Review: Legion Of Super-Heroes #13

Legion of Super-Heroes #13 came out last week and took a few baby steps forward in the Fatal Five storyline which has been percolating for a bit. After a quick closure to the Dominator arc and a decent if disconnected zero issue, I was hoping that the main title would come out guns blazing.

Sure there is some action and some reverberations from the last arc but this mostly felt like a table setter for writer Paul Levitz, an issue to put the characters where he wants them to be when the main story unfolds.

It also is another issue with Scott Kolins on pencils and his rough pencils don't necessarily work with the sort of shiny future I am used to seeing in the Legion. He certainly doesn't have the glossy look of prior artist Francis Portela. It seems as if Portela is off the book and he'll be missed.

I also think there was a bit of melancholia happening given the announced demise of Legion Lost.

The bulk of the book revolves around a mission where Cosmic Boy, Element Lad, and Chemical King are trying to stop pirates who are pillaging an asteroid mine. There has been a spate of mine raids recently and the Legion have been called in to help out. The pirates, while stopped from getting away with any ore, are able to escape when the team needs to basically rescue Chemical King from being crushed by falling debris. While doing that, Element Lad actually gets wounded.

The 'Chemical King is unprepared' plot has been going on for a while. And while the swagger he showed way back in the Adventure Comics run has dimmed, he is still more a liability than anything else. His actions make me think he should still be in the academy studying basic survival and mastering his abilities. Poor Lamprey! She got rejected over this guy.

Perhaps most surprising is that the veteran Legionnaires would still let him head into combat. They have seen their friends die. Do they want one more body?

In the Legion Headquarters, Brainy is trying to figure out just why Comet Queen would betray them. At least he realizes that this medical evaluation will most likely come up empty. That is especially true given empath Otaki felt it was a compulsion. I guess all the folks who guessed it was a Saturn Queen suggestion were right. Give yourself a high five.

I do think it is sweet that Bouncing Boy some extra feelings for Comet Queen.

My favorite moment in the book was a tense moment between Dream Girl and Duplicate Damsel. Luornu is steamed that Brainy is caring for Comet Queen rather than punishing/imprisoning her. As noted in the past, Duplicate Damsel has been a bit more rough around the edges these last couple of years, jumping into battle and acting somewhat hardened.

Here Dreamy calls her on this gruffness. I love that she points out that Luornu's feelings towards Brainy are 'complicated'. Brainy created Computo which killed one of her original three selves. Of course she'll hold a grudge. I don't know of any longstanding feud with Dreamy (even if Dreamy hints at one).

I kind of like the 'tough' Luornu.

Back on the trail of the pirates, Rokk chastises Chemical King for skipping classes and not being prepared. He doesn't even seem to have some regular utility reactions at the ready.

So I am going to say, the way this is going, one of two things is going to happen. One, Chemical King dies. I doubt it as he is so new. Two, he can't save a colleague who dies and either unravels or becomes militant. We'll see.

With the Tharok chip stolen, Mon-El worries that the Fatal Five is being reformed. He sends a team of Glorith, Chameleon Boy, and Ultra Boy to try to track it down.

Glorith is being held up as the model new Legionnaire in terms of preparation. Her reluctance or lack of confidence does remind me of the old White Witch. 

He also sends out a team of Sun Boy, Polar Boy, Phantom Girl, and Invisible Kid out to make sure that the Persuader's atomic axe is still locked up in an illegal weapon cache.

You would think that the UP would melt down the axe rather than store it somewhere. Seems like a recipe for disaster.

I do like this cloaked, chain mail look for the Persuader. It's new to me.

And I like that Mon-El is actually acting like a leader her, being proactive and sending out specific teams for specific tasks.

The primary team is able to track down the pirates and try to stop them from escaping again.

As much as I am a bit tired of the Chemical King character, I do like that Element Lad has sort of taken him under his wing. Together they could be unstoppable, Element Lad providing the fuel for Chemical King's revved up reactions. Here together, they simply dismantle the pirates' ship.

But despite this, the pirates are able to again escape after Cosmic Boy is badly wounded in a battle with three other Braalians. I am surprised that this fight was so lopsided. We have seen Cosmic Boy battle other Braalians in the past and wipe the floor with them, either by his own power or from battle experience.

So a couple of nice moments, some more Chemical King ineptitude, and a sort of prologue feeling to the Fatal Five arc. It's a good thing that the Duplicate Damsel scene was so powerful or I might not have anything very positive to say about this issue.

