Review: Superman Lost #8

Superman Lost #8 came out this week and was another up and down issue in this up and down mini-series. While this issue had some interesting and beautiful moments, I don't know if it pushed the story forward. Ultimately, that means this issue wasn't 'needed'. And that never sits well with me.

Superman has been back on Earth for 7 issues but lived on that doomed planet of 'Kansas' for 20 years of his time. He has been trying to shake off the trauma of that life and of leaving that planet's citizens to die since being home. But since it felt like a few hours to him, his friends and family are struggling to help him. 

Last issue, Superman went to a therapist Supergirl recommended. There would be some interesting stories to tell there. (I loved the therapy issue after Our Worlds at War for example.) But that isn't explored here. Also last issue, Lois went to Lex to try and figure out how help Superman, a very non-Lois idea. Lex gave her cancer to try and shake Superman awake.

This issue? Superman goes to colleagues for advice - Supergirl, Adam Strange, and Black Adam. They all basically give him tough love. It's time to move on. Lois finally admits that she hasn't been able to help her husband. And Lex stews. 

Writer Christopher Priest has certainly padded this series with side plots, homages, and quick scenes. But from a plot view, this feels like it could have been 6 issues. And things I would like to see (like Lois talking to Clark more, or Superman talking to professionals, or more interaction with the Leaguers) haven't been around enough.

Its' a shame because the art by Carlos Pagulayan is great, including the Supergirl scene. She looks fantastic. And Will Conrad gives an assist on some pages but his style meshes nicely. Even the variant covers (like the Stephen Segovia one above or the rarer Denys Cowan one) are quite appealing. 

On to the book.

Review: Future State Batman/Superman #2

Future State Batman/Superman #2 came out last week, finishing a two part story set in the near future. I thought the first issue was a decent story by writer Gene Luen Yang (who is taking over the book once Future State ends), showing his thoughts on the pair, having their thoughts contrast and setting up what they think of each other.

This issue seems to push that a little bit further in a direction I'm not exactly happy with. While last issue it was clear that while fundamentally different, the two work together well and like each other. This issue again veers into the all two common realm of breaking the two apart. I mean, these are the World's Finest and should be best friends. But here Batman can't even be honest with Superman, even if the lie is to protect his friend.

I am hoping that this doesn't continue in the main book once Yang takes over. I'd rather see the two be buddies working together. But that might be too much to ask these days.

One thing that is interesting is that I feel that Yang likes Superman more than Batman (no surprise given prior works) as the Man Of Steel's character really kind of shines here.

The art is a hodge podge with Scott McDaniel doing breakdowns and Ben Oliver and Stephen Segovia splitting the hard work. Segovia and Oliver's art complement each other. The book feels seamless. And the art is gorgeous. But I wonder who couldn't meet the deadline.

On to the book.

Review: Wonder Woman #47

Wonder Woman #47 came out this week, the only book on the shelf this month to feature Supergirl as we await her 'bold new direction' in August. So even though Kara is out of her mind in the issue, I have to be happy she is somewhere.

I have been collecting Wonder Woman since the Rebirth reboot. I found the Rucka run to be good enough, especially the early issues resolving some of the New 52 snags. Recently James Robinson has come on board and his time has been a bit more hit or miss. At times Diana seems like an after thought in her own book.

This issue seems to underscore that a bit. The first half is a fight with Supergirl in which we get some good insight into Diana and some wonderful art by Stephen Segovia. But this fight, in the end, is sort of meaningless and ends with a whimper. The second half is dedicated to Diana's long lost brother Jason, a character who has dominated the book a bit too much. I don't read the book for him; I read it for Wonder Woman.

The overall story here is about Dark Gods coming to Earth which seems a bit badly timed given that we also have Omega Titans coming in No Justice. I thought this was a tie-in to that book but it turns out the Dark Gods are their own entities.

I'll stress again that Segovia really crushes it this issue. His visual storytelling is superb. On to the book.

Supergirl Quick Hits

 Hey all, just a couple of unexpected Kara moments cropped up this week at the comic store which I thought were worth mentioning here. One is current. One is pure Bronze Age joy.

We'll start off in Wonder Woman #46. 

I must admit, I haven't been too impressed with James Robinson's run as it seems like Wonder Woman is a supporting character in her own book. I will openly admit that I am floored by the tremendous Jenny Frison variant covers that have been on the book.

This issue has Diana battling the Cheetah. Cheetah keeps ranting how the god Urzkartaga, who cursed her with her bestial form, is dead. Dark gods are coming. And this theistic upheaval is enough to enrage and madden the Cheetah who goes on a killing spree.

