Back Issue Bin: Justice League Of America #183

I am a Bronze Age baby and one of the joys I get out of this site is looking back at comic history as a reflection of current storylines. My Back Issue Bin dives allow me to revisit some classics, maybe introduce them to some of you or rekindle memories in others. But for me the joy is to take something happening in the DCU today and see similarities in the past. 

I thought given Amazo's appearance in both My Adventures With Superman and Absolute Power, that I'd review Action Comics #480-483. an Amazo story which also included the first appearance of the Supermobile. (I am sure I'll cover that at some point.)

But with Darkseid's death and the resurgence of the New Gods in the DCU in the All-In Special and the Absolute Universe as well as a new Justice League and Justice Society books on the docket, I thought reviewing Justice League of America #183-185 seemed more timely.

This was one of the annual JLA/JSA team-ups, this time 'Crisis on New Genesis'. If there have been Crises on Earth-S, Earth-X, and all the others, why not New Genesis! Written by JLA legendary writer Gerry Conway and drawn by JLA legendary artist Dick Dillin, this was a big event. 

This was 1980. The New Gods were sort of a small pocket in the DCU and not everywhere, all the time like they are now. Their series was done in 1972. There was a brief run in 1978, written by Conway which tried to pick up where Kirby left off. And then the story was 'ended' in Adventure Comics #459-460 later in 1978. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Conway picked things up again. The Fourth World is too rich an IP to leave untouched. But even after this story, where the return of Darkseid was a surprise, he was still very much a 'surprise' villain in the Great Darkness Saga two years later in 1982.

In fact, this story was really my first deep dive into the Fourth World. Yes, I had bought an Englehart/Rogers Mister Miracle issue a couple of years earlier. And I read the odd DCCP or B&B team-up. But otherwise, seeing Apokolips and hearing the history? All new. These characters are so ubiquitous now!

Check out the Jim Starlin cover with Orion on the warpath! 

Lastly and sadly, this was Dick Dillin's last issue. He suffered a heart attack after this issue and passed away. This was after a very lengthy run on this book ... basically unbroken from Justice League #64! Ten years! 

Enough preamble, on to the story!

Review: All-In Special #1

The DC All-In Special #1, a special flip book opening to the line-wide initiative and relaunch, came out last week and was a very enjoyable read. This was a group effort with Joshua Williamson and Scott Snyder writing the two halves and a bevy of artists anchored by Wes Craig and Daniel Sampere providing the art.

I'll start out with some caveats. I did not read any of Absolute Power so I don't have an understanding of what happened to the multiverse. I did not think I would be very interested in the Absolute line of books (although after reading a sneak peek of Absolute Batman I am pretty intrigued). With those two truths in mind, I didn't have major expectations from this book. 

Snyder and Williamson do a very solid job here though, grabbing me more than I thought they would. For one, the recognize DC history here, both recent and more ingrained in an old reader like me. They bring in an interesting wrinkle about Darkseid to a truth in the longstanding DCU that I am surprised hasn't been touched on before. And they put forward a brief origin for the Absolute Universe, the Elseworld, that touches on DC history too. 

And while I feel that the main goal of this book was to give people a taste of the Absolute Universe, the major push from the DC company, they also bring in some hints for new books on the main Earth. 

The art is also fantastic. Wes Craig brings a raw, chaotic feel to the Darkseid side of the book and does an incredible job touring the DCU and timeline. On the flipside, Daniel Sampere brings his clean, crisp style to the main world story, a stark contrast in feel befitting the stories.

I liked this a lot. And it did it's job, making me <gasp> a little excited about some upcoming things. On to the book itself.

All-In DC Comics And A Supergirl Back-Up News

Absolute Power is the current summer event churning through the DCU but news has been out for a while that it was just the precursor to a new initiative at DC Comics called DC All In. Solicits are out and will be reviewed in depth. But for now, let's talk about the set-up.

Spear-headed by DC alum Scott Snyder, the early news was that it would be a sort of Marvel Ultimates universe allowing new stories to be told with new characters on a more established new Earth. 

Perhaps to get ahead of the craziness of San Diego Comic Con or in fear of being outshone at SDCC, DC has released a ton of information about this. Head here for what is known:https://aiptcomics.com/2024/07/17/dc-comics-absolute-dc-all-in-line-comics/

Since hearing about this, I wondered how this was going to differ from the Earth One books or even a plain old Elseworld. This looks much more cohesive and more tied into the main DCU. The idea that the current DCU is built on the idea of Superman (something good that came out of Doomsday Clock) is fantastic. Darkseid wanting to build a universe in his image is not a bad idea.

“If the main universe is set up by Superman energy, this universe is founded on Darkseid energy,” Snyder added. That makes the heroes underdogs. “They have to be tougher. Have to be more resourceful,” and that makes them more badass.

