Cultivating new fans is a great idea, and a needed idea.  However, doing it in a way that pushes existing fans away isn’t the right approach.  Done well, attracting new fans and maintaining the interest that is already there will be a win for the character from a business standpoint.  Simply trading out fans does nothing for the character or the business.  With the current approach on Power Girl, it seems clear that the plan isn’t working.  There just isn’t the outlet for the character to be seen by this younger audience.  Not enough of them are in stores to see or hear about the character.  Word of mouth on the internet is almost all negative as well.  Without a more extensive distribution model it’s tough to get new comic fans for any character.  But, that’s a whole different problem.

Why Williams’ Power Girl Isn’t Working

     The biggest obstacle for old fans with the current comic is the overall approach. Just like the “Ric” Grayson debacle, while Kara’s history is supposedly intact, none of the substance of those stories matters.  Furthermore, that history continues to be referenced.  The blog on the DC website insists that this is the original pre-Crisis Power Girl from the original Earth-Two and it’s not the New 52 Power Girl from the New 52 Earth-2. 

     The idea of Power Girl having an identity crisis with imposter syndrome could’ve worked.  However, the way it’s being executed doesn’t.  The character’s history has to be integrated as more than just a mention.  The substance of that has to be center to the character beats of her journey.  The basic idea for this has actually already been done back in JSA: Classified #1-4 and collected in both the 2006 TPB Power Girl and the more recent Power Trip.  What she’s going through now is superfluous.  For anyone whose ready any of those previous editions, this current situation doesn’t make sense- it neither follows logically as “what comes next,” nor as a new challenge, she did this already.  And here’s why-

1. This is the original Earth-Two Power Girl and none of the substance of her previous stories is coming through in this current run, she’s being treated as a brand new character with no experience living on Earth, which is patently incorrect as demonstrated with the references to past stories and the “Everything You Wanted to Know About Power Girl But Were Afraid to Ask” on the DC website.
2. Her characterization, personality, attitude are unrecognizable as the character.  This contributes to the confusion for longtime fans and for potential new readers it’s just sort of boring, there’s nothing interesting about it.  Strange in a strange land is not a new idea, and nothing about this series provides any sort of interesting twist on it.
3. There’s no alignment with her appearances in Justice Society of America which present the Power Girl that longtime fans know and love.

     So, how could this “fish out of water” idea work for Power Girl?  The story has to connect the dots.  It has to explain how the Power Girl that’s always been around is having a new “crisis.”  Power Girl returned to continuity with the Justice Society at the end of Doomsday Clock.  This means that her history should have been returned as well.  Just as the world “remembered” the JSA and their history, as part of the JSA people would’ve remembered Power Girl as well.  That means people would’ve remembered who Karen Starr was, that she had the Starrware computer software company.  Her history was not wiped out.  The current take claims that Karen Starr is a “dead” identity, why?  Why would Karen Starr not be remembered if the rest of the JSA is remembered?  Even the “lost children,” the lost sidekicks of the Golden Age introduced in Stargirl and the Lost Children are remembered by the world once they are returned.  Judy Garrick is remembered- why not Karen Starr and her company?  For old fans to understand what’s supposed to be happening, these issues have to be resolved IN STORY.  And that’s the story that needed to be told to reintroduce Power Girl, not simply ignore the substance that had come before.  Even thinking from a business perspective, if you get new fans that get older trades with the character, she’s not going to be recognizable- her personality, attitude and characterization are a complete 180 degree opposite of how she’s always been portrayed.

What Could’ve Worked…

     The story that should’ve been told should’ve looked something like this…

     Power Girl retuned with the JSA at the end of Doomsday Clock, but unlike the JSA, no one remembered Power Girl.  Maybe because she was a holdover from the original Earth-Two, her history was not remembered.  This would’ve provided the opportunity to do the “stranger in a strange land” type of story.  She really would’ve felt like an imposter because NO ONE would’ve known who she was.  Except maybe the Psycho-Pirate as the ONLY character who remembered the Multiverse before Crisis on Infinite Earths. (Although this is part of the story told in the aforementioned JSA: Classified).