Overall grade: C

Scott Lobdell On Changes In Superman

Yesterday, USA Today ran an article about Scott Lobdell and the direction he is going to take on Superman starting this Wednesday in Superman #13. Here is the link: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2012/10/22/clark-kent-superman-comic-book-series/1648921/

It lit something of a brushfire across the Superman fandom as it was announced that Clark Kent is going to quit the Daily Planet and become an internet crusader of truth and journalism integrity. Here is a blurb:

However, his still-strong feelings for Lois, combined with Daily Planet editor in chief Perry White getting on his case for not enough scoops on the Superman beat and his boss' boss Morgan Edge also giving him a hard time, leads to a Jerry Maguire-type moment where he quits in front of the whole staff and rails on how journalism has given way to entertainment — in a not-so-mild-mannered fashion. 

I have to say ... I don't get it and I don't like it. At least on first blush.

Let me digress for a second.

I have a great idea to revamp James Bond for current times. 

My James Bond will be:
1) Celibate
2) A pacifist
3) A citizen of France
4) Doesn't drink alcohol

I also have a great idea to revamp Sherlock Holmes.

My Sherlock Holmes will be:
1) Illogical
2) Superstitious
3) Lucky

And I also have a great idea to revamp Captain Kirk.

My Captain Kirk will be:
1) Celibate
2) Coldly logical
3) By the book military man
4) Scared of physical confrontation

Now maybe there are good stories out there about a French, celibate, pacifist, tee-totaling super-spy. But that isn't James Bond.

And maybe there are good stories out there about a supersititious, illogical, 'lucky' Detective in late 19th century London. But that isn't Sherlock Holmes.

And maybe there are good stories out there about a starship captain who is cold, by the book, meek, celibate. But that isn't Kirk.

Here is the current ideas floated around about the DCnU revamp of Superman:
1) Doesn't have a clear idea of who he is
2) Doesn't want to mentor someone
3) Is feared by half the populace
4) Floats all the time to show his distance from humanity
5) Isn't interested in Lois Lane
6) Doesn't work at the Daily Planet

Maybe there are good stories about this character but that isn't Superman.

When you start peeling away more and more about who Superman 'is', who he has been for 7 decades, you start to move farther and farther away from Superman. I know he worked for WGBS for a while. I know he wasn't always married to Lois. But more and more, the character I am reading sounds less and less like Superman.

After the rushed feeling of New Krypton, a time when Superman was off-earth. After the ludicrous Grounded arc where Superman seemed to be lost. After a year of Lex Luthor headlining Action Comics, you know what most Superman fans were clamoring for. Great Superman stories. Stories of Superman and Clark, in Metropolis, interacting with Lois and the supporting cast, and fighting his rogues, fighting for justice. And frankly we haven't seen that in the Superman title since the New 52 reboot. There is a reason why Superman has lasted for 75 years ... he is a great character. He isn't broken. He doesn't need to be fixed.

And in some ways it feels lazy. It feels like a shake-up of a character for the sake of doing something different. Is DC saying there are no more stories out there with Clark working at the Daily Planet, in love with Lois? No more stories where Superman is a great and trusted hero, an inspiration? Really? Maybe they should read what Morrison is doing in Action Comics.

Now I am not saying that comic book characters need to stay locked in amber. Swamp Thing went from being a muck-encrusted mockery of a man into a plant elemental. Hawkman went from archaeologist to space policeman to archaelogist/space policeman to ... something.

But Swamp Thing and Hawkman aren't Superman.

I'll go in with an open mind. Maybe Lobdell will pull it off. Maybe the stories will be great. But I wonder if it'll feel like Superman.
 

Supergirl Trade Talk: Costume Design

The first trade collection for the DCnU Supergirl came out this week and collected the first 7 issues of the title as well as a few extras. At 160 pages, Volume 1 Last Daughter of Krypton, is something of a steal at only $14.99.

One of the things that struck me is that the issues read well when read in one sitting, obviously the benefit of trade treatment. While I am still struck that the first couple of issues are decompressed, the momentum builds through the seven issues. Once the trip to Argo happens and the World Killers show up, the story moves faster and feels weightier. There is more for the reader to sift through, trying to piece together the puzzle of her origin just as Kara is doing the same. There still might be a bit too heavy reliance on splash pages and it was a relatively quick read but the pacing of the story seemed much better when read en masse.

