Sales Review: September 2010

I figured I would start the week off with the depressing stuff. The news on comic sales for the third quarter of 2010 was dismal with sales decreasing by more than 10%. That isn't good news. I suppose that we are in a rough economic time and that simple pleasures, like comics, are usually the first thing to go when people have to tighten their belts.

As always, this news is derived from the excellent ICv2 website including the list of the top 300 books for September. Here is that link: http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/18551.html

Supergirl #56 was a middle part of the BizarroGirl storyline and got high marks on the internet.

Unfortunately, sales continued to slip with sales down 3% from August sales.

Now no book did particularly well last month. So slight decreases don't matter to me that much. But the book used to be ranked in the 60s and now is almost in the 80s. This sort of stuff is perplexing as you would think word of mouth and good reviews might make some people pick up the title.

I will be interested to see if we see an upswing in sales with the new creative team.

As for my 'underdog' comics, Doom Patrol and R.E.B.E.L.S., sales remained low and steady (although Doom Patrol slipped a bit).

R.E.B.E.L.S. # 20 actually went up by a few hundred sales which may be a sign that all the new faces on the title each have a small following. Or that enough noise has been made about the book that some folks took a chance. Or that the Finch Lobo cover was very cool.

Doom Patrol unfortunately has slipped about 10% in sales over the last few months. Will DC continue to publish a book with less than 10K in sales? We'll see.

Man, I am starting to dislike these sales reviews.

Amanda Conner Variant

I usually don't post on Sunday but things are a little hectic here between reviews coming up, news that has been announced, and some back issue trips I am planning. Plus, I think it's time we had another poll on this blog ... but that's all coming up.

Anyways, I think that Amanda Conner's Supergirl #58 variant, one of the DC 75th anniversary covers deserved it's own post. It was announced on the DC Source blog and here is that link: http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2010/10/22/amanda-conner%e2%80%99s-variant-cover-to-supergirl-58/

I have not hidden the fact that I love Conner's art. But I think there definitely needs to be a marriage of the material and her art to work best.

Her style clearly worked for Supergirl in Wednesday Comics or Power Girl where a little more lighthearted tone is evident.

Here it works nicely as an homage to Action Comics #252, Supergirl's first appearance. The happy-go-lucky feel is certainly retro and appropriate for the source material. I also like that it is part of the current storyline as this is Supergirl returning from Bizarro World. How I wish I got a commission from Conner at Baltimore. This is really a beautiful piece.

I figured this cover has seen it's share of renditions so why not review the covers of Action #252.

Here is the original Action Comics #252, as drawn by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye.

That cover, in and of itself, has been reprinted in other formats. My favorite is the 'Millenium Edition' reprinted in 2000. It comes with such a fancy shiny emblem making it seem important. A number of 'essential' comics were done in this format. This was also reprinted as a 'Silver Age Classic' in 1992 and as the cover of the Supergirl Showcase Volume 1.


And now onto some homage covers.

Rob Haynes did this version for Supergirl #75, the first part of the Many Happy Returns storyline. Here Linda Danvers is in Superman's place as the Earth-1 Kara Zor-El leaps from her rocket. It is very stylized but feels too rough.

It is dramatically improved by this Ed Benes version for the Many Happy Returns trade paperback.

And then finally this take on the famous cover. For the third printing of Supergirl #1 of the current series, Ian Churchill, then artist on the series, did this version. This one is interesting with Batman in the Superman role, and it being underwater and all. It's almost silly. I can't imagine Batman saying the 'Great guns ..' line. Also, the Supergirl in the series at that point was about as far away as you can get from the sweet innocent girl from Action Comics #252. Still, I am sort of fond of this one just for those idiosyncracies.


The bottom line is I am glad DC recognized Supergirl with a 75th anniversary cover and that it is as wonderful as Amanda Conner made it. I don't think every title had a 75th variant.

Review: Supergirl #57

Supergirl #57 came out this last week, the last issue on the BizarroGirl storyline and the first issue since the stunning announcement that Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle are off the book after issue #59. In what has to be some irony, this is one of the strongest issues in the entire Gates run and of course it comes just after we hear that he is leaving. It still is a bit hard to believe that this excellent creative team is heading into the home stretch.

