The Return Of Wednesday Comics: An Imaginary Story

This is going to be a little out of left field.

On Sunday, word came out on Comic Book Resources that DC was cancelling five titles, including two from the DCYou initiative! Already! This included Justice League United, a book that I have enjoyed since its inception but have really liked the Brave and the Bold vibe that Jeff Parker had brought to the book since he jumped on board.

Over on Twitter, Mart Gray and I got into a conversation with artist Matthew Dow Smith and Hank Kanalz, SVP Editorial Strategy and Administration for DC Entertainment. We started riffing on ideas to fill the 'empty slots' on DC's docket. That included asking for a Doom Patrol book, a Supergirl book, and a second edition of Wednesday Comics

Figuring it would be fun to plan out the next Wednesday Comics roster as well as to try to convince Kanalz to do it, Mart and I decided to dream-cast our versions. Head to http://dangermart.blogspot.com/
to see Mart's ideas. Here are mine, including a blurb why.

Batman - Scott Snyder and Alex Maleev

Wednesday Comics needs a big name to act as a draw for readers and nothing, I mean nothing, sells for DC like Batman. So Batman, especially if written by Snyder, will be a big draw for completists. Add some moody Alex Maleev art on the big format of Wednesday Comics, this would be the straw that stirs the drink.

Wonder Woman - Geoff Johns and Mark Bagley 
 I figured that a second member of the Trinity should be included to act as a tentpole to prop up the book. While Wonder Woman was in the last version, it was something of a dreamy intriguing strip by Ben Caldwell. I figured going more mainstream and adding a big gun creator would also be a winner. So having Geoff Johns write a Wonder Woman only story, something I don't believe he has done before, would be a draw. Add Mark Bagley on the book, who drew here wonderfully in Trinity, and this is a good strip.

Johnny Quick - Jeff Parker and Doc Shaner
Parker and Shaner have shined to the point of super-nova brilliance with anything they have touched recently. In particular, the recent Flash Gordon comic and the Convergence:Shazam books showed they could take older quainter material and make them work in these more cynical times. With this in mind, I thought that Johnny Quick could use a little face lift. And who better to do that than these two.

Amethyst - Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder
 Montclare and Reeder have teamed up for the impressive Rocket Girl book. That book is fantastic so pick it up if you haven't! Reeder was mesmerizing on Madame Xanadu, a book which spanned centuries and included a long stretch in the time of Camelot. Amethyst needs to go back to her roots. So why not make her Princess of the Gemworld again! These two would be magic (pun intended) on this strip.

Lady Blackhawk - Gail Simone and Joelle Jones
I don't know if I need to explain this one as it should be self-evident. Simone brought Zinda into the Birds of Prey and wrote her perfectly. Zinda was brash, fun, brave, and strong. So let's have her give us a WW2 era story of Lady Blackhawk. And who better to draw a period piece with all the fashion of that era than Joelle Jones who blew me away on Lady Killer. I want this to be a monthly, let alone a Wednesday Comic story.

Dr. Mid-Nite - Matt Wagner and Matthew Dow Smith
I seem to be aiming for period pieces in this volume. But I think DC has let some of these characters wither a bit on the vine. Matt Wagner wrote a Dr. Mid-Nite prestige format mini-series in '99 so why not revisit the character with another moody pulp story? And who better to have on art that Dow Smith who really would bring the ink and shadows! I am thinking pure film noir here.

Legion Espionage Squad - Sterling Gates and Marcio Takara
I have wanted a Sterling Gates Legion book on the shelves for a long time. So after taking a look back in time with some of my choices, I thought I should look forward. So a bright Legion story would be a nice change of pace in my Wednesday Comics. Since the Legion cast is huge, I thought limiting it to the Espionage Squad would make it manageable. And Takara's stuff is just gorgeous. Who wouldn't want to see his Cham, Invisible Kid, Shadow Lass, Phantom Girl, and Vi sneaking around?

Kid Flash - Bryan Q. Miller and Jorge Jimenez
I would rock the continuity boat here and make this the ginger Wally West wearing his yellow Kid Flash costume. We have seen Miller write a young Flash in Smallville. He has a handle on legacy teen heroes (read his Batgirl!). And he doesn't do enough comics! Add Jorge Jimenez' electric art and this could be a ton of fun. Jimenez' arc on Smallville with Wonder Woman was one of the best arcs of that series.

