Matrix Monday: Showcase '95 #12

For the past couple of months I have been devoting Mondays to the Matrix Supergirl, covering her introduction to the DCU by John Byrne, to her more solid re-introduction to the universe by Roger Stern and Jackson Guice, to her mini-series, and then to her solo stories thereafter.

Today I conclude this dedicated look with Showcase '95 #12. This story follows the Dichon story which was told in Showcase '95 #1 and 2 (reviewed here last month). The next solo story after this is in Showcase '96 #8, a prelude to the Peter David Supergirl book.

So this issue sort of is the capstone for the Matrix Supergirl. Sure, she continued to flit in and out of the Superman books. But for now, I think I will put the Matrix Monday idea on hiatus.

So let's see where 1995 left this Supergirl.

Before we jump in, figured I'd showcase (pun intended) that I have had the luck of getting this issue signed by Tom Grummett (cover artist) and Phil Jimenez who did the pencils on the Matrix story inside.

CW Crossover Promo Poster

Just a few days ago, the CW released a teaser pic to this season's four way crossover event and frankly there is so much to love. Here is a link to the coverage at EW: http://ew.com/tv/2017/09/22/arrow-the-flash-supergirl-legends-unite-for-crisis-on-earth-x-crossover/

That is a Phil Jimenez poster completely evocative of the old JLA/JSA covers. The title is Crisis on Earth-X, also leaning on those old stories' titles. And Earth-X, the world where the Nazis won WWII, is a  perfect sort of villain to comment on current events, a CW bonus!

 And this poster is just comic joy! I love Barry and Iris in the foreground with the action behind. I love that it is a brawl that interrupts a superhero wedding, a classic trope. And I love the heads of the characters surrounding the action and looking on. And that is a boatload of characters! It's truly like a Crisis event ... just lve action. Young Anj never dreamed this possible. It is just too awesome.

I am still amazed that such comic goodness is in the mainstream!

Review: Superwoman #8

It's hard to believe that it has been 8 months since Superwoman #1 came out. I didn't know what to expect with the title when it was announced. But I knew I liked Phil Jimenez and the concept of Lois (and then Lana) acting as a superhero seemed fascinating. And the first issues were fantastic, a rich read of inset panels and interesting characterization.

Where did the book lose its way?

The last couple of issues have been scattershot. Just as chock full of panels and stories, but no where near coherent. I still don't know exactly what Lena was plotting, what was going on with the Bizarros, and how she was thwarted. And the book seemed to be veering away from solid characterization to more 2-dimensional situations for Jimenez to get on his soapbox a bit. It didn't help that the book is solidly set in the Superman book universe but seemed to exist separately. When exactly did this storyline take place? Why is this Lex portrayed so differently from the one in the main books? When did Metropolis get taken over without any Superman around?

It all comes to a boil in Superwoman #8, the finale of this first arc and Jimenez's last issue. This is a long psychological look at Lana and her issues. It involves Lois and Clark. It looks like all of this book might end up being swept away with the rewriting of Superman history in his own Reborn series. And like last month's book it comes across as a little preachy.

All this story and confusion and politicking might end up never having happened. Weird for a new book.

The art is done by the interesting mix of Jack Herbert and Stephen Segovia. They bring a sort of Perez/Jimenez flare that fits the tone of the book. But most of the book is people talking so there isn't much action for them to convey. Still the emotion is there.

On to the book.

Sales Review: January 2017

The sales numbers for January 2017 have been released and, per usual, I will link to ICv2 who do a great job evaluating the numbers. Here is a link to the list of the top sellers:
http://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/36797/top-300-comics-actual-january-2017

Last month, Supergirl #5 was released, the penultimate issue of the opening arc involving the Cyborg Superman. For me, this was the best issue of the series to date. It involved a dedicated and fearless Supergirl standing up to a misguided Zor-El.

So how did it sell?

The issue ranked #96 in the top 300 sellers, a slight drop from the 92nd slot Supergirl #4 resided.

The book itself sold 29,030. This was a slight drop from Supergirl #4 which sold 31K.

For me, this was actually a good sign. The book's sales had dropped pretty precipitously prior to this. I felt that Supergirl was going to be a 25K book or so. So seeing things stabilize even a little was nice to see.