In fact this seems to be hitting home normal people too. They are questioning their faiths and rioting.

Maybe you can see where this is going given the Supergirl focus of this site.

Review: Superman #35

Superman #35 came out this week, the third part of the Imperius Lex story arc, as it continues to move our super-family across the desolate wastelands of Apokolips. Last issue focused on Lois. This issue we focus on Jon. But throughout, we keep seeing Superman and Lex both dealing with being labeled the messiah of Apokolips. As I have said for some time, I am having a hard time reading this Lex. His actions have always seemed heroic but his words have occasionally been concerning or troublesome. Is he faking us out with this desire to be the new Superman, a hero?

For me, the Jon portion of the issue was the most enjoyable. Writers Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason bring the youthful energy to Jon, making him act the way I think a tween with super-powers would act. He is growing in confidence. He is trying to emulate his dad. But he is impulsive.

I will also admit to having something of a hard time wrapping my head around the actual status of Apokolips these days. It looks like it is plunged into chaos. And I have to think that Tom King and Mitch Gerads Mister Miracle as well as the Allred's Bug are out of continuity. But it doesn't feel streamlined.

The art on the book is a mix of Travis Moore, Stephen Segovia, and Art Thibert. It is hard for me at least to pick out where one begins and the others end. But overall the book looked crisp and clean.

On to the books.

Review: Superwoman #16

Superwoman #16 came out last week, the first issue released since the announcement of the title's cancellation. We are in the midst of the Midnight story arc. Some weird technological being is sucking the population into tiny black holes. Superwoman has teamed up with Natasha, Traci 13, and Maxima to figure things out. But it hasn't been easy.

Lana has also been dealing with the renewed problem of stress and anxiety, a problem she has been dealing with since the beginning of this title. And we even get another nod to the earlier part of the book here as well.

It will be interesting to see how much of this will carry forward past January. When this title ends, will Lana continue to have powers? Continue to have anxiety? Continue to be part of the active Superman supporting cast? I hope the answer to all three questions is yes.

And I hope that K. Perkins finds another title to land on at DC.

The art for the book is by Stephen Segovia and Art Thibert and continues to be slick.

But this title is ending. Will there be a finale feel? Can Perkins wrap it all up?

Review: Superwoman #13

Superwoman #13 came out this week, and like Supergirl, I think it might be the best issue of the title so far.

Writer K. Perkins weaves story for us. We have a framing story set in the present day where a mind controlled Lana is fighting Lex Luthor. But we also get a flashback tale of Clark and Lana's adolescence back in Smallville. It all ties into Lana's origin and how she has maintained her Superwoman powers. (Of course I would pick the sepia-soaked nostalgia of the Renato Guedes variant).

Now there is no doubt that I am an absolute sucker for Smallville Lana stories and most of this issue is a flashback to those early years. That always works for me. But Perkins updates some of this story slightly. Gone is the vapid cheerleader Lana conniving to reveal Clark as Superboy (who I know doesn't exist in the current DCU). Instead we get a smart, independent, young woman who is bored with the idyllic small town life. This Lana better jibes with the Lana that we have now. And it isn't such a dramatic change to make me think 'this isn't Lana'.

And the art by Steven Segovia and Art Thibert is powerful. There were times that I was reading this issue that I paused on a page to just take in the art and make my eyes smile. I hope these two stay on the book.

Put it all together and you have a Superwoman book that seems to have put the first vexing arc behind us and sifted through the stabilization issues. Now we have stories moving forward instead of fixing the problems present when looking back.

Seriously, kudos to Perkins for wringing a story out here, complemented perfectly by the art (and colors by  Hi-FI!). I hope DC and readers notice what is unfolding here!

Review: Superwoman #12

It seems hard to believe but we are 4 issues in to K. Perkins run on Superwoman and things are finally starting to gel a bit. Perkins was dealt something of a mess of a character and has been trying to shore up the continuity gaffes of a character who has only been around for a year.

Superwoman #12 moves a number of the plots forward nicely. The villain is defeated. The mystery of Lana's powers is starting to be solved. Lana has to try to stabilize her home life and her work life. And all of this happening with the mystery of Steel's nephew Zeke simmering in the background.

But the main thing about this issue is the ending. Lana is finally a little confident in her abilities and her life's direction. After issues of anxiety and indecision, we see Lana smiling and that makes me smile. I know she is in for a lifetime of struggling with these feelings but at least she is coping and maybe even winning.

The art from Stephen Segovia and Art Thibert crackles nicely in the fight scenes. There is sort of Leinil Yu feel to some of the scenes and that is high praise.

