DC Comics Presents #47 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

This issue marks the first ever appearance of He-Man and many of his cohorts from Masters of the Universe in comics. According to Bob Rozakis in his opening column in the letters section 'Pair Mail', Mattel approached DC with the idea of adapting their forthcoming Masters of the Universe toy-line in comic book form. 

Toying around with the concepts provided by Mark Ellis from Mattel, project editor Dave Manak and Paul Kupperberg got the idea to have He-Man's world of Eternia merge with the DC Universe. Since this would be a first ever introduction of the characters to readers, DC felt having Superman meeting the Masters of the Universe would alleviate some of the unfamiliarity felt by the youngest of readers.

The story begins with Eternia's crown Prince, Adam going about his normal day of first learning combat skills from the palace's head of security Man-At-Arms then wasting his time in a tavern where a drunkard challengers the royal to a fight. Prince Adam is about to get his brains bashed when he's rescued by the palace guard. Only it turns out that this aloofness is all a ruse because in reality, Adam can change into the realm's mightiest human, the all-powerful He-Man.

Meanwhile He-Man's archenemy, the evil Skeletor is attempting once again to breach the ramparts of the mysterious Castle Greyskull. Feedback from a spell causes a breach in the universe, sending the Man of Steel to Eternia. Skeletor immediately casts his magic upon Superman, who has no immunity to the dark arts, turning the Last Son of Krypton into Skeletor's slave and latest weapon in his never-ending battle against He-Man!

A few months after He-Man's debut, a 16-page insert appeared in many of DC's flagship titles. A 3-issue miniseries came about next, dated November, 1982-February 1983. However, Mattel wasn't very happy where DC's direction was going with the franchise and severed ties after issue #3. He-Man wouldn't return to monthly comics until 1986, teaming with Marvel's Star Comics imprint for a 13 issue series (and adaptation of the disastrous 1987 live-action flick starring Dolph Lundgren, that ended when the House of Ideas shuttered the all-ages line of books in 1988. As the title faded, He-Man and company would lie dormant in comics until renewed nostalgic interest in the title would spawn short-lived franchise agreements with Image Comics, Dark Horse, and CrossGen Comics in the early 2000s. Masters of the Universe would return to DC from 2013-2020. Several minis were produced, including a 6-issue crossover between the characters of DC's Injustice video game and the heroes of Eternia. Dark Horse Comics currently owns the franchise, where they've published a couple of miniseries based on the animated Netflix reboot helmed by Kevin Smith. 

For this issue, Paul Kupperberg wrote the script with pencils by Curt Swan. A backup feature starring the Golden Age Sandman and his sidekick Sandy was crafted by Mike W. Barr and Jose Delbo. 

Completing this review completes Task #3 (Comic from the Bronze Age (1971-1985) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

DC Comics Presents #80 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

With over a hundred members to have been active with the Legion of Super-Heroes at one time or another, if you could select a team of 5, who would you select? Logic might dictate picking the original big 3- Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad. You'd also want to add Superboy to the mix. However, for the sake of this time travel team-up involving Superman, let's omit both him and his cousin Supergirl. #4 needs to be have some brain power. Who better than Brainiac 5 to fill that slot. That still leaves a 5th Legionnaire to choose. Do you go with the rotund Bouncing Boy? The ravenous Matter Eater Lad? How about the heavenly Dawnstar or the master of Martial Arts, the Karate Kid?

If you're the creative team for DC Comics Presents #80, you go totally rogue and select members that only the staunchest of Legionnaire fans might know. Paul Kupperberg and Curt Swan join forces to pit Ultra Boy, Chameleon Boy, Shrinking Violent, Phantom Girl and Element Lad against a legion of Superman robots!

Returning from a mission, this handful of Legionnaires emerge from a stargate straight into the void of space! Thanks to some quick work by Element Lad, the heroes survive the lack of oxygen. The planet Earth of the year 3000 is gone. In it's place is a floating replica of Metropolis circa 1985. The Legionnaires arrive on the planetoid to find it filled with countless androids of steel intent on destroying the heroes! 

We soon learn that the Legionnaires are stuck in a pocket dimension of the newly upgraded Brainiac. Recent events have resulted in the robot villain needing to run computations before he goes back up against the Master Programmer and his angel of death (Superman). Brainiac has pulled the Legionnaires from the timeline into his simulation in order to perfect it when the time comes to confront Superman. However, the cries of these futuristic heroes actually cross dimensions, bringing the true Man of Steel to the rescue. Only, the Legionnaires think he's another Superman robot!