Plus with the opening arc behind us, we'll see new adventures and more subplots with the supporting cast.

Review: Superwoman #7

Superwoman #7 came out last week so I am a bit late in covering this issue. But in some ways, the time was needed. This issue is a super-dense and somewhat confusing closure to the first arc. I wonder if the story got away from writer Phil Jimenez. I have praised Jimenez in the past for packing a lot into his books, making them feel like two issues in one. But here I felt like there were so many threads being covered that I was feeling frayed as a reader.

As all the characters and plots are being wrapped up, I found myself asking 'why'? Why did Lena need the temporal cubes? Why is she invading the Phantom Zone? Why is the suit called 'Insect Queen'? Why does the Atomic Skull demand an apology from Lex? Why doesn't Lex know how to reboot his armor? Why does Lana sound like she has been mistreated by all the men in her life? Why does the Gestalt ship need to change configuration? Why? When I ask that many whys, the story is lost on me.

I also can understand that this book might be the title for Jimenez to look at feminism and that is fine. But I think that the downgrading of Lex and some of the speeches by Lana feel a little forced. I'd love a Lana story about feminism. I don't know if I need a feminism story with Lana as speechmaker. Maybe I am saying this too clunky. Maybe it is better for me to say that I would rather be shown the feminist slant than be told it.

The art on the book is done by Jimenez and Jack Herbert. The two styles seem to jibe well with each other. And as usual, it is a packed issue with inset panels and great page layouts.

On to the book.

Review: Superwoman #6

Superwoman #7 came out last week and was something of an overstuffed and semi-confusing issue. One of my compliments about this book is that Phil Jimenez (as is his style) tends to really fill his issues with story. Between scene changes, inset panels, and strong dialogue, a Jimenez issue often feels like two issues. It isn't coincidence that Superwoman tends to be the last review I do the week it comes out. It takes me that long to digest.

But this issue felt as if Jimenez tried to put a bit too much into the issue without as much explanation or discussion as felt I needed. Things seem to happen and we move on before we learn why what happened happened. So why does the Superwoman Bizarro break free? Why is that Bizarro inexplicably ripped in half in one panel but whole a page later? What did Lena learn from the Kryptonite Man? When did Natasha make an squadron of armors? Etc etc.

It also doesn't help that another aspect of this story is to build up Lena at the expense of Lex. I just commented in my review of Action that Dan Jurgens is making me rethink Lex as a possible hero. Here, perhaps to narrate a hot political topic, we learn that Lex takes credit for Lena's work, steals her ideas, and is only who he is because of Lena. And I don't know if I need that wrinkle in Lex's story. Why play out feminism issues in Lex's origin, something pretty firmly set? Why not use all that story for a different villain with less history? It is a good story to be told but maybe not with Luthor.

The art is a mix of Jimenez, Jack Herbert, and Matt Santorelli and they do well mixing in the action sequences and talking scenes.

But still, I left this issue a bit reeling. I don't necessarily know what truly happened here.

Review: Superwoman #5

Superwoman #5 came out last week and was another issue jam-packed with story and character moments. I have said it before. No one gets better mileage out of 20 pages than Phil Jimenez. Between scene changes and inset panels and dialogue/text, each issue of Superwoman has read more like two issues than one, especially in this era of decompressed storytelling.

We take a bit of a jump from last issue's end. Lena Luthor, as Ultrawoman, has completely taken over Metropolis. Areas of the city are placed in force field boxes with wonky time rules. The Bizarro Women are roaming the streets to shut down resistance. And Superwoman and her group of heroes are trying to strategize what the next steps are. In some ways, that was exhilarating. We were thrown into the chaos and had to scramble a bit to make sense of it. That felt sort of real. In other ways it was confusing. I went back to the end of the prior issue to make sure I hadn't skipped a page.

But there is mystery here as Lena's plans aren't completely laid out before us. I don't exactly know what she is trying to do here and that makes her a little scarier. And she has truly become something horrific physically. I used to feel sympathy for her. But there is a twinge of revulsion now.

