Review: Superman/Spider-Man #1 Back-Up Stories

I reviewed the main story in the DC released Superman/Spider-Man crossover here. But just as satisfying were the back-up features teaming up members of the Super-family with the Spider-verse. 

I liked all of them, some more than others.  But they all were entertaining and that isn't something I can say about many of the anthologies DC puts out. And obviously on a project this massive, DC brings in the big guns. This isn't some lesser known creators that DC is letting dip their toes in the DCU. These are veterans and superstars. 

The good thing about families as big as the Supers and the Spiders is that there are enough to give us 7 different team-ups. Impressive. 

These will be bullet reviews of these quick stories. 

We'll start with 'The World's Finest' by Tom King and Jim Lee teaming up Lois and MJ.

While Superman and Spider-Man fight off a Sentinel tracking down a surprise guest-star mutant, Lis and Mary Jane talk about life as the better halves. How many times have they hung from bridges, met other-dimensional versions of themselves, and even died.

As someone who thinks Peter should have ended up with Gwen, I like that MJ talks about how Spidey has a thing about bridges.

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.

2022 In Review: Best Of Supergirl Honorable Mentions And Non-Comic Stuff

Welcome to day 1 of 3 of my end of year review about Supergirl and the site. 

What a difference a year makes! 

Look back at last year's review (here and here),  you'll be reminded that 2021 was a tough year for Supergirl. The television show was canceled. The main book was Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow, a comic that was beautifully rendered but was a terrible take on the character. 

This year, I got to read two comic books that featured a Supergirl that I truly wanted to read. Mark Waid's Batman/Superman World's Finest showcases a wonderful Supergirl, a strong, pro-active. competent, bright, and caring. We also get to read a Supergirl in Phillip Kennedy Johnson's Action Comics, where Kara is a leader within the El family, a voice in the room, and again a competent hero. Two books!!

Add to that, Supergirl plays an important role in DC Vs. Vampires book. She was a wonderful addition in the World Of Krypton mini-series as well. 

That's a lot of solid Supergirl in 2022. I cannot complain.

I'll say that I hoped she would play a bigger role in Dark Crisis, although her last minute stepping in for Mary Marvel made it unlikely. Also given the muddle nature of that book, it is probably a blessing.

And I'll say up front that I did not include Zala, the Kara analogue in Dark Knights of Steel in this review because technically it isn't our Supergirl. 

Okay, now some business. This will be a three day review because I want to make sure I give all the top ten moments some space to breathe. Today I'll review some non-comic stuff as well as the honorable mentions. Then over the next two days I'll count down the best of the best.

On to the year review!

Review: Dark Crisis #7

Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 came out last week, the final issue of a mega and meta event that frankly never quite grabbed me. Maybe I am just getting too old. Maybe I am just finally truly fatigued around events. This was supposed to be a monumental game changer. There were supposed to be universal stakes. But in the end, it just never really gelled into something solid for me.

I understand that writer Joshua Williamson was trying to incorporate all the DC event comics into this title as a sort of metatextual treatise on things. The fact that Pariah was the big-bad and had all the big-bads from prior events as his lackeys said that this was going to be the one event to rule them all. Through in the metaphysical Darkness from Alan Moore's American Gothic storyline (which ran concurrently with the original Crisis on Infinite Earths) and I felt like Williamson wanted to write a sort of love letter to DC event history. 

What I ended up reading was a sort of plot-jumbled omelet of a title. I don't know if it all made 100% sense. Pariah's plot, his link to the Darkness, the phony worlds the JLA live on,  the Earth heroes' plans to foil the plot, the over-heavy dose of Deathstroke, even how everything was solved ... it never seemed solid. You had to just take it in and move on. 

I also wonder if Williamson had scenes in his head he wanted to have happen and then wrote the story around it. There are moments which are powerful but they seem to come out of nowhere and with little continuity to prop them up. The character beats for some here also seem to come out of left field. 

In the end, we are back to infinite earths built on a foundation of the known multiversity. DC gets to have Grant Morrison's 52 Earth cake and eat it too! I suppose that those of us who have lamented the original conceit that COIE was built on ... that a multiverse was too confusing .. should be happy. 

The art here continues to be spectacular. Daniel Sampere really channels George Perez here with glorious battle scenes with innumerable characters everywhere. He also settles in for some of the more personal moments too. It is a stunning book to look at, no doubt. Add to that the multiple covers we got for this last issue, in particular the Dan Mora two-character spotlight covers, and this is a visual delight.

Still, I don't know it this is one I will go back to reread  that often. We got to a finish line DC wanted us to get to. Everything old is new again.

On to the specifics.

Review: Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #6

Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #6 came out this week, the penultimate issue of this universe redefining epic. 

