Review: Batman/Superman #15

Batman/Superman has been an interesting title to follow over this last year.

The title spun out of the Hell Arisen mini-series, drowning in the Batman Who Laughs, and initially didn't grab me. It all seemed like a side story to a crossover I wasn't collecting.

But when the first arc ended, Joshua Williamson devoted the series to smaller stories that really focused on Batman and Superman's friendship. Since that pivot, I have found the series very entertaining. Add to that a nice mix of excellent artists and this title has really become a consistent winner.

Batman/Superman #15 is another winner, a done-in-one story that again shows how these two heroes lean on each other's friendship and heroism. There is one big plot point that makes little sense but Williamson hangs a lantern on it and that made it way more palatable. 

The story has a bit of a Justice League Dark feel to it. Andrei Bressan's art has a thick lined eeriness that works well for the plot. I don't think I have seen his art before.

On to the story.

Review: Supergirl #12

Supergirl #12 came out this last week and is probably my favorite issue of this run to date. This is a fast moving issue with intrigue, action, and some teenage angst. There is punchy dialogue. There is a some mystery. There is just incredible art by Robson Rocha and Daniel Henriques. And there is a Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau variant cover. If this title started out like this, we might still be selling 40K a month.

It's not that I disliked the first year of stories. But the Cyborg Superman arc was something of a bummer to start out on. And Brian Ching's somewhat loose pencils were definitely a style I needed to become accustomed to.

Now with the opening arc behind us, we are moving out of 'origin' and into adventures.

Steve Orlando is crackling here. This is the Cat Grant I want to read. These are the villains I want to see fighting Kara. And this is the caring Supergirl still reaching out to those who have hurt her as she moves forward. Plus, there is a lot of Legion working its way into this arc. Maybe Supergirl will join that team when we eventually meet them in the Rebirth DCU.

And I just have to say one more time in this introduction how much the art just sings on the page. This is detailed, energetic work which just sings. You see every clothes wrinkle, every hair strand, every crackle of energy. I hope everyone out there in comic land notices this book and trumpets it.

On to the story.

Super Best Friends Forever Short #5

 Sometimes you don't know how good something is until it is gone.

Sometimes you know right away how great something is and can only watch as it slips away.

The fifth and final Super Best Friends Forever DC Nation short aired Saturday and, as always, it was fantastic. It was bittersweet. Because as fantastic as it was ... it was the final episode.From the first episode, I think everyone fell in love with these versions of these characters: the hotheaded Supergirl, the serious Wonder Girl, and the excitable Batgirl.

'No Fight Girls' has the team face off against Solomon Grundy. Well, trying to face off with him. Grundy is either a sexist or a chivalrous. Because he simply keeps saying 'Grundy no fight girls!'. Here is a link to short in its entirety on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CKhcHhsRzpw

Seriously, I love the team pose above, especially Batgirl trying to strike fear into the hearts of men.

But despite trying to fight him, Grundy no fight girls.

When he tries to walk away, the SBFFs try to insult him into a battle. They each say a line in a zombie like drawl ... even Wonder Girl. it's a little sign of her lightening up.

Here Batgirl is wondering if it might 'rraaaaaainnnn'.

But even with those barbs, Grundy won't fight.

The dialogue here is hilarious as the SBFFs try to convince him to fight. Supergirl says it'll be fun. Wonder Girl promises that they'll let him almost win. They even throw themselves literally around his leg to beg him for a brawl.

But Grundy is stubborn and sheds them with his mantra that he 'no fight girls'.

Of course, it doesn't matter if he won't fight them.

They are 'equal opportunity butt kickers'. And so we get a great montage of action shot in which they defeat Grundy making him reconsider his views.

Now I know I tend to overanalyze things but even though this was 5 shorts at just over a minute each, I think I have seen some progression of characterization here. It is clear that Wonder Girl is still the most serious of the group but she is cracking jokes here. Supergirl still has a temper but merely facepalms at being called the 'suh-buffs' rather than berating her friends. I really like all these characters, especially Supergirl.

I just can't believe given the quality of these cartoons, the buzz around these shorts, the cred that Lauren Faust brings to the table, the power of the Brony/Pony audience, and the licensing opportunities that this is the last SBFFs cartoon.

 The last that is, unless DCE decides to do the right thing and greenlight more.

Do the right thing DCE!

And thank you Lauren Faust!