Review: Superman #13

Superman #13 came out this week, the second chapter of the House of Brainiac storyline and another winner, especially if you are a Supergirl fan.

The arc started just last week with an absolutely crackling opening chapter, full of action and mystery. Writer Joshua Williamson and artist Rafa Sandoval keep their creative feet on the gas, cranking everything up. We get some new information to continue to build the story. We get new mysteries, including a big one about Brainiac's motivations. And there is still a lot of action, showing just how scary Superman would be if he sort of lost his filters. 

In comics, there is more than action and plot. There is characterization. Seeing Superman seethe over Brainiac's attack and take out some of his frustration on Lobo was tremendous. It humanizes Superman a little. And hearing Lobo be a sort of amateur therapist was also fantastic. 

But the biggest win in this comic was Williamson's take on Supergirl. She is confident. She is angry, appropriately so given her history with Brainiac. She is brash, willing to take risks to fight her foe. She's young and learning. We even hear about a history with Brainiac 5, something we haven't seen in a long time. That shows that Williamson is knowledgeable of her history and respects it. Heck, even the cliffhanger is a Supergirl moment.

I have been singing Rafa Sandavol's work for a while now. He really is shining here. It's like he has elevated his game, bringing in more layered and detail to his work, perhaps because he was given time to do this whole arc? 

On to the book.

Absolute DC And Scott Snyder

I'm an old jaded reader who remembers when words like 'Crisis' carried some sort of weight. 

In the near 16 years I have been blogging about Supergirl and DC comics, I have seen more reboots, both hard and soft, to have a clear number in my head. From the dramatic New 52 relaunch to Rebirth, Dawn of DC, Black Labels, All-Star titles, semi-5G leanings, and Earth-One graphic novels, it seems even a staunch 'Wednesday Warrior' like me doesn't know what is in continuity or out. 

I'm not even sure if it matters any more.

So I don't know what necessarily to make of the news broken by Bleeding Cool about Scott Snyder starting up a new sort of DC imprint called Absolute. Here is the link:
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/scott-snyder-ultimate-line-dc-absolute-comics-all-in/

This sounds more like an offshoot than a re-write. Everyone seems to be saying it will be DC's version of Marvel's Ultimate line (although that sounds like what Earth-One was supposed to be). That's fine with me. There aren't many DC books set in the current continuity that I find engaging and maybe a new start somewhere nearby isn't a bad idea.

I think Scott Snyder is a solid writer who shone brightest on Batman. His Superman Unchained book was interesting but somewhat forgettable. And his non-DC work on independents have never really grabbed me in a way that I have stuck around. Still, he has some clout and probably has enough connections to bring some big names in with him to give this a decent send-off. 

Will this be a unified Absolute universe, a sort of 'Don't call us the New 52' new DC world? Will it be 'stand-alone' vanity projects which sounds like the All-Star line? Or something in between.

Will this be built on some sort of foundation. The Absolute Superman coming from Krypton and being a good guy? Or will it be completely new where Superman could be someone from Earth who got powers?

I don't care. Just bring me good stories.

Well, I care a little bit. But bring me good stories.

But really, I have one selfish desire from this new line.

Give me a good Supergirl book.

Joshua Williamson On 'House of Brainiac' And Supergirl

Action Comics #1064 came out last week and was a stellar opening chapter to the House of Brainiac story. I was quite impressed with the execution. If the first issue is any indication, this looks like it is going to be a great arc.

Over on AIPT, Joshua Williamson did a very thorough discussion on his approach to Superman and this story in particular. This is a very in-depth discussion on many aspects of the House Of Brainiac. So it is definitely worth reading in its entirety. Here is a link:

https://aiptcomics.com/2024/04/09/house-of-brainiac-deep-dive/

One thing that is clear is that Williamson is thinking about all the characters in the super-family and discusses Superboy, Lena, and others.

He also talks about Supergirl. And that is the part I am going to focus on.

Review: Action Comics #1064

Action Comics #1064, the first part of the House of Brainiac arc, came out this week and was an unbelievably fantastic issue on many levels. If there was ever a 'jumping on' Superman comic, something to recommend to friends, it's this one.

This is how you start a mini-event perhaps designed to bring in new readers. Showcase everything that there is to love about the main character - here Superman's earnestness, his geekiness, his heroism. Give a glimpse of the cast of the book. Ramp the action up to 10. Introduce the main villain and have there be a serious threat on the horizon. Sprinkle in some mysteries and you have a crackling open chapter.