Can someone explain it to me?

In the 14 years I have been running this site, the DCU has set and reset several times. I must admit I am getting a bit fatigued with these events and these configuring of continuity. In the end, the DCU usually settles down. We usually end up back near classics. But that doesn't mean the telling and retelling and forming and reforming isn't exhausting.

Still, if the story is intriguing or compelling or fun, I am usually on board. Final Crisis made very little sense but it felt big and bold and made me think. 

I don't think I can say the same for Dark Crisis.

I don't quite understand how Pariah is doing what he is doing. How he contaminated a primeval force. What he hopes to gain or what it will bring him. I don't know how he is controlling all the villains. I don't know why he needed the original JLA on dream worlds or why the worlds they were on were their dreams. I can blur my mind and sort of get it. But that is also tiring.

And then we get this issue which sort of ends the main plot before I can say I understood it. There are key points in the plot which are explained via 'comic book science' in small panels to move things along. I don't understand why these things work. And how it brings things to a close.

But then it opens up one last subplot which I understand even less.

There are moments to like here. Writer Joshua Williamson gives legacy heroes, the target of Deathstroke, bright moments. Green Arrow has a nice spotlight scene. 

But overall, this series has left me wanting. I didn't feel there were any really stakes here. That might be more about my event fatigue than anything. But things don't flow here.

All that said, Daniel Sampere is a revelation. His art is spectacular. He gives us big battle scenes and small emotional scenes. The art is crisp and clear and eye-catching.

But we only have one more issue to wrap it up. And then, another 'new' universe.

On to the specifics.

Review: Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #5

Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #5 came out this week and I have to say there are some great moments in this book. But I don't know if I quite understand everything that is going on.

Joshua Williamson continues to really plumb the depths of the DCU in this mega-event and that will always make me happy. We saw Body Doubles in a past issue. In this one we see Sideways. So anytime I get the breadth of the DCU I am happy. 

And we also see Williamson leaning into some DC history here. This whole series has been a bit meta with the Pariah enslaving the big bads from prior universal events as his lieutenant. So seeing Kingdom Come images again homaged works well. Gar Logan returning from his injuries with an eyepatch is interesting to me given his long history an enmity with Deathstroke. We also, finally, get the return of the JL albeit in their dream versions. All that works.

But how Pariah is doing all this is still a bit unclear to me. How he corrupted the Great Darkness doesn't make a lot of sense, even from a comic book science viewpoint. And all the stuff about heroes being tied to dream planets and therefore dead but not dead seems weird. I also don't know why everything hinges on Deathstroke? Is it because he is a linchpin or is it because Pariah has made him one.

Daniel Sampere's art is just gorgeous throughout. His battle sequences are gritty. His splash pages work on the 'big moments deserve big art' scale. And his more cosmic splashes are really lush. He is making all this work visually. 

On to the book.

Review: Dark Crisis #4

Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 came out this week, pushing us into the back half of this universe-defining mini-series. 

I can't tell you the number of reboots, soft reboots, and resets of the DC universe I have read since the first Crisis on Infinite Earths. So, in many ways, I would love for this series to be tremendous and to set the DCU up for success in some way. Maybe this continuity will stick for a little longer than a handful of years? 

So I am rooting for this series. 

But so far I feel a little lacking. We are 4 issues in and I feel the entirety of plot that we have been given could have been done in one. Maybe two. But once again, in this issue, we have Pariah cackling about his plans, Deathstroke and his army attacking a group of super-powered beings. The heroes sitting around stroking their chins, wondering what it all means, and then a cliffhanger.

The best thing this series has done is give us pretty powerful moments which nudge the plot but don't necessarily move it. Writer Josh Williamson is leaning into the history of DC here. So we get solid character moments and good set pieces. Last issue we got the ka-pow moment of the JSA return. Here we have really good scenes between Alan Scott and Dick Grayson. We get Hal and Barry. We get a call back to Alan Moore's American Gothic. All really great. But without a plot to hang these moments on ... well that's like saying we got sprinkles and hot fudge sauce but no ice cream. 

Daniel Sampere's art is really wonderful here. He is channeling his inner Perez here giving us big action scenes with big crowds. There is a precision to the work, detailed and fine lined, which works well here.

This is a solid read for sure. For long time DC fans like me, there is enough sizzle to keep me reading. But I want some substance too, especially if this is going to re-define things again.

On to the book.

Review: Dark Crisis #3

Dark Crisis #3 came out this week and was another sort of deliberately paced issue nudging us towards what is supposed to be a multiverse changing storyline. I am still a little befuddled about what exactly is going on here but I suppose there is still time for this series to turn the corner and reveal.

