The Inevitable Mediocre Spin-off

No spoilers here for forthcoming issues just some shallow cover oggling. To start with Final Crisis issue #6. I called it but then again I think everyone did. Its a Batman cover, the next will be Superman of course. First, the image itself. It doesn't sell 'power' to me. Maybe it's the intention but Batman looks frail and not tough. I'm not intimidated by the image at all and as far as powers go that is Batman's number one. Technically as with all JG's character covers its exceptional. In his painting style he's really outdoing the master, Alex Ross right now. We'll go into that later.

So far we've had on our character covers, #1 Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, #2 The Flash/ Barry Allen, #3 Supergirl/ Kara Zor-El, #4 Darkseid, #5 Wonder Woman, #6 Batman, #7 presumably Superman. Darkseid is definitely a separation point, in story at least. In issue #4 he's the winner (if you've read #3 that is no spoiler at all). In these covers he seems to separate the big three and the big three returning Silver Age characters. It could be coincidence of course. Why those six heroes? Why Supergirl? She's not one of the big seven usually considered the JLA founders. She was also barely in the issue she covered. Maybe its because its a crisis. In Crisis on Infinite earths she died heroically, in Infinite Crisis her earth two counterpart Power-Girl's backstory was re-established as that on alternate Kara, in Final Crisis? Does Nazi Supergirl hold the key to Kara's importance? Will her death in COIE lead to a rebirth in the coming issues? We'll have to see...


Next to November's Batman. You can feel the Burt Ward/ Adam West vibe! Pow, Bam, Biff in neon lights. I'm sure in line its a divine cover but that green, yellow and red just hurts. That said, if an average artist did this it would be completely unworkable but its Alex Ross you can see the nostalgia and each character drawn to perfection so its not a wholesale failure. Marketing wise its going to stick out on your local shelf, you're going to wonder what is going on with Barbara as Batgirl and Dick as Robin and how it fits in to RIP. Also this month Ross paints the JSA/ Kingdom come crossover covers. He's on a red vibe.
I haven't got spectacular interest in either Batman RIP or Justice Society and have issues with Kingdom Come so neither of these really excite me. I may end up picking up Batman just for the flashback factor.




Terra is finally arriving after her debut in Supergirl in 2006.
I think she may have been in one more comic since then but at least we know the issues will be done by now! I'm sure that cover has been around for over a year but its still great. I'm a fan of Amanda Conner's covers, and to a degee her interiors. She does great expressions and rounded characters. Although I much preferred Ale Garza's cutesy Supergirl Conner's does rank up there for me. I won't be getting this mini although I'm sure it will 'pop up' out there on those internets.

Does this character really need a full mini behind her? She's Terra, stuff her in the Titans and get it over with. This Terra so far has shown she'd give Robin a run for his money in the serious stakes! The Titans have been the canon fodder of the DCU of late so it makes sense that they should fill their ranks. Other than that I see no other place she can fit in the DCU. She's not going to get her own ongoing, I hope at least. There are so many other characters more deserving. What other team will she be on unless she nomadically travels from title to title.


Speaking of Terra, the writers of her guest spot on Supergirl write Superman/Supergirl. A five part mini that will come out twice in November. Looking at the cover I have one issue. Superman is running to rescue Supergirl. I really don't like that. Let the girl handle herself instead of being rescued by her bigger male cousin. Saying that though Kara doesn't seem very bothered by being lifted by this woman. A woman who is visibly strained. She has a look of 'WTF lady?' I can imagine a dieting joke in this issue somewhere if that does happen.

So this mini was unexpected. I can't remember it announced at any comic event this summer. I think it seeks to clarify Clark and Kara's relationship. One problem with that. He's Superman. Do we think that DC will let Kara rescue him? Do we think she will be shown to be better than him in any way at all? It was always the case pre-crisis that Kara was the weaker female cousin and when she gained immunity to Kryptonite it was swiftly taken away and it was re-affirmed that once again Superman is better. This is the modern day, I'm not envoking female liberation here just the plea that she can be weaker than Superman but can that be balanced by her being smarter, faster, more creative...whatever just something.

Full solicits at 5pm EST on newsarama though I'm on UK time, guess I'll see them all on Tuesday.