As for Lana, she continues to be a very complex character dealing with visual hallucinations, PTSD, heroism thrust upon her, and hiding all this from her friends. I really feel for her as a character and hope she gets a handle on things. And when I care as a reader, that is the mark of a good writer.

Jimenez writes and pencils this issue and the art is fabulous. But I truly love this cover by Ben Oliver. Wonderful image. On to the book.

Review: Superwoman #4

Superwoman #4 came out a week and a half ago and I have been remiss in taking this long to get to this review. I have completely enjoyed this comic since its debut. It is complex and dense. You get your money's worth with this book. And the conflicted and unstable nature of the title character is fascinating.

You knew there was a but coming ... right?

I think this issue was the weakest of the title so far. And part of that might be my own inability to read the book's nonlinear timeline and have it make sense to me. We know that Lana is battling PTSD and anxiety. We know she is on medication. And we know the loss of Lois has been debilitating. In this issue, we learn that Lana is having some visual hallucinations, interacting with her Lois, the one who died as Superwoman. These visions happen in Lana's farmhouse. And so, throughout the book, the scene of the book switches to the farmhouse. It is jarring. It took me out of the story as a reader. I switched back and forth so many times I was trying to figure out if the visions were happening as the book progresses or a flashback. The conversations don't flow to give a clue. The whole thing felt disorganized. And maybe that is on purpose? Maybe we are supposed to feel as unsettled as Lana?

But I have to say, I flipped pages back and forth a bunch of times, wondering if I skipped pages or missed a dialogue box, while I was reading. It was, frankly, confusing.

Emanuela Lupacchino is on art here and her work is quite lovely. Lupacchino brings a beautiful panache to all the characters. I love Lupacchino's Lana! Just lovely. But the book still read like a Phil Jimenez book with a lot of panels per page and a ton of story told in the issue.

On to the book.

Review: Superwoman #3

Superwoman #3 came out last week and this book remains one of the more interesting reads of the #Rebirth new titles. Writer Phil Jimenez started the book with a bit of a 'bait and switch', hinting this was a Lois book and turning it into a Lana book. And from looking at social media, it looks like that was something of a hit or a miss. Lots of folks seemed upset.

As for me, I like Lana so I didn't mind the switch. Plus, having two Loises running around the DCU might have been complicated.

But more importantly, I like good stories. And Jimenez is really shining here. Lana is Superwoman. But she also is emotionally fragile. She is suffering.. She is on medication. And yet, we see that she still thinks there is a stigma to mental health issues, hiding her condition from those closest to her. She seems to have swings in her mood, flaming angrily and then shrinking with insecurity. I don't think Jimenez has labeled Lana's condition but it mostly seems to be PTSD and/or depression. And this foundation of the character makes Lana feel very fresh.

Jimenez also has included a tremendous super-villain for the book. This isn't a side book in the DCU. This is immersed in Superman mythos. This book will have repercussions in all the Superman issues.

The art this issue is done by Supergirl/Starfire alum Emanuela Lupacchino. The art is lush and beautiful. The energy-based action is really done well. But it almost feels too beautiful. This is a gritty sort of look at super-heroics. This feels almost too polished.

On to the book!

Review: Super-Woman #2

Superwoman #2 came out last week and was another dense, meaty read by writer/artist Phil Jimenez. If there is one thing you can count on from a Phil Jimenez, it is that you will get your money's worth. Between running subplots, inset panels, amusing side scenes, and incredible characterization, Jimenez seems to squeeze two comics worth of story into one. And in this day and age of decompressed storylines, it might even be three.

This isn't an easy task. Superwoman is a new character. Sure, it is Lana Lang. But this is a conflicted Lana, struggling with anxiety, depression, and a new power set which seems to be killing her. Jimenez needs to build up the supporting cast surrounding her. She has to be plugged into the greater Superman universe of books. And there has to be a story, with villains and conflict. This is no simple task.

And oh yeah, let's not forget that this book was marketed as a Lois book only to have Jimenez pull the rug out from under us at the end of last issue. While I actually liked the ending - I was utterly surprised, and that isn't easy to do - I can imagine that has turned off some readers.

