Review: Action Comics #1060

Action Comics #1060 came out this week, the penultimate issue in the Phillip Kennedy Johnson run, ending in the upcoming Action Comics Annual. It's hard to believe that it has been a nearly 3 year run on the Superman titles for Johnson. I had no idea who he was when he started on the book but I am going to follow him around comics, for sure.

I think one thing I have loved about Johnson's run has been his pacing. Arcs like Warworld weren't rushed but weren't slow either. They felt epic. Each issue pushed the story forward but left you wanting more.

The current Blue Earth storyline has a different feel. I almost wonder if Johnson had to compress the story he wanted to tell. These issues feel a little too rushed. A little too much happens off screen. Reveals and movement happen quick. This is still a very solid story. But the Earth Al Ghul reveal happened last month and we only have one more issue to wrap it up. That's fast.

I also wonder if Johnson isn't taking advantage of his last story to put in all the things he dreamed of. Superman wielding a sword? Done. Constantine and Superman? Bloodwynd? Why not play with the toys while you can. 

I do like that the axle of this story is Osul and Otho. I do wonder if they are going to stick around after Johnson leaves. Surely the Kryptonian myth of their family is foreshadowing.

As has mostly been the case, the back-up stories in the anthology aren't as solid as the main feature. Steve Orlando, Nicole Maines, and Fico Ossio gives us a story of Dreamer being recruited by Amanda Waller. It is pretty impressive how that Dreamer, a character created for the Supergirl show, gets a back-up feature in Action before Supergirl herself. I am pretty sick of Waller. Joe Casey and Dan McDaid give us a prologue of the upcoming Kneel Before Zod mini-series. But I have more questions than answers about what that story will be about. 

On to the book.

Bullet review: Wonder Woman #756

Last week Wonder Woman #756 came out and continued a very solid run on the book by Steve Orlando.

For me, Orlando has brought a sort of classic feel to the book again.

To start, Wonder Woman is talking a lot about loving submission a lot in this book. Gone is the 'sword and shield first' attitude that has permeated Diana for what feels like forever. Loving submission was a main topic of the original Marston run. I have always liked Diana being an ambassador first, warrior second. So this works for me.

Second, in an Event Leviathan quasi-crossover, Orlando reintroduces a version of Paula Von Gunther. Von Gunther was another major villain from the earliest days in Wonder Woman comics. So this also feels very classic. Adding the wrinkle that she is somehow a daughter of the Valkyries and looking for revenge against the Amazons adds a threat level the prior purely human Von Gunther sort of lacked.

So I have been enjoying this. Add in some Donna Troy and I think this is a winner. In fact, Troy is why I am bullet reviewing this. More on that at the bottom

On to the book.

Supergirl Best Of 2019: Comic Honorable Mentions

Happy New Year's Eve and welcome to part 2 of my annual Supergirl review. Yesterday I looked at all the non-comic events with Supergirl in 2019. Today I turn my eye towards comics. I'll take a look at comics in general and showcase some Honorable Mentions for the best Supergirl comic moments of 2019. Tomorrow I'll announce my top ten Supergirl moments for the year.

As always, settle in. These end of year posts tend to be long! I have 12 months to cover!

 First off, from a blog point of view, there were two secondary threads which were highlighted this last year on the site.

First off, I ran through the early history of the second incarnation of the Supergirl character in a segment I called Matrix Monday.

I'll say that it was pretty fun to look back at the growth of that Supergirl character over time, from her initial concept to her time as a Luthor lover to ultimately embracing her role as hero. I hope folks like that run.

Less Supergirl-centric but just as fun for me was my coverage of Event Leviathan and my various Leviathan Theories. Turns out I was wrong this time. But breaking down the comic for a variety of clues both overt and subtle was really fun for me and kind of re-energized me.

In fact I was so enmeshed that writer Brian Michael Bendis caught notice. And now I will be an agent of Leviathan in this February's Leviathan Dawn special. So look out for my comic debut!

But enough about the blog! Onto the Honorable Mentions for the best Supergirl Comic moments of 2019.

Bullet Review: Wonder Woman Annual #3 - Leviathan Theory

Last week was a dreaded 5th Wednesday of a month which meant books were light.

One surprise in the midst was Wonder Woman Annual #3, written by old friend Steve Orlando with art by V Ken Marion.