And the trade ends on just the right note, this uplifting page of a tired, proud, smiling Supergirl ... thrilled she has won this battle and helped save Earth.

I was glad to see some extras in the back of the trade. There are some preliminary designs of the World Killers by Mahmud Asrar. And there is an unused cover for Supergirl #6 as well. But for me, the best of the extras are some costume designs for the DCnU Supergirl that weren't accepted.

So here are some of the other designs that Jim Lee came up with for Supergirl. I am glad that these weren't chosen. I think Supergirl needs to have the S-shield and this free-floating S just doesn't do it for me.

Of any of these, the bottom one, which has a little Laurel Gand feel to it, works best for me.

And it seems those 'open-kneed' boots were always part of the equation.

I have to say, this one stuck out to me as being the most visually unappealing. The mish-mash of blue and red and the silver shoulders on the cape just seem distracting. A costume should be sleek and smooth. This is too visually jarring.

Add to that the boob mini-window, the open neck and shoulders, the elbows being exposed. Well it reminded me too much of this ...

I should never ever ever ever ever ever be reminded of this horrific Invisible Woman costume, perhaps the worst hero costume ever.

More intriguing is this page of costume designs by Mahmud Asrar.

I think the bottom right is interesting as it looks like a sort of fetal version of the current Power Girl outfit. The 8 in the S-shield is also a nice touch, reminding me for some reason of DC 1,000,000.

I don't think I would like the mid-riff, pants version.

But this one is actually quite fetching. The single piece dress is evocative of her first costume and multiple variants that have been seen recently. The larger symbol being incorportated into the cape and collar gives it a sort of regal feeling. And the boots lack the open knees. Add flourishes of blue and this is a winner.

Of all of Jim Lee's versions, I think the one chosen is the best. I am glad they went in this direction rather than any of the above Lee designs. This has enough classic elements to make it feel right.

Scott Snyder And Jim Lee Interview

I continue to stumble across interviews that were sprung from the crop of  publicity planted in the fertile loam of the NYCC. Here is another short interview with Jim Lee and Scott Snyder about their upcoming Superman book. Here is the link: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=41540

What I have found in these interviews ... whether they be Snyder/Lee or Lobdell or Diggle/Daniels is a basic understanding of who Superman is. I don't think Superman is a loner. I don't think Superman would float all the time, being 'above' his teammates and comrades. I don't think Superman 'doesn't know who he is'. So here is a couple of questions from the interview I liked. As always, please go read the interview in its entirety.

CBR News: Jim, let's start with you. You're not only a DC artist but also the Co-Publisher. You've been working on "Justice League" since the launch of the New 52. What made this the project you wanted to move to as an artist, and what made this book the right business move to take DC into 2013?

Jim Lee: I would say with my Co-Publisher hat on looking into 2013, it's Superman's 75th anniversary. So we wanted to do a lot of great things with Superman in the coming year and expand the number of books we put out under his name. From an artist's point of view, I always want to work with the writers I admire. I've been following Scott's work on "American Vampire" where I actually did the variant for the first issue, and I followed him straight through to "Batman" where I loved the way he introduced new mythology and made it seem so seamless and like it'd been there forever. 

Hard to believe that Superman is 75 years old!

What I like about this is Lee, as co-publisher, saying that as an institution DC wanted to focus on Superman. It has been a while since I really felt that DC really concentrated on him. While Batman and his family have so many titles I almost run out of fingers, with creative teams that are given time to build big stories, with a clear direction as a group of titles, Superman has had rotating creative teams with short tenures and an unclear path. Is he still the spotless beloved inspiration? Is he a loner, feared by humanity? Is he a mix?

I think I know what Superman is. And he isn't a loner or feared.

Hopefully the bright star of Scott Snyder will bring readers into the fold.

Scott, people knew when you started at DC that you were a huge Batman fan and had a real passion for telling stories with that character. Do you have a similar relationship to Superman, or is your approach as a writer a bit different?
Scott Snyder: It's similar in the way that those two are the twin favorite characters for me ever since I was a little kid. There are moments when you want to be Superman, and then you get angry and have moments where you want to be Batman. [Laughs] That's both as a kid and as an adult! The way this came about for me was that I was working on "Batman" stuff, and a story started to develop in my head for Superman that I thought if I ever got a chance to write the character would be the thing I wanted to do with him. So I started mapping it out and figuring ways I could do it whenever I could. ... It was something that I feel grew really organically for me from an excitement for and love of the character as well as an excitement for working with Jim.

