Fund Raiser For Jake Black

Comics have been a big part of most of my life, providing me with entertainment, escapism, education, and even a sense of right and wrong. So if I can give a little something back to the industry by promoting a good cause on this site, I will. In the past I have talked about Ordinary People Change the World and their fundraising to save the Siegel house. I have promoted the HERO Initiative as well.

I recently learned that a fund-raising site has been set up for comic writer Jake Black to help with his medical bills. Here is a link to the site: http://www.giveforward.com/blackfamilycancerfund

Black was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2008, fought the cancer, and won. That battle left him with $25,000 in medical bills. Black is hoping to raise money to help him with those costs. The site allows people to directly donate with the click of a button. As they say, every little bit helps.

I am a fan of Black and his work. He is definitely a Supergirl fan, having written with Helen Slater the great back-up story in Supergirl #50. I talk about the story in depth here; it was a wonderful story showing what a hero Supergirl is.

He also wrote the book that accompanies the Eaglemoss Supergirl figurine.

And he wrote the Supergirl documentary included in the Smallville Season 7 DVD set and re-presented on the Superman/Batman Apocalypse DVD.

Black hopes to give something back to the people who donate by giving out weekly prizes like Batgirl issues signed by Bryan Q Miller. The first prize (for the week of 4/25-4/30) is a copy of Supergirl #50 signed by Black and Helen Slater. Now that is awesome.

 Details about the fundraising site, prizes, as well as other news can be found on the fund-raising website above as well as Black's blog here: http://jakeblack.com/. I hope people check out the site and give if they can.

Sales Review: February 2010

The sales numbers for February are up at ICV2 and as expected the anniversary issue Supergirl #50 did very well. Here is the link: http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/17020.html


Supergirl #50 ranked 48th among comics selling 33,338 issues. That is an increase of 20% from issue #49. It also is the highest amount sold since issue #44, the beginning of Codename:Patriot.

It also outsold every one of the Superman titles, which creeped in right behind.


Of course, this issue had a lot going for it to spur sales up a bit.

It was the magical number fifty.
It had a Michael Turner cover.
It had a variant cover by Josh Middleton.
It had a story co-written by Helen Slater.

There was a lot of publicity and buzz around this. Hopefully some of the folks who tried out the issue will stick around for the future.


As for R.E.B.E.L.S. #13, it continued to dive in sales after the Blackest Night bump.


The penultimate issue of the Starro saga sold 11,836.

My guess is their might not be any middle ground with the book. You either love it or not. There might not be a 'I like REBELS' crowd. Anyways, I look forward to see what happens post-Starro.
I will review the last chapter of that story soon.

Josh Middleton On His Supergirl #50 Cover

We get a little'behind the scene' glimpse at the creation of the variant cover for Supergirl #50 over Josh Middleton's blog. Here is the link and the blurb:
http://joshuamiddleton.blogspot.com/2010/02/supergirl-50.html

Here is my cover for Supergirl 50. I started this one by coloring an extremely rough pencil sketch for editorial approval, thinking I would redraw the line art for a cleaner foundation to color later, but kept working on the original color sketch so much that it wound up being the final cover. Supergirl is imprisoned in amber, which was quite difficult to render and have look right without obscuring too much of the figure or her colors. I didn't do much with the background either since it is largely covered by the logo and other type. I'm still not sure if I quite pulled it off, but I ran out of time and had to call the cover done.

I used both Photoshop and Painter for this one; Painter primarily for hair and washes of color on the figure, and Photoshop for everything else. I probably could have done it all in Photoshop with the same end result, but I do enjoy coloring looser drawings in Painter.

I think the cover is great. I think Supergirl's expression really shows just how afraid she is in the amber.

I found it interesting that Middleton states that this was created from the rough pencil sketch and that is was hammered into this final piece.

One thing I like is how the parts of Supergirl that are embedded in the amber are slightly blurry or obscured. This accentuates the fact that the viewer is looking through a translucent material.


This close up of the cover shows it dramatically. Supergirl's hand is outside of the amber and much more distinct while her forearm appears hazy.

I preferred this cover to the Turner one and thought a variant cover was a nice bonus for this landmark issue.

Review: Supergirl #50 Part 2

The second story in Supergirl #50 was also very good and I therefore felt it deserved it's own post.

Titled 'The Hero's Journey' and a short but stuffed 6 pages long, it reminded me exactly why I am a Supergirl fan.