Now I am an admitted Steve Orlando fan. I liked his Supergirl. I thought Electric Warriors was fascinating. And his stuff recently on Wonder Woman was really solid. So when I saw Orlando was writing Diana again and it was an Event Leviathan tie-in, I was in.

Turns out the Leviathan piece is at the end and only adds a little to my Leviathan Theory. But the story itself was very solid. This is what an Annual should be, a big stand alone story.

The plot is simple. The main plot takes place five years ago. ARGUS placed an undercover ape agent in Gorilla City to spy on and perhaps undermine current legitimate ruler Gorilla Grodd. Grodd discovers the spy and begins torturing the turncoat. Suddenly ARGUS is on a rescue mission. And Diana isn't happy. What ARGUS did was wrong.

But there is more here. We see how one of the ARGUS agents is a young soldier named Helen Paul, a girl Diana saved from a terrorist attack 12 years earlier. Helen was going to be burned to death in a fire at a Nazi stronghold. But Diana saved her and put her in the care of ARGUS.

So where do we go from there?

Terrificon Prep - Early Thoughts

Hard to believe but we are two months away from con season. And this year the season opens up with my favorite show, Terrificon.

I have lauded the show in the past. It is truly a comic book convention. The guest list is almost exclusively comic book creators. And perhaps the best thing about the show is that it really runs the gamut of creators. We get golden age legends. We get bronze age stalwarts. And we get the current stars. Every time I think the show can't list more guests, more get posted. If there ever was a show to commit to a three day trip, it is this one. Because I don't think there is time in one day to get to everybody. It is amazing.

 There are celebrities but they all always have a strong link to comic books. This year the show is bringing in stars from the 1989 Batman movie and others.

And the venue is great. Huge hall. Free parking. All levels of eating options within the casino. And, if you are into that, gambling.

Here is a link to the site if you want to scan the guests: https://www.terrificon.com/

But this is a con prep post, which means I have to talk about my commission conquests and other hopes.

The top commission hope is Colleen Doran.

I am a long time fan of Doran. She loves the Legion. She was one of the artists on the recent JLA 3001 book that I loved. She is a fan of Supergirl. And her art is just dreamy.

I missed out on the opportunity to get a commission from her several years ago when she was at the Boston Comic Con. I won't let the chance pass again.

So I will be heading to Doran's table first.

Who else am I hoping to get?

Top Ten Supergirl Moments Of 2018 - #5 - #1

Welcome to the culmination of all things Supergirl in comics for the year of 2018.

On Tuesday, I reviewed all the non-comic Supergirl moments from this last year.

Yesterday, I started covering the top ten Supergirl comic moments of 2018, revealing my honorable mentions and moments 10 through 6.

I have to say, the top 4 really were in the running. It is always cool in my mind when I read a moment during the year and say 'this is going to be a top ten moment'. But it is the most rarefied air when I see something and anticipate a top three moment. This year, I thought for sure #4 would be in the top three. But something snuck in under the deadline to move it back a slot.

Perhaps most telling is that 2 of the top 4 appeared in Brian Michael Bendis' Man of Steel. Considering this was a mini-series set to redefine Superman, the fact that many of us were worried that Supergirl might be swept under the rug, the fact that she has such great moments was both surprising and reassuring to me that Bendis had the whole family in mind in this book.

I also will say that given the mini-reboots and reaffirmations and redirecting of Supergirl over my time at this site, one of these moments feels a little bit familiar, in a good way.

So with no further ado, here are the Top Five Supergirl Comic Moments of 2018.

Supergirl Best of 2018: Top Ten Comic Moments #10 - #6

It is that time of year, a time to look back and gauge the last 12 months. It is one of my favorite times of the year for this site as it gives me the opportunity to review all the places and all the stories that Supergirl has taken part in over the year.

2018 was an interesting year for Kara. Her own book was put on hiatus when I feel it was reaching a sort of creative zenith. The coming of Brian Michael Bendis meant that Steve Orlando and Jody Houser's Kara was shelved. So for a couple of months we didn't have a solo book.

But the arrival of Brian Michael Bendis meant Supergirl was going to have a new emphasis. First off, she played a big role in The Man of Steel, the introduction of Bendis' bold new direction. It also meant that her solo title, when resolicited, was going to have a very different approach and feel.

We also got to see Supergirl in other books - Wonder Woman, Injustice, and even a holiday special. She had small roles in Justice League:No Justice and other books.

