Brainiac Who's Who Pages

With House of Brainiac showcasing all the forms of Brainiac and with my recent review of Action Comics #544, I was struck with how much Brainiac has changed over time. One of the ways I sort of try to catalog the changes on this site is to look back at some of the official biographies of characters ... the Who's Who pages.

We'll start with the original, the mid-Crisis 1985 Who's Who. This issue was on the racks just 2 years after Action Comics #544 and the same month as Crisis on Infinite Earths #6.  So this version of Brainiac was relatively new. 

This is a nice page with art by Ed Hannigan, the designer of the new form. There is a nice retelling of his origin, a 12th level intelligence construct sent out by the Coluan computer tyrants to reconnoiter worlds for them to conquer. Given Vril Dox as a pseudo-son to cement the humanoid persona.  I forgot about that aspect of his origin to be honest.

But this catches us up to the recent change to this emotionless 'unique organic' life form with infinite technology at his disposal. 

While this version only was around for 5 years or so, it struck a chord. I am glad this design remains around today either in the Brainiac ship form or the drone soldiers look. 

But the changes didn't stop there.

JLA In Crisis Secret Files

It is hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that we are rapidly approaching the 30th anniversary of Crisis on Infinite Earths. If that fact says one thing to me, louder than anything, it says that I am getting old.

Now I am of two minds about the Crisis. I actually like the Crisis and it's simplification of the DCU. Most of that comes from the immediate aftermath within DC Comics, a sort of explosion of creativity and new books. Of course, Supergirl was killed in the Crisis, something I have never quite understood.

But there is one thing that I do find interesting. Despite everything that happened in the Crisis, it is clear that the lasting image of that story is Superman holding Supergirl's body after she sacrifices herself to save him.

Yes, the cover to Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 is a beautiful cover and a great image. But that image doesn't have multiple earths. It doesn't have the Anti-Monitor of the Monitor. It doesn't have the true 'hero' of the story, the Earth-2 Superman. And didn't the Flash also die.

I wonder why that image resonates so much. One of my theories is that Supergirl's death had more impact that DC thought it would. Instead of her being a footnote, a secondary character, she meant something to people. Another is that it stands as the end of an era. Someone bright and optimistic is killed. The grim and gritty era of comics starts shortly thereafter. Maybe Supergirl's death meant something more, something about comics.

Of course, it just might be that it is a masterful cover by George Perez, homaged many times.

Okay, so you might be asking why am I talking about this now. Well, I recently stumbled across the JLA in Crisis Secret Files from 1998. It is an issue with an original Flash story. But more importantly, it has 2 page spreads recapping all the major company-wide crossover that have occurred in the DCU up to that point. That includes the Crisis. And there is Superman holding Supergirl in that classic pose on the cover (drawn by Robert Campanella).

Open the cover and the first page is a reprint of the Crisis #7 cover but now with the JLA in Crisis logo.!

Again, amazing the power of that image, such that in an issue looking at ALL the crossovers, this was the image the chose as their opening page.

Here is the Crisis on Infinite Earths double page spread, drawn by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez. Garcia-Lopez is a legend. I love this splash as it covers the story nicely showing the last battle, the Flash's destiny, and the united villains.

But again, there, in the center, is Superman holding Kara.

Incredible.

The pages come with text explaining what happened. I include the Crisis text for completeness.

I thought I would include some other crossover splashes that include Supergirl.

Here is the Zero Hour picture, drawn by Paul Ryan. There is the Matrix Supergirl on the left, next to the Darkstar Donna Troy!

And I found this interesting. Here is the Genesis pages drawn by Ron Wagner.

There is Supergirl on the fold, being blasted by a parademon. No Superman. No Batman. No Wonder Woman. But there is Supergirl!

I have covered a lot of Crisis over my 6 years doing this blog. I'll be covering it more in the upcoming year.

Secret Files And Origins Blog Crossover: Supergirl 2004

Welcome to another blog crossover among friends where character pages from DC Secret Files and Origin issues are shared. These 'files' are a sort of nouveau Who's Who pages tucked between the stories of these oversized issues. I recently stumbled across this Michael Turner Supergirl page.