Of course, Snyder says it means the heroes will be more 'bad ass' usually means it is something I'm probably not going to like but I'm willing to give it a shot.

But there's more.

Review: Batman/Superman World's Finest #24

Batman/Superman World's Finest #24 came out last week and was just an absolutely wonderful issue. 

Throughout this arc I have worried that somehow the events of this issue would, in my mind, impact the Kingdom Come world. And indeed, it is hard to know how the JLA that is in this story and witnessed what Magog does here would somehow allow him to go on his bloody purge in that Elseworlds.

But here is the deal. 

I don't care.

Because this issue shows why Mark Waid is such a great writer. It shows why he understands what heroes in comics are supposed to do, supposed to say, supposed to act. I grew up reading heroes who had ethics and morality, who didn't cross lines, who inspired. In this book I get to read that Batman and that Superman again. And even though we see the murkiness of Magog's character, the story ends with hope. 

The story is only raised by the stupendous work of Dan Mora. I have sung Mora's praise this whole book. This issue includes a tremendous brawl, double page spreads, homages to the legendary work of Alex Ross. It all just sparkles with life and energy and emotion. 

I'll still read Kingdom Come as a stand alone story. But I'll appreciate this story too.

On to the issue.

Back Issue Box: Justice League Unlimited #7

With regular super-books either cancelled or on hiatus as we await the coming of Bendis, I have been dipping into the back issues for comics to cover. As usual, I try to tap into some zeitgeist when I review older stories. And there has been a confluence of events that made me revisit Justice League Unlimited #7.

For one, it was Jack Kirby's 100th year birthday this year, resulting in a ton of Kirby stuff hitting the market. Whether it was the Allred's Bug mini, the Kamandi Challenge, or the ongoing and critically acclaimed Mr. Miracle by Tom King and Mitch Gerads, there is more Kirby specific books on the rack now than ever.

Then the news that a New Gods movie was going to go into production with Ava DuVernay behind the director's chair broke.

And then, Supermates Chris and Cindy Franklin started up the JLU cast looking at the Justice League animated show. Find it here: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/show/jlucast/

With all that happening, it seemed like this issue with Supergirl embroiled in Fourth World war while learning a lesson about family seemed due for a thorough review. There is a lot of action and a lot of emotional heft to this story told in an all ages book. So sit back and enjoy.

Review: Smallville Chaos #3

Yes, I know that Smallville Continuity is being release digitally already.

And yes, I learned here that the end of Continuity is the end of this series.  Miller kicked things off talking about the end of Smallville Season 11, the end of which will mark the end of the series. And that stinks because this book has been a revelation and the last bastion for some Lois/Clark, some Superman Family, some classic Superman action.
 
Old-timers like me rely on print so I am still reading Smallville Chaos. And Smallville Chaos #3 came out last week and continued this whirlwind of an 'episode'. As I said before, the title Chaos is completely appropriate. There are three storylines right now that are roiling in turbulence. Superman and Lois are stuck in alternate universes being destroyed by Monitors and are hoping to get home. Lex has taken over the Holt/Kord particle accelerator with a squad of LexCorps Yellow Lanterns. And Metropolis and the world are in danger of being taken over by Eclipso possession. Pure pandemonium. And, gladly, we see two of those plots weave together in this issue.

I have praised writer Bryan Q. Miller of bringing a DC Universe to this Smallville world. It continues to grow in this issue as we start to see individual creators interacting with each other in an almost familial way. We are heading to a crisis of Continuity and people need to start teaming up.

Still, things seem more tumultuous at the end of this issue than they are at the beginning. Fantastic.

The art of the issue is a mix of Agustin Padilla and Marcelo DiChiara. Padilla has a fine-lined look compared to DiChiara's thicker, rougher feel. But both serve the issue well. DiChiara's look is perfect for a Darkseid-ruined Earth.

The Eclipso 'virus' is sweeping over Metropolis and there is a chance that it might spread beyond. The issue starts with someone on a plane transforming into an Eclipso acolyte. After a melee with a Federal marshal on board, the plane's wing snaps off and it begins to fall to the ground. In some ways, it is a good plane crash, keeping Eclipso stuck in Metropolis for the time being.

In fact, Tess, now running the Watchtower, knows the key to success is to quarantine the city, keeping those possessed inside.

In this time when the Ebola crisis may be reaching the US, this resonated a bit.

So only the heroes within the city limits are allowed to lend a hand, keeping this not under Eclipso's thrall safe. One of the heroes is Superboy.

Another is Supergirl, who pulls off a Routh-ian rescue of the falling jet plane. I wonder if I am imagining the homage or if it was there intentionally.

