Review: Adventures of Superman #440

It is hard to believe that Sophie Campbell has somehow brought the concept of a Matrix Supergirl back into the mainstream continuity. One thing that I have loved about Campbell's run has been her respect and honoring of the Supergirl mythos. Matrix was Supergirl for almost a decade. I liked the Matrix Supergirl and the arc and growth she had. So I am thrilled to see what Campbell is going to do with her.

It's also hard to believe that it has been 7 years since I did a run on this site called 'Matrix Monday', a side project where I reviewed the history of the Matrix Supergirl. Kara Zor-El was gone from the DCU and in the post-Crisis Superman universe, just about three later, a new 'Supergirl' arrived. 

I recently realized I missed a couple of those early appearances when Supergirl had just been discovered in the Antarctica ice, didn't know who she was, and was trying to figure out her mission on this Earth. This was a true mystery! Who was this person? John Byrne and the super-creators were slowly leaking out information, one subplot page at a time.  It started in Superman #16. Here in Adventures of Superman #440 some very interesting clues are revealed.

We are also only about 18 months into the John Byrne reboot when Byrne was still rebuilding and modernizing so much of the Superman mythos. After spending some of those early issues doing reboot or homage issues, we were now into more original takes. In this issue, we get a very interesting early moment between Batman and Superman. This was still a sort of new relationship in this post-Crisis world.

I plan to do cover the Adventures of Superman lead-in pages, filling in the beginning of the Matrix story, before the Supergirl Saga.. I won't be covering this entire issue just some key moments. We'll see how the rest of the issues play out.

Jerry Ordway is on art and these issues remind me why he is called Extraordinary. Everything shines here. I also like this cover, drawn by Dave Gibbons with Ordway on inks! Superman smiling when shrugging off lightning is always a great image. We have seen it a million times.

Going all the way back to the first 'It tickles' cover from Superman #33. Amazing!

On to Adventures #440!

Gifts From Italy

This is a bonus post mostly to thank a generous friend. 

You know you have a reputation as a comic book guy when even 'normie' friends on vacation in foreign nations wander into comic book stores to buy you merch. 

A good friend of mine, someone not at all into comics, was in Italy and saw a comic book store. He knew what he should do.

He went in and asked what they had of Supergirl and/or Superman. 

He got me 'Superman #33', an Italian collection of Action Comics #1034 and #1035. This was near the beginning of Phillip Kennedy Johnson's run on the book, just approaching the Warworld Saga. Want to go back and revisit? Here is a link to my review:

https://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2021/08/review-action-comics-1034.html

I could already tell that Johnson was on the way to something fantastic.

And check out this page, in Italian!!

You might recall that this moment was my #1 moment of 2021 for Supergirl. Johnson understood that Supergirl was often the smartest person in the room. 

How fantastic that this was the comic that my buddy found!

But wait there's more.

He also found this mini trade, collecting 4 issues of the early Superman books. The last issue in the book was a copy of Superman #21, the first chapter of the Supergirl Saga. Here it is 'La Saga Di Supergirl!' 

If you want to revisit that book, head here:

https://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2018/12/matrix-monday-superman-21.html

This was the introduction of the Matrix Supergirl to the DCU (after a few sneak peeks in the issues before). 

It includes this page! 

Santi Numi!

You might recall that Byrne cheekily has Superman say dialogue similar to Supergirl's first appearance in Action Comics #252.

Another amazing issue for my friend to just happen upon!

Anyways, it is good to have friends who know what you like. These are pretty cool!

Matrix Monday (On Wednesday): Jerry Ordway's Matrix Design

As a long time reader and a longtime Supergirl fan, I really enjoy peeking behind the curtain of the creative process. 

After the Crisis, we went a while without a Supergirl. And then Matrix came around, a sort of stand-in Supergirl. Matrix was the protoplasmic creation of Lex Luthor in the pocket universe, based on Lana Lang. I was a little skeptical of Matrix when she first arrived but her character journey was fantastic (one I chronicled about 4 years ago with Matrix Mondays).

I assumed that the plan was always to have Matrix become Supergirl (even though she pretended to be Clark and sort of disappeared for a while). 

But over on X/Twitter, I read this Jerry Ordway tweet and his ideas about Matrix. I figured this was Supergirl adjacent and therefore worth re-posting here. See the pic above and then his thoughts on this 'new character'. 

