Review: Young Justice #20

Young Justice #20 came out this last week, the last issue of this title which I am very sad to see end,  I have enjoyed almost every book under the Wonder Comic imprint but this book, to me, had the most promise.  There were old school characters - Superboy, Robin, Wonder Girl, Spoiler,  and Impulse. There was a reimagined Amethyst and Wonder Twins. And there were new characters - Teen Lantern, Jinny Hex, and Naomi. They each had unique personalities. There were mysteries and back stories. And most importantly there was chemistry. This book crackled.

Writer Brian Michael Bendis brought a lot of fun and snark and witty repartee to the proceedings all while dancing around the main mystery ... how did the main characters exist when the countless recent reboots seemed to erase them. I loved every issue of this series even when I wished the underlying plot would move along quicker.

And now, before we even get to answer to the mystery, the book is ending. DC is purging and cancelling in rapid fire. We have another '2 months off' event after Dark Metal finally rusts and crumbles away. And who knows what the future holds? 

In the end, like many books, I have to just be thankful I got what I got and return to it when I can.

The art in this issue is by Scotty Godlewski and his style (like cover artist John Timms) is perfect for the book. I love his take on these characters.

On to this series' finale, chock full of goodness.

Review: Young Justice #19

Sometimes life happens.

And so I am writing my review of Young Justice #19 nearly a week after it came out.

We know that Young Justice #20 is the last issue of the series and so this issue feels like writer Brian Michael Bendis shining the spotlight on Wonder Girl in an effort to tell her story while he has time. Certainly the plot that runs through this story is quick paced, almost rushed. This would have been a fine 3 issue mini-arc. 

And I think it is a shame because I feel like this was a nice appetizer to Cassie picking up the 'team leader' responsibilities. But with one issue left, I don't think we'll get to see much of it.

The art is by Scott Godlewski who has grown in my mind. This is a bombastic issue filled with double page spreads and splashes and insane action with a couple of more human interactions sprinkled in. His style brings a sort of freshness to the proceedings. These are young adults who look like young adults. And John Timms cover is a great shot of Wonder Girl.

On to the book.

DC November Solicits

 

 The November solicits for DC Comics gave out last week and it increased my concerns over the future of my favorite characters and comics. Here is a link to Newsarama's coverage: https://www.gamesradar.com/dc-november-2020-solicitations/

 DC has recently gone through a purging, with editors fired and staff let go. Jim Lee has come out and said 'DC Comics is still in the business of making comics' ... and he said it unironically. Lee also said the focus is going to be on digital comics. He expects 20-25% fewer DC titles on the rack in the future.

And this new reality is shown to be right around the corner in these solicits. There are a number of cancellations in these solicits including Hawkman, Hellblazer, Suicide Squad and a book I cover here.

To make things worse, at least for me, there is just a glut of those Death Metal books here. I am completely uninterested in that.

On to the books.

ACTION COMICS #1027

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. and KLAUS JANSON
card stock variant cover by GARY FRANK

Is Superman on the ropes? An epic battle rages across the skies of Metropolis! The House of Kent, Superman, Superboy, Supergirl, the Legion of Super-Heroes’ Brainiac 5, and Young Justice’s Conner Kent all unite to face an enemy from another dimension unleashed by the Invisible Mafia! This kind of power can lay waste to an entire family of super-people!
All of this plus the future of the Daily Planet revealed! Another epic Superman story for the ages by the team of Bendis, Romita Jr., and Janson!

Now we're talking. Superman and Supergirl and the Legion coming together in battle! And an extra-dimensional villain? Will it be Blaze given Red Cloud's demonic look?

I am ready for this! Supergirl acting as a hero!

Review: Young Justice #17

Young Justice #17 came out this week and continued an interesting little run where the team is still trying to figure out where they are and who they are in this new continuity. Nothing says that as elegantly as the cover where we see three of the members in mirror images sporting their old continuity costumes and their current ones.

This issue has a strong them about mentoring and legacy and leading by example. There is a running theme of a young 'normal' girl from Metropolis doing her part in the aftermath of the Legion of Doom attack on the city. She is doing her part and she is seeing what her contemporaries ... the member of Young Justice ... are doing as well. More importantly, we see several of the legacy members of the team interacting with their mentors: Cassie with Diana,  Bart and Barry, etc.