What we have in this issue is a further exploration of the Supergirl and BizarroGirl dynamic. All along I have said that BizarroGirl is more a dark reflection of Supergirl rather than a pure opposite. We learn a lot about BizarroGirl in this issue, how she isn't inherently bad ... how she shares much of the same feelings that Supergirl does. And that symmetry allows Kara to learn a lot about herself.

And it is so fascinating to watch Supergirl help BizarroGirl; to see Kara help BizarroGirl overcome the negativity she is feeling. Helping BizarroGirl is allowing Supergirl to help herself, to heal. Supergirl is still dealing with the aftermath of New Krypton's destruction; she has survivor's guilt, she has feelings of self-doubt, of fear. She wonders if she is strong enough to keep going. And those feelings have weighed her down. This mission ... to save Bizarro World ... is a physical and emotional journey that allows Supergirl to put all that stuff behind her. And for me, the emotional aspect of this issue ... the personal growth of the characters ... is much more important than the actual battle with the Godship.

Last issue ended with Supergirl saying she needed Superman's help. It was a bit disconcerting to read. I think most Supergirl fans want her to be an important part of the Super-family but not rely on Superman to bail her out of every jam. I didn't want to see Kara call in the cavalry. I want Supergirl to be the cavalry.

So I thought this was a nice curveball by Sterling Gates, who is probably very aware of Supergirl fans' fears of her being overwhelmed by her super-cousin. She wasn't calling on Superman himself for help. Instead she was using Superman's research of Bizarro World to help her. It is another tangible way that we get to see Kara step out from her cousin's shadow, to show she is a hero in her own right.

I also liked that it showed Supergirl using her intelligence, formulating a plan, and bringing that plan to fruition. I love it when the Science Guild aspect of her background is showcased.

While Kara finalizes her plans, the Bizarro JLA swings into action, bringing the attack to the Godship. There is so much I love about the Bizarro's in this storyline. I love the square maces the Hawks are carrying. But is anything better than Bizarro Arsenal's quiver of cats? That is absolutely fantastic.

Alas, they aren't powerful enough to even scratch the Godship. The Bizarro JLA are reduced to ashes almost immediately.

With things looking dismal, Supergirl reveals her plan and it's a good one.

She learned from Superman that exposure to high levels of blue sun rays empower the Bizarros, allowing him to use his 'Bizarro vision' to create more Bizarros. In the meantime, Supergirl will expose herself to high levels of blue sun rays as well which will give her 'super vision', the ability to grant people super-powers. We saw this in Geoff Johns/Eric Powell  'Escape from Bizarro World' arc so it was nice to see it used here.

I love Kara's response to Bizarro. She is still reeling from her loss, still blaming herself for her people's deaths. She needs to save this world ... save a world. Yes, she still has this heavy heart but she is working through it ... trying to move forward.

With both Bizarro and Supergirl super-energized, they are able to create and army of Krypt-zarros, super-powered Bizarros. I am able to scan only a small part of the two page spread but trust me, it is spectacular. How awesome to see Supergirl leading this army into battle. She is received and respected as a leader and a warrior.

And the usual Bizarro flourishes are present. I love the one on the bottom holding the flag upside-down, a skewed version of the Krypton flag, a square planet in the center. Nice.

While the army looks impressive, in reality it isn't able to do much damage. The feeding drones of the Godship begin tearing through the troops without much difficulty. It is clear that Supergirl will need a new plan.

If a physical defeat of the Godship isn't possible than maybe capturing it is the next best thing. Remembering the 'solid vision' that BizarroGirl used on her, Supergirl asks Bizarro to lead all the army to use it on the Godship. If trapped, they can simply remove the Godship from the area.

Unfortunately, it turns out that BizarroGirl is the only Bizarro that has 'solid vision'.

At the beginning of the fight, BizarroGirl panicked and dashed off. She is no where to be found. If Supergirl is going to save the world, she is going to need BizarroGirl to become a hero. She needs her to take action.

BizarroGirl has fled to the Fortress. She tries to use Supergirl's blue sun ray device but can't get it to work. Frustrated, angry, upset, she lashes out before collapsing in tears.

All those feelings of inadequacy have been roiling inside Kara too, we just haven't seen it. Everything BizarroGirl is feeling, Supergirl has sort of felt. It's just BizarroGirl manifests it ... shows it in a Bizarro way. She is dealing with such fear ... she is seeing tragedy all around her ... and she feels helpless. It is everything Supergirl has been dealing with.