And so we have the first Supergirl and Superboy meeting.

I have really started to take a liking to this Smallville costume for Kara.

As for Superman, we left him on a world in ruins, being attacked by Monitors, but with a clear Apokoliptian feel. Turns out the look is because Darkseid is actually on Earth.

There is a nice wrinkle about this Darkseid. He states that there is 'one' Darkseid, albeit who exists in all universes. He tried to take over Earth in all universes because Earth is the center of all things. And only in the Smallville universe was Superman successful.

While it appears in ruins, the Monitors are leaving this Earth. And Superman needs to get on their ship to head home.

I forget ... did Superman ever face off against Darkseid like this in the last episode of Smallville? Or was it a more metaphorical battle?

And in Antarctica, Lex is about to fire up the accelerator for his own nefarious reasons. With Kord and Holt held hostage, Luthor bides his time by torturing Booster Gold.

Now, Luthor hasn't always been so overt with his evil nature. He usual has agents do his dirty work, covering his tracks.

This panel did grab me. Since returning, Lex hasn't killed anyone. And Booster isn't important enough to break that run.

But this has to fit the Chekhov gun rule, right? Why announce this here unless Lex is going to kill someone. And my guess is Otis. His only friend. Otis, who clearly is having second thoughts about Lex's plans in this story, has to be the victim.

And won't that make Lex that much more despicable, that he would kill the one person who has stood by him.

Darkseid relents in helping Superman and Lois get on the Monitor ship in exchange for the Jor-El AI from the other universe.

Again, this was another interesting wrinkle on Darkseid. With the Jor-El tech, Darkseid builds a new Fortress and declares it a new genesis. Or is that New Genesis?

Could Miller have redeemed Darkseid??

But if there was one moment that hit me it was this panel.

Tess realizes that the only way to stop the Eclipso plague is to strangle it at the source - Bruce Gordon. And look who is going to look for him! Team Superman. The Superman Family. Whatever you want to call them this is the closest we have seen Supergirl, Superboy, and "Steel" (here Henshaw) actually liking each other and working together.

No 'I'll kill you because you're a clone' angst. No 'Bank robbing dude'. No New 52 awfulness. It is Team Superman!

Team Superman!

There is unfortunately chaos within the chaos.

Lex has asked the Yellow Lanterns to keep the prisoners alive. But these are career criminals. One of them realizes that being a ring-slinger and having a base is too good a brass ring to let go. He gets some allies, slaughters the loyal LexCorps members, and moves to start liquidating the loose ends.

There is no honor among thieves. Although I have to assume Lex has some failsafe built into these rings.

On board the Monitor ship, Superman and Lois see that their Earth is still intact. But before they can head home, a number of super-powered Monitors discover they are on board and attack.

Wait a minute ... why is Vegeta working for the Monitors?

You would think the Dark Prince would rather rule than destroy.

The Monitors encircle Superman.

And then more chaos and an intermingling of plots. Lex fires up the accelerator. And this time he doesn't try to contact other versions of himself. He instead heads up the food chain and asks the Monitors a question. Why destroy when they can recreate?

What the heck is Luthor thinking? I suppose he wouldn't mind a new universe where his faculties are intact and he is ruling.

So another issue of Smallville is in the books and this one is a great middle chapter. The plots all move along nicely. We have some new ripples to contemplate. And we have the return of the Superman family!

Nothing but praise here as the team continues to tighten the noose around this universe with a Crisis around the corner.

Overall grade: A

Review: Batman/Superman #4

I continue my 'catch up' on comic reviews by looking at last week's Batman Superman #4 by writer Greg Pak and artists Jae Lee and Ben Oliver.

I have been very happy with this book and this first arc. The contrast between the World's Finest teams of the two Earths has been very perfect, showing the mature veterans and brash youngsters trying to understand each other. I have had my issues with the New 52 Superman and the 'new universe' in general. I thought it was a shame that the Earth 2 original 'wonders' were eliminated before we really got to know them. So to turn back the clock like this and play the characters off each other has been fascinating. Pak really seems to be able to get to the core of these characters in a short time. Within a few panels, I 'knew' the Earth Two Superman and (as impressively) that world's Lois.

And Jae Lee has absolutely brought his A game to this arc. While the backgrounds have been sparse, it has allowed me to instead soak in the characters. That and the amount of surreal detail in hair, capes, etc really have given this story a dream like quality. Which makes sense given that the whole thing is forgotten by the characters in the end, a dream to them.

Ben Oliver pitches in for the epilogue wrapping things up. He has a less stylized, more realistic style which works well given this is the 'real' part of the story.

The last issue ended with the two sets of heroes meeting at a military installation where a 'magical crystal' is being used to make an anti-Superman weapon. The chaos goddess Kaiyo has said the crystal is needed to defeat Darkseid. The older heroes want to take control of this situation. But the younger guys want to have a say too.