For me, this book has, since its inception, been a sort of throwback. There is a joy in this book even as the heroes struggle with some major identity issues. These are heroes doing heroic things because it is the right thing to do. And there is that sort of exuberance in the characters that I miss in the more dour proceedings in many comics these days. Writers Brian Michael Bendis and David Walker continue to give us the right mix of fun adventuring while adding the pain of growing up.

The art by Scott Godlewski continues to shine. This is an issue without much action. Instead there are these emotional moments where the tone must be set by expression and body position. In fact there is a panel of Diana in here which sort of floored me.

If I have one complaint it is that the books still seem to be reeling from the multitude of major events happening. This issue takes place before House Of Kent which is now several months in. And that means this book's timeline is delayed and off. But this is a minor complaint.

On to the book.

DC Comics October 2020 Solicits

The DC Comics solicits for October have come out and I can't help but wonder just what 2021 has in store for fans. Here is a link:
https://www.gamesradar.com/dc-october-2020-solicitations-and-covers-revealed/

There is a ton ... A TON ... of Death Metal stuff.
There is a ton ... A TON ... of Joker.
Not surprising, there is a ton of Batman.

And there are cancellations! Batgirl, Justice League Odyssey, and Red Hood.

My guess is that with so many books going away and with all this Death Metal stuff, we are on the verge of yet another reboot. Rao, help me.

But here are the super-books, including the variant cover for Action Comics #1026 as seen above.

ACTION COMICS #1026
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. and KLAUS JANSON
variant cover by LUCIO PARRILLO
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by FRANK CHO

This issue, it's the Superman family versus everybody! In this blistering conclusion to the epic "House of Kent" saga, huge choices are made to defend the great city of Metropolis. Plus, amid all the chaos, the new owner of the Daily Planet is revealed—and it's...Jimmy Olsen?! Guest-starring Jonathan Kent, Conner Kent, Supergirl, and the Legion of Super-Heroes.

I can't help but be happy that Supergirl is part of this arc. And I trust Bendis to treat her the way she deserves to be treated.

Kara as drawn by JRJR? I am ready to shudder.

Review: Young Justice #16

It has been a crazy week and I am just finishing up the reviews from 2 Wednesdays ago today. A wee bit of vacation was snuck in there admittedly. A much needed vacation.

Young Justice #16 continues the deep dive into just what is going on with this old/new team and where the heck have some of them been all this time. Between the Superman books commenting on different universes and calling back to pre-Crisis stories to Lois Lane publicly talking about universal fracturing in her own book and the (presumed since I am not reading it) continuity reset in Death Metal, there are a lot of anomalies running around in the DCU. And for folks like me, who have lived through umpteen reboots, it is getting confusing.

Enter writer Brian Michael Bendis.

Last issue, Impulse told how he discovered the multiversal shenanigans and was able to find Conner and bring him back to reality. This issue we learn that Bart has been witness to more than that. In fact, given the lessons from Flashpoint, maybe he is the cause of all this.

I've never been a huge Impulse fan but I liked him in this issue. He clearly is worried about all he has seen and is just trying to survive. He is a sympathetic young hero here, in over his head a bit.

Add to the the solid pencil work of Scott Godlewski, who seems to be veering into the John Timms/Jorge Jimenez, hyper-style, and you have a winning book. Not many mysteries are solved here. But the enigma stew is getting thicker and more delicious.

On to the book.

Review: Young Justice #15

With no Supergirl book being on the stands and Amethyst just a mini-series, I have been picking my brain over what book I should review on this site next.

Young Justice it is! It has a Superboy in it, keeping with the super-focus of this place. And it also has young, optimistic heroes in it, something I love. So here we are.

Young Justice #15 came out last week and continued a current theme I am seeing in DC books, the acknowledgment by characters that their reality has been disturbed, rebooted, and reimagined. This time, the focus is on Conner Kent, the new/old/new Superboy of the DCU and how he came back to reality.

Brian Michael Bendis already showed us the aftermath of this issue in Action Comics when Conner met the Kents. Now we get the lead into that encounter and the wrap up of his return to Earth here. While Conner is the focus of the bulk of this issue, Bendis and co-writer David Walker also makes this group of Young Heroes an official entity with a roster and everything. That made me happy.

