Bullet Review: Nightwing #104

Nightwing #104 came out last week. It included the final part of the back-up Jon/Dick story written by C.S. Pacat. This was a story which I was pretty excited about after reading the first part. But the story has kind of fizzled.

Over the last couple of months, I have struggled with the Jon Kent character. His own book wrapped up in an understated way, filled with overly simplified political message stories in which Jon was a more a guest than a lead. In his latest mini-series, Jon has been whisked away to the Injustice world, where again he is a leading man in a world that isn't his. The story that book should've told, Jon dealing with Ultraman, was truncated. 

Now this story started with a great premise, Jon being trained by Dick to fight physically. It took a left turn into a circus mystery which highlighted the differences of the heroes upbringing. It downshifted into a 'very special' tale about parents pushing kids into careers they don't want. And now it concludes with a simple ending to the circus mystery. 

The opening idea about Dick training Jon? Never touched.

Daniel HDR is on art here and there is something off brand about his take on Jon. I wish I could put my finger on it in an intelligent way. But the close-ups of Jon here seem strange. 

I was hoping this story might rekindle my interest in Jon's character. 

On to a few moments including my favorite moment.

Bullet Review: Nightwing #103

Nightwing #103 came out a bit ago but deserved a quick peek here. Over the last several months, there has been a back-up feature in the book. Writer C.S. Pacat and artist Eduardo Pansica have been telling a story of Nightwing and Jon Kent teaming up.

Now the story has had some twists and turns. I wonder how it would/will read if all the backups are read in one sitting. What initially got me excited was the premise that Dick was going to train Jon on how to use his powers physically ... how to fight. This physical aspect of hero-ing was something sadly missing in the Son of Superman title, written by main Nightwing scribe Tom Taylor.  

That kernel of the story has been pushed a bit to the background as the two are now investigating an explosion and a trapeze mystery at a circus. Someone cut one of the trapeze ropes, almost killing the mother in a mother/son trapeze act. Sounds pretty similar to the Grayson murders, no? With the new element of mystery added, this story has instead become a compare/contrast tale between Dick and Jon. How Bruce is different than Lois in investigating, for example. 

Ultimately, this chapter has them solving the trapeze rope crime. The solution is a bit saccharine for me but might be playing in on the theme that children (like Dick and Jon) are sometimes pressured into following in the family footsteps and that isn't always healthy.

Eddie Pansica continues to bring us very good art on the story even if this one is mostly people talking about clues and feelings. Not much action here ... something I hope we eventually get.

But there was one moment that stuck out that deserved a nod here.

Bullet Review: Nightwing #102

Nightwing #102 came out last week. As with #101, there is a back-up feature written by C.S. Pacat with art by Eduardo Pansica. 

Last issue, I was struck by the feature. Once again we see Dick stepping in as a mentor for Jon. Last issue there was a whole bit about Jon not using his strength to fight with villains. Perhaps Dick could give him some fighting tips.

Now I could say that maybe his father ... or even cousin Kara ... could give him some tips on throwing a Kryptonian haymaker. But maybe Jon is too timid ... or even embarrassed ... to ask them. Or maybe you ask your 'older brother' for tips like this. 

That discussion around fighting and strength isn't really touched on in this issue. But once again, we see how Jon and Dick interact. With a mystery of a possible murder at a circus, trapeze ropes cut almost leading to the death of of an acrobat family (sound familiar), Nightwing and Superman decide to investigate.

Now one of my favorite things about Super Sons was hearing Damien and Jon compare and contrast their fathers. Here, we see Jon and Dick compare their parents approaches to mysteries. 

It is interesting, especially when Jon talks of both Clark and Lois. 

A quick review.

Bullet Review: Nightwing #101

This will be an extremely short look at one aspect of Nightwing #101.

Writer Tom Taylor has been writing Nightwing for about 2 years and has injected a breezy feel to the proceedings. Dick Grayson is social justice warrior, using his money to help Bludhaven. Using his heroic activities to fight corruption. Taylor definitely has strong political opinions and he has put them in these stories. Somehow it works here better than in other titles. Perhaps street level stories lend themselves to more realistic stories and issues.

Taylor was also given the keys to Jon Kent in Superman: Son of Kal-El. He injected the same politics into that title. But in a book with someone as powerful as Jon, the political stories felt silly and ham-fisted. 