And there it is. Supergirl finally calls BizarroGirl her reflection ... not her opposite ... not her enemy.

Scared, guilt-ridden, rash, impulsive, thinking with her fists, making mistakes, feeling weak ... BizarroGirl is a  Supergirl as seen in a carnival mirror, dealing with the same emotional issues that Kara has carried since the War of the Supermen. Supergirl is her own worst critic, she is the one who thinks she isn't good enough.

Under the weight of all those negative emotions, Supergirl succumbed to them for a while ... leaving her life as a hero behind her for a time. We have seen the very attitudes that she names in BizarroGirl in Supergirl, from feeling guilty about the end of New Krypton to punching Dr. Light ... it's all there. So it is interesting to see her try to lift BizarroGirl up, to have her deal with those feelings. She may as well be saying it to herself.

The two have a heart-to-heart. Supergirl talks about how she vowed after Alura's torture of Reactron, after the death of her people that she would help the defenseless and always try to save people. She won't let anyone be taken advantage of. She will strive to be the best hero she could be. And it isn't selfish to care most about your loved ones as long as you do your best to save everyone.

She needs BizarroGirl to be brave so Supergirl will be scared for her. It is such a great talk as we see Supergirl dealing with her past as she helps BizarroGirl deal with her present. I love that last panel as we see BizarroGirl standing upright, chin up, steeling herself for the battle.

Needing to maximize their capabilities, Supergirl improvises a blue sun lens to power up her and BizarroGirl. Juiced by the blue sun, BizarroGirl's solid vision is at peak efficiency. She is made even more powerful by Supergirl's 'super vision'. Despite that, it takes hours of hit-and-run attacks before the Godship is finally completely encased in metal.

I am very intrigued to see how readers respond to this strategy. The concept of 'solid vision' wasn't particularly well received a few issues ago so to see it used as an end-game maneuver might be looked at unfavorably.

As for me, I thought this was a small part of this story. Really this book was about the characters dealing with their fragile psyches, working through their feelings, coming to terms with the sorrow in their lives. How they defeated the Godship isn't as important (for me) as them shaking off their catatonia and fighting.

 The GLC comes and takes away the Godship. Bizarro World begins to be rebuilt. But despite being hailed as Bizarro World's greatest hero, BizarroGirl is nowhere to be found. (Bizarro Girl hailed as the world's greatest hero, that is the opposite of the unfortunately maligned Supergirl.)

BizarroGirl is hiding in Sad Harbor, Rhode Eye-Land (nice Bizarro take on JLA's first HQ in Happy Harbor, Rhode Island). Despite the victory, BizarroGirl still feels empty and sad. And so Supergirl sits down and the two talk as she tries to help BizarroGirl work through the pain.

This really is the crux of this whole story and the best page in the issue. BizarroGirl cannot forget that she killed someone on Earth. She has learned about consequences, and poor choices, and sadness, and she is punishing herself. And one way she is going to do that is to live in cave all alone ... she thinks she should be alone, she can't hurt anyone that way. It is so clearly Supergirl's story. Remember, after New Krypton she was gone for weeks ... no one knew where she was. Kara was "living in a cave" somewhere too.

Everything that Kara has been feeling these last months, BizarroGirl is feeling now. This is really self-analysis as Supergirl tells BizarroGirl that at some point you need to realize that you have punished yourself enough. And with that, Kara realizes that she needs to put all of her baggage behind her. As she begins her trip home to Earth, she is smiling. She has saved a world. She has helped herself, healed some of her own psychological wounds.

And she made a friend in BizarroGirl?

Back on Earth, Cat finally realizes she needs help with her problems. She tells Lana she knows about her relationship with Supergirl. My guess is she hasn't put the Linda Lang = Supergirl part together.

What can I say, this was just a wonderful issue.

There really was a catharsis here as Supergirl sheds herself of all the weight she has had on her soul since War of the Supermen. The best parts of this issue were the Supergirl/BizarroGirl conversations. All the stuff that BizarroGirl  was going through was absolutely pertinent to Supergirl's psyche as well. It was as if the two had mirror events in their lives. And Supergirl needed to prod BizarroGirl into action, to forgive herself ... and then basically Kara had to practice what she preached.