At the recent SDCC, writer Joshua Williamson declared Dark Crisis as the direct sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths, a crossover event I remember fondly. At this point in Crisis (let's say the middle of issue #5 percentage wise) we hadn't even learned about the Anti-Monitor. So if I can let COIE unroll at a certain pace, perhaps I should give this book the benefit of the doubt.

Still, in COIE, there was a feeling of momentum. We knew the threat. We had seen it. We knew what the Monitor was trying to do with his tuning forks. Here, I am still trying to hash that out in my head. This issue sort of helps. But not really. And the same nitpicks I had about last issue are still here in this issue. Why aren't the heroes more organized? Where is the great JL that Jon formed at the end of the first issue? 

One thing that is clear is that Williamson is up on his DC history. He seems to be rolling lots of major crossover plots into this one, making this the ultimate hash. There is obviously COIE. But there are whiffs of Blackest Night, Kingdom Come, Zero Hour, Legends, and even Forever Evil in this book. 

Daniel Sampere's art remains tremendous throughout. There is a nightmarish splash page near the end which could be a poster. And his fine line brings out the emotion you need for some of the more personal scenes.

We're rounding the corner here. On to the specifics.

Review: Dark Crisis #2

Dark Crisis #2 came out this week and was a very action-heavy issue, amping up the feeling of dread that the heroes on Earth-0 are probably feeling. The Justice League is gone. The villains are going on the offensive. And people are getting hurt.

All of this leans heavily into Crisis on Infinite Earths with Pariah being the straw that stirs the proverbial drink here. Pariah is pulling the strings from afar, sowing the seeds of chaos in hopes of igniting another Crisis. He is in the mind of Deathstroke who is acting as a sort of field general for the villains on Earth. But who or what is controlling Pariah?

It shows how impatient I have become as a comic reader these days that here we are 2 issues into this series and I am already tapping my foot wanting to know why it all is happening and what the Great Darkness is hoping to get out of all this. A younger Anj read the first three issues of COIE back in the mid-80s without really knowing what the hell was going on, just feeling the increasing dread of those Earths. I didn't know the villain or his plan then either. But I rolled with it. 

Perhaps it is because this is the sort of umpteenth Crisis I have read? Perhaps it is because I have seen so many company crossovers peter out without a satisfying conclusion? 

But I shouldn't let my impatience take away from this issue. We get plot progression. Writer Joshua Williamson is cracking open all the Who's Who and bringing back characters that haven't been seen in a while and making me miss them or like them again. We get to see a heroic Hal Jordan and a solid looking GLC. If you like the wide DCU like I do, you will like this issue.

Add to that Daniel Sampere's great art. The action sequences and fights are brutal and palpable. The page layouts and panel progression are cinematic. The art jumps off the page. 

On to the particulars.

Supergirl In Dark Crisis Justice League

There was a time when I used to head to Bleeding Cool almost daily for comic gossip and previews. I'll admit that I head there less and less. But I was sent there last week for an interesting news about Supergirl in Dark Crisis.

Not to bury the lede, she has replaced Mary Marvel as a member of the new Justice League. Here is the link:https://bleedingcool.com/comics/new-justice-league-pictures-whos-in-whos-out-dark-crisis-spoiler/

Bleeding Cool even had some pics to share of a splash page introducing the team and Kara now penciled in where Mary Marvel was originally.

I won't guess exactly why it happens.

Although I think the original schedule for the Campbell/Shaner Mary Marvel mini-series was supposed to be done by this time until it was pushed back to better align with the release of the second Shazam movie. My understanding is that in that mini-series, Mary picks up the full mantle of Shazam/Captain Marvel.  

Perhaps with Mary's main story still yet to be told, DC decided a pinch hitter was needed.

And if you need a character to simply slip into Mary's role without undoing a script, Supergirl fits the bill. After all, she seemed to be modeled off Mary to begin with back in the day.

As a Supergirl fan, I thought for sure the melancholy drama of Supergirl:Woman of Tomorrow was a death sentence. Hard to tell meaningful super-hero stories when your main character is as damaged as she was there. So this seems like an emergency reprieve, a phone call from the Governor stopping the character execution that Tom King (in my opinion) committed.

Plus, Supergirl has always been a strong member of the League when she has been part of it, either in a guest spot or as the muscle (like in James Robinson's run.) 

So I feel sorry for Mary's fans. But I am glad Supergirl will have some role in this company event. Of course, you say 'Supergirl' and 'Crisis' in the same sentence and it does conjure up some bad memories.

Dark Crisis

For the last couple of years, I have felt that DC Comics has been a company that has been creatively in a state of disarray. 