Taylor also tamped down the super-heroics of the Superman book. Jon seemed like a guest star in his own book. Taylor even bragged about how Superman never threw a punch the entire time the title was running. 

I never quite became embraced with the Son of Kal-El book. It ended when Kal returned to Earth. And now Jon will be heading into his own mini-series getting ready to battle both Ultraman and the Injustice Superman. Might be hard to do that if you don't jab now and then.

So ...

Review: Superman Son Of Kal-El #9

Superman Son of Kal-El #9 came out last week, the second part of a two-part crossover with Nightwing. It was simply incredible.

Writer Tom Taylor and artist Bruno Redondo are on both issues (the first part in Nightwing #89) and bring together this story which could be read as a standalone even though it is completely enmeshed in current storyline. It is a wonderful, heart-warming story showcasing the similarities between Jon Kent and Dick Grayson, both living in the shadow of the legacy hero they emulate and trying to forge out on their own.

For me, in particular, the characterization of Dick, who has basically shed the sidekick role and has become his own fully formed hero but also someone who still feels Imposter Syndrome when comparing himself to Batman, was fantastic. But when Taylor finally recognized the elephant in the continuity room, that Jon was tortured for 6 years, I smiled. Thank you Tom Taylor.

We even get some good Lois moments and some plot advancement. 

Add to that Bruno Redondo's inventive art conveying action through multiple images and bringing feelings to the stories. The pages flow wonderfully. And several panels stick out as perfection.

I don't know what more you could ask for except for DC to put these two issues together in a little squarebound prestige format so it can sit on a shelf for easy reading. 

On to the issue!

Review: Nightwing #89

Nightwing #89 came out last week and was a wonderful crossover with the Superman, Son of Kal-El book. This was about as seamless a crossover can be. Both books are written by Tom Taylor and both tout a progressive political viewpoint. So why not have two great tastes taste great together.

In Nightwing, Dick has inherited billions from Alfred and has set out to make Bludhaven a better place. In this issue we learn that his hope to spread the truth goes farther than his boroughs borders. That is all well and good and makes sense. But the thing that I love about Dick is that somehow he has become the big brother/conscience of the DCU. If you need help or advice or just a chance to decompress, Dick seems to be your guy. That comes across so well in this issue as he helps a troubled Jon deal with Superman's recent issues.

Throw in some solid humor and nifty character beats and Nightwing has become one of my favorite monthly books.

Bruno Redondo has done amazing work on the title as well giving us great page layouts and story construct and panel art. I love the way his Babs looks. And his action is always crisp and kinetic. It starts with this fun cover! Love the laissez-faire feel to Jon cruising downward.

On to the specifics. Hope everyone is reading this.

Quick Hits: Nightwing #83 And Wonder Woman #778

While I cover the Super-titles here on the site regularly, occasionally something super-centric will happen in another book that warrants a quick look here.

In the last couple of weeks, we have seen a Superman sighting in Nightwing #83 and a Phantom Zone trip in Wonder Woman #778. I collect both books monthly so I didn't need to seek them out. They fell into my laps. And both scenes are worthy of at least quick coverage here.

I started buying Nightwing when writer Tom Taylor started his current run with artist Bruno Redondo. It is an interesting read given Taylor is also writing Superman, Son of Kal-El. Here Nightwing has inherited over a billion dollars from Alfred and plans to use that money to help solve social wrongs. This is sort of a more stable way than Jon's approach. Add to that a nice side plot of Dick suddenly having a half-sister with the last name Zucco and this has been a good read.

I have been collecting the Wonder Woman title for a long time but was interested to see what writers Michael Conrad and Becky Cloonan would bring to the table. With artist Travis Moore, they have been crafting a great tale of Diana recovering from post-Metal amnesia. We have seen her travel from Asgard to Earth to Olympus all in pursuit of the god/dess Janus who split themselves in two.

I'd definitely recommend both books. Let's see what I stumbled across.

Mystery Solved: Nightwing And Flamebird Promo Page

Today I finally wrap up my look at the Candor arc in the early days of Supergirl's solo title from 2005.

Back in my first post about the arc, I posted a splash page from within the trade collection of Supergirl and Power Girl in their Flamebird and Nightwing armor.

I wasn't sure where it came from.