      This doesn’t mean changing her personality would’ve worked, though she could be more vulnerable.  Nor would she have not known what it was like to live as a human on Earth.  However, it allows for a story to be told about a Power Girl that doesn’t have a viable identity, a Power Girl that doesn’t know how she fits in on this earth, despite having the memories that prove she already lived here.  Maybe she would’ve sought out the original Earth-Two.  Maybe she would’ve joined the JSA at this point…maybe Huntress would’ve sought her out and that would’ve connected to Power Girl’s memories of the original Earth-Two Huntress who was her best friend? 

Where Is Editorial?

     The real problem is that Leah Williams has admitted that she didn’t know much about the character and couldn’t possibly have developed this type of story because she didn’t know enough to know that something like what I’ve suggested matters.  Editorial clearly doesn’t care, otherwise Williams stories would not have appeared as they have.  As they are they are a complete non sequitur.  They don’t follow from what’s come before either narratively or as a logical step in character development. 

     For a great character like Power Girl, it’s a shame and disappointment to see such an utter failure both creatively and financially.  The existing Power Girl audience hasn’t been run off entirely, yet.  Can we course correct and get a great Power Girl comic on the stand, soon?

The post The Return of Power Girl…How Leah Williams’ Take Could’ve Made Sense appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Tim Sheridan
Art: Cian Tormey with Jordi Tarragona
Colors: Matt Herms 
Letters: Lucas Gattoni

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

With the help of the Justice Society of America, Alan Scott, the Green Lantern defeats his lover and nemesis, the Red Lantern.  But, does he really believe Red Lantern is the villain?

Positives

 There’s a theme that Sheridan develops in this series that he brings around for this conclusion in Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #6.  The importance of Alan being gay is a believable through line for the series.  From a storytelling perspective it’s solid.  It works in the sense that the purpose of the series was to tell Alan Scott’s story since being retconned to being a member of the LGBTQ community.  Sheridan effectively demonstrates this in the conclusion as the plot points strewn about in the first five issues do in fact come together.

Cian Tormey’ art is effective and does its job.  There are some nice moments as he has a wide array of emotions to communicate throughout the ups and downs of this final issue.  Also, we finally get an appearance of Obsidian which confirms he and his sister, Jade are still part of continuity.

Negatives

The single biggest negative about this series and its culmination in Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #6, is how it devalues Alan Scott as the first Green Lantern.  Alan faces off with Johnny Ladd/ Vladimir Sokov/ Red Lantern who turns out to be more experienced, more effective and more knowledgeable about how to use will power to manipulate the Lantern flame.  He understands the Green and Red flames are related and he teaches Alan how to use will power to make the power in Alan’s ring do what he wants it to do.  For a series that should be all about how important Alan is, this aspect of the story does the exact opposite.  Alan may be the first Green Lantern, but the story that Sheridan gives us makes Alan second fiddle to Johnny/ Vlad.  It certainly comes across that Alan couldn’t have become a powerful, effective and iconic hero without Johnny/ Vlad’s instruction.  This actually lessens Alan’s importance of being the first, because now he really isn’t the first.  It also calls into question Alan’s willpower. 

Sheridan also adds aspects to Alan’s past that detract from what should be a heroic characterization.  In issue #3 we see Alan visit prostitutes.  In issue #1 we learn he had to be blackmailed into joining the Justice Society of America.  He’s also blackmailed into sex acts with J. Edgar Hoover.  While these may fit the narrative of a gay man in the 1940’s, they don’t fit the idea of an iconic DC Comics hero or a character known for willpower.  In this sense, Sheridan is more interested in writing a gay character as opposed to Alan Scott who’s existed for over 80 years and who’s never demonstrated these character traits.

Negatives Cont’d

Additionally, his love for Johnny/ Vlad seems to blind Alan to Vlad’s crimes, he even tells Vlad this as he suggests to Vlad how he can escape from the American authorities.  This is a very strange and troubling turn.  It also calls into his willpower.  Is he really unable to use that willpower to overcome his emotions and see Vlad/ Johnny for who he really is and that he’s held for his crimes?

