All-New Collectors' Edition #C-58: Superman Vs. Shazam! (Facsimile Edition)

I'm in no way criticizing the art skills of Dick Giordano or Rich Buckler. If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you know that I am a huge fan of Giordano; having gotten to meet him at his very last con. As for Buckler, I loved his work on the earliest stories of the Marvel cyborg, Deathlok. So I believe that I have established respect for both artists. That being said, who drew the artwork for both the back half of this wraparound cover as well as many of the full sized and splash pages? They look like they were masterfully drawn by Neal Adams!

This facsimile edition is absolutely beautiful. The foil enhanced wraparound. The remastered colors of Adrienne Roy. The throwaway panel of what a brunette Supergirl would look like. This was a visual masterpiece from 1978!

An ancient wizard from a Martian civilization millennia before those of J'onn J'onzz' people, is seeking to end his singular mistake. In an attempt to become immortal, the mage got his wish. But not before first turning the rest of his kind into silent, tormenting phantoms. His hope is to place devices on two different Earths where they will vibrate in sync with the other and cause a cataclysmic explosion to should restore his people to their corporeal forms.

The two Earth's chosen are Superman's Earth-1 and Captain Marvel's home, Earth-S. To prevent the two heroes from discovering the devices, the wizard forces Black Adam and the 'Quarmmer', a duplicate of Superman made of living sand, to cloud the minds of the heroes so that they see each other as mortal enemies. Thus, fans finally get their wish: an epic battle that will definitively prove who is mightier? The Man of Steel or the Big Red Cheese?

The fight was epic. The team-up of Supergirl and Mary Marvel was awesome. The villain Karmang was pretty cool looking. But like most DC Comics of the late 1970s, the plot fell flat.

For one thing, I didn't quite understand Karmang's costume didn't really make sense. He's got these wicked looking eyeballs which adore the epaulets on his cape and apparently makes some fashionable earrings.  But he never uses them. They'd be really cool if they helped Karmang see the action occurring on the two Earths. Instead, he's got TV set-up sweeter than any wall of boob tubes at Circuit City. 

Another issue with the plot is the pacing. There are 4 acts in this issue, along with interludes and a prologue and epilogue. If writer Gerry Conway would've cut the unnecessary comic relief provided by Lois Lane and sports reporter Steve Lombard playing the role of cameraman, I think we could have gotten a much smoother ending that really hyped up the tension. Instead, we get Superman racing around the world to counter the pull of the magnetic field while Captain Marvel literally decides which color wire to clip on one of Karmang's devices. 

And as much as I enjoyed Supergirl being in this story, the ending where she and Mary Marvel fawn over each other's super hunky relative was clunky at best. At worst, it's a groaner and brother did I groan over that dumb ending...

At least we got an answer as to whether Supes or Cap are stronger than the two. At least for this clash.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade (Family Comic Friday)

I usually review newer books for Family Comic Friday. However I've been wanting this book for a very long time and it's perfect for all-ages. 

Taking the legend of the Maid of Might, tweaking it just a little bit to be more appropriate for kids and adding a generous portion of DC Comics from the past 80 years, Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade was a delightful romp for this huge fan of Superman's cousin.

Instead of Kara Zoe-El's home city of Argo being destroyed by poisonous gas, the explosion of Krypton sent it into a pocket dimension. Kara's father was working on an experimental rocket that would hopefully bring Superman into that universe and hopefully free his Kryptonian brethren. Unfortunately, Kara falls into the ship, activating it and becomes trapped on planet Earth. 

While Superman finds a way to send Kara back to Argo City, she must pose as a human girl named Linda Lee. Meanwhile, she will train as Supergirl in order to one day use her new found powers to fight for truth, justice and freedom! However, posing as a human isn't all that it's cracked up to be. For one thing, Linda is quite socially awkward. She's got zero clue about Earth science and history. Plus both the principal and the accidental duplicate that Supergirl made of herself absolutely hate her! If that wasn't bad enough, when as Supergirl, Kara can't quite land on her own two feet without crashing into something and (unaware to her) Linda's best friend and dormitory school roommate is no other than Lex Luthor's baby sister!

I really enjoyed the story. I was perfectly fine with the changes to Supergirl's story. In my opinion, those adjustments keep a Supergirl origin story from getting stale. I also liked the art by Eric Jones. It was more cartoony for a younger audience while still paying respect to the essence of such an iconic character.

If anything made me unhappy with this book, it was of either the team of editors or those in charge of marketing. It's got nothing to do with the original 6-issue run of this story. It's whomever was in charge of putting this trade paperback together. That's because the back cover of this book gives away the identity of the super-secret big boss that has been making life miserable for Linda Lee and Supergirl. No- telling us about Supergirl's doppelganger nor about Lena Luthor are the spoiler as they're just pawns in the main villain's plans. Even talking about time travel on the back cover isn't a spoil. Instead, it just alerts an established Supergirl fan like myself that writer Landry Q. Walker is paying major homage to the legend of Supergirl. Just take it from me; if you don't want chapter 6 spoiled, avoid reading the back cover!

Kids will love being introduced to a popular character who's also a pretty strong female. But this isn't just a read for girls. There's also enough Superman and Lex Luthor to appeal to boys as well. A little bit of over-the-top fighting on par with Looney Tunes or Tom and Jerry is probably the only thing objectionable to parents of young readers under the age of 7. Plus some words are advanced to where someone under the age of 8 might not enjoy this book as much as a third through sixth grader.  But the level of classic DC Easter eggs hidden throughout Supergirl's year of schooling will delight generations of family members!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars, as long as you avoid the back cover. Failure to do so, drops the book to a 7.

Super Powers Which Way Book #2: Supergirl, The Girl of Steel

Growing up, I loved those Choose Your Own Adventure books. Being given the chance to be your own director and guide was such a novel idea that I fell in love with. It's a genre of book, that if I find a comic or graphic novel that follows the Choose Your Own Adventure format, I will read it and review it.