The answer was provided by commenter Rober Todd Bruce who pointed me to Superman/Batman #27. As a big Huntress fan and a Power Girl fan I actually had the issue in my collection, signed no less by cover artist Ethan Van Sciver (a long time ago ... before things were known) and inside artist Kevin Maguire!

I had completely forgotten that the page came in here.

Read on!

A Little Bit Of Kandor: Candor Pt 3 Supergirl #8

Welcome to my review of Supergirl #9, the third part of the Candor storyline I am covering.

After two issues, the Greg Rucka era on this Supergirl title ended. I would love to talk to Rucka at some point to see if this was always planned to be a brief run or if he had editorial differences or other opportunities that led him to leave.

But Supergirl #9 is the beginning of the Joe Kelly run on the book. For me, Kelly's run is the worst run for this character. That took me by surprise. After all, Kelly wrote 'What's so funny about Truth Justice and the American Way' in Action Comics #775, one of the better looks at Superman remaining an inspirational hero in a cynical world.

Instead of giving us a heroic Supergirl, learning the ropes on Earth, he gives us a petulant child, an angry and angsty young woman who only cares about herself. He made her a violent person, a killer on Krypton. And his portrayal of her was hypersexual. It certainly isn't any type of Supergirl that I want to read. And at times it is downright creepy.

The art on this issue leans into that portrayal. We start with the cover by Joe Benitez who gives us a Power Girl defining pulchritude. The internal art by Ron Adrian isn't as overt. Adrian brings a decent take on Kara, Karen, and the weird Kandor.

But this story can't end soon enough. And as you will see, it ends abruptly and rather terribly. On to this book!

A Little Bit Of Kandor: Candor Pt 2 Supergirl #7

Welcome to part 2 of my review of Candor, the second arc in the Supergirl  series from the early 2000's.

I had my concerns with Candor Part 1, an opening chapter which showed and angry, violent, murderous, and barely dressed Kara struggling with her place in a rebellion in Kandor.

A man claiming to be Kal-El is running Kandor like a fascist regime. This Kal is a racist, considering the Kryptonians in Kandor to be the True Children and all others lesser beings. He runs the place with an iron fist, keeping the aliens suppressed and with limited rights. Supergirl and Power Girl went into Kandor to help oust this regime and help the aliens. But to earn the other species trust, they have to don masks and the identities of Nightwing and Flamebird.

I was surprised that Greg Rucka was the writer on this. His female protagonists usually have agency. They usually depth. They are usually more mature. This Kara doesn't read like a Rucka character. And part 2, here in Supergirl #7 isn't much better. In fcat, in some places it is worse. Perhaps Rucka didn't like editorial leanings? After all, he is gone after this issue after this 2 issue 'run'.

Regular series artist Ian Churchill is back. He doesn't bring the same sort of curves that Ed Benes brought to things last issue but this is still drawn to the male gaze. Churchill's characters are always rail thin, almost stretched out.

We are One Year Later in the DCU. Let's head back to Kandor.

A Little Bit Of Kandor: Candor Pt 1 Supergirl #6

Welcome to part one to a week long look at Candor, the second arc in the Supergirl solo series from the early 2000's. As I said in my prologue post, I did not like this story at all. So if you don't want to read something relatively negative, you can jump off here. I will try to point out the high points. But there aren't many.

Remember that this is a reintroduction of Kara Zor-El as Supergirl in the DCU. It is clear that DC felt the best representation of the character was of a bratty, angry, angsty teenage girl. And, as if to double down, they have given her a motivation of being sent to Earth to kill Kal-El. This is a far cry from the other Kara. It is a far cry from really any hero.  I was still willing to see if this was going to be a redemption story ... remember I love PAD's Supergirl series. But this seemed wrong. Toss in hyper-sexualization of a 16 year old character and I was struggling to get behind this new incarnation.

I will also remind you that it was this run of Supergirl that was such a terrible misunderstanding of the core of the character that it spurred me to make this blog to celebrate her.

But enough retreading old sorrows.

Check out the cover by Ian Churchill of Kara and Karen as Nightwing and Flamebird, the Dynamic Duo of Kandor. That pose, as the tease of it was, is an homage.

An homage to the real dynamic duo, Batman and Robin.

I'll also point out that Greg Rucka was announced as the writer of the Supergirl book starting here and so I had pretty high hopes. So let's dive in!

On to the book!

A Little Bit Of Kandor: Candor Prologue

Okay folks, settle in.

