Bullet Review: DC KO #5

DC KO #5 came out last week, finishing the story and, in theory, rebooting the DC universe yet again. Will there be any repercussions from this reboot from a continuity view? It doesn't feel like it. It feels like this was both an event and a non-event as it swept through all the books, was labelled an event on the cover, but ultimately will need to no tangible change other than Superman being out of the books for a while.

Perhaps the most memorable thing to the book is the sort of rock-em sock-em plot, the fight club style issues leading to the championship bout in this issue. I think we all knew it would end up being Superman fighting Darkseid. Too bad the bracket wasn't a true bracket. This issue is a sort of boxing match of cosmic proportions with the Universal Ruler being the title. 

Scott Snyder does a fine job putting Superman as the center of the DC Universe again, setting him up to be the core of things. I also think the ending where Superman reveals his plan is true to his character. I don't know if there was any revelation here either. All that said, the book is filled with some solid moments if you are a fan of Superman.

Javi Fernandez and Xermanico are on art. The art is cosmic. Some of the pages are wonderfully composed. And there are good flourishes worth pointing out that make the book a pretty solid visual feast.

The parts are more than the whole in this series though. Nice moments throughout but that don't come together into something more.

On to those moments.

Bullet Review: DC KO #3

DC KO #3, written by Scott Snyder with art by Javi Fernandez, came out this week and was another bonkers, high energy brawl of a book as our heroes and villains vie to see who will win the title King Omega and take on Darkseid to reinvent the universe.

It feels intentionally over the top with the fate of the universe at hand, the winner being able to scrawl their idea of what reality should be. 

Round one was a battle royale style race for immunity totems (magical items).

Round two was a two out of three solo match.

Round three is a tag-team match with each entrant able to pick their partner.

It is silly in a good way with high stakes and I have mostly enjoyed it. But two things have detracted my enjoyment from the title.

The first is a bit meta, the promotion of the event. I will talk about that at the end.

The second, how Supergirl was treated in this particular issue hence the bullet review.

They are, overall, small distractions to the insanity of the book. It is fun in an 'over the top' way.

But let's dive into Supergirl's part in this issue.

The rules of engagement are clear. The Elite Eight are allowed to pick a partner, any partner, got the tag team battle. If they don't choose a partner, one will be chosen for them.

Superman chooses last. The omnipotent voice almost chooses for him but then Clark makes up his mind.

Is the crumbling Supergirl statue supposed to mean she is who was almost chosen for him? Does it mean he contemplated picking her but picked someone else?

Either way, at least she was near the top. 

But then ...

Review: All-In Special #1

The DC All-In Special #1, a special flip book opening to the line-wide initiative and relaunch, came out last week and was a very enjoyable read. This was a group effort with Joshua Williamson and Scott Snyder writing the two halves and a bevy of artists anchored by Wes Craig and Daniel Sampere providing the art.

I'll start out with some caveats. I did not read any of Absolute Power so I don't have an understanding of what happened to the multiverse. I did not think I would be very interested in the Absolute line of books (although after reading a sneak peek of Absolute Batman I am pretty intrigued). With those two truths in mind, I didn't have major expectations from this book. 

Snyder and Williamson do a very solid job here though, grabbing me more than I thought they would. For one, the recognize DC history here, both recent and more ingrained in an old reader like me. They bring in an interesting wrinkle about Darkseid to a truth in the longstanding DCU that I am surprised hasn't been touched on before. And they put forward a brief origin for the Absolute Universe, the Elseworld, that touches on DC history too. 

And while I feel that the main goal of this book was to give people a taste of the Absolute Universe, the major push from the DC company, they also bring in some hints for new books on the main Earth. 

The art is also fantastic. Wes Craig brings a raw, chaotic feel to the Darkseid side of the book and does an incredible job touring the DCU and timeline. On the flipside, Daniel Sampere brings his clean, crisp style to the main world story, a stark contrast in feel befitting the stories.

I liked this a lot. And it did it's job, making me <gasp> a little excited about some upcoming things. On to the book itself.

All-In DC Comics And A Supergirl Back-Up News

Absolute Power is the current summer event churning through the DCU but news has been out for a while that it was just the precursor to a new initiative at DC Comics called DC All In. Solicits are out and will be reviewed in depth. But for now, let's talk about the set-up.

