Summer of Supergirl Special #1

Despite what some of you may think, this really has been the Summer of Supergirl. Unfortunately, a lot of you decided to forgo a really fun movie. May I just say that I am disappointed in you. Kidding. Kidding. Maybe Supergirl would have been better received if done as a series. Maybe if there was more Krypto. Maybe if Supergirl actually wore her costume in the film. Maybe if James Gunn wasn't involved.

I can see reasons to hate the film. But deep down, it was freaking entertaining to this fan of the Girl of Tomorrow. I stocked up on Supergirl merch. My office is going to look amazing this school year! While I don't buy everything with Supergirl on it, I always buy the comics. But if it wasn't for the guys at my favorite comic book store, I would have missed out on this summer special.

With my mystery blood disease, I get brain tired a lot more often than I want. One casualty in my comic book collecting hobby is that I haven't been checking out the new releases like I used to. A lot of times, I just plain forget. Others, I'm just too mentally and physically exhausted to check at the end of the day. Thankfully, Books Furnish a Room in Durham NC were looking out for me and they ordered this knowing how much a fan of Kara Zor-El I am. 

There's 3 stories in this oversized release. The main story features the main man himself, Lobo. Makes sense as he's making his silver screen debut in Supergirl. The tale opens with Supergirl and Lobo in space court. Apparently in Lobo #4, the two got into a massive brawl and were apprehended for the damage. Thankfully, you don't have to have that issue in order to follow what happens here. But I am interested enough in seeing if my LCS has a copy and getting the inside scoop.

Tale #2 is written by Gail Simone. It has Supergirl and Mary Marvel meeting for the very first time. The pair bond over the fact that both are orphans and essentially grew up in the foster care system. Dedicated to all children and families who have fostered and adopted, this is my pick thus far for story of the year! It was so poignant and sweet. And not saccharine sweet either. I loved it!

The final story is probably the most massive undertaking in Supergirl history. It sees Superboy, Jonathan Kent and the female Steel attempting to unravel the tangled history of Supergirl. Along with the real deal, you've had the Matrix Supergirl and that one that was an Angel, after a girl named Linda Danvers bonded with the shape-shifter in the 90.s You've got multiple origins. Tons of different costumes. The multiverse. Plus, a surprise for me, everyone seems to know that she died fighting the Anti-Monitor! Confessionally, I haven't been really up-to-date with DC's Crises in the past 15 years like I probably should. 

The last story was educational. But I feel like it gets hijacked towards the end by J'onn J'onnz. The middle story was the best. The opener was very funny. If you are a fan of any incarnation of Supergirl, you will want to add this one-shot to your Supergirl collection. As for the judges of the Eisners and other comic book awards, I employ you to give serious, SERIOUS consideration to Gail Simone and her story 'Lost Girls' for story of the year and writer of the year, if the nomination process for this cycle of publications are still open. It's really that excellent of a work!

Worth Consuming!

Rating 9 out of 10 stars.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

I took my god son to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day and I have got to say that it was really good.

The world may have forgotten Peter Parker. But it hasn't forgotten about Spider-Man. This includes best bud Ned Leeds and girlfriend MJ who have fractured memories of being rescued by the superhero. Crime in New York is at an all-time low. That is except for at the Department of Damage Control. That federal office has been attacked by an unknown assailant 4 times in the last month and now with attack #5, Spider-Man is involved. Whomever is behind the attack is possessing people in order to free Mac Gargan, the Scorpion, in hopes of discovering the secret of V-Max. 

When the entity attempts to enter Spider-Man, his Spidey senses push the intruder out of his mind. But in doing so, Spider-Man triggers his latent abilities, organic web shooters for one thing, that is causing Peter Parker to go insane. After almost killing both the Scorpion and a cop, Parker seeks out help in the form of Dr. Bruce Banner, who has developed a device that keeps his mean, green side in check. 

As Spidey develops an inhibitor to his new powers, the unknown entity has learned the webcrawler's secret identity. To keep Spider-Man from interfering with their quest to discover what Damage Control is hiding with V-Max, the entity has taken control of someone very near and dear to Peter's heart and he must turn to the one guy he'd never trust in a million years to protect them; one Frank Castle, the Punisher.