I'm also a member of a Facebook group devoted to Kenner's Super Powers lineup. It's where I discovered the existence of this book. From 1984, this novel dropped during an important time for the Maid of Might. Supergirl was set to take the world by storm with a live action film starring Helen Slater. Unknown to fans, the existence of Supergirl in the DC Universe hindered on the success of the film. Unfortunately, it was a flop. Thus, the axe fell on Superman's cousin, resulting in her death in Crisis on Infinite Earths #7. Also on the chopping block was Kara Zor-El's inclusion in the Super Powers toy line.

This interactive novel debuted a year after book #1 starring the Man of Steel did. A Wonder Woman and a Darkseid heavy Justice League volume were both slated to join the lineup. Later in the year, fans got to control the JLA's fate against the New God despot. Batman was given the CYOA treatment in 1986. Ultimately, Wonder Woman's adventure never came about.

With this Supergirl time, there are essentially 4 main story lines that readers can explore:

Direction A: Resist or assist Mr. Mxyzptlk in a 5th dimension contest of strength.

Direction B: Research the days of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table for a school project by going back in time.

Direction C: Save Superman from the clutches of Brainiac.

Direction D: Escape From the Land of Oz after being transported into the pages of L. Frank Baum's masterpiece due to a mad scientist!

There's also a minor 5th plotline where Supergirl remains in her secret identity of Linda Danvers and helps a classmate struggling with math.

One peeve I had with 'select your fate' books would be if you made a wrong turn and the story ends after literally only making 3 or 4 choices. This time around, I made sure that I would explore as many story lines as possible. The cover to this book informs you of the 4 main paths to take Supergirl. You'll have to dig to find that secret identity plot and there could be more. I dug deep. But maybe I didn't hit the absolute bottom line of material available.

I liked that Supergirl battles traditional villains such as Brainiac and Mxyzptlk. I'm torn over the inclusion of Superman. He's only in 1 plotline. Yes, I'm more than aware how much the Kryptonian cousins fared in each other's titles. But did Supergirl guest in Superman's book? Or did writer Andrew Helfer or this book's editor lose faith that the Girl of Steel could lead the book on her own?

I enjoyed the heck out of this book. Now I've got to figure out a way to display it in my office because this is going into my Supergirl collection!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Supergirl Honda Special (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In 1983, Elizabeth Dole, wife of then Kansas senator Bob Dole was appointed as Secretary of Transportation for the Reagan administration. Dole's first initiative was for seat belt safety. At the time of her appointment, only about 20% of Americans wore seat belts when driving. Compared to a 2013 report that claimed almost 95% of Americans use them, Dole's efforts must have worked.

In 1984, the Department of Transportation commissioned DC Comics to release an educational comic book to school students. American Honda financed the book's publication which started the Maid of Might, Supergirl. Superman's cousin was at the time a wise choice. A highly anticipated live action film was in the works. It was slated to be a huge blockbuster hit. Unfortunately, it was anything but. Still, countless thousands of copies of the Supergirl Honda Special, as it's most commonly referred to, were made, given away to school children as part of the federal agency's driver safety program. 

Jump to 1986. Supergirl has been dead for a few months, thanks to the events of DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths at the hand of the Anti-Monitor. Not only dead, Supergirl was retconned out of existence as well. Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation is seeing some success with its highway safety campaign. A year prior, Michigan became the first state to enact seat belt safety requirements. It's limited in scope. But it's a start. A few months later, North Carolina became the first start to make it mandatory that all car riders wear seat belts. By the end of 1985, only 5 states and the District of Columbia had passed seat belt safety laws. So Secretary Dole ups the campaign with a rather unlikely duo. But to bring these characters to the public eye will once again require the services of the Last Girl of Krypton. 

In the first Supergirl giveaway, the hero must use technology from the Fortress of Solitude to enter the mind of a young man who's in a coma as the result of a car crash where he wasn't buckled up. In this issue, Kara Danvers is driving a brother and sister pair in her forest green Honda when a mysterious force plucks the siblings out of their seat belts and into the middle of Motorville.

The city of Motorville is a place of traffic chaos. Thankfully, Supergirl arrives to save the kids from an on-coming car driven by Humpty Dumpty! As the trio try to find their way home, they encounter characters from beloved nursery rhymes, all who need lessons in seat belt safety. Through their zany encounters, Supergirl and friends are made aware of a special show that might help them find their way home.

The show is a demonstration on how seat belts save lives. The highlight of the show is a car that drives into a brick wall. While the driver is wearing his safety belt, the passenger is not. And he flies through the windshield into the barrier! But don't worry about them. For the riders are Vince and Larry: those amazing Crash Test Dummies!

The 1986 Supergirl Honda Special marks the first appearance of those road safety PSA icons in comic book form. After the book's release, Vince and Larry would star in dozens of commercials preaching the need for wearing your seat belt. In 1991, Tyco toys released a series of toys based on the duo called The Amazing Crash Test Dummies. With these figures, you could place them inside a special car and crash them through playsets while delighting as the figures flew into pieces. Then kids got to build them back together and wreck 'em once more. Until their campaign was retired in 1999, a number of other products were licensed with the likenesses of Vince and Larry. Costumes, video games, dolls, a lunch box and more were among the items telling everyone that 'you could learn a lot from a dummy.' In 1993, the dummies would return to comics with a 3-issue series by family friendly publisher Harvey. 