The company being bought and sold a couple of times might be the foundation of this issue. COVID delaying things for while didn't help. But leadership changes definitely are a big part of that feeling. There were a number of 'events' unfolding at the same time, overlapping each other, and delaying each other's finales.  The '5G' future that now-gone Dan Didio wanted has been a carcass that DC has picked at for a while. With Future State bringing in 'the future' and introducing us to Jon and Yara as mantle-wearers, it seems DC just didn't know where they were going.

Except for Batman books. They knew they were going there.

Recently the news of the latest event was released. Writer Joshua Williamson is going to write Dark Crisis, a book that he describes as a 'love letter' to the DCU. Art will be done by a recent favorite of mine, Daniel Sampere. There are plenty of stories out there about this but here is one:https://www.gamesradar.com/dc-dark-crisis/

Now it sounds like The Great Darkness, perhaps the one that has been hinted at in Brian Michael Bendis' Legion book is the 'anti-God' that was behind the American Gothic storyline waaayyyy back in Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run. Seems odd to have something so metaphysical and religious be the basis of a Crisis but here we are.

Meanwhile, we also got this nugget:

Review: Action Comics #1036

Action Comics #1036 came out this week, the first chapter in the much anticipated Warworld Saga. Between the events in the Future State Superman mini-series and the current storyline, we knew this is where it would be heading. I guess the bigger question is where it will be ending. That Future State Worlds of War mini-series felt like it was many years in the future given the gray hair on that Superman. But maybe ... just maybe ... that was a near future state.

Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson has really been hitting it out of the park recently on this title. This Superman, dying from breech radiation, being proactive in the need to free the Warworld slaves, and mystified by (perhaps) an offshoot of surviving Kryptonians, has been a compelling character. Perhaps more compelling than I can remember. Whether it is slamming his fist on the JLA table to be heard or organizing a misfit band of near-heroes and villains to be his strike force, this is an incredibly determined hero, perhaps racing the clock to do one last great deed. Invading Warworld? Incredible.

But as impressive as that is, the fact that Johnson (for the most part) seamlessly ties this book into the metatextual romp of the recent Grant Morrison Superman and the Authority mini-series, is a feat. I have to admit I didn't see it coming. I thought this was just going to be a 'don't think about it too hard' sort of timeline.

On top of this, Daniel Sampere is bringing startlingly great art to the proceedings. There is a panel here that is haunting that I just stared at for some time. There is a splash page that is inspiring that I stared at for a long time. But he also has to show us Durlans, the Authority space ship, and monstrous aliens too. Everything works together beautifully.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #1035

Action Comics #1035 came out this last week and was another solid chapter in this Warworld arc. We are moving to the next stage and we are closer to Clark being offworld for what could be a long time given the Future State-ness of it all.

Even though I like my Superman on Earth, I have to give writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson a lot of credit here. He has crafted a very quality story that I am very engaged in. I want to see where this is going. He has written a highly ethical, highly moral, heroic Superman. I want to read more. I want the next issue in my hands right after I finish the current one. 

Daniel Sampere continues to give us stellar art on the title. And Johnson is putting him through the paces, going from major super-power brawls, to crowd shots with the JLA, to a romantic interlude with Lois right before he heads off world. It all shines.

I don't have much to complain about here. But as Superman does his goodbye tour, it would have been great to see him say his farewells to Kara. I worry that we won't see her in this book anymore. Pity since Johnson treated her so well.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #1033

Action Comics #1033 came out this week and was another tremendous issue in what is becoming a signature arc for writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson. As Marvel used to say this one has it all!

The thing that grabbed me the most about this issue is how proactive and sort of demanding Superman is in this book. Usually Superman leads by example, uncomfortable with forcing his opinions on others. But here, faced with a Warworld filled with slaves, some of whom could be Kryptonians, he can't sit back. He can't listen to Earth-based squabbling. And if he has to insert himself and solve a problem now so that the fight on Warworld happens sooner, then he will. I mean it, there is one moment in this book which I will show where I said 'whoa' out loud. I haven't seen a Superman like that before.

But we also get this look at Thao-La and how she is handling meeting her hero, knowing she is supposed to kill him, and seeing her dealing with her own trauma. I love the different reactions we get out of the other super-family members too. This is a compelling story and seeing the different ways Thao-La's dilemma is being processed by the supporting cast adds to the depth.

I'd be remiss not to mention Daniel Sampere's art here. I have always liked his work but this has to be the best stuff I have seen by him. It is stunning. From inspirational splashes to solid expressive work to awkward meetings, the work complements the story phenomenally, really adding to the story.

On to the book!

Review: Action Comics #1032

Action Comics #1032 came out this week and was another interesting character in this storyline bringing possible Kryptonian refugee survivors into Superman's world.