The art is by John Timms and Scott Godlewski. Both shine. Timms style is a perfect fit for the book, just stylized enough to bring a sort of energy to the proceedings, as he did over on Harley Quinn.

And I have to love the 'sort of homage' to Superman #15, the first part of The Truth. After all, this book is about Superboy's truth.

On to the book.

DC August 2020 Solicitations

The DC August solicits have been posted and for the most part they are simply the pre-COVID solicits resolicited with a nice addition. Here is a link"
https://www.newsarama.com/50230-dc-comics-august-2020-solicitations.html

One thing you won't see? Supergirl #41. As stated before, Supergirl #41 will only be available digitally. I am still a bit peeved about the whole thing. That said, we needed a new Supergirl book. A new direction. A creative team that actually likes the character. But when you end a character's title this way, it just makes the whole IP feel toxic. Will we get another Supergirl book any time soon?

SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8TH GRADE TP NEW EDITION
written by LANDRY Q. WALKER
art and cover by ERIC JONES

Supergirl’s cosmic adventure is back in print in this new all-ages book! Supergirl meets Belinda Zee, a new junior high adversary, in this all-ages title collecting the six-issue miniseries. And that’s just the start of the fun that includes super-powered pets and cosmic adventure!

Now this is a pleasant surprise.

One of the best Supergirl properties to come out in the last 2 decades, Cosmic Adventures is a treat. And it is the perfect Kara palate cleanser for the more recent mainstream DCU fare. Go out and buy it. And buy it for any young fan of the series. A young Lena plays a huge role.

And by all means, go back and read my reviews when the issues came out!

ACTION COMICS #1024

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. and KLAUS JANSON
variant cover by LUCIO PARRILLO
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by FRANK CHO

The city of Metropolis has been rocked by Luthor’s latest attack and the drama surrounding Superman’s truth, and that gives the invisible mafia a new foothold to change the City of Tomorrow forever. Meanwhile, the Daily Planet is under siege! The fallout from Superman: Villains continues as Clark Kent steps out into the world as a reporter for the first time.

I am still not a fan of John Romita Jr.

But I have been pleasantly surprised by how this Truth storyline has unfolded.

And you know I love the more city-based Action Comics plots. So looking forward to this.

SUPERMAN #24

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by KEVIN MAGUIRE and JOHN TIMMS
cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
variant cover by BRYAN HITCH
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO

Superman’s legendary susceptibility to magic is about to turn his life inside out and upside down. A mysterious new villain has come into Superman’s world to pit him against the most powerful sorcerer and agent for the Lords of Order: Doctor Fate!

There is a little bit of weird karma that Dr. Fate is going to get a big storyline in Superman so recently after Marty Pasko, the main Fate writer in the 80s, has passed.

I do want to see Maguire's take on Fate. Should be cool.

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #11

written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
art by CLAYTON HENRY
cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
card stock variant cover by JAE LEE 
Wonder Woman 1984 variant cover by JENNY FRISON

It’s Superman versus Batman as the deadly machinations of the Ultra-Humanite crash to their end! The Dark Knight has been transformed into a human atomic bomb, all in the name of wiping Superman from the face of the Earth! As Batman struggles against the urge to kill his friend, Superman must undo the damage done and help the other victims of the Ultra-Humanite’s experiments. It’s the thrilling conclusion to “Atomic” that will reverberate across the DC Universe for months to come!

As I said before, I love the Ultra Humanite.

And I am interested to see how the relationship between Batman and Superman is pushed forward in this book. Will Williamson continue the dual text boxes to see how they are thinking and how they feel about each other?

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #8

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by EVAN “DOC” SHANER, JEFF LEMIRE, DUSTIN NGUYEN, JOËLLE JONES, MICHAEL AVON OEMING, LIAM SHARP, ANDRÉ LIMA, SANFORD GREENE, CULLY HAMNER, YANICK PAQUETTE, DAN HIPP, DAVID MACK, DARICK ROBERTSON, DAN JURGENS, BILQUIS EVELY, FABIO MOON, MICHAEL ALLRED, RYAN SOOK, ALEX MALEEV, JOHN TIMMS, DUNCAN ROULEAU, and NORM RAPMUND
cover by RYAN SOOK
variant cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN

Beginning a special two-part comics storytelling event! Over the course of two spectacular issues, 44 artists will dive into the 31st century—with each page starring a different Legionnaire! It starts when the team is arrested by a galactic authority that does not approve of the Legion—and it leads into an intergalactic showdown that will affect every member of the team!