I  love that the younger heroes feel pretty confident about who they are. They don't like being talked down to, scolded by their older versions. In fact, their distaste for their elders is so powerful that they two younger heroes, formerly prickly with each other, decide they need to form a unified front.

The older heroes recognize it for what it is .. something potentially destructive which should be destroyed. But the younger heroes think it needs to be used ... controlled ... and not destroyed. It is the difference between the heroes. Who wants power? And who is trying to protect people?

The young Bruce wants to keep it, bring it to Earth One. And the older Bruce thinks they should be confident in their own skills to repel whatever is needed. 

This, of course, leads to the usual skirmish where they 2 Supermen fight and the two Batmen fight. It is a pretty uneven match with the elder Superman schooling the younger.

But that sort of darker take on heroism, so prevalent in the New 52, is thrown in the Earth Two heroes faces again. E1 Batman talks about needing something like the crystal to stop Superman should he 'lose control'. Heroes that distrust each other, that only become friends when faced with a bigger threat, a universe where we cheer on villains because there are worse villains and 'evil is relative' ... it paints a sad picture of Earth One.

And frankly, I am sick to death of this Batman is destined to fight and kill Superman trope. Enough. It's played out.

But another thing that Pak hones in on is that friendship and love are crucial to the lives of the Earth 2 heroes. We have seen a lot of this world's Catwoman, Bruce's wife, here. And we have seen a strong Lois here.

I mean what could be cooler than Catwoman and Lois in a batjet trying to help Wonder Woman battle Kaiyo. I thought this was great.

And I love Kaiyo's grappling, monkey like fighting style. It's hard to punch someone who his wrapped around you like this. Beautiful art in this whole sequence.

The crystal is some sort of wish machine, a magical item that can bend reality. Something like this is almost too powerful.

And we see that played out when the Earth One heroes actually touch it and activate it. And the 'wishes' the machine grants are windows into the souls of these characters.

The machine resurrects the dead Kents from Earth One and brings them to Superman. His wish is that his parents were alive. That is wonderful. But it grants that wish like The Monkey's Paw bringing them back to life but not rejuvenating them, their moldering corpses staggering like a nightmare. Creepy stuff by Lee here.

And Batman ... his wish is to become even scarier. He transforms into a true bat-like creature of the night. Frightening that that would be his dream.

Luckily the pairs of heroes are able to stop the petty fighting and actually get down to some heroing.

The Earth 2 Superman uses a Waynetech satellite to send the crystal's energies back onto itself, destroying it.

And the Earth 1 Superman flies for the first time, grabbing the crashing Batjet, saving Lois and Selina.

The page set-up is great, putting narrow horizontal panels next to each other on a two page spread showing the two Supermen dealing with their threats, similar yet different. Very visually engaging.

And then the great wrap up. Kaiyo stops fighting and basically 'ends' the story. She wanted to know which Earth had what it took to repel Darkseid, because that is the Earth she wants to live on. It is where she thinks she can hide and survive.

So even though the Earth Two heroes 'won', destroying the crystal and unifying to fight Kaiyo, they 'lost' in her mind. It was the ruthless, raw, and dangerous that have what it takes to defeat Darkseid. They wanted the power.

I will again say it is a sad commentary on the state of the New 52 ... but it is an accurate commentary. The heroes or Earth One are raw, ruthless, and dangerous. They crave power.

Those aren't the heroes ... the inspirations ... I hope to see in comics. If the modern take of Superman is ruthless then maybe it is time for this aging comic reader to stop reading.

I suppose I shouldn't be so glum.

There is a great moment between the two Supermen. The elder Clark reminds the young Clark that even when tempted he did the right thing. He needs to remember that. Old Superman wants Young Superman to emulate him.

But then Pak turns things on its head. Young Clark tells Old Clark this is a teaching moment! If Old Clark wants to survive, he needs to emulate Young Clark. Now that is great moment because we know that Earth Two failed to stop Darkseid completely. Lois is going to die. Wonder Woman is going to die. And Superman will become a mockery. Maybe Old Clark did have something to learn here.

Great small scene in this book. It is the small moments that give action books their punch.

Kaiyo ends up sending everyone back to their right worlds, removing the memory of the whole things. But something reverberates.

Bruce and Selina enjoy a raucous night on Earth 2 because Bruce feels the world might be ending soon. Clark and Lois on Earth 2 enjoy a nice dinner with the Kents.

And the Earth One Bruce and Clark. They seem to have a begrudging respect for each other now.

