Supergirl Best of 2018: Top Ten Comic Moments #10 - #6

It is that time of year, a time to look back and gauge the last 12 months. It is one of my favorite times of the year for this site as it gives me the opportunity to review all the places and all the stories that Supergirl has taken part in over the year.

2018 was an interesting year for Kara. Her own book was put on hiatus when I feel it was reaching a sort of creative zenith. The coming of Brian Michael Bendis meant that Steve Orlando and Jody Houser's Kara was shelved. So for a couple of months we didn't have a solo book.

But the arrival of Brian Michael Bendis meant Supergirl was going to have a new emphasis. First off, she played a big role in The Man of Steel, the introduction of Bendis' bold new direction. It also meant that her solo title, when resolicited, was going to have a very different approach and feel.

We also got to see Supergirl in other books - Wonder Woman, Injustice, and even a holiday special. She had small roles in Justice League:No Justice and other books.

But the big thing is, for the most part, she was treated well in all these appearances. She isn't used as a yardstick to prove how tough the enemy is. She isn't immature or foolish. And in some ways, she outshone the bigger names in these books.

As this would be a very long post if I covered all ten, I'll do the back end here. Covers, honorable mentions, and moments #10 - #6 will be covered here.

Onto the best moments of 2018.

Sales Review: July 2018

The sales numbers for July 2018 have been posted over on ICv2 and surprisingly comics were up this month as opposed to July of last year. Here is the link:
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/41125/top-500-comics-july-2018

I have stopped trying to figure these things out. Is it that a lot of 'big' issues were coming out this month? Is it that it is the summer and maybe new readers are heading into comic shops to fill up their free time?

I know this isn't sales but orders. But I keep hoping there are new readers out there. On to the sales.

July had Man of Steel #6, the finale of the mini-series which spear-headed the new Brian Michael Bendis new direction of the super-books. The issue sends Rogol Zaar to the Phantom Zone. We see Lois and Jon leave with insane Jor-El.

It seemed to limp to an end rather than sprint through the tape. So how did it sell?

Sales Review: June 2018

The sales (orders) numbers for June have come out and, as always, ICv2 does a great job laying out the numbers and talking about the market as a whole. Here is a link to the month's numbers:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/40801/top-500-comics-june-2018

 It seems like DC has been riding something of a creative crest lately. DC Metal was a huge hit. Scott Snyder/Jim Cheung/Jorge Jimenez are on one of many new Justice League books coming out in the aftermath of Justice League:No Justice. Brian Michael Bendis is on the DC side of the border and spearheading a Superman era. Tom King has been steadily bringing us excellent Batman stories. Joshua Williamson is redefining the Flash family. And other big projects like Heroes in Crisis, G. Willow Wilson on Wonder Woman, and Grant Morrison on Green Lantern are all in the wings.

It has the feel of a post-Legends DCU with so much unbridled creativity exploding onto the shelves but with the added feel that many of these things will stick.

So how did things sell?

Man of Steel Homage Panel

I know I read into this stuff too much. But when I read The Man of Steel #6, I was struck by the panel on the right. Here, a forlorn Clark sits slumped in Jon's room, contemplating how alone he is.

When I looked at that image, I couldn't help but remember the image on the left, the last panel of part one of Alan Moore's famous 'Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?' story. They are too similar in composition for coincidence.

But if this is an homage, it’s begging to be compared and contrasted. Because enough is different to make me wonder if writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Jason Fabok were intending on making look at the pictures and the reality they are expressing.

And that need to differentiate them starts with the simple decision to have one be Superman and one be Clark and having them face opposite directions. Now doubt they are similar, close enough for the second to evoke the first. But they are very, very different.

Review: Man of Steel #6

The Man of Steel #6, the last issue of the Brian Michael Bendis mini-series aimed to introduce a new direction to the Superman books, came out this week and I am very conflicted. This issue, and as a result, this whole mini-series, has significant ups and downs. It has major character moments that shine a great light on the players. There are others that make little sense with the characters' histories.
So I am struggling trying to balance the good and the bad in my mind.

From a mini-series point of view, I feel like it started with great momentum and polish but then sort of fizzled. There isn't much true resolution to any of the things which were begun here making me wonder why this needed to be a stand-alone at all rather than just twice a month issues running through both Action Comics and Superman.

Okay, let me lay my cards on the table so you can decide if you want to read the whole review.

First let's discuss the good. Entering this mini-series I was most worried about how Supergirl would be treated. Ironically, she is the character who I think gets treated the best here. Kara shines bright. Bendis gives Superman a good internal voice. His thoughts in battle are well done. How people react to Superman is spot on. So that is also good.