This arc is connected to Mongul  and seems to be leading directly into Superman leaving Earth to fulfill his role as rebel leader on Warworld in the Future State books. I don't specifically know if I am keen on Superman leaving Earth for a long time so I entered this run with some trepidation. But this chapter at least gives me a good reason for that eventuality to happen.

Moreover, Kennedy does a good job here of including all of the immediate super-family in the proceedings. Lois, Jon, and even Kara have some role to play in this mystery. Is Thao-La a Kryptonian proper? Or some offshoot? Or something else all together? How does she know Kryptonian historical figures and dialects? And is she working with Mongul or against the villain? 

Throw in the Source Wall chunk that was on Thao-La's ship as an enigmatic plot point and you have a couple of decent puzzles for our heroes to figure out.

I'll say I am enjoying this title more than the Superman book and part of that has to do with the more Earth-bound nature of the adventures and the inclusion of the key supporting characters.

I'd be remiss not to mention Daniel Sampere's detailed and lush art work here. Once more, he gives the quieter scenes some gravitas. But the big win is the kaiju fight in a rainstorm at the back end. You will see that those pages just sizzle.

On to the particulars.

Review: Action Comics #1031

Action Comics #1031 came out this week and was a crackling second parter to the Warworld Rising storyline by creators Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Daniel Sampere.

I have to say this is probably my favorite issue by Johnson to date. The ever-present Father/Son musings have been muted here. The 'Superman is dying'/'Jon is becoming Superman' plot has also been put on pause a bit. I need to be clear. I don't mind those story bits. But at time in the Johnson era they have been a bit heavy-handed. I needed a breather and I got one.

And what a breather. The Warworld refugees plot is pushed forward significantly. But there are still some mysteries here, enough to make me stroke my chin and ponder a bit. A new subplot with Atlantis is put into play. 

Plus, and shame on me for burying the lede, Supergirl shows up and is smart, bright, optimistic, and caring. Pencil in some moment from this issue into the 'best of 2021' list. If this is how Johnson views Kara, shame on DC for making her drunk and vengeful. Let her stay here.

Daniel Sampere's art (with great colors by Adriano Lucas) really pops this issue. The opening battle sequences given energy, the quiet exposition moments given care. I wouldn't mind seeing him on something Supergirl in the future if the stars aligned.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #1030

Action Comics #1030 came out last week and once again showed how new writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson has a nice understanding of the inherent goodness of Superman. His Superman has acted and has sounded like the way I want Superman to be.

Even in Future State, Johnson showed us a true Superman, selfless in his never-ending battle to free the slaves of Warworld. We were told as fans that the events of Future State were possibilities but more and more it seems like they are destined to pass. One thing that I sort of don't like is how quickly we are dealing with those Future State arcs. Already it seems Superman is going to be heading off Earth to Warworld and Jon is going to take the mantle. I would have loved to give Johnson maybe 6 months to settle into his style before closing the Future State gap.

As with his earlier issues, Johnson is also leaning heavily into father/son relationships. Here we get to see contrasting relationships of this nature in an interesting way. It also made the hair on the back of my head stand up, fearful of a possible plot turn. Please ... this time ... let's hope I'm wrong.

Daniel Sampere provides the art. His stuff is beautiful. This issue runs the gamut from dungeon to space, from rooftop discussion to open sea robot battles. It all looks gorgeous. Sampere really has some range.

On to the details.

DC April 2021 Solicits

The DC Comics solicits for April came out last week and I just get the sense that DC is in a sort of transition period for the Super-titles.

I have listened to interviews with Phillip Kennedy Johnson and he doesn't sound like someone who is on a long run on the Superman titles. We are coming out of Future State and it looks like some of the stories there are being touched upon now. And it seems like he is moving away from the Metropolis-centric Bendis feel to these titles.

Also, Supergirl isn't mentioned pretty much anywhere so I think Kara is on a bit of a hiatus.

For those interested, here is a link to all the solicits:
https://www.gamesradar.com/dc-april-2021-solicitations-and-covers-revealed/ 

 On to the super-books.

Action Comics #1030
written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON
art by DANIEL SAMPERE
backup story written by
BECKY CLOONAN and MICHAEL W. CONRAD
backup story art by MICHAEL AVON OEMING
cover by MIKEL JANÍN
card stock variant cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO

"Warworld Rising" starts here! A new chapter in Superman's life begins as the challenges of Dark Nights: Death Metal are causing Clark Kent to feel...a change in his powers. Is it possible the Metropolis Marvel could be losing a step? His struggles in taking down the creatures from the Breach would suggest as much! If he's going to continue to protect the people of Earth, he'll have to adapt—especially with threats like Mongul out there waiting to launch their biggest attacks on the Earth yet. That's right, those are Warworld battleships just outside our orbit, and they are heading straight for us!
Meanwhile, in the Midnighter backup story, the bad boy of the Authority has to figure out what Andrej Trojan is up to in the present if he ever wants to get back to Future State and swap places with the Midnighter of 2021, whom he left stranded on Warworld.