What a satisfying book and arc. This is one of those times when words and art complemented each other so well that the total of the book is more than the sum of its parts. The way the two worlds play off each other throughout the story is the electricity that gives the plot its juice. And Lee's dreamy painted style adds a lot to this 'imaginary' tale.

It all works. Hopefully some of the good intentions of the Earth 2 heroes has embedded itself in these younger versions.

Overall grade: A

Villains' Month And Forever Evil - One Last Look

Villains' Month is now officially behind us but there were a couple of small things which I wanted to cover here. Now one thing I very much like. The other I am cringing at a bit. Both warrant some coverage. And I thought I would bullet cover the other issues I bought that month.

Forever Evil as a whole is what I thought it would be. It is vicious with the usual amount of blood and gore. While there are some mysteries (who is the hooded figure, what invaded Earth-3 forcing these guys to come here, where is the Justice League), overall the story hasn't grabbed me. And as I thought, since 'evil is relative', Lex Luthor is viewed as the hero here despite releasing Bizarro and having him tear an innocent security guard apart.

Will Forever Evil end with a brighter more optimistic DCU when the heroes return? Who knows.

I suppose it is my own idiosyncrasies that this panel was my favorite one from Forever Evil #1. And the reason why I love it is because with this Lex Luthor memory, Geoff Johns has put Lena Thorul back into continuity.

Lena has always had a strong connection to Supergirl and so I hope that this isn't a throwaway line. If Lena is mentioned, she should be used.

Lena first appeared in Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #23 but became a recurring Supergirl character in Action Comics #295.

In this issue, Lena shows her patented telepathy obtained by her interaction with a space brain. She doesn't even know she is a Luthor here.

Of course, Lena played a huge role in the classic Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade.

I have covered Lena before on this blog here and there. She is an interesting character with some potential outside of the Silver Age.

I hope that Tony Bedard or whoever is the new long term Supergirl writer picks up on Lena being in continuity and uses her as a supporting character. It would be a nice nod to Supergirl's history.

As for the other moment worth some coverage, it was in Justice League #23.1, Darkseid written by Greg Pak and drawn by Netho Diaz and Paolo Siqueira.

I will say I didn't like this issue too much with Darkseid not being 'created' with the explosion that created New Genesis and Apokolips. Instead, Darkseid is a god-killer on his world, destroying the 'titans' of that planet and gaining their power.

The issue ends on a down note for me and here is the moment I felt I needed to cover.

We see Darkseid in a room of dead Supermen. I guess he has traveled throughout universes killing other Supermen. And then we see this abomination of Superman, stitched up and attached to machines. I can only assume that this is the Superman of Earth 2 who wasn't killed in battle but kept alive and perverted. One thing I liked about Earth 2 and Worlds' Finest was that the Trinity on that planet seemed purer than the New 52 versions and that they sacrificed themselves as heroes should. Now, I suppose, DC is going to make the Superman of Earth 2 a villain, a dupe of Darkseid.

And that just seems wrong.

A few other comments on books I bought in Villains' Month. I will list the books by their villain as I don't know which 23-point-what the issues are off hand.

First the good:

Rogues - I have shied away from Flash in the New 52 but this issue was pretty good, making me think I am going to get the Rogues mini-series.

Killer Frost - great issue by Sterling Gates showcasing a sympathetic villain. Well worth reading.

Riddler - solid stuff by Scott Snyder, showing a psychopathic Riddler

Ra's Al Ghul - a very good story telling Ra's origin, riffing on classic O'Neil/Adams stories, and showing Ra's has a different long-term view about the Earth. He could not care less about the CSA.

First Born - this issue read like another issue of Wonder Woman, working the story into the longstanding arc in the main book. I liked that.

Mongul - fun book recreating a completely ruthless dictator

And the not so good -

Harley Quinn - I want to root for Harley, I want to think she is just misguided. But she kills thousands of people with booby trapped gaming system which seems wrong. Also, in this issue it appears the Joker threw her into an Ace Chemical vat, recreating his origin. Seems needless.

Deadshot - I like his old-school 'rich boy who is psychotic' much more than this 'poor kid witnessing his family's murder'.

Poison Ivy - forgettable

Cheetah - not really a Cheetah book although the inclusion of a Mark Shaw (Manhunter) almost raised this.

Any Villains' month book I miss that I should go out and get?

Review: Superman Family Adventures #12

After reading Superman Family Adventures #12, the final issue of the series, I was struck by the words of Kurt Vonnegut. “Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, "It might have been.” 

Because it pains me that this series is ending. We have heard from creative team Art Baltazar and Franco that they had plots scheduled up to the forties. So there were more stories to tell. And this was such a crazy fun primer to the Superman Family, showcasing old characters, slight satirizing Superman story arcs from the past, bringing a classic sensibility to the Superman family, and just being fun. I looked forward to this book every month as did the supergirls at home. 