Sheridan presents the idea that Alan’s willpower comes from his strength of being a gay man.  It seems that only by having to face the struggles of being a gay man in the ‘40’s was he able to develop his willpower.  As stated above, however, the importance of this willpower comes from Johnny/ Vlad.  This also indicates that without Johnny/ Vlad he wouldn’t have had the willpower to be able to get up every day and live his life.  He calls out Hoover who he knows hides the same secret:

“As if you Mr. Hoover, don’t know what it takes to live a secret life.  The exhausting amount of energy, of willpower to wake up every day, put on the suit, and quietly go to work for a world, that if they knew who you woke up next to would turn its back or worse- wait till you turn yours and pull the trigger.” 

He tells off Hoover and is able to free himself from the threat of blackmail.  The story demonstrates that it’s all due to Johnny/ Vlad instead of anything intrinsic in his own character.  We see that he doesn’t even know that willpower controls the power in the ring.

Negatives Cont’d

In the first five issues, Tim Sheridan goes to great lengths to show the reader what life for a gay man in the 1940’s is like.  A lot of these moments are sobering and effective.  Along the way, it’s not hard to see Alan as a different iteration of the Golden Age Green Lantern.  It’s easy to imagine that this Alan wouldn’t marry Rose Canton and have kids with her.  It’s easy to imagine that he wouldn’t marry Molly Mayne in their twilight years.  Alan isn’t questioning.  We’ve seen, in no uncertain terms, this series has shown not only is Alan gay, but he KNOWS he gay.  He’s accepted himself, it’s not an easy life but he knows what it takes to live this secret life.  Unfortunately, at the end of Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #6,  Sheridan pivots and drops the ball by trying to fit in Alan’s relationships with women.  It comes off as editorial interference and something that wasn’t part of Sheridan’s plan for the character.  This series would’ve been much stronger had Sheridan not connected the dots and Alan’s past no longer included Rose, Molly and his children.   It would’ve served the story AND character MUCH better.

This is potentially the most compelling aspect of Alan’s new history, especially considering the strength with which Sheridan has developed the importance of Alan being gay.  Sheridan throws Rose and Molly in almost as an afterthought.  It appears to only be there because it has to be.  Ultimately, it isn’t explained satisfactorily and it actually calls into more questions about Alan’s character. 

Despite all we’ve seen in the first five issues and parts of #6 that all that reinforcement of Alan sexuality…he still likes women?  Despite reinforcement of the importance of Alan’s willpower he still has relationships with women…KNOWING he’s gay?  Wasn’t the point of this series to show Alan’s recontextualized history as a gay man?

This means that Alan has misrepresented himself and lied to these women.  This is a huge problem for his characterization.  It doesn’t fit the actions of a hero, nor does it reflect the abilities of someone who relies on willpower to accomplish his super-heroing.  It leaves him a mess.

Finally, there’s a bizarre time travel bit in which Alan leaves a letter for himself to read that he’s written in the future.  It adds nothing to the issue or the series and comes off as a reminder for Sheridan himself that he’s loved.  The content of the letter does something truly strange as it reinforces the importance of the love of his biological children, something completely incongruous with a man living a gay lifestyle.  It’s not clear what should be taken from this.  It further muddles the waters…is he saying, even though you know you’re gay you’ve got to trick a woman into having your children?  The more I think about it the worse it gets.

Verdict

Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #6, like the entire series, is uneven.  There are moments that really work and are quite compelling, but it all seems to be in service to retconning Alan’s sexuality as opposed to be in service of Alan as a heroic character.  Sheridan tries to get the reader there, but the end is just unsatisfying in almost every way.  If he’s supposed to be bi-sexual that’s a different story….  If he’s a gay man with a strong will power to live his life as he is then why would he lie and misrepresent himself to women?  It’s not heroic, it’s not…nice….  It highlights how forced changing Alan’s sexuality is.  It feels like DC wants to have its cake and eat it too.  The character ends up being weaker for it.

The post Review: Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #6 appeared first on DC Comics News.

This version known to fans as the “Retro-boot” Legion can be seen on the cover of the forthcoming Justice Society of America #11.  Due out on July 24, 2024, this Legion can be seen fighting the JSA.  Cover artist Mikel Janin shared the cover on Twitter/ X after the solicit for issue #12 was released.