Because of the lack of new books coming out and an utter wasteland of news about Supergirl in the current DCU post-cancellation, I have been combing the backs issues for suitable reviews. And I have been focusing a little bit on Kandor given the recent storyling in Batman/Superman.

That has led me to this Candor storyline and I feel it needs to be reviewed even if I honestly say that I detest it.

But it certainly fits the bill for a decent deep dive for a number of reasons.

First off, it definitely involves Kandor, the post-Crisis city which in this storyline is a mishmash of alien beings and Kryptonian survivors. (I think the city was re-established as a Kryptonian city in Superman Birthright ... perhaps another review idea.)

But more importantly, it shows just how wrong DC can get Supergirl. Remember, right now in the DCU Supergirl has been on a downward path of being rage-fueled and then rage-infected. The book is very dark. And that doesn't work for Supergirl.

Unfortunately, DC never seems to learn the lesson. And so we have storylines like this one, early on Supergirl's reboot. You will see as this story unfolds how they make Kara very angry, actually murderous, and not exactly heroic. You will also see how DC hyper-sexualized her despite saying she was a 16 year old girl, something which is totally cringe-worthy. Perhaps worst of all, this is smack dab in the middle of the 'my destiny is to kill Kal-El, my father is mad Zor-El' nonsense.

Yes, just about everything is wrong here. And Sterling Gates/Jamal Igle's salvation was about 2.5 years in the future.

Still, this was very early. I think people were still a bit giddy that we had a Kryptonian cousin around and were still willing to give this a fair shake.

To put in context, Candor happens right after Supergirl #5 in which we see Jeph Loeb (the architect of the Kryptonian Kara reboot). And that isn't a winner either. Nude Kara prancing around her father while saying she'll kill Kal. Dark Kara coming out of her and being generally evil. And a rather inscrutable ending.

Well, we go from inscrutable to impenetrable ...

Back Issue Review: Superman Family #194

Some of you might be looking at this post's title and the cover of Superman Family #194 and be thinking 'didn't Anj cover this issue already?'

The answer is yes. I have indeed covered the Supergirl story in this issue here:
http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2017/02/back-issue-review-superman-family-194.html

But remember that Superman Family is an anthology title and the Nightwing and Flamebird story in this issue is one I felt I wanted to cover given some interesting wrinkles in the current post-Rebirth DCU. I always love when I can look at a back issue as a sort of reflection or reference to current times.

In this instance, the mystery of Mr. Oz is about the be revealed to us as readers. One of the leading candidates for Mr. Oz's identity is that he is a version of Jor-El. Back on August 24 (and echoed a week later on Bleeding Cool), I commented that Mr. Oz spelled backwards is Zor-M. I wondered if Oz might be a twisted version of Zor-El.

After all, we have seen Zor-El recently be an insane mass murderer plagued by visions of demons (thanks Joe Kelly!). We have seen him be an unscrupulous scientist who experimented on his own daughter without her consent (thanks New 52)! And we have seen him turned into the Cyborg Superman, willing to kill his own daughter to resurrect himself (thanks New 52 again! The gift that keeps on giving!). So why not turn him into some universal villain.

Well, I can hope not.

But what do the Jor-El and Zor-El theories have to do with this issue? Well, read on.

Back Issue Box: Batman Chronicles #20

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed a crossover between the Earth Angel Supergirl and Resurrection Man. The impetus behind those posts was the re-introduction of Resurrection Man into the DCnU.

The next DCnU character I thought I would revisit is Nightwing. I enjoyed Dick Grayson's turn to wear the cowl more than I thought I would. He was a different sort of Batman than Bruce was but it was clear he could handle the pressure of being Batman. In particular, I loved his interaction with Damien as Robin, the classic roles of dour Batman and happy-go-lucky Robin flipped on its head.

Now it seems that the 'Batman Inc.' idea will continue forward in the DCnU so why Dick will go back to the Nightwing outfit will be an interesting part of his story. I'm not planning on getting Nightwing so I'll have to follow along distally or be lured into buying the book.

Despite several crossovers of the current Supergirl with Nightwing (back in the earliest issues of the series), I thought I would take a look back at a little known Nightwing Supergirl crossover featuring the Earth Angel PAD Supergirl. And so here is 'The Rage of Angels' from 2000's The Batman Chronicles #20.

