Review: Blackest Night: Superman #1

As an admitted old-timer, I actually appreciated the ending of Crisis on Infinite Earths where Kal-L was the ultimate hero and he and Lois achieved paradise.

So I was less than thrilled to see Kal-L reduced to an Alex Luthor dupe in Infinite Crisis. And I was even more unhappy when he died at the hands of Superboy Prime.

You can imagine my trepidation when I first learned that Kal-L was coming back as a Black Lantern. That sort of completes the descent, doesn't it? Kal-L has gone from universe saving hero to dupe to outright villain.

With these feeling in my mind, I purchased Blackest Night:Superman.

While it does further besmirch Kal-L's character, I have to say the book worked for me. I found it creepy and engrossing. The setting, the dialogue, the art, the coloring ... it all worked.

Moreover, it might be called Blackest Night:Superman but it really seems to be Blackest Night:Superman Family. Superboy and Supergirl are big players here too.



The opening pages remind of how idyllic a place Smallville is. It's a place where everyone knows each other by their first names; a place where people stroll down the sidewalk and stop to chat at the general store.

It's a place where you have can have a 'usual' at the local diner.

That sort of paradise on Earth is suddenly shattered by the blood-thirsty risen Kal-L who promptly goes on a killing spree.

We don't initially see Kal-L, getting only glimpses of his shadow as he enters a scene. And the murders are all thankfully done off screen, marked by the cold appearance of rising power levels in Kal-L's ring. It read like a body count, detached from the violence but effective in showing the reader what is going on. That works better in building up the dread of these scenes. I can imagine what that diner looks like ... it is almost better left unseen.

Kal-L's trail of bodies eventually leads to the Kent Farm where Superman and Superboy are relaxing with Ma over dinner. This scene takes place on the day of heroic mourning we have seen in Blackest Night #1 thus explaining why Superman is back.

The meal is interrupted by Kal-L who has disinterred Pa Kent and now wants some Kryptonian blood on his hands.

This is just creepy. An undead Superman standing in a graveyard with Pa's coffin in the background. It is that contrast that works in Blackest Night. To see the heroic Superman so distorted just makes me feel uneasy. It is the same feeling I got in Blackest Night #1 when the Elongated Man is spouting his goofy lines as he bashes Hawkman with a mace. That disconnect throws the reader off and makes the scene effective.

Kal-L decides to eliminate Conner first leading to a brawl in the skies above Smallville.

One thing I find interesting about the Black Lanterns is how they can register the emotional spectrum in their foes.

While being attacked, Conner is feeling a mix of fear (most likely of dying again) and will (most likely to escape and survive).

In what I think is the most powerful panel in the issue, Superman feels a whole range of emotions when he sees Conner being attacked - fear he will lose the battle and Conner, hope he will win, the will to press on, the love for his friend, and the rage of the affront of this attack. All those feelings are swirling him in as he charges into battle. It is probably what he feels before a lot of battles.

Well, if Kal-L is being dragged through the mud as a Black Lantern, I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see the Black Lantern Lois from Earth -2. What ... no pillbox hat?

The undead Lois decides to pay a visit on Ma.

Are no characters sacred?

I can only hope that when Blackest Night ends, some of these characters get the peace and respect they deserve.

It is unclear if it is the torrent of emotions that Superman was feeling or just his plain old powers that lets him get the upper hand, but he is able to briefly subdue Kal-L and rescue Conner. I like how the decaying flesh just flies off the jaw here.

Unfortunately, the Conner rescue delays Superman for a moment and allows Kal-L to escape.

Don't think that Blackest Night is going to leave Kara unscathed.

All along I have wondered if we would see a Black Lantern Zor-El. Now we know.

Poor Zor-El. He was re-introduced, killed, and reanimated as a villain in under a year! We don't see much more besides his rising although the look of fear on Kara and Alura's faces speaks volumes.

I would love to hear when the decision was made creatively to re-animate Zor-El. Was it an easy decision? Did the super-teams vote on it? When he was killed last year was it already decided he would rise?

Zor-El has been portrayed as a stand-up sort of nice guy and loving father. I hate to see him arise as villain too. But again, it is that deranged mix-up between words from a loving father coming from the murderous undead that adds to the eerie feeling of the book.

Back on Earth, Conner and Clark track Ma's heartbeat into town.

I love the contrast in their responses when they find her in the clutches of Kal-L and Lois. Clark has the will to hold back and assess the situation. Conner is enraged and want to fly right in to battle.

There is Kal-L and Lois with Pa's casket and Ma. This could get ugly.