Foremost, demonstrating that this is the “Retro-boot” Legion are the depictions of Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl.  They appear as they did when the “Retro-boot” Legion was “reintroduced” back in “The Lightning Saga.”  Amongst others are Dawnstar, Ultra Boy and Cosmic Boy in their “Retro-boot” character designs.

The Legion of Super-Heroes has been plagued with reboots both total and soft ever since the Crisis on Infinite Earths back in 1985.  The Crisis reorganized the DC Universe, part of which eliminated Superman’s time as Superboy and thus his time with the Legion of Super-Heroes.  After a “pocket universe” story that fixed this paradox the Legion continued for about five years.  It then relaunched with a “5 years later” storyline that took the once bright and hopeful future in a darker direction.  This led to a couple soft reboots of Legion history along the way.  With the Zero Hour event in 1994 the Legion completely rebooted.  The Legion would again reboot in 2004.  Finally, the classic Legion returned in the aforementioned “Lightning Saga” in 2007.  This time, the Legion history picked up from the pre-Crisis Legion continuity and restoring Superman’s time with the Legion as Superboy.  This Legion would continue up through Flashpoint and into The New 52.  Just before Flashpoint they were appearing in their own title as well as the relaunched Adventure Comics.  It seemed like a new golden age for the team.  However, sales were not enough to sustain the title far into the New 52.

The Legion was set to return during “Rebirth” within the pages of Doomsday Clock.  A young and classic Saturn Girl was a large part of it until the team finally returned at the end of the 12-issue series.  Instead of a classic Legion returning it was Bendis’ new Legion.  It’s still my opinion that the delays on Doomsday Clock were mostly due to Gary Frank having to redraw the classic Legion as Bendis’ Legion.

It’s possible that the Legion on the cover of Justice Society of America #11 is just a ruse, but there has been another reference to classic Legion lore in “House of Brainiac.”  Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) mentions that once upon a future she was very close to a Brainiac.  Pre-Crisis, Kara and Brainiac 5 were a romantic pairing.  Brainiac 5 was devastated when she died in Crisis on Infinite Earths.  taken together, this reference and the cover to Justice Society of America #11 indicate that this is not just a one-of situation.  With the impending fall of the United Planets in Green Lantern we only need Jon to go back to being 13 and DC can finally be rid of the plague that was Brian Michael Bendis.

The post Are the Classic Legion of Super-Heroes About to Make a Comeback? appeared first on DC Comics News.

You can check out the official press release below for all the details.

The Epic Saga Concludes with Part Three of the

Highly Anticipated Trilogy!

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three   

Available exclusively on Digital on July 16

4K UHD in limited edition steelbook packaging and Blu-ray arriving on July 23

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Trilogy also available exclusively on Digital on July 16

BURBANK, CA (May 7, 2024) – Based on DC’s iconic comic book limited series ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, join DC Super Heroes from across the multiverse in the action-packed conclusion of the three-part DC animated film Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three. The eagerly awaited film brings to a close the thrilling trilogy that marks the end to the Tomorrowverse story arc.

Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, the all-new, action-packed DC animated film features some of DC’s most famous Super Heroes from multiple universes including Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, who come together to stop an impending threat of doom and destruction. Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three will be available to purchase exclusively on digital on July 16 and on 4K UHD in limited edition steelbook packaging and Blu-ray on July 23.

Fans of this superhero adventure will also be able to indulge in a range of bonus features including interviews with the filmmakers on how they created a comprehensive universe across seven films.

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One and Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Two are currently available on Digital, 4K UHD and Blu-ray. 

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three features returning popular voice cast members: Jensen Ackles (Supernatural, The Boys, The Winchesters) as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Emmy winner Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Glee) as Superman & Earth-2 Superman, Aldis Hodge (Straight Outta Compton, Black Adam) as Green Lantern/John Stewart, Meg Donnelly (Legion of Super-Heroes, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,) as Supergirl & Harbinger, and Stana Katic (Castle, Absentia) as Wonder Woman & Superwoman, along with Corey Stoll (Ant-Man, Black Mass) as Lex Luthor.