So it is unfortunate that this book is ending. Moreover, I think this issue suffers a little bit for being the last issue from a pacing and story viewpoint. It is clear that Baltazar and Franco try to stuff as much of their future ideas into this issue as possible. With so much stuff thrown against the wall, the book has something of a scattershot feel to it. Not that I mind all of these images I am seeing ... I just wish they were given time to breathe, space to grow. These must have been future plots that these two wanted to explore, and without that opportunity, the decision was made to at least give the readers a taste of what they will be missing. 

The issue jumps right into the action. Last issue ended with Luthor bringing in Darkseid. This issue starts in the middle of a fight. Somewhere between issues, Darkseid has sent a massive meteor to destroy Earth. And Superman has gathered to Justice League to thwart him. The JLA are actually on the meteor, trapped in some odd rock structure and Superman is going toe-to-toe. It took me a while to figure out just what was happening.

I also have to point out the new credits between panels. 'Supergirl based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. By special arrangement with the Jerry Siegel Family.' I have tried my best to follow the Siegel family lawsuit but I have to admit I am no lawyer. I do wonder if this will be a tagline on all Supergirl stories moving forward.

It does allow the creators to bring the Justice League into the book. The side-burned necklaced Aquaman? A trousered Wonder Woman. Interesting.

But as fun as it is to see these heroes fighting Darkseid, I would have preferred seeing the Superman Family at the front lines.

And then we get some of those scenes that feel like previews for future episodes.

In a plot taken from Superman Returns, Luthor shoots a Kryptonian crystal encased in a Kryptonite crystal to create a Kryptonite Fortress of Solitude. Now this isn't part of the plot of this issue. So it must be shown here to show us what might have been. I wonder what the whole plot would have been.

And then to make things even nuttier, Luthor shows he has created a clone of himself. But that is clearly Alex Luthor, the gold-suited red-haired kid I know best from Crisis on Infinite Earths. (I choose to forget Infinite Crisis.)

Now that is an issue I wish we could have seen!

As for the Superman Family, they seem oblivious to the Darkseid threat and are fixing up the Fortress of Solitude. How crazy to see Jor-El and Lara talking about making a baby room!! In fact they are only made aware of it when Jimmy hits the signal watch.

Unfortunately this is the only real moment for the extended family in the book. How I wish we would have seen them more in action.

But again, I think that Baltazar and Franco wanted to put as much into this book as they could stuff. Darkseid's meteor is stopped by ... the super-pets! So it is fun to see Krypto and Streaky again. And Super-turtle and Topo and Jumpa! And Ace!

Okay. That is fun. But seems like this was done just because it was the last chance.

And with the meteor carefully landed on Earth, Darkseid just gives up and goes home. And what of New Krypton? The planet that Brainiac has created and is enslaving the Kandorians on? Pretty much never mentioned or resolved.

Oh ... what might have been.

But there is something that needs to happen in the last pages.

Superman reveals he is Clark to Lois. Lois says that she knew all along (proving the nudge-nudge wink-wink nature of the Lois knowing about Clark seen throughout this book).

And so the book ends on this great panel ... Superman kissing Lois Lane!

I was hoping for a wedding. I was hoping for a proposal. But at least I get this!

Again, this was a super-busy issue of Superman Family Adventures. There is a lot here. And it pains me to see this end. If only all these dangling plots and future plots could have been seen in future issues!

Still, I have nothing but love for this book. I cannot thank Art Baltazar and Franco enough for this last year of fun and super-heroics. And, of course, for ending this book with the best happy ending ever ... Superman kissing Lois.

Hey DC, how about more of this?? Please???

Overall grade (issue): B+
Overall grade (series): A+++

Supergirl Hot Wheels Car

My thanks to blog-friend Gene for telling me about this latest bit of Supergirl memorabilia.

Hot Wheels cars, something of an obsession of mine in the early elementary school days, has come out with DC related cars. One of them is a Supergirl version of a 1938 Dodge Airflow.

The packaging here is absolutely lovely. As seems to be par for the course, the art is from Jose Luis Garcia Lopez and his licensing material. And, as always, it is interesting that the costumes used for these licensed material are not anything seen in the last decade.

The cardboard backing is the classic 'blue shirt' costume (I assume with red skirt if we saw it all). And the Supergirl on the truck is the headband wearing Crisis-era costume.

Perhaps more interesting than the costume choice, is the choice of car to represent Supergirl. An oddly small oil tanker from the 1930's?

I always pictured this Supergirl would be in a muscle car like a Dodge Charger.

What car do you guys think she'd drive?

There are other cars in the series including some odd choices. An Aquaman Ranchero? A Batgirl funny car? A Riddler crate delivery truck?

