Happy Tenth Anniversary Supergirl Comic Box Commentary

Where does time go?

Every year I talk about how I decided to do a comic blog back in 2007 but I didn't have a focus and so it was one post and done. And then on 4/29/08 I decided to try again, this time concentrating on Supergirl comics.

I decided Supergirl because I love the character and I didn't think she was being respected in the comics. At all.

It has been a decade.
The character is in a much better place.

And the site?
Over 2900 posts.
Over 3.7 million page views.
Countless friends made. And plenty of friends for life.

Incredible.

The focus has somewhat stretched to include Superman, Legion of Super-Heroes, other media representations of Supergirl, and basically DC Comics in general.

But, despite these blurred borders, I think I have succeeded in keeping Supergirl at the center of the proceedings.

I don't think I need to go into detail but suffice it to say that things have changed a lot for Supergirl over these 10 years, and mostly for the better. There have been some stops and starts. But there is no doubt Supergirl is a known commodity now, much more widely known than she was back in 2008. From comics to canned pasta to toys to television shows, she really seems everywhere. You only need to take a look at my overfilled collection of merchandise to see how big a deal she has been over the last 10 years (I'll have a post soon).

So on the site, the character coverage is the content but the audience is the atmosphere.

The traffic has been steady and climbing for the most part. And I also think that's amazing. 840K visits last year!

Every anniversary, I thank you all for coming here, listening to my rants, and reading my overly long and probably overly scrutinized comic reviews. Without you all and the Supergirl fandom, I would have given up on this long ago. I love the conversation. I learn so much from you all. And it is great to hear from other Supergirl fans! This is a community. And I love that it isn't an echo chamber. There is discussion and opinion but also respect.

So thanks again! Congratulations should be given to you as much as to me!

10 freaking years! Unbelievable.

I am planning a couple of fun anniversary posts because, gosh dang it, I think the place deserves it. So look for some fun 10 year retrospectives coming up.

Supergirl Comic Box Commentary Is Ten Years Old Today

I won't go into much discussion here as it is a Sunday. But I felt I needed to post something on the day itself!

10 years ago today I posted this entry ...

http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2008/04/sigh.html

And a lot has happened since ...

So come back tomorrow as I begin some official celebrations!

Review: Scooby Doo Team-Up #37

Scooby Doo Team-Up #37 came out this week, guest starring Supergirl and Streaky. It is a near perfect book to give a Supergirl fan, both new and old. It is practically a primer for her Silver Age adventures with just a splash of Bronze Age thrown in for good measure. As such, for an old timer like me, I was absolutely tickled pink.

Not that I should be surprised by this. Sholly Fisch is writer here and Mr. Fisch has always been able to put together a good yarn. Whether it is all ages like this or the backup stories in the Grant Morrison Action Comics, he seems to grasp the core of characters and put things together in a nice package.

In particular, he must be a Supergirl fan given all he was able to stuff into this issue. Even with the presence of the Scooby Gang and their mandatory shenanigans, we still get major parts of Supergirl's classic history here. I mean it ... I was floored.

Dario Brizuela is on art and brings a nice consistent feel to the proceedings. His Supergirl is young and powerful. I would love a cartoon appearance with this look.

But honestly, if you have a Supergirl fan of any age and you want to show them what the Silver Age for Supergirl was like, buy them this book.

DC July 2018 Solicits

Well the July solicits for DC Comics have been out for a bit so sorry it has taken me a bit of time to finally cover them, albeit it briefly. Here is a link:
https://www.newsarama.com/39527-dc-comics-july-2018-solicitations.html

We all knew this was coming. But it strikes me as a bit crazy that there are only two Superman family books on the shelves in July. No Supergirl. No Super Sons. No Superwoman. And now, no New Super-Man.

We knew it was coming. It just seems stark now that it is actually happening. Of course, it took DC a long time to get a Supergirl Rebirth book on the shelves despite the show's success. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised to not get a reboot so soon.

On to the book.

ACTION COMICS #1,001
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON
Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
Variant cover by DAVID MACK

Acclaimed writer Brian Michael Bendis’ new chapter for the Man of Steel and the world of tomorrow begins here! The devastating repercussions from the Man of Steel miniseries still reverberate as Metropolis enters a new age! The Daily Planet teeters on the brink of disaster! A new criminal element has made its way onto the streets of Superman’s hometown! The longest- running superhero comic of all time explodes off the page with art by fan favorite Patrick Gleason.