The star-studded ensemble voice cast also includes Gideon Adlon as Batgirl, Ike Amadi as Martian Manhunter/J’Onn J’Onzz, Geoffrey Arend as Psycho Pirate/Charles Halstead, Troy Baker as The Joker & Spider Guild Lantern, Brian Bloom as Adam Strange & Sidewinder, Matt Bomer as The Flash, Ashly Burch as Nightshade & Queen Mera, Zach Callison as Earth-2 Robin & Robin/Damian Wayne, Kevin Conroy as Earth-12 Batman, Alexandra Daddario as Lois Lane, Brett Dalton as Bat Lash & Captain Atom, John Dimaggio as Lobo, Ato Essandoh as Mr. Terrific, Keith Ferguson as Doctor Fate & Two-Face, Will Friedle as Batman Beyond & Kamandi, Jennifer Hale as Hippolyta & Green Lantern Aya, Mark Hamill as Earth-12 The Joker, Jamie Gray Hyder as Hawkgirl & Young Diana, Erika Ishii as Doctor Light/Dr. Hoshi & Huntress, David Kaye as The Question & Cardonian Lantern, Matt Lanter as Blue Beetle, Liam McIntryre as Aquaman, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams as Dr. Beth Chapel & The Cheetah, Lou Diamond Phillips as The Spectre, Elysia Rotaru as Black Canary & Black Canary II, Matt Ryan as Constantine, Katee Sackhoff as Poison Ivy, Keesha Sharp as Vixen, Jimmi Simpson as Green Arrow, Jason Spisak as Blue Lantern Razer & Hayseed, Armen Taylor as The Flash/Jay Garrick, Gas Soldier & Executioner, and Dean Winters as Captain Storm.

Justice League Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three is produced by Jim Krieg and Kimberly S. Moreau and executive produced by Butch Lukic, Sam Register, and Michael Uslan. The film is directed by Jeff Wamester from a script by Jim Krieg. Casting and voice direction is by Wes Gleason. The film is based on characters from DC and the graphic novel “Crisis on Infinite Earths” by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez

Justice League Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three will be available on July 16 to purchase digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. On July 23 the film will be available to purchase on 4K Ultra HD in limited edition steelbook packaging and Blu-ray Discs online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy now.

Additionally, the Justice League Crisis on Infinite Earths Trilogy will be available on July 16 to purchase digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more, and features an exclusive special feature – An Epic Challenge: Crisis in Comics and Animation.

SYNOPSIS:

Now fully revealed as the ultimate threat to existence, the ANTI-MONITOR wages an unrelenting attack on the surviving Earths that struggle for survival in a pocket universe. One-by-one, these worlds and all their inhabitants are vaporized! On the planets that remain, even time itself is shattered and heroes from the past join the Justice League and their rag-tag allies against the epitome of evil. But as they make their last stand, will the sacrifice of the superheroes be enough to save us all?​

SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three – Physical and Digital

• A Multiverse of Inspiration
• Jon and John: Stewart and Constantine

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Trilogy (Digital only)

• An Epic Challenge: Crisis in Comics and Animation

PRICING AND FILM INFORMATION

Justice League Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three

PRODUCT                                                                             SRP

Digital purchase                                                                      $19.99

4K Ultra HD Steelbook + Digital Version*                           $47.99 USA

4K Ultra HD Steelbook                                                          $54.99 Canada

Blu-ray + Digital Version*                                                     $29.98 USA

Blu-ray                                                                                    $39.99 Canada

Justice League Crisis on Infinite Earths Trilogy

PRODUCT                                                                             SRP

Digital purchase                                                                      $39.99

4K/Blu-ray Languages: English, Spanish, French

Blu-ray Subtitles: English, Spanish, Dutch, French

Running Time: 98:06

Rated PG-13 for some violence and language.

*Digital version not available in Canada

About DC

DC, part of Warner Bros. Discovery, creates iconic characters and enduring stories and is one of the world’s largest publishers of comics and graphic novels. DC’s creative work entertains audiences of every generation around the world with DC’s stories and characters integrated across Warner Bros. Discovery’s film, television, animation, consumer products, home entertainment, games, and themed experiences divisions, and on the DC Universe Infinite digital comic subscription service. Learn more at DC.com

DC LOGO, JUSTICE LEAGUE and all related characters and elements © & ^TM DC. Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Three, Package Design & Supplementary Material Compilation © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved.