The oddball selection of heroes is a tale-tell sign that this is a Paul Kupperberg story. Over his long career, Kupperberg has had a devotion to the lesser tiered characters of the DC Universe. We're talking C-listers and lower and yet the fans love it. 

As for knowing this is a Curt Swan penciled work, there are ways you can tell. All of the male humanoid characters have that slightly puffy forehead indicating a receding hairline. Superman looks less muscular and more beefy, like that of actor George Reeves. Plus, when the Man of Tomorrow flies straight ahead, Swan typically poses Superman with his arms spread far apart and his legs separated in a V shape. Only Superman isn't keeping up appearances using a glider like he does on the cover of Superman #229.

An interesting read that requires reading of several issues of Action Comics, #544-546, in order to truly understand the background behind Brainiac's intentions. It's one of the more unlikely line-ups of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Yet, based on the situations Paul Kupperberg puts the heroes into, it actually works.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #48 (A Team-Up) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Super Powers #3 (3rd Series)

The Justice League is attacked by a group of all-new villains. It looks like these new foes are about to win when the heroes are saved by a never before seen hero, Janus!

This Greek god with long golden locks has stolen Wonder Woman's heart to the point that if any of her fellow Justice Leaguers questions Janus' true motives, she accuses them of being jealous of the Fabio looking protagonist.

I'm rather disappointed that Paul Kupperberg took Wonder Woman back to the days where she was more concerned playing housewife than super hero. This sort of fawning over Janus is more akin to what I would expect during the early days of the Justice Society of America when Wonder Woman was the team's secretary. Not in the 1980s when women were dominating the work force and DC Comics was being led by the mighty Jeanette Kahn. 

By the way, if you understand the significance of the name Janus, you might be able to figure out this cat's true identity. I won't spoil it until I review issue #3. But from my past two reviews of this miniseries and the details that I've provided thus far, the answer is there.

Good Luck!

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers #2 (2nd Series)

In the last issue, the Justice League divided up into groups to destroy the 5 seeds of doom planted by Darkseid. His goal is for the seeds to take root into the Earth's core and unleash a flood of magma onto the surface creating a second planet Apokolips.

The first group to come in contact with a seed is the trio of Hawkman, Green Arrow and the Red Tornado. In a subway tunnel underneath the Big Apple, the heroes encounter Kalibak, the son of Darkseid! In the throes of battle, the protagonists learn another power of the doom seeds- when a Justice Leaguer touches the pods, it both zaps their energy and sends them back in time!

The heroes follow Kalibak back to prehistoric times where the New God has his Boulder Bomber armed and ready! With massive rocks flying, dinosaurs running wild and a tribe of cavemen in the midst of a stampede, the time stranded heroes will have their hands full trying to get back home in hopes of saving the modern day Earth!

A fun read. This is how I wish the previous Super Powers series had begun. Yes, we got small pairings of Justice League members fighting bad guys. But it lacked cohesion. This Paul Kupperberg penned series is following the time honored formula of both the original Justice League of America comic as well as the Super Friends cartoon in it's many incarnations. Some might have felt series 1 was more original. But I prefer that tried and true plot device when it comes to the heroes of the DC Universe.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers #1 (2nd Series)

Picking up from his defeat in Super Powers #5, Darkseid is more determined than ever to conquer the Earth!

Thanks to the scheming underling Desaad, Darkseid has unleashed 5 bio-engineered seeds that will burrow through the Earth's crust. Once the seeds reach the molten core, our planet's magma will flood the surface, creating a new Apokolips!

Armed with a new assortment of allies, the Justice League breaks up into 5 teams in hopes of destroying these seeds before they reach the Earth. Firestorm, Dr. Fate, Green Arrow and the Martian Manhunter join the original Super Powers lineup in order to stop Darkseid's plan. It's a global tour not to be missed!

Already off the bat, everything feels right about this series. All of the heroes make some sort of contribution. Albeit, most are rather small. Yet unlike the last series, it doesn't take 3 issues for Wonder Woman to actually say something and she's operating in the present and not in a theoretical situation. 

As for the villains, only Darkseid, Desaad and a couple of minor minions appear in the first issue. But I'm okay with that as that ensures an element of surprise when the heroes go to stop those destructive seed pods from taking root.