The Creeper - Landry Walker and Eric Jones
Walker and Jones were the team on Supergirl:Cosmic Adventures and Danger Club. Those were two very different styles of books, both superb. And Walker wrote the chilling Mad Hatter solo story in Joker's Asylum II. I am a huge Creeper fan but I can really describe why. The Creeper can be fun with a sort of bend to the dark and eerie, so there is great potential. I would love to see what these guys would do with that property.

Big Barda - Kelly Sue DeConnick and Cat Staggs 
I have been a fan of Kelly Sue DeConnick's stuff since the very beginning. She has written some very powerful women in her time - Supergirl, Sif, and Captain Marvel. So maybe it is time for DeConnick to get DC Cosmic. A Barda solo story would be a perfect fit. And why not bring Cat Staggs to interior art again. Staggs shined as the cover artist on Smallville. Her style would bring a depth to the story. And I would love to see her Barda.

Vic Sage, The Question - Corrina Bechko and Gabriel Hardman
These two are rocking the political history comic genre Invisible Republic. Having them do a corruption story would be perfect. And what seedier environment to put that type of story into than Hub City. I know that Renee Montoya is the current Question. But I like Sage and think this would be a grungy delicious strip. Bring in Myra, the love interest from the O'Neil/Cowan run, as mayor and you have all the ingredients you need.

Stalker - Mike Johnson and Aaron Lopresti
I am a big fan of Stalker.  There is something about this guy without a soul trying to battle the demon who tricked him that works for me. His title back in the day was cut short too soon. Johnson covered all sorts of times, including some barbarian-like environs on Ei8ht, so I think he would do a great job. And Lopresti is a great fantasy artist. He drew Stalker in Wonder Woman and the art leapt off the page. This is another book I want to be a monthly.

Blue Beetles (Garret, Kord, and Reyes) - Mark Waid and Chris Samnee
Waid and Samnee put together one of the strongest runs on Daredevil ever. They really complement each other. Waid has a complete knowledge of DC and wrote the recent Brave and the Bold comic which melded characters from different areas and times. So why not bring in all three Beetles into one story, maybe fighting Chronos? That would be awesome! Ladies and gentlemen ... the Beetles!

Newsboy Legion - Darwyn Cooke and J. Bone
I am again turning back the clock looking at some of DC's history. Cooke is a master of the Newsboy Legion's time period as seen in the New Frontier book. So why not see what he could do with these scrappy kids? And J. Bone collaborated with Cooke for a New Frontier story in the JLA:New Frontier Special book. Bone's style would be perfect for a Newsboy Legion story.

Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt) - Phil Jimenez
I really enjoyed Phil Jimenez run on Wonder Woman. The man can write and draw. Mr. Terrific is a character who I have enjoyed in most iterations. So I thought bringing Jimenez on as sole creator on a strip of the Michael Holt Terrific would be interesting.

And those are my 15 dream strips.
What do you think?

And would you buy a second volume of Wednesday Comics?

2009 In Review And the Top Ten Supergirl Comic Moments

Happy New Year to everyone! Welcome to 2010, my second full year of blogging. For everyone who stops by and comments on my musings, thanks so much. It is really great to talk to other fans of Supergirl and Superman.

Like last year, I thought I would do a' best of' review of Supergirl's comic book moments of the year. A year is a long time and Supergirl has been very busy so this is a very lengthy post.

Overall I would say that 2009 was an unbelievable year for Supergirl fans as the character really solidified her place as a premier character in the DC Universe.

First off, her own title stabilized under Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle. Critically praised with improved sales, Supergirl suddenly became a great and noticed title. She grew tremendously and really left behind the characterization that we had seen early on in the book. For a Supergirl fan, the quality of the main title has to be a high point of the year.

On top of that, Supergirl:Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade was a truly spectacular Johnny DC mini-series, introducing the character to a whole new generation. Like the best all-ages books, Cosmic Adventures was stuffed with moments that appealed to the adult fan with more Easter eggs hidden in six issues than I could count.

But Supergirl also was a major player in all the Superman titles, starred in a well received strip in Wednesday Comics, played a key part in Final Crisis, wrapped up Superman/Supergirl Maelstrom, joined the Justice League: Cry For Justice team, helped set up the R.E.B.E.L.S. team, and continued to appear in Tiny Titans.

And so ... onto my favorite comic moments of 2009. Because there were so many noteworthy moments, I couldn't keep it to just ten.

Here are the three Honorable Mentions, the three moments that almost made the cut.

Honorable Mention 3: Action Comics #881 - 'Little Fortresses'

With the world's military chasing down the 'Metropolis Three' for their alleged role in the Metropolis Sewer system disaster, Supergirl takes Nightwing and Flamebird to an apartment she keeps in Paris. As Kara happily twirls around, she talks about how she keeps lots of little fortresses around the world.

