DCSuperhero Girls #SilverScream

Just last week, I finally got around to reviewing DC Superhero Girls #MeetTheCheetah.

One of the things that tickled me about that short was that Supergirl was firing off bad puns left and right. As people most likely know, I love puns. And obviously, I love Supergirl. So that seemed like a match made in heaven.

So just when I didn't think I could like or relate more with this new Supergirl, I saw the DC Superhero Girls #SilverScream short over on YouTube. Here is a link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOHRwZ1Z6aI

In it we see learn that Supergirl is also a movie fanatic and also like the horror genre of movies. And when she is at the theater, she like to immerse herself in the experience. People distracting her from the movie are going to irritate her.

It is as if Lauren Faust is trying to create the most Anj-est Kara there is.

#SilverScream starts off with the marquee shot.

Summer of Danger VIII is showing.

There is even the secondary title 'He remembers what you don't remember' - perhaps some riff on 'I know what you did last summer'?

But it is what happens inside the cinema that is hilarious.

Comic Box Commentary Is 11 Years Old!

Hard to believe it but I started this site 11 years ago.

It is crazy to look back at things in 2008 when the impetus was to trumpet a character I felt wasn't in the spotlight enough. Now she seems everywhere.

No big changes in mind for the upcoming year other than maybe taking a day off now and then. But as always, if people have ideas for me, please fire them my way!

Thanks to everyone who comes here and shares the passion.

Thanks to everyone who reads my over-long reviews and comments!

Thanks to all the friends I have made on this site! You all are the best!

Review: Action Comics #1010

Action Comics #1010 came out this week and was an interesting middle chapter of the Leviathan Rising story arc which is leading into this summer's mega-crossover, Event Leviathan.

As a sort of middle chapter of a prologue, I wasn't expecting much plot progression here. And outside of a death (major or minor depending on your love of the character), a semi-reveal, and a solid cliffhanger, we didn't learn too much here.

What we did learn is that the presence of some unknown entity like Leviathan is going to make everyone antsy and jittery. Everyone is going to be suspicious of everyone else. And some bad decisions are bound to happen because of that. It reminds me a little bit of John Carpenter's The Thing. Anyone or anyones (plural) could have been the monster. Who do you trust? As such, having people wonder out loud if someone is Leviathan ... directly to their faces ... is interesting.

This might be my favorite issue for Steve Epting on this book so far. This is mostly a street level issue with spies confronting spies. That style of story works for him. The one truly super-moment is brought about in a very cinematic style and crackles. And kudos to colorist Brad Anderson for bring the shadows to this espionage tale.

I also have to say that I have had my thoughts about who Leviathan is. I have, all along, thought that ultimately Leviathan would be the Earth-0 version of a Watchmen character. Someone like Dan Dreiberg of Earth-0. But I have changed my mind. I have taken that Watchmen idea and looked at it through a mirror darkly. My latest guess revealed later.

On to the book.

DC Superhero Girls #MeetTheCheetah

DC Superhero Girls #MeetTheCheetah aired a while ago. Sorry it has taken me so long to have it bubble to the top of the pile.

I have been pretty impressed with the show so far. It has had a great mix of action and humor. Each of the characters have a pretty unique outlook and personality. And, under it all, are the social lessons which seem to be de rigueur for cartoons these days. Unlike the old version where those lessons seemed primary, here they seem to be more nuanced. That makes me happy. Cartoons should be fun and educational ... not necessarily preachy.

We finally get a supervillain in the mix and it is classic Wonder Woman nemesis Cheetah. I like how the identity of the Cheetah is a little bit of a mystery here. I am curious if people who have never been exposed to the character anticipated the expected reveal at the end. And we also see the first time that Supergirl needs to be eliminated as a story element because of her power level.

But for me, the best thing about this show so far is that it truly is an all ages affair. Prior episodes have included Spinal Tap riffs and Watership Down references. Here we get pretty much a straight up homage to the Alien movies. And that makes me thrilled.

So far so good for this series! Loving it.

Supergirl 419: Crime And Punishment

Supergirl Episode 419, titled Crime and Punishment, aired this week and was an interesting episode. In many ways it felt like a middle chapter of a mini-series. The purpose here isn't to solve any problems. It isn't really there to progress the plot. Instead the purpose it serves is simply to churn up the suspense, bringing the simmering plot lines to more of a boil.

The main plot is the dream team of Lena and Supergirl trying to track down Lex Luthor and figure out how he was able to get some version of Supergirl into the White House. Seeing these two team up as they try to unravel the clues and get into Lex's mind is pretty great. It truly was something of a mystery. And I liked the glimpses we had into the insanity of the Luthor mind.

A subplot is Kara's reaction to being treated like a villain in her own world. She is used to being the hero, being the inspiration. So seeing her become despondent about the fear Supergirl now invokes was another fascinating wrinkle. And her solution, how to be the hero while not being Supergirl is also great, giving us a look at the other side of her dual identity.

And yes, we get to see how this new world of 'Supergirl, Public Enemy #1' effects Alex, Colonel Haley, Brainy, and James as well.

But the big win is the main plot. We haven't seen Lex or Red Daughter in two episodes but we definitely feel their presence here. And that is a good thing.

Supergirl 1- La Derniere Fille de Krypton

When you are an avid comic book fan who also happens to be friends with people who do a lot of traveling, you often get cool gifts and souvenirs.

A very good friend of mine was recently in Paris and noticed a comic book store just a few blocks from his hotel. He went in and saw this trade - Supergirl, La Derniere Fille de Krypton - and knew he had to grab it for me.

I am a sucker for stuff like this. I have a fun side collection of foreign copies of Supergirl and Superman books. This one is quite slick.

For one, I love the 'non 3D' Supergirl logo. There is something clean about this. Perhaps it being black on the yellow background helps.

And the back cover also is sharp with the black background.

The text I can muddle through with my high school French and deductive skills. It says she comes to Earth to find Superman is not a baby and she has to decide if she will embrace humanity (or something like that).

Matrix Monday: Superman #83

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

Sorry, that was premature.

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

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

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

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

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

On to the book.