Review: Future State Legion Of Super-Heroes #2

Future State Legion of Super-Heroes #2 came out this week and I feel like Brian Michael Bendis and Riley Rossmo hit this one out of the park. It must be hard to fully flesh out a completely new timeline in just two issues. But you get the sense that Bendis knew where these characters were heading and with dialogue and plot twists, you can sort of fill in the gaps. (As a fan of 5YL, I am used to mentally filling in time gaps with the Legion.)

As I have said with the 'regular' Legion book, Bendis is walking the tightrope of bringing back classic themes and characterization from the prior runs while making this new and fresh. So last issue, when Element Lad was revealed as the big bad, I thought this was a nod to the Abnett/Lanning run. Of course, there was one more twist and a doozy making this very original.

Rossmo's art is unique and quirky but somehow fits this odd 'possible' timeline. Dystopic, frenzied, action-packed. In particular, Rossmo gives us several splash like pages where we see the same character in multiple action shots, showing how it unfolds in the environment. Gorgeous.

Okay. Now while I liked this story, I do hope that the main title does not pick up where this left off and instead continues that timeline. We haven't learned enough about that team to jump forward.

On to the book.

No Supergirl Comic On The Horizon

The cancellation of the Supergirl title.

The end of the Brian Michael Bendis run on the Superman books.

Future State and Infinite Frontier re-imagining the whole DCU.

No mention of Kara in any of the solicits.

It made me wonder if and when we would see Supergirl again.

I wrote that just last week when I thought I saw Supergirl in a Future State page as part of the Legion. Since then Supergirl has been announced as being a character in the upcoming DCEU Flash movie. 

I wondered if maybe we would get a new Supergirl book. After all, she has a show, an upcoming movie appearance, and a fandom. 

Unfortunately it doesn't seem like we will see any Supergirl any time soon. On its web site, DC announced upcoming series. Here is the link.

https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2021/02/19/dc-teases-new-series-and-confirms-free-comic-book-day-at-comicspro

Leviathan Wednesday: Manhunter 10, 11, & 12

People who frequented this site back in 2019 know that I had a Leviathan Theory. Ted Kord was Leviathan. That was my theory and I was sticking to it. 

When it was revealed that Mark Shaw was Leviathan, I was a bit blind sided. Sure, in retrospect, many of the clues pointed to Shaw. But it still felt like it came out of left field. I know that is because I was a bit too married to my guess.

I found Leviathan to be an intriguing anti-hero though, still do. His goal is for truth to win out, for their to be no secrets, and for the destiny of humanity to be in the hands of the people, not shadowy organizations perpetuating a never-ending game of trickery.

With that in mind, I began this deep dive into Mark Shaw's history. And all I can say is after reviewing a decade of stories, Shaw being Leviathan makes more and more sense. Today's three parter from Manhunter #10, #11, and #12 really shows how Shaw came to his current beliefs.

In this arc, multiple spy organizations and shady cabals are vying to get their hands on some unknown alien weapon. Shaw has to get the tech into the hands of the 'rightful owners'. As the tale unfolds, you see Shaw's greed for new technology as well as showing him just how many secretive groups are out there trying to gather power for themselves.

Written by John Ostrander and Kim Yale with art by Doug Rice, you can see just how this adventure was a couple of giant steps down the road to the ultimate destiny of Leviathan.

Settle in. This is a 3 parter being reviewed. On to the books.

Supergirl On The Big Screen! Sasha Calle Announced!

The comic internet sort of exploded last week when it was revealed that 26 year old Latinx actress Sasha Calle was announced as Supergirl in the upcoming DCEU Flash movie.\

This included this ZOOM call footage of director Andy Muschietti telling Calle she got the role. 

I haven't seen Calle in anything. She is an interesting choice given the diversity she brings to the role. I will admit that I hope that she dyes her hair blond. But she seems quite delightful. And those who know her from The Young and The Restless seem to think she is a star in the making.