Supergirl and the Crash Test Dummies fates are apparently forever intertwined. As the book was Vince and Larry's debut, it marked Kara Zor-El/Linda Danvers last appearance in comics for quite some time. As the Crash Test Dummies enjoyed popularity in American pop culture, a number of usurpers to the Supergirl crown would appear in comics, including the alien shape-shifter Matrix. 1999-2003 was a dark age with no Supergirl or Dummies. Then a light shone through and the planets aligned in 2004. In that year, Fox began to air a number of animated shorts starring Vince and Larry as Hot Wheels introduced it's line of Crash Test Dummies toys simultaneously as the original Supergirl was reintroduced into the DCU in issues 8-13 of Superman/Batman.

The 1986 special was written by Andrew Helfer with additional dialogue by Barry Marx. Character art by Joe Orlando. Background art by Dave Hunt. 

Completing this review completes Task #36 (An Educational Comic) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batgirl Annual #1

I'm not going to lie. I'm not even going to try to make excuses. I bought this issue for 1 reason: Supergirl! I don't really care about Batgirl. Well, the Rebirth version that is. They never should have retconned or rebooted Barbara Gordon into no longer being confined to a wheelchair thanks to a bullet to the spine at the hands of the Joker. Barbara Gordon making the most out of tragedy as the Oracle was powerful storytelling. De-aging Babs and putting her back in the cowl due to the miracle of medical technology just feels like bad fan fiction. 

This story sees Batgirl meeting Supergirl for the first time. Supergirl has been receiving psychic messages from someone in custody at the DEO. Normally, the Maid of Might steers clear of the DEO as they look at her as an illegal alien and would chomp at the bit to get her in their grubby little hands for an alien autopsy. But whomever is sending these messages to Supergirl is sending them in Kryptonian and if the sender is another refugee from her native planet, Kara Zoe-El will take any risk to save them. 

As the DEO's security systems are products of Wayne Technology, Supergirl needs a member of the Bat-Family to unravel them. Enter Batgirl, as Supergirl feels that using Batman would result in a massive butting of heads. Witness as a new version of the best BFFs in the DC Comics universe join forces for the very first time. 

Speaking of BFFs, in the backup feature, it's the one-year anniversary of the friendship of Barbara Gordon and Alysia Yeoh. Being Batgirl has caused Barbara to issue more than her fair share of rain checks. An old foe of Batgirl's named Riot Black has been forcing some of Gotham's most brilliant experts in the field of cybernetics to perform upgrades to his brain which will give the foe the ability to tap into any computer. When Riot Black attacks again on the night of Barbara and Alysia's big night out on the town, it looks like Ms. Gordon will have to postpone again. That is until Alysia insists on going wherever Babs is going. Now Barbara must find a way to save the day while keeping her Batgirl secret identity and best-friendship both intact!

Both stories were enjoyable. The Supergirl team-up ends with one of those blurbs that make you have to buy a certain issue of her indy title to get the rest of the story. Good thing I have all of those issues. Otherwise, I'd be massively pissed. This same story tells you to get another issue of Batgirl to see the heroine take on the Penguin isn't so infuriating as for one, it's not really tied into this story from what I can tell. Plus, I don't really care to follow up on the Rebirth Batgirl. I've read a few issues and I just wasn't hugely sold on it. 

The second story was good. But that Alysia girl is annoying. If she was my BFF, I'd try to end that friendship quick. I don't know why, but I just feel like this person is a massive energy vampire or something. I can't put my finger on it. Only deep down, I feel like Barbara's pal just isn't genuine. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Flash (2023)

It's June 26th, 2023 when I write this. It's just too early to go into too much detail about the newest DC Comics based film, The Flash. If I was to dig too deep into my review, I would spoil countless plot surprises, Easter eggs and cameos. 

Here's what I do feel safe in revealing: 

• It was so much fun!
• Now this is how you do a live action retelling of Geoff John's Flashpoint!
• You will believe that a Maid of Might can be a brunette!
• Michael Keaton steals the entire film!
• The use of Danny Elfman's timeless score brought back nostalgic memories of 1989 and 1992!
• I love the twist on a couple of Elseworlds classics by having
  WARNING: REDACTED!!!!!

What I really want to talk about is where are the movie goers? I've heard reports that The Flash is a box office bomb. In terms of what my god son and I spent about 2.5 hours watching, I completely disagree with that statement. That being said, at the 1pm showing today there were a grand total of 2 people watching the movie- my god son and me. 

Really, I don't think it's DC and Warner Bros. who are to blame. There were maybe a dozen other viewers at the theater we went to and the complex has at least 7 other screening rooms. It was literally a cinematic ghost town over there and I feel that prices are to blame.

2 tickets were $13.00 total. The nacho combo, 2 Reese's Pieces and a small drink was $34.50! I don't think director Andres Muschietti has a bomb on his hands. I think it's just too expensive to go to the movies!

Some analysts have suggested that actor Ezra Miller's off-screen antics, including charges of kidnapping, allegations of grooming and a temper that would make Sean Penn look tame is to blame for The Flash's poor performance. I'll admit, those actions did run through my mind a couple of times watching the film. However, I also feel that Cancel Culture is dangerous and completely against my religious and personal beliefs 

Yes, I have gotten caught up in the fervor. I see an actor getting in trouble with the law and I immediately think- 'Well, he's cancelled.' But I also live in total fear in my teaching job that one day a false accusation will result in my being blackballed from ever getting a decent paying salary ever again. I also know that the human race is flawed. Nobody is perfect. There's a difference between making a mistake and being forgiven and trying to prevent a monster from roaming the streets free at night to ruin countless lives. Ezra Miller claims he sought treatment and therapy and I believe that I would be wrong to not give the guy another chance as I surely would want grace in my imperfect life.

Another possible reason the film isn't doing so well in theaters is the toxicity of the DC Comics fan base (Heck, it could comic book fandom as a whole). I've seen some postings that real DC fans aren't going to see in the movie. I've read that those who hate the Snyder-verse are boycotting this film. And that there's a pushback from some fans pissed off about James Gunn being the new head of the DC Cinematic Universe. As the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy director basically had nothing to do with this film, I think that last excuse is ridiculous. 

