The Inevitable Mediocre Spin-off

No other article has me gunning to reply like this one . Its by a 16 year old and for a 16 year old it is very good but it screams indoctrination. So, I'm going to raise a few rebuttals.

For a start, I'm going to state the obvious. Superman isn't American. He is often called the ultimate immigrant but he is what Fox News rallies the ignorant to persecute and eradicate, an illegal immigrant. He comes to this planet as a baby and as far as I'm aware he doesn't have legal papers citing his citizenship. He goes over there, taking your jobs and stealing your women!

Secondly. He was co-created by a canadian based on the work of german philosopher Nietzche. He protects Metropolis. I'm sure you all noticed the greekness of that word and there was a german movie called Metropolis that pre-dates Metropolis. Metropolis itself was based on Toronto.The creators himself were inspired by Moses, a key figure of their jewish faith. I contrast from the 'christian' identity of America which has subsequently tried to remodel him on Jesus. Its OK folks, you believe in Moses too.

Superman is looking very worldly right now. In his own words (in Superman and the Legion of Super-heroes) 'Superman is for everyone'. In that story a future Earth was persecuting non humans who lived there, victims to propaganda that says Superman was not actually an alien but an earthling with powers. The fact that Superman is alien is important because it represents an openness that America did once represent. Doesn't the french made Statue of Liberty say

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Lets look at Supergirl 60's cover. Pretty huh? So, what is all the fuss about the pink S? Here's the fuss. Supergirl has never worn, nor been published under a pink S. She's red and blue baby! However in this new series of covers she can't be red and blue because Superman is red and blue. What a conundrum! I can imagine DC editors sitting around and thinking Long and Hard about this problem. Do they just use the same logo? Do they invert the colours? No, they said. We'll make it pink. Why pink? Could it be because 'Girls like pink'? I know what you are thinking 'I know a girl who likes pink, what is the big deal?'. The big deal is that some girls like pink, by going with an artificial gender binary DC are suggesting girls=pink. Not some girls, all girls. Who doesn't get attached to their baby blankies after all? What man hasn't seen a blue toaster and said, its blue it must be for men! You see the problem.








You don't see the problem. Well, look at the switched logos. What does a pink S tell you about Superman. Superman looks peaceful, serene and contemplative. He's gentle. Some might say he's effeminate. Some may wonder whether its for a breast cancer charity. Others might say they finally realise why he's a gay icon.

Supergirl with her real logo, loses this grace and the bold colours bring something different to her pose. Its confidance. She's looking right at us like she's prepared and able. Not to mention she finally realises that her red S goes with her cape for a snazzy cover combo. She looks like Supergirl. Its odd what one logo can do and how colours affect our perceptions but there you go.

I was thinking about the Superman TPBs and how they fit in the big picture of New Krypton. I concluded that it was comparable to the the upcoming Blackest Night. Geoff Johns is very methodical, he blocks things off. If you look at the run up to Blackest Night starting with rebirth its like he has a checklist. He set up parallax and sinestro as a gateway into the corps of various colours and since he's been introducing us to them storyarc by storyarc. (which is so very like how Levitz wrote the Darkseid arc in Legion back in the day) No one like him has this gradual and planned progression over years, possibly because there is no security that they will be on a title to see it through to conclusion.

Putting this in to the Super-books. Last Son started Zod/Chis/Ursa which now comes to fruiton in Action Comics and World of New Krypton, Bizarro was featured on the cover of Adventure so there is something there even if it was a fill in while Last Son was delayed, Brainiac of course kicked it all off and is now is storage, Atlas started the government side of things and he's now reappeared. All little seeds going into the conclusion of this epic. Then there is Legion, sure there is Mon-El but that was set up in an annual and not Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes. We also have Tellus who has disappeared and the lead cure. Superman says 'something is wrong with tomorrow'. I don't think that is the Legion of Three Worlds considering he was a part of it and it should have been concluded before the issue came out. It stands to reason the Legion have to find their way back into the big event. It raises some questions no one asked. What is wrong with tomorrow? How do the Legion fit in to an Earth/New Krypton War in the 21st century?Where did tellus come from?

I think DC have stumbled on a great formula of rolling epics. Morisson is doing something similar that started with Batman 666 but that is far more organic in its flow than Johns' approach. It could revolutionise comics, to build up to a summer event over 3 years rather than pulling one out of one's behind as has become the norm. Not only that but another part of Johns' genius is that I could do one of those spider webs with string and show where his catalogue of work intersects. He doesn't just move on, he's telling a continuous story thoughout the DCU. Also the benefit of this is the Omens he can place in his work, whether its been Rip Hunter's board or the end of Action #850 omens have proven a great marketing tool so much so the year started with Origins and Omens back ups. The issue with them though is that most of those titles don't have the steady creative team that the titles that have made the omens successfull do.