Of course, I don't know why they wouldn't immediately splatter Ma unless there is more to these Lanterns than a body count. But it seems silly that Lois has Ma in a choke hold rather than holding Ma's still warm heart in her hands.

This is the only Blackest Night character crossover mini-series I am planning to get. I am not getting Blackest Night:Batman, Blackest Night:Titans, or Blackest Night:Wonder Woman. But if those miniseries shake up those characters as much as this issue shook up the Superman family tree ... well fans of those characters should throw the mini-series onto their pull list.

This was a thrill ride of an issue ... a sort of kick to the gut for everyone in the Superman Family. Kal-L, Lois, and Zor raised and evil! Ma threatened? Pa's body in peril?

But it is the balance of straight forward superhero action with the emotional weight of loved ones returning as murderous undead that really gives Blackest Night its punch.

We have seen how profoundly Zor's death effected Supergirl and Alura in the Supergirl book. Zor-El's rising should have as significant effect on the two of them and for some time into the future. What will they be feeling when they need to fight him?

And we saw what effect Pa's death had on Clark. We know how much Superman revered Kal-L as the original hero. How much will this battle weigh on Superman?

Add into this the setting of all this carnage is tranquil Smallville and you have a recipe for a great story.

I have praised Eddy Burrows' art in the past. When he is on, his stuff is very slick. I thought this issue showcased his style nicely. This wasn't as strong as Action Comics #876, the Ursa knife fight issue, but it was still fantastic.

And I feel I need to praise colorist Rod Reis for his use of shadows and grays as well as the negative images of the emotional spectrum. The color really added to the tone of the issue.

It all worked enough to push my concerns about the sullying of Kal-L into the back of my mind a little bit. And that says something.

Overall grade: A

Review: Supergirl #44

Multi-title crossovers must be tricky for the creative teams. The writers and artists are trying to satisfy two groups with possibly competing interests. One group cares about the lead character but might not have any interest in the crossover story. The other group are new readers to the title there only because it is a chapter in the larger arc.

Supergirl #44 was the second chapter in Codename:Patriot and happily I think that Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle put together a strong issue to satisfy both groups.

It is clear that this wasn't an issue of Superman Family. This was an issue of Supergirl with much of the plot revolving around her. That said, it clearly moved the plot of Codename:Patriot ahead.

One thing for sure, General Lane is a cunning foe using misdirection and deceit as a way to move his plans along. And while I was pretty certain that the 'big bad' here was going to be General Zod, it seems clear that Lane is the one pulling all the strings.

Last chapter ended with Ral-Dar safe in Project 7734 headquarters, his alliance with General Lane revealed.

While in a holding room, Ral-Dar overhears General Lane discussing how Ral-Dar is simply a tool and that the Kryptonian can be eliminated once the US President signs a landmark treaty with the Markovian government.

Ral-Dar doesn't like the fact that he was being used by Lane. His mind must be reeling right now. He will go down as a villain amongst his own people and now his goal of Terran/Kryptonian peace looks like it was a smokescreen put up by Lane.

Enraged, he breaks free of the headquarters knocking out Atlas in the process. He takes off for Markovia most likely to tell the President of Lane's plans.

How interesting it is to see that General Lane is pleased by this turn of events. It is clear that he said the thing she said expecting Ral-Dar to react the way he did. Lane gleefully says 'Codename:Patriot is back in play' marking the beginning of phase 3 of his plan.

Since Lane wants Ral-Dar loose and flying to Markovia, I am going to guess that Atlas took a dive. After all, Atlas stood toe to toe with Superman for the better part of 2 issues without dropping.

As for Ral-Dar, while his intentions for heading to Markovia are most likely noble he is probably going to be recognized as a threat. He is an illegal Kryptonian on Earth flying at top speed to an international summit. He is the patsy in all this.

With the more global story event of Ral-Dar's event taken care of, the issue can focus a bit more on Supergirl.

It certainly looks like Lois has not forgiven Kara in the least. When Supergirl asks for a few words in private with Lois, Lois returns an icy stare that made me shiver. It looks like Lois still feels Kara is wholly to blame for Lucy's death.

I have talked about Jamal Igle's excellent work with character expressions before. This panel is a great example of that. With no words, we know exactly what Lois is thinking.

Ral-Dar's location is discovered and the heroes are notified of his path to Markovia. That is outside the Science Police's jurisdiction meaning it is up to the super family to stop him.

Superman has no idea about Ral-Dar's motivations or his temporary partnership with Project 7734. To Kal, Ral-Dar is an assassin - first of Zod and now of the US President. Already we see how Lane's plans are going to play out. The Earth will have no choice but to react to an assassination attempt on their world leaders (even if Ral-Dar isn't heading their with murder in his mind).