What I liked here is that it doesn't sound like DC just put their most popular writer on the book just to drum up publicity and sales. Snyder is a Superman fan. And he had a story in his mind he wanted to tell.

Over the first year of the New 52, we had these twin Superman books that took place in the past where "Action" dealt with Clark Kent finding his place in the world and "Superman" developing this clash between his Kryptonian past and the modern day. We know Andy Diggle will be taking on "Action" and Scott Lobdell will be continuing the themes of "Superman." How will this new series fit into the line, and where will its story focus once it gets going?
Snyder: This will play along with the other Superman books in the sense that it's in continuity, but we really wanted to carve out our own territory. This really is sort of the biggest, most epic Superman story we could do together while having our feet planted firmly in continuity and making sure that everyone had enough room. For us, this is an independent book and something that will challenge Superman in a big way that's unique to our book.

I do wonder about just how 'out of continuity' this title will be. Will it feel as distant as All-Star Superman?

Will the characterization of the supporting cast be in line with the main titles?

But maybe this is the book where Superman is the more classic version without the angst/isolation of the DCnU.

Overall, at this stage in the game how do each of your view Superman as a character? We hear a lot of talk about whether Clark Kent is the real lead character within his dual identity or whether Superman is. Do you have a feel for what your take will be like?
Snyder: I think one of the interesting things about him is that Clark is always Clark. I think sometimes people like Batman you see that Bruce Wayne is the mask he wears. But for Superman, the thing that makes him such a strong character is that the values he grew up with and the person he was raised to be are still at the core of what makes him the most powerful superhero on earth. This isn't going to be a story where it's Clark versus Superman or seeing the two of them split. It's more about challenges for Superman that rock him to the core emotionally, psychologically and also physically. It really is going to wind up putting him up against someone who can go blow-to-blow with him and really take him down.
Lee: Yeah, I'm more of the mind that you can have your cake and eat it to. It's not so much that he is Superman or Clark Kent. They're one and the same. One of the appealing things about Superman is that he is in touch with that aspect of his humanity.  When I think of Superman, I think of a guy who can relate to the everyman and be the Clark Kent that we know and love, but he's also this incredible hero that's inspirational and aspirational -- someone who can move mountains. To me, that's what makes this character interesting -- that both of these people reside in the same body.
 
As I have said before, Clark Kent is the 'real' persona. Superman is the mask. It has to be that way. And that is something that I think has been lost a little bit over the last couple of years. Superman is just a Kansas farm boy who wants to help and has some extra gifts that makes it easy. So I am very glad that this piece of characterization is not only recognized but embraced by the creative team.

I am looking forward to reading this book. 

Review: Supergirl #13

Supergirl #13 came out on Wednesday and picked up from the cliffhanger two months ago, Simon Tycho inside an underwater fortress which called to Kara.

There are times, as someone who reviews comics, that I feel for comic book creators. Because I think that sometimes, comic readers are extremely tough to please.

I know from solicits that H'El on Earth starts next month. I know that this issue has to bring Supergirl and her story to a place where she can join that major crossover. And I know that we as readers are reeling a bit from all the info which we learned in Supergirl #0. So this issue has a lot of ground to cover. And in many ways I think it is unfortunate.

Supergirl #13 is a pretty fast read and pretty dense. A lot happens in this issue and Supergirl has to deal with the whole spectrum of emotions as events and information batter her. The problem is that it is hard for me as a reader to reconcile a change from sadness to anger to happiness and back again in the space of a handful of panels. If there was ever a story that begged for 2 issues, a time when more space could have been devoted to exploring how Supergirl is going to deal with everything that happens, it is this story. But with H'El around the corner, we are whisked through this emotional turmoil and slammed into another cliffhanger.

Now maybe this chaos will add to why Supergirl initially listens to H'El. And maybe some people like the fast pace. But for me, the draw of this book isn't punching and heat vision, it is seeing Kara move along her journey. And I hope that at some point we have an issue where she pauses, takes a breath, and takes stock of everything that has happened in her life so far.

This isn't a knock against this issue which I think does what it needed to do and has some very nice moments. I just left it wondering 'what if we had 20 more pages'.

Sami Basri is on art this issue and does a solid job. I enjoyed Basri's work on Power Girl and his smooth lines work well here. I did feel a sort of whiff of Asrar in some of the panels here. I wonder if Basri tweaked his linework here to try to keep the feel of the book in line.