About Warner Bros. Animation

Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) is one of the leading producers of animation in the entertainment industry, producing and developing projects for multiple platforms, both domestically and internationally. WBA’s current series include Batman: Caped Crusader, Bat- Family, Batwheels, Bugs Bunny Builders, Creature Commandos, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Harley Quinn, Jellystone!, Kite-Man: Hell Yeah!, Looney Tunes Cartoons, Merry Little Batman, My Adventures with Superman, Teen Titans Go!, Tiny Toons Looniversity, and Velma. The studio is currently in production on two feature films – The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie and the upcoming original anime feature film, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim with New Line Cinema.  WBA’s full-length theatrical film, Teen Titans GO! to the Movies, was released in summer 2018. As home to the iconic animated characters from the DC, Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Looney Tunes libraries, WBA also produces highly successful animated films — including the DC Universe Movies — for DVD, Blu-ray^® and digital media. One of the most-honored animation studios in history, WBA has won six Academy Awards®, 40 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, a BAFTA Children’s Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, the HUMANITAS Prize, two Prism Awards and 21 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).

About Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment (WBDHE) distributes the award-winning movies, television, animation, and digital content produced by Warner Bros. Discovery to the homes and screens of millions through physical Blu-ray Disc and DVD retail sales and digital transactions on major streaming, video-on-demand cable, satellite, digital, and mobile channels.  WBDHE is part of Warner Bros. Discovery Content Sales, one of the world’s largest distributors of entertainment programming.

The post Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earths – Part 3 Set To Release In July appeared first on DC Comics News.

Gunn recently took to Threads to share this image. It shows Superman sitting in a chair pulling on his classic red boots preparing to battle whatever is happening outside his window. Could this also be a tease for another villain (maybe Brainiac)? Only time will tell.

Check out the image below and let us know what you think.

 

Post by @jamesgunn

View on Threads

 

Superman stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Maria Gabriela de Faria as The Engineer, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Milly Alcock as Supergirl, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, Terence Rosemore as Otis, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonathan Kent, and Neva Howell as Martha Kent.

Superman will hit theaters on July 11, 2025.

The post James Gunn Reveals First Look At David Corenswet As Superman appeared first on DC Comics News.

Writer: James Tynion IV
Artists: Lisandro Estherren, Patricio Delpeche
Color Artist: Patricio Delpeche
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Text Page Designer (Thessaly Special): AndWorld Design

Reviewed by Steve J. Ray

Summary

The second volume of James Tynion IV’s take on The Sandman Universe, Nightmare Country: The Glass House is finally here!

This gorgeous hardcover edition includes all six chapters of The Glass House and the one-shot Thessaly special. The dust jacket art, featuring the Corinthian, and the main cover, with the King of Pain, are both by Reiko Murakami. Also collected are all the main and variant covers.

New York artist, Madison Flynn, has been murdered by the re-animated corpse of her best friend, Kelly (AKA “Kells”). Now, the reborn Corinthian, along with Madison’s spirit, are both on the trail of the deadly duo behind Kelly’s murder, Mr. Agony and Mr. Ecstasy.

The two rogue nightmares killed Madison, and others because they could see a new nightmare, The Smiling Man, during waking hours. More troubling still, this nightmare was seemingly not a creation of Dream. To add even more fuel to the fire, it seems that Agony and Ecstasy had been commissioned to commit these murders by Desire, Dream’s younger sibling and frequent adversary.

Madison has been granted new flesh by Death of The Endless, at her brother Dream’s behest. Neither one seems to know of Desire’s involvement at this moment in time.

Positives

Nightmare Country‘s back! Thankfully Lisandro Estherren, Patricio Delpeche, and Simon Bowland have returned, alongside James Tynion. This issue cleverly picks up exactly where volume one left off, adding new characters to the tale and, by the end of the book, bringing back yet another huge presence from Neil Gaiman’s original Sandman run. We also meet another old “friend” from the classic “The Doll’s House” saga, again.