This reminded me of the famous 'Supergirl's apartment' scene in Final Crisis last year, a little peek into what Supergirl would call home. I also thought it was such a stark contrast to Superman's fortress, a reminder of their differences. Kal probably doesn't have a happy face pillow in the Arctic.

Honorable Mention 2: Cry For Justice #2- "The Arrival"


While the Cry For Justice comic has had its ups and downs, there is no denying that Mauro Cascioli's art has been absolutely stunning. This panel really was jaw-dropping as Supergirl arrives on the scene of a League battle and swiftly eliminates the few remaining villains. This was a powerful almost goddess-like rendition of Supergirl. Wonderful.

Honorable Mention 1: Superman Secret Origins 2009 - "The Tinkerer"


This one was put in and removed from the top ten so many times, it really should be on the 'best of list' as number 11. This was a flashback story looking at the Kara/Thara friendship back on Krypton.

I thought this added to the back story of Supergirl as we really haven't seen much of what she was like in her early years on Krypton. So to see her wearing goggles, wielding an arc welder, and reprogramming a baby-sitting robot was fascinating. It helps explain her decision... her ability to join the Science Guild; she is sort of a tech-y.

This story also showcased Thara's religious faith nicely.

And now on to the Top Ten Best Supergirl Moments of 2009:

Number10: Supergirl Cosmic Adventures in the Eight Grade #2 - 'Belinda Zee'


I cannot put into words how great I thought Belinda Zee was as character. She was the perfect foil for the Cosmic Linda. She was as popular and confident as Linda was shy and awkward. As the title goes on you sense that Belinda actually has feelings and is tired of her empty life compared to Linda who has a true friend.

Here is the moment she first arrives, telling Linda she is an upgrade. This 'Bizarro Supergirl' stirred the drink of the Cosmic mini-series, adding action, humor, and emotion to the story. I loved Belinda so she had to be in the top ten.

Number 9: Supergirl #42 - 'Strongest Girl On Two Planets'


The events of the New Krypton storyline kept Supergirl busy and pushed the Lana/Linda relationship on to the back burner. I was hoping on seeing this relationship grow in this title.

So this small moment in the aftermath of the Superwoman story arc was really appreciated. It showed that Lana and Linda have a great rapport. With Kara heading home to investigate Lucy's presence on New Krypton, Lana tells her she is the strongest girl on the planet. Supergirl playfully responds 'two planets'. There is an easiness about the discussion and Jamal Igle's art really connotes the comfort the two women have with each other. These panels are followed with one where Kara tells Lana to call her Linda from now on, another great moment in their relationship.

Number 8: Superman:World of New Krypton #3 - 'Faster than a Speeding Bullet'



With the Labor Guild revolting, Commander El decides to try some negotiation as a way for the standoff to end peacefully. Knowing that Zod and his crew would try to end the impasse through violence, Kal gives Supergirl an important part in his plan, keep the Labor Guild leader safe. In this scene she stops Commander Gor's assassination attempt by being faster than a speeding bullet and plucking it from the air. It is great to see both Supergirl beaming with pride as well as Superman letting her know he is proud of her efforts as well.

Pete Woods draws a great Supergirl too!

Number 7: World's Finest #3 - 'Hang In There, Catsy.'


This issue just came out but I liked how it re-envisioned a Supergirl/Batgirl friendship so much it warranted a spot on the 'end of year' list. The story shows just how easily Supergirl and Batgirl would become friends. In this early scene, I love how the 2 heroes look at each other and convey how they feel ... to leave Catwoman imprisoned. With that simple glance they know they are both in agreement. So much of that nuance - the expression and body language - is evoked from Jamal Igle's great art.

They both trained with Batman, they both wear the symbol of a legacy hero, they are both trying to figure things out for themselves. They should be friends.

This issue was the beginning of what I hope are many adventures together.

Number 6: Superman/Batman 62 - 'I Am Going To Destroy You ...'


This might win my favorite panel of the year as I loved everything about its composition. This scene takes place in Superman/Batman #62 in which Supergirl and the Tim Drake Robin are called upon to stop an inmate uprising in Arkham. As the story is a flashback, this is probably one of the first times Supergirl is exposed to the madness of Batman's rogues as she walks in to a room with the Joker eviscerating a staff member.

Her quick response ... her anger and actions ... are spot on here. She would (and some might say should) destroy a deviant murderer like him. And that depiction of her in the shadows as she contemplates dark deeds in this dark place is about as perfect as comics' art can get.