Now the bad. The Lois and Jon subplot makes no sense. I could also say it is terrible. There is no way that Lois, Clark, or Jon should act like they do. We never get to the bottom of Rogol Zaar or his mission. At the very least, we should have been given some closure on this plot thread. Instead, it is kicked down the road a bit. And those things are so irritating that they drag the positive down.

Of course, Jason Fabok's art on the issue is just stunning. There is a fine line and extreme detail that work here. It has an Ivan Reis feel to it which works well as a bookend to the first issue. His Supergirl is just spectacular. I have no complaints on the art here or in the mini-series as a whole.

On to the book.

Happy 4th of July - Fortress Destroying Fireworks!

Happy Fourth of July for those Americans who are here! I'll be taking tomorrow off as I kick back for a day off!

The Fourth is always capped with excellent fireworks shows and we have been witness to some big fireworks in comics recently.

But none have been bigger than the recent destruction of the Fortress of Solitude at the hand of Superman himself.

Review: The Man Of Steel #5

For the most part, I have been very impressed with Brian Michael Bendis' The Man of Steel mini-series. Bendis seems to have a good understanding of who Superman is and what he represents. He has a handle of Superman's voice. Supergirl, the staff at the Planet, the arson subplot and new firefighter Melody Moore, and the members of the JLA have all sounded the way I expect them to. It is the character moments that have shined the most, as well as the all-star cast of artists on the book. But this stuff seems to be more on the periphery of the book.

What I hasn't really grabbed me so far are the two major plots going through the series. We have the threat of Rogol Zaar, someone we still don't know enough about to dig deep into his hate. And we have the Lois/Jon disappearance storyline, something I have tried to defend as we have been shown more and more snippets of what actually happened.

This week The Man of Steel #5 came out and, for me, it is the weakest issue of the series so far. Unfortunately, it is because the two plots I have struggled with, Zaar and Lois, are really under the spotlight here. And things are said and are done that don't make much sense for the characters or the stories. They are glaring. I can't easily swallow them for the sake of plot progression.

It is a shame because the other things continue to shine. This issue we get to see the JLA and how much they care about Superman. And this is a very good Supergirl issue with 3 moments that just shine. One of these moments is destined for a the Top Ten moments of 2018, I am sure of it.

And the art by Adam Hughes is incredible as well. There is vivid colorization. The punches are powerful. The expressive work is top notch. The art just sings.

But these high points just don't easily smooth over the low points of the plot.

On to the book.

Review: The Man of Steel #4

Man of Steel #4 came out this week and was an action heavy issue after three which have been spent establishing the environment that new writer Brian Michael Bendis is going to be playing in. 

I have loved the personal character scenes in the first three issues. From Batman to Kara to the Planet Staff, Bendis has a knack for dialogue and interactions. As a result, this brawl issue was just a tiny step backwards for me. Fascinating that a high octane fight would be a pump of the brakes for me. 

That isn’t to say there aren’t some character beats in this issue. We get to see the cousins interact. We get Hal. We get the citizens of Metropolis. And we get Clark’s own internal dialogue. These elevated the proceedings. And I very much appreciated how Bendis folded the Action Comics #1000 story into this issue. If you didn’t have that story, this reads fine. If you Did read it, you can fill in some gaps. 

Kevin Maguire is in art and his stuff just sings. As always, his expressive work is brilliant. You know what people are thinking even without them saying anything. But I am just as impressed with the melee scenes. From a kinetic feel to a sense of the energy rippling off the combatants, it’s wonderful. This almost feels like a anime in places.

On to the book.

Review: Man Of Steel #3

The Man of Steel #3 came out this week, marking the halfway point of this opening arc of the Brian Michael Bendis era for Superman. Anyone who comes to this site knows I had some concerns about this takeover. Everything seemed to be going right for the Superman books. Why should DC rock the boat?

Three issues in and I can say that I am very pleased with what Bendis is doing here. This doesn't detract from the Jurgens/Tomasi/Gleason stuff. It just means that Bendis seems to be embracing all that Superman is much as those prior teams did. There are pitch perfect moments in this issue that just sang to me. If you like classic Superman or if you like Modern Superman or if (like me) you like both, you are in good hands here.

I also have to add that I worried about what this changeup would mean for Supergirl in particular. After all, this is a Supergirl site first and foremost. This issue features Supergirl prominently and, again, I am very pleased. There is an easy camaraderie between the cousins here, a familiarity that I haven't sensed between them for a long long time. They clearly know each other, have fought with each other, and love each other. So that pushes this issue that much higher in my mind.

Add to all this the glittery artwork of Ryan Sook, one of my all time favorites, and you have a winning issue. Things travel fast. There is a lot of wordless pages here. But they punctuate the powerful emotional beats.

Bendis is here! So far so good.

On to the book.

