included short story by David Goyer that got my attention the most. In fact, it struck such a chord that I felt I needed to review it before the main story. I'll also review the other short bonus stories here as well.

'The Incident' was written by David Goyer with art by Miguel Sepulveda.

The story opens with Superman meeting the President's National Security Advisor in the middle of a snowy wood to talk about an incident Superman was involved in, one that has the US government worried.

Deep in the woods, military snipers have high powered rifles with Kryptonite bullets trained on Superman, fearing that he may have gone rogue.

So I have said it before and I will say it again. Recently there has been far too many stories with Superman fighting the US military. One of the main villains of the whole New Krypton storyline was the US military. One of the main villains in Superman:Secret Origin was the US military.

I don't need Superman to be a sycophant for the military as in Dark Knight Returns. I understand the above examples were the fault of the xenophobic General Lane. But the truth is the average soldier, the average person in the armed forces is serving this country and ready to defend my freedom. They are heroes too. I don't need Superman beating them up, or being fired on by them.

I  am just sick of images like this one, the cover of Superman Secret Origin #5.

Why does the government think Superman as gone rogue? He decided to be a participant in an 'incident' in Iran where a public protest was occurring. The demonstrators were rallying against the government. The military was there to quell the demonstration ... with force if necessary.

Superman decided that he was going to show up and stand with the protesters, a sign of solidarity. He states he would not engage no matter what happened, he was there as an act of civil disobedience.

Okay, so the truth is this idea of Superman trying to change the world in matters like this (or other examples he gives like world hunger or human rights) has been explored in many many different places. It never ends well. It is rarely done right.

Superman says he stood in that square for 24 hours, that he was vilified and glorified during that time.  During that time the protest crowd grew astronomically. And nothing happened. And Superman left.

I have to be honest, I think Goyer was pretty lazy here.  He takes the easy way out. It is easy to write this story when nothing happens. But what if Superman's presence scared the military so much they began to fire into the crowd? Would Superman really stand by and do nothing? And if his presence emboldened the protesters such that they began to lob rocks or fire on the military themselves would Superman intervene on behalf of the army? And if his presence led to a riot between both sides would he act? Or what if presence didn't matter at all and things got ugly? Would he hold to his vow and not 'directly engage' allowing the loss of human life?

And what happens after he leaves? What if the government continues to round up the protesters? Or fire into the demonstraters as soon has he leaves? Would he return? And what about the throngs of people who came to the protest when Superman was there ... do they continue to protest in the open ... or slink back to their homes, scared again? What happens later?

It is too easy to have nothing happen during and after this event. It also seems unrealistic. No one in the army got a twitchy finger. No one of the one million protesters instigated anything?

And then the fallout happens. Iran felt Superman's presence was an act of war. That's why Superman was called to this meeting.

Superman, tired of being construed an 'instrument of US policy', states he will revoke his US citizenship.

What?

Why?

Given his global presence and his very recent (and unfortunate) dust-ups with the military, do people think he is really part of the government? A weapon? If he was a weapon, wouldn't he be used more?

And even if he does revoke his citizenship, do he think that will mean anything to the Iranian or any other government? Or will they think that the hero based in Metropolis is still acting in America's interests? Won't they think is simply lip service?

And isn't what he did the essence of the 'American Way' part of 'Truth, Justice, and the American Way'? Isn't the basis of the American Way the strive for freedom, to bring freedom to the oppressed? Isn't that the ideal of the American Way that we all should be inspired to reach for? Even if he disagrees with the politics of the current US regime, shouldn't he still want to be an American and to demonstrate what those ideals mean?

And doesn't America have a rich history of civil disobedience?

Isn't what Superman did in Iran very American? Being part of something like that to change things? Isn't what those protesters did very American, striving for democracy?

Shouldn't Superman be proud of his American citizenship since here we have the right to organize without tanks rolling out? That we have the right to voice our opinions and protest? That we live in a democracy? Shouldn't he be touting his American citizenship?

Isn't renouncing his citizenship almost ironic given what he did?

Superman says he has been thinking too small. He needs to think globally, not locally.

And he saw this happen as he left which made it worth it all.

Again, it is easy to write this story when the ending is trite like this. Almost saccharin. The truth is this could have turned very ugly, might still turn ugly.  What if the soldier hit the protester as he extended the rose? What if the protester spat in the soldier's face? What would Superman do then? Would he truly 'not directly engage'? Or would he put an end to it, acting just the way Luthor fears he would be ... a paternalistic safety net.

