Superman Batman 79 and 80

Superman/Batman #79
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Jesus Merino

 

Roberson introduce (or re-introduces for some) to the DC Universe of the 853rd Century and I am one of the few who have never read DC One Million and therefore I am fascinated by this Justice Legion with its many worlds and I can’t wait to see more next issue. Epoch Lord of Time doesn’t seem like a new character but I could be wrong but he was a great way to frame the story and allow for the past and the future to collide.

Superman/Batman #80
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Jesus Merino

Epoch is stopped by the Bronze Age World’s Finest and travels through time being defeated by each era’s Batman and Superman – Brilliant! I am looking forward to seeing more of Roberson’s run on the main Super-book after reading this awesomeness.

Continuity Crisis

Supergirl (Volume 5) #52
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Ivan Rodriguez

 

This is part 7 of the Last Stand of New Krypton storyline that began in Last Stand #1, and continued here, here, here, Last Stand #2, and here. Supergirl teams up with Brainiac 5 and takes out the ship’s core in this issue. So I was kinda hoping that they would mention Supergirl’s time with the Legion of Earth-Prime, I can’t remember if she remembers it or not, perhaps that is why Brainiac 5 seemed familiar. But this Brainiac 5 seems to know here, does all the pre-crisis Supergirl tales with the Legion still happen in this timeline but later? And why does he refer to her as dying? The pre-crisis Kara died in the Crisis why would this Kara have died? I hope they clarify all this soon.

Two Lindas?

Supergirl (Volume 5) #38
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle and Matthew Clark

It’s a shame Gates hasn’t written this book since its inception. This is just that good! The same can be said for Igle’s art, which is top notch this issue. Check out the fight scene between Superwoman and Supergirl, gorgeous art there. Speaking of Superwoman, she may not be Kryptonian after all! Could she be Linda Danvers? I sure hope so. Either her or Flamebird should be Linda. And like Gates said at the convention, it looks like Supergirl will be taking over the Linda Lang identity again. Maybe that is how she hides from the ban on Kryptonians on earth? I don’t know but all of the threads are coming together and I can’t wait for the next issue.

Checking In With Good Art

Superman #684
Written by James Robinson
Art by Jesus Merino

This Faces of Evil issue focuses on Parasite who briefly had the power of Mon-El and craves more of it. I think Robinson is foreshadowing a possible fight with Parasite and Mon-El when the Daxamite takes over this title soon. There was a lot in this issue. We check in on the new Nightwing and Flamebird, as well as New Krypton where Zod is leading the army. It’s all pretty awesome. The art is fantastic. I really never realized how much I liked Merino as an artist until this issue.

Keeping His Eye On Zod

Action Comics #874
Written by James Robinson
Art by Pablo Raimondi and Renato Guedes

At first I was a little angry that Superman even considered renouncing Earth and living on New Krypton as Alura offered, but now I see that he is only going to do it to keep his eye on Zod. Good idea and I think Lois will understand why he has to do it. You know, a year ago I never though the Superman books would be this good. But tying them all together and creating this awesome storyline has really got me excited. I can’t wait for each new issue.  I’m not sure how Mon-El is going to survive the end of this issue but I know he is. the backup focuses on the Guardian; a character I don’t have much interest in but I suppose Robinson will convince me to like him.

Success

Action Comics #873
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Pete Woods

This is the final part of the ten part New Krypton storyline that began in the New Krypton Special, then continued here, then in the Guardian Special, then here, here, here, here, here, and here. I read a lot of reviews saying that this wasn’t a true ending or satisfying ending. I think it was. I mean Kandor has left earth and established a New Krypton. It is the end of this arc. This is serial storytelling people, there are never going to be true endings as if this is a complete work! I just don’t get the complaining about the ending. Anyways, I absolutely adored this issue. Every moment inspired awe and wonder in a way that any big story like this should. While I like Final Crisis, this is more of an event book then that. The ending with Superwoman was completely unexpected and I look forward to all the story possibilities that have come out of this arc. I may have been hard on some parts of this storyline, but overall, and especially this issue, it was a tremendous success.

Action Comics 850 and 851

Action Comics #850
Written by Kurt Busiek, Fabian Nicieza, and Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Renato Guedes

This was a nice look back at the life of Superman up to the present day and at first, I found it only okay…I mean when Superman yells Justice League Together I rolled my eyes. Since when do they say that in the league?! But on a second read I really saw how wonderful this issue was. I love how it is Supergirl and the Legion looking at the past through a what did he call it…Chronex? And we do get some hints of the future but like Brainiac 5 said, it could be altered timelines. This was a nice anniversary issue.

Action Comics #851
Written by Geoff Johns and Richard Donner
Art and Cover by Adam Kubert

I gotta hand it to them for the idea of making all the phantom zone scenes in this issue in 3D. It was a really cool idea…I just don’t know how well it was executed. I found it kind of annoying at times, especially those glasses. But I give them kudos for trying. Story-wise, it is okay. I think it is definitely over-hyped…I don’t really have any complaints about it but it doesn’t really excite me either. Maybe because I don’t harbor any strong emotions about Zod…I don’t know. The Mon-El Stuff was pretty cool though and the ending with Luthor was good too.

Worth The Wait, But Next Time Don’t Be Late

Action Comics #846
Written by Geoff Johns and Richard Donner
Art and Cover by Adam Kubert

Well, a lot of stuff happens here. Not to mention of course Superman being thrown into the Phantom Zone. Even though this isn’t exactly an original plot, I mean it has been done in Superman II and on Smallville. This is really the first time it has occured in the comics and that is what makes it so damn excting. I am really starting to get why so many people love Zod as a villain. Lois’s comments about Batman and Wonder Woman were really funny too. It was kind of sick to see Ursa breaking Lois’s arm though. Johns and Donner really made this worth the wait. I just hope future issues are not as late as this one.

The Son of Zod

Action Comics #845
Written by Geoff Johns and Richard Donner
Art and Cover by Adam Kubert

I am not going to lie, I did not enjoy this on the first read. I felt like they were trying to replace Connor Kent and that is just not exceptable. But now, after reading it a few times, I realize that is not what it is about. Connor was never Clark’s “son”, I don’t knw I guess I just changed my view on this. Kubert’s art also took some getting used to and I think I really like it now, it fits this story wonderfully. Now, I am not a big Bizarro fan but it was interesting to see that he was locked up by Lex Luthor. I don’t like the cover of this issue, it just doesn’t grab me like a cover should. Clark and Lois naming the boy “Chris Kent” was a nice nod to Christopher Reeve that I really did not catch on the first read. The ending was surprising and I really didn’t guess that Zod would be part of this.