Earlier this month I went to the Granite State Comic Con and really got elbow deep into the dollar boxes, walking away with a ton of stuff cheap. One of the things I got, on a whim and without flipping through, was the Superman Secret Files and Origins 2004 issue. I can't pass up high-page count books at a low price!

(For me, one of the joys of going to comic book conventions is thumbing through all of the $1 boxes trying to find some diamond in the rough or some unknown gem amidst the detritus. It also allows me to sample titles I passed on earlier at a cut price.)

The convention gods have shined on me in the past when it came to Supergirl. Sometimes it seemed that at random I would pull out a Batman Chronicles or Adventure Comics 80pg Giant or Four Star Spectacular that happened to include a Supergirl story. Is there a greater force at work here?

Anyways, what was in the back of that book? A Supergirl Secret Files page sporting Michael Turner art. This was basically right around the time the Supergirl story arc finished in Superman/Batman so it is pretty sparse on facts. And while I am not the biggest Turner fan, there is no denying his vision was crucial to the inception of the last Kara.

Looking for more Secret Files character pages? Head to these fine sites!

• Aquaman @ The Aquaman Shrine
• The Atom @ Power of the Atom
• Doctor Fate @ Tower of Fate
• Firestorm @ Firestorm Fan
• Green Lantern @ The Indigo Tribe
• Hawkman @ Being Carter Hall
• Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Renee Montoya @ Who is the Question?
• Phantom Stranger @ I Am The Phantom Stranger
• Steel @ DC Bloodlines
• Suicide Squad @ Subject: Task Force X
• Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince
• Zatanna @ Justice League Detroit

And here is the cover of the Superman Secret Files and Origins 2004 issue for anyone interested in hunting it down.

Enjoy!

Review: Superman Secret Files 2009

Superman:Secret Files 2009 came out this week and sported a new red-colored triangle and numbered zero. Codename:Patriot is clearly being marketed by DC as a jumping-on point for the super-titles.

With plotlines weaving through 4 titles, Secret Files tried to tee things up for a new reader by mixing in Who's Who style pages, maps, and short stories to try to not only catch the new reader up to date but add something for the hard core reader.

I think the latter is a bit trickier for the creators. I don't necessarily need a Who's Who page to tell me who General Zod is. But a map of Metropolis and a Kara/Thara story might grab me.



Here is the Who's Who page for Supergirl. Her origin is reviewed with much of the text dedicated to the post New Krypton events. Remember, this is supposed to help out any new readers. One thing I did note was the fact that her 'Kryptonite poisoning' wasn't mentioned. I really think that we are looking at a new age for Supergirl. The early issues of the title have been acknowledged, dealt with, and probably won't need to be mentioned again.

I also wonder how an artist comes up with 'THE' pose for a character on one of these pages. You want the art to reflect who the character is at their core. Here it looks like Jamal Igle chose 'graceful' as the central feeling. Supergirl also looks happy, something else I like to see. That is really beautiful art.

But he easily could have chosen a more action-y pose, fists clenched, eyes glowing.

Similar pages are throughout the book including ones for the Science Police, Daily Planet staff, and Nightwing & Flamebird.



The main story for me in the book was the Kara/Thara Fire Falls story that was mentioned in the last issue of Supergirl. 'Blood Sisters' was written by Sterling Gates and Greg Rucka with art supplied by Fernando Dagnino.

It is something of a flashback story, taking place right after Zor-El's death. Remember, at that time Thara was head of Kandorian Security and therefore in charge of protecting Zor-El and Alura.

Clearly, Kara's would be an emotional wreck in that initial mourning period. She loved her father, thought he was dead, got reunited with him suddenly, only to have him die in her arms. I know I would be distraught and probably angry.

As a result, this initial lashing out at Thara makes some sense. Of course Kara would be looking to blame someone for her father's death and Thara is an easy target. Unfortunately, Thara can't explain why she wasn't right there to save Zor-El. I think she was on scene. Could she have been elsewhere in the guise of Flamebird and as a result not next to Zor?