Looks like a new issue for me to bring to conventions and try to collect signatures! That is a murderers' row of names. I can't wait to see this book. I mean, they had me at Fabio Moon. But there are many favorites listed here.

I do love that each page gives us a different team member. We haven't really met the whole team yet so this will be a good primer.

YOUNG JUSTICE #17

written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS and DAVID F. WALKER
art by SCOTT GODLEWSKI
cover by JOHN TIMMS
variant cover by MIRKA ANDOLFO

This very special issue focuses directly on the friendship at the heart of Young Justice: Conner, Tim, and Bart—a.k.a. Superboy, Drake, and Impulse. As younger men, these three iconic heroes built Young Justice on their friendship. Now their dream has grown and changed as much as they have. And with the demands of adulthood pulling them in different directions, they realize that nights like this one may never happen again.

With Supergirl off the board, maybe I should add Young Justice to the review list. I mean, technically, there is a Super-family member here.

I like these characters and I like what Bendis is doing here.

Hey at least we have comics!

Still, I am irked. No print Supergirl. It again proves they just don't care.

Young Justice (1998) #1 - Supergirl Homage

Count me among those folks who were thrilled when Brian Michael Bendis announced his Wonder Comics imprint and Young Justice #1 specifically.

I am a fan of classic Conner. I am a fan of Cassie. And I am a huge fan of Amethyst. So knowing they were coming back, in a way that makes sense and that honors those characters, tickled me. I was on board. And the first issue didn't disappoint. It was a rollicking good time with the reintroduction (somehow) of these classic versions of the Young Justice characters with a big dollop of Gemworld on top. Bendis and artist Patrick Gleason are solidly on their game.

I have always wondered why I didn't collect the first Young Justice series from 1998. I was in the middle of residency and I wasn't reading an extended pull list. That probably explains it best. Somehow it slipped by. What makes this doubly amusing is that I was all in on Peter David's Supergirl book which was still on the shelves at the time. Back then, I tended to try anything David wrote.

But like the current run, this team consisted of Conner, Tim, and Bart. Others would join shortly afterwards.

I was reading reading the Waid Flash which occasionally had Impulse crossover. I had read the early Kesel Superboy stuff too. But somehow it missed this.

I recently ran across some of the issues in the bargain bins and grabbed a handful, including the old Young Justice #1. I was surprised to find a Supergirl moment tucked in it.

DC Nation Teaser Commercial

Back in October, I posted here about the upcoming DC Nation block coming to the Cartoon Network. It sounded great and included a Supergirl short in Super BFF's with Batgirl and Wonder Girl.

As has been widely reported lots of places, a teaser commercial for the DC Nation block was shown on Cartoon Network during the Green Lantern premiere. Here is the official You Tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMLdqwMU2OU&feature=related

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any teaser pics for the Super BFF shorts. But there is plenty to digest including some great images of other shorts. Here are some of the things that caught my eye.

Don't blink or you'll miss Supergirl speed by in the early montage of DC's heroes flying in. What got my attention was the use of the "old" DCU Supergirl costume, the Michael Turner design. I can't 100% identify who the artist is here given how quickly it slide by but it 'feels' like Mark Bagley's Supergirl from Justice League.

And she appears on the main DC Nation title shot as well right above the 'T'! Pretty prominent spot for Supergirl given the countless DC characters they could have put on this title sequence. I'm glad the Martian Manhunter is there. And Jade certainly gets a plum position for a little known character.

As I said, there are quick pics of the two ongoing series (Young Justice and Green Lantern) as well as snippets from the upcoming shorts. That includes a Teen Titans Go! style Titans show as well as the announced Doom Patrol. As a Doom Patrol fanatic, it is great to see the negative spirit leaving Larry's body here.

And this mystery pic which isn't a mystery any more.. I read on DC Women Kicking Ass that it is Amethyst and I would be all for a cartoon version of that.

I can't wait to see all this stuff and hope to see some early shots of the BFF shorts.

And I wonder just how they decide who to showcase as a DC Fan. I don't have the star power of a NASCAR racer nor do I star on Big Bang Theory. But I am a lifelong fan! I am part of DC Nation! Put me on the tube!