There are still people out there who have also seen The Smiling Man, and we can only wonder how long it will be before Agony and Ecstasy will be on their trail. Add a whole ton of supernatural intrigue, clubs that no one should want to be a member of, and the return of Kells, and this is one super-loaded graphic novel!

It may be hard to believe, but the art and colors by Lisandro and Patricio have actually improved since volume one. This book looks amazing, and Madison’s new form made me very happy indeed. The nods to the first arc are wonderful, and the love for the entire Sandman Universe, as created by Neil Gaiman, is palpable.

Simon Bowland also continues to impress with his letters, particularly when they clearly differentiate humans from angels, demons, and Endless.

James Tynion is sick, twisted, and terrifying. Great work, sir… keep it up. The saga of Kels and Max is as dark a love story as I could ever dream of and features a set of circumstances beyond my wildest imaginings. How does he even think this stuff up? Kelly’s just the sweetest… entity/ghost/spirit and I’m sure the undead deserve love too, right? Of course, when her beau, Max, discovers who she was and what she did; cats, pigeons, cans, and worms will be all over the place.

Kelly’s one of the residents of “The King Of Pain”, a nightclub that links our plane to Hell itself. This is the place where the richest, and those in their employ, can cater to all their most twisted needs and desires… or should that be Desires? Of course, we now know that Agony and Ecstasy, the evil duo who killed Kelly and forced her to kill Madison, were working for Desire of The Endless, one of the younger siblings of Destiny, Death, and Dream.

The addition of Thessaly as a main character opens up a world of storytelling possibilities that this exceptional creative team is grasping with both hands and running with.

Never in my wildest imaginings could I ever have believed that love between an undead girl and a mortal man could feel beautiful and real, but Max and Kells are so brilliantly written and drawn that I can’t help but root for them. Thessaly has always been infuriating, and now that she knows who’s been pulling the strings, even hers (from waaay back in the original Sandman series) I know that sparks are going to fly. Will she and Daniel’Dream cross paths?

Seeing Azazel, The King Of Pain, Dream, and his siblings in this book always makes me happy, so this book ticked a lot of boxes.

The creeping horror continues to unnerve and disturb, in the most delicious and entertaining ways. Is the Corinthian going to revert to type? Is he really working with Madison and Dream, or with the demon Azazel? Knowing the mind of James Tynion, I think we’ll get an answer somewhere between those two extremes that will both surprise and delight us.

All the breadcrumbs James Tynion’s been dropping since Nightmare Country volume one are starting to bear fruit, including the huge bombshell that closed the story. Dream has become embroiled in the events occurring in this series, so I can’t wait to witness the fireworks when he discovers that, once again, one of his younger siblings is neck-deep in the whole mess. In fact, it looks like they’re the one who’s behind the whole scenario.

I’ve been following Dream and his siblings since day one, so seeing them honored and homaged in great new comics makes me very happy indeed.

The secret of the Smiling Man has haunted readers for close to two years now and the story of Madison Flynn has been a source of terror and delight the entire time. Seeing her, The Corinthian, Max, and Kells get swept upon by a wave of demons, serial killers and the whims of The Endless has made this series feel closer to Gaiman’s classic than any other spin-off/follow-up that’s come before.

The power that Dream displays in this collection is nothing short of awesome. The way he handles both his creations and his various enemies is unbelievable. Tynion’s take on Daniel is perfect; he’s got the will and determination of Morpheus, but an edge and confidence that the original Dream never possessed.

First, let me say straight off the bat, that Thessaly is a horrible person. However, she’s a fascinating, deep, and extremely complex character. I’ve followed her story since her first appearance in issue #32 of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman (1991). She’s gone from being a terrifying, bigoted, and ultra-powerful witch in “A Game Of You“, to Dream’s lover, magical avenger, and force of nature in her more recent appearances.

James Tynion has a real grasp on the character and is finally showing us her past in Nightmare Country: The Glass House. By doing so, he lets us see some of the moments that made and forged her. The brilliant part is that all of this fits in with what we’ve already seen of her over the decades, honoring what her creator has already told us about her while adding more flesh to the bones of her history. I must also laud the way James creates new side characters that I immediately fall in love with. They’re all so flawed, human, and real!