But the big thing is, for the most part, she was treated well in all these appearances. She isn't used as a yardstick to prove how tough the enemy is. She isn't immature or foolish. And in some ways, she outshone the bigger names in these books.

As this would be a very long post if I covered all ten, I'll do the back end here. Covers, honorable mentions, and moments #10 - #6 will be covered here.

Onto the best moments of 2018.

Review: DC Nuclear Winter Special #1

I had seen the solicits for DC's Nuclear Winter Special #1 and I saw the creator list included a number of names of creators who I trust. This includes but isn't limited to Steve Orlando, Paul Dini, Tom Taylor, Cecil Castellucci, Phil Hester, Scott Kolins, Jerry Ordway, etc.

That's a lot of names of people whose work I routinely love.

But then I saw the price point. $10 is a lot to shell out for a collection of post-apocalyptic, 'this isn't a holiday special', 'out of continuity book. I'd almost rather buy three monthlies and keep those titles afloat. It's like a $10 lottery ticket. It might be a winner. But it might not. And shouldn't that sawbuck go elsewhere?

Luckily I have friends who don't overthink things so much and had bought it. Those folks loved it. So when you say there are creators who you trust in the book and there are comic friends who you trust telling you to buy the book, you reach into your wallet and you plop the Hamilton down.

I am so happy I did. I won't cover all the stories here but they are all very good. But tucked in there is a Supergirl story by writer Tom Taylor with breakdowns by Tom Derenick and finished art and colors by dazziling newcomerYasmin Putri. The tale is absolutely wonderful. It certainly will make my top ten list. It leans into so many things I feel about Supergirl's history. It is hopeful, even in the nightmarish world it exists in. And it is beautiful. This alone would have made the book worth buying.

December 2018 Solicits

December's solicits have come out and it will be a brief month with few books. DC is taking the last week of December off for new books. The holidays will keep the racks bare. That week's books will be out in January, a 5 Wednesday month to begin with.

Here is a link to Newsarama's coverage:
https://www.newsarama.com/41866-dc-comics-december-2018-solicitations.html

And here are the books which grabbed me!

SUPERGIRL #25
written by MARC ANDREYKO
art by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO, JILL THOMPSON, BRAD WALKER and ANDREW HENNESSY
cover by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
variant cover by AMANDA CONNER
It’s a super-sized issue of SUPERGIRL!

Supergirl and Krypto go back to the “scene of the crime”—the ruins of Krypton! With Z’ndr hitchhiking, Supergirl is not only there to find clues on who the killers of Krypton are, but to pay her respects to her dead family and friends for the first time since she left the planet. But a mysterious caretaker whose duty is to protect Krypton’s remnants at all costs attacks and won’t let Kara through! As if that weren’t enough, the Kryptonian powerhouse and her super-powered pooch are stricken with radiation poisoning from the dead planet and must also fight their inner demons!
This anniversary issue also includes two backup stories! First, witness the thoughts and fears of Krypto as he is affected by the radiation poisoning from the wreckage of Krypton. Then, learn more about our new hitchhiker, Z’ndr Khol, as he scavenges a booby-trapped ruin in a remote corner of the galaxy in an off-the- wall space adventure!

A double sized issue only 5 issues into the new run? And is the double size because of the 'anniversary' number of 25?

Either way, Kara heading to the site of Krypton smacks a bit of Silver Age. I am hoping Doug Mahnke's cover showing her cachectic because of Kryptonite poisoning.

Who is Z'ndr (Xander?)? And who is the guardian at the site?

A Krypto a solo story will always be appreciated. And I can't wait to see Brad Walker and Emanuela Lupacchino drawing Supergirl again.

That Crisis Moment In Wonder Woman #53

You would think that 32 years after it hit the stands that the impact of Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 would lessen in me.

After all, while Supergirl did die and was subsequently erased from the DCU, she has come back in multiple incarnations. She has tremendous runs with amazing creators since COIE. She is at the peek of her popularity.

Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 has become a touchpoint in comic history. It gave *that* Supergirl an incredibly heroic death, one of sacrifice to save the many.

I have come to respect Crisis for what it has meant for Supergirl fandom, her character, and her mythology.

So I am not surprised when I still see that issue get referenced. Usually it takes the form of an homage of the famous cover.

But this week, in Wonder Woman #53, I saw my first COIE #7 dialogue homage. No surprise, it comes from Supergirl scribe and fan Steve Orlando.