While Supergirl storms off, Thara remembers a day from their past.



There are a lot of small flourishes in this story that I really liked.

For one, while I haven't been floored by Fernando Dagnino's art in the past, I thought this was his strongest effort. I especially liked how he was able to draw the younger versions of Kara and Thara while having them still resemble their older versions. I bet that is tougher that it seems. This isn't a generic kid; this is clearly a young Kara.

Second, I like how the future Guilds that each chose is foreshadowed in their actions here. I always assumed that Kara would pick the Artist's Guild. But in this story, Kara is clearly a scientist. We see her crack open her robot nanny and reprogram it, allowing the girls to slip off unsupervised to the Fire Falls.



And we have heard all along how devout Thara is as a person. She was part of the Religious Guild for a while and obviously is a holy enough vessel to house the Flamebird force. So it made sense to see her want to pray at the Fire Falls rather than immediately go exploring like Kara wants to.
Kara is overwhelmed by the geography and local fauna. Thara is overwhelmed by the grandeur.

I really liked how we are shown these early seeds and how they have blossomed in each young woman. Small touches like this really make for a satisfying product.



While Thara is meditating though, Kara gets into some trouble as she nearly gets eaten by a native giant bird. Luckily Thara is able to help rescue Kara. Thara douses the bird in some blood bloom juice, a known flammable liquid. Kara then ignites the bird while Thara lifts her to safety.

Hmmmm ... a flaming bird ... a Flamebird? Is there some importance to that for Thara's history? Or is it simply foreshadowing?

Safe at last, the two girls become literal blood sisters, holding their cut hands together and holding onto half of a blood crystal as a memento, a symbol of their friendship.

A friendship that appears over when Supergirl storms away from Thara after Zor-El's funeral.

I know that we have a couple of upcoming issues where Supergirl and Flamebird fight. I know that is coming. But I hope that there is more to their feud than just this rift. In the immediate aftermath of Zor-El's death I can understand Kara lashing out at everyone and everything. I would hope that with time that she would calm a bit, realizing that it really isn't Thara's fault.

Overall though, I thought this was a very good background story for both characters.

Just because I am an Ursa fan, I thought I would show some of her story written by Greg Rucka and pencilled by Pere Perez.

The story shows the Black Zero unit in their fight against Brainiac during the Kandor incident. There is a brutal two page spread showing the bloodshed and battle raging.

The story shows how that loss clearly that effected Ursa mentally. How that battle scarred her psychologically and made her lose her sense of self. With no internal compass she latched onto General Zod, defining herself through him. And with Zod near dead, Ursa wonders who she would be without him.

I don't know if I need all my villains to have some tragic background that made them the way they are. I actually don't mind having villains be villains simply because they are evil. But I thought this story helped soften some of the edges of Ursa just enough to make me feel a bit for her.

I went into this issue with no expectations. So I was pretty pleased with it, getting more out of it than I expected. The maps alone are worth perusing.

Overall grade: B+

August Solicits

I thought August was going to be a busy month for DC because of all the Blackest Night books. Turns out it will be very busy for the super-titles as well. Here is the post on Newsarama discussing all the super books: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090515-superman-august-2009.html

And here are the ones I will be buying. We start out with a new title ... one I am pretty excited about.

ADVENTURE COMICS #1
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Francis Manapul, co-feature art by Clayton Henry

Covers by Francis Manapul

It's the return of one of DC Comics' longest running books and one of its greatest modern-day heroes – Conner Kent! In our first heroic issue, Superboy can't wait to jump back into his life – but which life will it be? With a clarity he's never had before, Conner makes a beeline for the greatest place on Earth...Smallville?Plus, in the wake of FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS, Starman heads off on an all-new mission in the present. And it's one that will not only impact Superboy, but the future of the DC Universe itself. Fortunately, the off-kilter Legionnaire won't be dong it alone! And in the upcoming months of ADVENTURE COMICS look for Lex Luthor! Brainiac! Lightning Lad! Superboy's pal Simple Simon! Sun Boy and Polar Boy! Ultra, the Multi Alien! Wonder Girl! Black Lantern Alexander Luthor! And many, many more new and familiar faces!