It is apparent that writers Jake Black and Helen Slater (!) just 'get' Supergirl. They understand the draw and the core of the character. I shouldn't be surprised. Of course, Slater played Supergirl and has a personal grasp of the character. And Jake Black wrote the Supergirl magazine for the Eaglemoss lead figurine and the Smallville DVD documentary on the character.

If I haven't said it plainly before, I am absolutely tickled that Helen Slater is embracing her place in Supergirl history and taking part in the current character's incarnation.



The concept of the story is deceptively simple. Ron Troupe is hosting a 'Meet the Press' style opinion show and the topic of the day is Supergirl. Is she a hero or a menace?

Acting as host, Troupe at first seems pretty unbiased. He takes more of a moderator's role. Much more opinionated is guest Cat Grant who continues to try to besmirch Supergirl's character.

This format affords Black and Slater the opportunity to explore Supergirl's career and the different ways her actions have been regarded by those around her, by the public.

And much of Kara's history is explored. So we see her fight with Power Girl from way back in Supergirl #1. Remember those early issues where it seemed Supergirl only fought other heroes? No wonder she could be construed as a menace.

And we revisit her brief time with the Titans, a stint that ended when an argument with Wonder Girl drove Supergirl away. (I think the issue where Supergirl quits the Titans is the first time Jamal Igle drew the character.)



And Cat even brings up Supergirl's failure in saving Thomas Price from cancer. Surprisingly, this failure is the one that seems to be brought up the most. I wonder if Kelley Puckett knew his story would have such an impact on the character.

When the preview pages of this story were released, I hoped we would hear from Mrs. Price herself. It would be interesting to hear what that character would have to say about Supergirl now that some time has passed. That said, I am glad she was at least mentioned. The 'Saving Thomas' storyline was a decent arc and showcased that lengths that Supergirl will go in order to achieve her goals.


Cat describes Supergirl as irresponsible, like a starlet famous more for being in rehab than for her acting roles.

At that point, Troupe allows a counterpoint to Cat's diatribe. A local expert on anthropology tells Ron that Supergirl is on the hero's journey and is at a point where she needs a mentor to help her. With that we are treated to a nice panel by Cliff Chiang reimagining the 'deep conversation with Superman' scene from Supergirl #34.



But the expert isn't sure if Superman is the right person to guide Supergirl.

I would say that he is obliquely referencing Lana but given the prior story in this issue, maybe not.



As I said before, Slater and Black really delve into this Supergirl's history in this brief story. So we hear from Brooke and Sara from earlier stories ... characters that Supergirl has helped immensely. These characters weren't being attacked by super-villains. They were people with personal problems that Supergirl helped with. They show that Supergirl is more than just a super-strong left hook.

And as a fan, I appreciate this look back. The early years of this title were difficult ... uneven. I am glad that the current Supergirl creators, whether it's Slater/Black or Gates/Igle, aren't just sweeping those stories under the rug.



My favorite part of the story comes right at the end as Ron Troupe signs off and sheds his impartiality. He succinctly states why I am a Supergirl fan.

He starts out by saying she has value. It is a simple statement. But one I sometimes feel I need to defend to other comic fans.

I had to include this panel in the review. It is too good not to share.



Troupe continues. He says Supergirl is trying to find her way, making mistakes but growing. In essence, she is on the hero's journey (hence the title).

On this blog, I have talked about how I think Supergirl is 'becoming'. She is becoming a great hero, but there will be bumps in the road. She learns and matures. That's why I love the character.

And I like that Linda Lang saw the show and appreciates Ron's sentiment. Supergirl needs to know there are people out there who support her.

So this is a great story for many reasons. One, it shows that other writers outside of Gates know the road this character is on. As a Supergirl fan, what could be better than knowing that Helen Slater is 'one of us'.

Second, for any new readers that bought this as their first Supergirl issue, the story gives a quick review of her current place in the DCU ... underappreciated a bit, heroic. But while this story is accessible to new readers it has nods for the more dedicated fan.

And lastly, it boasts Cliff Chiang art. I have gushed about Chiang's art before. I think he is so economical with his line work, his art conveying so much information so easily.

To see things like a couple of extra face lines on Cat Grant which scream 'trying to look young', to see a crooked eyebrow and a half-frown showing how distraught Supergirl is in the #34 homage panel, or the joy exuding from her as she is flying above Metropolis ... it's all there and not overdone.

It's sweet and can be appreciated by both new and established readers. It was a nice capstone for this over-sized anniversary issue.