Review: The Man Of Steel #2

 The Man of Steel #2 came out this week, the second chapter in this six issue mini-series written by Superman scribe of the future Brian Michael Bendis. I went into this series with some trepidation, wondering just what I would get from Bendis and just how much of the previous runs (bringing back a more classic Superman) was going to be left standing and how much would be razed.

Well, two issues in and I am quite happy.

Bendis is walking the incredible tightrope of having this mini-series feel fresh and current while at the same time bring a classic sensibility to the proceedings. We have a Superman who is devastated by the disappearance of his family, who is dealing with modern issues of journalism, who has well-meaning friends who are concerned but afraid to confront, and their is a planetary threat on the horizon. That's all modern comic fodder.

But we also get a smiling Superman taking on a giant toy. We get a Superman saving homeless people from a burning building. We get Jimmy and Perry verbally sparring. We get Steve Lombard and Ron Troupe pranking each other in the background. We have the Planet and super-heroics. That is all old school cool.

The only thing missing from both those elements is ... well ... Lois and Jon. But their plot is just beginning to surface and their presence like Rebecca in the Hitchcock movie and Sebastian in Suddenly Last Summer is felt everywhere, maybe stronger in their absence. I do hope the two return some point soon.

And that Rogol Zaar plot is the thing I am sort of dreading the most and it isn't in the forefront yet. With my liking the Metropolis action so much, I hope Zaar doesn't take the air out of the room.

The art here is predominantly done by two of my favorites - Doc Shaner and Steve Rude. Both bring a ridiculous economy to the proceedings. The art seems simple but is brilliant in execution, that whole new and classic thing all over again. Shaner and Rude and like peanut butter and jelly. Seriously, I love both their styles and they work perfect here.

On to the book.

Review: The Man Of Steel #1

The wait is over. Bendis isn't coming any more. Bendis is here.

As someone who has been reading comics for over 2 score year (sheesh, I am old) and has lived through countless reboots, soft reboots, and bold new directions, you think I would be numb to this stuff. But I'm not. I care about these characters. It's why I have stuck around. And it is why I was entering this Bendis era with a little trepidation. Superman has been mistreated and the books have misfired for most of the 21st century. The last two years of Rebirth have finally been a return to quality, a return to super. So DC upsetting the apple cart after so long seemed risky, even for such a big name as Bendis.

So I was nervous.

I read Bendis' story in Action Comics #1000 and was intrigued. I read his story in DC Nation #0 and was pretty pleased. The Man of Steel was going to be the real test though.

The Man of Steel #1 came out this week and I won't bury the lede. I liked it. I liked it a lot. We got a classic Superman, back in red trunks, protecting Metropolis, spouting some Pa Kent wisdom, cracking a little wise, meeting another hero of his city, and then heading home to Lois and Jon. Even the Rogol Zaar plotline, the part of this arc I think I will care the least for, read well with some interesting hints about motives and allies.

Ivan Reis and Joe Prado provide their usual solid work on art, bringing us quiet moments and action with equal skill and precision. There is almost a Neal Adams sort of feel here, a nice way to kick things off.

I know ... I should slow down. This is one issue. But for now Bendis has shown me he understands Superman. That makes me happy. On to the book.

June 2018 Solicits

The June solioits for DC Comics have been released and it is a big month for Superman fans. Finally the Bendis era takes over. Here is a link to all the solicits:
https://www.newsarama.com/39119-dc-comics-june-2018-solicitations.html

I just don't know what to think about this whole upheaval of Superman. I suppose this is what I was feeling in 1987 when Byrne completely uprooted and replanted the entire mythos. In the end, I was pretty happy with Byrne reinvigorating the property. But much of that was I felt the stories had become tepid before he took over. Right now I feel we are in a Renaissance for the Superman and his family.  So now seems like an odd time to blow things up. And this is my biggest concern. After years of suffering, we finally had a Superman I could read and enjoy. Will this be a step back?

Maguire Supergirl Art In Bendis' Man Of Steel (Plus Some Ivan Reis)

The news about Brian Michael Bendis' Superman run is starting to ooze out a bit and more and more it seems like Supergirl will have a role in it and that makes me happy.  The latest was tweeted out by DC on their instagram profile.

It shows Superman and Supergirl flying over the city, battling whoever the big bad of Superman Man of Steel is.

Whoever he is, he's big and he wields a pretty mean axe.

How great to see the cousins in action together.

The official instagram post doesn't add too much more to the conversation. But given this is Maguire, we can assume it is in Man of Steel #4.

Maguire has tweeted out the image and said it is a double page spread which makes me think this is really going to pop off the page!

Further news came out over on Bleeding Cool when this image of the six covers to Man of Steel are now joined by a tagline that "Superman's past has come to destroy his future!' Here is the link!
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/03/11/supermans-past-destroy-future-bendis/

So somehow this villain is around for the destruction of Krypton? Responsible for it? Maybe he is seeking revenge because Krypton's destruction somehow effected him? Energy/debris from Krypton landed on his world and killed people there?