But another problem suddenly appears which also requires some attention.

News footage shows Flamebird shouting Kryptonian jingoist slogans and ripping apart Hollywood. Supergirl reveals her relationship to Thara as well as how she just might be insane. Thara does thinks she is the living embodiment of a Kryptonian god; it certainly sounds crazy.

Of course we fans know that Thara was captured by Mirabai and the Metallo/Reactron duo last week. We also know that Thara isn't exactly a Kryptonian nationalist. Something isn't right here.

Regardless, Flamebird can't be allowed to simply run amok. The heroes are going to need to split up.

When Superman suggests Supergirl take on Thara alone while he and Mon-El face off with Ral-Dar, he is interrupted by Lois. Lois feels Supergirl isn't careful enough to handle this alone given the Superwoman results. Wow! Lois just can't see Kara's side on this at all. You would think the reporter in her would try to analyze the Superwoman story from all angles. She must be letting her grief affect her more than I would expect.

I feel for Superman who is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Does he back his wife or his cousin? Last issue, he intimated to Kara that he thought she did nothing wrong. Still, it would be hard to completely blow off his wife.

Again we see the power of Igle's pencils. No words here but the panel speaks volumes. Superman is clearly conflicted as he looks at Kara. Supergirl is clearly hopeful but also a little scared that she will be disappointed.

In the end, Superman sides with his wife. He sends Supergirl and Mon-El to Hollywood while he will take on Ral-Dar on his own.

Once in Hollywood, Supergirl is forced to chase 'Flamebird'.

As expected, Flamebird isn't Flamebird but is instead Reactron cloaked by Mirabai. While Mon-El is distracted by Nightwing (who I assume is Metallo), Supergirl is isolated against Mirabai and succumbs to her spells.

So we have Ral-Dar heading towards to Markovia with unclear intentions. Now we have a Kryptonian like Flamebird ripping apart Hollywood. Using misdirection, General Lane is building up a public case against New Krypton.

When Mon-El is about to leave Nightwing and see what is happening with Supergirl, Flamebird reappears and the two fly off at top speed, their destination apparently Markovia. Just as suddenly, 'Supergirl' reappears telling Mon-El that they need to follow Thara and Chris and stop their plans.

General Lane even has the court of public opinion lined up.

Throughout the story we have seen snippets of Morgan Edge's talk show and how he is anti-Kryptonian. Cat Grant, craving a new Supergirl story to keep her on top, gets a mysterious phone call to appear on the show the next day. Why would they plan on having Cat on unless 'Supergirl' is going to do something to further Lane's plans to stir the political pot against Krypton.

All the pieces are in place and they all are flying towards Markovia.

The deceived Ral-Dar.
The 'Nightwing' and 'Flamebird' Kryptonian heroes - clearly Metallo and Reactron.
Superman - the only recognized Kryptonian.

And Mon-El and 'Supergirl.

Or should I say Mon-El and Mirabai as Supergirl.

So three people in the guise of Kryptonians are heading to Markovia with nothing good on their minds. And whatever Mirabai does is going to be blamed on Supergirl who still isn't a public darling. Even Ral-Dar, who I think has nothing evil on his mind, has to be looked upon as a threat. He did just try to kill General Zod. Nobody on Earth can think that this is a good thing. It has to look like an act of aggression if not war.

Lois is right, this isn't going to end well. And all General Lane needed to achieve this was some simple misdirection.

I thought this was a very good issue both from a Codename:Patriot viewpoint as well as for Supergirl individually. I especially like the fact that Kara hopes to help Thara first,resorting to violence only if necessary.

The next chapter should be great.

Overall grade: A

November Solicits

The November DC solicits have been released ( http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/comics/?dat=20091107 ) and it looks to be a typically busy month for the super-titles.

No major surprises in the solicitations but it strikes me that November will mark just over a year since Kandor was enlarged and the overlapping storyline of New Krypton started. That's a year with Supergirl being linked more tightly to the Superman stories and having a bigger role in the DCU.

With 'Codename:Patriot' and 'Hunt For Reactron' over, November looks like a breather where the titles can re-establish where they are individually going.

SUPERGIRL #47
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle & Jon Sibal
Cover by Joshua Middleton

Supergirl has finally brought Reactron back to New Krypton so he can be held accountable for murdering her father, Zor-El. While the debate about what to do with him rages among the people of New Krypton, the planet’s ruler – and Supergirl’s mother – remains unsure. Should Alura have Reactron executed? And will Supergirl allow it to happen if her mother decides to go that route?