We have had Mongul show up a couple of times back in the Bendis run. When Superman was named the Earth rep for the UP, Mongul showed up. So it is interesting that we are heading back to that ground. Now I don't know anything about Death Metal. So is Superman depowering? Or changing his powers.

I am not a huge Midnighter fan but seeing the name Andrej Trojan, the implied baddie in FS Superman of Metropolis, is a nice hook. I don't know if Future State considered the future or a possible future. But I am glad some of the ideas will be played out in the current books.

Review: Batman/Superman #11

Batman/Superman #11 came out last week, the third chapter in the Doomed story arc. Knowing the August solicits we are really just at the beginning of this arc. There 3 ... three(!) ... more months of this. That is a bit crazy!

As a third chapter, this one does it's job. We learn much more about the background of the Doomsday attack. We learn about the origin of Doomsday leaving the Zone. There is a fair amount of exposition/plot progression but never by sacrificing the action. That is appreciated.

But for me the best thing about this issue was how well Pak shows us how Superman is an inspiration or at least an influence on the heroes and people around him. I don't know if I have seen or heard that in the New 52. As an long standing Superman fan, I like him being the brightest light in the universe, the light others strive for.

The art on the issue is a mishmash by Tom Derenick, Karl Kerschl, and Daniel Sampere. All have a nice style and the differences aren't so jarring as to knock me out of the story.

I commented how much I have been enjoying these opening recap pages done in the style of the Daily Planet. However reading this one, I think I missed have missed Doomed Chapter 2.5.

The last chapter in Superman/Wonder Woman #8 ended with Superman somehow willing the Doomsday germ inside. He was cradled in Diana's arms.

This says that Superman, in semi-Superdoom mode, went on a rampage in Metropolis. Did I miss something?

Batman, Wonder Woman, and Steel all decide to team up to help find a cure for Superman. And they have to act fast. In the media-saturated world, Superman being a monster is big news. What better way to get ratings than to whip the public into a panic, terrified of their hero. Even Batman knows that these terror tactics work.

Already we begin to see how important Superman and his image is to Batman. He knows he has to bring this problem to an end and soon. He, Wonder Woman, and Steel all head to the Fortress to try to find a cure.

When  I read Action Comics #31, I saw a panel where Krypto licked Superman's hand and at the time I wondered if that was a key. Wouldn't Krypto get the virus? Maybe him having the disease will help people figure out a cure?

Well, Krypto is indeed pretty sick when the heroes arrive in the Arctic. The heroes think it must be from the proximity Krypto was to Superman, that 'Doomsday plague wave' that made everything die around the original Doomsday.

But I think this is because he has the virus as well. Will see if that plays out.

A suddenly spry Krypto does bound about the Fortress and ends up jumping into the Phantom Zone. And Batman immediately assumes that Krypto is trying to tell them something. But that something is that he is on the trail of Doomsday.

Umm ... didn't Batman see Doomsday get ripped asunder? How can you be on his trail when he is dead?

And there is a little bit of Lassie here. Lassie barks and the owner knows the dog is saying Timmy fell down the well. How does Batman know what Krypto is thinking?

But I am nit-picking. What I liked about this panel was what Batman is saying. Batman is thinking of Superman fighting this disease. He thinks about what might happen if Superman succumbs. With his friend suffering, he is willing to jump into the Zone with Diana.

But he does tell Steel to stay out and shut things down if any villains try to escape.

The Zone seems off. There is some solidity to things, including the heroes. And that makes them easy targets for all the villains still in the zone - Mongul, Non, and others. In fact, those villains are trying to seal a rift between the Zone and Earth, perhaps the very rift Doomsday went through, a rift pouring energy into zone, changing its properties and killing those trapped there.

But Diana and Bruce aren't the only ones in there. The Ghost Soldier arrives and just in time to make the heroes intangible, saving them from Mongul. And under the influence of Diana's lasso he states he has left the Tower. He can't believe the Tower helped release Doomsday and he wants to make amends.

I said I liked how the heroes here are comparing themselves to Superman. Despite being saved by the Ghost Soldier, Batman attacks him. He says that he isn't Clark.

The search of the Zone leads Batman, Diana, Krypto and the soldier to a large Kirby-looking device which seems to be generating the energy causing the rifts.

