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.

There’s An App For That

Supergirl (Volume 5) #60
Written by Nick Spencer and James Peaty
Art by Bernard Chang

The new creative team takes over Supergirl and while I was worried – I can say that I am quite happy with this issue. The idea of an app for tracking heroes is brilliant and something not done before. How many comic plots can be described like that? And Alex already seems like such a bastard he will make a great villain. I am intrigued!

New Media

Superman #706
Written by G. Willow Wilson
Art by Amilcar Pinna

 

Despite I am sure being told to write these fill-ins quickly and close to deadlines, I am sure, Wilson has managed to hammer out some nice little interludes for Superman’s walk and this issue was no different as Perry White must deal with a blog damaging the Daily Planet’s representation. I took a New Media class in school and it’s no secret that print journalists are afraid of bloggers and the New media so I think this was a great concept to explore for the Daily Planet and the ending was quite good. I don’t know why Wilson didn’t use Jimmy Olsen instead of this new Sandeep character but oh well it works. And you would think someone would have seen Lois and Superman in a compromising postion by now and thought she was cheating on Clark right? Why didn’t anyone think of that before?

Fallen For This Book

Action Comics #895
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods
Co-Feature by Nick Spencer
Art by RB Silva

I have seriously fallen in love with Action Comics. This is a book starring Lex Luthor and Jimmy Olsen. I never would have guessed I would be loving it this much but I have to say that this book has stole my heart. Everything about it is good. The Jimmy back-up was hilarious. The Lex story made great use of continuity. In other words, buy it.

Every Page Is Filled With Awesomeness

Action Comics #894
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods
Co-Feature by Nick Spencer
Art by RB Silva

 

When did Action Comics get this good? I mean every page of this book is just fun awesomeness from Lex Luthor’s meeting with Death to Jimmy Olsen’s party with Aliens. Whatever I say will not do justice to how good this issue is. I loved every moment and Death stays true to her character in Sandman. I loved how Blackest Night was something she kinda noticed and found amusing – the Endless characters are so above and beyond the main DC Universe characters things that seem huge to the superheroes are very minor to them.

Damage

Superman #703
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Art by Eddy Barrows

 

JMS’s Grounded tales is a lot better then I thought it would be and I love that he is incorporating the after effects of New Krypton and not just sweeping that story under the rug but I don’t know if I buy the argument about the potential damage being done as Superman walks across America. What is the difference between this and the damage done when people attack him in Metropolis? Nothing really. Anyways, I wonder what this New Krypton kryptonite does cause it seems to have possessed a school teacher and caused another guy to gain powers hmmm.

Supergirl 55 and 56

Supergirl (Volume 5) #55
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle

 

This was an a fantastic issue as Supergirl continues to fight Bizzarogirl who has some absolutely hilarious lines here and Kara decides to escape to Bizarro World. I like how she remembered Reactron’s captivity and connected that with Bizarrogirl being studies by Doctor Light.

Supergirl (Volume 5) #56
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle

 

Supergirl goes to Bizarroworld and finds it being attacked by a big monster. It was a decent issue but not much to write about I guess.

Bizzarrogirl’s Party

Supergirl (Volume 5) #54
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle

 

Supergirl decides to get over her moping and save Metropolis from the Bizarro version of herself. Igle’s art is quite beautiful in this issue and I like how he gave Supergirl shorter hair and all the details in her bedroom. Bizarrogirl trying to have a party was pretty amusing I actually didn’t mind her compared to how annoying I find Bizarro Superman. This was a good issue. I wonder what is going on with that creepy cop though?

Action 889 and 890

Action Comics #889
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric Trauttman
Art by Jose Perez
Co-Feature by James Robinson
Art by Cafu

 

The main story ends Rucka and Trautmann’s run on the book by having Chris and Thara defeat the false Rao. It was a kind of a wimper of an ending. I have to say that I have grown to like these two characters as they have starred in this book – but not enough to really miss them. I like the mythology of it all but I think it is just time to move on. The finale to the Captain Atom back-up was more exciting as Mirabai is defeated and Captain Atom’s reputation restored. I really thought this back-up was a neat idea all-around and I’d say it was successful.

Action Comics #890
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods

Wow that was unexpected. I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard Lex Luthor would be the new star of Action Comics but damn this was awesome. Lex is an evil bastard and Cornell writes him that way. He has an employee killed just for embarrassing him, he builds a robot Lois to be his companion haha, and he is obsessed with finding the secrets to the Power Rings. Great start!

Fifty Issues And Still No Mention of Linda Danvers! Come On!

Supergirl (Volume 5) #50
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle
Co-Feature by Helen Slater
Art by Cliff Chaing

 

The main feature of this book was Supergirl vs. Lana as Insect Queen. I liked that we fast forwarded a few days later and Supergirl is now a prisoner of the hive, and is rescued by Gangbuster and Doctor Light. But Kara takes down the Queen way too easily for a story that has been building for so long. I have a feeling this was rushed due to the New Krypton storyline which is kind of a shame. Kare’s reaction and anger toward Lana seems like her old self and that is kind of annoying so I don’t know how I feel about this issue just yet. The Helen Slater written back-up was a neat little look at the history of this Supergirl and I rather enjoyed it. But damn…I thought in 50 issues Linda Danvers, the previous Supergirl, could have been mentioned somewhere!