Spear-headed by DC alum Scott Snyder, the early news was that it would be a sort of Marvel Ultimates universe allowing new stories to be told with new characters on a more established new Earth. 

Perhaps to get ahead of the craziness of San Diego Comic Con or in fear of being outshone at SDCC, DC has released a ton of information about this. Head here for what is known:https://aiptcomics.com/2024/07/17/dc-comics-absolute-dc-all-in-line-comics/

Since hearing about this, I wondered how this was going to differ from the Earth One books or even a plain old Elseworld. This looks much more cohesive and more tied into the main DCU. The idea that the current DCU is built on the idea of Superman (something good that came out of Doomsday Clock) is fantastic. Darkseid wanting to build a universe in his image is not a bad idea.

“If the main universe is set up by Superman energy, this universe is founded on Darkseid energy,” Snyder added. That makes the heroes underdogs. “They have to be tougher. Have to be more resourceful,” and that makes them more badass.

Of course, Snyder says it means the heroes will be more 'bad ass' usually means it is something I'm probably not going to like but I'm willing to give it a shot.

But there's more.

Absolute DC And Scott Snyder

I'm an old jaded reader who remembers when words like 'Crisis' carried some sort of weight. 

In the near 16 years I have been blogging about Supergirl and DC comics, I have seen more reboots, both hard and soft, to have a clear number in my head. From the dramatic New 52 relaunch to Rebirth, Dawn of DC, Black Labels, All-Star titles, semi-5G leanings, and Earth-One graphic novels, it seems even a staunch 'Wednesday Warrior' like me doesn't know what is in continuity or out. 

I'm not even sure if it matters any more.

So I don't know what necessarily to make of the news broken by Bleeding Cool about Scott Snyder starting up a new sort of DC imprint called Absolute. Here is the link:
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/scott-snyder-ultimate-line-dc-absolute-comics-all-in/

This sounds more like an offshoot than a re-write. Everyone seems to be saying it will be DC's version of Marvel's Ultimate line (although that sounds like what Earth-One was supposed to be). That's fine with me. There aren't many DC books set in the current continuity that I find engaging and maybe a new start somewhere nearby isn't a bad idea.

I think Scott Snyder is a solid writer who shone brightest on Batman. His Superman Unchained book was interesting but somewhat forgettable. And his non-DC work on independents have never really grabbed me in a way that I have stuck around. Still, he has some clout and probably has enough connections to bring some big names in with him to give this a decent send-off. 

Will this be a unified Absolute universe, a sort of 'Don't call us the New 52' new DC world? Will it be 'stand-alone' vanity projects which sounds like the All-Star line? Or something in between.

Will this be built on some sort of foundation. The Absolute Superman coming from Krypton and being a good guy? Or will it be completely new where Superman could be someone from Earth who got powers?

I don't care. Just bring me good stories.

Well, I care a little bit. But bring me good stories.

But really, I have one selfish desire from this new line.

Give me a good Supergirl book.

Review: Death Metal: The Secret Origin

I say it often but I'll say it again. I am very thankful for the community of comic fans that I call friends. Often times, they will tell me about books I should be getting and reading.

For the umpteenth time, I have to thank blog friend Martin Gray for tell me that I shouldn't pass on Death Metal: The Secret Origin. I have, for the most part, been avoiding the Metal event. When I saw this was a Superboy Prime book, a character I never thought I would want to see again, I figured this would definitely be a book to keep on the shelves. 

Instead, what we get is the redemption story this character needed. 

As someone old enough to have bought the DC Comics Presents issue which introduced Prime, I liked his innocence and his role in Crisis on Infinite Earths. So I definitely was miffed when he was turned into a sadistic monster in Infinite Crisis and beyond. (Don't get me started on the tarnishing of the Earth-2 Superman.)

I came to hate this character and all he represented for DC. He was the poster child of the darkening of the DCU.

But I trust Martin so I plunked down my money and read this book. It certainly has a deep bench of talent attached to it. Scott Snyder, Geoff Johns, Francis Manapul, Jerry Ordway, Paul Pelletier, and Ryan Benjamin. That's talent. 