A Little Bit of Kandor: Supergirl #2

We are in a new world with the COVID-19 pandemic, with no new comics and very little comic news coming out. With no new reviews in the queue, I will start doing some back issue reviews, trying as best as I can to lean into recent storylines or plot points. That has always been my M.O. here at the site, not doing index reviews but celebrating the rich history of the DCU.

Recently, I covered Batman/Superman #8, a story reintegrating Kandor and setting up the Kandor Compromise. It is definitely a fun issue.

With that book in my mind, in particular the rather rapid reintegration of Kandor in current continuity given that Rogol Zaar had just smashed and stomped it to bits about 2 years ago. So why not take a little look at Kandor?

This won't be comprehensive at all. 'A Little Bit of Kandor' will be like 'Matrix Monday' was here, a side look at some stories that intrigue me or that build a little history. And I thought I'd start with 1973's Supergirl #2,

Now I am a fan of Supergirl. And I tend to be a tad forgiving for her stories.

But this story is crazy.

I mean 'did the creative team drop acid' crazy.

I know that late Silver Age/early Bronze Age stories are stuffed with story elements. How often do I say that a 10 pager in this time period has as many plot elements as current 6 issue arcs. But this story is filled not only with plot elements but significant inconsistencies to continuity, odd off-the-cuff major details, and insanity that I am surprised everyone agreed to do it.

In the end I wonder if the writer basically asked people what they wanted to see in a Supergirl story, got a list of things, and fit a story around those elements. It is the only explanation I can see.

Let's not forget the reason I am reviewing this now. Kandor is a huge part of this story. But I also feel like the rules and landscape of the bottle city we see in the tale are just a bit off as well.

At the very least, I also have to tip my hat to the medicine in the issue. We get a brief message of sickle cell disease. I suppose that is the educational element that was sort of demanded at the time in comics.

On to this story. Strap in!

Supergirl Best Of 2019: Comic Honorable Mentions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Matrix Monday: Superman #83

 Just last week I called for a hiatus to Matrix Monday.

Sorry, that was premature.

Even though I had gone right up against the beginning of Peter David's reimagination of the character, I was reminded of Superman #83, an epilogue to the Funeral For A Friend arc, and a sort of closure to the entire Reign of the Supermen storyline.

This issue came out 4 months before the beginning of Matrix's mini-series, Supergirl #1, to put this in the right context. (Had I thought about this in a more organized way, I would have done this purely chronological. I came pretty close.)

I have said before that I found Funeral For A Friend to be something of a turning point for the Matrix character. It was there that she seemed to become more independent, began to think more like a hero, and seemed determined to fill the shoes of the departed Superman.

Here, I think, we see more of that. I really want to hear what people think about a certain scene near the end.

I think Roger Stern had her take a little step backwards in that independence at the beginning of that mini-series. But I think he did that to make her eventual break away from Lex that much more impactful.

On to the book.

Matrix Monday: Showcase '95 #12

For the past couple of months I have been devoting Mondays to the Matrix Supergirl, covering her introduction to the DCU by John Byrne, to her more solid re-introduction to the universe by Roger Stern and Jackson Guice, to her mini-series, and then to her solo stories thereafter.

Today I conclude this dedicated look with Showcase '95 #12. This story follows the Dichon story which was told in Showcase '95 #1 and 2 (reviewed here last month). The next solo story after this is in Showcase '96 #8, a prelude to the Peter David Supergirl book.

So this issue sort of is the capstone for the Matrix Supergirl. Sure, she continued to flit in and out of the Superman books. But for now, I think I will put the Matrix Monday idea on hiatus.

So let's see where 1995 left this Supergirl.

Before we jump in, figured I'd showcase (pun intended) that I have had the luck of getting this issue signed by Tom Grummett (cover artist) and Phil Jimenez who did the pencils on the Matrix story inside.

Matrix Monday: Showcase '95 #2

My on again/off again Matrix Monday series returns today as I finish the Showcase '95 story written by Charles Moore with art by Stuart Immonen. In part 1,a newly sentient AI, housed in a robot body came to Earth to collect crystals in which to download his essence. Along the way, he ran into Supergirl and felt that the Matrix body would be a more suitable receptacle.