Overall, I enjoyed this issue. But really what I want is to read the Lana of next issue.

Review: Superwoman #10

Superwoman #10 came out last week and was another step towards the new reality of this book since Superman Reborn rewrote continuity and made Superwoman's history impossible. How can Lana have powers given to her by a dying New 52 Superman when that Superman never existed?

Writer K. Perkins has been given the monumental task of trying to sort this out. And I am rooting for her. I like Perkins as a writer. I loved what she did on Supergirl. And I like Lana and I find the concept of Superwoman fresh. But I wonder if this might be too much even for her. Because everything which led up to Lana being Superwoman is gone. So how do you continue?

That isn't to say that this issue is a failure. One of the things about Superwoman which has felt innovative is that Lana struggles with anxiety and PTSD. She is trying to be a hero while dealing with her own issues. And we see how these continue to be a big part of her character. Lana strives to move past these problems, or compartmentalize them, so she can continue to be better and help people. But the scenes of her flashing back to painful memories still show scenes that I don't think have happened now.

I am also rooting for this book because I think the art team of Stephen Segovia and Art Thibert is a dynamite pairing. The art here really sparkles. Plus, I love this Renato Guedes cover riffing on the classic Superman #1 cover, right down to 'wear and tear' and a price tag.

I just don't know if my rooting will be enough ...

Review: Superwoman #9

How do you remake a book that was just made? How do you reboot something which was just booted?

It can't be easy.

But that is what is going on in the Superwoman book. Phil Jimenez idea of Lana being infused with energy from the dead New 52 Superman couldn't exist anymore in the post-Superman Reborn world. And frankly, the first arc of Superwoman ended in such a jumbled, over wordy, preachy, and confusing manner that maybe erasing that and semi-starting fresh makes sense. I know I am trashing the prior arc but the truth is I enjoyed the opening chapters. It just all seemed to lose its way.

Superwoman #9 has the difficult task of somehow continuing the title, building on some of what has come before, all while trying to explain away the inconsistency of the recent past. Enter writer K. Perkins (of Supergirl Crucible fame) and artists Stephen Segovia and Art Thibert. Can they pull it off?

At least for this first issue, for me, the answer is yes. Instead of immediately trying to explain how Lana had powers, what adventures she has had as Superwoman, and what truly happened, Perkins instead concentrates on who Lana is as a person. The powers and the missions are important, but the character of Lana is the foundation of this book. We need to learn that first.

In Jimenez book, Lana was an extremely complicated character. She was a begrudging hero. She had anxiety issues. She was struggling with the pressure of all aspects of her life. And she was hiding all of this fear from those who loved her. I didn't always like Lana in the book. She seemed to have a hair trigger to lash out at those supporting her. She seemed ashamed of her problems. But always, she eventually tried to rise above. Perkins seems to embrace all of that complexity. Complicated and conflicted characters are always fascinating to read. Indeed there are wonderful bookend moments in this issue.

The art by Segovia and Thibert suits the book nicely. There is a lot of kinetic energy in the action sequences. But the quiet scenes, the conversations between characters, look great with solid expressive work.

On to the book.

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.

Review: Action Comics #974

Action Comics #974 came out this week and really ramped up one of my favorite recent storylines, the mystery of the new Clark Kent. Who is he? Where did he come from? I have a couple of theories ... a Mr. Oz creation, a normal human changed by a discharge of super-energy by the dying New 52 Superman, even some version of Matrix on this world ... but they are pure guesses. If writer Dan Jurgens has dropped any significant hints, I have missed them.

What is clear is that this Clark is more than what he says he is. And the way he has been drawn in certain panels gave him something of a malevolent feel. This issue puts that sort scary behavior on display for us front and center. This Clark has a temper and doesn't like to be made a fool of.

Do I have a better guess at who Clark is after this issue? No I don't. But I do know I am a little more frightened of him. And I am even more intrigued! That makes me happy!

The Clark mystery isn't the only plot in this issue. We get more of Superwoman's recovery and we get a new thread in the re-emergence of Blanque as a threat. So this certainly felt like a full issue, in a very good way.

Patch Zircher and Steve Segovia (with Art Thibert inks) split the art here. Zircher's work on the Lois/Clark pages are just wonderful. Zircher really gives us a wonderful Lois. And, as usual, his page layouts guide the reader's eye nicely. Segovia gets a bit of a more comic world canvas to work on with Fortress settings and alien armor. The different art styles on the differing locales made the whole thing feel pretty slick.