So let's dive into this book, a delightful surprise.

Bullet Review: Detective Comics #1027

Detective Comics #1027 came out this week, a jumbo issue with a heavy $9.99 price tag, another major anniversary issue just 2 plus years after the mammoth Detective Comics #1000. Of course, this is the 1000th issue with Batman starring in Detective and so I suppose it deserves a bit of accolades.

I think the last Batman book that I collected monthly was Batman Incorporated. (Folks who come here know my love of Grant Morrison ... more on that later.)  I honestly don't know what is happening in the main Batman continuity and even when I hear snippets, I don't think I am missing out.

As a collector though, I love anniversary issues. And I find issues like this, a sort of anthology of short stories by terrific creative teams, to be joyous celebrations. Usually these stories are sort of touch points on themes of the character, a sort of primer on concepts and philosophies. And this issue was no different. 

I wasn't sure if I was going to bullet review this but there is 'blink and you'll miss her' Supergirl sighting and since those aren't common these days I felt compelled. But almost every story in this book is fun. I'll cover just my favorites here but if you have an extra ten bucks, this book is worth it, thick enough to be on you trade shelf.

With a ton of covers to choose from, I picked the Jim Lee 'World's Finest' cover. Hey, in my mind, these two are good friends.

Superman Metal

Well, the plan was to have the misery tour end yesterday but DC decided to double down!

After the downbeat and off-putting ending to his JLA run, Scott Snyder is bringing his latest vision to the DCU, a metal sort of JLA.

Here is Newsarama's coverage:
https://www.newsarama.com/48966-knuckle-dustin-superman-teases-snyder-capullo-s-metal-encore.html

I keep hoping we will get back to the brief renaissance of good feelings that came with Rebirth but it seems like DC is determined to bring us back to the low depths of the New 52.

A long haired, red-eyed, Bizarro'd up Superman looking like a mix of Claw The Unconquered and Kamandi isn't exactly what I am looking for these days.

So Year of the Villain, Perpetua winning, Supergirl as a one woman insane clown posse, and now this.

Well, I have been looking for ways to save money. DC keeps providing.

Quick Peek At Justice League #30

The current Justice League title has been a rather interesting, almost 'over the top' book where every issue so far has been a world/universe/multiverse crisis in the making. Writer Scott Snyder and sometime co-writer James Tynion IV have really been keeping the gas pedal pressed to the floor with cosmic threats from beyond, artifacts of incredible power, and mind-blowing concepts about the origins of the DCU.

It has been somewhat hard to follow at times. A lot of the ideas are presented with a sort of 'roll with it' laissez-faire attitude. You either let the plots wash over you and buy into it or you get irritated at the lack of cohesive sense and story-telling.

For me, and I might say for once, I am in the former category, not the latter. I don't think I could elegantly tell you who Perpetua is, why a doorknob in a Legionnaire's hall is the most powerful known item in the DCU, what weapons the Legion of Doom has, or what is happening.

All I know is the heroes seem nervous that they might not win this time. And that alone has me invested in the ride.

One page in this week's Justice League #30 stood out though, for a couple of reasons.

With the universe and perhaps the multiverse in jeopardy, the League gathers all the super-heroes they can find and deputize them.

That's right. Everyone is now officially a member of the Justice League. Because when it hits the fan, the heroes will need every strong right arm they can get.

I love these sorts of pages. I love when Superman is looked on as this inspirational leader, able to muster up an army with his words alone. Snyder has really let Superman shine in this book and that makes me happy. That alone might make me showcase this page.

But there were a couple of details worth highlighting.

Review: Year of the Villain

It seems like every other year since Dan Didio took over DC has been labeled (or at the very least feels like) The Year of the Villain. From the overall tone of the DCU to an event like 'Forever Evil' to 'Future's End', we seem to have had a darkening and a coarsening of the heroes of the DC Universe for about a decade. And just when you think things were getting better, just when Rebirth sort of reset things in a brighter and more classic way, the pendulum swings back.