This was a story that focused mostly on the true form of Supergirl, really showcasing the purple gloppiness of the Protomatter form. In some ways, focusing on that aspect of her on the heels of her self-title mini-series felt like a step backwards. In the mini-series, Matrix seemed to grow as a person. Here I was reminded a bit too much that she is 'other'.

The art by Immonen is very good. I have always been a fan.

On to the book!

Back Issue Box: Adventures Of Superman #638

I am taking a break from my Matrix Monday series to take a different look into the Back Issue Box.

Today, I'll be covering Adventures of Superman #638, a fascinating Mxyzptlk story which borders on an Imaginary Story (aren't they all). Greg Rucka brings us a touching but also humorous issue. It also is a tour de force for artist Matthew Clark.

As always, I try to make my looks back somehow related to current stories, even if tangentially.

In Superman #9, Superman had a waking vision of the future including his daughter. I always like these potential family futures. You may recall that I covered possible future daughter Laura in my review of  Superman Family #200 .

But there have been other visions of other daughters out there as well.

Matrix Monday: Showcase '95 #1

 Last Monday I covered the finale of the 1994 Supergirl mini-series. In the end, the Matrix Supergirl finally left Lex Luthor and found a mentor with Lex's ex-wife Elizabeth Perske.

In the immediate aftermath, Action Comics #700 came out with Lex attacking Metropolis. Oh, yeah, and then something called Zero Hour happened. Matrix was involved like everyone was in that event but did not have a big role. She receded a bit into the background.

Then 1995 rolled around and early on Supergirl was a bit more visible. In January of 1995, she was the cover star of the David Michilenie/Butch Guice  Action Comics #706 , a nice fill-in which reminded folks that she was part of the super-family.

She also was the cover star of Showcase '95 #1. The Showcase books at this time had yearly themes and 1995 was the year of Superman characters to headline the book. So this issue we get not only Supergirl but Alan Scott Sentinel and Argus. This also was a sort of try-out book for DC. Not only were more minor characters given the spotlight but newer talent were given a shot.

It is a weird convergence that she headlines two books in one month.

That is a great cover by Tom Grummett sporting a beautiful Supergirl.

And yes, I had this one signed by Tom Grummett a couple of years ago in Boston.

On to the book.

Review: Supergirl #4 (1994 miniseries)

And so Matrix Monday reaches Supergirl #4 from the 1994 mini-series, the finale. Finally, we get a Supergirl who is her own woman, free from the influence of those who wish to use her. Finally, we got a Supergirl that old-school Supergirl fans could get behind.

Of course, it was also the 90's, so we need to get there with leg bands and spikes. But that's okay.

As I have said many times in the past, The Death of Superman, Funeral for a Friend, and Reign of the Supermen were all sort of catalysts for the Matrix Supergirl character. With Superman gone, she seemed to step up. She wanted to fill his void as a hero for Metropolis. And she wasn't going to sit by when his body disappeared or when newcomers tried to claim his name.

In the aftermath of those mega-selling books, we got a Superboy book and a Steel book. At least Supergirl got this mini-series. And writer Roger Stern took all the progress we saw in the character in those earlier arcs to its logical conclusion. Supergirl was finally going to see Luthor for the manipulative villain he was and strike out on her own.

It would have been easy to make her *extreme* !!! It was the 90's after all. And we do see elements of that here. She initially is a destructive force, lashing out at Luthor, and almost (as we'll see) killing him. Thankfully, Stern back pedals a bit keeping the more innocent and optimistic side of Supergirl dominant.

The art by June Brigman and Jackson Guice is as solid as it has been in the series. But with the darker turn in plot, they employ more moody settings and shadows. It all blends nicely.

I wonder how many people go to Roger Stern at a convention with all four issues of this mini-series to get signed. I should have asked him.

In fact, I hope I do run into him again at a convention so I can ask about this story. At Terrificon, there was a line waiting behind me to meet him so I was brief in my interaction.

Matrix Monday: Supergirl #3 (1994 mini-series)

We are into the back half of the 1994 Supergirl mini-series, a story our Matrix realizes that Lex Luthor has been using and manipulating her. For two straight issues we have seen LexCorp test her physically and mentally. It is time to break free.