I can only hope that I get to see Rafael Alberquerque draw the Girl of Steel again.

Number 5: Wednesday Comics #2 - 'I'm Gonna Put A Stop To It'

I suppose I could have picked the whole Wednesday Comics strip as a moment. It lasted a brief 12 weeks but was a great, sweet, and fun story. This Supergirl seems just older than the Cosmic Supergirl with the same mix of innocence, exuberance, and awkwardness.

This scene from the second strip captures all of that. Here she works efficiently to save a news crew endangered by the maddened super-pets. At the same time she is embarrassed that she needs to do so, biting her lower lip and blushing slightly.

The Supergirl strip in Wednesday Comics was a joy to read. This was a young Supergirl as eager to pig out and watch TV as she is to fly to the sun and face aliens. Jimmy Palmiotti really captured that youthful energy. And Amanda Conner's art was simply adorable.

As an added bonus, Supergirl sported a 'Matrix' style costume here ... my favorite costume.

Number Four: Final Crisis #6 - ' Eat This Bus'

It is hard to believe that Final Crisis wrapped up within this year. It feels so long ago!

Grant Morrison had a very strong interpretation of Supergirl, describing her in some interviews as the sweetest girl in the universe. She was the exact opposite of the depraved, twisted, and perverted DeSaad-possessed Mary Marvel.

That clash of character and morality reached a fever pitch in Final Crisis #6 where the two go toe to toe in a shattered city. Kara more than holds her own, frying Marvel with heat vision and pummeling her. While the whole fight is really the 'best of' moment, my favorite in-battle moment is when Supergirl force feeds Mary a bus after Marvel calls her a slut. Buses as projectile weapons is one of my favorite things to see in comics.

Final Crisis had a lot of big moments hidden in its confusing plot. This was one of them.

Number 3: SupermanBlackest Night #2 - 'You're Not My Dad'



One of my concerns with the character of Supergirl is that her 'emotional vulnerability' can be overused as a plot point. I can remember comics in the 70s and 80s where Supergirl would break down and cry for mundane reasons like not getting a date. So when there is a prime opportunity for it to be overused and it isn't, I am very pleased.

In Superman:Blackest Night, Zor-El rises from the dead as a Black Lantern to threaten his wife and daughter. He unleashes a diatribe against Kara calling her a failure in every way. He probably is saying all the things Kara fears in her heart. It would have been very easy for James Robinson to have Kara crumple into a maudlin heap crying. And yet she overcomes that psychological assault.

Instead we see a strong determined Supergirl face this abomination of Zor-EL and lash out. That panel of her split between will and rage is fantastic. There is no fear or love or compassion here; she realizes this simply isn't her father and deserves none of those feelings. I think this scene also shows how much the character has grown over this last year.

Number 2: Supergirl #40 - 'I Know First Level Klukor'

Reactron had a significant presence in the main title over this year, facing off against Supergirl multiple times. For some reason, this moment in Supergirl #40 stood out.

Depowered by Gold Kryptonite and battered, Supergirl still shows strength and resolve. She faces off against the super-villain with nothing but her training and a hunk of rebar. I thought it was great that the continuity of her Amazon training and her training with Batman are brought up. Those are huge reasons why she would be able to survive in this fight for the 15 seconds she needs before she repowers. (The first level Klukor comment is the cherry on the sundae for a Silver Age guy like me.) Supergirl not only stands her ground but is victorious in this fight, ripping the gold K from Reactron's chest.

And while I always vow never to bring up the bike shorts controversy again, it was this panel that seemed to set the internet on fire about the topic as they are so prominently displayed. I prefer them red with gold trim but I have seen them colored all red, all blue, and blue with gold.

And the number one Supergirl moment in 2009 ...

Number 1: Supergirl Cosmic Adventures In The Eighth Grade #6 - 'The Krona Hand'



I suppose I tipped my hat with my choice a couple of weeks ago when I said I was planning a 'best of' post. But this was the best Supergirl moment of the year for me. I actually said 'awesome' out loud when I was reading the book for the first time.

For an old school guy like me, I have seen the 'hand of creation cupping a galactic swirl' in DC Comics many times. It is best known (and most seen) as the beginning of creation as seen by renegade Oan Krona. But that scene has been replayed in many places. Heck, it is on the cover of Crisis on Infinite Earths #11.