Like I mentioned earlier, it's June 26th. The Flash came out 10 days ago. Why did I wait until now? Was I one of the toxic few? Nope. It just happened to my god son went to Florida to visit his mom and I was on a family vacation at the beach during opening weekend. We had to wait until our schedules gelled. Some DC fans might still be mad at us for waiting until now. But that's their problem. 

I loved this movie. It was almost perfect. The only issue was how fake some of the CGI looked. Especially when Flash goes into the Speed Force to change time and save his mom from being murdered. I'm also not a big fan of how all super hero films like to use slow-mo when doing big impressive feats of heroics. But in the case of The Flash, it actually was appropriate and in a major scene at the beginning when Flash is saving some patients at a hospital, it was freakin' hilarious. 

An immediate classic, regardless of what critics and the box office says.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC Pride Through The Years #1 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

DC Comics August, 2023

Reprinting the following material:

The Flash #53 August, 1991
Detective Comics #854 August, 2009
Supergirl #19 May, 2018

Since 2021, DC Comics has released an annual 80-page special devoted to the LGBTQIA+ characters of the DC Universe. This year, along with DC Pride 2023, the House of Superman released an anthological look at LGBTQIA+ characters from the past 4 decades of DC history.

DC Pride Through the Years contains 4 stories; 3 of which are reprints. 

First is The Flash #53. This issue is considered by senior manager of the DC Archives Benjamin La Clear, to be the first main stream DC books with an openly gay character after the Comics Code revised it's standards against the portrayal of sexual orientation in 1989. True, it took 2 years before William Messner-Loebs had the Pied Piper reveal his sexual preferences to Wally West. But in reality, comic book readers were already aware of homosexuality and non-traditional gender identities in comics for decades. Both real and implied.

If you are going to write about the history of comics, at some point and time you're going to come back to Dr. Fredric Wertham. His 1955 book Seduction of the Innocent blamed every facet of juvenile delinquency on sequential art. One of Wetham's most famous examples used was to blame the rise of homosexuality in teens on characters such as Wonder Woman and the Dynamic Duo.

Wertham more than implied that the relationship between millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and his young ward, Dick Grayson, was anything but wholesome. Wertham even went so far as to frame the nighttime exploits of the two in the guise of Batman and Robin as a sort of sadomasochist gay fantasy that in today's vernacular would be considered the equivalent of 'sexual grooming'. As a result of this attack, DC Comics introduced a new character into the Batman Family- one Ms. Kathy Kane, AKA the Batwoman. 

Though Batman already had love interests in the form of the villainess Catwoman and reporter Vicki Vale, DC felt the need to introduce a super-hero love interest into the Batman dynamic to counter the damage inflicted on the character by Wertham and the resulting Senate subcommittee hearings led by Estes Kefauver. After a couple of years, once the fervor over Batman and Robin's sexuality would subside, Kathy Kane would be quietly retired. She wasn't exactly a very popular addition to the Batcave anyways. However, the character would be re-explored again, this time in a reboot that introduced Kate Kane as the new Batwoman of Gotham City.

A cousin of Bruce Wayne, on his mother's side, Kate Kane has some military training having been enrolled in West Point. It is at this time that Kane is first outed. While given a chance to refute those allegations, Kane admits to being a lesbian and is drummed from the institution just before what would have been her graduation. The Kate Kane Batwoman is also one of the few Jewish superheroes in comics and her debut as the lead feature of Detective Comics is used to commemorate the character's place in LGBTQIA+ history at DC Comics. 

DC Pride Through the Years then examines the non-super-powered members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Though non-binary (or as one might have referred to as gender-bending) characters have existed in DC Comics for years, such as Sir Tristan in 1982's Camelot 3000 and Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol creation of the sentient genderqueer Danny the Street, this book decided to focus on a friend of the Girl of Steel. 

In Supergirl #19, readers are introduced to Lee Serrano. Lee is a non-binary teen who is befriended by the Maid of Might after a being saved during an attack from the Cyborg Superman. Lee is being bullied at school and through Supergirl's own complicated relationship with an adopted planet that see's her as both a hero and a villain, the teen is inspired to stand up against their bully.

The fourth story involves the complicated character of the Alan Scott Green Lantern. One of the original pillars of the Justice Society of America, the character underwent changes during DC's New 52 event when it was revealed that Earth-2's Alan Scott was gay. With this new version of Green Lantern, a lot of readers were confused. Scott had previously been married with two children, who became super heroes just like their old man. While some were quick to point out that historically, gays and lesbians confused by their sexuality, have married those of the opposite sex and had children, some readers felt that Alan Scott's reboot wasn't sufficiently explored or explained. 

Tim Sheridan and Cian Tormey's 'Past Prologue' is the introductory chapter into the 6-issue miniseries Alan Scott: Green Lantern. Debuting in October, 2023, this pre-World War II set epic will dive into Scott's origin; both as one of the founding superheroes of the DC Universe and as a closeted gay man.

Cover by Derek Charm.

Completing this review completes Task #44 (A New Release) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Superman: Doomed

I haven't been overly enthralled with everything New 52. Batman: Zero Year was decent and the #0 books that tie-in about 2 dozen members of the DC Universe to that incident was fantastic. But when it came to the portrayal of the Man of Steel in the pages of Superman and Action Comics left me frigid. That all changes here in Superman: Doomed!

A clandestine group that thinks Superman is a threat to our planet, makes the brilliant decision to free Doomsday from the Phantom Zone projector located in Kal-El's Fortress of Solitude. At the exact same time, the entire town of Smallville has been rendered unconscious under mysterious circumstances. When Doomsday arrives on the outskirts of the town, Superman takes things personally and unleashes hell on the colossus!