Writer Ian Edginton puts Supergirl into the darker corners of Bludhaven, seeing how she will react to the horrors of the Gotham area. Contrasting the methods of the Bat family and the Super family always makes for a good story. Which way is better? Who will adopt the methods of the other? As the angel of fire, she meted out some hard justice from time to time, usually learning the hard way that pride comes before the fall.

Artist Mshindo brings a nice style here. I never mind seeing the Matrix costume and the fire wings but I think I am in the minority.

The story starts as many Batman family stories do, on a dark pier in the wee hours of the morning.

Crouched in a bridge's supports, Nightwing takes in the scene. Criminal members of Russian military have been bringing weapons into Bludhaven. Nightwing is there to stop them in the usual shadowy quiet manner of the Bat-team.

That plan changes in a hurry when Supergirl arrives in the splashy primary colored manner of the Superman family. Apparently the two heroes know each other, a brief meeting in a JLA/Titans crossover. I don't know that story so if someone can fill in some information, I'd be thrilled.

One of these the things that works well here is the sudden change in the coloring palette, changing the feeling of the story from noir to splashy.

Nice dizzying shot here by Mshindo, Supergirl flying down on a tilted panel. It really brings the reader into the 3-dimensions of this fight.

Realizing that the time for stealth is over, Nightwing jumps into the fray. The presence of Supergirl makes the Russians bring out the heavy ordnance, firing grenades.

Supergirl has been tracking some weapons found in Leesburg back to Bludhaven. That explains why she is here. It is implied that her father, Police officer Fred Danvers, leaked her the info. Her speech has the flavor of someone judgmental. The pause as she spits out 'this ... filth' adds to the emotion of that line. You can feel her disgust.

The fight takes a bizarre twist as the Russians end up turning their explosive weapons on their own weapon. They realize that they are going down, two super-heroes on deck, FBI boats closing in (man everyone knew about this operation!). The only thing left to do is decrease the charges by destroying the evidence.

With the boat ablaze, Nightwing and Supergirl hear people screaming in terror. There is more on this boat than guns.

In the beginning of the story, Nightwing seems annoyed at Supergirl's presence. She made his plan of a slick silent attack impossible. Now, with more at stake, he realizes he needs her. There are some things beyond his abilities.

That's right ... there are more than weapons in the boat. There are refugees being smuggled into the states. And the Russians were going to kill these people by sinking the ship.

Suddenly they are more than arms dealers. They are killers (okay ... attempted killers) ... and killers of innocents.

And here is a great moment in the story. Nightwing talks about how Bruce trained him to keep his emotions in check even in the face of the horrific. How to control your emotions and channel that energy into something positive.

But Supergirl didn't have that training. He can see the anger on her face. And he wonders what she'll do.

It is a good question to ask. Remember this was the Linda Danvers Supergirl. How would she judge these men?

It comes to a head when the captured ship captain begins denying just about everything and then complaining about ill treatment. Supergirl grabs him, worrying Nightwing. Would she lash out? It is interesting that he would be so worried about this from someone in the Super-family when my guess is it is usually the other way around.

Supergirl reassures Nightwing that she won't hurt him, instead enveloping the man in her wings of fire.

It's hard to guess what he saw in there. A vision? Some glimpse of his soul or his sins? That isn't a power we saw her have in the main book. Maybe she just threatened him enough to scare him. We certainly saw her do that throughout the book. Either way, she put the fear of God into the man. I lover that first panel. Such a powerful image of Supergirl.

With everyone safe and the bad guys captured, the two separate, Nightwing with a new respect for her.

I thought this was a very nice little short story showcasing some of the main elements of the two characters. And, like many of the best World's Finest stories, it also contrasts the two different styles of the hero families and how difficult it would be for them to jibe. It also shows how sometimes they need to team up to get the job done. Edginton does a nice job capturing the heroes' voices. And it makes some sense that Nightwing would need to learn to trust Supergirl.

And Mshindo does a very good job here, varying angles and perspective in a story that could have been done in a straight forward manner.

Of course, I am a sucker for the PAD Supergirl.

From a Supergirl collection point of view, it is of low importance, a throw away story in a Batman anthology. This would definitely be in the 50 cent box in most stores/conventions so it might be worth purchasing, especially for fans of the PAD Linda Danvers.