Bullet Review: Wonder Woman #51

Wonder Woman #51 came out this last week, written by Supergirl alum Steve Orlando and drawn by DC Bombshells alum Laura Braga. And as an issue it stuck out to me for a couple of reasons, enough that I thought that I should bullet review it.

I'll start with the fact that this is the first issue since James Robinson's run on the book. Regardless of the quality of the stories, one thing that stood out in the Robinson issues was the lack of Diana. We had issues without Diana. We had issues where she only appeared on TV screens in the background. There were issues where she was only active on a couple of pages. It got to be so glaring that I saw people doing the hard math on Twitter, adding up the pages where she didn't appear at all and posting a percentage.

Here, Diana is on every single page.

Next I'll say that I like to think of Diana as an ambassador of peace first and a warrior second. She should be preaching ideals and only heading into combat as a last resort. We haven't seen that Wonder Woman for a while. What we have seen is a sword-wielding fighter, eager to feel the arterial spray of her opponents. Heck, she was the God of War at one point. The whole last arc, her fighting the Dark Gods, was a brawl.

In this issue, we have the healer Diana, visiting the super-villain Mayfly in prison on a scheduled basis. This is a Diana who cares. She wants to heal. She wants to help.

Last for now, because this book takes place over a year with multiple visits, we get to see Wonder Woman in all the variations of her costume, from eagle-helmeted combatant to robe wearing ambassador. And Braga revels in it. Truly wonderful.

For those reasons alone, this was worth showcasing. But there is one more thing to discuss that I'll touch on at the end.

On to the book.

Fan Expo Boston Preparation

Okay, we are moving at light speed towards my conventions season. I am lucky enough to have a several conventions be close by over the summer months and each con has a distinctly different feel to it.

The first con is Fan Expo Boston, formerly The Boston Comic Con. Last year was the first time Fan Expo was running the show, purchased from the local organizers. As a result, last year had a very corporate feel to it. It was moved to a bigger venue, one with free parking, and had more celebrities on the guest list. But it lost a little bit of the 'true comic con' homey feel the prior incarnation did. The comic guests seemed like a tack on rather than the draw.

Now I'm not complaining. I have Terrificon coming up to give me the true comic feel. And I don't mind experiencing a more business-like con here because it is probably the closest I'll get to San Diego.

This year's comic guest list is very impressive. Perhaps last year's success was enough to lure some big names. So I definitely have people to run and see. I also have a couple of commission hopes. So with all that said, here is my Fan Expo Boston con prep post.

April 2018 Sales Review

The sales numbers for April 2018 came out a couple of weeks ago and the numbers were a little bit surprising. This was the last month for a number of the super-titles. Action Comics #1000 was released. It basically is the beginning of the Bendis era.

So what did that mean for sales. Well, as always, you can head over to ICv2 for the actual sales figures. Here is a link: https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/40338/top-500-comics-april-2018

I had this post written before recent news in which I ranted about how sales this good shouldn't warrant cancellation. So with recent solicits, I needed to come back and edit.

So first up, Supergirl #20, the last issue of this volume of Supergirl.

This was known to be the last issue for some time. Usually sales plummet when a title is announced as canceled and readers jump ship. No one likes a lame duck.

This was the closing out of the renegade DEO storyline. And writers Steve Orlando and Jody Houser needed to sprint to the end to wrap things up (as well as introducing us to the Viking Judge).

So how did this last issue sell?

Happy Anniversary! Top Ten List of Top Supergirl Moments of the Last 10 Years

It is absolute insanity to realize that I have been blogging about Supergirl for ten years now. I hope I have maintained the passion for her and DC in the entries that made me think of starting a site to begin with.

One of my favorite posts to do each year is my 'Best Moments' of the year. I review all of the comics Supergirl appeared in, I make a file of all the biggest moments from those reviews. I then prune what is usually a big folder of 30-40 moments down to something like 12-15 of the best. And then from there, I pick honorable mentions and rank a top ten.

With my tenth year anniversary approaching, I realized I had done ten "end of the year" 'Best Moments' posts. And that means I had my ten #1 Supergirl moments for the past decade.

So I thought, as a celebration of my anniversary, I would look at the #1 Supergirl moments for the last ten years and then rank them, making a Top Ten of the Top Ten list. This would therefore create an ultimate #1 Supergirl moment for the last decade!

