Sales Review January 2011

Given the events of the month. I was very curious to see the comic sales information for January.

For this blog's focus, I wanted to see the sales for Supergirl #60, the first issue after Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle's run, the first month of the "Nick Spencer" story, written by James Peaty and drawn by Bernard Chang.

But I also wanted to see if the 'event' comic Fantastic Four #587 was going to garner big sales.

And unlike many, I actually liked the January 2011 DC Cover theme; the white background, character-driven covers grabbed my eye. Some of them were good enough to be pin-ups or posters.

As I do each month, I'll praise ICv2 for their in-depth sales coverage. Here is the link to last month's sales:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/19327.html As expected, FF#587 sold the most comics, breaking the 100K mark. But comics as a whole suffered another bad month, with sales down almost across the board.

And yet, I am pretty content.

Supergirl #60 sold 22,568, down an iota from Supergirl #59's 22,606. I have to admit that I was worried that the creative upheaval, including Nick Spencer's leaving the book after co-writing one issue, would drive people away. But sales were stable, and that is in the context of a horrible sales month overall.

I'll take it.

As for the underdogs, they continue to tread water. Doom Patrol #18 hovered around 9,300. That's worrisome.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #24 sold 10,354, a couple of hundred less than the prior issue.

I include this picture just to show that T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #3 is also down amongst the reeds. Although we obviously don't know the details, it still feels like Nick Spencer chose Agents over Supergirl, a fringe book selling 10K over a book with a solid fanbase.

The big question is going to be what will sales be like for Supergirl #61. Nick Spencer isn't in the credits. And people will have given the new storyline a chance. Will people jump ship?

Review: Supergirl #60

Supergirl #60 came out on Wednesday and I have to say ... I was worried.

It was the first issue in the post-Sterling Gates era.

It had a pink S-shield.

It was plotted by Nick Spencer who has jumped ship.

I went in with low expectations.

Surprisingly, I thought this was a good to very good issue, setting up the premise of this story arc and introducing us to a new villain. Now I have a caveat about my overall grade here, something I will need to see happen in the upcoming issues to feel even better about this. But I'll admit, I liked it.
The writing is credited to both Nick Spencer and James Peaty, although I bet this is more of a plotted and scripted sort of thing. I'll talk more about the writing in a bit, but I think that Supergirl was portrayed in the right manner, something I wasn't sure was going to happen.

The cover by Amy Reeder (outside of the pink S-shield) is a nice one, showing a flying Supergirl turning to the camera.And Bernard Chang seems comfortable with the characters here. I was very happy with the art in the book.

The book opens at Harvard University where a student named Alex is talking to one of his buddies about how man evolves. It is often through conflict and being conquered. He talks of the evils of the Roman Empire, how they mistreated much of society, but also how the Romans brought civilization dramatically forward.

He wonders if super-heroes are doing humanity an injustice by stopping Earth from being conquered by alien races. Maybe these new masters would elevate mankind just as the Romans did.

We don't know Alex yet, but  he is obviously bright, cocky, and self-assured. He is quick with the turn of a phrase. But he already seems very creepy.

The next scene jumps to Lois having lunch with Catherine Devereux, a former Cadmus employee who left her job to be with her child who is battling leukemia.

Catherine tells Lois of a project at Cadmus, a project which could threaten the world. She needed to tell someone so her conscience would be clear. Lois assures her that it is the right thing to do. And it doesn't matter if Superman isn't around, someone else is protecting Metropolis.

So first off ... this is Lois Lane. Not what we saw in Superman #707.

But more importantly, how great is it for Lois to talk about Supergirl protecting the city so easily, so confidently. It was a small moment but it struck the right chord of how Supergirl is viewed now, like a hero.

We then see Supergirl, flying over the city, acting as guardian angel.

I really think Bernard Chang draws a lovely Supergirl. She looks lithe and agile here. She does seem to be a bit long in the torso in this panel, invoking a sort of midway between Michael Turner and Jamal Igle.

She sounds and looks sure of herself as she patrols the skies. She even catches a young man who has fallen off a skyscraper. In a nice role-reversal from many Silver Age issues, the man tells Supergirl he did it so she would save him. He even hopes she'll give him her number. There is a great panel where you can feel Supergirl rolling her eyes at him. It is a nice little introduction for her to this new team.

But before we get more of Supergirl, we are back to the Harvard commissary where Alex is talking about his latest smart-phone app called Flyover. He created it so people could document when and where they have seen young super-heroes. It ends up being a sort of GPS to find out where heroes are, a way to triangulate their location.