My god son wanted to see it in 3-D. I was wary because I wear glasses and the last time we went to a 3-D flick, I got the biggest headache. Not this time, however. There must have been some improvements since the last time I did 3-D, which I think was Venom...

Marvel Studios has gotten some flak for poor CGI and special effects in recent films. But I think they must have made some improvements as well. The scenes of Spidey swinging through the New York skyline was stunning. I felt like a kid again, living a childhood dream to be like Spider-Man in the parts where the movie was shot from the heroes point of view. With the classic blue, red and black costume, this is how I wish Spider-Man '77 could have been like.

Once again, Tom Holland is the definitive Peter Parker. Jon Bernthal as the Punisher was perfect. This is what I expect Frank Castle to be like if he was a real person. The guy playing the Scorpion, Michael Mando, has that kind of face that I swear that I have seen before. I got the actor who played Damage Control's head honcho, Bill Metzger wrong. He's played by Tramell Tillman, not Jason Derulo. And I really bombed on my guess as to the mystery character Sadie Sink was playing. I didn't even hit the target, much less a bullseye.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day was the first film since last year's Superman where I would have paid movie to see it again, right then and there. Though I don't think my ever falling apart body could have stayed seated for another almost 150 minutes of run time. But this was a great movie that really sets some things up for Avengers: Doomsday this Christmas. Just don't expect too much from the extra scene at the very end of the credits. Seeing the various webheads of the Spider-verse is not happening just yet. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Archie Comics Celebrates America's 250th

My favorite comic book store came through once again. No- they went above and beyond! In the chaos that is finals week (which is actually almost 3 weeks in length) at the high school I teach, I somehow overlooked this new release. But the guys at Books Do Furnish a Room looked out for me and ordered a copy of this America250 special, knowing that I collect holiday themed books. 

Now if you're someone who feels that America is going in the wrong direction, based on the leadership, you might be thinking that yet another company has sold out to the semiquincentennial fervor. However I don't think that's the case with Archie Comics. For one thing, I own a copy of a 1976 bicentennial special edition of Life With Archie. (That issue's cover by Stan Goldberg, was used as the foundation for the variant cover the guys at BDFR ordered for me.) Archie Comics has never been one to avoid supporting a cause or festivity. And there have been decades full of patriotic stories published starring the citizens of Riverdale all the way since Archie Andrews' first appearance in 1941! So, no, this will not be an issue that could cause you to feel conflicted about your moral stance on the state of affairs of the United States of America. In fact, it might actually make you feel just a little bit more patriotic inside.

My biggest complaint about this special is that there is not an all-new story to start things out like with the Archie Halloween or Christmas spectaculars of the past decade. It's 100% reprints. However they're all reprints that I don't seem to own. So that's a plus.

The first story shows what happens when Betty plans a school wide social studies project in which all of the Riverdale High School students and staff dress up as their favorite figures from American history. Then Veronica travels to Vermont and Connecticut to research the lives of patriots Ethan Allen and Nathan Hale and ends up running into a literal blast from the past. Readers then see what it might be like if Jughead was the POTUS before then exploring the Reggie Mantle administration.

I take that back! There is one thing in this issue that is a part of my holidays collection of comics and graphic novels. From that 1976 Life With Archie is a one-pager quiz about Presidents and the states. Despite having taken this quiz 4 years ago previously, I scored a 6 out of 10. Though in my defense, I accidentally skipped question #6 getting confused because it was too similar to question 5, which asked which state was the birthplace of the most US presidents. I think I somehow thought that they were the same question. Though to be honest, I probably wouldn't have guessed that Ohio was the state of origin of the 2nd most number of Presidents.

Worth Consuming!

Rating;9 out of 10 stars.

Supergirl (2026)

Being such a fan of Supergirl, you might have been wondering when I will be watching the new live action movie? Well, the answer was today! I got up early, drove through Durham traffic to make a 9:45am showing so I could avoid crowds and be able to watch the movie without my mask. Unfortunately, I think the reports from Hollywood are accurate. Supergirl, at least financially, is a box office bomb. I think maybe 2 other people were in the theater with me. Even worse, there were dozens of Supergirl popcorn buckets and Lobo variants still sitting on store shelves. Only the Masters of the Universe franchise still had more collectible buckets still for sale!