The events of War of the Supermen needed to be dealt with. So to see Supergirl work her way through the stages of grief  ... to see her move from denial and catatonia ... to ignoring the problem ... to finally coming to terms with it, get a sense of peace, and act as a hero ... it just was pitch perfect. She needed to deal with all those feelings she had buried. And to deal with them in this concrete way, with the threat to BizarroWorld, was such strong story-telling. BizarroGirl's story was Supergirl's story ... just seen through a mirror darkly. It is a shame that Gates is moving on.

Add to the psychological aspect of the story that Supergirl used her intelligence and Science Guild background to come up with the answer, to see her improvise and win, makes this story a classic.

Bernard Chang does a very good job here and seems to have the right feel for Supergirl. His Kara looks lithe and athletic. His really strength seems to be big action scenes were everyone is dirty and disheveled in the heat of battle. His Bizarros look very creepy as if they have been carved from wood rather than formed from crystal. I think he'll be fine on the book.

Any Reeder's cover is certainly fetching. We know she is looking at the Godship here, fear evident on her face.

But the characterization was the key here. The high point wasn't the 'solid vision' win, it was that talk in Sad Harbor as Supergirl finally allows herself to feel a little peace.

Overall grade: A

Review: Adventure Comics #519

Adventure Comics #519 came out last week and continued this retrospective love-fest of all things Legion. It has been a lot of fun to read these stories and seeing a very young Legion in their earliest adventures. You can really sense how they are unsure of just who they are and what there role is in the galaxy. They are learning on the job as they jump into one dangerous situation after another; they are struggling a bit, stretching their capabilities as they try to do what's right. For someone who started reading these characters way back in the Grell days, it is refreshing to see them in these greener days. They haven't been scarred yet by death or deception or danger; they are fresh-faced.

One thing that I like about this title, and this issue, is the running theme on these young heroes making checklists of things they hope to accomplish. From Conner's 'what did Superman do?' list to Clark's list of things he never has been able to do like play baseball  without holding back to here Brainiac 5's list of what to do in the 20th century. It is such a tradition ... adolescents making lists as they try to figure out who they are. To see that activity from the viewpoint of these young heroes is a nice little literary hook.

The issue follows two groups of Legionnaires through their current missions.

One group is Chameleon Boy, Shrinking Violet, and Invisible Kid as they infiltrate one of Zaryan's ships in hopes of bringing him down. The Zaryan plot has been a nice one to follow as it seems to be the Legion's first 'big case' having both personal and professional ramifications. We have seen the Legion's stature grow as they become true allies and adjuncts of the Science police ... but we have also seen them encounter tragedy for the first time. This isn't all fun and games.

As for me, I was always a sucker for the Legion Espionage Squad and this might be the 'first time' that this group is called that. Still, you get that sense of the naivete of the group, how young and carefree they might be. I mean, I doubt that Chameleon Boy would necessarily adopt the shape of a mouse these days, nor do I think Violet would ever ride him. It also was good to see the early Invisible Kid, someone with little skills other than being invisible. Here he activates Zaryan's robot drones which attack the group.

The other group we are following is the original three Legionnaires and Brainiac 5 as they go back in time to visit Superboy. Brainiac clearly has a reason to be visiting this exact time but he isn't sharing it with his friends.

While there, he does compose his own list of things to do while in the past. While Conner and Clark's lists were in handwriting, Brainiac's is in more of a computerized sort of font. It is a small touch, but welcome.

The first thing he wants the group to do is encounter natural weather. Brainy says he wants it to be a sort of training mission because who knows where there adventures will take them. In a running theme of the book, you can see just how uncomfortable the Legionnaires are back in this 'primitive' time'.

The natural weather includes a F5 twister which lands inside Smallville. The Legionnaires are sort of battered a bit by the winds but are able to hold up fairly well.

I continue to enjoy this early look at Superboy and how we see him growing a bit in his confidence and actions. Here he does the classic dissipation move for tornadoes, flying in the opposite direction to shred the winds.

I love the bottom caption. This is before Superboy has even revealed himself. This sudden disappearance of the tornado will be chalked up as Smallville luck.

Again, I wonder who the primary target of this book is. It feels like it is for old-timers like me grabbing a bit of child-like innocence with this nostalgia.