Still, of all of these, a Darkseid old school van seems the oddest choice.

Anyways, I need to get me one of those Supergirl cars ... and soon!

Bullet Review: Justice League #6 - Pandora

Justice League #6 came out yesterday, the final chapter of the big opening storyline by mega-star creative team Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. Justice League has certainly been a huge success for DC, landing at #1 and selling very well in this current market.

This arc, set 5 years ago, accomplished its goal of getting the new 'Big 7' together (still can't believe J'onn is on the outside looking in) to fight a big threat. I won't be the first or the last to compare this arc to a Michael Bay movie. It is loud, filled with action, and littered with explosions. In some ways it gives Lee room to show off his talents; there are plenty of splash pages.

But the big threat of Darkseid is easily dispatched. And because there is so much action, there is little room for us to actually feel like these heroes have met. A couple of cursory exchanges here and there doesn't make a team or friendships ... something said outright by GL at the end of the story.

With the explosive 'premiere' behind them, maybe Johns and Lee (or Gene Ha, or whoever is pitching in) can actually have these heroes come together.

But for me, the backup feature about 'the woman in purple' who kickstarted the DCnU and Flashpoint. We learn who she is and some of what she wants in a 6 page short, written by Johns with art by Carlos D'Anda.

Her name is Pandora. And The Phantom Stranger has tracked her down because the 'Circle of Eternity' is upset that she is messing around with reality.

It is implied that she is the Pandora, she of Greek myth who opened up a box containing the evils of the world. Here the Stranger calls her a 'foolish girl whose curiosity cursed the world'. Later he says she cannot keep 'the box' in her possession. So that is an interesting wrinkle which seems to demolish the guess that she is Glorith from the Legion.

She doesn't take kindly to the Stranger's conversation and so pulls out 'magic pistols' and shoots him. He, of course survives.

So who is in the Circle of Eternity? Is it the High Father, Ganthet, Shazam, Zeus, Stranger group we saw in Kingdom Come? Do Shazam and High Father even exist in the DCnU?

 Pandora seems to have some personal stake in whatever she is doing. She wants her curse to be lifted. And she has to imprison 'the strange'. Hmm ...

Going back to the main story, Superman while being tortured by DeSaad was shown other universes which Darkseid has conquered. And Darkseid says he has come to Earth 'for her'. Could the 'her' be Pandora? Could Darkseid hope to use whatever warping power she has for his own gain?

As I said, the book so far hasn't been the tentpole book I was hoping it would be. Maybe Johns and Lee felt they needed a big loud splash to open up the DCnU. And hopefully the next stories will be more about the characters and less about their fists. I find it interesting that the moment I am going to probably remember most about this arc will be the Flash goofily naming the team 'The Super Seven', a simple phrase speaking volumes about Barry. The moment I will most likely try to forget? Batman taking off his cowl ... something I can never ever ever imagine he would do.

But the reveal that the hooded woman was Glorith Pandora is kind of interesting.

Overall grade: C+

Review: Action Comics Annual #13

I have settled into enjoying Paul Cornell and Pete Wood's Luthor-driven run on Action Comics, as each issue walks the tightrope, balancing action, intrigue, and humor. Given that I went into the run lamenting the lack of Superman in the title, it is no small feat that I am happy that this story is being told. Unfortunately, Action Comics Annual #13 didn't live up to the monthly chapters.

In the annual Cornell tells two stories of Luthor's distant past, a well-coiffed Luthor just starting out. This Luthor ends up running into Darkseid and Ra's Al Ghul  in two stories and I don't know if these wrinkles in Luthor's history are worth it.

Last review of the main title had Vandal Savage awaiting the arrival of Luthor for centuries. As I said then, I worry when writers dip into a character's distant past knowing that it will color every story thereafter. While Cornell was able to navigate that problem deftly with Savage, he isn't as smooth here in the Annual. These are sort of spanners thrown into the gears of continuity. In the end, I had to ask myself 'did these semi-origin stories add or detract from Luthor's character?' We'll see.

The first story is wildly drawn by Marco Rudy, last seen in Supergirl Annual #2. His work is very trippy in this story, innovative but sometimes detracting. Take this panel with Luthor hanging out in a nightclub. Sure the background adds to a alcohol-fueled environment, but it in other places, it was hard to follow the action. Comics work best when words and art work together. Here, the art often distracted.

The young Luthor is destitute in Metropolis and heads to the clubs to try to figure out a way to make money. There he runs into a young Perry White, undercover in the bar, trying to worm his way into the seedy background of the place.

White tries to 'save' Luthor by getting him out of the bar figuring something ugly is going to go down. But Luthor wants to stay.

Turns out the club is owned by Bruno Mannheim, crime boss, head of Intergang, and underling of Darkseid.