Metropolis enters a new age? The Daily Planet in danger?

We have been wondering about all this stuff about a change in the dynamic of the family. No mention of Lois at all here.

A David Mack variant sounds interesting. I loved his variants on the Robinson Justice League of America.

Supergirl Episode 315: In Search Of Lost Time

"In Search of Lost Time", the fifteenth episode of this third season of Supergirl, aired earlier this week and was one of the more emotionally heavy episodes for this title. At time it was heartbreaking.

Of course, I have been watching this whole season trying to figure out how each episode ties into the major theme of Supergirl rediscovering her humanity while Sam loses hers to Reign. I have said from the beginning that it will somehow tie into Sam's love for Ruby that will ultimately lead to Reign's defeat.

The title here tells us what we are dealing with. The main plot is on M'yrnn J'onzz suffering from dementia. He is slowly losing himself, losing the experience of his life. Meanwhile, J'onn knows that he and his father need to accept this even though they have just been reunited. They are searching for time, but they have lost the future.

But that isn't the only play on the title. Sam, under Lena's care, learns she is Reign. She learns what she has been doing during her blackouts, her lost time. But more importantly, she knows, for safety reasons, she cannot be with Ruby until she is rid of the Reign persona. She is losing time with her family.

And lastly, there is a scene which Mon-El haters will love where Kara finally confronts him about how awful he actually was last season. She realizes that she has romanticized their relationship in her mind, forgetting the bad when thinking about him through the haze of grief. Maybe she wants to go back to that lost time but she can't. She sheds herself of romantic feelings for him. And he acknowledges that the Mon-El from seven years ago (his time) was as awful as she says and apologizes for his actions.

All these show people either sacrificing part of themselves for the good of others or recognizing when they have hurt someone else and asking for forgiveness. It all fits the theme. And it is this slowly building premise that has made this the strongest season for me so far.

On to the show.

Transforming into the ‘other’, medically induced coma.Ending sedation to get conscious. Sam/Ruby picture.

Review:Super Sons #15

Super Sons #15 was released last week, the beginning of the last arc for this book before it gets cancelled. This fun and well received title is another casualty in the current shakeup with the Superman books.

So it only seems fitting that we come full circle in this book with the boys fighting their first foe, Kid Amazo. At lot has happened since the boys stumbled into a team-up. They have become a true super hero duo. They go to school together. They have a Fortress to hang out. And they have become friends.

That last part is the best part of this book. We have seen how, despite their inherent differences, the boys have become comrades in arms. Damian has become a tad more noble, a tad more open, and has started to care about Jon as more than a tool. Jon has become more talkative, more assertive, and more proactive. In other words, they have positively impacted the life of the other. And they are there for each other when there is trouble, personal or otherwise. It is a shame this is going away.

Peter Tomasi has basically written a World's Finest book and it has been great. And this issue is no difference. With the very complementary art by Carlo Barberi and Art Thibert, we get another issue of action and character interaction.

It's a shame it is going away. I am still holding out hope we get a Super Squad book in the aftermath. On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #1000

Last week was a huge day in Superman history as Action Comics #1000 came out, complete with 10 different variant covers and 10 different stories. One of those was ''The Truth', the first installment by Brian Michael Bendis in his time running the Superman mythos.

I have to say that I loved the issue. Not every story resonated with me. But they all encapsulated who Superman is. I won't review all of them but each vignette leaned into the idea of Superman being a source of truth and justice, a good man trying to help, an inspiration to people everywhere, and beloved. This was my Superman.

Now this won't work for everyone, I'm sure. Some might think it was hokey. Others boring. Others yet unoriginal. But anniversary issues like this ... and this is the biggest anniversary issue of them all so far ... are supposed to be about looking back at the big concepts. And for me, I wanted it to honor all the mythology that came before it.

To put it in other terms, I'm a baseball fan and my favorite baseball movie is The Natural, an almost supernatural story about redemption. That's level is what this issue was. Not Bull Durham or Major League.

I also admit that I splurged and got a bunch of covers. I ordered the limited Artgerm and Tyler Kirkham variants. And at the store I bought the Dan Jurgens, Steve Rude, and Mike Allred covers. 

My favorite is probably the Allred one because he snuck so much Silver Age sweetness onto the cover, including some excellent Supergirl moments.

The plan here will be to look closely at the Bendis story and then touch upon some of the others, so be warned. Spoilers ahead.