So when I was reading Cosmic Adventures #6 and saw the hand emerging from that swirl, I knew just what Landry Walker and Eric Jones were referencing. I knew this was 'the hand that Krona saw', the hand of creation. And then we see that the hand belongs to Supergirl!! It was the best mix of DC history and Supergirl that this DC history/Supergirl fan could ask for. Perfect! Readers who don't know the Krona connection probably did not get as big a bang for this scene as I did. But I had a silly grin on my face for a while after reading it.

Well ... that is the year of Supergirl as I saw it. I would love to hear other people's favorite moments or any comments you have on my picks.

I have another 'best of' post coming up next week ...

Dan Didio Talks Streaky!

Is it just me or does Supergirl get a lot of play on Dan Didio's Q&A sessions over on Newsarama? He has answered questions about Linda Danvers and Cosmic Adventures recently.

And then there was the most recent column: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/091116-DiDio-10-Answers.html

1) ICleverMan wrote:
Yes, I am one of those freaks who adore the Legion of Super-Pets -- I own every appearance of each of them, including all Krypto stories.

Since Krypto's return has been such a success, what are the possibilities we can see reinterpretations of Streaky, Comet and even some variation of Beppo (totally discounting the Peter David attempt at Comet)?

Wow ... a question about Streaky! The little guy sure has been getting a lot of publicity recently! Here is Didio's answer.

DiDio: I never like to say never on anything, because there's always a writer who tends to surprise me. The funny part about Streaky is they showed Streaky in Wednesday Comics. Amanda Conner did a beautiful job with Streaky and Krypto in that book. And I think anybody would love the character except for the character's name, which always seems to get more giggles than anyone wanting to embrace the little kitty.

On Beppo, probably not. I think what happened is that, we start to get a little too deep. One or two of those characters is interesting to see, but I think once you get a little deeper into a list of characters, it starts to weaken the brands or weaken the franchise too much because it doesn't seem like you're taking yourself too seriously.

Because of Comet's origin and the way Comet was played, in the last incarnation of Supergirl, Peter David found an interesting way to make Comet work. But at this time, there's no particular plans to do that again.

I can understand the decision to exclude Beppo. And I like that again the Peter David Supergirl gets a shout out. I did think that PAD's Comet was a very interesting and unique character.

But Streaky has become something of a mainstay in the DCU. Yes he (there she) was a big star in Wednesday Comics.


But he also made his reappearance in the Supergirl title and was even in Final Crisis!

Streaky deserves to be a small part in the Supergirl world. I don't need him to don a cape and have powers, but I think he should be a pet for Kara.

I still can't believe that Didio talked Streaky!!

Collected Wednesday Comics

One thing that was announced last week at the Baltimore Comic-Con was how Wednesday Comics was going to be collected. Here is the link from DC Comics Source blog: http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2009/10/12/unveiling-the-details-on-the-wedneasday-comics-collection/

Just announced at the Baltimore Retailer Summit, we've got the details on the Wednesday Comics collection, a topic that's been hotly debated and prognosticated by fans since the inception of the series.

he hardcover collection of the series, which will retail at $49.99, will clock in at 11x17 inches, which will present the series in a deluxe, big-screen format befitting the series, which was orignally printed on broadsheet newspaper pages.

I am of two minds when it comes to purchasing this collection.

Part of the charm of the series was it's format. The ability to tuck the folded paper under my arm as I walked around the house ... The snapping of the pages taut so that I could peruse the entire wide screen art ... the feel of the newsprint under my fingers. All of that will be gone.

Plus, the price tag is a little steep for a series where I only loved a third, liked a third, and kind of didn't care about another third. Is it worth it to drop 50 bucks when I may never read the Teen Titans, Metal Men, and Sgt Rock pages?

That said, I bet it will be a marvelous coffee table book, a way to show some non-comics people what I love about the medium. And my guess is the art will crackle on high gloss paper.

And the art is part of the draw for me as well.

In Wednesday Comics we saw this ...

And we saw this ...

But we also saw eye-popping huge panels of incredible power like this one ...

And this one ...

And this one ...

I guess we will have to see just how many pennies I have saved when the book gets released. My sense is I may ask for it for the holidays.

Any of you considering this as a purchase?

Review: Wednesday Comics #12

Wednesday Comics #12 was released yesterday, the last issue of the ground-breaking retro series of serial strips. It was sort of a bittersweet release for me. I had become quite accustomed to flipping through the paper each Wednesday night, catching up with the characters. I definitely had a nice feel of nostalgia for me.

On a completely different level, the format was conducive to some good Daddy moments. I also read the Supergirl strip to the supergirls at home each week as well. When I would come home with my bag of comics they always asked if Wednesday Comics had come out. And while not every strip would be suitable for them, they all read most of Superman and the eldest read Green Lantern with me as well.