But for me, this book continues to impress. In Superwoman #2, we get a harsh fight with a Bizarro clone, the addition of several well-known Superman characters to the supporting cast, some staggeringly powerful character moments, a couple of chuckles, and a great villain reveal at the end. And this is with my not really liking the whole 'my powers are slowly killing me' plotline, one of my least favorite themes in comics.

And while all of this has been about the story, I'll add that Jimenez continues to shine with art as well. Just brilliant.

On to the story.

November 2016 Solicits

DC Comics' solicits for November came out last week and continued to build on the general optimism that Rebirth has garnered. While I have some questions about where things are going, at least books seem to be going somewhere. By month three of the New 52, I was already questioning the overall grim tone. Here, things feel different.

Here is a link to Newsarama's coverage:http://www.newsarama.com/30736-dc-comics-full-november-2016-solicitations.html

I have my usual quibbles. So read on!

SUPERGIRL #3
Written by STEVE ORLANDO
Art and cover by BRIAN CHING
Variant cover by BENGAL
“REIGN OF THE CYBORG SUPERMEN” part three! At last, Supergirl returns to Argo City! But when Kara Zor-El arrives back to her childhood home, a grim discovery awaits, courtesy of the Cyborg Superman! Supergirl must battle for the fate of not one but two worlds as yet another face from her past returns to stop her!

So a couple of things here.

One, I don't know if I will every get used to the sort of warped style of Brian Ching. Limbs seem thin and stretched. Everything is angular. I don't mind stylized art. I just think I will have to become accustomed to this look.

Next, it looks like Cyborg Superman has quasi-resurrected the dead on Argo City. In Supergirl Rebirth we learned from Lar-On that the soil of Argo had turned to Red Kryptonite.

It made me go back to look at what actually happened to Argo City in the New 52. Here was my post way back when:http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2012/03/argo-city-dcnu.html

So who knows if in the spirit of Rebirth that continuity will be forgotten. Or if the city didn't disintegrate in a blue sun. Or why Kara didn't get whammied by Red K back then. I suppose it is a sort of new world. We'll have to see how it all plays out.

Review: Superwoman #1

I have been reading comics for a very long time. I thought I had seen every twist and turn. I thought I could anticipate where a story was going. It has been almost 2 score years since I started this hobby. I have seen it all.

So when I comic actually surprises me, when I am gobsmacked by a plot twist or cliffhanger, it is akin to gold.

Phil Jimenez's Superwoman #1 came out yesterday and it surprised me twice. Maybe in retrospect I should have only been surprised once. But nope, twice. That alone made this a great opening issue to a book I had been looking forward to.

But when I add to that the layers upon layers of characterization that Jimenez puts in this first issue and I have a winner. But Jimenez also did a fine job of mixing old classic tropes with this new universe, the very purpose of Rebirth. And when I take a step back and realize that this is a heavy read, almost two issues for the price of one when you think of what happens, a compressed story in a world of 2 minute reads, I was even happier.

This is the first chapter of an ongoing serial. There is a lot to digest. There is a lot to mull over. But from an entertainment point of view, I was thrilled. And entertained. And surprised. And impressed. And frankly, the older I get the harder it is to do all of those things.

October 2016 Solicits

The October solicits for DC Comics were officially released last week and I don't know if I have been this excited about the entire line in quite some time. Here is a link to all of DC's books and merchandise:
http://www.newsarama.com/30132-dc-comics-october-2016-full-rebirth-solicitations.html

For me, the biggest news is that we get more of the Young Animal books. It feels like those years when a number of books out out by DC were pushing the envelope, those early days of Vertigo. So this month we get Shade the Changing Girl as well as the second issue of Doom Patrol. Shade the Changing Man is one of those properties that I have always enjoyed. So I am really looking forward to that book.

On to the super-books.

SUPERGIRL #2
(W) Orlando (A/CA) Brian Ching (CA) Bengal
“REIGN OF THE CYBORG SUPERMEN” part two! Supergirl battles Cyborg Superman in the Fortress of Solitude-and there can be only one winner! But even a temporary victory can spell certain doom for Kara and her new home as her father’s plan at last comes to light! Meanwhile, the race for Cat Grant’s prized internship heats up, and Kara finds her human competition to be just as challenging!