We finally get to see the 'Hamlet' cover that Joshua Middleton posted on his blog long ago. I hadn't seen it in a while and had forgotten how great it looked. I forgot how chilling it was seeing Alura use Reactron's helmet as a mirror as she teases out her hair. Supergirl's expression in the background is great.

It will be interesting to see exactly what decision gets made about Reactron on New Krypton. I can't imagine Kara condoning an execution ... but we'll see.

While I love Reactron, I hope he disappears from the title for a bit. He has been near omnipresent. I'd like to see some new rogues.



ACTION COMICS #883
Written by Greg Rucka; Co-feature written by James Robinson & Greg Rucka
Art by Pere Pérez; Co-feature art by CAFU
Cover by CAFU

Since “Codename: Patriot,” Earth’s hatred for Kryptonians has only escalated – which is what makes it so odd that Nightwing and Flamebird pick now to become public Super Heroes! Meanwhile, Lois Lane finally meets with the man she thought long dead – her father, General Lane. But he has a message to deliver to his journalist daughter: “You’re either with us or against us.” And in part 5 of the new co-feature, Captain Atom, now back on Earth and knowing the truth about his mission, must face an old foe – his archenemy, Major Force!

Since we are 3 months away, I suppose it could be revealed to the public that Flamebird and Nightwing are Kryptonians. Certainly their new costumes, sort of a mythical riff on Superman's, doesn't seem to hide the fact. Heck, Chris has a Superman belt buckle on. I don't know. I kind of liked the body armor look.

Anyways, the big draw for this issue will be the Lois meeting up with her father! That is going to be good!


SUPERMAN #694
Written by James Robinson
Art by Javier Pina
Cover by CAFU

Kicking off a new 5-issue storyline that will rocket readers all the way to the monumental SUPERMAN #700! Mon-El makes his triumphant return to Metropolis with a new look and a determined manner just in time to combat the unstoppable fury of Bizarro. But with his powers phasing in and out, will the new Mon-El be able to save his city even with the help of the Guardian and Metropolis’s Science Police?

Hmmm ... this is the first clue that the 'World Without Superman' run in the main titles will not end with World of New Krypton #12. A new five issue storyline starring Mon-El takes us into next spring.

Now don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed the ride so far. But a year and a half without Superman in his own titles might be pushing things a bit. If you asked me if I would ever buy 18 months of a Mon-El/Guardian comic, my answer would probably be no. I guess as long as the stories are of high quality I should just be quiet and enjoy the ride.

I don't know if I really like the new costume either.



SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #9
Written by James Robinson & Greg Rucka
Art by Pete WoodsCover by Gary Frank; Variant cover by Mark Buckingham

Humans and Kryptonians are the only two races in our solar system, right? Wrong! Jemm, Son of Saturn, ruler of the super-powered Saturnian race, arrives in Kandor demanding answers to New Krypton’s recent actions – answers he intends to get even if he has to fight his way through Commander Kal-El and the entire Kryptonian army!

A tough Jemm, Son of Saturn? Truly outrageous!

And no mention of Zod in the description or the cover. Maybe he does die ... although I doubt it.

But it seems like this is another chapter. There is no feeling here like we are 'careening towards the pulse-pounding finale'. I wonder if WONK will be a 15 issue mini-series like it was originally solicited as. That would align more with the 5 issue Mon-El storyline.



SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #3
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Gary Frank & Jon Sibal
Covers by Gary Frank

So long, Smallville; hello, Metropolis! Join Geoff Johns and Gary Frank as they explore a very different Metropolis from the one we currently know – one that has yet to experience life with Superman as its protector. Witness the transformative power one person can have on a city as young Clark Kent joins The Daily Planet, and Superman takes to the skies and gives everyone a reason to look up. Over the years, Superman has come to mean everything to Metropolis, but be here to learn why Metropolis means everything to Superman!

I can't wait for this mini-series!

Johns and Frank could do no wrong in Action Comics. And as a fan, I trust them with reinvigorating the Superman origin. Johns seems to be able to take the more imaginiative pieces of the Silver Age and then adapting them to the 21st century. Even the small things, like seeing Perry White puff on a cigar, feel right.




JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE #5
Written by James Robinson
Art and cover by Mauro Cascioli

Supergirl and Shazam join the team as Prometheus is finally captured! His evil machinations are revealed, but even so, the League may be unable to stop the villain’s disturbing plans as he cuts down one of the members! Don’t miss this shocking new issue that’ll have everybody talking.