Already on the grid live, the app is accumulating hits. Even the young man saved by Kara has downloaded her position.

The concept is interesting, social media being used for ill will. We recently saw it in Matt Fraction's Iron Man where people thought they were playing a smart-phone game but were actually piloting drones and fighting the real live Tony Stark.

But again, we are treated to a whole page of dialogue between Alex and some new students who arrive. Their talk isn't really important to the story, more small talk among friends. In the end, I wonder if there was too much talk ... but more on that later.

Presumably, based on her Flyover position, a small team of Superman villains gets teleported to Supergirl's area, ready to fight her.

This isn't Riot. These are some heavy hitters (although Kara does notice that Silver Banshee is there and doesn't usually associate with other villains): the Parasite, Metallo, the Kryptonite Man, and Silver Banshee. Supergirl shouldn't be able to last long against all these guys. She would probably struggle with one.

But like a hero, she doesn't fly away.

I love these two panels. Supergirl asks the villains who hired them. The Kryptonite Man reminds her they would gladly kill her for free.

I really liked the second panel. Supergirl succinctly asks them 'battle?' We see her open hand close to a fist. And as if to bring our focus onto her fist, we see the villains blurred in the background. If this was a Matrix movie, it would be a force ripple obscuring them when she balls up her hand.

It was panel progression that worked for me.

And, amazingly, she actually gets the upper hand, tossing the K-man aside and bashing Metallo.

I liked seeing her reflection in Metallo's mask.

But again, before we seem much of that fight, we cut away.

First we see the Daily Planet where Perry is asking for stories. Jimmy talks about a gorilla in a local zoo who is adopting stray cats.

Then Lois bursts in with the news that Devereux gave her. Cadmus was, once again, experimenting with Kryptonian DNA. My theories about this later.

Dispersed within the Planet scene is more from the Harvard Cafe.We learn that no one can remember when they first met 'Alexander the great', or how long they have been friends. He simply was in their heads. It is clear that Alex is more than a smart kid; he must have some sort of powers. I think I got it figured out ... but we'll see at the end.

And suddenly we are having all the scenes shown to us, one panel at a time.

Supergirl's success in battle is short lived as the 4 villains gain the upper hand.

Devereux goes home to her ailing child.

And Alex talks more. We finally learn what he is trying to do. He wants to eliminate super-heroes so the next wave of conquerors will be successful. But he'll eliminate Supergirl, not Superman ... because she is the future.

It is an interesting plot tied in to the plugged in community. But it does take us a while to get there. And we again get more panels where Alex and his friends are talking about girlfriends and dating. It seemed like wasted space.

It isn't just Supergirl he wants to kill. It's all the young heroes. And Flyover is just the way to find them.

Nice panel showing the scope of Alex' psychosis.

When his friends all call him on it, saying he's crazy, Alex tells them they won't say a word or he'll reveal a deep dark secret they all have - secrets he lists including cheating on tests, killing someone while drunk driving, and having an affair with a Dean.

And with that, Alex says he is done with college.

In a sick twist, Ms. Devereux comes home to find her child is dead, a note from Alex written in a book nearby, chastising Devereux for talking to Lois. It shows just how diabolical Alex is.

So what do I think about all this.

First off, clearly Alex is the project from Cadmus. He must be a clone who has been rapidly aged. Given Spencer's hints from before, I would have initially said it was the Luthor/Brainiac clone from Adventure. But the wrinkle about Kryptonian DNA has me thinking differently. Maybe, like Conner, Alex is part Luthor (get it A-Lex) and part Superman, only he's more Lex than Clark ... like 75% to 25%. Remember, in Supergirl Annual #2, Brainiac 5 talked about Supergirl's major adventures including 'Luthor's other son'. Alex has to be it.

Secondly, my caveat about this arc and the writing in this issue. I thought this was a good first issue because it showed us all the key pieces of the puzzle and gave us some insight into the villain. But this was told in a Nick Spencer style. There was a lot of talking going on, maybe tangentially concerning the main action of the story, but keeping us away from the action. This is the same pattern I have seen in 3 issues of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. I think it worked here because we were just getting to know Alex. But I don't know if I want to see this style every issue ... or even one more issue. I am about to stop reading T.H.U.N.D.E.R. because it feels like it has been spinning its wheels. Let's face it, Supergirl was only in a small part of this issue. That's fine to set the table, to give us the info we needed about the upcoming conflict. But I don't want her pushed to the periphery of her own title so snappy dialogue and meaningless repartee can happen. I mean, we learned a decent amount about the students Alex was friends with, their romances, their sins. Will we see them again? Did I need to hear all I heard about them? Or was that page space wasted?