Hmmm ... what if Kryptonite kills other races with the rapidity it kills Kryptonians?

Just looking closer that the individual covers, I really love this one with Supergirl and Superman streaking into action. And look ... red trunks!!!!

Love it!

This one also stood out.

Bendis has said all along that he isn't going to destroy and rewrite Superman's past. He is building on it.

This cover makes me think he means it.

After all ...

It looks like the cover to Grant Morrison's Action Comics #5. 

Anyways, I really hope Supergirl plays a big role in the story. And I hope she gets a book of her own after the dust settles.

Strange Visitor Review: Part Two

The last issue of Supergirl ended with quite the cliffhanger. Sharon Vance, Strange Visitor, appeared in National City and was gunning for Supergirl! With Strange Visitor becoming a player in the magazine, I felt a refresher might be useful.

Part one of this review is available here.

Today I present the second half of the story that introduced her to the DCU!

Action Comics #759 and Superman The Man of Steel #94 completes the four parter which made Strange Visitor part of the Superman family. Written by Ron and Randall Frenz, with art by Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema, these issues fill in the gaps in Strange Visitor's origin, both earthly and other worldly.

She faces off against a classic Superman villain. And she strives to keep her powers, linked to her emotional state, under control. It is an electrifying story.

And as I have said before, I like the look of Strange Visitor. The aesthetic of the electric blue Superman suit is solid. It just seems to work on Sharon too!

On to the story!

Strange Visitor Review: Part One

Next month, Supergirl #16 comes out with this fantastic Robson Rocha cover showing Strange Visitor maniacally laughing while she seemingly attacks Supergirl. I was pretty impressed with this medium-depth cut of the Superman lore making it's way into the Supergirl book.

But then I thought I shouldn't necessarily be surprised. In this book alone, writer Steve Orlando brought back Lar-On, Psi, and even the extreme 90s version of the Manhunter!

And I really shouldn't have been surprised because back in Supergirl #6 I already noticed that the DEO was housing the Strange Visitor costume.

It does open up a bit of a continuity can of worms. Does this mean the Superman Red/Superman Blue/Electric Boogaloo storyling for the Man of Steel happened in the current DCU? Has the New 52 been erased to this degree? Or is there a new origin for Strange Visitor?

Regardless, I thought that Strange Visitor was a deep enough cut that I should review her character a bit, specifically the four part arc which introduced her from back in 1999.

Review: Man Of Steel #5

What do you do when there is no new Superman book on the shelves? You head to the back issue box and find something older to review.

And given the recent announcement that Lucy Lane will be on the Supergirl show, I figured I'd go back to Man of Steel #5, the first appearance of Lucy Lane in the post-Crisis DC Universe. It also is a nice homage by Byrne to Bizarro's original appearance in Superboy.

But this book also resonates a bit with the current Superman book as well. Man of Steel was the reintroduction of Superman into the newly formed DC universe and timeline. John Byrne was given a sort of carte blanche to rethink Superman. There was no Supergirl. There was no Kandor. There was no Phantom Zone. There was one chunk of Kryptonite. And Superman was basically depowered from the pre-Crisis levels. He couldn't survive in space. He could hold up a space shuttle, barely. He couldn't travel through time. Things were different.

And Man of Steel was a way to sort of catch people up. Each issue showed Superman interacting with a main character in the mythos: Luthor, Lois, Batman, Lana. It wasn't a true Secret Origin title. It wasn't Year One. It was a quick primer to get a sense of things. Lex is a Donald Trump vile businessman. Krypton was a sterile planet. Superman isn't all-powerful.

I don't know if I agree with everything Byrne did but I have to admit he injected some life into Superman line. His art is sparse in places (he loves to have no backgrounds). And I find it odd that Dick Giordano is inking his work. Maybe Giordano wanted to be part of something so big?

The issue starts with a great splash page of Superman holding a figure in classic pre-Crisis Luthor armor.

It is a great opening page because we had just learned that Luthor was a businessman in this new world. Would he really be in this armor?

Turns out the answer is no. This was a Lexcorp flunkie wearing experimental armor. Of course, Luthor can deny it all. The armor is stolen. And the armor fries the pilot's brain making him incapable of speaking.

Superman brings the man to one of  Lexcorp's lab to confront Lex but realizing it is a dead end, Superman leaves.

The whole thing is a sting set up by Luthor. The lab is set up with genetic sensors to read Superman's DNA. And Luthor is working with Professor Teng, a geneticist freed by Lex from mainland China to work on Project Changeling.

While we know all about Superman's Kryptonian origins, the world doesn't know that yet. In fact, when Teng's machine can't read Superman's genome, Lex realizes that Superman might be an alien.