Overall grade: A-

Review: Supergirl #50 Part 1

There was a time when I doubted this Supergirl title would make it. There was a time when I thought the powers that be simply had no handle on the character, that they were making her unlikeable and therefore economically insolvent. I thought for sure Supergirl would be cancelled.

So it was with some joy that I bought Supergirl #50 this week, 2 copies no less. It has been 17 issues since the Gates/Igle reboot and Supergirl matters now. So all this pomp ... the extra-sized issue, the Turner cover, the variant cover, the Helen Slater/Jake Black back-up ... it was all icing on the cake. I am just happy this title is surviving and thriving.

I will review the main story here and the Slater/Black/Chiang back-up feature tomorrow.

One quick word about the cover. While I prefer Josh Middleton's and Jamal Igle's takes on Supergirl, there is no denying the splendor of this Michael Turner cover. Turner helped recreate Supergirl and I have always appreciated what he did for the character. Moreover, on a recent interview on iFanboy, Sterling Gates revealed that this cover art was originally a personal piece Turner did for Dan Didio. Didio took the framed piece off the wall to be made into this cover.

The Josh Middleton variant cover is also spectacular ... not that I'm surprised. I am running out of superlatives for his work.

Here, I loved the frightened expression on Supergirl's face. That conveys so much emotion.

But I also like the more technical aspects of the art here. How the the three dimensional nature of the piece really pops. You can see some of Kara sticking out of amber, that hand almost lunging out of the cover. I also like the slight blurriness of the areas that are encased, giving the viewer a feel that she really is embedded. Slick!

This was a 1:10 variant and my local comic book store had 6 copies on the shelf. That's a good sign of a little sales bump.

As seen in the preview on Newsarama, the issue starts with the resurrection of As seen in the preview on Newsarama, the issue starts with the resurrection of Superwoman and her retrieval by the military. This story started in Supergirl Annual #1.

We don't yet know exactly how Lucy has come back. Mirabai (who we haven't seen recently) wonders if it is Lucy's desire to live.

One thing for sure, I don't think she has come back unscathed. Her body is wracked with pain. She seems invulnerable. She kills a soldier with heat vision. And she's doing it all without the suit from which she initially derived her powers. She's enraged ... scared ... it isn't pretty.

I find it fascinating that General Lane can completely shift the blame for Lucy's condition away from himself. He was the one who put Lucy in the suit, sent her on her missions, had her fight Supergirl. And yet, it's not his fault that Lucy has returned this way. It is the Kryptonians' fault. Talk about rationalization and prejudice.

Even more intriguing, Lane says Lucy is now Kryptonian. It looks like she has their powers, but what does that mean?


Back in Metropolis, Supergirl is shown to be encased in amber in a great hive like building. She is rescued by Gangbuster and when she gets out she isn't happy.

It seems that between the surprise of finding Lana cocooned last issue and the power of the Insect Queen, that Supergirl was captured. I'm not surprised. Remember, this Insect Queen kept Superman under her power for 3 issues back in the Busiek run. She's that powerful.

Now, for all of us who have been waiting to see Supergirl pound on someone, this is the issue. This isn't the usual super-villain fight after all. With Lana involved, this is personal. And the anger on her face here is evident. Supergirl is irate. It's a powerful image by Jamal Igle.


Angry or not, the hive has numbers. Despite taking out some bugs, Supergirl realizes that the best plan is to escape.

Look at the size of that hive! Back at STAR labs, Supergirl learns how 2 days earlier, the hospital was engulfed in this hive. Some SciPo officers and others went in but did not come back out. The hive seems to be biding its time. In fact, STAR only found out that Supergirl was in the hive because they had sent in a reconnaisance robot bug. Two days of a giant hive appearing in the middle of Metropolis and no other super-hero came to look other than Gangbuster and Dr. Light?

What I liked about this scene is that despite the necessary exposition, Supergirl's thoughts are on Lana and her condition. She talks with Dr. Light about Lana's condition in hopes of saving her.


And here is my favorite moment in the book.

Supergirl and Gangbuster decide the best course of action is a stealth mission to rescue Lana. Unfortunately the insects hear them. Gangbuster asks Supergirl if she's ready to get the crap kicked out of her in order to save the world. Supergirl simply replies 'always.'

She has such a cooly confident look on her face ... it's perfect. Perfect. This is a Supergirl who will do what's right regardless of the risks. And it shows how much she has matured over the last year.

However, despite getting a few good shots in against some insect infantry, Supergirl is overrun by a swarm and brought before the Insect Queen.


It's Lana ... but it's also not Lana.