On film, I thought the film was fantastic! It was loads better than the 1984 stinker, although I still think Helen Slater was a great Supergirl. I tried to stay away from the reviews of others. But with social media, occasional opinions slipped through. One of the biggest complaints was that the film, which takes place in outer space, was too much like Guardians of the Galaxy. But I for one liked the lived in feel on James Gunn's DC Universe. Anytime you see Apokolips or Mongol's Warworld, it is the opposite of sterile Krypton. In Agro City, I think you could eat off the floor of any city street whereas in the places Kara Zor-El visits, you risk getting hepatitis A-Z just by looking at the locations.

The 2026 film is based on Tom King's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow maxi-series from 2021-22. I have that entire run but have held off from reading it because King has this annoying habit of killing our beloved characters from my childhood. But happy with the results that complete the film, I think that I might be ready to read the comic book. The story sees Kara and her dog Krypto on a planet orbiting a red sun. It's the only way she can get plastered as she attempts to escape the trauma of her parents dying from radiation poisoning and being sent to Earth to live with her cousin Kal-El.

It is on this planet that Kara runs into a young girl named Ruthye. The child witnessed her whole family murdered by a group of savage marauders led by the insane Krem of the Yellow Hills. Offering a sword made by her father, a fine craftsman whose weaponry was in high demand, Ruthye seeks someone to enact revenge on Krem. Supergirl is at first uninterested in getting involved. But when Krem shoots vulnerable Krypto with a dart containing a slow acting poison, Kara reluctantly agrees to help Ruthye in order to find the antidote which the gang leader wears around his neck.

There are some elements of True Grit with Supergirl playing the John Wayne role being hired by young Ruthye to avenge the death of her parents. Lots of great aliens and space vehicles, too. I feel that if Kenner was still in existence, the toys produced by this movie could have rivaled Star Wars!

Speaking of Ruthye; the actress who plays her, 14-year old Eve Ridley was fantastic. She brought forth so many powerful emotions. I know it's a long shot, but I really do think her portrayal deserves an Oscar nom!

As for the trolls comparing Milly Alcock to the cave person in 1970's Land of the Lost, do better Dean Cain! I might think you're a great Superman. Your Clark Kent inspired me for a brief time to explore being a newspaper reporter. But in real life, you're a total creep who confuses this country as being God.

My least favorite part of the movie was that of bounty hunter Lobo, played by Jason Momoa. The former Aquaman hams up the role. But I had to remember that in the 90s, co-creator Keith Giffen rebooted Lobo into a parody of the violent comic book characters such as the Punisher and Judge Dredd. But it seems like 2 different makeup artists worked on Momoa throughout the production because in the Czarian's first 2 scenes, you could tell that it was the former Game of Thrones actor in really bad white face. The black patches on his face looked less natural for his species and more like Surfer Dude Sting at the end of a match versus Ric Flair. His look appeared more natural towards the end of the film. But by then, the damage was done. 

At least I finally know how to pronounce the word 'bastiche.'

I really enjoyed the movie. Am I glad I went to see it in the theaters? Absolutely. But with my mystery illness, it's getting hard for me to sit still for 2 hours, even if the chair is a recliner! I think my days of going to the movies might be coming to an end. I wind up in just too much pain after going to the flicks. I just hope that regardless of how poorly the movie is doing in theaters, I hope this isn't what kills off Supergirl again for another 25 years!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Archie's Valentine's Spectacular 2026 #1

The all-new feature for this year's Archie Valentine's Day Spectacular was a parody of the massive Netflix animated hit K-Pop Demon Hunters. Only it wasn't funny. Plus, it was the most dreadful thing I have ever read from Archie Comics.  It was such a disappointment. The writing was unpolished. The artwork was amateurish; supposed to invoke the styles of anime and Manga. The story succeeded in neither. It ends with a question posed to whether or not this was the end of the assault on the singing talents of Josie, Veronica, Sabrina and Betty by an arcane force. For my sake, I hope this experiment has concluded. I don't think I could read another chapter of the 'Spirit Slayers in Love'. 