I don't mean to sound negative. I know I am talking about a potential problem in the next issues. To be honest, I think that Spencer leaving might be the right thing here. I have more trust in James Peaty, that he'll keep Supergirl front and center.

Lastly, I wonder if its Banshee who will save Supergirl from her current predicament, payback for Kara helping Siobhan get a family talisman in Supergirl #49.

All in all, I thought this was pretty good. I hope the next issues can build on this, showcasing Supergirl more.

Overall grade: B+/B

An Open Letter To James Peaty

I am hoping somehow that you discover this site and will read this.

Congratulations on being named writer on Supergirl!

The fan response to the recent news of Nick Spencer leaving the title may make it seem that Supergirl fans are upset about you coming on board as writer.

That simply isn't true.

Unfortunately, when there is a feel of uncertaintly around a title, there is associated uncertainty within its fans.

As Supergirl fans, we care about the character and how she is portrayed. We want her to be strong and smart and heroic. We want her to be on the hero's journey, learning along the way. And we hope that her writer will have the same respect for the character.

We are ready to embrace creators that care. Sterling Gates was a relative unknown when he took over the title. There was the same sense of uncertainty. But that all went away when it was clear he understood and loved the character.

In re-reading your work on Supergirl #33, it sounds like you have a good idea of Supergirl's voice. It can not have been easy to wrap up Kelley Puckett's story. It can't be any easier to pick up Nick Spencer's arc and finish it.

To sum up ... welcome aboard! I look forward to reading your upcoming issues and seeing this next chapter in Supergirl's life.

Well That Was Fast! Nick Spencer Off Supergirl

At around 11am yesterday, Nick Spencer tweeted the following.

Okay all, breaking some bad news today-- I won't be doing SUPERGIRL after all. But hey, nobody cry for me! All kinds of cool stuff coming up in 2011, so stay tuned and all that.

Around the same time, this was posted on the DC Source blog. Here is the link:
http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2010/12/16/a-few-teases-for-the-thunder-agents-fans/

On a related note, Nick Spencer will be stepping off Supergirl to concentrate on T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, with writer James Peaty co-scripting issue #60 and then taking over for him from there. (Bernard Chang will stay on as artist for the book.) Here’s what Supergirl editor Matt Idelson had to say about James Peaty:

“When I was deciding who should write this Supergirl arc, I knew I needed someone who could not just write a good story, but bring their  own unique vision to an in progress story. I’ve worked on and off with James  Peaty over the years and had been looking for the chance to do so again. James is no stranger to the DCU, having written adventures for Green Arrow, the Justice League, the JSA, Batman, and Supergirl.”

I think it is pretty lousy of DC to sstick this important Supergirl news at the bottom of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents post, not even mentioning it in the headline. Maybe they were hoping that nobody would notice that the 'hot new writer' they put on the title was leaving before one issue of his 'run' was released. Or maybe they think that T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents is a more important book for DC such that the Supergirl part of the story barely warrants a mention.

But the truth is this completely stinks.

This has nothing to do with James Peaty or his abilities.

It has everything to do with perception.

My perception is that Sterling Gates, who loved the character, was well into a critically lauded run and seemed to have more stories to tell, was forced off the book by DC.

My perception is Nick Spencer was hired as the 'hot new writer' to bring in new readers. And maybe he was stretched a bit thin with all of his creator owned stuff, and T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and Iron Man. And with all thosee things on his plate, the project he decided to scrap was Supergirl. Guess we know where she ranked on his list.

And now Spencer is off the book before the first issue has been released.

Perception isn't always reality. But my perception now is that this book is in a tail spin. And that is sad given that we are just coming off of one of the best years ever to be a Supergirl fan. That it was holding its own in sales during the toughest economic times comics has faced.

Remember when we had all those different writers in the first 33 issues? Loeb, Rucka, Kelly, Palmiotti, Bedard, Puckett, Pfeifer, and Peaty all were there. 8 writers in 33 issues! 8!! Remember how disjointed the book felt? How there was no direction for the character in those issues? How the title seemed on a collision course for cancellation? Doesn't this feel the same way? We had 2+ years of one writer. In the next three issues - 59,60, and 61 - we'll have three.