The Queen explains how she left a piece of herself inside Lana during her recent run-in with Superman. Over the last year that piece has been slowly rebuilding Lana cell by cell. She remained in Lana to stay close to the Superman family so she could make super-drones to protect her, something she tried back in the Busiek arc.

The Queen also decides to add a layer of emotional anguish to her conversation with Supergirl saying it was the Queen's will that made Lana befriend Kara. Thankfully, Supergirl realizes this is a lie and shrugs it off. This is another recent example (along with the Black Lantern Zor-El) of an enemy trying to take advantage of Supergirl's emotional vulnerability and failing. Hurray!


With the Queen within striking distance, Supergirl frees herself from the amber and calls in a STAR labs bombing run. She then unloads on 'Lana'.

Calling herself a Lang, calling Lana family, Supergirl rips off one of the Queen's wings and gives her a right hook that sends her sprawling.

She ripped off one of her wings!! Fantastic!

It is perhaps the strongest ... the most physical ... the angriest we have seen Supergirl in a while. It rivals her fight with Superwoman.

But more than that, it is her confidence that shines here. She stands over the Queen saying she doesn't scare easily.

How wonderful to see Supergirl so self-assured as she doles out a thumping!


And best yet ... she's victorious!

Somehow Supergirl was able to help design a de-bugging device to strip Lana of her insect DNA.

When the Queen says she will make Supergirl's life hell, Kara quips that Alura does that enough. I loved that as well.

The device is turned on and cures Lana. And without their Queen, the other insects are defeated.

Okay, it was a bit too easy of an answer, a bit too deus ex machina to have this machine designed and built in so short a time ... with Kara having designed it too! But it is about time that Supergirl got to win one. This was a hard-fought and brutal win complete with bloody fists and quick thinking ... but that's what made it beautiful.

And then we take a bit of a left turn.

After all the 'Lana' family' and 'I'm a Lang' and 'Lana's my mentor' talk, Supergirl turns around and tells Lana she is leaving her life because she can't trust her. Kara is still stung by Lana keeping her illness secret.

It's a complete 'about face' emotionally. I suppose once the stress of rescuing Lana was over, once she knows that Lana is safe, Supergirl can reassess things ... that the pain of this secret can surge. With everything that has happened in her life, Kara needs to trust those closest to her. And she doesn't feel that with Lana right now.

It still read a little funny given all the prior dialogue in the book.


Lana tries to explain her secrecy in a way Supergirl can understand. All of New Krypton and all of Earth needed Supergirl. Supergirl was too important to get wrapped up in the problems of one person. Lana feels she did the heroic thing by keeping her illness to herself, to not distract Kara.

But Supergirl still thinks it was wrong and flies off saying she no longer wants to be a Lang or even human.

This response feels like a regression for Supergirl in her recent character growth. But all of this is happening right before The Last Stand of New Krypton and War of the Supermen. Is this Lana/Kara split just a way of setting up Supergirl's sympathies and fidelity in those books? An easy way to set up some conflict to be resolved between the super-cousins?

And speaking of not wanting to be human, back at Project 7734, we hear that Lucy is an amalgam of "all" the alien races whose powers were in the Superwoman suit ... all their powers and weaknesses.

Hmm .. all the aliens? Not just Kryptonian?

With that announcement, Lucy decides to fry the physician with an apparent electrical blast and declare herself ready for active duty. (I know lightning powers aren't inherent in the race, but maybe Lucy has some Winathian genes in her now?) Lucy seemed like a bit of a loose cannon before but I don't think she would have indiscriminantly killed a doctor like this. She seems insane to me right now.

Well what a great main story in this anniversary issue. Not perfect ... but memorable and worthy of an important issue like this.

First off, I absolutely love Supergirl's personality during the fight portion of the book ... determined, strong, unflappable. Kudos to Sterling Gates. In his time on the title, he has really solidified Kara's persona while having her mature into a competent young hero. It really is hard to believe that this is the 17th issue in his and Jamal Igle's run. It feels like just yesterday I was waiting for Supergirl #34 to hit the stands.

But more than that, it was good to see Supergirl unleash her powers on someone and outright win. This isn't a half-win ... like when Superwoman explodes in defeat or Reactron escapes ... this was victory.

On top of that, I also enjoyed the re-introduction of Superwoman as a viable and permanent member of Supergirl's rogues' gallery. An insane and powerful Superwoman is a terrifying opponent.