So I wasn't too surprised, given these last years, to find that we literally have a Year of the Villain event in the DC books coming up. Scott Snyder is bring in Perpetua, the Anti-Monitor's mother, to rewrite reality. Brian Michael Bendis is ripping apart the political landscape in Event Leviathan. And the Batman who Laughs is lurking around every corner it seems.

This week a teaser of all those events came out for the small price of two bits. DC's Year of the Villain Special #1 hit the stands with stories from each of those writers whetting our appetite for the major plotlines around the corner. Add luscious art by Jim Cheung, Alex Maleev, and Francis Manapul and you have a great bargain for comic readers. Throw in a few articles and process art in the back and you basically have a steal.

For me, this already feels a little different than those prior peeks into the minds of the bad guys. The Leviathan story feels very fresh and looks like it is going to impact everyone. The Perpetua story is a Crisis-level event which probably will have the grandest of scopes. I just don't think I am going to see a ton of hands being chopped off here, a sort of marker I have for what mess I am in for. This seems better.

Too be honest, the Leviathan arc is the one I am most interested in. I have theories. So I will be covering that mini-story the most here. On to the book and a reiteration of my theory.

Bullet Review: Justice League #11

 I feel like it is a little bit of a cheat for me to review Justice League #11 because I am not getting the entirety of the Drowned Earth storyline. I am not getting the stand alone issues. I am only getting the main title books. So I don't know if it is fair of me to review interval chapters rather than the whole arc.

That said, I have been reviewing and lauding this book since it's premiere and I didn't think it felt right not to review the book.

So ultimately I decided that I would include a review of the issue, at least showcasing the elements that I liked as well as hitting on moments that impact plot points brought up in the earlier issues.

Scott Snyder continues the keep things moving forward at warp speed. A lot of ideas and plot progression happens here. But what I loved about this issue is the sneaky character moments that if you blink or gloss over, you'll miss.

Francis Manapul is on art and really shines here. There is a thicker, harder edge to his stuff. I usually think of breathier, more pencil-y work with Manapul. But the style works here with this world-threatening incident unfolding.

So I won't go too in depth here. But there are moments that are too good to not share.

Review: Justice League #10

Justice League #10 came out this week, the opening chapter of the upcoming 'Drowned Earth' storyline. Written by Scott Snyder with art by Francis Manapul, it is a crackling issue, an excellent opening chapter which gives us the skeleton of the story while continuing to nudge forward the subplots which are the underpinning of this title.

Scott Snyder has been keeping his foot on the gas pedal in this title and this issue continues that pace. But while giving us a decent amount of exposition about the main plot, he also peeks in on the other members of the League, all of them busy with the current Legion of Doom threat. And, as if that wasn't enough, he also injects a lot of DC history into the issue. We get guest stars and mentions that deepen the continuity of the universe. For an old timer like me, I love seeing and hearing about these corners of the DCU.

Artist Francis Manapul really brings his A game here. As has been typical of the book, we are given crazy scenarios and locales, larger than life stuff, and Manapul is up to the challenge. But there is also small touches, little flourishes, which elevate even that heady stuff.

My one complaint? That there is a side mini-series about this. If I want to read the whole story I need to go outside this book. And I don't know if I am ...

On to the details.

Review: Justice League #9

Justice League #9 came out last week and this was another fine issue in what has been a very exciting title so far. If you have been reading my reviews, you know that one of the things that I have very much liked about the book is the absolute breakneck speed it has been going at. Huge concepts are just thrown at the reader and before you can digest it, the next huge thing is on its way. I have talked about needing to pause to take a breath intra-issue to get my bearings.

This issue is a that deep breath unto itself. While we get a smidge of plot progression, this is really about characterization. We see the Leaguers interacting with each other. We get a glimpse into how writer Scott Snyder sees these personalities. It really elevates the team dynamics here. After seeing them scurry for 8 issues, we see them rest. And, in what feels like the classic Silver Age trope of the team 'splitting up', we get a bunch of two hero vignettes. I loved it.

I have complimented Jorge Jimenez on art before. But I love his stuff. Here, we really get to see his range. From cafeteria scenes to outer space fist fights to literal world (or moon) building, Jimenez brings style and power to the images.

So if you are looking for an issue of this issue as a jumping on point, or an issue to recommend to a friend so they can sample what the book is like, use this one.