Paul Kupperberg is on scripting duties with Jack Kirby plotting and on art!!! Kupperberg is a writer that loves comics, and from the brief couple of times I met him, he also seems to have fun doing it! It really shows here. There's just such a different vibe with this series. I know it's early. However, I really feel like I'm in for a treat with this book as things are off to a heck of a start compared to that uneven start to issue #1 of series #1.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

V #18

Paul Kupperberg places the period at the end of this DC Comics adaptation. Though promises of a third miniseries and numerous revival series would come and go, except for a Kenneth Johnson penned sequel in 2008, the original V is complete. Maybe I will get my hands on the mass paperback one day. But at current prices, I'm just not willing to pay a lot to possibly be disappointed. 

In my mind, issue #16 was the perfect ending to the original franchise. I'm happy with it. 

As for this issue, and the last one, I am extremely confused about it. I still don't understand why they put this two-parter about Elias and a woman from his past as the closer when things are wrapped up nice and tight in issue #16. Would it have been so hard to have switched things up? I guess I'll never get a definitive answer on this. Unless I happen to run into either Paul Kupperberg (again) or series editor Marv Wolfman (for the first time). 

If you are a fan of the original V and you want to collect the entire comic book series, it's not that expensive to do. I found a lot of my issues in bargain bins. And MyComicShop.com had every issue for prices ranging from $4-8 each, depending on grade. But if you do get the complete run, take my advice: read issues #17 & 18 before closing things out with issue #16. Heck, read these two issues before you get to #8 for an even better story flow based on later events. 

It's all up to you in the long run!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

V #17

With this issue and issue #18, I was able to get writer Paul Kupperburg to autograph these at a Con. I always felt bad for Kupperberg afterwards because when I handed these issues to him, the scribe exclaimed, 'I always have a habit of writing the last issues.' At least he didn't mind signing these unlike a certain X-Men legend when I asked him to sign an homage cover.

As I mentioned in the last issue review, issues #17 & 18 are set before issue #16, which due to the sudden cancellation of the series, became the last official of the original V storyline. This 'flashback' issues had been teased for a while and editor Marv Wolfman wanted to make sure that subscribers got their money's worth and for the writers and artists of these books to get properly paid. Thus, in a very non-DC manner (I.E. Cancelled Comics Cavalcade), V was given a 2-issue reprieve from cancellation. 

After reading this issue, I've got to ask- why didn't DC make issue #16 the last issue instead of this story? This story which features Elias, the fallen owner of the Creole Club, who is still alive in this two-parter. Things occur right after the destruction of his beloved business. Which I think happened around issue #8, or so. 

In the midst of the clean-up, a woman from Elias' past returns. Things did end well between the two and now there's very good evidence that this lady might be a Visitor spy. 

Meanwhile, Ham and Chris are still in Los Angeles and they've got something big in the wings. It involves a stolen shuttle and a bomb that might be able to do some serious damage to Diana's mothership. As this is a flashback episode, we all know that nothing comes from this plan. So it's all really kinda a letdown. 

Here's the thing about this being a flashback. For several issues, this story has been built up as a major untold tale in the life of Elias. From the cover, I was expecting this to be entirely before the events of the first V miniseries. I figured we'd see a whole bunch in Elias' life before it was upended by visiting Visitors. I don't think we even get a single panel of Elias and his ex's life before the war. 

So it's really a thrill ride comedown that could have been handled a whole lot differently in my opinion. 

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

The New Adventures of Superboy #39

The Kents have a visitor for the holidays. A fellow classmate of Clark's is having to stay with Jonathan and Martha as the lad's parents are traveling without him. This puts the student in a foul mood. In response, Clark decides to become Superboy and show him an alternate earth that doesn't celebrate Christmas. 

The planet Superboy travels to is a polluted, war torn mess. Townsfolk prey upon the meek- such as this earth's Clark Kent! Can Superboy and his classmate restore the Christmas spirit to this world's Smallville. Or is peace on earth completely doomed?

I enjoyed a large chunk of this story. I wonder if a return story was ever done to this multiverse realm. I liked the twist ending. But as much as I am a fan of Paul Kupperberg, I have one issue with this story. Why is Clark Kent on this troubled earth such a weenie? Why isn't he super-powered? Is the sun for this planet the wrong color and thus Clark can't become Superboy? This oversight is really overlooked. Thus another reason why I feel that there's was more to this world than what was published in this tiny issue.