Geoff Johns can make an individual title seem epic and important through a carefully applied build up of pressure to a grand conclusion. He makes movies on the page over the months and yet it would take multiple feature films to do his tales justice. I also think its the idea of the writer's room that makes his titles such successes. When you are in weekly conference with your co-writers continuity errors are less and less. So much credit goes to his collaborators but we only have to look at how the arcs are structured to see its Johns' at the heart of these events. We only have to look at the seeming chaos in the batbooks for comparison. It seems everyone is writing around Grant Morrison rather than having any type of communal writers room. It shows on the page.Morrison knows what he is doing and the other writers seem to pray that anything they do doesn't get in the way. It creates a sense of timidity in the batbooks that does not hamper the super-books. All 4 books have big storylines going on right now which can only happen with great communication which is perhaps the reason why the super-books and green lantern are the envy of the comic industry right now

This week I'm picking up Action Comics, Batman #686, R.E.B.E.L.S and Superman #685.

I'm on the fence about getting Booster Gold. I want to start reading it because I've heard so many good things. I love fun comics. I expect a payment at the end of the month and may set some aside for some trades of the early stuff. Then again, Booster could really do with the monthly sales. Perhaps I should start with 52? Decisions, decisions

Action boasts the return of Mon-El and the propect of a legionnaire appearing regularly in a monthly is exciting in these uncertain times. Batman begins 'Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?' by Neil Gaiman. The preview was beutiful. I'm not really a Batman fan but feel this may be a must read. (I'll always prefer his supporting cast. Even Alfred is more entertainment value than Bruce) Next up is R.E.B.E.L.S, its Vril Dox and Supergirl was I ever not going to buy this. This was my most anticipated comic this month. Finally Superman, where he finally gets to mourn his father. I'm only buying it for the probable Supergirl appearance.

And finally I bought Jamal Igle's sketchbook from his site. It will take a while to get here and was probably a bit expensive (in delivery, I live a long way away) but I'm determined not to beat myself up about it. I probably would feel better if I hadn't bought two Doctor Who annuals and the Star Wars vault this week. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the awesomeness being in my hands.

Its 1.42 in the morning and I have a uni presentation I haven't written due this morning...oh and I've had a bit too much wine. With that in mind I've decided to write my review of Final Crisis 7!


A general disclaimer before I start. I like Final Crisis...sorry. I may be called elitest or whatever but I don't think it takes a Brainiac to understand what is going on. This comic is as much part 3 of superman beyond as it is Final Crisis 7. It begins with the extension of Zillo valla's quest to find the Supermen of the multiverse carried out by the Billy Batson of Earth 5. Firstly I love that Billy got such a pivotal role in this book. I prefer Billy to Superman so much. There is an innocence that comes from his youth rather than an artificial innocence they give to Superman. So the book opens with our first superman AKA Super-Barack. Its easy to call him super-barack now that he's won and I have no doubt the use of such a character was inspired by the election but we must keep in mind people in comics/tv have been using people of colour in presidential positions for years. He's joined by Nubia who could be considered a reaction to this article from November- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7718580.stm even though she outdates the article. They meet Marvel's ship, the ultima thule as it breaks through the bleed.

I have to echo Renee here 'A whole ... multiverse and they all look like you guys'. Which is part of my problem with the 'Superman' idea. They are gathering the supermen and its intertextuual based on Superman being the 'real' start of the DCU. I understand that, but they are gathering all the characters based on Superman like Captain Marvel but they all aren't Kal-El. Not all have a kryptonian power set so what makes them a 'Superman'? Why don't we see the Superwoman from Earth-11 despite the fact she is an analogue of Kal-El? Why don't we see more Supergirls, Kara is arguably just as much inspired by Superman as captain marvel, if not more and definitely more in the Superman image than Captain Allen from Superman Beyond and what appears here to be Ozymandias. In the end the Supermen are assembled because they are the strongest team ever but why not make the team stronger by using Nubia and others of Superman's calibre. I don't want to scream sexism because I understand the 'image' of superman but the in-universe reasoning is lacking. Also there are more than 52 supermen and thats including the vampirised Ultraman, Superboy Prime and Mon-El (who should have been represented by a multiversial equivalent, Valor for certain) and as said before Superwoman of Earth-11 or Super-lad if a penis is a necessity!