I guess in some ways I am burying the lede! Supergirl is going to be in the big screen DCEU. Now most people know that I have pretty significant issues with the Zach Snyder movies. At one point I actually hoped that Supergirl wouldn't be included in this DCEU out of pure fear. As the Flash movie seems to be based on Flashpoint, Calle could be a Supergirl from any sort of universe or part of the main universe. And Muschietti is a solid director. I liked It. He was attached to a live action Robotech at one point. He is in line to do an update of the Howling. That all sounds good. We'll need to wait and see.

There is a bit more info out there about the Calle announcement, for example here on Deadline: https://deadline.com/2021/02/supergirl-young-and-the-restless-actress-sasha-calle-the-flash-movie-dc-1234697190/

Future State: Superman Worlds At War #2

Future State Superman Worlds At War #2 came out this last week and was another good issue showing us one potential destiny of the Man of Steel. I have to say, between his stint in Imperious Lex and his death brawl with Darkseid in Immortal Wonder Woman, this Superman gets around.

For me, this series was a key one to read. Phillip Kennedy Johnson is on writing. He is writing the Superman books after Future State and so this is a peek into what he thinks of our hero. I was pretty impressed with the first issue and I thought this one was also very good. There is no doubt that Johnson thinks of Superman as an inspirational and pure hero. This issue's telling is a bit ham-fisted in driving that home. But it shows why Superman believes in humanity. He is us. He learned from us. And as a result, we need to be like him.

Mikel Janin's art is, as always, beautiful. This is more impressive because the story jumps back and forth from two teenagers talking in a field and a barbarian brawl in space. In both settings he shines. My one slight complaint on the art is how the Warworld bits are colored only in tints of red or orange. It started to feel almost monochromatic after a while.

This also ends with a solid cliffhanger. Inspiration indeed!

On to the book.

Supergirl Sighting In Future State?

The cancellation of the Supergirl title.

The end of the Brian Michael Bendis run on the Superman books.

Future State and Infinite Frontier re-imagining the whole DCU.

No mention of Kara in any of the solicits.

It made me wonder if and when we would see Supergirl again.

Well, maybe just maybe we got a little glimpse. And in Future State Wonder Woman Immortal of all places!

In that series by Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, and Jen Bartel, an immortal Diana has witnessed the universe basically be destroyed by something called the Undoing.

Here she muses on how the Legion tried to fight this threat which ate stars. (Hmmm, big classic Legion vibes there.) Unfortunately, they lost. We see the scattered bodies of the Legion floating in space.

But take a closer look!

DC May Solicits

The DC Comics May 2021 solicits have been released. DC has plenty of new books on the shelves so it looks like the rumors of the company only putting out a small number of floppies were, at least for now, unfounded. Here is a link to the complete list: https://www.gamesradar.com/dc-may-2021-solicitations/

There is no mention of Supergirl anywhere. So I think she is on the shelf for a bit as DC tries once more to decide if they want to put out another title or not. But if they are going to come out with another Supergirl book, I want it to be the right book with the right creative team.

And another month without Event Leviathan:Checkmate on the docket. 

Let's jump to the super solicits.

ACTION COMICS #1031
Written by: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Art by: Daniel Sampere
Backup story written by: Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad
Backup story art by: Michael Avon Oeming
Cover by: Mikel Janin
Card stock variant cover by: Julian Totino Tedesco

“Warworld Rising” part two! After a war-torn battleship escapes Warworld and makes the perilous journey to Earth, Superman searches for answers about the identities of its mysterious refugees and their apparent link to the planet Krypton. Could there be other Kryptonians in the universe? Meanwhile, Atlantean scientists study the wreckage of the Warworld vessel…and make a shocking discovery that could change the balance of power on Earth.

And in the backup story, stuck in the wrong timeline, Midnighter continues to gather intel on the Chrysalis in hopes of finding an answer. But will it cost him his relationship with Apollo? And who is being held captive at Trojan Solution.

Interesting to see that it sounds like Superman escapes Warworld and is back on Earth just 2 issues in. I hope that there aren't more Kryptonians out there because Between the Els and the Zods, there are already too many. I am pretty sure that the Kandorians are stull dead.

I don't know if I am too interested in the back-up.