I wasn't such a fan of the secondary story. It was another chapter in the Dial H for Hero saga. I always liked the creativity of this story. But so much plot was wasted on a bus accident that if it was scraped, we wouldn't have had to deal with a stinking cliffhanger. 

An unusual type of festive story. But once again, there's a story included that doesn't give me closure. At least it wasn't the cover story that enticed me to buy this one.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Power Girl #4

This miniseries comics to a thankful close. Power Girl confronts the 'weaver' on his turf of a dying realm of magic. Aiding her in this quest is a mischievous little imp called Ghy. I don't know if we ever see this character ever again. But from what issues of various Justice League titles featuring Power Girl that I've read, I don't think so. But he was such a great character.

Our mysterious 'stranger' returns to mostly observe. Power Girl asks why don't he help her and he claims it's only his job to observe. Since when did our mystery character become a member of Marvel's Watchers? 

Another inconsistency I noticed right off the bat is that Power Girl refers to herself throughout this issue as Kara. But in the 3 previous issues, she's Karen. Not only that but everyone else in this final issue now calls her Kara, which was Power Girl's name before the Altantis origin reboot. So why the sudden return to Kara? 

The story ends with a nice, cheerful ending. It's a little too clean of an ending. Besides Spider-Man, Power Girl is one of the most dumped on characters in comic book history. So for everything to come up roses in such a 30 minutes or less sitcom fashion is rather unfashionable for her. 

Issue #4 did not disappoint. Disappoint in being as bad as the majority of the issues in this miniseries. I came into this chapter expecting nothing and with the exception of this single one-and-apparently-done character, there was very little to enjoy. 

Even the art, which to this point had been phenomenal, was a big letdown. It's like the artist, Rick Hoberg, kinda realized that this mini was a stinker and just gave up trying. 

Not one of DC's finest moments. 

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 2 out of 10 stars.

Power Girl #3

Power Girl finally decides to stop bar hopping and get to the matter of just who is behind all of these villains trying to kill her. 

Her quest will put her in touch with other Atlanteans once thought dead, former worshipers of Arion and perhaps a mysterious stranger. One character that would have made a great addition to this chapter  that explores Power Girl's origins would have been Aquaman. But I understand that DC probably wanted to keep such a big name away in order to not detract from this storyline. I think that's why there's been no Superman. But believe me folks, a major guest star is a needed shot in the arm. 

The 'stranger' cameo was a good touch. But he wasn't there long enough to move the story along. 

Plus, I loved this scene where Karen goes to an antique book store and asks for a book on Atlantean magic. The shop keepers response was classic. He gives her the book for free as long as she promises to not read any of the spells anywhere near him or his bookshop. 

Issue #3 got a little better. It's building up for the climatic final chapter which couldn't come quick enough for me. You know, with the still exceptional artwork by Rick Hoberg and the great Giordano cover, this book is actually worth reading. But just barely!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars. 

Power Girl #2

An assortment of villains based on the elements of the earth has been attacking Power Girl. Kara knows that these assaults are clearly not coincidence. So what does she do? Why, go out for drinks with her girlfriends at a local singles bar! 

This isn't the sort of thing Blue Beetle or Booster Gold, stars of two similar series of the time period, would be doing. For mid-1980s DC, the dialogue for all three examples were bad. But you didn't have the guys going for drinks and discussing their feelings. 

Yeah, there's some sexism showing. As a big fan of Supergirl (to which Power Girl is a version of the character), I am quite disappointed. I obtained all 4 issues of this miniseries for free on Facebook. I was really looking forward to this thinking is was going to be full of action and adventure. Instead, this miniseries has turned into a precursor to Sex and the City only without the breasts of Kim Cattrall. It's been such a disappointment. 

Uh, the lack of action not breasts I mean.

I should be thankful. I didn't spend any money on it. And the Rick Hoberg art still has been amazing. But this issue has gotten worse because of the coloring. 

There's a detective whose helping Power Girl figure out who these villains are. Last issue he looked liked an African American male. In this issue, his skin tone is much lighter and his hair is now sky blue. Maybe in 1988 this print error wasn't as noticeable as about a month or so amount of time passed into between the release of issues 1 and 2. I went from finishing issue #1 to starting up the second issue in like 30 seconds flat. So I noticed...