Seriously, I would love to hear from DC exactly why Gates was taken off the book. Because in retrospect, I bet that looks like a pretty bad decision right now. Because now the book feels like it is in disarray.

No one can say that this announcement is anything but bad news for the book. Now I have to ratchet up the pessimism again.

I will say it again. This is not a knock against James Peaty, who stepped in to finish Kelley Puckett's storyline right before Gates and Igle took over. My perception about the book isn't about Peaty's ability to write Supergirl. Maybe he will hit the ground running and the book will prosper.

But if the new writer DC was trumpeting is off the book before his first issue is even finished, it gives Supergirl a 'lame duck' feel, a second class citizen sort of feel. And the character and this title deserves better than that.

We, as Supergirl fans, deserve better.

My thanks to the many many Supergirl fans who emailed me to make sure that I had heard the news. I appreciate the support for the blog and glad other people care about Supergirl as much as I do!

Spencer Interview On CBR

Over on Comic Book Resources, they recently posted an interview with Nick Spencer that was done at the NYCC way back in October. This was when the announcement about the creative team change was just announced. Here is the link: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=29707

As always, the whole interview is worth listening to, especially the stuff about how Spencer got to where he is in his career. As a kid I dreamed of writing comics so to hear about that path is always interesting.

The Supergirl stuff starts in the 9th minute for those who want to jump ahead. Here are some blurbs and comments.

Spencer starts out by describing Sterling Gates' run as 'amazing' and 'character defining'. I'd obviously agree. The one thing I can say is that Supergirl is a much more stable and established character since Gates took over. Prior to that it seemed like no one knew what to do with her. Now I understand who she is.

Spencer then says that with Gates' story done, it was time for a fresh look with the character. He describes his story as being a different sort of story ... told in the 'Loeb style' with lots of guest stars. He also says this is the first true superhero story he has written.

I have to say I was sort of dismayed a bit by this. I don't know if I like the 'Loeb style'. And too many guest stars was something I felt was wrong with the book at it's outset. The more time devoted to guest stars, the less time we see Supergirl.

But the rest of the interview bolstered my optimism a bit.

Spencer talks about how she isn't Superman, putting on the same costume and simply doing what he would do. He talks about how this story has Supergirl looking for her place in the world, who she is.

Gates and Igle did a great job in having Kara discover who she is.That story has been told. Supergirl knows who she is.

Given that this is a big action piece with lots of teen superheroes, my guess is this story is more about Supergirl discovering who she is in the context of the rest of the DCU. Who is she in the super-hero community? Is she the Superman for her generation? Does she inspire that sort of respect and admiration? Or is she still striving for that.

Spencer finishes up by talking about how this story is a big conflict with a new villain coming from the Geoff Johns/Francis Manapul Adventure run. It has to be this Luthor/Brainiac clone seen at the end of Adventure Comics #6.

So overall, this interview adds some information about Spencer's story and his thoughts on Kara. I think this added to my guarded optimism. One thing I don't like is that we haven't heard about Spencer's thoughts long-term about the title. Remember when Gates was announced and talked about all he wanted to accomplish while on the title. Here Spencer only seems to be thinking about this first arc. What is the plan after this big conflict?

Supergirl #60, the first of the Spencer/Chang era is scheduled to be released on January 19, 2011.

Optimism: Nick Spencer On CBR!

I was giving off some negative energy when it comes to Supergirl here recently, wondering if (despite a lot of evidence to the contrary) I should be pessimistic about where the character is going.

Well, I have decided to sweep away the cobwebs of despair and pessimism. And, as if heading some karmic call, to help affirm some optimism, Comic Book Resources posted an interview with Nick Spencer specifically about his turn as writer on Supergirl. After reading this, I think things are going to be all right in the book. As always the entire interview is well worth reading. Here is the link: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=29250

But I have picked some key blurbs to discuss here. In many ways it reminded me of my reaction when Sterling Gates was first named writer. I didn't know him from a hole in the wall but in the interviews he did about Supergirl, it made me think he was the right man for the job. Back then, he had to talk about a supporting cast, adding Linda Lang, and building up a rogue's gallery.

Here Spencer is picking up a much more stable character; Gates and Igle have left him a more mature and stronger Kara to write about. So what did Spencer have to say?
If you're not already buying a comic book by Nick Spencer, you may soon be.

