Tag Superwoman

Weekly Comic 100s: Crime Syndicate #2

Rob Siebert Leave a comment

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

TITLE: Crime Syndicate #2
AUTHOR: Andy Schmidt
ARTISTS: Kieran McKeown, Dexter Vines (Inker), Steve Oliff (Colorist), Bryan Hitch, Alex Sinclair (Colorist), Rob Leigh (Letterer). Cover by Jim Cheung & Alejandro Sanchez.
RELEASED: April 6, 2021

So Superwoman wears open-toed shoes? That’s kinda weird. Distinct? Maybe. But still weird.

So we’ve got the Crime Syndicate going up against Starro, who was of course the Justice League’s first opponent way back in 1960’s The Brave and the Bold #28. Here’s my question: In a book full of bad guys, who am I supposed to be rooting for? Superwoman? Owlman? It just seems like everybody in this book is an evil monster. I’m kinda hoping they all just destroy each other…

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A Justice League #47 Review – Green Potato Chips and Chemicals

Rob Siebert 2 Comments

Justice League #47TITLE: Justice League #47
AUTHOR: Geoff Johns
PENCILLER: Jason Fabok
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASED: December 30, 2015

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

A lot has happened since we last checked in with Justice League. The Anti-Monitor and Darkseid fought, Darkseid died, we met the New 52 versions of Mister Miracle and Big Barda, and various members of the League were made “Justice Gods.” Batman is the God of Knowledge (and has the Mobius Chair), Superman is the God of Strength, and Shazam is the friggin’ God of Gods!

So yeah, they’re not quite themselves. Cases in point: Batman and Green Lantern are hanging out at Ace Chemicals, and Superman is trying to kill Wonder Woman. Meanwhile, Cyborg, Power Ring, Mister Miracle, and Big Barda look for answers about The Anti-Monitor from the remaining members of the Crime Syndicate of America. But a very unwelcome surprise awaits them.

Batman, Green Lantern, Justice League #47, Jason FabokJason Fabok is back on the pencil this issue after being absent for issues #45 and #46, tagging out to the awesome Francis Manapul. I’m a big Manapul fan, but this is Fabok’s story. Fabok cites Jim Lee as an influence, and that influence is evident in his work. Like Lee (who coincidentally started this series), Fabok’s art has a certain epic feel to it, which obviously makes him a great fit for this story in particular. But Fabok’s art also adds weight to quieter moments, such as the Batman/Green Lantern moment we open this issue with. Granted, the subject matter helps: Batman in the Mobius Chair, inside the chemical plant where the Joker originated. But Fabok is having a great run on Justice League, really making the most of this opportunity.

I do have one question, though. Can Green Lantern actually eat the chips in that construct (shown above)?

The early solicitations for Darkseid War indicated this event has been in the works since the first issue. Considering what we get in this issue, combined with Johns’ track record on books like Green Lantern, I believe it. This story has touched on much of the continuity the book has established, i.e. Darkseid, Lex Luthor as a member of the Justice League, and now the Crime Syndicate. I wasn’t a huge fan of Forever Evil, but it’s interesting to see these altered versions of the characters. Ultraman’s brief scene with Mister Miracle is interesting, as his body is withered away, and he’s become more of a cowardly weakling. Certainly a stark contrast to how he was when we last saw him. It’s evident the Syndicate will be playing a major role going forward. That’s a risky move, considering how crowded this story already is. But the Syndicate’s presence does have the potential up the epic factor Darkseid War is going for. And with some help from Power Ring, we do see the return of a Syndicate character I’m very happy to have back. So it’s worth a shot.

Justice League #47, Jason Fabok, Ultraman

Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth gets put over nicely in this book, as does her relationship with Superman. It’s refreshing to see how central Diana and her mythology are to this story. Darkseid’s daughter Grail is an Amazon by birth, and she apparently has plans for Steve Trevor…

I’m very grateful this book hasn’t been effected by events outside it’s own pages. For instance, we don’t have the Jim Gordon Batman, Wonder Woman doesn’t have the gaudy David Finch costume, Superman has his costume and all his powers, etc. This is a Justice League worth of something like Darkseid War.