In Supergirl #3, Supergirl comes face to face with Luthor's ultimate goal regarding all those tests. He wants a new body. His own cloned body is dying. And he also wants an army of Supergirls to control. Writer Roger Stern does a great job of showing us how the truth slowly sinks into our innocent heroine's mind. She has been looking for love and purpose and Lex gave her both. Now she knows that was all a ruse.

Stern also does a wonderful job leaning into this Supergirl's short history in the DCU. All the major events are brought up here, showing us the highlights. Moreover, Stern shows how all of this has been building up for a couple of years. The seeds were planted, the lines laden with foreshadowing said. It shows a sort of respect for a character that could have been a joke. Kudos to Stern for treating Supergirl well.

The art here is by the usual team of June Brigman and Jackson Guice. The art this issue feels a little looser than the prior two. Some of that might come from the major action sequence which the book revolves around. This approach works for Supergirl given the mayhem and destruction happening around her.

Lastly, this does what a penultimate issue should do. We are brought to a point were we can see the climax coming up. I also feel like the story is at a place where a satisfactory ending is within the reach of one issue's pages.

And yes, I got this issue signed by Stern last year at Terrificon.

On to the story.

Matrix Monday: Action Comics #676

I have been enjoying my look back at the early days of the Matrix Supergirl these last few months. From the early appearances to The Supergirl Saga to her self-exile, it has been interesting to see just how low her character went at points only to emerge from the other side.

I am halfway through the 1994 Supergirl series and yet her I am taking a break in the middle to review the last few pages of Action Comics #676 by writer Roger Stern and the series new artist Jackson Guice. To place this issue in the timeline, this is the first issue after Panic In The Sky. I mean, check out the UPC box text. "After Panic In The Sky, Thing get back to normal in Metropolis - NOT!"

Why pump the breaks on the mini-series reviews? Well, in the review of Supergirl #1, there was a panel of Matrix meeting Lex Luthor II for the first time. I loved this Sistine Chapel like look at their meeting. And I realized, given that the Matrix/Luthor romance is a key part of that mini-series that I should look at their first meeting.

Now understand that the majority of this issue is Luthor II being introduced to Metropolis and Superman fighting the Hellgrammite. But I am not covering those pages.

Instead I am covering the last few. Here we go!

Matrix Monday: Supergirl #2 (1994 mini-series)

Supergirl #2, the second issue in the Matrix mini-series from 1994, playfully has the word Supergirls as it's trade dress, showcasing last issue's reveal that Luthor is creating a clone army of his innocent girlfriend. There are a lot of Supergirls in a lot of bubbles. If this doesn't grab your eye, not much will.

The truth is we don't see much of this part of the story in this very good issue. Instead, we have Supergirl finally realizing just how much of a toxic relationship she is in with Lex. For months she has been creating excuses for Lex for his poor behavior. She has accepted his apologies and inane rationalizations for his actions at face value, always leaning on her belief that Lex is ultimately a good man. Even hearing from trusted sources like Clark and the Kents has done little to dissuade her.

In this issue, Supergirl finally listens to herself and realizes that Lex is mistreating her. She hears others say how she is being used and abused. And maybe because she hears it not from the viewpoint of Lex being evil but from the angle that she is complicit in her own abuse does she shake away the cobwebs. It's about time.

Writer Roger Stern does a great job in these first two issues showing us just how terrible Lex is. And he does a very good job in showing us just how slowly Supergirl comes to seeing through the lies.

The art by June Brigman and Jackson Guice also is strong here. We get action sequences in the book. We get to see how graceful Supergirl can be even while fighting. And we see some quieter, more civilian moments, reminding is that she is a young woman as well.

All in all, this is a great second issue as it pushes the plot forward but in a more character-driven way.

On to the book.

Matrix Monday: Supergirl #1 (1994 mini-series)

The Matrix Monday sometimes series rolls on this month with a look at the 1994 Supergirl solo mini-series written by Roger Stern with internal art by June Brigman and Jackson Guice and covers by Kerry Gammill. Supergirl #1 had a cover date of February 1994, a busy month in the Superman Family for DC Comics. Coming off the wildly successful Death of Superman , Funeral for a Friend, and Reign of the Superman story arcs, DC decided to showcase some of the heroes who emerged from that historic arc. That month there wasn't just a Supergirl first issue. Steel #1 and Superboy #1 were also on the shelves.