For me, the best thing about this issue was the slow turn of the fake Clark from mild mannered, clumsy, nice guy to scary threat. And nothing conveys that more than this cover by Gary Frank. Clark lurking in the background is eerie. This looks like a horror movie poster.

On to the book!

Last issue ended with a dying Lana being brought to the Fortress to be saved. Initially, it seems like nothing will be able to help Lana from death.

I am assuming that this takes place immediately after the end of Superwoman #7 when Lana just defeated Lena. And I suppose the 'I just saw you there' comment would be because she saw Clark frozen in one of Lena's chrono-cubes.

But that doesn't make sense if Lois is about to go out on that date with Clark, set up in an uneffected Metropolis.

So maybe this is after some other Superwoman adventure? But that doesn't sit right with me either.

These are the things that a group editor is supposed to oversee.

Meanwhile, Lois has set up something of a creepy wall about this new Clark. She is trying to figure out just who he is (aren't we all!!!). And she realizes the only way to get closer to figuring it all out is to get closer to him. We see her preparing for this date with Kent. Zircher shines in these quiet moments of Lois getting ready.

But Jurgens gives us all these new facts about Clark's backstory. His birth parents died in an explosion (interesting) and he was adopted by the Kents. But really what I want is a little more. How deep does this conspiracy go? Are there adoption papers? I suppose with Superman dead, all the existing Clark photos or papers could be attributed to this guy.

Clark shows up for the date ... early. Usually I would chalk that up to a faux pas or a pre-date nervousness. But somehow it comes across as a little bit dark. Was he trying to catch Lois in something? Or catch her off guard?

He then leads her out to an idling limosine. Whoever he is, he doesn't have the 'down to Earth' style of the real Clark. Lois says it. The limo heads to an expensive, exclusive restaurant. And inside, Lois is led to a private room, extravagantly decorated. And then Clark proposes! Proposes!!

Boy, this Clark has acted close enough to the real thing before this issue to have me perplexed. Even I have wondered if he might somehow be a version of the real thing.

But this display? And the quick proposal?

This isn't Clark.

So who is he?

Meanwhile, when all Earthly treatments fail to stabilize Lana, Clark turns to otherworldly cures. If her powers are somehow Kryptonian based, maybe Kryptonian medicine will help.

In a nice look back at history, Superman puts her into his old Battle Armor. That suit has a sort of  fluid matrix healing egg chamber. Thankfully, once inside, Lana stabilizes.

It is a nice callback to the Return of Superman arc from way back when. Given that Dan Jurgens was one of the drivers of that historic story, I guess it isn't a big surprise to see it mined again.

In that story, the 'dead' Superman did stay in the fluid healing chamber of Kryptonian Battle Armor while recovering from his fight with Doomsday.

Nice continuity!

Lois, of course, walks out on Clark after his proposal. She wants nothing to do with it.

And he seems genuinely surprised.

Some of what he says is interesting.

One, he promises to be good. That is an odd statement. Does he mean as opposed to being evil? That he won't do something wrong? It just sticks out as strange language.

But he also says that he feels they need to be together. Is he channeling the history of the real Clark? Does he sense they should be married? That would be specific to the current Clark and not necessarily the dead New 52 Superman who never really clicked with Lois. 

This made my theory about an energy avatar Superman both more and less likely.

When Lois leaves, the tone of Clark changes. And things get a little creepy.

First off, there is that line again about being good. Weird.

But then things change and Clark seems to dehumanize. Suddenly you don't see his eyes through his glasses anymore. He is something else. That look of confusion becomes a stern look, an angry look, a scary look. He vows to destroy who gets in his way.

And then we pan back to see that no one is driving the limo. Great slow reveal on the page. Wonderful art by Zircher,

Whoa.

Cue the Twilight Zone music.

So who is he? We know he has been scanned and is human. So no robot or Eradicator? And what's with the anger ...

Best page in the book! 

I've been ignoring one of the subplots coursing through the issue. Early on, Superman gets notified that Hank Henshaw's group is breaking into the Himalayan Fortress. However, his devotion to Lana and his confidence in his defenses lead him to stay in the Arctic.

I don't quite know how Henshaw's agent gets past the vaunted defenses but he does. And he is telepathic controlled to  release the ultraviolent psychic  Blanque who quickly blows the whole thing up.

In some ways I'm happy. The two Fortress world was confusing. Glad we're consolidating.

And Blanque was a big threat in Lois and Clark. He is a big threat. I'm excited to see what happens next.

Back in Hamilton, the Whites have a standard family dinner.

What is interesting is that Clark downplays what he did with Lana. And Lois doesn't even mention what she did with 'Clark'. 