Overall grade: B

Review: Action Comics #889

With War of the Supermen just a few days away, we have basically reached the end of the 'Year Without Superman'. And that means we have reached the ending of the Nightwing and Flamebird storyline in Action Comics. What started as a seemingly simple action story - 2 heroes hunting down 6 fugitives - somehow mutated over the last 14 issues to an analysis of Kryptonian mythology and deities.

Action Comics #889 had the tough task of wrapping up this story in a short 22 pages. And there were 2 levels of this story to complete - the 'on the ground' story of heroes trying to stop the runaway Rao and the 'Kryptonian gods' story of Nightwing/Flamebird/Vohc. Both are big plots with big moments and, as such, I expected a big finale. Unfortunately, this arc ended with a bit of a whimper rather than a bang. I have seen understated endings in massive stories like this too many times to count ... the punched hole into a new reality in Akira, the school stage morality play in Neon Genesis:Evangelion, Supergirl's hug of the Carnivean in Supergirl #50 (vol 3), even the miracle machine ending of Final Crisis ... and I usually feel disappointed. And to be honest, I felt a little disappointed here too.


Back in the sands of the Middle East, combined heroes from the JSA and JLA as well as Flamebird just can't seem to get anywhere in their efforts against the Rao construct.

In fact, the 'godling' is so full of energy that he begins to form a gravity well, a sort of small big bang, which will destroy the world. As the heroes swarm around Rao, Flamebird and Vohc continue to spout venom at each other.


When things seem their worst, and some of the heroes are in danger, Chris shows up as Nightwing manifested and helps in the rescue efforts.

There are some interesting things here. While we have seen a lot of the Thara/Flamebird relationship, this is the first time we have really seen Chris/Nightwing. We read Nightwing's thoughts ... about how his 'hiding in the shadows' of the universe means he sees and knows all ... and how that sudden ascension in Chris is dismaying and difficult for the young Kryptonian. I like how the visual of Nightwing includes multiple shadows of himself lingering around.


Vohc continues to fume like a jealous school boy, how Flamebird spurning him will lead him to destroy the universe. While Wonder Woman and Dr. Fate try to beat the logorrhea out of him, Nightwing and Flamebird (the deities) are finally reunited. This reunion was a major part of the undercurrent of this title. Remember, in the past, their reunion has always led to either ruination or one of the two dying.

In the meantime, Rao final begins to manifest a 'black hole' like phenomenon around his body. The Kryptonian heroes fly into the swirling mass to get to Rao's 'twisted diseased heart', a dying collapsing star. Vohc is also in here and the three skirmish more.

Are those Rao's ribs? Are we literally in his body?


And so we come to the understated ending to this god-war.

While Nightwing hangs back for some reason, Flamebird dunks Vohc in the internal red sun, burning away the Vohc persona from Jax-Ur. Throughout the fight, Vohc continues to sound like a petulant kid with a crush. Even his dying words are that he just wanted something for himself, something that he could create that Flamebird would not destroy.

While I know that other 'gods' are often portrayed as overly emotional adolescents (the Greek Gods for instance), this tantrum seemed like a pretty silly reason to try to destroy the universe.


And then the second part of the understated ending. Chris/Nightwing simply absorbs the 'sun' threatening the Earth. So much for that threat. Seems like a little bit of a cop-out. But without it's heart, Rao simply falls.

Again, there is some interesting bits here. Nightwing casts the Vohc being and the sun into the new Phantom Zone. In fact, that explains the recreation of the Zone, as the Kryptonian 'builder god' goes back to building.

Nightwing also says that somehow he has changed, has become different. This might explain why the outcome of this reunion is somewhat different.


With the god-war over, Nightwing and Flamebird become Chris and Thara once more and share a kiss. Unlike the doomed lovers before, this Nightwing and Flamebird will be 'never apart'.

Since Kryptonians are still illegal on Earth, the JSA shoo them away.

The story ends somewhat ominously with Luthor somehow on scene grabbing samples of Rao.

So what can I say. Does this ending satisfy? I feel like this whole investigation into Kryptonian mythology was sort of a left-hand turn from where this arc started. And I don't know if the motivations of the gods translated well to this Rao-battle. And I don't know if some of the questions I was hoping to be answered ... Chris's age jumps, the new Phantom Zone ... have been answered.

On top of that, the understated ending with both threats sort of fading away seemed ... well ... underwhelming. And frankly, it wasn't the ending of Nightwing and Flamebird's story. They fly off happily; their story ends in War of the Supermen.