During the Death/Funeral/Reign arcs, the Matrix Supergirl character took some big leaps in character growth. She started to act independently, thinking like a hero, and embracing her role in the Superman family. She even started to recognize that maybe Lex Luthor wasn't the purest of hearts. At times, in those stories, she defied him.

This mini-series marks a major turning point for the Matrix character. Finally she sees Luthor for the evil person he is. She finally breaks away from him. She starts out on her own with a new mentor. I know ... spoiler alert. But I am giving away the ending just so that you can see how profound that turnaround is given how she acts here.

The art in this is also stunning. I am used to Guice inking his own pencils. Here, his lines over Brigman have a nice synergy.

I had the luck of meeting Roger Stern at last year's Terrificon and got him to sign these issues.

On to the book.

Matrix Monday: Action Comics #678 Review

With last week being a 'no new comic to review' week, I thought I'd continue my Matrix Monday theme.  And I thought that Matrix's early stories are still important in laying down the foundation of the 'new' Supergirl who was going to stick around in the Superman books.

Action Comics #678 carries the cover blurb 'They Saved Luthor's Brain!' and is a wonderful issue in setting up major changes for the landscape of the Superman family. Seriously, when I reread this issue for this review, I was impressed at how this really is a seed for major upcoming plots.

Action Comics #677, review on this site way back in late 2011 (!), showed just how smitten Matrix was with the son of Lex Luthor. She was so taken with him that she was willing to fight Superman! Here, the mystery of Luthor's son is solved. But further shenanigans with Cadmus, Dabney Donovan, and yes Matrix Supergirl all play into the deep plot. Writer Roger Stern really lays down a ton of plot with threads coming off of the main idea that would spread throughout the titles for the next couple of years. I have come to recognize how great Stern's work was on the Superman books, especially picking up the pieces post Byrne.

Jackson Guice is on art and I have gushed about his art in the past. Here he does a great job with angles and shadows, especially in the second half, to give this book a sort of Film Noir feel.

And there is no denying how fantastic this cover by Art Thibert is. What a great shot of Supergirl, flying in front of bullets aimed at Luthor. She is stunning. But the big win is the white surprint of the central nervous system overlying the young Luthor's body. Hmmm ...

Seriously, how could you pass by that cover on the rack and not want to buy it?

 And you might have missed it but I got this issue signed by Stern at last year's Terrificon. I was happy to thank him for his work on the Super-books.

On to the book!

Matrix Monday - 90s House Ads

I am taking a small break from Matrix comic reviews this week to post some Matrix House Ads that I stumbled across this last week.

Supergirl was prominently displayed in two house ads from a comic cover dated April 1998. Supergirl #20, a Millenium Giants crossover of all things, was on the shelves. She was two issues out from sprouting her flame wings and really exploring the angelic aspect, something which had been hinted at throughout the initial issues.

I know how big my love of Supergirl is. And I know how fascinated I was with the Peter David series in the late 90s, a semi-Vertigo spin on the character with tons of references to her prior incarnation.

But what I don't know is how she was being accepted by the comic community at large. And I don't know how embraced this new concept of Earth Angel was either.

Still, I think it is encouraging to think DC thought well enough of her character to have her on the subscription ad. (Remember those days when comics were mailed to people!) Yes it is a double play on words on how hot the deal is. One, I suppose there are people who think Supergirl is 'hot'. Two, fire is a big part of the art here (replicating the cover from Supergirl #14).

Still, they could have come up with any other quip - 'super' deals, deals 'as good as Gold', etc.

Instead they chose Supergirl!

But there was another!

Matrix Mondays: Action Comics #644

Welcome to the next chapter in my now-and-then Matrix Monday reviews. This won't be a comprehensive look at all of Matrix's appearances. That would be a bit too demanding. But the hope here is to cover some of the big moments in that Supergirl's career that I haven't yet covered on this site.

I recently covered the early Byrne issues of Superman and the ultimate Byrne storyline, 'The Supergirl Saga', which brought the protoplasmic Matrix back to the DC Earth and onto the Kent Farm.

After Superman executed the Pocket Universe Phantom Zone villains, he took off into space, self-exiling himself. During that time, his secret identity was maintained by the shape-changing Matrix. Matrix became Clark Kent. But things have become dark.