Supergirl and Shazam 'join the team'? Is that in an official capacity because both are already involved in issue #2.

And this is the issue that will have everybody talking? People have been talking ... first the bad reviews of issue #1 ... then the three-way tempest from issue #2. I hope they are talking in a positive way.

I have said it before that I loved the Prometheus I saw in Morrison's JLA and it looks like DC is doing their best to make him into a real threat again.

This picture, while posted on the DC website doesn't seem like the cover to me. I hope beyond hope that DC isn't waiting for this art. Given the lead time Cascioli was given before the release of this comic, you would think it would be already done.




ADVENTURE COMICS #4
Written by Geoff Johns; Co-feature written by Geoff Johns & Michael Shoemaker
Art by Jerry Ordway; Co-feature art by Clayton Henry
Cover by Jerry Ordway and Francis Manapul; Variant cover by Francis Manapul

The return of Superboy! Superboy-Prime, that is! The grasp of BLACKEST NIGHT knows no bounds, and it is now at the doorstep of Superboy-Prime. Believe it or not, Prime has met his match. The Black Lanterns know his deepest, darkest secrets and force Prime to feel emotions he's long discarded. Plus, in the Legion of Super-Heroes co-feature, Dawnstar is on the trail of the person – or people – who have been causing so much trouble for the Legion. But does she get too close to the truth? Her Legion teammate Wildfire comes to her rescue, but are the duo able to discover just who is behind this villainous plot to destroy the known universe?

Yeesh.

I am pretty much sick of Superboy Prime. And he is back already?

Now if Legion of Three Worlds had come out on time, it would probably be a year since he was sent back to Earth Prime. But even with this issue being 3 months away, it seems awful quick.

I am sick of Superboy Prime.

Ahhh ... but the second feature is a Wildfire/Dawnstar story! Wildfire is my favorite Legionnaire so it is nice to see him back in continuity!

WORLD’S FINEST #2
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Ramon Bachs
Covers by Phil Noto

Following a trail of experimental equipment that was stolen from WayneTech, the new Robin finds himself in Metropolis and face-to-face with the straight-laced Guardian. But when Parasite and Mr. Freeze appear, the two heroes will have to band together to capture the villains and retrieve the missing tech. What are the villains really after, though, and who is pulling their strings? Cover A will feature Guardian and Mr. Freeze. Cover B will feature Robin and Parasite.

This miniseries sounds like it will be a fun read. I can't wait for the Supergirl/Batgirl team-up next issue.

But this issue's team-up might be even more intriguing. The Guardian is a straight shooter, a 'letter of the law' kind of guy. Damien is a complete wild card. So that has to be as uneasy a partnership as there could be. Should be some good interaction here.

And now the trades ...

SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE EIGHTH GRADE TP
Written by Landry Q. Walker
Art and cover by Eric Jones

It’s an all-ages extravaganza as young Supergirl meets Belinda Zee, a new junior high adversary, in this title collecting the 6-issue miniseres. And that’s just the start of the fun that includes super-powered pets and cosmic adventure!

Hurrah hurrah!

But couldn't DC have released it a little earlier?? It is being released on December 23. Wouldn't this have been a great holiday gift idea? But it is being released too late.

I doubt there will be any bonus material but I would love to at least see a foreword by Walker and some of the concept sketches by Jones.

SUPERMAN/SUPERGIRL: MAELSTROM TP
Written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray
Art and cover by Phil Noto

The 5-issue miniseries that pitted Superman and Supergirl against Maelstrom, the would-be bride of Darkseid, is collected! It’s a battle that ranges from Metropolis to Apokolips and beyond – Don’t miss it!

I reviewed this mini-series and deemed it sort of hit-or-miss. There were some great scenes and some great dialogue. There were some scenes that just fell flat. And the characterization of Kara seemed just a little off in some places.

And there is the absolutely luscious Phil Noto art. That alone might be enough reason to buy this.

Overall, November looks like a strong month.

Review: Wednesday Comics #7

This week's Wednesday Comics was one of the better overall weeks in the comics run with almost all the strips being very entertaining.

But in one of those curveballs throws you, despite the overall issue being great, this was one of the weaker chapters in Supergirl.

This week's theme seems to be shocking. I would be shocked if an octopus handed me a clam phone too.


As we saw last week, this Aquaman is one busy guy with a ton of emergencies he needs to prioritize. When Kara asks him to talk to Streaky and Krypto regarding their erratic behavior, Aquaman reads her the riot act. Of course he can only speak to marine life. Why would Supergirl think he could talk to her pets?

I don't know why she would think that.