In a show of unlimited power, Superman lands a punch that vaporizes Doomsday. And then the Man of Tomorrow inhales him! Always thinking of others, Superman absorbs his foe in order to prevent the creature from reforming and possibly mutating any of the by-standers of the battle. As a result, Superman has infected himself with the most deadly killing machine in history and he's turning into a version of a Kryptonian powered Super-Doom!

Three things really impressed the heck out of me in this 500 page plus book:

1. The relationship between Superman and Wonder Woman. This is a great power couple and they work very well. Not liking the other Superman books, I never went for the Superman/Wonder Woman team-up title. That will change.

2. Taking a page from The Incredible Hulk, readers get a chance to see inside the mind of Kal-El. There's this amazing banter between the Clark Kent and Doomsday sides that are battling for control. Yes, I know it's a swipe from Marvel's most well-known dissociative. But the massive creative team headed by writers Greg Pak and Charles Soule, among others, managed to make these scenes extremely fresh and entertaining. 

3. The Maid of Might. I love Supergirl and I am doing my best to get the entire run of her New-52 title. I don't quite understand why she's with the Red Lanterns. But I like it. I also don't understand why half-way through this story Kara stops being a Red Lantern. Did she renounce membership? Is she on hiatus? It's not made clear. But I'll find out one day. I guarantee it!

As for some of my other questions, like if the Big Boss at the end of this book is really the one behind the release of Doomsday and if the infection of Superman was pre-planned or just a happy accident are questions that I doubt I'll ever get a definite answer on.

Lots of different artists, inkers and colorists are involved in this story. Really too many to mention. I didn't feel like a single page was wasted. This was a massive read and I got one fantastic discount having found this $30 book for less than $10 at Ollie's. If you love Doomsday and are a giant fan of the epic 'Death of Superman' storyline, this is a book you cannot afford to miss. Even if it is a part of the New 52!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superman #307 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

A hot tip leads Clark Kent as Superman to investigate a chemical plant. It appears that a large number of employees are succumbing to cancer. Alarmingly, the execs of the company don't seem to deny this medical mystery. Nor do they seem to care! As a result, Superman takes it upon himself to shut the manufacturing plant down. But before the Man of Steel can succeed, he is opposed by a brand new foe! 

Decked in a pure white costume, this villain calls himself The Protector. Only, he's not here to save the Earth but to make sure that corrupt businesses have the right to continue producing materials that will pollute the planet. The Protector's powers include flight, super strength and the ability to change form. That last power allows the Protector to escape Superman who now seems rather troubled.

Having visions of the destruction of his home planet of Krypton, Superman is now determined to save his adopted planet. Vowing to stop polluters and businesses from killing mother Earth, Superman declares war. His next target is a giant oil tanker that has a history of leaking fossil fuels into the ocean. 

As Superman begins to attack the ship, the Protector returns and leads Superman away. Once again, the foe eventually disappears. Only this time, Supergirl appears on scene with a shocking revelation: There is no Krypton! There never has been! And both Superman and Supergirl are mutant humans!

This mind-bending statement causes Superman to reflect on the past few days. He's not been acting like himself. To prove her point, Supergirl takes her cousin to the Fortress of Solitude and shows that the bottle city of Kandor is nothing more than a model kit. Has Superman's past as the Last Son of Krypton been nothing more than a delusion?

Issue #307 ends with Superman's reality crumbling down around him. Written by Gerry Conway (1st Issue Special) with art by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (DC Comics Presents), this issue was the first chapter of a 3-part story. The dramatic cover of the destruction of Kandor at the hands of the Maid of Might was by Neal Adams (First X-Men). 

This issue also marks the last issue of Superman to carry the DC bullet to proclaim 'DC The Line of Super-Stars' in the top left corner. 

An interesting tale that feels familiar. Superman's one-man war on pollution has similar parallels to the Man of Steel's mission to end the nuclear arms race in 1987's Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. With newcomer baddie The Protector taking the side of the polluters, his motives are reminiscent of that film's antagonist, Nuclear Man. These coincidences make one wonder if Superman #307-308 were indirect influences of Superman IV screenwriters Christopher Reeve, Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars. 

Completing this review completes Task #3 (Comic from the Bronze Age (1971-1985)) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

The 25 Baubles of Pop Culture! Advent 2022 Day 15

The franchise selected today from that pop culture random generator is a subject of which I could again devote an entire 25 day Advent to! It's the tree decorations that honor the comic book heroes of the DC Universe!

There's no argument- I am a DC person. I love Marvel. I have a lot of Marvel books and favs. But my heart belongs to DC Comics! My dad had a huge collection of DC books that I was enthralled by as a lad. And while my devotion to DC Comics drives my Marvel loving students crazy, I think deep down, my wife and cats are DC people too. 

While my being a DC person is something you can't debate, just who my favorite character is could be argued for decades. It's got to be one of the members of the Superman family. I just can't decide who. My hair has a natural curly-cue just like the Man of Steel. So I cut my hair and wear glasses to resemble Clark Kent. Then there's the fact that I used to own a copy of Action Comics #252, the first appearance of Supergirl (which was eventually stolen) and I am just such a fan of her's because of that connection. Since I cannot make up my mind, here are a pair of Hallmark ornaments. First is a video of the 1995 Magic Clark Kent/Superman phone booth ornament. I'll let the video reveal the surprise. Then up next is a 2018 representation of the Maid of Might from the DC Superhero Girls animated series of Cartoon Network.

Now for a set of ornaments from my childhood. It's a set of 4 plastic (or resin?) ornaments of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin from 1979. Made in Korea, I had these as a kid but over the years, they got lost or broken or thrown away. I really enjoyed these because the characters were in their regular costumes but with holiday touches, like a sack of presents or a wreath. I would be willing to bet money that my mom bought these at Roses or K-Mart.