This must be the main cover as it is clearly Brian Ching's art. I am glad to see that we are getting a variant by Bengal whose work sparkled in Adventures in Supergirl.  I might have to get used Ching's art which seems pretty stylized. Those are long thin legs on Kara.

That said, there is a lot to like about this solicit. I am not a fan of Zor-El as Cyborg Superman but maybe this 'plan' will make things interesting. But having Kara be Cat Grant's intern is brilliant. Could the human competition be  Siobhan Smythe? Nasty Luthor?

ACTION COMICS #965
(W) Jurgens (A) Stephen Segovia, Art Thibert (CA) Clay Mann (CA) Gary Frank
“BACK IN THE PLANET” part one! Superman returns to the public eye-but what of Lois Lane? When a mysterious package arrives for Lois and Clark back on the farm, Lois can stay on the sidelines no more. But where does that leave Superman’s human doppelgänger, Clark?

ACTION COMICS #966
(W) Jurgens (A) Stephen Segovia, Art Thibert (CA) Clay Mann (CA) Gary Frank
“BACK IN THE PLANET” part two! As the Daily Planet’s star returns to work, so does Lex Luthor. Meanwhile, Superman continues to investigate the devastation in the aftermath of the Doomsday attack.


Hmmm ... does this mean the older Lois Lane is taking over the role of the current Earth's Lois? We know that the current Lois will be Superwoman. Maybe she can't be the reporter so the older 'Author X' Lois needs to take up the mantle? Won't people notice she's older?

And who is that Clark?

SUPERMAN #8
(W) Tomasi, Gleason (A) Jaime Mendoza (A/CA) Doug Mahnke (CA) Kenneth Rocafort
“RETURN TO DINOSAUR ISLAND” part one! Father and Superson work on a science assignment with bizarre consequences that transports the pair along with Krypto to Dinosaur Island! Now, amid relics of World War II, Superman tries to keep Jon from the jaws of prehistoric predators! Worse, Kal-El can’t find a way to fly off the Island.

  SUPERMAN #9
(W) Tomasi, Gleason (A) Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza (CA) Patrick Gleason (CA) Kenneth Rocafort
“RETURN TO DINOSAUR ISLAND” part two! Trapped on a strange island removed from time, Superman and Son encounter a lone survivor from the past. He may hold the key to their escape, but first they must survive the other denizens of the Island.


Superman and Superboy fighting dinosaurs amid WW2 relics? And Krypto will be there? And who could the sole survivor be? Iron Munro?

This cover screams everything I love about comics.

SUPERWOMAN #3
(W) Jimenez (A) Emanuela Lupacchino, Ray McCarthy (CA) Phil Jimenez(CA) Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson
“WHO IS SUPERWOMAN?” part three! Ultra Woman is revealed, and her unstoppable Bizarress army are hunting for Superwoman! But that’s not the only challenge facing the new hero-Steel has made a terrifying new discovery: Superwoman’s powers are killing her-and the only chance to save her life is to leave her powers behind!

Who is Ultra Woman? I really really really hope it isn't Lana. But we'll see. 

Superwoman dying from the power seems a bit too familiar. Haven't we just seen that plot? 

Anyways, the cover has a sort of Dark City feel to it. And I am looking forward to this book. 

NEW SUPER MAN #4
(W) Yang (A) Richard Friend (A/CA) Viktor Bogdanovic (CA) Bernard Chang
“MADE IN CHINA” part four! It’s the Justice League of China vs. the Chinese Freedom Fighters! As the New Super-Man tests his power against the Flying Dragon General’s team, a shocking new revelation will stop our young hero dead in his tracks. And trust us, you won’t believe what Kenan Kong discovers! All this, plus the Chinese Freedom Fighters’ ultimate weapon arrives, and it’ll be the STAR of the show…

What could it be that he discovers? I hope it isn't that he is dying.

And the fact that STAR is capitalized makes me think that the word is in the codename. Any ideas?

I was thrilled by the first issue. So I am on board for now.

DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS #18
(W) Bennett (A) Laura Braga, Mirka Andolfo (CA) Ant Lucia
With the help of the real Raven and Miriam Bätzel-now transformed into Mary Marvel-the Bombshells must defend the Jewish rebels against a Nazi army magically controlled by the Joker’s Daughter. But as the city of Atlantis rises out of water mid-battle, the Bombshells may be facing an even bigger threat than they ever imagined!

Again, no mention of Supergirl in this solicit. I keep hoping we'll see Kara again and soon. But introducing Mary Marvel is a brilliant stroke for this book. I hope she is played like the earliest Mary, almost Pollyanna in the face of the atrocities around her.

But a new Shade book and a Doom Patrol title on the shelves makes me very happy!  

August 2016 Solicits

The DC Comic solicits for August were released last week and it is a big month for Supergirl. People better start saving their nickels and dimes!

The company will now be 2 months into #Rebirth so new titles and new directions are everywhere. For Supergirl fans, we finally have her Rebirth special which will lead into her new series. I can't wait.

If you want to read all the solicits head here to Newsarama:
http://www.newsarama.com/29306-dc-comics-august-2016-solicitations.html

And on to the super-books.

SUPERGIRL: REBIRTH #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO • Art by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO and RAY McCARTHY • Cover by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO • Variant cover by ADAM HUGHES
Supergirl turns to the shadowy organization known as the D.E.O. (Department of Extranormal Operations) to restore her lost powers once and for all! But as a fateful experiment sends Kara Zor-El rocketing toward the sun, disaster strikes at home in the form of the lost Kryptonian werewolf Lar-On! All the epic action of the brand new Supergirl series starts here!

There is almost too much to love about this solicit.

We already know that Supergirl will be working with the DEO alongside scientists Jeremiah and Eliza. Here, the plot includes the Kryptonian werewolf Lar-On. I know the character from one of my favorite stories of my childhood in World's Finest #258. So that sort of deep cut, Kryptonian lycanthropy, makes me think Steve Orlando is going to shine here. 

But as a bonus, we get interior art by Supergirl-alum Emanuela Lupacchino! And a variant cover by Adam Hughes!

So pumped for this. And more ...

Boston Comic Con Commission #5: Phil Jimenez

Hard to believe that Boston Comic-Con is almost a month ago!

One of the people I was psyched to meet was Phil Jimenez. I have been a fan of Jimenez' work for a while. I really loved his work on Wonder Woman. And recently, I really enjoyed his take on the Legion Academy in the Adventure Comics relaunch.

Incredibly, Jimenez was doing free commissions at the show, fantastic head/bust shots with some unique and interesting backgrounds. As a result the line for his table was quite long which allowed me to listen to the conversations Jimenez engaged in. I have to say, the conversation was fantastic. Jimenez is really passionate about comics. There was great talk about just about everything from Wonder Woman to Aquaman to the dark edge of comics and a variety of other topics. Just great stuff.

During my time in line I saw some great commissions - Magik and Wonder Woman were quite popular. But someone even got a Transformer! And wandering by later in the day, I saw Jimenez drawing Alley Kat Dabra! Awesome.

I love this Supergirl commission, a sort of pensive Kara with a great space background.

As a 'con courtesy' I try to limit the number of issues I bring to a creator for signatures to 6-8. If it is one of my all time favorites, maybe I'll stretch it to 1o.

Anyways, I couldn't wait to talk to Jimenez about these two issues of Wonder Woman, the Worlds At War crossovers. These are incredible issues, extremely dense with inset panels, crazy number of characters involved, and wild action. These issues are exhausting to read and absorb/process. They are the closest thing you can get to Crisis on Infinite Earths. So I was thrilled to get them signed by Jimenez and gush a bit about them.

But seriously, the best thing about meeting Jimenez was just taking part in the conversation while I waited. Great stuff!

Boston Comic-Con 2013 Wrap-Up and Aaron Lopresti Commission

Boston Comic-Con 2013 was this last week and it was the biggest and best show that I have been to.

I have been going to this show since its inception and each year it has grown. I can remember when it was in the basement of an old insurance building, cramped and with a couple of guests.

This year the show was postponed because of the Marathon Bombing. So first and foremost, I have to congratulate the show's producers for putting together this phenomenal of a show in such a short period of time. The artist list was deep filled with major creative stars. And it was held in the massive Boston Seaport Trade Center, a huge venue easy to find with cheap and plentiful parking. I can only hope that future shows are held there as well.