In fact his diatribe while funny (I can understand why sharks hate Steven Spielberg) brings Supergirl to near tears. Okay, so it isn't full fledged crying but those are plump tears dangling from Kara's eyes. I know ... I suppose that it makes sense here for a youngish appearing Kara to well up when a veteran superhero screams at her. That said, I have grown pretty tired of seeing Supergirl cry. At least Aquaman has the decency to apologize.



Aquaman at least points her in the right direction. He thinks she should take the pets to Dr. Mid-Nite for a check-up.

Kara is able to gather herself and thank Aquaman.

I like this scene at the end. When Kara points out how she feels the animals are helpless Aquaman says he understands. Aquaman is really the defender of the ocean and all it's life. I thought that last panel with him surrounded by fish and sea mammals was a very nice ending to the Aquaman part of this story.


As I feared, The Flash comic has become a jumble of multiple Flashes coexisting. I have to say, even I didn't think there would be this many. The story is pretty wild with Grodd creating a new pocket universe where he rules. The Flash sees apes in our reality meaning maybe some of that new universe is spilling into ours? Sounds like something from a Philip K. Dick novel.

Otherwise, I was pleased with Metamorpho for the first time in a while as the story actually moved forward.

Strange Adventures includes a Golden Age Dr. Fate sighting ... too cool.

Demon/Catwoman keeps creeping up the ranks. Nice to see Catwoman again rather than a big saber-toother panther.

Heck, even Teen Titans and Sgt. Rock were pretty enjoyable this week. Only Superman and Metal Man left me empty.

And, as usual, the Kamandi strip is simply great. The human girl has the name Ororo. And we see a great shot of the tiger army limping home. Ryan Sook has really hit a home run here.

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

Sales Review: July 2009

July comics sales were robust, buoyed by major events like the beginning of Blackest Night as well as the return of Steve Rogers in Captain America:Reborn. As usual, ICv2 does a great job with the breakdown of sales. Here is the link to the top 300 comics sold in July 2009: http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/15633.html .

Now last month I was in a bit of a panic mode as sales on the Supergirl title fell into the 32K range for the first time since Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle took over. I feared that might be the beginning of a plummet in sales. A lot of you talked me down reminding me that stability in sales in the volatile comics market is success.

Supergirl #43 was the stand alone 'Guilding Day' story, a perfect place for people to jump on or jump off the title as they saw fit. It sold a respectable 32,849 issues, holding steady in sales. That is great news!

Reviewing the last year in sales, you can see that Supergirl #43 sold marginally more than the previous issue. While I would love to see this comic selling 50,000 a month, I am happy to see it succeeding as it is. More people picked it up last month. That's great.

And with 'Codename:Patriot' and the 'Hunt for Reactron' crossovers coming up, sales should get a boost. Hopefully some of those new readers will like what they see and stick around.

As usual, I will continue to applaud DC for promoting the title with sneak preview pages on The Source, Newsarama, etc.

Well, after that bit of good news about Supergirl, I figured I would peek at R.E.B.E.L.S., the title I am hoping will pull through.

Sometimes I have to wonder about the comics world where something like R.E.B.E.L.S. languishes with low sales. I can't be the only one enjoying this comic ... can I?

I remind people that the TV show Cheers was near the bottom in rankings after it's first year but then found it's audience and became a powerhouse. I can only hope DC shows the same patience with this title and doesn't pull the plug too soon.

Tony Bedard, Andy Clarke, Claude St. Aubin ... I doubt you read this blog but you should know your work is appreciated!

Review: R.E.B.E.L.S. #7

With the first story arc over and the Starro wave as well as our heroes trapped in a galaxy-wide force field bubble, R.E.B.E.L.S. #7 tried to establish the new political landscape in the comic, both within the containment field as well in the DCU as a whole.

It also tidied up one potential weakness in Dox's containment strategy as well.

The issue also marked the return of the title's 'regular artist' Andy Clarke. It was good to see his finely detailed art back on the title. And, as usual, Tony Bedard does a great job of juggling all the players on the periphery while making sure the action focuses closely on Dox and his team.



The comic opens up with a great sequence where the surviving Dominator general tries to smash through the force field wall with a lunavore - a sort of free roaming space leviathan. Suffice it to say that the wall holds and the lunavore bursts into pieces.

But the dominator realizes the obvious. Why smash through the wall if you can teleport to the other side. And since the Gil'Dishpan have the innate ability to warp, the Dominator heads there. Given the obvious nature of this solution, he surely won't be alone.

The situation within the force field remains dire though. The Starro wave most likely will take over the entire penned in area and then figure out a way to break through.