I hope ... no I pray ... someone buys Goyer Paul Dini's Peace on Earth, just about the best example of how Superman can't just insert himself into issues like this. How it is a job for everyone.

We have only recently and painfully learned in the early issues of Grounded that you better be a good writer if you are going to insert Superman into daily problems that are in our society. Can you really write a story where Superman tries to defeat hunger? Child abuse? Racism? Strife in the Middle East?Heck, even if you are a good writer, he can't really defeat those things, can he? Superman becomes ineffective ... or condescending ... or both. Who would want to read that Superman?

Superman belongs to the world, I know. But he is American. It was Ma and Pa Kent that made him the person he is. He should embrace that, be proud of that, not be irritated by it.

I pray that this story is simply swept under the rug, not regarded as canon, forgotten, and hopefully not the basis for any upcoming arcs. Because I can tell you, it simply won't work.

This whole story ... the snipers aiming at Superman, the condescending and overlord-like tone by Superman, the lazy and unrealistic protest scene, the vow by Superman to revoke his citizenship, the overly sentimental flower ending panel ... not one part worked for me. Every single part failed.

And really that is the main thing about this story. Regardless of the details, regardless of my politics, regardless of the rancor, I didn't like it. It is just another Superman story I don't want to read. And because of the publicity it is getting, now I can't escape it.

I have had to deal with years of Superman not being the star in his own books. I have had to deal with the missteps of the early Grounded issues. I have had to accustom myself to Luthor being the star of Action.  And now I have to deal with this. It is enough to make even a diehard Superman fan like me grow weary.

The rest of the supplemental stories are a mixed bag.

'Life Support' is written by Damon Lindelof and has eye-popping art by Ryan Sook. I think I would buy just about anything with Sook art.

This is a Jor-El story as he tries to get help from another Kryptonian scientist just prior to Krypton's destruction. He needs this man's help to provide for Kal-El on his journey. Now how a baby will know how to get food and water out of this device, let alone eat it, is beyond me. It is a touching story of how that unnamed scientist will help ... but only after spending time with his own family.

'Autobiography' is written by Paul Dini with art by Jimmy Olsen artist RB Silva.

This is an interesting story about a super-powered hippo like creature named Sarva who defended his planet until a supernova destroyed the planet. Rather than transport the population to a new harsh world, Sarva decided to make the world sleep peacefully and let the catastrophe happen. But he questions if that was the right decision.

My favorite short story in the book was 'Friday Night in the 21st Century' by uber-team Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. It is a simple story. Lois wants Clark to have a 'typical Friday night', a night at home with friends. And so she invites the Legion over.

I love this 2 page spread showing the heroes and Lois relaxing. I especially love the peeved Ayla looking for the pizza while a worried Timber Wolf hides. And Lois must be telling some story!

Even the beginning pages, an exploration of Lois' disorganized desk and her clear love for Clark are wonderful. It's 4 pages, 2 of which are this spread, and yet it is a complete and sweet story.

The last story is 'Only Human', told in storyboard style by Superman director Richard Donner and Derek Hoffman with art by old friend Matt Camp.

This is another fun story where Lois learns about a new super-suit designed to give the average man powers. When a demonstration with Superman turns near disastrous, Superman has to shut down the suit and its pitch man. But amusingly, Superman is also a bit jealous because the pitch man seems to have won over Lois.

Camp's art is storyboard style which works here. But I would love to have seen this story with his typical finished meticulous stuff. I bet his Lois is wonderful.

Anyways, these extra stories in Action Comics #900 were a nice addition to the Cornell conclusion. The near perfect and wonderful 'Friday Night' is offeset by the 'Incident'.

Overall grade 'The Incident': F
Overall grade 'Friday Night in the 21st Century': A+
Overall grade everything else: B+/B

Review: Superman/Batman Annual #5

Superman/Batman Annual #5 came out this week and continued the Reign of Doomsday storyline started in Justice League of America #55. And yes it is a Doomsday story as he and the CyborgSuperman do their best to destroy everything and everyone in their path.

But really this is a Supergirl story with a lot of carnage happening around her. The issue wraps up the Dark Supergirl story started back in the Omega Man arc and does it in a very satisfying way. In fact, one of the reason it works so well is that it is a moment of calm in this book surrounded by the chaos of the brawling within the JLA satellite.