CBR News: The "Supergirl" announcement for you and Bernard came out at New York Comic Con, and it took a few folks by surprise given all the work you've already got cooking. How did this one come about? Did Matt Idelson and Will Moss approach you after "T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents" was underway?

Nick Spencer: Work was already underway on "Jimmy Olsen" and "T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents" when Matt and Will approached me about taking over the book with Bernard. As for the why of it, I have written a good number of female protagonists in my Image work, and that probably had a hand in it. Supergirl is obviously a younger character, and with "Morning Glories" and "Forgetless" I've written a lot of those. I think that they saw this as a pretty logical fit, and I felt the same way.

I keep trying to read Morning Glories but my comic store keeps selling out. But it has a lot of buzz going for it right now. But you can get the sense from Jimmy Olsen that Spencer has an ear for younger characters. So I do think he is coming on board with the right background for Supergirl.

One thing we hear a lot online is people harping on DC and Marvel about how their female characters are represented in the market, and Supergirl herself has a real cultural cachet outside of comics that makes her someone who's watched after in a very personal way by readers. Do those things come to bear at all for you as you're writing this series, or do you try to set aside thinking about that sort of thing?

It's certainly something that I do keep in mind. How many people just dressed up as Supergirl for Halloween last week? She's a character that has an enormous amount of cultural cachet and pop relevance, and for me, I get very excited when I get the opportunity to work on a character like that – a character that people who don't read comics and who don't know much about modern continuity still know the name and still know the costume. So, I do keep that in mind. I like to write for a broader audience. I like to write with the hope that someone could come in off the street and pick up a book like this and be able to get into it from the start.

With Supergirl, I always worry that people come into the character thinking she is second rate, or a stand-in for Superman, or just another 'bad girl there for fan service'. So I really like that Spencer recognizes the cultural cachet she has. While he doesn't come right out and say it, I hope that means he also has an understanding of the character's history. She has significant cachet there as well. Still, it isn't as if he is coming off like Supergirl is a blank slate; he recognizes that she is established. I also like that CBR knows that we fans are out here, watching after her in a 'personal way'.

And I also hope that new readers will pick up the book and enjoy it.

On the flipside, within the comic shops this book has been very well received under Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle, and those guys worked really hard to build up the supporting cast. How do you view your job in terms of following up on that run?

Well, I love that run. Sterling and Jamal did a really incredible job with the character, like you said, building up her supporting cast and giving her her own life. The character had been sort of wandering around. Once Jeph Loeb left, I think it took a while for everybody to figure out what she should be and what her role in the DCU should be. Sterling and Jamal did an amazing job of growing her up a bit and giving her a renewed sense of identity and tapping into what made the character so great and so memorable in the first place. When I sat down to figure out what to do with the book was, "Well, the first thing they did was sort of pull Kara back a bit to build her world out and flesh her out as a person, so what I'd like to do is push her back into the broader DCU now that all these changes with her character have taken place." Particularly, I want to play with her role within the younger set of heroes within the DCU. Kara's had involvement with teams like the Teen Titans and the Legion, and certainly with the Justice League now. But what I wanted to do was tell a story about Kara figuring out her role in relation to those other heroes and what her place is.

Hooray! This sounds just about right. First off, Spencer loves the Gates/Igle run and recognizes that he doesn't need a brand new direction but instead can build off of the last 2+ years of stories. So that is just fantastic. But I also think (and this is without knowing what happens in the Toyman story), that Gates and Igle have also left Supergirl in a more secure and more confidant place than she was when they took over. I always say that part of the joy of Supergirl stories is that she is becoming a hero. Gates and Igle had her realizing that she is a hero, that she wants to be a hero, and that she has to deal with her mistakes. That step of the journey is sort behind her now. After dealing with Bizarro Girl, she feels like she knows who she is.

So now the next logical step is to see where she fits in, who she is in the DCU and with the other legacy heroes. At first I thought a bunch of guest stars might not be right. But is Supergirl is going to become the Superman, the role model, for the next generation of heroes ... well I am all for that. More than any other part, this portion of the interview let me exhale.

Obviously, Kara wears the most important, best known and most respected symbol in all of the DCU. But at the same time, she's a very different person than Clark is. This first story is very much about her figuring out if her past in relation to those other heroes is going to be similar to what Clark's was.

I really hope she is portrayed as a hero and a leader. But I also like that Spencer acknowledges that Supergirl is not just a female Superman.