This story seems to get bigger and bigger with each passing month. In addition to all the Justice League issues, we had the various character one-shots (most of which I skipped). A double-sized Justice League Darkseid War Special is also solicited for February. At this rate, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some sort of Crime Syndicate special also gets released. Clearly Johns needs a lot of canvas to paint his latest masterpiece. Which is fine, as long as its worth it in the end. If this issue is any indication, that is indeed the case.

Image 1 from inside pulse.com. Image 2 from comicvinecom. 

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A Supergirl: Death and the Family Review – I Was A Teenage Supergirl

Rob Siebert 2 Comments

Supergirl: Death and the FamilyTITLE: Supergirl: Death and the Family
AUTHORS: Sterling Gates, Jake Black, Helen Slater
PENCILLERS: Fernando Dagnino, Jamal Igle, Cliff Chiang. Cover by Renato Guedes.
COLLECTS: Supergirl #48-50, Supergirl Annual #1
FORMAT: Softcover
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
PRICE: $17.99
RELEASE DATE: September 15, 2010

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

The most notable thing about Supergirl: Death and the Family, is that it has Helen Slater’s name on it. Slater played the Girl of Steel in the 1984 Supergirl film. But don’t get too excited, folks. Her contribution here isn’t that notable.

The book is a little scattered in terms of it’s story. The Supergirl Annual portion kicks off with Kara trying to save two wayward Kryptonians who are stranded in a bank by the Science Police (who have been ordered to capture all Kryptonians in the wake of Codename Patriot). Kara has good intentions, but ultimately ends up making what seems to be a mistake. Then, we see the secret origin of the evil Superwoman, and her connection to Lois Lane.

Supergirl #48, Lana Lang, sicknessThe main plot thread revolves around Lana Lang’s mysteriously unidentifiable sickness, which Supergirl discovered in Friends and Fugitives. After a surprisingly well done story involving Silver Banshee and Inspector Henderson (Supergirl’s answer to Commissioner Gordon), we find out what is actually ailing our old friend Lana. And it’s…not what you’d expect. All I’m going to say is it involves insects.

Finally, we get a six-page story by Jake Black and Helen Slater, which focuses on the public’s perception of Supergirl. It features a talk show host chatting with Cat Grant, an “arts and entertainment” writer whose public distaste for Supergirl has been well documented. No offense to Slater, but my guess is Jake Black handled most of the actual writing. Black has worked on Smallville, and has a number of books for younger readers to his credit. Considering it’s only six pages long, it’s got a hefty message regarding the character. But it’s nothing overly memorable.

Supergirl #50, Helen SlaterThough Slater’s name may prompt fans to pick up the book, Sterling Gates is its real star. One thing he’s always done very well is definitively making Supergirl a teenager. Some writers tend to overlook that incredibly important element when they’re writing young hero characters (pick up any issue of Teen Titans from the past year or so and you’ll see what I mean). Kara is emotional and vulnerable, despite being able to bend steel with her bare hands. This comes off especially well in the Annual bank story. You may as well call Gates “Mr. Supergirl.”

As for the art, it’s consistently done well, but I feel prompted to praise Fernando Dagnino in particular, perhaps because he did the art on the bank story. But I can’t say anything bad about Jamal Igle or Cliff Chiang either.

In the end, though it lacks a distinct beginning-to-end plot, and the story with the most riding on it is actually kind of silly, in terms of characterization, I consider this to be good Supergirl material. In a sense, this book is like Helen Slater in Supergirl. Not incredibly memorable, and not going to win any awards. But it’s fun to look at.

No offense, Helen.

RATING: 6/10

Images 1 and 2 from comicboxcommentary.com.

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