In the meantime, the Espionage squad is attacked by the activated drones and must defend themselves.

The most accomplished Legionnaire here is Chameleon Boy who switches from one tough form to another, wading into battle and smashing them.

As for me, I have always had a soft spot for Shrinking Violet as a character. So it was very cool for me to see her in the old school green mini-skirt outfit, gutting wires from the robots to eliminate them.

My favorite Legionnaires ... in a semblance of order ... are: Wildfire, Shrinking Violet, Timber Wolf, Lightning Lass, and then Cosmic Boy. My love of those characters all grew from the Levitz stuff from the 80's and 90's although my favorite Cosmic Boy moments are when he was powerless and leading the team in the Giffen 5YL version. I know that the 5YL incarnation is not a fan favorite, but I enjoyed the first year to two years of that run.

And back in the 20th century, Brainiac 5's list continues to be fulfilled. Now why Brainiac 5 would feel that he needed to take part in a barn raising is beyond me. In fact, although it was a small part of the book, this was the weakest part. A barn raising? Really? Maybe it would have been better to be more generic like 'take part in local customs'.

What is amusing is that the Legionnaires are even more clumsy than Kal in full-Clark mode. They are called 'city folk' to explain their problems with this labor. I mean, Brainy is fascinated by a nail. I did think it was a nice touch for Lightning Lad to talk about the agrarian life on Winath and how he has done things like barn raising in the past. It is this three-dimensional feel of these characters that makes them so great.

Another thing on Brainy's list is to meet the Kents. Here Pa helps out Brainy from standing out too much. Now that part of the list I can completely understand. Who wouldn't want to meet the Kents, the people who made Superman who he is?

It turns out that Zaryan is actually on the ship that the Espionage Squad is on but he is able to slip through the cracks. Again, there is absolutely nothing stealthy about this mission. In fact it is the opposite of espionage as the smash there way through the ship in a loud and rough way.

Unfortunately, Invisible Kid is unable to stop Zaryan who simply runs over him as he gets to his escape ship.

In the 20th century, we finally find out why Brainy brought them to this time.

This was the first time that a Brainiac probe lands on Earth. as it detects the technology of Clark's ship. There is some resonance here given the original Brainiac's role in the recent Last Stand of New Krypton as well as the dynamic of Brainiac 5 facing off against his vilified ancestor.

Brainy knew about this probe, learning about it about a year prior, and planning this encounter since. In fact, that's why the original time-travel mission went back to Superboy's time rather than Superman's (as originally intended). Brainy needed to set up this encounter.

I don't necessarily know if like this application of Brainiac's force field belt as he weaponizes it to smash the probe from the inside out. This is an early adventure ... shouldn't we have seen him use this method in future adventures. As far as I can recall, I haven't seen this before (although I have seen him trap people in force fields).

Still, there must be a sense of closure here as Brainy rights a family wrong, not letting the original Brainiac find Earth and face Superboy too early.

Nice last item on the list: save the world. This thematic use of the personal list has really grown on me. It allows the writer to peek internally on a character without the need to use exposition.

Again, it was nice to see these early stories of these characters before they have become seasoned warriors, or scarred heroes. This is a time where 'Lad' and 'Boy' and 'Girl' are all appropriate monikers. So to see the original three rasslin' with Brainiac 5 about how he kept this secret was completely refreshing. To see Brainy smile as he talks about allowing the Legion think he made a mistake was fantastic. By seeing where they came from, we have a deeper appreciation of who they are now.

Levitz clearly understands these characters, has a nice grasp of each of them and their backgrounds. So this just flows easily.

And as I said last Adventure review, I have really grown to like Kevin Sharpe's art. So I was a bit disappointed to not see him doing internal art despite being listed on the cover. Eddie Pansica steps in on art. Some of his work channels Shawn McManus here. His pencils seem more focused here than his work on War of the Supermen.

So this was a nice little read. Nothing earth-shattering but enjoyable.

Overall grade: B

Amy Reeder Commission

As I have said before here, while I cannot go to all the big conventions I want to ... at least a good friend of mine can.

 I will often ask my friend to act as a mouthpiece for me, talking to creators for me and trying to pry some info out of them. An added bonus is that he is an avid collector of commissions and will show me what he gets.