It is odd to see these two maybe hold back on the truth. Maybe Lois thought that her Clark might be unhappy with the chance she took? Maybe Clark doesn't like to talk about any Lana with Lois?

Or maybe they just don't talk business in front of Jon?

Unfortunately the doppelgänger Clark followed Lois. He sees the real Clark and Jon and knows they are with Lois instead of him.

Suddenly this Clark looks outright violent. And blue energy spills out from behind his glasses. Does that make him more of a Dr. Manhatten construct?

Whatever he is, he is terrifying. Great cliffhanger.

I will say, if my guess of Mr. Oz being Vyndktvyx turns out to be true than this Clark could be a simple 5th dimensional construct. But I simply don't know.

In case you can't tell, I loved this issue. This 'Clark' plot grabbed me from the beginning. And this issue pushed the pedal all the way down. We are t seeing the well intentioned buffoon in this Clark. We seeing someone unhinged and almost unreal. What is he??

And the art shows that subtle transformation perfectly!

Dang, I love a good comic mystery!!

Overall grade: A

Review: Action Comics #973

Action Comics #973 came out last week and was a great little rest issue after the God-Killer arc that preceded it. Superman took a bit of a back seat in this issue, allowing Lois the chance to truly shine. And this also gave us a much closer look at the mysterious Clark Kent. For someone who has found the Kent mystery fascinating, I liked it. For someone who has been craving a strong Lois presence in the DCU, I loved it.

But as a long time reader, I couldn't help but feel that there was a wonderful Bronze Age patina to the whole issue. Maybe DC shouldn't be aiming their books at people of my age, a nearly elderly age bracket. There is no denying that there is something classic about this. And that is what #Rebirth was supposed to be about, getting back to the classic feel of these characters that have made them lasting.

Writer Dan Jurgens has a great handle on Lois, showing her in all her glory. She's a fierce investigative journalist. She's brave. She's willing to dust her knuckles if she needs to. And it is all in the name of truth, justice, and the American way.

The art is split between Patch Zircher on the Lois/Clark pages and Stephen Segovia on the Superman pages. Both artists put nuances into the pages to really make then visually engaging and complementary to the story. Great stuff!

And while I am a fan of Crisis #7 homages, I think this cover by Gary Frank  is the third in three months! From Doom Patrol to Superman to Action Comics, these are getting to be like ants. 

On to the issue!

Review: Action Comics #972

Action Comics #972 came out this week, the finale to the God-Killer and a turning point in the relationship between Superman and Lex.

This has been a very interesting story with the hard look at Luthor and his motivations. More than any story in the past, this arc written by Dan Jurgens has made me start looking at Luthor as a potential good guy. And I thought I would hate that ... I want my villains to be villains. But this has been well written and thought provoking. I don't know if I trust this Lex 100% but I might give him the benefit of the doubt moving forward.

I will say, it does fly in the face of the 'evil, privileged, narcissistic, ___ insert another bad adjective ___ white male misogynist we have been seeing in Superwoman. I would wish that the group editor would see how these two concurrent story arcs really fly in the face of each other. Maybe I am asking too much?

The art on the issue is done by Stephen Segovia and Art Thibert and the two do a good job of handling the multiple aspects of the proceedings here. We have street level fighting on an alien planet, a chilling scene in Lois' apartment, and some strong emotional character moments. It all works very well.

On to the book:

Review: Action Comics #971

When I first heard that Lex Luthor was going to 'star' in the Rebirth Action Comics as Superman, I cringed. I was yearning for old fashioned excellent Superman stories. Rebirth seemed like the right time to return to greatness. Why give Lex the title?

Well, it turns out my concerns were misguided. Superman is definitely the lead in this book. But Lex is definitely an important supporting cast member. Rather than a 'twice a year' villain with a new gizmo, Lex is part of Superman's life, part of Metropolis' elite, and out in the open.

I sometimes miss the days of the conniving, hiding Luthor biding his time to unleash something horrific. But I have to grudgingly admit that since Rebirth I have been interested in Luthor and his character. There are layers here ... whether onion or parfait ... and peeling him back to try to get to his core has been a very engaging read.

Action Comics #971 continued the 'Trial of Lex Luthor' storyline in which Luthor is being tried for crimes he has yet to commit. Hearing Luthor plead his innocence and seeing him hope for a Superman rescue has been intriguing. But this issue, we flip things on their head. Suddenly it is Superman that needs the saving. It is Superman who might be judging people too harshly. And it is Lex who has to stand up as the hero. And that is fascinating.

I live for the day when villains can all be villains and not have sympathetic back stories. But if I am going to be reading this sort of Lex, a character awash in gray areas, then I am glad it is being written like this.