I was very pleasantly surprised to see Supergirl as the featured strip this week. The super-cousins acted as bookend stars on the cover, Superman being showcased week one. Entering this week, the four strips that had not been in the 'big circle' were Supergirl, Teen Titans, Demon/Catwoman, and Batman. I would have bet that Batman would have been in the the big star here.

That said, the Supergirl strip has been routinely listed as one of the best strips in the anthology over the internet so maybe Kara earned first billing.

Unlike prior weeks, the opening panel featured the super-pets rather than Supergirl. This week's emotional theme seems to be 'satisfied' and both Krypton and Streaky appear quite pleased with themselves. I think it is appropriate that the pets be seen here. In some ways, they are the stars of the strip.

I also like the Kryptonian pet tags seen here. Translated they say:

My name is {Krypto or Streaky}. If found, please contact Kal-El or Kara Zor-El, Planet Earth.

Last strip ended with Supergirl being pummeled by the aliens weaponry while the pets flew in for the rescue. This week we see Supergirl slip into unconsciousness as Krypto and Streaky disarm the aliens.

When Supergirl comes to she sees the aliens talking to the super-pets. Krypto and Streaky have somehow explained to the aliens how their dumping of their waste into the sun is effecting Earth. Aware of the harm they are doing, the aliens agree to move elsewhere.

In fact, the waste the aliens are unloading are actually the weapons from their world now that the races on their planet have finally achieved peace.

I love the upper panel with three small inset panels of Supergirl. One thing I have loved about this strip is the expressive art of Amanda Conner. I love how Kara runs the gamut so quickly there.

Once Supergirl, Krypto, and Streaky fly off, the aliens take off their helmets and talk about their interaction with the Earth-based heroes. The 'warring races' on their planet were cats and dogs. They assume that Streaky is Queen of Earth and Krypto is the King of Earth. Even better, they think Supergirl is their pet.

That is just a nice cute twist to this adorable comic.

The strip ends with what may be my favorite panel of the serial. After their zany adventure, Supergirl and the pets head home for a quiet evening of television. Looks like Supergirl had some ice cream, Streaky had some tuna, and Krypto enjoyed a steak. I love how they are all curled up into each other. This was the perfect ending.

What can I say? From the beginning Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner said they wanted to do a cute, adorable, funny strip and they succeeded. I also think that, unlike some of the other strips, each week's Supergirl page had a it's own mini-story, advanced the overall story, and ended with a bit of a cliffhanger. That is what a weekly comic should do.

And I would feel remiss if I didn't mention the excellent coloring on the strip by Paul Mounts. Whether it be the space backgrounds or the multicolored sky at sunset with Aquaman or even the subtle color changes on the couch seen above giving it texture and depth, this was a superior job on coloring.

I really have loved this strip and have just become enamored with Conner's interpretation of Supergirl. Kudos to the whole creative team!

As for the rest of Wednesday Comics, the strip all had to come to an end and many of them included one last spectacular panel to take advantage of this unique format.

All along Kamandi has been one of my favorite strips. This ending huge panel is phenomenal. Its composition really evokes a feeling of isolation with Kamandi. He is the last boy on Earth ... or is he? I went into Wednesday Comics with no interest in Kamandi at all. Gibbons and Sook put together a great story here and got me wrapped up in the character. That is a sign of good art.

And Strange Adventures and Green Lantern were just as good, producing a great strip week in, week out.

Deadman also had a huge panel worth showing as well. I really liked this one where Deadman has to face the facts that he screwed up when he killed Kalak, the demonic jailer of the female spirits.

As I have said before, some strips really rallied and were overall very good stories. In particular, Hawkman, Batman, Superman, and the Flash all really improved over the weeks and formed the middle tier of stories, the silver medalists of Wednesday Comics.

Metamorpho, Wonder Woman, Teen Titans, Metal Men, and Sgt Rock never really grabbed me at any point although each had nice moments.

I think that DC really had a winner here and I hope that they consider another volume of Wednesday Comics. Assuming the creative teams were of equal artistic weight, I would definitely be there.

Overall grade (Supergirl): A
Overall grade (Wednesday Comics): B+

Review: Wednesday Comics #11

Wednesday Comics #11 was released yesterday and, as the penultimate issue, most strips cruised towards their finish lines. Also, more than any other week, this Wednesday Comics is loaded with huge panels which really make use of the expanded page space. As a veteran reader, I have been really thrilled to see artists taking advantage of this unique format and creating these massive pieces of beautiful art. Some of the strips this week were really breath-taking.