A couple of caveats. One, I limited this to the actual #1 moments I picked each year. With the passage of time, I don't know if I would rank them as a #1 now. But I have to keep them. Two, I not only ranked them based on overall importance to the character but also my personal reaction to the moment. If this floored me but now is forgotten, it still might rank high.

So settle in for the Top Ten Supergirl moments of the last decade, based on my #1 Supergirl moments for each of the last 10 years. And settle in ... because I discuss each moment!

Sales Review: March 2018

The sales numbers for March have come out and things are both fascinating and frustrating. Here is a link to the ICv2 coverage:https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/40108/top-300-comics-march-2018

For this blog, the big news has been the shelving of the Supergirl title.

'Bendis is Coming!' The landscape of the super-titles will be changed. Supergirl will have a 'new mission'. And it all seems strange when you look at the numbers.

I will also say I realize that sometimes I, as a reader, am impossible to please.

I want Supergirl to be her own hero, having her own adventures.
I want Supergirl to be part of Superman's life but not too much. If she isn't in his books or mentioned in his books I am unhappy. But I don't think his books or life should dictate her series.

And it is probably tough to satisfy all those things. If she wasn't impacted by whatever is happening in Superman's books, I wouldn't be happy. And yet, here she is impacted and I'm not happy.

Surely there can be some happy medium. If Batgirl and Red Hood and Batwoman and Nightwing can all somehow have their own titles *and* be part of the Batman books, it can be done!

So on to the sales!

Review: Supergirl #20

Supergirl #20 came out this week, the last issue of this volume of the title, the last issue of the Rebirth era, the last issue for writer Steve Orlando who has been here since the beginning.

It is painful to write that.

I have written too many times on this site that DC seems to pull the plug on Supergirl titles just when they are cresting creatively. And that is so true here. Since the end of the Phantom Zone storyline, Orlando and current co-writer Jody Houser have really tightened up this book, bringing us a fantastic Kara who is trying to improve the world around her, helping people while she learns about Earth. And artists Robson Rocha and Dan Henriques have brought such compelling and gorgeous art. Everything was working, the book was selling well with Artgerm variants; DC cancels.

But I am not here to curse the darkness. I am here to light a candle.

This is a wonderful ending issue, doing what last issues should do. It wraps up the ongoing DEO storyline very quickly; it has to. It puts the character in a very good place for whatever comes after. And it shows utter respect to the character.

But there are plenty of things not finished. Things I would have loved to read. There had to be more planned for Ben Rubel. There had to be more for Belinda Zee. There had to be more for the Danvers. We hadn't seen Cat Grant in months. Those are all threads that probably won't be seen again. Much like the unwritten threads for Sterling Gates and K. Perkins/Mike Johnson, or the ninth grade with Landry Walker and Eric Jones, I will always wonder what could have been.

I can honestly say that this has been a wonderful run for Supergirl. I wish there was more time. On to this book.

Review: Supergirl #19

Supergirl #19 came out this week and has a 'very special issue' feel to it as it covers a current social issue, gender identity and individuals identifying as non-binary. For those of a certain age, the 'very special' designation was assigned to television episodes or specials which were supposed to be about a more real topic, in hopes of educating and spurring on discussion. Whether it was after-school specials about teen pregnancy or Saved by the Bell covering drug use or Superman teaching us about the perils of drunk driving, these stories are part of the cultural landscape.

And so this issue concentrates on Lee, a new character, non-binary, and how Supergirl helps Lee. We see how Lee has been coping with issues at home and school. And we see how Supergirl can empathize and be there as a source of hope and inspiration. Supergirl is an ally, befriending, defending, understanding, and being there.  And, in the end, everything ends well. Maybe too well? It feels a little too easy, a little too pat, a little too quick. But when you only have 20 pages and you are only dedicating one issue to the story, things have to happen and fast. 

I certainly don't mind issues like this or this issue in particular. I'm still learning about this stuff myself and could use all the education I can get. But this is a volume of Supergirl which is ending next month. We have a lot of Kara's story to wrap up. Who knows if we are getting another Supergirl title book any time soon. So I just wish there was more time and space to deal with our title character which would mean an entire issue given to a character we have never heard of before and may never hear about again was a nice stand-alone story in the bigger epic. That said, with the impending ending, maybe the creative team felt this was their only chance to produce this story.