The art on the book is by Stephen Segovia and I am impressed with his breadth. This issue flips from Metropolis to Nideesi to some unknown jungle world. That can't be easy.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #966

Action Comics #966 continued to Lois Lane story begun in last issue and was the home run of the week for me. I suppose I am repeating myself but since the New 52 Lois has been in the background. She simply hasn't been the presence that I want her to be in a Superman book. From her role as a vessel for Brainiac to her reveal of the secret identity to her simply not being shown, Lois has been mistreated and/or forgotten. It is like a vacuum in the mythos when Lois isn't around.

Then Dan Jurgens wrote the Covergence Superman book and the Lois and Clark mini-series and suddenly *a* Lois was back, a strong, independent, feisty investigative journalist who was a presence, an equal to Superman. And with #Rebirth, that Lois is now a major part of the Superman books and is attempting to not only fill the void of the other Lois but go further.

It is clear that Dan Jurgens loves Lois and loves the relationship between Clark and Lois. This issue concentrates on that. Lois has been living busy life as an anonymous auther and a homemaker/mom. Here she decides that some changes have to be made for her to remain happy. She has to honor the other Lois and reclaim her past. And Clark is 100% behind this. Hooray for us! Lois is back!

The art is lushly provided by Stephen Segovia and Art Thibert. For an issue that is mostly conversations, they bring an emotional punch. Of everything in this book, I love their take on Lana Lang/Superwoman the most. If Phil Jimenez is looking for an art team for the Superwoman book when he needs a break, I nominate them.

On to the book!

Review: Action Comics #965

Action Comics #965 came out last week and was basically a Lois solo issue, something that made me wholeheartedly elated. If there was someone who got short shrift in the New 52, it was Lois. She basically was absent, possessed by Brainiac, or shunned for her identity reveal for basically five years.

Now I have to say that I was ready for two Loises to exist on the Rebirth Earth but the twist ending of Superwoman #1 certainly put an end to that. Instead, we have the pre-Flashpoint Lois, an older Lois who was successful as both Author X and mother. And Dan Jurgens has certainly made her a vibrant character, reminiscent of the Lois of old. She is bold, loving, intelligent, and determined.

In this issue, writer Dan Jurgens and artist Stephen Segovia bring Lois further into the Rebirth world. This is a world where Lana works for the Daily Star and a human Clark Kent works for the Planet. So why not have this Lois replace the other at the Planet?

And Jurgens does a great job of reintroducing us to the cast of the Planet, something else missing for much of the New 52. It was great to see these wonderful folks again, some who we haven't seen in years.
I will say, this Lois is supposedly around 10yrs older than the other so I had to roll with it that she is accepted.

Segovia's work is spot on bringing a nice natural look to the cast of characters and evoking the right emotions when necessary.

On to the issue!

Review: Action Comics #962

Action Comics #962 came out this week and brought the Doomsday storyline to a sort of close. It isn't really a finale and more like a pause. And I am okay with that. This is the beginning of the Rebirth era. This is the first arc of many that will build up the Mr. Oz character and plan. And we as readers are still getting acclimated to this Superman being part of this DCU.

Bringing Doomsday into the opening arc was something of a risk. If you start out there, where do you go? And certainly writer Dan Jurgens has played up the threat of Doomsday nicely. The heroes have barely been able to contain him here. So I was worried that the ending might be too pat. As we'll see there is a sort of deus ex machina ... or at least a machina ... which helps speed things along.

But Doomsday is a plot device, not a character. The real enemy here is Oz. And we still don't know much about him. I know we are only a month into Rebirth but I keep hoping for some more clues. Throw me a bone!

Stephen Segovia is on art here and does a good job with the proceedings. He seems to be a nice halfway point between Pat Zircher and Tyler Kirkham. He is almost perfect in that manner in that he bridges the other issues in a way that will make this artistically fluid when this arc is read in one sitting.

On to the book!

Review: Action Comics #961

Action Comics #961 came out this week and continued the Doomsday storyline. Once more the issue is packed with a huge brawl as the villain and heroes demolish the countryside. It is big and loud and somewhat glorious in its action sequences, reminiscent of the original Doomsday where page after page was bonecrushing punches and devastating attacks.

But there is only so much action I can read before punches become repetitive and kicks become tedious. I need story behind the action and luckily, mercifully, we see some progress with some of the plots that have been simmering since Doomsday first tromped onto the scene.

Writer Dan Jurgens has been making Action Comics live up to its name. But frankly, I think Doomsday is a bit overused. And there needs to be something behind the monster for me to get completely engaged. I am hoping the end is near.