So we go next to our next big theme, story. A theme more prominent in Superman Beyond than Final Crisis but lets roll with it. Lois, Jimmy and the Daily Planet is important here because they keep the story going. Supergirl tells the children inspirational tales before they 'go to sleep'. In Resist we see Black Lightning delivering the Daily Planet because it keeps the survivors hopeful.We see what would be the final issue of the Daily Planet, 'Earth Endures'. Almost an acceptance that the story is coming to an end. Its placed in a rocket with a miniture bat signal and one of Supergirl's capes before launching in a hope that their story will continue somewhere. This also links to the second idea in this comic. Time as relative. Imagine the time stream folding like a concertina. When compressed enough Darkseid has a straight shot from the end to the beginning and kills Orion. The Flashes can stop time by running so fast they match light, Superman can get the key to save the universe from the future and events an hour ago seem like days ago. The issue may not seem like it flows right or is in any kind of order but there is your reason. We readers have to put it together like a jigsaw because we are as confused as the characters.

The final theme I got from this comic is that of Science vs Religion. Darkseid would have all worship him, he is a New God he is brought down by a man made gun and the universe is saved by Brainiac 5's thinking and the creation of advanced scientific technology. The new gods where always an uneasy mix between science and religion. The mother/father box is the most advanced tech in the universe and it comes from the 'gods'. Metron gives Anthro knowledge which must seem like magic. Its not. These people are Gods only to those lowlier down the intellectual chain. I believe only Brainiac 5 could compete intellectually with a new god and we saw in the reboot how he idolised Metron. Brainy could be quite the apprentice for Metron. We also see how Superman writes the plans for the Miracle Machine, in Metron's chair. It is the God of Science, almost an oxymoron in itself that proves intrumental in Dax Novu's rebirth and the salvation of New Earth through his mark. The agents of the christian god are drained dry when they confront Mandrakk, though as they are dead to begin will I don't think this is an issue other than thematic repetition.


Finally some odds and ends. This issue concludes as the -Supermen, Green Lanterns and a Kara Zor-El toe New Earth out of the abyss. Seen that before? I have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryao4zCRImE
Is it coincidence that Grant Morisson once wrote classic who and is interested in writing more?
http://splashpage.mtv.com/2008/10/23/grant-morrison-talks-idw-doctor-who-reprints-possible-film-ideas/
http://www.comicmix.com/news/2008/04/29/interview-grant-morrison-on-final-crisis-and-doctor-who/

-I have no idea why Ultraman has Kara. Well presumably to feed on her but they never say why her. Maybe Mandrakk realises that a Supergirl is more fearsome than a Superman?
-The Green Lanterns collectively give a nod to Buffy-'Lets spike this vampire' rather than stake a vampire.
-We see the New Gods have returned, Mister Miracle's belief in the source seems to have paid off. Also Barda, an apokaliptan by birth is now judged worthy of rebirth with those of New Genesis. It is a judgement of evil based on individuals rather than species.
- It concludes with Batman taking over from Anthro upon his death, he's ALIVE. I don't actually care.

I have one more deadline tomorrow so when I should be working naturally I am blogging! It was my B-day this past week and I treated myself to some comic products. Showcase Supergirl v2 and Showcase Legion of Superheroes v1 most notably. I was also going to get the DC vault but that was sold out. Anyone have any reviews on the content of the vault for a legion and supergirl fan like myself? I also picked up my comic stash for the first time since Christmas Eve. (The one day of the year we in england got comics early or in sync with america!).

What I found most interesting was my Supergirl purchases. For the second month I couldn't find cosmic adventures in the 8th grade. I have to believe Forbidden Planet Manchester aren't ordering it or its flying off the shelves. Also for the second month I couldn't find Supergirl on the shelves despite them still carrying issues pre-Gates. Funnily enough Supergirl #36 was released on christmas eve and was out of stock that same day in Forbidden Planet Liverpool. I had to settle for the varient cover from the third store I tried despite loving Middleton's regular cover. I should hope that this means order numbers will be going up.

This leads to to what I can review. Out of Maelstrom 5, Cosmic adventures, Supergirl and Final Crisis I chose the last. Firstly we start with the cover. At first sight I thought Batman looked very frail on the cover. I just don't see the power in his pose. Its still a great rendition of the hero though. I like how the batsymbol is raised. It doesn't look like spandex. Thats always irked me. Superman in spandex I can believe, Batman is spandex just makes me giggle. Also for a man who is prepared for anything his utility pouches don't scream techno! As with all the covers he is on a plain background. This issue its navy Blue. I've not liked this technique as it makes the image look flat. The best this has been used was on issue three but even then it made Supergirl's hair look choppy. I would have preferred painted backgrounds to create some depth.