Writers Steve Orlando and Vita Ayala give Lee a unique voice and bring the emotions nicely. I care about these characters. There is a great callback to Supergirl's history. But I'll say again, things feel a bit rushed. I was glad to see that we still got some momentum on the lingering plotlines of Supergirl and the DEO.

Sales Review: Supergirl #18

The news about the Super-titles came hard and fast recently with the announcement that Supergirl and Super Sons were being canceled. There wasn't much news outside of that. It seems obvious that this is being done to clear the way for Brian Michael Bendis and the realignment of the Superman books. But it feels like throwing out the baby with the bath water. And the sales numbers for last month seem to bear that out. Head to ICv2:https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/39871/top-300-comics-february-2018

It is not as if any of the super-titles aren't selling well. But let's take a look.

Supergirl #18 continued to arc of Supergirl on the run from the DEO and this time fighting the Evolutionist. I have thought this book has been on fire since the end of the Fatal Five arc. Things are tighter and the story and art is phenomenal.

It also sported this tremendous Artgerm variant cover, the '5 seconds later' cover to the iconic Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #1 cover, right down to the logo, the 'electrifying issue' blurb, and the painted cityscape. It's beautiful and playful and sexy and reverential of the source material. This had to be a draw.

A History Of Recent Supergirl Cancellations - Always At The Wrong Time

It was recently revealed that Supergirl #20 would be the last issue of the current title.

The book, like Super Sons, has been cancelled, one of the casualties of Brian Michael Bendis taking over the Superman books. Much like John Byrne, Bendis was taking the reins, wresting control away from the current creators, and breaking away to a new direction.

For fans of the current creative teams and the super-books, which is a fair number of us given sales numbers, this has been a lamentable decision.

DC's Clark Bull came out to reassure fans of these books that plans are in place and to be patient.

But I have to tell you, this makes zero sense to me. Because the Supergirl book has finally found its groove. The book has been excellent over the last several months, after writers Steve Orlando and Jody Houser tightened things up.

The book initially was trying to be all things to all people. Supergirl as DEO agent, as student, as adopted daughter of Eliza and Jeremiah Danvers, as CatCo employee. There were too many ingredients and not enough 'egg' to hold the comic omelette together. Moreover, the first arc involved the Cyborg Superman and seemed like a step backwards. And the Phantom King arc was a bit too confusing for me.

But with these in the past, Orlando and Houser concentrated on student Kara and inspirational Supergirl. She chooses Earth to inspire people and to be inspired. She'll always continue to help.

It finally was all clicking!

So of course the book is cancelled.

History tells me, I shouldn't be surprised.

Review: Supergirl #18

Supergirl #18 came out this week, a crackling issue which moved the current storyline along nicely while also building the foundation of the supporting characters and environment. I don't know if I can say this is my favorite issue of the run but if it isn't, it is near the top.

One of the things that I have bemoaned a bit about comics in general has been the lack of interest in giving books a cast of supporting characters. I also feel that these days, at times, comics forgets to give us scenes with characters out of their costume, showing us the human side, something which allows me as a reader to relate more. In Supergirl, it felt like at the beginning of this run, the character was so busy in various circles that there was barely any breathing room. Whether it was acting as Supergirl or interning at CatCo or going to school or being at the DEO or living at the Danvers, Kara was running around. It felt like maybe the book was being too ambitious.

Writers Steve Orlando and Jody Houser have, in the last several issues, tightened things up a bit. The CatCo stuff is in the background a bit. Cat herself is gone. Supergirl is on the run from the DEO. That leaves just the Danvers and school as locales. Frankly, I have loved the new focus. We really have got to learn more about Kara Danvers, the shy, semi-awkward school girl trying to do what's right. And we get more in depth looks at Eliza and Jeremiah, at Belinda Zee and Ben Rubel, at Agent Ocampo. It all gives me as the reader a deeper feel of who these characters are.

That doesn't mean the action is lessened. The DEO is present as an antagonist. Villains are being sent to stop Supergirl. So you get characterization and super-heroics. It is just the perfect mix.

The art here sizzles too. First off, we get the Robson Rocha cover which has the feel of a 1940's horror movie or murder mystery. Then you get the Artgerm variant riffing on the cover of Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #1. And on inside art, you get Carmen Carnero. Carnero drew some of my favorite chapters of the Adventures of Supergirl digital series and seems very comfortable with the character. Everything is spot on, from the battles to the slow dances.

All in all a very satisfying read. On to the book!