The genetic matrix that Teng has made cannot read or recreate Superman's genetic makeup. Instead a 'bizarre' thing. Luthor tells Teng to destroy it.

Meanwhile in Metropolis, we meet Lucy Lane.

Lois' younger sister was a flight attendant until she was blinded by a hijacker. The terrorist threw some unknown chemicals into her eyes. She know lives with Lois, wallowing in sadness on her lot in life. She doesn't like people to see her glazed eyes. She misses her fun life hopping all over the globe.

In this instance, Byrne's lack of backgrounds in the last panel works very well, showing how alone and small Lucy feels.

In fact, Lucy becomes so despondent over her blindness that she decides to end her own life. She jumps off Lois' balcony.

But as she falls, she is caught by someone she thinks is Superman. I mean, who else could catch a falling woman and fly her back to safety.

And why is he so ... dusty?? And why isn't he lecturing her about trying to kill herself?\

Lecture is a weighted word. Maybe he would just say 'you're stronger than you think.'

It turns out that the Bizarro creature hasn't been destroyed. And he is imprinted with some vague sense of Superman's memories.

He arrives at the Daily Planet in a suit and sunglass frames that he has stolen. Superman realizes that this creature will endanger his secret identity and so takes it out of the building.

A standard brawl breaks out but the two seem evenly matched.

It is fun to read these early issues as we learn what remains from the older history and what has been stripped away by Byrne.

Here, the Bizarro creature (now in a duller version of the Superman costume due to a blast of heat vision) sees Lois and scoops her up. And Superman wonders if this thing has some residue of 'the feelings he has been having towards Lois.' Fantastic.

And then we see just how deep those feelings are. Bizarro plants a big old kiss on Lois' lips.

How I miss Clark and Lois as a couple.

Bizarro brings Lois back to her apartment where Lucy again thinks he is the real Superman.

It seems like Bizarro already has a connection to Lucy. And notice Lucy isn't wearing her glasses? Since her interaction with Bizarro her vision has started to clear up a bit.

Of course, Superman thinks Bizarro is a threat and so another super-brawl breaks out.

During the fight, Superman uses his microscopic vision to examine the dust that keeps coming off of Bizarro. The dust are cells shedding off of the creature. And Superman can tell they aren't truly alive. It is mimicking life. And so Superman can use all his strength on this simulacrum.

But instead of Bizarro heading towards Superman to continue the fight, he flies close to Lois apartment. And then he turns around and heads at Superman at full speed. Two irresistible forces heading at each other!

Well Bizarro is not irresistible. When the two collide, Bizarro explodes into a shower of dust.

And as those cells fall onto Lucy, her vision is suddenly returned. Somehow those cells were the cure for her vision. Bizarro must have heard Lucy's comment, realized he could help her more, and sacrifice himself to return her vision.

So even Superman's selflessness was implanted into Bizarro!

This story is a near retelling of the first Bizarro story in Superboy #68, a story in which ... you guessed it ... Bizarro sacrifices himself to restore the vision of a blind girl. That story was written by Otto Binder, hence the acknowledgment to Binder on the title page. Byrne certainly tried to honor many of the original Superman stories, writing similar homages in issues with Lori Lemaris and Mr. Mxyzptlk.

I enjoyed this issue a lot back when it came out and so have some nostalgia about it. Hope you enjoyed this look back!

2013 Supergirl Year In Review: Top Ten Supergirl Moments

Settle in. This is a long long post.

You would think that putting together the 'Best of Supergirl' post would be a joyous blog entry. After all, it is looking at the past year and picking out the finest representations of my favorite character. In past years (I ave been doing 'Year in Review' posts since 2008), I have loved doing this, poring over the issues and picking out the pieces that I loved. In fact, many years I needed two entries - an honorable mentions column for almost top ten moments and the top ten themselves. In rereading those posts, I could sense that things were going almost too well for the character.

This 2013 'Best of' was my toughest one yet ... because it was hard for me to pick 10 moments that warranted mention. This has been a depressing year for me regarding Supergirl with her character being dragged down even further and a transformation into a Red Lantern right around the corner. In fact, the 'Worst Of' entry (up tomorrow) was easier to fill (I had many choices but limited myself to 5).

But before we get to the comics, let's review the 'outside' comics high points of the year. From that point of view, things continued to look up for Supergirl. From a merchandising point of view, Supergirl was immortalized in many DC Collectible statues including a new cover girls piece, a Bombshell statue, and both a SDCC exclusive and a more widely released Super Best Friends Forever figurine. She was a white pawn in the DC Comics chess set. She was featured in both the Superman: The Legend card series and the Women of Legend card series, garnering multiple cards and 'artist sketch cards' in both sets.