Given the impending war against Starro, Dox gets onto the airwaves and starts asking for help. Again, Bedard does a good job of giving the reader a lot of information in one panel. We have Kajar Ro's self-serving nature as he delays joining Dox's cause, weighing his options.

I also like that Bedard shows that this story line does not exist in a vacuum but is a part of the current DCU and it's other cosmic characters. We see Dox try to contact both Oa and Rann to try to drum up support only to get shunned by both.

Bedard needed to do this to place the story in the current continuity. Surely the GL Corps would want to know about the Starro wave and would intercede if not otherwise busy with Blackest Night. Surely the people of Thanagar and Rann would want to join the fray as well if capable.

Dox comes to the same conclusion that the Dominator came to. If help is going to come it will probably need to come from outside the containment field and the only way to do that without dropping the field is with teleportation. He flies the team to the Gil'Dishpan homeworld.

Knowing how the Gil'Dishpan are xenophobes, Dox tries to manipulate them into joining his war by telling them that the Starro wave will soon invade the sacred 'mother ocean' and use their innate abilities to run roughshod through the universe.

The Gil'Dishpan leader though was already aware of what was going on because the Dominator General had beaten Dox to the punch.

Just another quick comment about the art. I think Clarke is one of the better artists when it comes to showing shapeshifters changing forms. That first panel showing the Ciji 'little girl' form melting into a large fanged monster is captivating - grotesque and eerie at the same time. It looks like something from John Carpenter's The Thing. Hopefully Clarke will be able to keep up on the art chores here.

Again, that isolationist nature of the teleporting race comes through. They think they can bargain with Starro - trading Dox and his team for a nonaggression pact. It is clear the Gil'Dishpan have little understanding of Starro's methods.

Even the Dominator warns them of Starro's insatiable thirst for domination. You don't negotiate with Starro ... you fight or be consumed into his armies.

Throughout this series, I have talked about how much I love reading the Machiavellian Dox, the master manipulator.

When his initial attempts to pursuade the Gil'Dishpan fail, he switched tactics. If scaring them into joining out of fear of invasion then maybe flattery and the promise of power will work instead. Dox reminds them that with their inherent warping powers, the Gil'Dishpan would act as the gatekeeper into the sector and therefore be the most important and powerful race.

Before they can respond definitively, Starro forces the issue. A huge drone producing starfish crashes through the ice followed by drone ships and infantry.

The fight doesn't last long. Much like with the Dominators, the Gil'Dishpan army can't hold back the invasion. The head Gil'Dishpan is soon masked by a drone and suddenly sees the 'wisdom' of the Starro way. Suddenly Starro has access to an army of teleporters making Dox's force field wall a mere nuisance.

Something else I like about this series is the unveiling of the Starro lieutenants, those who have some free will while serving the greater cause. This man-shark look pretty cool. Moreover, I love how where the drone is on someone represents their 'rank' in Starro's forces. If you have a face hugger, you are a drone, infantry, cannon fodder. If you have a bigger fish on the back, you carry more clout in the Starro wave.

There isn't much more for the R.E.B.E.L.S. to do except run.

But maybe they have a new ally. As the R.E.B.E.L.S. ship flies off, they notice more drag than they should. The Dominator has linked to them with a tractor beam. With Dox providing propulsion, the Dominator dumps his nuclear-powered engine into the methane oceans of the Gil'Dishpan ocean.

When the engine explodes, it ignites the methane in the waters effectively setting the world on fire. Scratch one race of teleporters. I love this shot from space as we see the world being engulfed in flames, Kirby dots crackling in waves. Of course, you would think that if it was that easy to destroy the Gil'Dishpan world that someone would have done it already. Still, it is an 'OMG' moment, the sort of thing that keeps me reading comics.

So I guess we can add a Dominator to Dox's band now. What a motley crew! As a legion fan, I can't get enough!

I looked at this issue as more of an epilogue to the initial arc. The warping powers of the Gil'Dishpan needed to be taken care of immediately or Dox's plan is worthless. With the warp-weavers off the grid, the R.E.B.E.L.S. can move forward in bigger plans to thwart Starro.

R.E.B.E.L.S. is the only non-Super-title I review at length hoping if I sing its praises loud enough someone will pick up an issue. This is a really good comic that I fear is not long for this world. And that's a shame.

Overall grade: B+

Review: Action Comics #880

Codename:Patriot rumbled along in Action Comics #880. The first part ended with a dramatic shot of Commander El looking at his Superman costume and knowing he needed to head to Earth and find Ral-Dar. Greg Rucka and James Robinson's script picks up from there.