Onto the book.

Review: Justice League #7

Justice League #7 came out last week, the conclusion of 'The Totality' arc. As has been the case with this title, there is a lot of action and a lot of big comic book ideas that rapidly fly by. It has been almost dizzying in execution and definitely confusing in some places. I feel I really have been flying by the seat of my pants here. But 7 issues in, I actually wouldn't mind a little exposition now.

I think Grant Morrison and his books. A lot of big ideas came and went in his books. But often, they were in the background or were minor details to the plot. I could roll with them because Morrison often times built a foundation for the main storyline that was solid. Here? Those crazy ideas are the main plot.

Now that isn't to say I haven't liked this title. It is bonkers and sometimes I need that in my comic runs. And the art, this issue by Jim Cheung, is gorgeous.

But if the next plot hinges on the ending of this Totality arc, I can only hope that we get some more solid background. A shaky foundation helps no one.

On to the book!

Review: Justice League #6

Justice League #6 came out this week and continued its insane pace, tossing aside some plot lines and barreling forward with others. Scott Snyder and returning artist Jorge Jimenez continue to just dazzle me with this arc as huge ideas are brought up and wrapped up in panels. The threat level is huge which feels right for the League. All this in the era of trade waiting is so fresh it feels innovative. It also feels rather classic, akin to the classic Dick Dillin era satellite stories. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book so far.

I also feel that unlike prior issues, Snyder gives us a little backstory, a little more information, a little more explanation to some of the proceedings. As a reader, huffing and puffing to keep up with this pace, any crumbs of exposition to keep me grounded is appreciated. But even these are done within scene, don't feel like an information dump, and are really just niblets.

The art continue to dazzles on the book. Jimenez brings such a sense of motion and energy to the proceedings that the pictures have a kinetic feel. There is some high stylized action, with bodies just slightly warped. It is enough to make you think you seeing someone move out of the corner of your eye.

But it is the story that gets me as every member has a moment to shine here. Plus the issue opens and closes with such dramatic splashes that I remain hooked. I don't know the last time I have so enthusiastically love a Justice League book. High praise.

On to the book.

Review: Justice League #4

Justice League #4 came out this week and has been the mode of this book, things happen crazy fast. There are huge plot points that are unfolding here. But there are so many, I feel like I only have a sense of what is happening as supposed to deep understanding. From the Totality to mystic glyphs to the Still Force to Ultraviolet Corps to the living evil sun Umbrax, there is a lot happening here. And I just haven't connected it all. It's a puzzle that I can see all the pieces but I haven't out together.

Scott Snyder seems hellbent on leaving me reeling as a reader. There is a big sense of grandeur here. This seems like a massive, universal threat; this is the sort of thing the League should be going after. There are enough small character moments to keep us invested in who the heroes are. But I'll admit, I feel a little bit confused. It's definitely a fun ride. I feel a little punch drunk.

The art by Jorge Jimenez is insanely good. Everything is just a bit stylized, just a bit off of reality, enough to keep it feel like a warped universal threat. I cannot get enough of his work here. It is frenetic, energetic, and brutal. This book is visually delicious.

But can it all be brought together. Will I be able to put the pieces together in a way that I actually understand what has been happening? Or is it one of those 'bigger than life' arcs where I simply have to let it wash over me.

On to the book!

Sales Review: June 2018

The sales (orders) numbers for June have come out and, as always, ICv2 does a great job laying out the numbers and talking about the market as a whole. Here is a link to the month's numbers:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/40801/top-500-comics-june-2018

 It seems like DC has been riding something of a creative crest lately. DC Metal was a huge hit. Scott Snyder/Jim Cheung/Jorge Jimenez are on one of many new Justice League books coming out in the aftermath of Justice League:No Justice. Brian Michael Bendis is on the DC side of the border and spearheading a Superman era. Tom King has been steadily bringing us excellent Batman stories. Joshua Williamson is redefining the Flash family. And other big projects like Heroes in Crisis, G. Willow Wilson on Wonder Woman, and Grant Morrison on Green Lantern are all in the wings.

It has the feel of a post-Legends DCU with so much unbridled creativity exploding onto the shelves but with the added feel that many of these things will stick.