Perhaps most importantly, she was prominently featured in the Superman:Unbound movie. I very much enjoyed that movie and thought it did Kara justice, showing how determined she is to do what's right even in the face of great peril. Actress Molly Quinn did the voice of Supergirl in the movie and has become a great ambassador for the character, talking about her glowingly, representing Supergirl on the Superman 75th panel at the NYCC, and wearing the colors proudly.

On to the comics.

The year started with H'El on Earth and ended with H'El's plot in Krypton Returns. What a lousy set of bookends. Mike Johnson was the writer and seemed poised to bring Supergirl around to a more heroic place in the DCU. He was let go and horror comic writer Michael Alan Nelson was brought on board. He talked about slowly bring Kara to a place of happiness and started off with a great story with Power Girl. Around this time, fan favorite artist Mahmud Asrar left the book and the art on the title since then has been variable. Unfortunately, things went darker and then Nelson was one of the writing team on Krypton Returns. After a couple of very depressing turns on the Supergirl book, Nelson was replaced by Tony Bedard. Bedard has a decent history with Kara and also promised making Supergirl likable only to have the Red Lantern announcement tarnish my optimism.

And so ... the Best of Supergirl 2013.

Honorable Mention: Superman Family Adventures by Art Baltazar and Franco

There was no one particular moment in the excellent Superman Family Adventures that stuck out to me. But I loved that title. Much like Tiny Titans, the team of Baltazar and Franco were able to put together a truly all ages book. It is silly enough for grade schoolers. It was fun enough for middle schoolers. And old timers like me loved all the Easter Eggs stuffed in.

The team also treated Supergirl very well. She was a young hero who wanted to be the best she could be. She loved her family. And she even had a secret identity!

I miss this title.

Number ten: Dark Matters - Supergirl #21

She is dying of Kryptonite poisoning. She has abandoned Earth and any ties she has to anything in her life. And in deep space, she picks up a distress signal and rushes to the rescue. I love this panel where Supergirl struggles under the weight of a falling building, hoisting it to save the innocents below.

But it was that sentiment, that despite trying to escape from everything she bolts to be the hero. She might want to escape but in her heart, I think she knows what she needs to be.

Number nine: Chatting With Dad - Action Comics #23.1 Cyborg Superman

This comic was basically a Zor-El story explaining how far he would go to save his people and his family. Yes, there are overtones of an overzealous competitiveness with his brother. And yes, he was a bit too private for his own good, dabbling in the forbidden sciences of Brainiac and World Killers and secretly experimenting on his daughter. But he never struck me as pure evil. More desperate and willing to compromise some ethics if the ends were justified.

One thing that comes out of all of the flashback scenes (both here and in the main title) is that Kara seems to have an easier relationship with her father than with her mother Alura. I thought this scene was nice in showing how open and trusting that relationship was. Here Kara, despite being a young teen, comes to her father, asking him to patch things up with Jor-El. She is worried about her father and she knows her mother is worried about him as well.

It shows a maturity in Supergirl.

Number 8: Kissing Krypto - Supergirl #16

There wasn't much about H'El on Earth that is worth remembering. Remember that story arc? Where Supergirl is duped, falls quickly into love, brawls with her cousins and the Justice League, then tries to become a killer. I can't believe this was part of 2013. I had put it far in my rear view mirror.

Anyways, I did like this moment in Supergirl #16 written by Mike Johnson and drawn by Mahmud Asrar. While fighting the Flash in the Fortress of Solitude, Supergirl is reunited with Krypto! She knew the dog from Krypton and clearly loved the pooch! There is a clear look of joy on Krypto's face and Supergirl is smiling while being licked! It was a rare moment of joy in Supergirl's life this year.

Number seven: Wardrobe Malfunction - Supergirl #20

Supergirl #20, the first issue written by Michael Alan Nelson, was a fabulous issue. Contrasting Supergirl and Power Girl, Nelson was able to show just how similar and different the two women are. Despite leading very different lives (Power Girl embraced her role as hero, loved her brother, felt Lois was a mother), the two actually get along very well, teasing and joking their way through this misadventure with Sanctuary.

There were several 'laugh out loud' moments but this might be the best. Power Girl slips into a more classic PG costume when her New 52 version was destroyed for the umpteenth time. I love the banter when Supergirl first sees her in it. "It's a bit much." And then Power Girl's defense that it came from Supergirl's closet. Of course Supergirl never wore it.

Asrar really shines here as well, the look of defensive surprise on Karen's face in response to the shocked and semi-disgusted look on Kara's.

More from this issue later.

Number six: Young Knight - Batman/Superman #3.1 Doomsday

As I said, this was a rough year for Supergirl. One more layer of the torment of her life was revealed in the Doomsday  issue during villain's month, written by Greg Pak and drawn by Brett Booth.