And right nearby is Dr. Xa-Du, the phantom king, the first prisoner. We last saw Xa-Du in Morrison's Action arc, a member of the Revenge Squad. We know that his 'ectoplasmic' bandages allow him to be solid in the Zone and on the outside as well. Here he is wielding a pretty big gun and he doesn't seem to happy.

We really don't know too much about this Xa-Du. The original was introduced way back in Action Comics #283, a physician who killed his patients when he experimented on them. Hopefully we'll get some of his backstory because he seems to be a big part of this story.

We have heard how Batman is thinking about Superman, comparing himself to Kal. Now we see Wonder Woman doing the same thing. Batman can see that Wonder Woman is trying to think like Superman. She doesn't jump to the sword and tries to gather info. I like that, that even Diana is willing to strive to be like Clark.

It turns out that Xa-Du was recruited by Harrow to help bring about Superman's end. And thirsting for revenge he acquiesced. He freed Doomsday from a Zone within a Zone (a pocket Zone?).

So Xa-Du helped create/manifest/substantiate the Ghost Soldier? Fascinating.

And Harrow is also way more interesting now. How did she know about the Zone? Who is she really?

I need more backstories!

Part of the problem of releasing a monster is that you don't know how monstrous it has become. The released Doomsday was something different than Xa-Du expected. Doomsday broke the Zone. Superdoom will kill everything. Xa-Du wants to kill it. And he has a big old gun to do just that.

According to him there is no cure.

So there is the exposition. Who made the Ghost Soldier? How did the Tower know about Doomsday? Who released him? Xa-Du has a pretty big part to play in this. And, knowing that Diana and Bruce subdue him to bring him out.

In the meantime, Steel had to keep Non from escaping the Zone through the portal while keeping it open to let Diana and Bruce (with Krypto and Xa-Du) return.

Batman actually chastises Steel for endangering the world by keeping the door open. When asked, Steel responds simply. It is what Superman would have done.

Three heroes ... all influenced by Superman. All willing to risk their lives to save Superman. Fantastic. I think of Funeral for a Friend, the story after the original Death of Superman Doomsday story. That arc showed how much Superman was revered, how his death effected people. This reminded me of that a little. Superman is sick, dying, in peril ... and these heroes realize what he means to them and everyone else.

So this was a good chapter in Doomed, moving the story along, raising some new subplots, and showing how important Superman is. This wasn't a jaw-dropping issue. But it was perfect for a third chapter. And it was very good.

And when a sick Krypto recovers and we learn how to cure Superman from his dog ... well remember you read it here first.

I think Greg Pak has a nice handle on Superman. I am glad he is on the super-books.

Overall grade: B+/B

Review: Justice League Of America #60

Justice League of America #60 came out last week, the next car in the funeral procession of the current DCU.

One of the interesting things to watch this month has been how each creative team has decided to usher out their books. Some, like Birds of Prey, didn't even acknowledge it. Some, like Red Robin, have had an ambiguous ending, allowing the reader to decide which direction the character would end up going. Some, like Batgirl, have really felt like an ending.

Justice League falls into the latter category with writer James Robinson literally turning off the lights and shutting the doors of this incarnation of the League. It has certainly been an interesting ride with this League, made up of legacy heroes of some of the original 'big 7' and a couple of oddball DC characters. Robinson has kept the stories 'big', keeping the threats on a 'need the League' level. And the characters have been treated very well. In particular, Supergirl, Donna Troy, and Jade have all been handled with respect and shined throughout. But I sense Robinson felt that he needed to justify this lineup as starring in the biggest team book DC produces, having some character say 'This is the Justice League' at least once per arc.

Still, I have enjoyed this book more than I thought I would coming out of Cry For Justice. I am typically a 'big 7' League guy, thinking that Morrison's run on JLA was the pinnacle of JLA stories I have read. And yet, Robinson won me over.

Daniel Sampere provides the art here and sparkles in some places. I will admit that some panels the characters appear stiff or oddly positioned. But for the most part, especially in the splash pages in the book, he shines. And Ivan Reis' cover is just fabulous; what a beautiful Supergirl.

But this is the end of this DCU and so it is the end of this version of the League.

The issue picks up right where last issue left off. The members of the League have gathered on the satellite one last time as each one explains why they are moving on from the JLA.

Intermingled between these character moments, we are shown other battles the League has fought between Eclipso and now. I don't know if these were arcs Robinson was planning or just ideas to flesh out the history ad importance of this League. But they all match the same caliber of threat that full arcs had. So first we see how The Construct, an old JLA villain and Red Tornado nemesis, took control of all the robots on Earth in hopes of detonating the weapons cache in the Fortress of Solitude.