As for the Supergirl strip, things are shaping up for an explosive ending ... but we have to get there first.

This week's opening emotional panel shows Supergirl as 'irritated', looking out from under her bangs, and indignantly holding up a 'no littering' sign.

It is a perfectly adorable panel showing a cute and strong Supergirl. It is no easy feat to convey both of those characteristics in a picture but Amanda Conner continues to shine here.

Much like in Cosmic Adventures, there is definitely a feeling that this is a young Supergirl, with a lot of optimism. It is clear she thinks that once she is able to let these aliens know they are doing some harm to Earth that they will simply stop doing it. I won't say it makes her naive ... more like inexperienced. She seems shocked that the aliens first response is to draw their guns. Shouldn't they want to talk to her first?

It all fits with the whole innocent feel of this strip.

Unfortunately, the aliens react with violence and pummel Supergirl with their rifles, nearly knocking her out.

But just as it appears Kara will be overwhelmed, she spots Krypto and Streaky flying in to the rescue. And they don't look happy to see Supergirl being shot.

I expect this comic to end hilariously and explosively. That ship looks an awful lot like a dog bone!

Anyways, the whole vibe of this strip is of a sweet, innocent, adorable Supergirl and this chapter delivers that wonderfully. Of course the concept of 'shoot first talk later' is going to seem nonsensical to this version of Supergirl. As usual, the art here is top notch especially in the panels where we see Supergirl trying to gesticulate her intentions.

Sadly, there is just one more week ...

As for the rest of Wednesday Comics, there was a lot of newsprinty goodness happening. Batman's strip nears its conclusion by implying that Luna has figured out who is under the cowl. Kamandi has a memorable and sad moment as a cast member meets their fate. Deadman realizes that the innocent women aren't so innocent. And the big bad under Trident's mask is revealed in Teen Titans.

As I mentioned above, there is a lot of super-sized action this week as artists really stretched their muscles with giant panels. Wonder Woman, which had suffered from a microscopic layout earlier in the series, has a spectacular vertical panel which dominates the page. Green Lantern also has a massive panel of Hal in a space battle while smaller panels flank him. Korgo ends up on display in a museum in Strange Adventures in a panel that takes up a third of the page. And Hawkman continues to show just how small the hero is when compared to a dinosaur.

I went into Wednesday Comics excited for the Simonson/Stelfreeze Catwoman/Demon strip which has been serviceable but not overly memorable. This week's bonus panel comes from that strip as Stelfreeze gets to dazzle by showing just how big a gout of hellfire Etrigan can belch.

One more week. While I haven't loved every title in Wednesday Comics, I have loved the project as a whole and hope to see some reincarnation of it next summer. It was perfect beach reading. With sales hovering the thirty thousand range I wonder if the book was financially successful enough for DC to consider doing it again.

Overall grade: A

Review: Wednesday Comics #10

Perhaps the best compliment I can pay Wednesday Comics is that I have really looked forward to it each week. I wasn't always able to say that about the other weeklies I have collected in the past: 52 and Countdown. In fact, it was the 'hit or miss' nature of those weeklies that made me shy away from Trinity.

But Wednesday Comics has worked. I will admit it took a little time to get used to this format from a story-telling viewpoint. Some strips took some time to gain momentum about the overall story (Batman for example). Others seemed to dive right into action which may not have mattered for the overall plot (Teen Titans early chapters).

What has impressed me is how much I have come to enjoy some of the strips I was lukewarm about at the beginning. Batman, Deadman, Hawkman ... they have all improved dramatically over the course of the weeks.

As for this week, there was a definite sense of the rapidly approaching endings of the anthology as many strips took big steps plot-wise towards nearing their conclusions.

But on to Wednesday Comics #10 and Supergirl in particular. This week's opening panel emotion is 'relaxed' as Kara applies some SPF 1000 for her trip to the sun. I love the oversized sunglasses she is wearing! Too cute!

Aware that the super-pets' erratic behavior is due to aliens dumping their trash into our sun, Supergirl streaks into action.

Amanda Conner's art has been just wonderful this entire strip especially how expressive her Supergirl has been. Her Kara really wears her heart on her sleeve. This week's strip showcases that facet of her art with 6 inset close-up panels of Supergirl's face as she runs an emotional gamut.

I love how graceful Supergirl looks as she flies towards the sun. And here is one of those inset panels showing an excited Supergirl in awe of the universal splendor around her.