I looked back at my reviews of the first couple of issues of this run, the blood-soaked action-packed battles with Tor-An and Ursa. They were over-the-top giddy fun. These last issues just seem to have become a bit bogged down.

There was a surprise in the Captain Atom back-up feature when an ogre who had been fighting alongside the hero revealed himself to be Mordru. When Atom realizes that he has aided a villain, Mordru says that the morals of Earth are different than those of Sorcerer's World ... what is evil on Earth isn't necessarily evil here.

It does remove Mirabai from the War of the Supermen story. It seems a little off that she was ubiquitous in earlier issues of the New Krypton world only to be removed in the back-up feature.

I don't envy the writers here. Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann brought the story up to the level of deities. Sometimes I wonder if writing about near omnipotent beings makes a tidy conclusion impossible. The art throughout the book ... from Alex Garner's spectacular cover, the Pere Perez' smooth lines, to Cafu's slick work ... was great.

I do hope we get to see some sort of conclusion to the Thara/Chris story in War of the Supermen. If they are only in the background and fade from the DCU, I'll be unhappy.

Overall grade: C

Review: Action Comics #888

Action Comics #888 is the penultimate chapter of this title's Year Without Superman. Are we speeding towards the end of the Flamebird/Nightwing story arc? Or like the ersatz Rao in the desert, are we plodding along.

I have been as big a proponent of this long storyline as anyone, mostly because I have come to like the complexity of the Thara/Flamebird character. But the truth is with the amazing action happening in Last Stand, this story feel disconnected right now. And as a result, my enthusiasm for it has waned a bit.

My fear is that the resolution of these characters' stories will fall flat and color how I ultimately perceive the whole arc.



With the fake Rao strolling through the desert and with Chris transported into the Phantom Zone, Jax-Ur/Vohc gloats over his presumed victory.

It seems like the Kryptonian gods have the same feel as the Greek gods of myth, motivated by mundane human issues rather than being above them. The motivation for this devastation? Vohc's jealousy and unrequited love.

I did like that the narrator here is Vohc the Breaker ... not Jax-Ur. We are hearing straight from the demigod himself.



Conventional weapons and Flamebird's attacks seem to feed Rao rather than hurt him. And with India and Pakistan poised to fire their nukes at him, Flamebird is thrilled to see the JSA arrive to help.

But even their combined attacks don't seem to produce any results. If anything Rao seems to get stronger.



In the meantime, Chris wonders through the Phantom Zone until he finally comes face to face with the Nightwing entity.

The Nightwing implies that he has not been active, has not manifested in Chris, because of his separation from Flamebird. Let's face the true Nightwing has been a non-entity in this story so far.

I sincerely hope that we get a little exposition about this Phantom Zone. Remember, the original Zone crumbled at the beginning of New Krypton. (That event has never been explained.) I hope the creation of this "new" Phantom Zone (or the re-establishment of the old Phantom Zone) is explained.



Finally, Rao takes some damage when Wonder Woman shows up and takes a few whacks at Rao's eye with her axe. Combine that with some Alan Scott power and Rao finally falls.

It is enough to shock Vohc, appearing in his natural form.



Chris is able to look on and realizes that he needs to get back and help Thara.

The connection between Chris and Nightwing has always been there it seems; Chris has always been 'more than Kryptonian'.

Now what does that mean? That Chris, conceived in the Zone, is different and therefore a suitable vessel for Nightwing? Or that Nightwing has always been part of Chris.

With Thara in trouble, Chris makes the decision to merge with Nightwing and truly become his avatar.



And it is a good thing. Rao gets back on his feet and India and Pakistan decide not to wait any longer. They fire their nuclear missiles at the false god, a move that would only fuel Rao more.

The warheads disarm before they can hit ... disarmed by the suddenly present and fully manifested Nightwing.

So where are we?

Well we are one issue away from a conclusion. And we have a lot to get through.

We need to see Jax-Ur and Rao defeated.
We need some explanation on Chris' condition.
We need some explanation about the Phantom Zone.

And we need the ultimate resolution of the Nightwing/Flamebird relationship ... both the gods and Thara/Chris. One of them is destined to die right?

It seems like a lot to get through in one issue. Frankly, I'm worried.

One thing I know already is that I have come to really appreciate Pere Perez' art. I feel his stuff has improved, become more polished over his time on Action. I hope he finds work somewhere else soon.