The 5 backup reprints were better. Not by much. The Frank Doyle two-parter where first Veronica and then Betty go overboard in attempting to make Archie their Valentine had moments of funny antics and stunning art. It just didn't feel very original. Cheryl Blossom's attempts to permanently drive a wedge between Archie and the girls shows just how self-centered Archie and Veronica could be. It was reinforced by a follow up where Veronica sends Betty away in tears and Archie confesses that he woos Veronica because of how spoiled she is, just convinced me further that Betty would be better off dating someone who would appreciate her more. Jughead, anyone?

The fifth and final story featuring the talents of George Frese was my favorite of the bunch. Clearly from sometime in the 1940s or 50s, I liked the classic look and feel. It was a typical Archie love triangle story but it had a more timeless appeal to me. I would have loved it if all of the backup stories were from this era.

If anything, this special has convinced me that while I am a fan of Archie Comics, I can do without the schmaltz. I love the wholesome nature of Archie's holiday tales. I adore the ingenuity of the parody stories. Plus, Archie does horror so well with a balance of comedy and unsettling suspense. So what in the world went wrong with Becky G!'s original story? Maybe not being familiar with the source material had a little to do with it. Having Sabrina's cat Salem use the term 'sus' had me rolling my eyes. I'm going be honest, with the use of gender neutral pronouns and a mysterious character who hates the band's message of hope and love, I thought at first that this was some sort of allegory about the immigration policies of our current presidential administration instead of Archie's version of K-Pop Demon Hunters.

I think overall, the original tale lacked a timeless quality to it. Plus, the reprinted material reminded me how selfish Veronica is. Also, Archie is just a darn fool, thinking more with his pants than his brain. I think from now on, I'll stick to the deep ends of the Archie Comics pool that I like best. Just as long as that section stays away from Netflix series as inspiration!

Rating; 4 out of 10 stars.

DuckTales Valentine's Day Special 2026 #1 (2026 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In 2022, Disney awarded Dynamite Entertainment the rights to publish all new adventures of fan favorite characters and properties. The Big Apple set Gargoyles was the first property to go to print. By the next year, Dynamite was releasing origin stories of beloved Disney villains such as Maleficent and Cruella De Vil. More current animated films such as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and Lilo and Stitch began to fill shelves in 2024. 

It was Dynamite's initial plan to feature a lineup of comics based on the syndicated weekday cartoons from the 1990s known as 'The Disney Afternoon', with Gargoyles leading the way. However, it wasn't until late 2024, that Dynamite released a monthly series based on both DuckTales and spinoff TV show Darkwing Duck. Both have been extremely popular with Darkwing Duck's arch nemesis NegaDuck getting a miniseries soon after. Meanwhile, DuckTales star Uncle Scrooge has been receiving a fair share of solo love over at Marvel with a one-shot look at the Duckburg multiverse with Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime and the follow up miniseries Uncle Scrooge: Earth's Mightiest Duck.

The DuckTales Valentine's Day Special 2026 is Dynamite's first companion piece to the beloved children's series that ran from 1987-90. In it, Uncle Scrooge is on guard against con artists who might want to steal his vast riches under the guise of being McDuck's Valentine. The powerful sorceress Magica De Spell just happens to be scheming against Scrooge on this lovely Valentine's. But she doesn't have plans to make the bijillionaire fall in love with her. As usual, Magica just wants his lucky dime. However, when her spell deflects off of Scrooge's lucky dime, it backfires into an enchantment that causes both to lose their memories and assume that they are each other's soul mate.

As nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie traverse the globe with the assistance of pilot Launchpad McQuack and inventor Gyro Gearloose, Scrooge and Magica uncover vast riches and hidden treasures with the help of Scrooge's dogged determination and De Spell's magic. Making an unstoppable pair, could these two former foes be falling in love this Valentine's Day?

Written by comedian and podcaster Connor Ratliff and comedy waiter James III, this Valentine's Day special hits all the high notes of a Disney Duck story. There's adventure. There's fantasy. There's humor. Add in unforgettable cameos by the Beagle Boys, Donald Duck and Flintheart Glomgold, this was almost a perfect story for fans of the many creations of Carl Barks. The only thing missing was the nephews' handy Junior Woodchuck Handbook.