Initially Supergirl responds to Tycho being in this place with anger. She goes on the attack but with his 'brain' body, he is able to hold her off. One thing I like about Kara's response is that she seems truly upset that he is sullying this slice of Krypton. Tycho doesn't have the right to speak Kryptonian or be there.

As for Tycho, he is quite happy with his new lot in life and seems rather blase in his approach to Supergirl. At first he wanted her (turns out he sent the nanobot from Supergirl #11). Here he wants only her alien tech. He doesn't want Kara anymore; he actually semi-apologizes about treating her like an experiment. He is definitely slimy ... now literally.

I was hoping that the 'drop of Supergirl's blood' which was a key part of the ending of Supergirl #4 would somehow be worked into Tycho's new body/powers. But it isn't mentioned.

He unlocks the message we heard before, the message which ended with Zor-El being shot. Except since this crystal isn't broken, Kara hears the whole thing, Alura's questioning of Zor-El and his words as he launched the pod.

In a nice panel, we see that Kara know remembers her last days completely. Nice use of Asrar's work from Supergirl #0 in the background.

But here is the thing. This is a big thing. She recalls everything now. Her father drugging her, lying to her. Her mother shooting her father. Her father still rocketing her away. She has every right in the world to be crying. But we only have a page of her trying to process this in any meaningful way.

Instead, she has to sort of delay dealing with all these emotions because Tycho is still there as a threat. His new body lets him unlock all the red memory crystals that grew in this place. He has access to the info, but not the central command of this place ... and that is what he wants.

The Kryptonian computer is voice activated and the AI calls itself Sanctuary, a gift from her father and a piece of home. So this place is called Sanctuary. I like it.

I also like that it truly is a gift from Zor-El who seemed to think of everything to ease his daughter's transition ... everything except a forewarning that it was going to happen.

Again, I think at some point, Kara has to deal with all this new information ... her father's secrets, her mother's attack, etc.

In control of the place, Supergirl again tries to battle Tycho who demands that Kara turn over control of Sanctuary to him.

I loved this panel where Tycho says that Supergirl is simply 'too nice'. This comic is misrepresented by DC folks as being a bad girl title. The police and military and half the populace (it seems) think Supergirl is a menace. How ironic that the bad guy has a better sense of just who Kara is.

Tycho's new body makes a physical fight a stalemate and he's happy about that. He knows he simply needs to wait for the yellow sun energy in Kara to wear off. It seems a little too easy. He clearly doesn't have super-speed. She could just escape. But more importantly, we have read in this book how her body processes and seems to store yellow sun energy with extreme efficiency, absorbing it to the point it occasionally explodes out of her. Should she really already be winded?

But this battle puts that sadness of her origin and those revelations in the background. She now has to be mad.

If she can't stop Tycho, she'll need something else to. And so she asks Sanctuary to neutralize him. And just like that, Tycho is encased in impregnable crystal. He doesn't need to breathe or eat now. She isn't killing him. Just putting him in a sort of amber. But I wonder just what she'll do with Tycho. Leave him there like a trophy? Seems too risky.

And now we go to a sort of sly happiness.  Even a little bit of indignation as she watches Tycho get sealed up.

This is the second time Kara has had to think her way out of an impossible jam (the last time when she turned the World Killers against themselves). I like a smart Kara who can think on her feet.

Then even that sort of anger slides away and she is shown to be happy, thrilled to have a place of her own.

Only to then slide back into a sort of mild sadness. She is sad about what has happened to her parents. She is sad that her Zor-El didn't give her a choice.  We get to hear her inner monologue reviewing all these details and how emotional it is. But it seemed too quick. If only there was another page or panel or two to have her try to deal with it a bit on her own. As it is, she is sad to be alone on this planet.

Except she isn't alone any more.

How I hoped ... hoped ... this would be a phone call to Kal. She knows Krypton is gone. She knows the details of her origin. She knows Kal was right. And he just helped her out. She should be calling him ...

Instead she calls Siobhan.

And I suppose this is okay if not optimal. There isn't that complete feeling of isolation. She has a friend now, someone she can call on to just talk.

But before she can hash things out, talk about all she has learned with her friend, Sanctuary's alarms pick up yet another Kryptonian presence on Earth.

It's a monster of some sort, attacking Kal.

And just like that we are back to a cliffhanger, back to an action sequence, and ready to plunge into H'El on Earth.