And so we have Action Comics #644, the next chapter in the difficult early days of this character. So much for the return of Supergirl.

'Doppelganger' was written by George Perez and Roger Stern with art by Perez and Brett Breeding. I have give Roger Stern a lot of credit for picking up the ball dropped by Byrne and putting together a very solid run on Superman.

And the art team of Perez and Breeding is interesting. There is definitely a Perez 'feel' to this work but I feel like Breeding really puts his own stamp on things. You have to almost squint a bit to realize you are seeing a Perez book, as if it is hidden under the distinctive layer of inks.

But it is a good splash, Superman speeding like a bullet to Smallville to answer a call for help from his friend Lana.

Matrix Mondays On a Thursday: Superman #22

The holidays falling early in the week have made standard scheduling on this blog a bit of a nightmare. I had a decision to make. Keep Matrix Mondays on only Mondays, delaying the conclusion of The Supergirl Saga a couple of weeks. Or somehow transpose Matrix Mondays to another day. Somehow I managed to move it to this Thursday ... but more on that later.

Superman #22 is the last part of the three-part Supergirl Saga. It also is the conclusion of John Byrne's run on the character, with Byrne writing and drawing the issue. The fallout of this storyline effected the Superman books for some time afterwards, leading into the introduction of Gangbuster, the Exile storyline, and the ultimate 'small e' exile of this Supergirl after a bit of misdirection. And then, of course, there is the actual reason why Superman exiled himself to space after this.

Spoiler alert for the 30 year old story, he executes the Phantom Zone villains from the pocket universe.

When this came out, I thought it was a stunning ending. And I thought the repercussions of it were appropriate with Superman questioning himself and whether it was safe for him to stay on Earth. It also made him skirt the edges of mental stability. Things wouldn't be the same.

But now, after all these years, I hate this decision. And I hate it for one reason. This book is one of the primary defenses people use when they defend Superman killing Zod in Zach Snyder's Man of Steel. When fans like me were repulsed by that ending, saying simply 'Superman doesn't kill', the fans would bleat 'What about Superman #22?'

And there isn't an easy comeback to that. He does kill here.

Of course, as I said before, we had his near immediate introspective reactions of regret and shame a mere 30 days later, a self-exploration that lasted over a year. Not the same as movies in which three years pass between plot progression.

But I vowed that I would curse the darkness of the Snyder-verse any more.

Instead, I'll shine the light on the high points of this story. Supergirl was back, in a way. Despite his heroic front, the pocket universe Luthor turns out the be just as big a narcissist as the classic. And Superman learns a hard lesson.

On to the book.

Matrix Monday: Adventures Of Superman #444

Last week I began the idea of Matrix Mondays,  a spotlight on some of the pieces of the Matrix Supergirl's history which I haven't covered during the 10 plus years of this site.

First stop is The Supergirl Saga, the storyline which brought back a Supergirl to the DCU. Last week I covered chapter one in Superman #21. Today we'll dive right into the second chapter in Adventures of Superman #444, by writer John Byrne and art team of Jerry Ordway and Dennis Janke.

This was an interesting time in the DC Universe. The Crisis was only a couple of years in the past. The idea of something being pre-Crisis or post-Crisis was still fresh in readers' minds. And the long-reaching continuity ramifications were still being discovered. It also meant that if creators wanted to take one last look back, they could do so. Readers still remembered infinite Earths.

Ahhh ... but we should have been able to remember. There was only one universe throughout time after the Crisis. As a result, if you wanted to cobble together some sort of coherent patch in Legion continuity, you would come up with the concept of a 'pocket universe', a slice of time/space that wasn't a whole universe.

Please pass the ibuprofen.

Still, something had to be done to fix the Legion. So here we are.

This issue does what a middle chapter is supposed to do, filling in the details of a story while setting up a satisfactory ending. This issue is basically a flashback of the Pocket Universe Earth and what happened after the death of Superboy in the Baxter Legion book. It does give artist Jerry Ordway the opportunity to revisit Silver Age looking elements of the DCU. Nothing like old school Quex-Ul to make a long time Superman fan happy!

And we get just a smidge more of this Supergirl.

But this is an info dump in preparation of the finale's conflagration.

One last note. I love that the cover of this issue is basically the first panel of the story. Here is Superman kneeling at the graves of the Kents who on this world have passed.

On to the book.