Artwork was by Libero Ermetti. The muted hues along with how the background appears just a little bit out of focus from the action of the main characters, one feels like they're watching a never before seen episode of the classic DuckTales series instead of the most recent reboot starring David Tennant, which features less classic looking versions of the citizens of Duckburg. 

Main cover art was by Nicoletta Baldari. Variant covers were illustrated by Ermetti,Stefano Porcu and others.

Completing this review completes Task #34 (A comic book about a holiday OTHER than Christmas) of the 2026 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Teen Titans Go! #12 (2026 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

It's Valentine's Day and love is in the air at Titans Tower. First Robin attempts to woo Starfire with his over-the-top antics, which includes wearing a diaper dressed as Cupid. Then there's the mysterious package that has shown up in the living room. Sent from a secret admirer, the gigantic gift isn't for Starfire. It's for Raven! And it comes with a massive flaming heart wrapped thorns. 

Written by Sholly Fisch with artwork by Dario Brizuela, this 2026 issue is based on the long running animated series from Cartoon Network. After a popular run with 2003's Teen Titans, which was much more serious and action packed in nature, Cartoon Network followed up with Teen Titans Go! in 2013. Using the same cast of voices and fairly similar character designs, the show was controversial amongst viewers. Some die hard fans of the Titans didn't like the new show's slapstick tone. Others were okay with the humor but they found the sing-along episodes rather annoying. 

This issue has none of the musical interlude, lots of laughs and subtle touches to nearly 60 years of Teen Titans legend and lore.

Cover by Brizuela and Franco Riesco.

Completing this review completes Task #37 (A work released in 2026) of the 2026 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

The 2026 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge is HERE!!!

Keeping the Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge from getting stale, I've made a new adjustment. Last year, I cut the number of books to read from 50 to 40. The lessened number of reads was a smart move. Battling a mystery aliment, that still has yet to be determined, there were many nights I was too exhausted mentally or physically to read before I went to bed. It was a blessing to not feel rushed, nor guilty, because my body and mind wouldn't let me relax the way I like and make continual progress towards my reading goals. 

This year, I am exploring the progression of characters, superhero teams and genres over the decades. I still kept some criteria that have been on my list since I started this challenge 4 years ago. There are a few returning favorites, like #4: About food, whereas I dropped the criteria about having to read a manga book for the first time ever. Maybe it will be back next year. 

Here are the rules, which have undergone their first change since I began my annual reading challenge. The rule that has changed is rule #1

THE RULES- 

1. I must read 40 graphic novels or comic books. The only exception is #40, which does involve reading a prose work of non-fiction about comic book history. Only certain criteria can be completed in any order. I do not have to start at #1 and work my way down to 40, unless they are progression criteria books. Those criteria are listed in numbers 6-26. For Example, I must read the Fantastic Four comic from the 1980s before I begin the FF comic from the 1990s. I then must complete that work before finishing with the team with a comic from the decade of the 2000s. However, I can read my 3 progression books about Superman (criteria #15-17) before choosing to read the Fantastic Four books from 3 different decades. Progression books can include one-shots, annuals, graphic novels or miniseries.

2. I might read a book that fits multiple criteria. But I can only use 1 criteria per book. For example from an older challenge, I might read Star Wars #1 which from the year I was born (1977). As that book was also published during the Bronze Age, I could select that one instead. It's up to me to choose which criteria I mark off.

3. Once a criteria is selected, it's off the board. I cannot go back and switch criteria. For example, if I marked off Star Wars #1 as being a book more than 20 years old from my list, I can't go back and switch it to the book that was when I was born just because I am having trouble finding other comics/graphic novels from the greatest year ever!

4. I must write a review of the book in order to receive full credit. Those reviews will be listed as being part of the reading challenge. Every month I will post the challenge list to show my progress. 

5. Finally, I have until midnight, December 31st to complete my readings. That final review must be posted by January 4th, 2027 since life could get in the way. In a year that has seen power outages, cancelled flights and unexpected illnesses, a couple days grace to complete the last review is probably not such a bad idea.