There wasn't much time wasted on contemplation in this issue. The issue opens up with Superman and Supergirl at maximum speed in pursuit. But at full speed, stealth is not an option. General Lane, the military, the media .... pretty much everyone is aware of their approach.

With Air Force jets scrambled and the super cousins on his tail, Ral-Dar shows off his military skills. He is able to delay Kal and Kara both directly with his powers and indirectly by destroying the fighters. With the pilots endangered, Superman, Supergirl, and even Mon-El (who shows up) break off the chase to save the men.

It's a quick scene showing the different moral approaches of the antagonists - win at all costs vs. leaving no man behind. With the heroes sidetracked, Ral-Dar escapes.

With Ral-Dar on the loose, Superman, Supergirl, and Mon-El head to Science Police headquarters to set the record straight.

As I expected, The Guardian initially wants nothing to do with Supergirl after all she has been banned from Earth by the U.N. Nice response by Kara there showing that she some she means business.

Superman sets the record straight. Ral-Dar is clearly not acting alone. That means there is a bigger threat than just one rogue Kryptonian. And the sooner he gets captured the sooner both planets will be safe.

The assassination attempt on Zod has had an interesting effect on New Krypton. While I expected that it would galvanize them into a war-like frenzy, instead it seems to have made them nearly irrational with fear.

The years in the bottle have made them mentally fragile. They feel persecuted. If the imposing figure of Zod can be killed, they all can be killed ... or captured ... or enslaved. The bottom line is that if Ral-Dar escapes, New Krypton might descend into chaos.

As if explaining an impending interplanetary war to the Science Police wasn't tough enough, Superman has to deal with Lois showing up as a member of the press. He hasn't seen his wife since he moved to New Krypton.

Luckily, Mon-El is able to give the married couple some privacy. But before any 'welcome home' smooches can occur, Lois drops the bomb about Chris being back on Earth.

Now I hate it when I am wrong with my guesses.

Last week I thought for sure that Ral-Dar was working with Zod. It seemed to make sense that Zod would stage his own near death to solidify his power base.

Instead I see this scene where Ral-Dar is clearly working with General Lane. Lane and Ral-Dar both felt that if Zod lived war would be inevitable. The only way they feel they can insure peace is to eliminate the general.

Now maybe in the end I will be right. Maybe Ral-Dar is a double agent for Zod.

But I hate it when I am wrong.

But this is Action Comics, the vehicle for Nightwing and Flamebird.

Well they have been seen earlier in the issue being mobbed by some groupies. It seems they have been noticed as being the 'anti-Kryptonian' heroes in the press. When they get word of the Ral-Dar/Superman skirmish, they fly off in pursuit.

While flying Chris discovers that some of the fangirls from earlier in the book have slipped him their phone numbers. Thara responds rather jealously.

Chris seizes the moment to final show his true feelings to Thara. He grabs her and kisses her.

While Thara's jealousy felt a little petty, I was happy to see this first kiss happen. I don't know how many more issues of puppy eyes and near-kisses I could take.

Alas, their burgeoning romance is put on the back burner when Nadira and Az-Rel suddenly show up and engage them in combat. But wait ... weren't Nadira and Az-Rel captured by Mirabai last issue?

Yes they were. And just in case you are wondering who is masquerading as them the tell tale chest glows should help.

Now I know that Chris is weaker than your standard Kryptonian. But we have also seen that Green K has less effect on him. So I don't know why Metallo can best him so quickly. Is he that much weaker? Or does Gold K effect Chris like it does normal Kryptonians? Or a mix of all things.

Regardless, Nightwing and Flamebird are easily defeated.

And with the heroes unconscious, Mirabai can drop her glamour.

Phase 2 of General Lane's plan is complete.

I have to say it was good to see Superman back in Action Comics. His scenes were very well done. I also like how strong Supergirl was portrayed in this issue. In the discussions with the SciPo, it is clear that she was as much a spokesperson for Krypton as Kal was.

And the Ral-Dar/Lane alliance did throw me for a bit of a loop. I am sure that Lane has some backstabbing plan in mind. I am still betting that there is more to Ral-Dar than meets the eye. That said, I guessed everybody but Lucy was Superwoman so I shouldn't bet too much.

It's funny but I found the Nightwing and Flamebird scenes to be the weakest scenes of the issue. Their destiny was romance and we clearly have seen how they feel for each other in prior issues. The groupie phone number being the impetus for them to admit their love for each other felt a little flat.

The Javier Lopez art was clean and I look forward to seeing more issues with him as penciller.

Overall grade: B/B+