Part of the fun of the shared universe is not just the big events and stories, it's also playing these different characters off each other. Do you have anyone on tap to either play a foil for Kara or be a friend to her within the young hero community?

You'll see that slowly build over the first few months of the story. What I'd say is that Kara is going to be interacting with some heroes for the first time, others she'll be dealing with for the first time since she's gone through so many changes in her life, and I think there are some strong relationships like her relationship with Stephanie or her recent encounter with Damian. In issue #61, we'll be expanding on those and diving back into those friendships. In #62, we'll see even more characters get added into the mix. Like I said, some are new, some are old friends, and some are people she hasn't seen in a good while.

So I think this is going to be part of the fun of this arc. It has been a bit muddled but since coming back in 2004, Kara has been on the Teen Titans, had adventures with the Outsiders, been in the Legion, and has had adventures with a couple of Robins and Batgirl. She has established relationships with almost all these people. So to see a big adventure where those histories are built upon should be fun. But knowing that Spencer is aware of those stories let's me know he has a grasp of the character.

I love the Supergirl/Batgirl stories. I love the Supergirl/Damien stuff. And I really liked the Supergirl/Tim Drake Robin issue from Superman/Batman as well. So I am eager to see them together again.


Of course, the other part to any superhero book is the villain side and the action side. Supergirl, for a long time, has been a heroine who is pitted against D-level Superman foes because there's no room for them in the Man of Steel's book. How do you view that challenge?


We'll actually be playing with this a lot in the first issue, #60. Kara is keenly aware with the fact that most of the villains she seems to come up against are either younger versions of Superman villains or female versions of Superman villains. This is no small annoyance to her. [Laughs] We're going to have some fun with that particular Supergirl trope and maybe take it in a slightly different direction over the next few issues.

I do think there is some humor to be mined there. It sounds like Spencer is going to pick up right where Gates left off with a rededicated and confidant Supergirl going out and being a hero. She probably feels like maybe she has finally 'arrived' so to speak and deserves better than Superman D-listers.

I'll say it again. I loved the Gates stuff and for me the last half year of issues have been incredibly strong stories. In some ways I was worried that all that stuff would be swept away. Instead it sounds like they will be the foundation for the future. And it sounds like Nick Spencer has some great stories to tell, while understanding where Supergirl has been.

I am optimistic! Can't wait to read Supergirl #60.

Supergirl #60 ... Is That A Pink S-Shield?

I planned on posting a review for Superman #703 here this morning but sometimes things stick in my craw so much that I need to shelve plans and post something more impromptu. So if this post comes close to being a rant, I apologize.

I went to Newsarama to see the latest announced DC solicits for January and saw the above cover for Supergirl #60. Now I will review the solicits as I usually do when they all are announced but I have to comment on this cover and how basically annoyed I am. Is that really a pink S-shield? Really?? I don't know how to rationalize this decision.

January will be a 'character driven' cover month for DC books. Here is what Alex Segura said on the DC Source:

But it’s not just about iconic poses. As you can see, each title gets a unique and yet familiar logo treatment that brings the focus on the characters and stars of their respective books. New year. New beginnings. New focus.

The thing that bothers me is that Supergirl wears the standard red and yellow S-shield. She has just gone through a cathartic storyline where she has redefined herself, found herself worthy to act as Supergirl, felt worthy of wearing that shield. So why not have her stand before the standard S-shield! Why make is pink? Isn't she worthy of it by now?

Now I suppose that an argument can be made that DC wanted each logo to be unique and that they didn't want two of the same symbols. After all, each Bat-book has a slightly different version. 

But that doesn't explain this ... two Legion logos that are the same (LSH #9 and Adventure #522). Nothing unique there.

Maybe they could have made the red and yellow more muted ... or more pastel ... or just keep it the same. But the choice of pink seems wrong.

Now it is important to know that I don't mind pink S-shields on birthday party invitations or children's clothing or school supplies. My hope there is that those things will lead people to the character and to the book. And I don't even mind pink S-shields on adult t-shirts as that is a matter of fashion choices. 

But once you get to the book, it should be the classic red and yellow shield. I mean Steel and Superboy are positioned in front of the shields they wear ... not in front of teal or fuchsia versions of the S-shield. Doesn't Supergirl deserve to be before the symbol she wears?

On an important related note, I have nothing but praise for Amy Reeder's Supergirl on the cover. There is a nice sense of grace there