Stephen Segovia and Art Thibert step in on art for the issue. Their style is more on the Kirkham spectrum than the Patch Zircher side of things. In fact, in places it felt almost like Leinil Yu.

But the biggest thing for me about the issue was the ending, as it marked some progress in this 12 round fight.

One thing I have been trying to deal with is the 'Lex as Superman' arc. Perhaps the best thing is that Jurgens continues to show us glimpses into Alex's soul. He isn't a hero. He definitely seems to be selfish, occasionally deluded.

Nothing said that more this issue than these panels. Instead of being happy that Superman and Wonder Woman took the fight away from Metropolis, Lex instead thinks this love means they abandoned the city.

That's crazy. And a little self centered. It shows just who Lex is.

Now initially I thought that Mr. Oz was the villain behind everything that is happening. But more and more it seems like he is merely observing. He isn't moving these game pieces; he is merely noting them. Makes me wonder about who he is. Maybe I have another theory.

And then we get a classic comic book trope. Lex examines the craft Doomsday fell from and notes that, despite having worked with every metal on Earth, that this one is different.

So where did Doomsday come from.

But then we get a lot of battle on the outskirts of town. Doomsday pounding Diana. Doomsday pounding Superman. Superman pounding Doomsday. It is a lot of back and forth. Wonderfully rendered. But just a brawl.

It is only when Superman is truly in danger that we see something new. Jon lashes out with his heat vision and does some damage. It reminded me of Jon's big moment in the Superman book.

Temporarily free, the Man of Steel says goodbye to his wife and family. Their safety is his primary goal. I have liked these tender moments again showing why Lois and Clark work so well as. Couple.

Superman convinces Diana to take his family off world to the JLA satellite while he tussles with Doomsday more.

Interestingly enough, Mr. Oz decides that the time is right for him to get involved. Doomsday needs to be taken off the board. 

Suddenly a henchman arrives and Oz gives some orders.

So this was both progress and a bit of a letdown.

The mysterious Mr. Oz seemed like a zen-master, almost mystical. It seemed like he was operating from limbo. He was so enigmatic he seemed like something bigger than the usual villain. Now I know these are my perceptions. But the way he talked, and how he acted, he seemed like someone outside of or bigger than reality.

But then he goes and has a henchman. Something rather tawdry, ordinary. He goes from being a philosophical force to being akin to the head of Intergang. The appearance of this flunky somehow minimized Oz.

But then the henchmen squad go out and save Superman! Using force beams, they corral Doomsday.

Hmmm... this kind of looks familiar.

That can't be by accident. It certainly looks like Jurgens is riffing the original story. 

And so now I need to rethink my guess about Mr. Oz. you may recall I recently thoug he might be Jon Osterman. But now, having henchmen, talking like he did, I'm wondering if he is something more mundane. Maybe he's another survivor of the pre-Flashpoint universe? Someone from Cadmus? Hopefully not that version of Luthor. That'd be too trite.

I'll continue to hope it's Osterman. 

And at least the appearance of these flying men trying to capture Doomsday is a new wrinkle to the plot, moving things along. Maybe this Mr. Oz thing will wrap,up sooner than I expected.

Overall grade: B

Review: Convergence #8

Convergence as an event initially sounded like a two month layover, a way to allow DC to continue to publish comics while the company moved coasts, leaving New York and heading to California.

Somewhere along the way, it became something more. It became another universe redefining event, a way for DC to reset things, a mere 3 years removed from the New 52 upheaval. I have certainly had my issues with the company's approach to their characters in the New 52 DCU but soft rebooting that hard reboot has something of a whiff of desperation.

But I can't have it both ways as a fan, can I? I can't sit back and complain about the New 52 and then complain when DC tries to reshape things away from that harsh new continuity.

And so we get Convergence #8, a book which gives DC readers back a multiverse (which I thought we might already have), folding in some of the Multiversity Earths as being legitimately in canon. But I don't necessarily know if I feel like anything is necessarily different. And I don't know if I 100% understand what happened here. And I wonder of Scott Lobdell had the audacity to rewrite the ending of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the granddaddy of all crossover events and really the gold standard of these sort of books. I know Crisis. I am friends with Crisis. And Convergence, you are no Crisis.

Writers Jeff King and Scott Lobdell do their best to explain things here. Things in the DCU are very different at the end. But I also feel like the first 7 issues were just biding time. Many of the plots and subplots of this series aren't crucial to this ending.