Here, Brainiac arrives with a Czarian army to grab 'the smartest personin Metropolis ... it isn't Lex or Superman. Brainiac is looking for some missing piece of information. It is all out mayhem in Metropolis involving the entire Superman family. The book ends on a doozy of a last page. 

But if that wasn't enough, there are small and some big nods to Superman history. Let's start with a 'triangle' chapter number on this cover, so reminiscent of the beloved Triangle Era of the Man of Steel. We are reminded this is a Superman family. There's some mysteries solved and mysteries introduced. Supergirl really shines. It's spectacular.

Rafa Sandoval is on art and he picks up right where he left off when he was on the book with Phillip Kennedy Johnson. The character moments are wonderful and fun. The action sequences are bold and loud. Sandoval does a great Supergirl to boot.

So hang on to your boots for some highlights!

Review: Action Comics #514

With House of Brainiac starting this week, I thought I'd dive into the back issue box to cover Action Comics #514, on the racks in September of 1980. 

I will admit that this was a recent purchase out of the bargain bins at my local store which had just about filled a long box with very late Bronze Age Superman. I had been on the lookout both for Brainiac issues and issues from this time period, a sort of hole in my Superman collection.

It doesn't hurt that one of the main plot points of this issue is Brainiac returning  since his 'death' in Superman #338, a book I covered on this site nearly 16 years ago. It is also an issue that has one of the most bad-ass Supergirl moments in history. Readers get a decent tour of the Fortress. 

The book also has a pretty wild ending, one that warrants a little more investigation! First off there is a heavy dose of comic book science. And then a crazy turnabout to close things. Throw in some usual Bronze Age insanity and you get a decent issue. 

Art is by the legendary team of Curt Swan and Frank Chiaramonte. Swan clearly is a master, spinning a Superman story that feels like a Superman story. It doesn't hurt that Swan was the Superman artist for me in the formative years of comic reading.

So settle in for some craziness. On to the book.

Review: Kneel Before Zod #4

Kneel Before Zod #4 came out last week and was another interesting and somewhat vexing issue within this series. We are a third of the way through the book and the focus and events keep shifting radically, perhaps showing how chaotic life as Zod must be. But I wonder if all the plot threads and ideas that are being showered on me in this book will ever be resolved.

Joe Casey continues to write an enigmatic Zod. At times he has been his usual ultra-violent militant leader. At other times he has been portrayed as a weary old man perhaps suffering from a mid-life crisis. At times he has been strictly obedient to old Kryptonian cultural norms. At other times, he seems ready to break away from the past. In this issue, Casey ultimately shifts the location of the story and gives me two more mysteries to solve as Zod rampages. The plot seeds intrigue me. But the execution seems lacking.

I'll point to this issue as an example. We are rushed a bit on two significant changes to the world Zod has been building, shown with nary an explanation. And that would be okay. I don't mind mysteries. But the whole back half of the book is Zod tearing apart a space ship. Wouldn't some of those pages have been better served fleshing out the plot?

Dan McDaid remains on art. I think no one shows 'insane anger' like McDaid which serves this book well. He also leans into some Donner-esque takes on Kryptonian science which pleased me. I wouldn't mind seeing McDaid on a more grounded book. His style seems perfect for a gun-toting spy or something like that.

So I feel torn about this book. Interesting ideas for sure. On to the book.

Review: Superman '78 The Metal Curtain #6

Superman '78 The Metal Curtain #6 came out this week, ending this second series of the '78 books. I hope we get a third. This was a hopeful and inspiring ending to the Metallo story, leaning into the Donner universe feel of Superman. But there were definitely some things which felt like they were missing, things I want more of. Therefore, please DC, green light a third installment here.

Writer Robert Venditti has always had a great feel for these characters in this reality. The overly nerdy Clark, the feisty Lois, the fiery Perry. They all work. Superman as a beacon of hope and not necessarily a brawler also worked given where we are. The ending of Metallo played out in a different way than I thought it would but closes the door here. I found it just a bit too quick but we only have 6 issues to get to a finale. But the sheer hope that oozes from every page made this an overall winner. 

What I felt was missing here was Lex. Luthor is such a charismatic bomb in this book. The complete lack of him in this issue was a bit glaring for me. Therefore, please DC, greenlight a third installment! Plus, it is time for us to see some Kara '84 in this universe.

Gavin Guidry continues his great work here. His characters are similar to the actors of the Donner movies but not so uncanny valley to make it weird. His expressive work is just superb, heaping on the emotional punch of Superman's actions. 

I really liked this mini-series and hope we get more. DC, please green light a third installment. On to the book!