So how did things sell?

Review: Justice League #3

Welcome to my review of Justice League #3 by Scott Snyder and Jorge Jimenez. And therefore, welcome to one of the more difficult reviews on the recent docket. As I mentioned in my review of last issue, this book is rushing along with the pedal floored. Incredible action, fantastical plots with speedy plot resolution, and new elements added seemingly every other page, this book is dense and fast ... how the heck is that possible!

Because of that, it is hard to write a review. How can you cover all the plot progression without just having the review be a synopsis? And how do you cover the amazing stuff within critically without overlooking some new nugget which is critical?

Trust me, this is a problem I wish I had to deal with all the time. It is a sign of quality.

Suffice it to say, Scott Snyder, continues to pepper this book with an amazing amount of story. I feel like I am riding the wave, letting it all wash over me as I try to figure it all out. Somehow, I think I am missing the forest for the trees. I figure at some point, I'll need to reread it all.

Jorge Jimenez shines as usual. The thing that amazes me is that Jimenez is somehow able to keep up with the story without making it feel cramped. This is an issue with 3 splash pages! It has several half page semi-splashes. And yet it is able to tell the story that Snyder demands. In particular, the Ultraviolet pages are just glittery.

On to the book!

Review: Justice League #2

It has taken me longer than usual to formulate the review of Justice League #2 and frankly that is because there is so much happening in the book it was difficult to hone down. And as you know, I already am a wordy reviewer.

What amazes me about this book, if its first two issues are a template, is that writer Scott Snyder is keeping the pedal floored, keeping things moving at a near breakneck speed. I have complained about stories where it feels like an arc has been stretched to fill a trade. Here Snyder is putting major events ... like let's say the League destroying the moon ... into a few pages, the actual destruction happening in the background of a panel.

That happened in issue #1, an issue where we also saw Vandal Savage has brought about a neanderthal revolution, the Totality from the Source Wall crashes on Earth, magic glyphs invading heroes and villains minds, and the League have a conversation about action vs. reaction. That's a lot of stuff, reminiscent of the most stuffed Morrison books of the JLA. We also saw Snyder lean into DC history showing us Monitors, Kamandi, and the DC 1,000,000 League. Incredible.

But I'm here to review Justice League #2. And we get a lot of story here as well. This includes what I call 'throwaway ideas', things mentioned that could be fleshed out into full stories or issues but are just blips on the bigger arc. So cars fueled with Speed Force, Killer Croc mutating into a Godzilla, and Totality runes that mean 'justice', 'rise', 'truth', and probably 'doom' are all there on the periphery. That glyph is everywhere.

I honestly feel like so much has been presented in the first two issues that it feels like 18 issues in the current market. You could have done a whole 6 issue arc on the Savage plot alone. Instead it is tidied up in 15 pages. So grab hold and enjoy the ride.

Last issue we were dazzled by Jim Cheung's art. This issue I was floored by Jorge Jimenez's stuff. I have been a fan of Jimenez since I first saw him drawing the Smallville arc with Diana. His stuff here is wildly kinetic, stylized just enough to bring some energy but no enough to pull me out of the store. It is perfect.

Onto the actual issue!

Justice League: No Justice #4

Justice League No Justice #4 came out this week, wrapping up an extremely fast-paced miniseries where different teams need to fend off universal energies and Omega Titans. It was a fun, quick read showcasing a cross-section of the DC Universe. Interestingly enough, Green Arrow came out as as the biggest hero, holding his own as a force of justice.

It also planted the seeds for future comics including a new Justice League, a cosmic League, and even (it seems) a new Outsiders team. For me, the biggest bang in the book was the return of Vril Dox. If you set the WABAC machine, you will hear my love of the fascist hero back in my R.E.B.E.L.S. reviews. So for a book I barely was able to follow (I didn't read Metal), I have to give this miniseries a thumbs up.

Mostly.

Of course, this is a Supergirl blog, so I kept wondering where Supergirl was. I didn't expect her to have a big part in the book, but the interlude story in  DC Nation #0  made me think she would have some role, perhaps as a last guardian at the gate, trying to hold of the Omegas until the heroes arrived.

Alas, that didn't happen.