Art is done by a whole stable of artists (Stephen Segovia, Carlo Pagulayan, Eddie Pansica, Ethan Van Sciver, Jason Paz, Scott Hanna, and Trevor Scott). I guess it is too much to ask that a universe-redefining issue gets done by one artist?

Last issue, we had a great moment where Parallax incinerates Deimos, an evil sorceror from the Warlord series who was hoping to rule the universe.

Unfortunately, all the time-traveling chronal energy Deimos had absorbed is now being taken into the Convergence planet, making it unstable.

And since the Convergence planet exists outside the space/time continuum of the multiverse, this planetary destruction will destroy everything.

Now I suppose that since there are cities from all continuities on this planet, it has a sort of finger into all those realities. So maybe this makes sense?

Telos, who name drops both Zero Hour and Countdown, knows that the temporal energy needs to be absorbed by something other than the planet itself.

Initially there is hope that Booster Gold and Waverider could take it in. But it is too much for them to do alone. In fact, the only one who can take it all in is Brainiac.

Brainiac, the villain who started all this, who has imprisoned these people, has suddenly become a needed ally.

We finally learn a bit about this version of Brainiac.

When he survived the Flashpoint event, he went beyond the Source, existing outside reality, and witnessing everything. He saw the Crisis and multiple versions of himself, us reading comics, Infinity Crisis, Countdown, and even the birth of the New 52.

In a moment of clarity, he asks for help, hoping to return to his original form and not this 'cancerous' monster warped by all the continuity-changing events he has witnessed.

So Brainiac living outside time and witnessing all these events is an interesting concept. He is, in essence, the stand-in for long time readers who also have lived through all these reboots and has come out angry and deformed. Maybe Brainiac begging to return to somewhere else, somewhen else is Lobdell and King acknowledging the fans?

Remember all the maneuvering of the New 52 heroes outside the Convergence planet the last 2 weeks? Well that also seems completely superfluous. Because once the planet manifests itself in the Earth 0 universe and nears destruction, those characters all turn tail and run, returning home to 'say goodbye'. Only Superman and Supergirl stay behind to watch.

You would think that Superman and Supergirl being there together, holding hands and hoping, would be a good moment. But for me, this was a horrible moment.

First off, how terrible is it that with the universe, heck all reality, about to be snuffed out, the heroes of the New 52 left. Did they really exhaust all their options? Did they try to save everyone? Nope. They left to say goodbye to their loved ones. I would think the heroes would be trying anything to save everyone.

Brainiac absorbs the temporal energy and promises to return the occupants of the cities to whatever universe they desire.

His plan goes awry when the 'First Crisis' is too strong to send everyone back. If that crisis, Crisis on Infinite Earths, is not 'changed' the DCU will become a universe again, rather than a multiverse as where all can exist.

Brainiac sends Supergirl and the Flash back to that Crisis to meet their fates. But then, oddly, Parallax and the Pre-Flashpoint Superman (with Lois and his newborn son in tow) also head there to try to help.

Of course, this Flash and Supergirl are heroes willing to sacrifice themselves to save everyone. But their mission isn't to save the universe. Their mission is to prevent the collapse of the multiverse.

I don't know how to read this. Are they trying to change the ending of Crisis on Infinite Earths? Stop the creation of a Universe? Altering that story?

Or is it that they simply  need to relive the ending of the Crisis, create a universe, so that all the subsequent event comics can unfold as they did?

I am sooooo confused.

Because if the Crisis ended differently, did Supergirl live? Is Superman/Lois/Baby Jon out there somewhere? Inside Alex Luthor in Paradise (we know how that goes)?

And who would dare to try to change that book? 

And then we get to see that they were 'successful'. There is now a multiverse.

We see multiple Earths again.

But you see how behind each Earth is a 'shadow' of characters. The pre-Crisis/pre-Flashpoint trinity are behind the New 52 characters. We see worlds from the Multiverse sourcebook.

And we hear that each world has evolved.

We don't get an old school Earth 2, we get the New 52 Earth 2. We don't get the pre-Crisis heroes, we get the 'evolved' New 52.

So do we have all the continuities in play? Or not?

Meanwhile, the Convergence planet survives, is reinvigorated by Alan Scott, and becomes the new Earth 2.

Why is Dick Grayson so important? Unknown.
What is Telos' real name and why was that crucial? Unknown.

Is there really anything that different about this DCU now than there was before this? Didn't Multiversity give us these worlds anyways?

And is what about Crisis on Infinite Earths? Undone? Changed? Redone? If it is changed, I have a doozy of a Supergirl prediction.

As for Convergence, it is no Crisis. It is just another event on the pile.

Overall grade: C+