Supergirl approaches the massive alien ship cautiously, realizing she may have a hard time communicating with them.

Look at how sweet she looks here as she approaches with a 'friendly wave and smile'. Conner described her art on this strip as 'vomitously adorable'. The first panel here certainly fits the bill. I love the coy Kara flying in waving, her boot shyly pointed up.

Unfortunately, the aliens reaction is to reach for their guns.

Luckily, we see the super-pets speeding on their way!

Again, we see more of those inset panels showing Kara's emotions, first overly friendly then worried.

This strip continues to really entertain. Jimmy Palmiotti has captured the voice of this young Supergirl nicely. And this week's chapter really lets Amanda Conner shine, doing what she does best.

As for the rest of Wednesday Comics, the usual winners continue to impress.

In particular, this week's Green Lantern really set the stage for a wild finale of a space battle as the Kaphroki armada arrives to invade Earth. This strip has been one of the better strips week in week out. I love this panel as Hal gears up to face countless ships all aiming their guns at him. The last panel shows him grinning and cracking his knuckles as he gears up for the fight.

Batman, Kamandi, Strange Adventures, and the Flash remain excellent. Deadman and Hawkman have steadily improved and drawn me in.

And surprisingly, Superman (and not just because of the Supergirl sighting), Metal Men, Teen Titans, and Wonder Woman were all enjoyable this week as their stories reach a crescendo.

Two more weeks ... it just seems too short.

Overall grade (Supergirl): A
Overall grade (Wednesday Comics): A

Lee Bermejo's Supergirl in Wednesday Comics

Monday's Labor Day holiday pushed back 'new comic book day' from Wednesday to today. That means Wednesday Comics for this week should really be named Thursday Comics.

But I really look forward to my Wednesday fix and so I went to the USA today website yesterday to at least read the Arcudi/Bermejo Superman strip from Wednesday Comics on Wednesday.

Imagine my joy when I was greeted in the opening panel with a glorious image of Supergirl in her Matrix uniform. In this panel, Superman is flooding the mind of his enemies with his memories. The montage is nice with shots of Luthor, Bizarro, Superman hoisting up a car like the image on Action Comics #1, even his cape as a marker of his death like the cover of Superman #75.



But front and center in his thoughts is Supergirl! Here is a closer look at that image. That is just a great picture of Kara. Man, I miss that costume.

Anyways, I knew that if given the opportunity that Bermejo would draw an amazing Supergirl because this is not the first time I have seen him draw her. She played a small part in the Superman Gen 13 miniseries released in 2000. Written (!?) by Adam Hughes and drawn by Bermejo, the 3 issue mini is a fun story where Fairchild suffers from amnesia and believes she is Supergirl! There are a lot of funny scenes as she tries to explain to people that she must have lost her memories and her ability to fly because if red Kryptonite.

Still, since she is convinced she is Supergirl, she goes out and tries to do good. However, her rescues as 'Supergirl' usually end up in disaster. Her name besmirched, the real Supergirl (at this point in time Linda/Matrix) decides to hunt down her imposter.

The undercurrent of the story is how the Gen 13ers are first bored then amazed by Superman. The theme is actually that Superman is such a truly great man that he can inspire even slackers to do greater good.



Here is the cover to Superman Gen13 #3 which features a great cover of Fairchild in a Supergirl costume facing off against the real Girl of Steel, seen as a reflection in the storefront glass. Look that the classic heroic pose by Supergirl, hands on hips, stern expression on her face.

And here are a few more shots of Bermejo's Supergirl from the series.

Here is the last panel from Superman Gen13 #2. After Supergirl sees a headline 'Supergirl Busts Out', she demolishes the newspaper machine and says 'Ohhhhhh ... I don't think so!'

I love the angry expression on her face as she storms away.

And then this great scene where, at the end of the last issue, Supergirl finally catches up with the still confused Fairchild. What a powerful shot of Supergirl landing a devastating right cross.

But that isn't all! She is irate! Look at how she needs to be held back by Superman as she talks smack! I love the line 'Ruin my name will you! I'll ruin your face!' She finally needs to be shouted down by Superman. In fact, as punishment for losing her cool, Superman even makes Supergirl escort Gen13 out of town!

There is no denying that this is fantastic art, something I have become accustomed to with anything Bermejo does. He really does a great version of Supergirl. And I really do miss that version of the Supergirl costume.

I don't know much about and never really collected Gen13 but this is actually a pretty entertaining and humorous mini-series with beautiful art. I found all three issues in a $1 box at a recent convention and so it might be worth searching for.