I thought this splash page showing Supergirl throttling Kelex while Jessie takes out the Superman robots was fabulous.

Despite these successes, Supergirl thinks it is time to leave the League.

With the trauma of New Krypton relatively fresh, with the Dark Supergirl period just behind her, she thinks she needs some alone time to sort out her life.

If she was the only one leaving, I think I might scoff at this. Kara has  never been someone to shirk her duty. And she seemed to thrive in the League. I guess time away would not be unheard of given the other events in her life.

But Supergirl isn't the only one who thinks it is time to move on. Donna also thinks she needs to move away from the League. That fire in her belly that kept her going just isn't there anymore. She is going through the motions.

If anyone has grown in Robinson's time on the book, it has been Donna. Certainly her character has been dragged about as low as you can in prior DC stories. So to have her filled with anger at life made sense, even if it made for a crasser Donna Troy than I am used to. Anyways, I am glad she was able to face her issues and put them behind her. I like Donna as a character and I am sad she doesn't seem to be part of the DCnU.

Jessie's reason to leave the JLA is pretty straight forward. She is pregnant! What a great little revelation in the last issue.

Her difficulties with the Speed Force are sort of swept under the rug, a side effect of the strain she put on her connection when she was racing around in the Omega Man story. I wonder if that is what Robinson's original idea was. Or was there a bigger story to play out there.

Does Jessie Quick have a place in the DCnU? She is the daughter of Jonny Quick and it is unclear if he, or any of the JSAers, even exist in the DCnU. So this may be the last time we see Jessie. I guess if Wally is MIA, Jessie can be too.

And then Robinson hits us with another 'what could have been' storyline ... The League interceding in a Saturn-Thanagar war. And Bill gets a moment to shine as we see him pummeling the Faceless Hunter, a traitor in the Saturnian ranks.

Again, I have to wonder if this was a story that Robinson hoped to do one day. And I like the classic heroic team pose on this double page spread, even if Jessie looks just a bit askew.

Congorilla has a reason to leave the League as well.

He is supposed to be looking for the next B'Wana/Freedom Beast. Remember, Freedom Beast was killed in Cry For Justice. But more than just that, Bill wonders if it isn't time for a different JLA ... a Justice League of Africa.

I don't know if I exactly understood Robinson's love of the character. Bill seems to vacillate between distinguished man and true beast. He has had some of the better lines in the run.

We get to see another League adventure when we see Starman fighting Dark Opal in the 'War of the Gemworld', the League fighting Mordru. Starman has been injured in this fight and so plans to head back to Opal City to recuperate.

I am a big fan of Amethyst and kept hoping Dark Opal was going to be the villain in the current Legion arc. At least I get to see him here. And I would have loved to read this arc.

And Dick realizes that with Bruce back, his time as Batman is limited. He'll be back to being Nightwing again soon. (Of course, we know in the DCnU, that is true.)

I have really enjoyed reading the Batman character here as he also grew in this book. I really felt Robinson showed just how much weight there is in simply being called The Batman, how people expect you to be a perfect hero, a brilliant tactician. And even though Dick was always up to the task, it was interesting to see him occasionally question himself, wondering if he was worthy.

Now I know I am biased. But I was so glad to see Supergirl in the League, acting as the muscle of the group. And I think Robinson handled her character very well.

But I also loved the sibling sort of relationship between her and Batman. She really did lean on him in the book, and he was always there for her. So I have to thank Robinson for putting in this scene where the two acknowledge that relationship. Just fantastic.

But this was my favorite moment in the book. We saw in Supergirl #67, Linda asking people not to forget her.

Here Donna tells Dick she wants to vanish for a bit, to be forgotten for a while. Within the story it works. She needs some time to recharge her batteries, to enjoy some quiet time. She even says she needs to figure out 'Who is Donna Troy?" a question asked in comics many time.

But metatextually, she is going to be forgotten. We haven't heard if she exists in the DCnU. Will she be forgotten? Batman tells her not everyone will forget her. Donna has her fanbase like everyone else. I know I am going to miss her. She is one wonderfully complex character. Maybe it is time for Donna fans to grab on to that great line from Steph Brown in Batgirl #24. It is only the end if you want it to be.

Still, there was a definite sadness to this issue, Dick and Donna turning out the lights of the satellite and transporting away. Nightwing is in the DCnU. Supergirl is in the DCnU (albeit not this Supergirl). Jade is there (but what is her origin if Alan Scott wasn't the first GL). But the rest of these characters might not be seen for a long time.

So I'll thank James Robinson again for his time on the title. Major threats, big arcs, legacy heroes ... it has been a fun ride. And this was a fitting closure.

Overall grade: A