When he was at the recent NYCC, he had the luck of meeting current Supergirl cover artist Amy Reeder and even got a free commission of Supergirl from her. What a delightful quick sketch. I think Reeder has really settled in nicely and picked up right where Josh Middleton left off.

Now maybe I can convince my friend to give me this commission for my collection!

Review: Outsiders #33

It's hard for me to believe but Outsiders #33 is the eighth issue of the title I have collected. I had never collected Outsiders before, even way back in the Mike Barr/Jim Aparo days. I started getting the title when Dan Didio and Philip Tan jumped on as creative team because of the addition of the Eradicator, a throwback to the Reign of the Supermen and a character I have always liked. Unfortunately, there was very little of the Eradicator in these issues and very little explanation as to how he has come back.

There were some things that I did like. One was the character of Katana, a samurai struggling between her loyalty for the mad Geo-Force and her common sense to break free from him and go Ronin. Another was the stylized art of Philip Tan. And, for the briefest moment, I liked seeing that Looker's diva exterior is simply a facade for a tortured soul. Despite these things, the title has always been on the verge of being dropped by me. There just wasn't enough Eradicator or Katana to keep me interested ... and frankly Owlman, Freight Train, Black Lightning, and even the Creeper didn't grab me.

The promise of this cover including Katana and Halo (?) gave the title a reprieve until this month. Will it remain on the verge of being cut? Or will I finally pull the plug?

The issue starts with terror in a tiny village in Markovia. Coming out of the mountains, a monster emerges from the darkness, proclaiming herself Queen of the land. Her internal monologue shows a completely disjointed and conflicted thought pattern. Half of her thinks the people love her. The other half screams that she is hated.

When the villagers react with fear, the monster does something monstrous, coldly killing them in their own home.

The early issues concentrated on the mad Geo-Force and his struggles to maintain any semblance if sanity, trying to rule Markovia but doing it erratically. And as I said before, I loved watching Katana and her conflicted thoughts. Should she stay true to her leader as a Samurai should? Or should she leave Geo-Force as the other Outsiders did realizing Geo-Force is walking a path to destruction? Her character really had the most depth, the most potential to tell a compelling story.

But then we had the side trip with Metamorpho and Chemo and we sort of left the Markovian characters behind.

Well at least we see Tatsu again in this issue as she nurses Halo back to health.

Geo-Force arrives and declares his love for Tatsu, saying he can feel she has the same feelings. I guess it proves he's mad since she kissed Owlman a few issues ago. I have to say this is not a plot I want to see. I would rather see Katana pushed to the brink of her loyalty by the deeds Brion wants her to do rather than have it come to a head over his love for her. If he kept ordering her into action she normally would not do, she would have to decide where to draw the line.

She at least rebuffs his advances ... or maybe delays them. She says her only concern now can be for Halo and she cannot think of anything else right now.

This is my first real experience with Katana, and I don't even know if Didio is writing her correctly, but I like her.

Remember the disgruntled fashion designer whose life was ruined by Looker several issues ago, the one given a magic horn to get his revenge? Well he is back again, acting as an agent of someone called Veritas. In Markovia, the designer (aptly named Winer ... like whiner) complains that he hasn't had his revenge yet. But Veritas says that Winer will ruin Looker ... along with the rest of the Outsiders.

With war raging on Markovia's borders (the nation is being attacked because they sided with the Kryptonians), Geo-Force and the Eradicator head into the heart of the country to investigate the village murders.

Brion can sense that Geode, the monster from the beginning was there. We then get a quick recap of her origins, the rejected queen who tried to earn her title by getting Earth-based powers only to have those experiments her warp her. It is a sad story including these panels showing her being locked away. I can understand her conflict. She was betrayed on all fronts.

For an Outsider newbie like me, I appreciated this retelling.

Geode was indeed there ... and is still there. She attacks the heroes with her powers.

Geo-Force doesn't do himself any favors by saying he had no choice but to end their marriage. Ummm ... isn't he King?

Geode doesn't like that answer, declaring she is no longer Denise, the woman she was.

There is some nice art here as Earth is flung all around during this fight.

At last I get to see the Eradicator I came to see. Realizing that Brion's emotional attachment might be interfering with his ability to act, the Eradicator tells Brion to stand down.

Cool and passionless, almost bloodless, the Eradicator fires his heat vision at full strength at Geode and lunges in for some fisticuffs.