As a very young girl, Kara's nights are haunted by psychological warfare from Zod, communicating from beyond the veil of the Phantom Zone. In the issue we hear the myth of Doomsday and the story of the death of a 'Knight' who is replaced by others wearing his symbol (the briefest recap of Reign of the Supermen I have ever read). Zod focuses on the negative, that the Knight dies.

Sick of hearing his taunts, this young Kara stands up to him, her blanket draped on her like a cape, a look of fierce determination, as she rebukes him. I love this, probably the earliest time she shows the hero inside her, mustering strength to stand up to a ghost.

Nice.

Number five: We Are Me - Supergirl #19

I touch on this in number seven, that comparison of Supergirl and Power Girl in early 2013 was a great story. Those similarities and differences were best shown in this page of Supergirl #19, written by Mike Johnson and drawn by Mahmud Asrar.

On Earth 2, Supergirl was the 'secret weapon', trained and loved by Superman, embraced by family and friends, and willing to fly into hell to avenge her cousin. On Prime Earth, Supergirl is isolated, leery of Superman, and wanting to be left alone.

And yet, they both were rocketed to Earth, both raised by Zor-El and Alura (I would love to see an E2 version of them at some point), and both feel alone (Power Girl marooned away from her home Earth, Kara adjusting to Earth).  They are alike as they are different.

This splash page, vertically splicing the two Kara's, is great.

Number four:  Thanks - Action Comics Annual #2

I have been harsh to Scott Lobdell on this blog, picking at his stories as I try to follow the leaps and twists of the plot. In particular, I think he has been brutal to Supergirl in his stories making her gullible, irate, overly emotional, and icy. So I was pretty surprised to see a Lobdell moment so high on this list.

Just prior to heading back in time on the Oracles mission to stop H'El, Kara has an epiphany. She recognizes she hasn't been the best family member, she hasn't gotten close to Kal like she should have, and that she has complicated things since arriving. She actually thanks Superman for giving her some room to breathe but you can see she regrets being so distant. Everything about these two panels is right, even her shushing him so she can finish her thought. And they hug!

I was hoping this would be the pivot point as she turns the corner but instead one step forward, two steps back.

Number three: Long Live the Legion - Smallville Season Eleven #15

I love the Smallville comic, my 'go to' book for a more classic Superman and Lois. So imagine how thrilled I was to hear that the book was going to go into the future for a Supergirl & the Legion of Super-Heroes adventure.

The story is a bit uneven in spots but it does a nice job of showing how Supergirl is adjusting. While she is a true hero, part of the Legion, and willing to do what it takes for justice, she is still struggling to find a place she can truly call home. In this book she is torn between a New Krypton and Earth in the future. Neither are really an easy place to fit in.

In the end though, how could I not love this moment ... a classic Long Live the Legion splash with all the Legionnaires flying into space, ready to take on the universe's worst. And smack there in the middle is a smiling Supergirl, holding hands with her cousin, leading the charge.

In a mainstream DCnU that is without a Legion, without a happy Supergirl, without a 'super-cousin' healthy relationship, this was comfort food!

Number two: Scientist Kara - Supergirl #20

If only all of 2013 was a good as Supergirl #20. If only all of Michael Alan Nelson's run was as solid as that issue with Power Girl! This was a fantastic moment which echoed the best of prior incarnations of Supergirl, showcased one of the newer aspects of the new Supergirl, and showed just how intelligent Kara is.

With Sanctuary doing its best to kill her, Supergirl pulls out a very complicated physics question, figuring out how strong a frozen material is. She is thinking! And then realizing how strong frozen Kryptonian crystal is, she has Power Girl freeze the place from the outside while she Corona Wave sunbursts from the inside, shattering the fortress.

Kara as a very intelligent scientist has been a constant in the character from the earliest Silver Age stories to the Sterling Gates era to here. I loved this moment. And that was a rare feeling this year too. Great stuff!

Number one: Now That's Kara - Man of Steel Prequel Comic

I find it ironic that the best example of Supergirl for the year was in a Man of Steel prequel comic that was only available on-line. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised given that Sterling Gates was the writer of this comic. And it sports beautiful art by legend Jerry Ordway.

There isn't one moment that stands out in the book that is a moment. Throughout the story you see the things that make me a Supergirl fan. She is strong and smart, leading team of soldiers through a field test. She knows what's right, stopping a traitor from killing another corpsman and turning him in. She is smart and dedicated winning the highest honor available on Krypton (see above), and she ends up stopping the same traitor from commandeering a scout ship. During that last fight, she crashes the ship on Earth (hence the ship at the North Pole in the movie ... and the open life pod in the background as Clark explores).

I loved this book when it came out. It was everything I look for in Supergirl. Smart, funny, loving, fierce in her pursuit of justice, and heroic. It was a constellation we hadn't seen much in the main book. Thanks to Sterling Gates!