And, as usual, Jamal Igle's art wonderfully complements the story. Supergirl's expressions and body language bolster her dialogue perfectly. So whether it is that cocked eyebrow in the 'always' panel or the angry pose when she breaks free of the amber or her slumped shoulders when she is talking to Lana, the art just adds such volume to the scenes.

The one smudge in the issue is just that rapid decision to abandon Lana and Earth. It just felt off a bit.

But honestly, the rest of the book is so great I am willing to see where the story goes.

I mean Supergirl ripped off the Insect Queen's wing! It doesn't get much better than that.

Overall grade: A/B+

Supergirl Bits

Lots of Supergirl stuff is floating out there! I love busy news weeks!

Here are some quick links worth checking out!

Over on SLG comics, there is a great interview with Cosmic Adventures writer Landry Walker.

Here is the link:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/slgradio/2010/02/11/slg-radio--landry-walker-talks-about-supergirl-the-incredibles-and-kids-comics-in-general

The interview is about an hour and covers all of Walker's works but a fair amount is dedicated to Supergirl. A couple of things to listen for:

1) Blog friend Gene asks the first question, asking if there will be a sequel to Cosmic Adventures. The answer is neither yes or no. Sounds like there is mutual interest between DC and Walker but the numbers need to match up.

2) Walker says his dream project would be Cosmic Adventures in the Ninth Grade!

3) As a fan of Tron, I loved listening to that portion of the interview.


Over on his blog, Jamal Igle posts a sneak preview page from Supergirl #50. Here is the link:
http://jamalligle.blogspot.com/2010/02/supergirl-50-sneak-peek.html

What do you think Kara is holding in the third panel? Piece of insect exoskeleton? Device to track Lana?

And is that Gangbuster? Really?


Even more pages are available at Newsarama. Here is that link:
http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=33466

Looks like we are going to see more of Superwoman! Looks very good.


Over on Matt Camp's blog, he announces that he is indeed the guest artist on Supergirl #52 while Jamal Igle works on War of the Supermen. Here is the link:
http://mattcampsblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/supergirl-52.html

I'm pretty pumped. I think Camp's stuff has been outstanding.

And lastly, here is a link to one of the most exhaustively researched Supergirl post that I have had the honor to read. This is really spectacular as the writer lays out the timelines of all Supergirls. Very very impressive. Here is the link:
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/02/10/lorendiacs-lists-timeline-of-first-and-final-appearances-of-every-supergirl-superwoman-etc-5th-draft/

I love busy news weeks!

Bits Of Supergirl Business

A lot of small nuggets of news slipped out this week. So figured I would do some rapid fire bullet points.


1) Jamal Igle's blog got hacked into forcing him to set up a new blog. Here is the new link: jamalligle.blogspot.com

Everyone update their favorites, bookmarks, and blog rolls.

He kicked off the new blog with a bang posting this panel from the upcoming Supergirl #50. Supergirl looks pretty ticked off. I am trying to figure out what exactly is behind her ... giant insect leg? It'll be good to see Igle back on the main title.



2) The cover for Cry For Justice #7 was posted over on the DC Source blog. Here is the link:
http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2010/02/01/take-a-look-at-the-final-cry-for-justice-cover/

As usual, it's a beautiful piece.


Supergirl is small but central. I love the classic heroic pose here.

The art has been stunning in this series. The plot and dialogue has been wooden in some places. I am looking forward to reading the end of this story .... I think.


3) Supergirl pinch hit artist extraordinaire Matt Camp announced his next work over on his blog:
http://mattcampsblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/superman-80-page-giant.html

Looks like he'll be doing a Clark Kent story with Ben McCool in the Superman 80pg Giant coming out next month. I was on the fence about picking this issue up. But now I'm in.

I hope we see Camp named the regular 'fill-in' artist on Supergirl.

More Peeks At Supergirl #50

Supergirl #50 is solicited for next month and marks something of an anniversary issue for the title. DC seems to be doing it's part to start to market the book. We know about the Michael Turner cover and the Josh Middleton variant. We know the main story will reunite Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle as we see the finale of the Insect Queen story. And we heard about the Jake Black/Helen Slater back up story. Here on this blog, Black said the story would be 'paying tribute to "50 years and 50 issues."'

Well we learn more about the Black/Slater story over on the DC Source blog. Here is the link:

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2010/01/29/an-added-plus-to-supergirl-50-helen-slater-jake-black-and-cliff-chiang/

And here is the accompanying blurb:

In addition to the special, 50th issue wonderful-ness coming your way next month from the stellar creative team of writer Sterling Gates and artist Jamal Igle, SUPERGIRL #50 features a story by none other than Helen Slater,who as some of you can recall, played Supergirl in the major motion picture by the same name. In tandem with co-writer Jake Black and the very talented Cliff Chiang, Slater will tell a story about a “Meet the Press”-type show where a panel discusses Supergirl’s merits (or, according to Cat Grant, her lack thereof).