Revelations

Superman #695
Written by James Robinson
Art by Bernard Chang

I love the Superman books right now! I really can’t get enough of them. Robinson’s threads are coming together slowly but surely and it is so fun to see how tightly plotted everything is here. Steel wakes up from his coma, Jimmy is alive, the Legion has been behind a lot more then we thought…there are so many revelations in every issue of this book and I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all. This book is much better then Robinson’s awkward Justice League writing, if only it got a regular artist. I miss Guedes’s Metropolis.

Take Him Down Lois

Action Comics #884
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann
Art by Pere Perez
Co-Feature by Rucka and James Robinson
Art by Cafu

 

The main feature was good – the Nightwing and Flamebird stuff was okay, but the real meat of the story can be found in the confrontation between Lois and her father. General Sam Lane is an evil fascist bastard who I can not wait to see Lois take down. He treats her like shit here and threatens even her life – his own daughter! I love that Perry wants the truth to get out about Lane as well – even if he can’t publish it in his paper. The Captain Atom back-up was equally good and focuses a lot on the history of Captain Atom and actually shows Starfire on the Justice League – I guess that means this all takes place post-Blackest Night. The last page shows the new League and I can’t say that it gets me excited for this line-up lead by Hal boring Jordan. But anyways, Good stuff. Can’t wait for War of the Supermen.

Intertwined

Action Comics #883
Written by Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann
Art by Pere Perez
Co-Feature by Rucka and James Robinson
Art by Cafu

The Superman books are some of the best intriguing, story-driven, and exciting comics I have read in a long time. Robinson and Rucka have crafted such a wonderful mystery here and I will keep saying it again and again. We finally get to see the Nightwing entity in action this issue albeit briefly. I love the new Nightwing and Flamebird costumes. They are simple and visually appealing and I like how they honor Superman on their belts. I hope these costumes stick around. Jimmy Olsen’s (possible murder) disappearance is investigated by Perry White. I am surprised that that plot point is being followed up here instead of by Robinson over in Superman but that just goes to show how tightly intertwined the books are right now. The Captain Atom co-feature makes great use of continuity by referencing Superman/Batman and Captain Atom’s time as monarch. I love continuity shout-outs like that! I guess that is why my blog is named what it is. Anyways, the art was fantastic and so was the writing on it. Great issue.

You Stupid Babootch

Action Comics #881
Written by Greg Rucka and Sterling Gates
Art by Pere Perez
Co-Feature by Rucka and James Robinson
Art by Cafu

This was the first part of the Hunt for Reactron storyline. This was a good issue that focuses on Supergirl, Chris, and Thara now as fugitives who the world blames for the death of Mon-El. I like how there is so much tension between Kara and Thara over her father’s death – and I really liked the art. I hope DC keeps Perez on this book because the art has been less then stellar before he came on. There were a lot of great moments such as Supergirl saying she has fortresses all over the world and she stole the idea from Batman. And I am actually becoming more interested in the mythology behind Nightwing and Flamebird. Oh and the best line of the issue has to be Thara calling Supergirl a “Stupid Babootch”. What a great fictional sware word for Krypton! The Captain Atom back-up didn’t really further the plot enough for me to get too excited about it.

World Against Superman

Superman #691
Written by James Robinson
Art by Renato Guedes

This is the fourth part of the Codename: Patriot crossover that began in World of New Krypton #6 and continued here and here. I like that it is implied at the end of this issue we have gone from World Without Superman to World Against Superman. General Lane has created quite the crazed plot to discredit Superman and Supergirl. From the looks of it, Lois may believe that Kara has gone rogue, which I hope she is smart enough to know that can’t be true. This was a really good storyline and while it only leads to more story, I feel it came to a good but sad conclusion.

Illusions

Supergirl (Volume 5) #44
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle

This is part 3 of the Codename: Patriot Crossover that began in World of New Krypton and continued here. And this storyline is as action packed and filled to the brim as always. Gates managed to give us all the plot points but still focusing mainly on Supergirl and I really liked that. Mirabai is a dangerous enemy. I fell for her illusions just as the characters did. I have no idea where this is going, but I am excited about it.

Building

Action Comics #880
Written by Greg Rucka and James Robinson
Art by Julian Lopez
Co-Feature by Rucka and Robinson
Art by Cafu

This is the second part of the Codename: Patriot that began in World of New Krypton. I really enjoyed this. Probably even more so then I did the New Krypton crossover at this point in it. The plot and mystery is so thick; Rucka, Robinson, and everyone involved are telling a really awesome complex story here. Chris and Thara kiss before being captured by Project 7734. I loved Superman’s reunion with Lois after being away for so long. I wasn’t surprised that Zod’s shooter is working with General Lane after all the scheming we have seen Lane do. Everything is coming together and I imagine it is all going to explode in craziness. I can not really predict what is going to happen, but this is all leading somewhere big. The Captain Atom co-feature was beautiful to look at as he begins to remember who he is. The question now is where is he? Or When? Good stuff.