Now maybe I am being premature. Maybe Kara dealing with her origins and her parents' fate will evolve out of H'El. Maybe she will talk to Kal about it all there. Or maybe it is this lack of processing, this sort of raw place she is in right now that makes her contemplate H'El's offers. I still would have loved a bit more introspection here.

Still, this was a good issue, briskly paced, running the gamut of emotions, having Kara learn her origins, having her defeat an arch-nemesis, and adding Sanctuary. And she was called too nice! That's a lot for one issue. I just think maybe it was a bit too much. I needed a moment for Supergirl to catch her breath and let me catch my breath too. (I wonder if the team would have liked to have stretched this to two issues only to have the merging with H'El take over.)

Add to that the smooth lines of Basri standing in for Asrar. (In particular, I think Basri did a great job on Supergirl's costume, minimizing the distracting corners of the lower hem.)

Overall grade: B+/B

January 2013 Solicits

The DC solicits for January 2013 have come out right and are available in many many places. Here is a link to CBR's coverage to see all of the month's books: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=41656

I guess the big 'surprise' of this month is the announcement that 4 titles are being cancelled (more on that later). I suppose that these lower selling titles were given their shot to find an audience which just never materialized.

As for the Super-titles, we will be in the midst of H'El on Earth in January so issue solicits are intriguing.

SUPERGIRL #16
Written by MIKE JOHNSON
Art and cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
• The “H’EL ON EARTH” crossover event continues!
• The assault on the Fortress of Solitude rages on!
• Supergirl finds herself having to defend H’El from Superman, Superboy and the Justice League!

So I will hold out hope that H'El on Earth will be some sort of major turning point in Supergirl's life. My hope is she starts out thinking that H'El can recreate Krypton and therefore sides with him only to realize it is a pact with the devil. I will keep my fingers crossed than when H'El ends, she'll have further embraced Earth and has become closer with Kal.

So an issue which basically sounds like she fights the JLA sounds a bit like a Loeb/Churchill issue. But this is a middle chapter ... so I won't fret too much. 

ACTION COMICS #16
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Backup story written by SHOLLY FISCH
Art by RAGS MORALES and MARK PROPST
Backup story art by CHRIS SPROUSE and KARL STORY
Cover by RAGS MORALES
Variant cover by PASCUAL FERRY

The Man of Steel vs. the worst foe the multiverse has ever seen: Superdoom, a demon Superman from an alternate universe!
• With the Little Man’s true identity revealed, learn more about his plan and why he hates Superman so much.
• And in the backup story, a spotlight on a key moment from Superman’s climactic battle with the Anti-Superman Army!

I have loved Morrison's run on Action and I can't believe the penultimate issue has been solicited. I don't want this to end. 

Back when I reviewed Action Comics #9 I hoped that the E1 Superman was going to be a good enough and pure enough to defeat the 'SuperDoom' that was trapped between dimensions. I should have known that Morrison would do the right thing.

I guess this also means that this is the penultimate Sholly Fisch story as well.

Will this 1.5 year long epic be wrapped up in a satisfactory way? I hope.  

SUPERMAN #16
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
1:25 B&W Variant cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
 
• The “H’EL ON EARTH” crossover event takes a shocking turn!
• Guest-starring THE JUSTICE LEAGUE!
• The Man of Steel leads Wonder Woman, Batman, Cyborg, the Flash and Superboy on the final assault on the Fortress of Solitude!
• Can Superman stop H’El when Supergirl is standing in the way?

Three things about this solicit. One, I know he isn't for everybody but I think Kenneth Rocafort is just spectacular.

Two, why is Superman in the 'throwback' shirt and jeans?

And three, Superman is leading Superboy?? I suppose I knew this was coming with all the 'Supergirl wants to kill Superboy', 'Superman will side with one of the supers', etc. So I guess I just have to swallow a month of Supergirl as villain and keep the faith that she'll come out okay on the other side.

SUPERBOY #16
Written by TOM DeFALCO
Art by R.B. SILVA and ROB LEAN
Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM and BATT
• The “H’EL ON EARTH” crossover event continues!
• Don’t miss the assault on the Fortress of Solitude!
• Superboy and Superman turn to the Justice League for help — to evict H’El from Superman’s own home!

Well, now I have to ask why Superboy is in the Kryptonian armor that Superman usually wears. And I can't imagine Batman ever easily teaming up with such an unknown quantity as Superboy.

I've been around long enough to have read other assaults on the Fortress. It is never easy. 