It was nice to read in a recent DC Nation comic that there was an editorial contingent that Supergirl should headline Adventure Comics. Even I have to admit that I don't think Kara could carry two titles on the market. So it is only natural that Superboy and the Legion co-host the titles revival. It sounds like it will be two books though 'Superboy' and 'The Legion' rather than 'Superboy and the Legion'. I hope there will be a couple of crossovers.

As a long time Legion fan I am really interested to see which team comes through Legion of Three Worlds. Johns wrote a great Legion in Action and Manapul drew a great Legion so I am there and plan to review the title here.

And the promise of Wonder Girl and Black Lantern Alexander Luthor (!!) has me licking my chops.

And now the Super-titles.

SUPERMAN SECRET FILES 2009 #1

Written by Sterling Gates, Geoff Johns, James Robinson and Greg Rucka
Art by Pete Woods, Jamal Igle, Renato Guedes, Julián López and various
Cover by Aaron Lopresti

There’s never been a better (or busier) time to be a Superman fan! With so many new characters and locations to keep track of, DC brings readers the definitive guide to the ever-expanding world of Superman. Here you will get profiles of characters like Nightwing and Flamebird, General Zod, Supergirl, Mon-El and more, plus maps of locations such as New Krypton’s Kandor and Metropolis.Also included is a bittersweet story about the friendship of Supergirl and Flamebird, and a story revealing the dark legacy of Pete Ross’ brief time as President of the United States. Plus, a week in the life of Science Cops Billi Harper and Jonathan (Mon-El) Kent. This SECRET FILES issue serves as an excellent primer to this month’s “Codename: Patriot” crossover in the Superman titles, so don’t miss out!

Well first off I have to say that I am a huge Aaron Lopresti fan. I have always thought he would draw a great Supergirl and his cover proves it.

I have to say I am a sucker of Secret File books like this with Who's Who style pages, maps, etc.

But of course I am most interested in reading the 'Kara and Thara' story. We have only heard that they were good friends on Krypton. We haven't exactly seen it since Kandor was released from Brainiac's ship. In fact, their few scenes have been strained. So I look forward to reading this and understanding their relationship more. I wonder if Gates/Igle are doing that story.

SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #6
Written by Greg Rucka & James Robinson

Art by Pete Woods
Cover by Fernando Dagnino & Raúl Fernandez
Variant cover by Eddy Barrows & Julio Ferriera

It’s chaos in Kandor as the 4-part “Codename: Patriot” storyline kicks off here and runs through the August Superman titles! Someone has been shot and Superman will stop at nothing to find the culprit! But when the shooter flees to Earth, can Superman stop him in time to prevent making the two planets even more hostile toward each other? Continued in ACTION COMICS #880!

So the big crossover event 'Codename:Patriot' starts here with someone being shot. Since Superman is investigating the crime, I can't be him. While Alura seems an obvious target, I hope it isn't her just because shooting both of Kara's parents in so short a span would seem a bit forced. So I guess that leaves Zod.

How interesting that Superman might be investigating the attempted (?) murder of his enemy Zod. And who is the shooter? Someone working for General Lane? Maybe the Project 7734 woman from this month's Action? Or a freelancer?

Anyways, while the theme of split characters and a crumbling S-shield is a good one, Dagnino's art seems a bit awkward and murky.

ACTION COMICS #880
Written by Greg Rucka; co-feature written by James Robinson & Rucka
Art by Julián López; co-feature art by CAFU
Cover by Fernando Dagnino & Raúl Fernandez

“Codename: Patriot” part 2! Nightwing and Flamebird are hot on the trail of the psycho sleeper agents Nadira and Az-Rel when the heroes run into another deadly duo – Reactron and Metallo! What do these two want and how does it tie in with General Lane’s plans? Meanwhile, Superman and Supergirl arrive on Earth searching for the shooter – but will their actions here cause more harm than good? Continued in SUPERGIRL #44!And in part 2 of the new co-feature, Captain Atom’s memory is falling apart right in the heat of battle – can he keep it together without annihilating an entire town? Luckily a deadly new player is about to take that choice out of his hands – permanently!