Luthor talks his way into being employed by Mannheim, much to Luthor's chagrin. Here White (undercover as one of Mannheim's men) sees greatness in Luthor but thinks Lex simply needs a mentor.

While working for Mannheim, Luthor discovers a sort of Boom Tube doorway, which of course leads to Apokolips. Luthor is both shocked and fascinated by this world, realizing that there is more to the world than the veneer. There are deeper threats, weirder places.

Despite the horror around him (including seeing Darkseid immolate a slave), Luthor remains staid. He is trying to absorb all he is seeing. Darkseid puts Luthor to work, having him designing weapons.

After more than a month of servitude, Luthor has had enough and decides to try to wrest control of the place from Darkseid. It is an impressive amount of hubris by this young Luthor.

After a failed assassination attempt on Darkseid by Luthor, Lex runs off and 'luckily' finds a boom tube device to get back home. But he didn't come home with just the experience. He palmed some Apokoliptian technology.

Back home, Luthor uses the tech to make a business killing, applying for patents and making money hand over fist. Despite this wealth, Perry White tries to convince Luthor to join him at the Daily Planet. Remember, White hopes to mentor Luthor into doing the right thing.

Of course, Luthor wants no part of it. Why would he work for someone when he can instead sit in power. The conversation unravels, ending with Luthor swearing he will destroy White.

In the end, Darkseid 'allowed' Luthor to escape because he sensed some 'father-killer' feelings within Lex. Nice pick up, given Lex offed his father to get the traveling money to get to Metropolis.

I do like this ending line by Darkseid. "One day he will take the bait set by a god!" This whole story arc I have been wondering who has been pulling Luthor's strings, who is making him act this way grasping for power. Maybe this line is a clue. Maybe transforming the Black Lantern 'death' energy to White Lantern 'life' energy (pure conjecture on my part) will resurrect Darkseid. Hmmm ...

Despite that little potential hint, I have to say that overall I didn't like the story. Do I need Luthor to have met Perry White in his youth? Do I need White to try to bring Luthor into the fold? Do I need Luthor to have interned for Darkseid? Or to have made his millions off of stolen tech? I don't think so. I don't think these new background threads add to Luthor's history. In fact, I think the millions made from the stolen tech detracts from Lex. Isn't a better story, isn't it more befitting of his hatred of metas, if he made his millions on his own, with his own work, gathering his power one step at a time by his own hands.

It just felt wrong. Luthor works better for me as a self-made man. And the quirky art befuddling me at times didn't help. Again, it is nice to look at, swirling psychedelically off the page, but at time overwhelmed to text.

The second story again looks to the past.

Now it seems that Luthor spent a while interning for Ra's Al Ghul. Don't ask me when this happens ... pre-Metropolis? Early Metropolis time? The problem is it looks like Luthor spends a long time with Al Ghul. It shouldn't be after he has been in Metropolis. But it can't be before since we know Lex went from Smallville straight to the big city.

And I also don't know if Luthor would necessarily work under someone for this length of time.

But Lex does learn from Ra's. He learns about what it takes to try to control this planet.

And Ra's seems to like Luthor. Luthor isn't distracted by Talia. He isn't distracted by Ra's treasure. He just wants to learn. Luthor even spurns Al Ghul's more physical teachings like swordplay.

Throughout his stay though, Luthor wonders if he is learning from the right master. Ra's seems to want to take control of the world through bloodshed, by purging. Luthor wants it all.

Finally, Ra's baits Luthor with his own version of Pandora's box. Ra's tells Luthor that inside the box is a book with the secret of all their questing.

Surprisingly (although he is young), Luthor takes the bait, opening the box and discovering a tome with empty pages.

Knowing now that Luthor can't be trusted, isn't the son and heir he is looking for, Ra's actually kills Luthor. He then dumps Luthor's body into a Lazarus pit bringing him back.

Ra's feels that for Lex a life after a defeat is a worse punishment than death. But I think that Ra's would recognize that Luthor is a potential rival, maybe someone who would want revenge. My gut tells me that Ra's would have left Luthor dead.

While I don't mind this story's impact on Luthor's history as much as I did the first, I don't know if this added much. Have Lex and Ra's interacted ever? Has he run into Talia? Because this story would mean they would not only have met before, but lived together and worked together for some time. Did this story add or detract from Luthor's origins. I guess I am neutral.

I thought the method of telling the story, as though it were a fable, or pulled from Ra's biography was a nice touch although sometimes a bit heavy-handed.

Ed Benes' does understated work here. It looks as though it was only pencilled and looks nice if unspectacular.

So neither of these stories blew me away. Nor did they add much to the history of Lex. I'll be happy to get back to the current storyline.

Overall grade: C