SUPERBOY ANNUAL #1
Written by TOM DeFALCO
Art by YVEL GUICHET
Cover by EDDIE BARROWS and EBER FERREIRA
• As the battle to stop H’El rages on, Superman learns the truth about just what Superboy is...But is it the whole truth?
• Rose Wilson of The Ravagers crashes back into Superboy’s life — and she’s got some dangerous new ideas about his destiny!
• And if you thought the drama between Superboy and Superman was intense...Just wait until Rose’s father enters the mix!

Hooray for Rose appearing again in the Superboy book. I definitely think that Rose was the high point of the early issues of the Superboy comic. Too bad RB Silva isn't drawing this because I loved his Rose. 

And again, Superboy in the armor, Superman in the t shirt. Hmmm ... 

SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #9
Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER • Art by JORGE JIMENEZ
Cover by SCOTT KOLINS
• The first time in print for these digital-first stories.
• An old friend returns to the series with a new look. What terrible secret is he carrying?
• The secret of “Earth Two” Chloe is revealed.

First Batman guest starred. Now, what appears to be the Flash is in this issue. Now on the show, I believe the Flash was Bart Allen. Could the terrible secret be some clue about the upcoming Crisis?? Maybe that he is dying (like the pre-Crisis Wally West)?

No complaints about Smallville. The comic has been more consistently entertaining than the show.  

SUPERMAN FAMILY ADVENTURES #9
Written by ART BALTAZAR and FRANCO
Art and cover by ART BALTAZAR
• The mysterious Brainiac arrives! Is he an alien, a robot, or both?!
• Will he shrink Metropolis with his shrinking ray?
• How did he find the Fortress of Solitude anyway?
• Find out in this epic issue!

 I like how the Brainiac on the cover is a mash-up of the old school green/purple Brainiac and the silver skullish Brainiac. 

I hope we get to see the whole family go into battle!

WORLDS’ FINEST #8
Written by PAUL LEVITZ
Art by KEVIN MAGUIRE, GEORGE PEREZ and SANDRA HOPE
Cover by KEVIN MAGUIRE
1:25 B and W Variant cover by KEVIN MAGUIRE
• Power Girl and Huntress have been searching for a connection to their world, Earth 2, for years, but now they’ve kicked a hornet’s nest of trouble — and the hunters become the hunted!

I was kind of let down with the last issue of Worlds' Finest. So I am hoping the book rebounds and moves forward a bit.

Nice cover by Maguire. And I do hope that more of the E2 mystery is revealed. That said, the whole point of the book is that the two are on Earth 1. I can't imagine they will be returning to Earth 2 any time soon. So I hope other plots work their way into the book.

LEGION LOST #16
Written by TOM DeFALCO
Art by ANDRES GUINALDO and MARK IRWIN
Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM and BATT
• FINAL ISSUE
• Superboy and The Ravagers guest-star!
• In order to save billions of lives, the Lost Legionnaires must decide if they are willing to sacrifice millions when they detonate a bomb that will destroy the alien machine from Daggor!
• Plus, more on the origin of Harvest!

Well, one of the books cancelled is Legion Lost. As I have said in reviews, the book (despite having 2 of my favorite Legionnaires and Pete Woods on art) just never really grabbed me. The current market seems like it can barely sustain one LSH book let alone two.

I hope that none of these Legionnaires 'die' here. It would be a shame to have them be unavailable in the main title.

More Harvest origin? He has to be Captain Adym somehow time looped.

Even in this last issue, we have Superboy and the Ravagers. It seems like some of these titles are on mutual life support. I hope DeFalco is able to bring all these individual stories to a close.

 Anyways, looks like a busy month. 

Review: Legion Lost #13

We recently learned that Legion Lost is being cancelled in January and Legion Lost #13, which came out last week, felt like the beginning of the end of the title.

We have moved beyond the opening arc of the Hypertaxis virus. We have been teased with hidden secrets for all the Legionnaires stuck in the past. Now, in this issue, we finally had some reveals of the Legion secrets. And we get introduced to a new powerful villain, one we have never heard of before, who will act as a catalyst ... speeding up the inevitable finale.

I have to say that I am glad that with the lead time of a few months, writer Tom De Falco appears to be trying to wrap up things nicely. I don't know if I would be too happy if the book ended without us seeing what all the unknown histories of the characters were.

The book starts with images of a distant inhabited planet being destroyed by some unknown powerful being.