I know I have basically ignored reviewing the Captain Atom second feature in this book.

The short version is Captain Atom battles Mirabai and it looks like he has won. Cafu's art is stunning.

Overall grade: B/B-

Review: Action Comics #887

With Superman:Last Stand of New Krypton on the shelves and War of the Superman 2 months away, it is time for Greg Rucka and Pere Perez to put the pedal down and finish off their Nightwing and Flamebird opus in Action Comics.

The storyline for these characters has gone far afield from where I thought it would way back in Action Comics #875. Back then I thought this would be a simple action tale of two heroes tracking down and beating up the bad guys. Since those early issues, the plot has veered to a much more religious story looking at Kryptonian deities and their avatars. It is a bit heavier than I was expecting in this book ... but fascinating.

As far as I know, there are only 2 issues on this run after this issue, so a lot of stuff needs to be wrapped up. So off we go to Action Comics #887.


Much of this issue's action is played out before our eyes with the added point of view of Lois Lane. Lois has called in some markers to get to the Middle East and cover the Nightwing/Flamebird/Rao storyline first hand. With her there, we are privy to her streaking coverage of the story. It complemented the 'Book of Rao' similar text boxes from last issue.

One thing I did like was the more personal op/ed feel Lois' reporting. She pulls no punches here, throwing General Lane under the bus, calling him a war monger and a liar. She is also openly sympathetic to Thara and Chris. I wonder if she will feel some ramifications in the public arena?


As we saw at the end of last issue, Jax-Ur is the manifestation of the Kryptonian god Vohc the creator. In myths, Vohc and Flamebird had a tumultuous relationship which ended with Nightwing being cast into (or turned into) the Phantom Zone.

That story is being played out once again ... except now on Earth. Only this time, Vohc/Jax-Ur has created a simulacrum of the All-Father Kryptonian God Rao. When Rao awakens, he simply goes on a rampage in the desert of Iraq.


And while he plods through the desert, all methods of slowing him down are shown to be ineffective. The Iraqi and Earth forces artillery and missile attacks are useless. In fact "Rao" seems to absorb the attacks and grow stronger.

And Chris and Thara are also unable to slow him down. They also appear vulnerable to some more Kryptonian-specific attacks. Here "Rao" 'sings' incapacitating the two. I guess hearing the word of God would be more than any mind to comprehend.

One thing that was a bit of a let down was the lack of internal consistency with Chris' body. We see in earlier panels that he has huge chunks of crystal growing from his body and face. Here he looks much cleaner.

As I said before, this story really has been an interesting look at Krypton's religious culture.

And it appears that the emergence of this false Rao has not gone unnoticed on New Krypton. For the first time (I think) we hear the Religious Guild members speak. It seems that the crystals they each carry have somehow been effected by "Rao". They seem to burn out ... a sign the Rao has returned.

All along I have hoped to get a closer look at the Religious Guild and their inner workings. So even this little glimpse was appreciated.


While in the desert, Rao begins to emanate some of the energy that he has absorbed. Jax-Ur tells Thara and Chris that this is the energy of creation.

With a 'Rao' under his control, Vohc plans to rewrite creating, making a universe in his image, to his liking. Talk about a grandiose plan.

And Kryptonian mythology gets replayed before our eyes.

Once again, Vohc blasts Nightwing ....


Casting him back into the Phantom Zone.

Does this mean that the Phantom Zone is once again there? Remember it was destroyed before World of New Krypton, prompting Mon-El's escape.

All along we knew the Nightwing/Flamebird romance was going to end in tragedy. I don't think this is the final blow. I still believe one of these characters is going to die.


With Nigthwing banished and nothing able to slow down Rao, Lois again picks up her phone and decides to call in the cavalry. Here comes the JLA!

While I have enjoyed this run more than I expected to, I have to say I feel wrung out a bit. After the heady brew that was Last Stand, where we saw Superman in the blue tights breaking into Brainiac's ship, this issue felt a bit flat.

I am interested in seeing how this all plays out. And I think I am going to miss Thara as a character. I really think Rucka has done a very good job of making me care about characters I was unsure I would like. (Who knew I would ever get over the fact that Flamebird wasn't Linda Danvers! That is no small feat.)

And Pere Perez art continues to be smooth and slick.

But I am looking forward to seeing Superman back in this book.

Overall grade: B