James Robinson really does great work in this issue. Yes, in many ways it is a 'smash em up' issue, a near nonstop fight from beginning to end. But within all that action, he still is able to give us some great characterization. So we hear how CyborgSuperman still wants to die but not at the hands of Doomsday and so fights on. And we can hear how much Dick Grayson cares for Supergirl. And, as stated above, we get a lot of Supergirl here as well.

And even more impressive is that the explanation behind the placement of the characters ... why Supergirl has time for some introspection ... doesn't feel forced.

On top of that, Miguel Sepulveda's art throughout the issue is just lush, highly detailed work which crackles on the page. If only Supergirl's boot didn't have heels! The art alone is worth the cover price.

With CyborgSuperman and Doomsday ripping up the satellite, Supergirl and Batman take refuge in the sick bay, a sort of fortified last stronghold on Watchtower. During the fight, Supergirl felt weakened and Dick realized that a retreat was called for simply for survival.

Most likely the battle triggered a defense protocol to flood the satellite with magic radiation, a way to weaken any potential Kryptonian villain (like Zod). In the sick bay, there is no radiation and so Supergirl is safe.

But Dick also realizes that to win this fight, Supergirl has to be in the game. He needs to get to the other side of the satellite and turn off the defense systems.

I think that it makes sense for the satellite to have significant defense systems both external and internal. And given the recent events of New Krypton, having anti-Kryptonian measures doesn't have the usual ring of paranoia and now seems more like common sense.

And yes, this twist does isolate Supergirl from the battle for a bit, a turn that leads to her story.

The CyborgSuperman continues to battle against Doomsday rather than let Doomsday fulfill his wish for death. Part of Cyborg's motivation is to prove that he is a bigger man that Superman. To defeat Doomsday would prove that. Hmmm ... given recent stories, I wonder if CyborgSupes really wants to die after all.

But while that battle rips up the ship, the Sick Bay medical computers go on auto-pilot and scan Supergirl. The analysis is that she is dying.

Great ...

I think Supergirl fans are always waiting for the other shoe to drop, always waiting for DC to decide to kill her off again, erase her from continuity again. It is such a palpable feeling within her fanbase that I understand why creators would want to explore that. I know I had a 'here we go again' moment of angst when I read that panel. When a writer is able to evoke something like that, they have done their job. Now maybe people who aren't Supergirl fans just breezed by that panel. But I know I didn't.

Dick continues to make his way to the control panel.

Unfortunately the safety features in the X-Mansion Danger Room ... oops ... I mean Arena have been deactivated. To turn off the defenses, Batman has to make his way through an armada of villains. How can he survive this mess?

I really included this panel just to showcase more of Sepulveda's work. Wonderful.

One of the more interesting parts of this Reign of Doomsday has been the new powers that Doomsday is manifesting. He became armored against Steel. He developed energy blasts against the Eradicator. And here, after nearly being vivisected by CyborgSuperman, he develops the same organic machinery capabilities as Cyborg.  Moreover, the real CyborgSuperman suddenly finds that he can't repair himself. That is fascinating.

Even more interesting is that this Doomsday did not have armor or blasts. I am convinced that there are multiple Doomsdays, one for each of the Supermen. And now that I think that Lex is behind it, I wonder if this is some sort of Doomsday clone infused with some Amazo tech.

So brawls are all well and good. They are a fun part of comics.

But the best part of this story occurs in the sick bay. After a 'computerized' Dr. MidNite cannot diagnose why she is dying, Dick (from a distance and while on an open comm-link with Kara) activates another medical program, this one Dr. Fate.

Robinson remembers that Kent Nelson was a psychiatrist.

He points out that Dark Supergirl has manifested multiple times in the past. I love how Nelson equates the Kelly Supergirl, the one where Zor-El was telling her to kill Superman, was a 'Dark Supergirl' even if the costume remained blue. I don't think that undermines the Kryptonite poisoning explanation Sterling Gates used. In fact, it might add to it, a reason why those particular hallucinations came to the forefront.

Fate realizes that Supergirl has had so much psychiatric trauma both recently (New Krypton) and in the past (the destruction of the first Krypton) that she is being crushed ... literally killed ... by survivor's guilt and (I think) PTSD.

Even Kara knows that this manifestation of Dark Supergirl isn't evil. She's just acting like a self-centered brat. In comparison to the more villainous prior manifestations, I suppose it shows some personal growth by Supergirl.