I like how Action is living up to it's title. I think mixing Nightwing and Flamebird with the murderous bank robbing Kryptonians Nadira and Ax-Rel would probably lead to another slugfest. But now Rucka is throwing in Reactron and Metallo! Now this should be interesting. I assume that Chris' invulnerability to Kryptonite extends to Gold K but I guess we will see.

But what I really like is that it sounds like Superman and Supergirl arrive on Earth together ... as a team ... to find the mystery shooter. I love seeing the cousins work together.


SUPERGIRL #44

Written by Sterling Gates

Art by Jamal Igle

Cover by Fernando Dagnino & Raúl Fernandez

“Codename: Patriot” part 3! It’s Supergirl and Mon-El versus Nightwing and Flamebird! Find out what happens when the Girl of Steel has to face off against Flamebird, one of her oldest and dearest friends! At Project 7734, General Lane puts the next part of his plan into action – with the help of the man known as Atlas. Concluded in SUPERMAN #691!

I guess it was only a matter of time before we saw Kara vs. Thara. I wonder what leads up to such a fight? Perhaps Supergirl thinks Flamebird is the shooter? Chris and Thara are acting outside of Kryptonian law. But we also see the 'mystery woman' here. Look at how part of what she is wearing is a version of Kara's uniform (midriff, belt). I am saying it here ... she is some Amazo-like being absorbing parts of the folks with powers she comes in contact with.

And I am glad we are finally going to see Atlas back in the fray. He seemed so determined to conquer when Robinson introduced him. I could never fathom why he was hanging out at a diner.

SUPERMAN ANNUAL #14

Written by James Robinson

Art by Javier Pina

Cover by Renato Guedes

Since Superman freed him from the Phantom Zone, Mon-El has spent all his time learning about Earth and its diverse cultures. But how much does he really know about Daxam, the homeworld he fled years ago? A gift from the Legionnaire Tellus allows Mon-El to explore the ancient history of Daxam – from its founding as a Kryptonian colony to its connection to the Mayans of Earth to its bloody civil war. Join Mon-El as he discovers that the planet he always believed to be peaceful and dull is actually anything but.

In the middle of the month we take a quick detour away from 'Codename:Patriot' and get a little background to Mon-El and Daxam. Seem like an odd time to release this, smack dab in the middle of a big crossover, but I suppose Annuals are summertime events.

SUPERMAN #691
Written by James Robinson
Art by Renato Guedes & José Wilson Magalhães
Cover by Fernando Dagnino & Raúl Fernandez

It’s a slam-bang, knockdown epic fight in the sewers of Metropolis in this fourth and final chapter of “Codename: Patriot”! What are the stakes, and who are the players? Everything and everyone, Superfans! Except one key player is missing – Superman! He has to stop the shooter from taking yet another course of action that would cause the situation between Earth and New Krypton to grow exponentially worse. Which, of course, is just what General Lane wants...

Wow. A promised 'epic fight' to end this crossover. And Superman speeding to stop another incendiary event!

I know the details are purposefully sparse in the solicit details. But even vague, this sounds pretty good!

SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN SPECIAL #2
Written by James Robinson
Art by Matt Camp

Cover by Pere Pérez

Jimmy Olsen has put all the pieces together regarding the mysterious Project 7734, and it’s worse than he imagined. With The Man of Steel temporarily out of the picture, though, it’s all up to Superman’s Pal to take action. Thankfully he has the help of Mon-El and Steel’s niece Natasha Irons – but will they be enough to defeat Codename: Assassin?

Hmmm ... Codename: Patriot .... Codename:Assasin .... looks like we have a probable shooter.

But Superman 'out of the picture'? That sounds ominous.

That is seven super-books in August. And that doesn't count Justice League:Cry For Justice or any of the Blackest Night books. And I thought the Supergirl Annual was scheduled for August too.

August is going to be busy busy busy.