At the time it seemed to be a hint at the Man of Steel sequel, complete with Supergirl. But I guess with Batman, Wonder Woman, and who knows what other Leaguers, she won't be part of that film.

And those are my top ten moments. Thanks to everyone who is still reading! Let me know if there were any moments I forgot!

SDCC 2013 Wrap-Up: Superman/Batman Movie In 2015; Not Man Of Steel 2

San Diego Comic Con 2013 wrapped up and it has take a while to sift through everything that was released and to try to come up with any Supergirl news that came out of this huge event. There really wasn't much.

This year also marked the 75th anniversary of the Superman character which meant a lot of attention was given to the character. And, perhaps, the biggest Superman news that came out of this event was that the next Superman movie will actually be 'Batman/Superman' and is actually rumored to be 'Batman vs. Superman'.

So I will bring up the Supergirl news briefly, provide some links, and then rant about this movie decision. So be aware, a rant is going to happen.

 

One thing that I absolutely love is that Molly Quinn, who did the voice of Kara in Superman:Unbound, has become a tremendous proponent of the character. Quinn was on the stage of the Superman 75th Anniversary Celebration panel with such major names as Henry Cavill, Grant Morrison, and Tim Daly. Here is Newsarama's coverage. And here is the quote from Quinn who sounds like she has become a Supergirl fan.

Quinn calls Supergirl "such a complex character," and "every day I discover more and more about her, even when I'm not voicing her. I'm thinking about her. She's a character who really sticks with you. And I love her."

I love that! I hope Quinn gets the opportunity to play Supergirl again sometime and somewhere.

As for the comic, not much true news was added. Writer Michael Alan Nelson was  part of the Superman The New 52 Era panel. Here is Newsarama's coverage of that panel. Unfortunately, most of what he said was stuff that we already knew.

And here is what we learned:
Over in Supergirl, Kara is trying to stay alive while Brainiac and Cyborg Superman are battling over her. "If you think you know who Cyborg Superman is, you really don't, wait till you see the New 52 version here," teased Berganza. Nelson, meanwhile said she has a major decision to make, "if she can have everything she ever wanted - but at great cost, would she do it?" and he really doesn't know what he'd do in the situation. Kara also sees her mom in the preview pages, perhaps teasing who Cyborg Superman is.

I do wonder what link Alura has to the Cyborg, if any.

And as far as I know, that's it for Supergirl stuff. There was a statement that a female artist will be on a Super-book soon. With Mahmud Asrar leaving, I wonder if this new artist will be on Supergirl. Nicola Scott? Emmanuella Lupaccino?

So the big news was Zach Snyder dropping the bomb that there won't necessarily be a Man of Steel 2. Instead the next movie will be Batman/Superman. Lots of places cover the story but here is the Wired article.

The announcement was made while a line from Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns boomed over the speakers. The line: “I want you to remember, Clark, in all the years to come, in your most private moments, I want you to remember my hand at your throat. I want you to remember the one man who beat you.” In fact, there is a rumor that the movie will be called Batman vs. Superman.

I think this makes little sense unless you think that this needed to happen to make a Justice League movie become a reality quicker. And I don't know if that is a good reason.

You see I had major issues with Man of Steel. Major issues. And while I don't want to pick at the scabs, let's boil it down to the ending ... the destruction of Metropolis and the killing of Zod.

But I held out hope that maybe ... maybe ... those issues would be discussed or rectified in the sequel. I thought Superman might come forward, say that killing Zod effected him greatly, how he now recognizes even more the sanctity of life, the need to protect people. I thought there was a chance here to answer for the ugliness of the end of the movie. And slowly, people begin to fully accept Superman, be inspired by him. All of this would lead to a confrontation with Luthor who continues to see Superman as a threat. In the meantime we see more of Clark, more of Lois, more of the Planet.

DC must realize what a hot-button issue the death of Zod was. How controversial. And they could answer that with hope, a turn to the light. They could make Man of Steel 2 feel like a Superman movie.

But instead, they make it dark again, an implied battle between the heroes. And even if that is overdone ... even if the two almost immediately become friends and work together, it still robs the movie of being a Superman vehicle. The presence of Batman means some of the story has to be Batman's. We won't get all the Superman things we didn't get in the first movie. Will we actually get a Superman who is a symbol of hope, an inspiration, someone dramatically effected by what happened to Metropolis and Zod? Will we see more of Clark? More of Clark and Lois?

I know I am getting way ahead of myself. Maybe everything I want will be there. But this just felt like a '2 for 1' special to bring the JLA movie that much closer. And that means we get less Superman. And more Batman. As if we don't have enough Batman already.

Oh Grant Morrison. You saw the future.