This is my Eradicator. Look at how dispassionate he looks, holding the limp form of the defeated Geode by her hair. By not showing his eyes, he looks much more alien, more robotic, less human. In fact, he wanted to end this because he thinks the heroes need to be at the front fighting with the troops. He is one cold and calculating being.

But who is this Eradicator? Is he The Eradicator ... a being formed around Kryptonian knowledge and religious beliefs? Or someone else?

The heroes barely have time to rest on their laurels of this victory. Before they can leave, Winer shows up and blows his horn, incapacitating the heroes.

You know, before this I thought it was simply a magic horn ... like from a bull. Now I know it's a horn like an instrument. Maybe it's a horn made from a horn? Either way it's both powerful and silly.

The issue ends with a scene from that warfront. The Markovian army are being slaughtered by spears. Achilles and his Manazons have arrived. I'm not surprised to see Achilles here. I am pretty sure I read somewhere that Didio loved the character and sort of pushed Gail Simone to do that story in Wonder Woman.

So what of this issue? Well it was nice to see the Eradicator finally act in this book. And I am glad I felt a ripple of his original persona from way back. While I was glad to see Katana again, I feel that this Brion romance angle isn't where I want to see her plot go ... and she was the biggest draw for me on the book. I also don't like the team being so split. It's like buying 2 books ... Outsiders East and West ... when you read about one set you lose track of the other. And that's without knowing where Looker and Halo fit in.

I will again say that I really love Philip Tan's art. He does have a habit of connoting characters' emotions by doing an extreme close-up of their eyes. It feels like I am reading Alan Moore's Swamp Thing #44 each issue. In that issue a serial killer remembers all the eyes of his victims. I know that comparing this book to that book is blasphemy ... but I wonder if Tan loved Bissette and Totleben's work on that book.

But the truth is there isn't enough here to keep me coming back. I think the Brion's declaration of love was the last nail in the coffin. So no more Outsiders reviews here.

Overall grade: C-

Review: Superman #703

I don't think I am overstating things when I say that until now 'Grounded' just hasn't grabbed me. Between some saccharin 'public service announcement' moments and some fairly contrived action sets, the story just didn't seem to be living up to the hype.

Superman #703, the latest chapter of 'Grounded' released last week, was the strongest chapter of this arc and addressed some of the problems I have had here.

For one, it was a more in-depth look at Superman's impetus for this walk across America. You knew it had to be more than just one woman's rants about her husband's brain cancer. It had to be some sort of reaction to the events of New Krypton and the War of the Supermen. More importantly, this chapter addressed the somewhat selfish nature of this jaunt through the states. Who is Superman really doing this for? Is it for the everyman who has lost touch with him? Or is it for him to try to get back in touch with 'normal folk'.

Another part of that worked here was the action sequence in the book. This wasn't some random encounter that occurred because of a right rather than a left at Alburquerque. This was a problem that found him rather than the other way around.

This is far from a perfect issue ... but it was better.

It didn't start out that way as we see more of the same sort of snarky Superman we have seen here before dealing with an everyday problem in a 'super' way. Here, he is holding a young man who is making unwanted sexual advances at a waitress by the foot high in the air. Superman makes him promise not to bother that woman any more, not to even go into the restaurant any more. And after this rather 'Batman-ian' level of justice he moves on.

But there is more to this problem than this ... right? Will stopping him from bothering this waitress stop him from bothering someone else? Should he try to help this guy more? it just seemed like a too easy answer to a potentially big problem. It just seemed off.

It doesn't help that I have seen this manuveur many times in comics including once by the PAD Linda Danvers Supergirl and once by the current Supergirl. It felt trite.

The best scene in the book is the discussion between Superman and Batman. Batman asks the questions that I think many readers have asked, pointing out the problems with Superman's walk. Unfortunately, it reads way way way more like how Bruce would talk to Clark more than Dick would.

Still, Dick confronts Superman about his reasons behind his stroll. He lost Krypton twice so of course he will want to hold onto this world even more, to reconnect with it any way he can. Finally ... FINALLY ... we see some emotional fallout from New Krypton. Pushing the matter, Dick asks if Clark is having a nervous breakdown. Who is this walk helping? And who is it potentially hurting.

At least the War of the Supermen and the feeling of loss is being discussed here ... sort of like they have been in Supergirl.