Out of researching this post, my favorite ornament is this one from Hallmark. The 2020 decoration seems to be one of the few highlights of that sucky year. It has classic look Aquaman astride his trusty seahorse, Storm. My runner-up is also from Hallmark. It's a 2018 representation of the Batboat from the 1960s Batman TV show that starred Adam West and Burt Ward. I'm sorry. I am wrong. The Batboat was from the 1966 live action film. NOT the TV series.

From the Etsy and other similar website department, I selected a really cool one based on my favorite villain/anti-hero. This beautiful mixed medium bauble has Harley Quinn in her traditional jester costume. I love the sliced effect that makes the complete image along with that black yarn. Just perfect Harley!

And now from my growing favorite part of the Advent: the DIY ornament. I selected this project that I saw on Pintrest. You will need a Styrofoam ball, some hot glue and fabric starring your favorite DC characters. You cut the fabric into rounded strips, like ovals or something similar to a baseball cover. Adorn the edges with ribbon trim and hot glue colorful bows and a satin loop on the top of the ball. I particularly like this pattern as it's very similar to a pillow I have and it features artwork by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Dick Giordano, the main artists for DC's commercial line of the 70s and 80s.

Farewell, George Perez

A lot of icons from my youth seem to be passing away with frequent expedience it seems lately. Just last week, the great Neal Adams passed away. I got to meet him at a con a couple of years ago. Despite having read a very large amount of the stuff Adams did over the years, the only thing I had for him to sign was a reprint of one of his Green Lantern/Green Arrow books. I was so embarrassed when I approached him with the issue thinking he'd be mad not coming to him with the real thing. But he couldn't have been nicer.

Well, today, I saw the news on Facebook that another beloved comic book creator from my youth passed away last night, George Perez. I knew that George's time on Earth wasn't for long. Just a few short months ago, he announced having stage IV pancreatic cancer. So, I had some time to prepare for this. I just wasn't prepared for that time to be today.

The resume of George Perez isn't just a Who's Who of comic book characters. It's more of an Who Aint'? Because he's done them all. The Avengers. Justice League of America. The New Teen Titans. The X-Men. He's also responsible for the artwork of my all-time favorite comic book story- Crisis on Infinite Earths. And that's where I want to pay tribute to George Perez.

It was father's day weekend, 2007. Charlotte, NC at HeroesCon. It was the first comic book convention I went to as a married man and the first Con I had been to in probably a decade. My best friend Todd and his wife met with my wife and I there. And at times, we'd go off while the wives sat and talked. 

I saw that George Perez was one of the guests and I always wanted to confront him about doing the unthinkable: killing my beloved Supergirl off in the pages of CRISIS #7. Since at the time I didn't have any of the number of comics that I have now, I needed to find a copy of CRISIS so I could get it signed by Perez. I seriously thought about buying a copy of #7. But in all honesty, my favorite cover was that of CRISIS #5 in which there are about probably 50 portraits of many of the major players on the cover. And I just loved how Perez drew faces. 

So I buy my copy, march over to his booth and I see that he's doing special signings for a donation to ACTOR, now known as the Hero Initiative. It's a charity for providing healthcare, housing and other needs for those who worked in the comic book industry but made next to nothing from their work. 

At the moment, I arrived, George was working on something that was going to be auctioned off later for the charity. I told him that I wanted him to sign my issue of CRISIS with the admission that he had killed Supergirl on it. George and his handler told me that he would do it if I came back at 2pm. So I made sure to pledge $30 as a donation if he'll do it. He agreed and I went back to enjoying the Con.

Well at 1:55, an announcement went over the intercom that Mr. Perez was too busy with commissions that he had to cancel the signing. I looked at my wife heartbroken thinking I missed my chance. My wife on the other hand figured since he made a promise to us, maybe he'll follow through. It couldn't hurt to try. So we raced over to try.

George's handler must have seen me coming cause she tried to shoo me away. But I had mentioned that I still intended to donate to the cause if he would just sign it. George put down his ink pen and gracious said '30 bucks, right?' I upped it to $40. He smiled and told me that I had a deal. At this point, my friend Todd came up and for 15 minutes we were the center of George Perez's attention. He talked about how hard a decision it was for them to kill Supergirl. But since the DC universe was being reset, they could always bring her back. We talked about Teen Titans since that was Todd's favorite. At one point, for some reason, Todd had mentioned Roy Thomas and George pointed behind us and said 'Well, there he is. Tell him I told you to sign your program."Which Roy did!

Anyways, for 15 minutes, I got to hang out with George Perez and I've never forgotten the experience. I talk about it often and fondly. I show my issue off with joy as not only did George Perez confess to the murder, he drew a sketch of the S-shield on the cover as well. So I actually own an original sketch from Perez as well.

I think one thing about that meeting means so much to me was that I got to do it with my best friend. Sadly, Todd lost his battle with mental illness over a decade ago. God, I still miss him. Now, I will be missing George Perez as well. 

Rest in Peace Todd and George and Neal...

DC Super Pets: Comet: The Origin of Supergirl's Horse (Family Comic Friday)

This Valentine's Day, a couple of special little girls will be getting this book as a gift from my wife and me. I know that technically this isn't a comic book. But it's written by a comic book author. It's illustrated by a comic book artist. And it contains characters from your favorite DC Comics titles! So I'm counting it for Family Comic Friday. 

In this book geared for young readers under the age of 8, kids will be introduced to Supergirl's magical flying horse, Comet! This book is just one of several new paperbacks by Steve Kortae and Aw Yeah! Comics' Art Baltazar that focuses on the pets and animal sidekicks of your favorite heroes and villains including Superman, Aquaman and Green Lantern. This is the second wave of origin books from the talented duo. Books starring Krypto, Ace, The Bat-Hound and Streaky the Supercat were released in 2017. All are still in print. 

After you met all of the DC Super Pets, you can then read up on their adventures in about a dozen age appropriate adventures illustrated by Baltazar. They're written by a host of talented children's authors such as A Dog and His Girl Mysteries' Sarah Hine-Stephens.