As for the interior art its Jones and Pacheco who come through with the best pages. The Black Canary pages are not only sub par they are sylistically out of place. I would have preferred the additon of Jamal Igle as his style would have fitted more. As for Mahnke's concluding pages they were far too lined compared to the relative simplicity of Jones and Pacheco. He does very well on the war torn landscape but less well on the faces. His Superman is gaunt and has a pea head on a giant torso. I do love his depiction of Metron. the lines are clean. Where he does have inked shading the lines are blue rather than heavy black shadows he uses for other characters.

As for the script well I'll go back to the start and run through. I loved the opening. Legion is often left out of these crossover events and this one seemed to be no different. It seemed like LO3W was just a way to include them in some way. It was to my shock and delight that we begin with Brainiac 5 and Superman in the 31st century. What has happened between 3 and 6 to get him there I assume will be told next week with Superman Beyond. To see Brainaic 5 setting up the solution to the Final Crisis made me so happy. I actually wanted to see whether a Brainaic could stand anti-life considering their intelligences but this is good enough. At first I was wondering why Superman had to use the machine when surely Brainy was more qualified but now I look at it Brainy says 'Just Look'. He isn't using it, he sees Metron's circuit I assume. Although why Brainy just couldn't say that I don't know. Superman isn't exactly a genius! Another question I'm left with is how this revelation clicks in Superman's head so he knows what to do and what is happening.

We move on to the Justice League Watchtower with Black Canary and the reformed Tattooed Man. They are attacked by justifiers in tie fighters who come through the Green Lantern blockade of the Earth. Its never explained how. Tattooed Man uses his power and Metron's symbol is activated. It makes him immune to anti-life's effects. It gives the heroes an opening to fight back. There are some great moments here. Barbara Gordon takes advantage of the anti gravity to beat some guys for example. The best though is the dialogue between Dinah and Ollie. She attempts to beat sense in to him. I find this is beautiful when in contrast to the reunion of Barry and Iris. I kiss of true love and she is cured. Fighting will get people nowhere, its love here that will save the day but Dinah can't give Ollie that one kiss. In one panel we are treated to an Aquaman appearance. The secret files say that this an alternate universe Arthur Curry. The traditional Aquaman we expect. More on this later...

Next onto Supergirl vs Mary Mavel. The much publicised Girl Fight is satisfying for all concerned. Buildings fall, buses are used as weapons and sexual innuendo flies! Supergirl wins this pretty resoundingly but we get the sense Desaad (who mary is host to) doesn't care to win. The darkness influences everyone and Supergirl showcases her darker thoughts 'don't be too sure I won't break your neck' before coming back to the good and affirming her desire not to hurt Mary. Its pretty sad that the outcome was unnecessary for Marvel fans. All they wanted was their girl back to herself and free of responsibility for her previous actions and they got both.

The highlight of the issue was Tawky Tawny taking on Kalibak in his tiger body. I don't think anyone expected this to go Tawky's way but it does and he defeats Kalibak with style. After all this tiger is a gentleman. The tiger men from the Bludhaven bunker show their allegience to the strong ie. tawky and valuble new allies are gained.

Finally I want to talk about Checkmate castle. Here we learn about Sonny Sumo and how he came from another universe. Look at his dialogue 'Sonny Sumo went back in time and died a happy man in feudal japan. I stumbled through a hole in MY life, into HIS life'. Sonny Sumo talks in the third person. This is confusing. If he went into HIS life wouldn't he be in Japan? Is this Sonny? I think it means that Sonny died and was reborn in the New Earth Sonny. Could this be the same for the more recognisable Aquaman who we know is from another universe? What universe does the more recognisable Aquaman come from...Earth-One. Which leads us to the plan from the Atoms. What is left of Earth is planning to escape to a new earth. Is the new Aquaman part of the consequences of the travelling done before. Is the graviton superhighway already open for business since countdown? It isn't hard to believe that whats left of New Earth will go to Earth One and blend into their neighbours.

I expect grant to take another right turn by the time this is over though. I can't see whats coming next. Is New Earth really doomed? Will it become New Apokolips or Kamandi's world? Is Nazi Supergirl dead? (Everyone says yes, I say no because if she was why keep showing her?) Is the brain in Lord Eye, Maxwell Lord? Will the heroes settle on Earth-One or rebuild Dax Novu's destroyed world using the miracle machine and B5's immense intellect? Why has Earth One been so elusive? Whats certain is that the starting pistol has gone and Final Crisis is hurtling to its close. Lots of Questions still to answer in an oversized number #7. See you in ten days!

(I think, barring delays)

Inspired by Ride the lightning's comic cover comparison page here is Hancock emulating the world's greatest heroes.
Good old fahioned Action Comics Number One. Not the most original homage but nice none the less.


Now here is were we see that the guys behind Hancock know their stuff. I saw this billboard myself but had to go to google for the image. Its was familiar, then I got it. Click to make the image bigger.


























got any more?

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.