174 Superwoman Vol 2: Rediscovery

I don't know who K Perkins is, but they should not be writing comics.  This was kind of dull, uneventful, all over the place and bad.

Superwoman Vol 2: Rediscovery

Writer: K Perkins, Phil Jimenez

Artist: Stephen Segovia, Art Thibert, Jack Herbert, Jose Luis, Ray McCarthy

DC Comics

106 Trinity Vol. 1: Better Together

On paper this is the greatest concept in comics.  Put DC's three biggest, iconic characters together in one book.  What could go wrong?

This book is beautifully illustrated.  I can't say enough nice stuff about how beautiful it is.  But other than that, it left me a little cold.  In a nutshell, it's a rehashing/sequel to Alan Moore's brilliant Black Mercy story a hundred years ago.  This story does nothing to add to it, unfortunately.  It feels like it takes more than it gives.  Been there, done that.  It would have been better if the inclusion of Poison Ivy didn't happen.  I'm still trying to wrap my head around that.  It just does not work for me.

I'm hoping volume 2 gives us a better story.

Trinity Vol. 1: Better Together

Writer: Francis Manapul

Artist: Francis Manapul, Emanuela Lupacchino, Ray McCarthy, Matt Santorelli, Clay Mann, Seth Mann

DC Comics

105 Supergirl Vol. 1: Reign Of The Cyborg Supermen

I love the comic book Supergirl.  I love the tv Supergirl.  I love Steve Orlando.  This book is all three things wrapped up on one.  What could go wrong?  Not much, but I find that I didn't love this book like I hoped I would.  First of all, I was having trouble wrapping my head around Steve Orlando writing Supergirl after his epic run on Midnighter.  How do you reconcile the two?  Answer, you don't.

The New 52 version of Supergirl was one of the few things about the New 52 that I actually liked.  At least at first.  I think Michael Green was writing the book at first (I'll need to look that up) and he gave great stories.  He understood the character.  He made the best out of an awful situation (that situation being the New 52).  This is supposed to be the same character, only the success of the Supergirl tv series meant that DC wanted to bring the character closer to that version.  I can't say that I blame them.  I'd do the same thing.  But the difference between the two is jarring.  Another volume of this book and the New 52 version will be a distant memory.

The one thing that really bothered me about this book, and it may seem nit-picky, was that the story told in here feels more like something we should get in volume 2 or 3, not volume 1.  It's way too heavy to go along with the changes to bring the book closer to the tv Supergirl.  I would have liked to have seem more of that transition and a lighter story than what was presented here.  It was too much.  

But with that said, I'm looking forward to the new direction of the book.  I hope the book just gets better from here.

Supergirl Vol. 1: Reign Of The Cyborg Supermen

Writer: Steve Orlando

Artist: Brian Ching, Emanuela Lupacchino, Ray McCarthy

DC Comics

085 Superwoman Vol 1: Who Killed Superwoman

I wanted to love this.  I wanted to love this a lot.  I didn't.  I didn't hate it.  I liked it, but I didn't love it.  Maybe part of it is I'm missing a little back story.  Superwoman got her powers when Superman died, his energy shot out and was absorbed by people.  I didn't read that book, so I don't totally get it.  I don't know if Superwoman operated in any books before this one.  If she did, it would make a little more sense to me.  If she didn't, then I think that's a loss for this book.

I wish this was the second story arc for this book.  I think the death of the Lois Superwoman would have had a bigger impact if we got a chance to know her better as Superwoman instead of a few pages.  

I didn't read the New 52 Superman books, so this version of Lana is brand new to me.  I don't know how long she and John Henry Irons have been together.  That was kind of a surprise to me.  The last I read of Lana was in the excellent Supergirl series pre-New 52.

The whole Lena Luthor plot was just too much for me.  I know it's a comic book and you have to let your disbelief go, but even this was ludicrous for me.  I don't know if it was meant as a way to write her out since the whole Rebirth thing is going on and these books are slowly supposed to right the ship.  It was just too much.

But I'm fascinated to learn more about Lana as Superwoman.  I like that she's got Superman's old red costume and power set.  I understand that Lois had to be written out, I just wish we got it a touch later than we did.

I'm anxious to see where this book goes in volume 2.  I hope I fall in as much love with the book as I am with the idea.

Superwoman Vol 1: Who Killed Superwoman?

Writer: Phil Jimenez

Artist: Phil Jimenez, Emanuela Lupacchino, Jack Herbert, Joe Prado, Matt Santorell, Ray McCarthy

DC Comics 

007 Starfire Vol 02: A Matter of Time

The good news.  It's another light-hearted, fun book.  Nothing too serious, lots of fun and adventure.  The bad news.  Although it's Starfire, it's the New 52 Starfire who is just NOT Starfire.  If this book just changed the name of the character, I would be 100% behind it.  But it stars this phony character.  Sure, I can suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy it and all, so the book isn't all bad.  Also, I have almost no working knowledge of the New 52 Starfire before this book.  I didn't read that awful looking Red Hood book, so I don't know how much this version differs from that version.  I do appreciate the costume redesign.  Still very revealing, but somehow this version seems way more modest than the last version.

I appreciate DC trying something different.  

Starfire Vol 02: A Matter of Time

Writer: Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti

Artist: Emanuela Lupacchino, Elsa Charretier, Mirco Pierfederici, Ray McCarthy, Sean Parsons

DC Comics