One reason I think DC decided to release this next wave of origin books is economic. The animated DC League of Super-Pets is tentatively due in theaters this May. That all depends on COVID, of course. But with the voices of Dwayne Johnson,. Keanu Reeves and Kevin Hart, Warner Bros. is pulling out all stops for this cartoon adventure! What a brilliant way to introduce youngsters to several unfamiliar animal characters than to pre-release a number of introductory volumes featuring the stars. 

However, I am a bit confused why DC and Warner chose to release a book on the squirrel-like Green Lantern B'DG! (pronounced Badge), instead of Ch'p whom is going to be in the movie. 

The youngsters I am gifting this book too are too young to read this on their own. But I have a feeling their Dads will definitely be reading this to them. Plus, I've got to get them started on Supergirl early! If they are a fan of this, you can be sure they'll be getting the Streaky book for Christmas!

A fun read for the whole family and the perfect appetizer for this Summer's animated super pet blockbuster!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Justice League of America #134

After a shocking defeat at the hands of Despero, Superman and the phony Justice Leaguers are placed in stasis aboard the baddie's ship. I thought Despero wanted to conquer that planet in which Superman was whisked away to. But plans change, I guess. 

Meanwhile, aboard Hawkman's space cruise, Supergirl has managed to get some members of the League to finally go on a rescue mission from her cousin. Literally, flying blind, the team finds Superman and his captor thanks to a pair of omniscient beings fascinated by the concept of anger and revenge. 

As Despero and the heroes are pitted against each other in a series of conflicts, I am reminded of two things. One is Marvel's Contest of Champions in which the Grandmaster and the Collector pit heroes and villains against one another in a fight for the universe. Secondly is a number of Star Trek episodes, especially the 'Gamesters of Triskelion', in which god-like beings test the mortal crew members of the Enterprise.

Since Star Trek came first, I wonder if the crew behind this book (Gerry Conway, Dick Dillin and Ernie Chan), had Star Trek as an inspiration and Marvel later taking notes from these 3-issues storyline.

As with quite a few DC books at this time, the ending is quite abrupt with nothing very satisfying. The last panel or two get philosophical as you'd expect an episode of classic Trek. But there's so many loose ends left dangling without any adequate conclusion.

One thing that I was quite happy with was the additional presence of Supergirl. In issue #133, her presence was in my opinion a dirty trick bait-and-switch. Here, Kara Zor-El is a major player in saving her beloved cuz, Kal-El from the villain.

Lots of great Supergirl action but things don't add up from the end of the previous issue to the conclusion here. That really doesn't make a lot of sense as Conway wrote all 3 issues!

 It's very typical of mid-70s DC sadly...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars. 

Justice League of America #133

When we last left the Justice League of America in the pages of Showcase Presents: Justice League of America, Volume 6, Superman had gone missing. His cousin, Supergirl, called on the League to investigate the disappearance. And then we had a big ole' 'To Be Continued...'

As fate, or DC's publishers, would have it, Volume 7 never materialized. Both DC and Marvel decided to stop publication of the very popular black and white reprints for a more expensive (and profitable?) line of color collections. 

This now meant that I was on the hunt for individual issues of Justice League of America #133-261. Recently, I found the two issues that completed the storyline left hanging in Showcase Presents and I must say, I was blown away by issue #133!

Superman awakes on an alien planet with the rest of his Justice League teammates. Only, his pals are actually actors equipt with high tech gadgets to mimic the powers of the other Leaguers. Together, Superman is put through a ruse to defeat the 3-eyed menace of Despero who has claimed this alien world as his new base of operations. 

As these phony superheroes are no match for Despero's might, they start dropping like flies. Instead of being inspired to save the day, the Man of Steel becomes despondent at the fall of his comrades. Can Superman overcome the one weakness that is even mightier than Kryptonite?- His love and devotion for his friends!!!

Issue #133 was a near flawless masterpiece from Gerry Conway, Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin. The only thing I wanted was more Supergirl! We're promised a lot more of her on the cover. But except for a brief- VERY BRIEF- cameo, there's really no Maid of Might here. That's a big disappointment for a huge fan of Supergirl such as myself!

The fate of Superman and a beleaguered planet hang in the balance. It's a good thing I've got issue #134 for the epic conclusion to look forward to next!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #37

The Detectives of Mystery Inc. are summoned to National City. It appears that Supergirl has been troubled by a pair of ghosts. Scooby and the gang are used to this sort of thing. Only these ghosts are of Zor-El and Alura- Supergirl's parents!

Could they have survived the destruction of Argo City by seeking refuge in the Phantom Zone? Will Scooby-Doo and Streaky the Super-Cat get along? And what about the cousin of Lex Luthor's who has been sneaking around in the background? Is she behind these ghostly apparitions? 

Next to cousin Kal-El, Kara Zor-El is my favorite superhero of them all! I loved this issue. It's classic DC Comics, all thanks to writer Sholly Fisch. Lots of great twists and turns and shocking surprises. Plus we've got the marvelous artwork of Dario Brizuela here. 

I read this book the day that it debuted in stores back in June of 2018. But I got behind on my reviews. There was no love lost or lack of interest in this issue or series. I just got overwhelmed. At least now I'm finally catching up!

A must for fans of the Maid of Might or Streaky!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC's Nuclear Winter Special #1

I've read my share of holiday specials. Okay, I've read a lot of people's share of holiday specials. I must say that 2018's DC's Nuclear Winter Special has got to be one of the most unusual ones that I have ever come across. 

10 stories of the holidays! Each set during times of future calamity by artists and writers such as Paul Dini, Jerry Ordway, Steve Orlando and many, many more. 