So I as excited as I was about the writers on the story, I am really thrilled to see that Cliff Chiang is the artist on the story! That Titans splash panel is fantastic!

And more from The Source:

We checked in with SUPERGIRL assistant editor Wil Moss for the lowdown on the story, and not only did he share some info, but he passed along two lovely pages by Mr. Chiang. Take it away, Wil:

“We’re thrilled to have Helen Slater - Supergirl herself! - contribute a story to this special anniversary issue of SUPERGIRL. She and her co-writer, the wickedly talented Jake Black, have crafted a short story that really encapsulates everything that’s good and true about the Girl of Steel. The fact that we were able to get the A-list art team of Cliff Chiang and Dave McCaig to provide the art and colors just seals the deal - this is one story you do not want to let fly by!”

So looking at this page, my guess is the bottom rows of panels are a reporter asking people what they think of Supergirl.

One thing I have liked about the Gates/Igle run has been there willingness to recognize and acknowledge what the Supergirl character did in the early issues. They haven't simply brushed it under the carpet. They have dealt with it.

If I had to guess, it looks like Black and Slater are doing the same thing. Look closely at the people in those panels.


The girl with the headband has to be Brooke who was the little girl whose Christmas letter to Superman was answered by Supergirl in 2007's DCU Infinite Holiday issue. That story, written by Joe Kelly, had Supergirl drop Brooke's father Henry (I assume the man in the panels) from the upper atmosphere to spur him into spending more time with his estranged young daughter. I am over-simplifying it ... but it wasn't a typical hero move, something all to common in a Joe Kelly Supergirl story.

The dark haired girl has to be Sarah from Supergirl #10, the girl she first humiliated and eventually befriended at the end of Kelly's run.

As a fan and a continuity nerd, these small homages recognizing this Supergirl's history are welcome. I can only hope that one of the people they talk to is Thomas' mother from 'Saving Thomas'.

I am really looking forward to this collaboration between Jake Black and Supergirl herself, Helen Slater!

As for Cliff Chiang ...


Well, this announcement is an excuse to repost my Chiang commission. I think his stuff is great. I love this piece!

I am very excited about this issue and hope it brings new readers to the book.

Jamal Igle Interview

There is a really great 2 part interview with Jamal Igle over on www.ustownhall.com.

I highly recommend listening to both parts but you should know that each port is just under half an hour long period so brew a cup and settle in. Here are the Links:

http://www.ustownhall.com/USTH-RealStories-Igle01.html

http://www.ustownhall.com/USTH-RealStories-Igle02.html

The first part revolves mostly around Igle's early career and artistic influences.

A lot of his favorite artists also fall on my list of favorite artists. In particular, I am a huge fan of Steve Rude and Brian Bolland.

The second part of the interview is almost exclusively about Supergirl and the Superman families. It really touches on a lot of topics and is actually quite meaty.

He talks about coming on to the title, first working with Sterling Gates, rehabilitating the character, and touching on the bike short controversy again.

But then he also drops a lot of hints about the upcoming year. Those hints include:

1) the origin of Lana's illness being found in Kurt Busiek's run on Superman

2) the importance of Nightwing and Flamebird to the overall story of War of the Supermen

3) Kara's interaction with Brainiac 5 in the upcoming crossover. Querl might recognize Supergirl from her prior incarnation?? Ooohh ... juicy!

4) Supergirl crossing over in R.E.B.E.L.S. again (most likely in the Brainiac crossover again).

So lots of tidbits to mull over. It feels like 2010 will be a strong Superman and Supergirl year.

Preview Pages On The Source

Over on the DC blog, Matt Idelson touches on the near future for almost every super-title in some way. Here is the link:

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2009/12/14/editor-matt-idelson-on-all-things-superman/

I am a complete sucker for preview pages. I really love trying to figure out what exactly is going on given what I know about the current events of the title. Here are a couple of the pages Idelson posted there.


First off, a great Matt Camp page from Supergirl #49.

My guess is this is the beginning scene from the book where Lana collapses. I think it is interesting that on these black and white pages that the blood is already colored red. Lana must be running to catch a cab when her condition finally reaches that critical point and she drops. The shocked look on the doorman has to be followed by a splash page of Lana on the sidewalk hemorrhaging.