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

Power Girl #1

It's Post-Crisis and DC has just 'cleared up' Power Girl's troublesome origin in the pages of Secret Origins. Kara's memories of Krypton are actually fake. Power Girl is really from Atlantis before it sunk into the sea. Turns out Power Girl is more related to Aquaman than her 'cousin' Superman! 

To keep Kara safe from powers wishing her harm, grandfather Arion, Lord of Atlantis, implanted the erroneous memories into her brain and sent her into the far off future of 1988. Now that Power Girl know the truth, she's opened herself up to those attacks! First up is an all-new villain named Force. 

No, he's not a rabid Star Wars fan. He's a puppet of a shadowy character banished to a dying realm by Arion. This 'weaver' wants revenge on Arion. But since the ancient wizard is long dead, the death wish falls on Kara now.

Meanwhile, we get a lengthy glimpse into the civilian life of Kara who goes by Karen now. By day, Karen is the owner of start-up tech company under pressure by investors to switch over from office development software to video games. By night, Karen and her friends are hopelessly single, but more than ready to mingle. 

This was a major problem for DC books after the Crisis. They tried too much to be a soap opera and less like a superhero comics. It's a 22 page book and maybe 4 pages is devoted to heroics. Action Comics' Paul Kupperberg pens this tale. I'm usually a big fan of his work. But this first chapter was tough to read. That dialogue was awful. I'm talking B-movie bad. It's comical but sadly not in a funny way. 

The art however is absolutely amazing. First is a beautiful cover by Dick Giordano and Kerry Gamill. Interiors are by Rick Hoberg. The All-Star Squadron artist has past experience with Power Girl and Hoberg does an amazing job here. Except for the hair. It's not long and flowy as Power Girl/Supergirl is known to don. It's rather un-Power Girl like. Too 80s for my taste.

A very visually appealing story but the plot itself needs work.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Superman: The Adventures of Nightwing and Flamebird

 

   When the bottle city of Kandor is in trouble and Superman isn't around, the refugee residents of Krypton depend on Nightwing and Flamebird. The Caped Crusaders of Kandor, in reality, Nightwing and Flamebird are scientist Van-Zee and Phantom Zone parole Ak-Var; whom Van-Zee takes under his wing as his lab assistant. But these heroes, according to the book jacket, are NOT the original Nightwing and Flamebird. In fact, Van-Zee and Ak-Var aren't even the second duos to take on the mantle!

    The first Nightwing and Flamebird were Superman and his pal, Jimmy Olsen. They take on the mantle when during a misunderstanding, Superman finds himself a fugitive from the law and in order to find the real culprit takes on the role of Nightwing! (Superman #158, January 1963.) Then about a year later, in an imaginary story, Superman and Lois Lane's sons become the newest heroes of Kandor, when they find dad and Uncle Jimmy's costumes in the hidden Nightcave!

   Yes, Nightwing and Flamebird have a Nightcave, a Nightmobile, and I'm sure they would've had a Night-signal if it was needed as a plot device. Oy, Vey!

   I was really excited to find this book on clearance at my favorite LCS. But this isn't at all what I was expecting. First of all, the image on the cover is from the first appearance of Superman and Olsen as the heroes, which isn't included at all in this volume. Kal-El and Olsen's team do appear in two adventures as reprinted in the pages of Superman Family, but they are later adventures and one of which has them paired with the Van-Zee and Ak-Var Kandorian Dynamic Duo.

   The Adventures of Nightwing and Flamebird were a super hot mess! Though written by the talented Paul Kupperburg, some of these adventures were very jumbled and convoluted. Just how many people is Superman related to in Kandor? Plus, some of these adventures can only fully enjoyed or understood if you read other tales published in the same issue of Superman Family. (Only one story bears a foreword and afterword as to the excitement that took place before and after!)

   And don't get me started on continuity errors! They abound in this book. For example, Van-Zee is married to an earth woman friend of Superman and well as Lois Lane's! Both were married way after Krypton was obliterated. Yet, in one story, they two reflect on their life on the doomed plantet when they were on their honeymoon! Can anyone explain this head scratcher? Or maybe mail me a No Prize? (Ooops, wrong publisher.)

   I love the pre-Crisis Superman. If this volume included the Nightwing and Flamebird tales starring that Superman and that Olsen that I expected were within- I would be a huge fan of this book. But they don't and what little of them that do appear in this book isn't all that memorable. 

    This will not be a keeper in my collection!

   Not Worth Consuming

   Rating: 2 out of 10 stars.