I'm not really sure why DC decided to go the dismal route. I've seen quite a few opinions from loyal DC Comics fans online. A majority felt that this was a sort of nose-thumbing to our current presidential administration. Every story does end with hope of a better tomorrow, so possibly DC is trying really hard to say that things might look bad now, but even in the face of a nuclear war or zombie apocalypse or Great Disaster, things can get better. Still, things just weren't quite right with this one-shot.

The 80-page giant begins with Rip Hunter in the future. With his time sphere out of juice, he must fend off a trio of angry techno-barbarians from making him their futuristic Christmas dinner. To buy himself some time, Rip tells the group a slew of stories about other superheroes as they bring a new meaning to 'surviving the holidays.'

My favorite stories include Supergirl, now a woman, trying to save the life of an orphaned girl. Aquaman is tasked by scientists to enter a dead spot in the ocean in hopes of finding a cure for the deadly radiation of a nuclear attack. Firestorm spends Christmas Eve with the Nuclear Family. Plus the Damian Wayne Batman faces ghosts of Christmas past when he is ultimately confronted by grandpa Ra's al Ghul.

Of course, you can't have an apocalyptic holiday special without the Jack Kirby character of Kamandi. His tale is set during Hanukkah and feels like a set-up to a new Last Boy on Earth series.

There's also some fairly decent stories involving Green Arrow and Black Canary as grandparents to a new generation of Justice Leaguers, The Flash stuck in the Speed Force, and others starring Catwoman and J'onn J'onzz.

There's not really a bad story in the bunch. It's just that this year's holiday special wasn't very cheery at all. I hope 2019's edition is much better at this. Nothing says you can't do a holiday special featuring the animated universe. I would pay $13 for a 100-pager featuring the Super Friends, the Max Fleischer Superman, Batman: TAS and The Brave and the Bold and the original Teen Titans Go!

Now let's talk about what was bad- the cover. No, I am not talking about the image of Wonder Woman carrying the corpse of a dead kangaroo. That part of the cover did annoy a lot of fans who claim that Diana was a) a vegetarian and b) an animal lover. I say if in a nuclear winter if food is scarce and you have hungry friends, you change your beliefs a little to save the day. 

No, my issue was with the fact that Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn are both on the cover but neither have stories inside the book. DC is big on the Old Lady Harley storyline that takes place in the dismal future. Having a Christmas yarn set during that era would have been an appropriate tie-in to that miniseries. Just as long as you did not make that story be one in which you had to buy the next issue of Old Lady Harley to get the conclusion to the holiday tale, I would be on board with it's inclusion here. The same goes for Wonder Woman. She could have had a place in the book other that being relegated to cover page eye candy.

A good read that promises treats but inside gives coal to fans of Harley and Diana Prince. Great artwork and very good stories. However, it's not as joyful as holiday specials past. DC's Nuclear Winter Special is the sort of thing that would bum out Whoville. Better luck next time, DC and please consider doing an animated series holiday special for 2019!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Supergirl: Being Super

Imagine if Kara Zor-El made it to Earth before Clark Kent became Superman. With no memory of her people and no Man of Steel to inspire her, she grows up knowing that she is special and that's about it. Forced to live secretly as an average teenage girl, Kara Danvers goes through life knowing that there is something different about her and it makes her special. However, now that she has turned 16, something about her powers is off and it endangers her adoptive family and friends.

This was a unique take on Supergirl. I passed on this series when it first came out and I blame poor marketing by the publisher. The story by Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer) was actually quite good. But the way DC Comics was trying to sell this story sounded so wrong. 

See, DC tried to make this coming of age story seem to be the new reboot of one of my all-time favorite characters. Supergirl had just been literally rebooted having become de-aged and depowered from her time as a Red Lantern with the whole Rebirth thing just a few months earlier. I was really digging the Rebirth series and didn't need another reboot. Had DC Comics actually presented it as an Earth One or Elseworlds type story, I would have bought every issue of Being Super new on the day it came out in print!

Joelle Jones (Catwoman) is a fantastic artist and she does not disappoint. I love the Supergirl inspired track suit Kara wears at one of her meets. And the last third act is just amazing action all throughout.

The ending was bittersweet but the very last 3 pages were absolutely awesome! I would love for Tamaki and Jones to do a sequel. But when it happens, the marketing team at DC needs to let people know that this is an alternate version of Kara Danvers. If they do that, I think it would entice more fans of the Maid of Might instead of scare them off of yet another retooling of a character that has not gotten the respect she deserves since her death in the pages of Crisis.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Supergirl Rebirth #1

Supergirl's return to earth after freeing herself from the Red Lanterns has resulted in many changes for Kara. She's de-aged a few years back into a high schooler. She's gotten stronger but she's also become more reckless. Thus, the Maid of Might is now subject to the DEO and it's leader, Maggie Sawyer.

When the DEO encounters a Kryptonian 'werewolf', it's up to Supergirl to save the day. Realizing that the DEO lacks the manpower to tackle a Super man-sized threat, Sawyer and Kara will form a new partnership that will net her some extra freedom. But is it a partnership that can be trusted?

I missed this when it first came out in 2016. I didn't realize that there was to be both a Rebirth special on top of the Rebirth DC series of Supergirl. Thank goodness for Ollie's DC grab bags! I've been looking for this book forever with zero success. But there she was smiling at me with those glowing red eyes.

The stunning cover by Emanuela Lupacchino was just a teaser for an exciting story inside. The team of Ray McCarthy and Steve Orlando, a great story that sets up the Supergirl Rebirth series of which I have read the first six-issue storyline. This special, along with a conversation with a friend of mine explain a lot of questions that were bugging me about Supergirl's backstory- especially her role with the Red Lanterns.

The artwork, also by Lupacchino, was pretty good. It's got that almost cartoony/manga quality that I can't decide if I like or not. But it's Supergirl and I can't say no to stuff starring her or her cousin.

A good introduction that I wish I hadn't overlooked when it first came out. But better late than never.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.