And just as fabulous is this Jamal Igle page from the double-sized Supergirl #50.

It looks like we finally have a General Lane and Lucy Lane reunion. We saw Superwoman return back in September's Annual but haven't seen much of her since. So I am glad that we are getting back to that dangling plot.

What's more, Superwoman doesn't necessarily look happy in that 4th panel. I wonder if her mind has come back 100% since her "death". An insane Superwoman would be a terrifying villain.

And while we get to see pages from World of New Krypton #11 and Superman #695, I had to post this page from Action Comics #885.

In the top left hand corner we see Dr. Light. And of course the bulk of the panel is Mon-El and the Science Police. So my guess is that the SciPo somehow detected all that Jax-Ur was doing to Chris and have come to investigate. I can't wait to see what comes of this interaction.

It looks like things are going to be exciting as the New Krypton storyline begins to wind down!

February Solicits

It has been a couple of weeks since the February 2009 DC comics solicits were posted on Newsarama. Here is the link:
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/091116-dc-february-2010-solicitations.html

This looks like it will be an exciting month for DC comics in general as we are approaching the end of Blackest Night. In fact, a number of covers for the month have not been unveiled most likely secondary to spoiler concerns.

Still, there are a lot of interesting non-Blackest Night solicits worth reviewing.




SUPERGIRL #50
On Sale February 17 • 56 pg, FC, $4.99 US

Written by Sterling Gates, Helen Slater & Jake Black • Art by Jamal Igle, Jon Sibal & Fernando Dagnino • Cover by Michael Turner • Variant cover by Joshua Middleton

Special celebratory 50th issue! Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle reunite to tell an epic, oversized battle royale between the Girl of Steel and a mysterious, diabolical new foe! Still reeling from last issue’s harrowing events, Supergirl is put to the test when she uncovers a terrible secret about her friend and confidant, Lana Lang.

Plus! A look into a day in the life of the Girl of Steel written by Jake Black and Supergirl herself, actress Helen Slater!

Featuring a cover by the man who redefined Supergirl for the 21st century, Michael Turner, SUPERGIRL #50 is an extra-sized extravaganza you won’t want to miss!

I've already talked at length about how excited I am for Supergirl #50. I am pretty happy that DC is doing so much to promote this issue.

I really can't wait to see who the new villain is that Kara will be fighting in this issue. And I hope that we will get a sneak peek at some point of the Joshua Middleton variant cover.




SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #12

On Sale February 3 • 12 of 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Written by Greg Rucka & James Robinson • Art by Pete Woods & Ron Randall • Cover by Gary Frank • Variant cover by Ladrönn

Now that the conspiracy involving New Krypton’s council has been brought to light, can Superman keep his people from tearing each other apart? And what does a skull-shaped ship flying towards New Krypton mean?

Well this certainly sounds interesting.

First off, the cover of this issue is such a wonderful contrast to the earlier covers where a smiling Superman was waving the Kryptonian flag proudly. Here we see him standing amid a disaster. Storm clouds, spy drones, a torn flag ... this doesn't look like a happy place to be.

On top of that we hear that indeed there is a conspiracy in the leading council. And it also sounds like Brainiac is on the way to reclaim the knowledge that he lost.

Somehow this all has to lead into the presumed Earth/New Krypton war that we have been told is going to happen. I do wonder exactly what the state New Krypton will be at the end of this issue. Will Superman have left the planet to return to Earth? Will we have resolution to all of the subplots that have been occurring in this title? Or are we going to see this storyline continue with in the Superman books for the foreseeable future?

SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #5

On Sale February 24 • 5 of 6 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Gary Frank & Jon Sibal

Superman versus Metallo – for the first time! Witness the origin of one of Superman’s most-feared foes, as an attack by Lex Luthor goes awry and gives birth to the evil of Metallo. Can an inexperienced Man of Steel handle a foe with a heart of Kryptonite? Meanwhile, Lois Lane and Perry White are close to revealing Luthor as the monster that he is – but are they willing to pay for that truth with their lives?

I certainly have been enjoying Superman secret origin as a miniseries. And while the first two issues have been squarely located in Smallville, it is clear we are approaching the present day with this issue.

Here we see Lex Luthor, Metallo, and the Parasite all in Metropolis. Gary Frank's interpretation of the Parasite and Metallo just look fantastic. But the real villain here of course is Luthor. It will be interesting to see exactly what happens to Perry and Lois as they dig around in his past.