And this con was as packed as I have seen any show making me think that word is spreading that this is a convention you should travel to get to. Standing in line for signatures, I met people from up and down the eastern seaboard. Both days there were throngs and throngs of people. Unreal.

Moreover, it felt like a 'big con' with multiple panels filled with big stars. The DC panel was led by Dan Didio and had Scott Snyder, Tony Daniel, Brian Azzarello, and Aaron Lopresti. That is a huge panel.

Personally, I had some great moments talking to some of the creators present.

While I had to wait a bit, it was great to talk to Scott Snyder about Superman Unchained, even if it was only for a couple of minutes. He even showed me a splash page of Wraith's Fortress of Solitude from an upcoming issue. Fantastic. Snyder was just a great guy, approachable and amiable.

I got to talk for a while to Aaron Lopresti about his Wonder Woman run and, in particular, his Ends of the Earth arc co-starring the DC's 70's sword and sorcery characters.

I got to chat with Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare about Supergirl, Halloween Eve, and their upcoming Rocket Girl book.

And while waiting in Phil Jimenez' line, I was in a comic conversation which covered  Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Worlds at War, Legion of Super-Heroes, and other stuff. That was probably the best comic talk of the weekend for me.

I even got to meet Sue from DCWomenKickingAss!

Anyways, big big show.

As always, I had a bunch of commissions I was hoping to get and ... miraculously ... I got them all. For a total just over $300 (in total) I got Aaron Lopresti, Joe Eisma, Cully Hamner, George Perez, Amy Reeder, and Phil Jimenez. Talk about a great haul! I will showcase each commission on its own so each piece can breathe and I can talk about the artist individually.

Above is the Lopresti piece. I am a huge fan of Lopresti's work. It is always of the highest quality. And Lopresti was the piece that was most crucial for me. So I was glad to get on his list early and line up this piece. Everything about this piece is stunning. The powerful pose. The beauty of Kara. The multiple colors and depth of  shading. I mean, he even colored in the eyes light blue. Even the half-shirt works here, Lopresti's idea.

I am thrilled with this piece and feel it is a stand-out in my collection!

Thanks again to Aaron Lopresti for the chat and the commission!

Boston Comic-Con Is One Week Away

The re-scheduled Boston Comic-Con is happening a week from today and I am so psyched to be able to go. The 'new' show feels even bigger than the one original planned for early April that was derailed by terrorism. Here is the link to the show: http://www.bostoncomiccon.com/

As always, I am interesting in grabbing commissions, meeting and chatting with creators, grabbing some autographs, and attending some panels.

Here are the commission plans:

I have lined up a commission with Aaron Lopresti, an artist whose work I have always loved, especially his run on Wonder Woman with Gail Simone. This was a huge win for me as Lopresti is someone I always hoped to meet and grab a sketch from.

I also lined up a commission with Joe Eisma whose work on Morning Glories has been spectacular. Can't
 wait to see his take on Supergirl.

With those two commissions lined up, it is sort of a crap-shoot as to who I will run into in time to get on their commission list. In the best of all possible worlds I would be able to get any 2 of the above 5 artists who will be attending: Mark Bagley, Phil Jimenez, George Perez, Amy Reeder, and J.K. Woodward. And there are so many others there who I would love to get. As with many things, time and money will be the constraints.

I will be running into Bagley and Woodward at other cons, so I may be able to hold off on them. I figure I will plop myself into George Perez's line first thing on Day Two in hopes of being near the beginning of his line of Sunday.

But outside of commission hopes, there is a lot for me do here. I would love to chat with Scott Snyder about Superman Unchained. I suspect his line will be out the back door. I would loooovvvee to talk to Dan Didio about Supergirl and the DCU in general. I would love to talk to Tony Daniel about his brief run on Action Comics. And one of my favorite creators of all time, Howard Chaykin, is coming back to Boston. On top of that there are some great panels planned and an original art auction too!

I have a bit more tech on my side this year so I may try to do more 'live' posting. We'll see if that is possible.

Hope to see some of you all there!