Nelson knows Supergirl needs to simply accept that she is blameless in all that has happened. He says my favorite line in the whole book (and what I am sure will end up on my best of 2011 list) 'You survived because ultimately your mother chose her love for you over everything else'. What a great line about Alura, a character I still miss.

And finally Supergirl expresses her feelings .. she's angry and sad and tired and sad. Her life has been hard to live recently.

It might sound simple but Fate knows Supergirl needs to forgive herself, to move past the thought that somehow she is responsible for the tragedies around her. It is implied here (although never outright said) that bu shedding this weight from her psyche she will 'cure' herself, will stop dying.

In some ways this is just covering material already done by Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle and Bernard Chang in Supergirl. A lot of these revelations were discussed, reviewed, revealed in the BizarroGirl arc.

Still, I think this was done well. It shows how complex Supergirl is a character. And it shows how deep Robinson's understanding of the character is.

And her introspective healing comes just in time. Right after turning off the magic field, Batman is about to die at the hands of Doomsday. He call for help and Supergirl arrives ... clad in the classically colored costume! (Ugh ... but those heels!)

Man, that is a great double splash page of Supergirl. Sepulveda's stuff is really slick. You can feel this right uppercut, shrapnel flying all around.

It gets better ...

Supergirl proceeds to beat the tar out of Doomsday for a couple of pages. She is able to finally cut loose. She even talks about how she wanted to take him on one-on-one, unlike the group battle in WONK.

Even Dick can sense it. "Her light is back.' 'She's magnificent.' And the art is spectacular.

And it even looks like she is going to win the fight, Doomsday in shreds.

But in a scene which eerily mirrors Crisis on Infinite Earth's #7, Supergirl is distracted by Batman before she can finish the job giving Doomsday just the opening he needs to defeat Supergirl. He then rips off CyborgSuperman's arms off.

And just like that  the fight is over and Doomsday teleports away with his victims. Doomsday teleporting? This can't be the Doomsday.

Unfortunately, the remaining Leaguers can't track Doomsday. His essence has been cloaked even from Blie Lantern's ring.

We do see where Doomsday went ... to the site of New Krypton. Another nice twist.

So I thoroughly enjoyed this comic ... more than I thought I would.

For one thing, the action sequences are crazy spectacular. I will admit that I like seeing comic punch-ups as much as anyone. And the battles here ... from Doomsday and Cyborg, to Dick vs the villains, to Supergirl vs Doomsday ... are all over the top and beautifully drawn.

But the Supergirl moment, the discussion of her feelings, her ultimate self-forgiveness, and transformation back to the real Supergirl, was all done so well. It just added a level of psychological drama on top of the wild carnage happening everywhere else. I think Robinson is really treating Supergirl right here, much better than he did in Cry For Justice. He just seems to 'get her' now.

And Miguel Sepulveda's art is powerful and nuanced. I can't wait to see what he does in Action Comics #900.

And no more 'Dark Supergirl'!

Overall grade: A

Superman Batman Annual Preview Art

 This is relatively old news but last week Comic Book Resources posted the second part of an interview with Super-editor Eddie Berganza regarding the Reign of Doomsday storyline. Here is the link:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=31061

The whole article is very good, worth reading, and includes a discussion of continuing the story from Justice League #55 into Superman/Batman Annual #5. But this blurb stuck out.

CBR:In that sense, what is Superman's role at DC in 2011 once he's back full time? We see things from "Flashpoint" with Cyborg taking his place. Can the Man of Steel fit back into the big plans?

 
EB: Well, that's the big tease, isn't it? Don't worry. There'll be a point for it all to come together. We're not getting rid of the Kryptonians in "Flashpoint." And for Superman, when he comes back he's not a happy guy. Think of it this way: all your friends have been taken down and the guy that killed you is back. We're not making it easy on him moving forward.

I really hope that Superman reasserts himself as a major focus of the DCU. He has been sort of an afterthought for the last couple of years. I want him to be the center of the DCU.

But what really struck me in this piece was this preview 2 page splash by newcomer artist Michael Sepulveda. Man, this guy looks like he can bring it.

Here is the Supergirl portion blown up. I am definitely not a fan of the heeled boots. But the rest of it looks absolutely fantastic. My guess is the art here is going to be jaw-droppingly great. I can't wait to see it.