I also wonder exactly where this miniseries is going to end in Superman's timeline. Is this going to bring us to his first year of adventuring in Metropolis or drop us off somewhere else. Regardless, I think this is going to be a very worthy origin story that will stand the test of time.

ACTION COMICS #886

On Sale February 10 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Written by Greg Rucka & Eric Trautmann • co-feature written by James Robinson & James Rucka • Art by Pere Pérez • co-feature art by CAFU • cover by CAFU

Nightwing and Flamebird race the clock to capture Jax-Ur, the most dangerous of Zod’s sleeper agents. And in the Captain Atom co-feature, our hero explores the horrors of his past with the help of Mon-El and Starfire!

Here we are in November and in the last issue of Action Comics, Nightwing and Flamebird are about to find Jax-Ur.

And now in this February solicit, we see they are still fighting him. My guess is his true nature is not revealed in the current plot line and that he is uncovered later on.

I don't think any of us thought that Nightwing was going to die of old age so seeing him on a future cover doesn't necessarily count as a spoiler.

My guess is that Jax-Ur is the last sleeper agent to be found. In essence, this will end the Flamebird and Nightwing story line setting up a return of Superman to this title now that World of New Krypton has ended.

In some ways I'm going to be glad to see Superman returning to this book. But I do think that the Thara/Chris relationship provided good stories in that Action Comics maintained high quality in this year without Superman. So in some ways I'm going to be sad to see them leaving the book.

SUPERMAN #697

On Sale February 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Written by James Robinson • Art by Bernard Chang • Cover by CAFU

“Man of Valor” Part 4! With the Legion of Super-Hero members in the 21st century now revealed to Mon-El, the Man of Valor learns of a greater destiny he and Superboy share; one that ties directly in to the fate of New Krypton and Kal-El!

With Kon-El now vacating Adventure Comics, I am glad to see that his story has not been completely shelved. I would still have preferred his story to continue under the Johns/Manapul team.

I am glad that this Legion story which has been percolating through the Superman title is finally getting some up front time. We have seen Tellus, Sensor Girl, and Element Lad in the 21st century and I am sure I am forgetting some others that have been shown to be here. I also think that there is some Mirabai/Mordru connection.

Still, if this Year Without Superman is winding down I hope that the many Superman title plot lines begin to coalesce.

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE #7

On Sale February 24 • 7 of 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

Written by James Robinson • Art and cover by Mauro Cascioli

This is the big one! After the catastrophes seen in issues #5 and #6, a hero loses control, leading to an unexpected ending that will fundamentally change the lives of the World’s Greatest Heroes forever. This issue launches a major storyline in the DC Universe and is not to be missed!

After all of the delays ... both starting the series and between issues ... it's hard to believe this series is going to be over.

Robinson and Didio have said that this series will definitely impact the DCU as a whole and this solicit seems to hammer home the point. And now a blacked out cover and a 'hero losing control'. Any guesses who will be shown on the cover?

ADVENTURE COMICS STARRING BLACK LANTERN SUPERBOY #7

On Sale February 10 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
Written by Tony Bedard • Art by Travis Moore • Covers by Francis Manapul

TOP SECRET!

I just don't know how long I am going to stay with this title. I like Tony Bedard. But Superboy Prime sort of annoys me. And now he is a Black Lantern. Yeesh!

I probably will stay with the title because I am a Legion guy and look forward to see what Paul Levitz does. But I don't know if my reviews will continue.



AME-COMI HEROINE SERIES: SUPERGIRL (V.2) PVC FIGURE
DESIGNED AND SCULPTED BY JONATHAN MATTHEWS

Kara Zor-El can’t resist smiling at herself when she finds this side-view mirror on the streets of Metropolis.

Sure to be just as popular as the sold-out, original Ame-Comi version of Superman’s cousin, Supergirl (V.2) is a non-articulated PVC statue, standing approximately 8.75” tall, including a base and packaged in a 4-color window box with J-hook.

And now an unexpected surprise.

I haven't been a big fan of the Ame-Comi line of statues. I didn't like the first Supergirl statue they put out. And many of them seem outright creepy. (The Wonder Girl one, for example, gave me a cringe.)

In comparison to some of the earlier Ame-Comi statues, this Supergirl one is downright modest. Sure, it is a micro-mini and my guess is seen from behind there will be some 'fan service'. But she is more covered and less racy than most of this line. I still don't think I am going to get it for the shrine.

Anyways, February seems like it is going to be a good month! I can't wait for Supergirl #50.