Hey wait ... I thought that the Phoenix was defeated in one of the AvX titles! (snicker)

Anyways, the death of an entire planet sends a sort of 'disturbance in the Force' to Tellus all the way here on Earth. I didn't realize that Tellus was that powerful of a telepath. I kind of put him a notch below Saturn Girl. So this was either a powerful psychic moment or a sort of writing legerdemain to get the story rolling.

One thing I have enjoyed in this book has been the emergence of Tyroc as a leader. Despite the team's difficulties in the past, he states the team is still Legion, still there to protect people. And if this threat is coming to Earth, they have to deal with it. He sends Wildfire out to reconnoiter. I thought it was a nice small moment.

Meanwhile, Yera keeps pressing him that the real threat is Harvest and the team needs to deal with that present threat, not one galaxies away.

And in a flashback  we learn more ... finally! Turns out that Yera has been an agent for the Science Police, specifically the ECHO subdivision, within the Legion ... well ... forever. Talking to her superior Captain Adym, she talks about gaining begrudging respect for the team and not just because of her marriage to Colossal Boy.

ECHO is worried about the time stream, including the Legion's meddlings. He has agents in the Legion ... not just Yera ... agents, plural. He is worried that a rogue Legionnaire exists and he thinks it's Gates. And somehow Adym has handpicked/manipulated into existence this Legion team. Yera's mission in the past? Root out the rogue and if needed, eliminate him/her.

It is an interesting turn for Yera. She has been a double agent forever? And this is after her also having replaced Shrinking Violet for Imskian rebels way back when. Back then, Yera seemed an innocent actress duped by Micro Lad. Now she is a nefarious spy. Was her love and marriage 'real'?

We hear again how Timber Wolf's concerns about the Legion having been duped by ECHO. And we learn even more in another flashback with Yera.

Wildfire's cracked faceplate has been found in the past. And Tyroc's mystery ... his own gravestone shows he has died in the past. (I think I called that back in June when we first saw it).

Is it really going to be a one way trip for the two Legionnaires?

Meanwhile, Wildfire has his hands full with Lord Daggor and his talking dragon Thraxx, the planet-killing beings from the beginning. Moreover, they sound like emissaries for a 'conqueror supreme'. So that sounds a bit like a Galactus-like being, complete with advance scouts.

But why is Earth of such interest?

Nothing speeds a story along better than a big powerful enemy. So I doubt we will be seeing any more of the street-wise teen that befriended Timber Wolf. I doubt we will see more of the military group chasing the team. We need to get to the end quickly. There is no need to build up the supporting cast moving forward.

And as if the impending destruction of Earth at the hand of Daggor and Thraxx, a time bubble arrives. And someone not necessarily surprised by that is Harvest, who talks about the sacred circle of events. He summons his strongest warriors (we have seen Psykill and Warblade before).

It has been hinted at all along that Harvest is from the 31st century. And anytime 'circle' is used in time travel stories, I start to think about what paradox could be coming up that will wrap everything up neatly.

But it does make me wonder about all the other stuff ... the Culling, etc. Why would Harvest go through all that if he knew about this stuff.

The time bubble isn't a Legion team. It's Captain Adym from ECHO again. And he isn't here to rescue. He's here to help fight against a big threat.

So I have read these sort of things enough to know that Adym can't be a 'good guy'. He has to be the threat. He has to be manipulating things for his own end. And I wonder if he somehow 'becomes' Harvest. The 'circle' is that Harvest somehow is around when Harvest is created. And somehow, some irony about his name being Adym (Adam) will play out.

One small moment I liked is Gates asking why didn't Adym ring the bell for all the super-heroes of the time, the JLA for example. It is a good question and one I always ask when one hero squares off against a planetary threat.

Wildfire crashes on Earth, a beaten energy construct. And right behind him is the presumed threat Adym is here to fight ... Daggor and Thraxx. It is a decent cliffhanger even if we don't know these guys. How can this group of Legionnaires beat these two if they are strong enough to raze a planet? And will Harvest and his team join the fight to defeat these guys?

So, with a mere three issues left, we are moving forward a bit more briskly than we have in the last year. We know about Yera and Tyroc's secrets. We learn more about Wildfire's 'fate'. And we start to put all the moving parts in one spot. I don't know if this title every really 100% grabbed me. And maybe the lagging sales are indicative of that. If a diehard Legion reader like me can't get pumped over a book starring 2 of his favorite Legionnaires, what hope does it have on the big market.

All that said, Pete Woods has just been great on this title. I will miss seeing his Dawnstar and Wildfire month in, month out.

Overall grade: B