Superman defends himself, saying that if someone was there to help the 'little people' like Thomas and Martha Wayne and the Flying Graysons that maybe Bruce and Dick would be different, happier people. Superman wants to interact with 'ordinary people' and help them with their problems.

Batman points out the reverse. While Superman can find people, people can find Superman. His enemies know where to find him. And a brawl in small town USA would be a disaster.

Batman says his piece and leaves. He ends his heart-to-heart with a statement, Superman isn't a common man anymore. He has left that world behind forever. I thought the art worked nicely with the words here, as you feel the isolation of Superman as he is surrounded by nothing and no one.

So he has no New Krypton ... and he has no connections to everyday Earth ... does Superman have no world?

But this is the part that bothers me about this story. Isn't 'Clark' how he stays grounded? Isn't his life as Clark Kent, his marriage to Lois, his job ... aren't all those things his connection to humans? It is as thought JMS has completely forgotten that half of Superman's life. Shouldn't Dick say 'go home to Lois'?

But the emotional fallout of New Krypton isn't the only fallout. Physical fallout from the destroyed planet are reaching Earth. Lois let's Clark know that a piece has landed near his walk through Ohio.

Surprisingly, this stuff isn't Kryptonite (I suppose the destruction of New Krypton wasn't a nuclear meltdown of its core creating isotopes). Instead, a crystal shard lands in Danville Ohio. A couple of boys discover it and bring it to their teacher. When she touches the crystal, she becomes somehow possessed and walks away in a fugue state.

I remember in the Silver Age, Phantom Zone criminals could sometimes telepathically sway people. In some stories they used crystals as a focal point of their power. Could that be what this is? Some transmitter to the Zone with hundreds of thousands of ticked off Kryptonians controlling this woman?

When Superman goes to investigate the meteor, he finds it isn't there. He can see footprints around the site. When the local police officer says the rock hasn't been reported, Superman belittles her ... pointing out the obvious ... that lack of a report doesn't mean it wasn't found. That response seems a bit rude. Superman seems annoyed. I don't know if this is the best way for him to get back in touch with people.

It reminded me slightly of Hancock when Jason Bateman tells Will Smith that he should just say 'good job' to police officers and move on. Superman should learn that lesson.

The possessed teacher 'infects' a local bully by touching him, granting him super powers and a grudge against Superman. Emboldened by his powers, the man picks a fight with Superman and they brawl through the suburbs.

I have to say Eddy Barrows really flexes his artistic muscles on the battle pages. There is great action, choreographed and depicted wonderfully, with big destruction depicted all around.

Sure, this might be an every day occurrence in Metropolis. But in Danville Ohio?

And just as quickly as it started, the man's powers disappear. As does his memory of everything since the teacher touched him. He doesn't remember seeking out Superman. He has no bone to pick with the Man of Steel.

As warned by Batman, Danville was not prepared for a super-battle. Blocks were destroyed ... homes, businesses, roads.

Did this help Superman feel in touch with his planet? Or feel even more detached as he has hurt the very people he was hoping to help?

And while Superman is able to fix the big problems ... rebuilding houses and repaving roads ... he can't replace the small stuff ... the family china, the memories ... maybe even the sense of innocence here. This has to be considered an absolute tragedy in this small town.

Was Superman at fault? Well, it is true that he did not throw the first punch. But this wouldn't have happened in Danville if he wasn't there. This is not a good statement for what he is hoping to accomplish.

The teacher acts as though she is still possessed here. As much as Superman is trying to spread good will, she looks like she wants to spread ill will. Suddenly there is a threat in 'Grounded', an enemy to face. But the enemy is going to be both physical and philosophical. Will people begin to reject Superman more, fearing he will bring terror to them? Will Superman ask himself if this walk is worth it? Will the JLA feel they need to intercede? Maybe this will tighten things up a bit rather than issues seeming scattershot like they have.

If it is the Phantom Zone villains, well what better revenge is there than to rob Superman of his home ... make him so isolated that he leaves. Of course, that again would completely ignore the Clark factor.

I have come to like Eddy Barrows' art. It is dynamic and he does terrific super-battle scenes. 

So not a bad issue. But just as it has built a little momentum, next issue is the Lois interlude. Unfortunately, 'Grounded' will be grounded for a month.

Overall grade: a solid B