Maria Lovet is a wonderful artist who gives readers a Thessaly as great as the one drawn by her co-creator, the inimitable Colleen Doran. The art in the chapter starring Thessaly is gorgeous; simple, clean, atmospheric, and, dare I say it, magical. This great story works both as a follow-up to The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country #6 and as a chapter in the ongoing saga of Madison Flynn.

Yes, the writing, art, and Simon Bowland’s lettering in this book are (as always) first-rate, but I think I need to name guest creators AndWorld Design (AKA Deron Bennett) as the MVP of Thessaly’s tale.

I love experimental comics, and DC has been spoiling us recently with issues that tell a story as one continuous 20-page image, an entire story seen from one character’s POV, and the incomparable DC Black Label horror series, The Nice House On The Lake (also written by James Tynion). This chapter contains entire pages dedicated to text and art that are so seamlessly intertwined, that the reader’s left wondering whether the artist, colorist, or letterer was responsible for the final result. With this story, I finally have my answer.

The tale features several text pages, but they’re so lovely to look at that you’d be completely justified in calling them works of art. Some look like ancient scrolls, others like pages from a storybook, and yet others like a movie script (the scroll pages are featured below).

AndWorld didn’t just letter these pages. No. Just like the way they did in TNHOTL they imagined and executed the designs, created the textures, and provided the color. As usual, I’ve been left in awe. I cannot understand people who don’t see comics as true literature or art, because, for me, they’re the perfect marriage of both.

Negatives

How long until the final volume? Aaaaarrrrgggghhhh!

Verdict

The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country: The Glass House closes with style and power. James Tynion’s foray into Neil Gaiman’s world of dreams and nightmares has never disappointed, and with the final act of this incredible dark fantasy/horror coming in 2024, a clash between Dream and Desire (and possibly Despair too, if the cover for the final chapter’s anything to go by) is edging ever closer.

A war is coming, and I can’t wait. The final chapters of this tale are tantalizingly close, but still just beyond our reach. I will wait, however impatiently, as I know what’s coming will deliver a story for the ages. This book gives readers the perfect close to this arc while leaving us all begging for more. Like the winter season itself, the wait will be a long, cold one… but one I believe will ultimately be worth it.

I’ll see you all again in dreams.

Review Copy Courtesy of Penguin Random House. Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment.

The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country: The Glass House Collected Edition is available now from all good book and comic retailers: ISBN 9781779520722

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Sneak Peek: DC Pride 2024

“You’re going to find them. Those magical places you long for.”

DC’s comics are as vast, varied, and fantastic as the incredible and weird locations found across DC’s cosmos, and DC’s Eisner and Ringo award-winning Pride comic book anthology returns on May 28 as a universe-spanning travelogue like you’ve never seen! With over 100 pages of original stories and content, DC Pride 2024 will immerse readers into the magical places surrounding DC’s Super Heroes.

Previewed below, DC Pride 2024 includes an excerpt from DC’s upcoming The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley graphic novel (by Melissa Marr, Jenn St-Onge, Jeremy Lawson and Lucas Gattoni); pinups by artists Robin “Zombie” Higginbottom, Chloe Brailsford, Ego Rodriguez, Helen Mask, Valentine Smith and Bailie Rosenlund; an unmissable autobiographical story written by industry legend Phil Jimenez about the fantastical worlds that shaped him, brought to life by Giulio Macaione and Frank Cvetkovic; pages highlighting the LGBTQIA+ resources partners that DC and Warner Bros. Discovery work with, and more.

"Hello, Spaceboy" by Al Ewing (writer), Stephen Byrne (artist), and Aditya Bidikar (letterer)

"The Rivers and the Lakes That You're Used To" by Ngozi Ukazu (writer & artist) and Lucas Gattoni (letterer)

"Marasmius" by Gretchen Felker-Martin (writer), Claire Roe (artist), Triona Farrell (colorist) and Aditya Bidikar (letterer)

"Steeling Time" by Jamila Rowser (writer), Oneilljones (artist) and Jodie Troutman (letterer)

"Bros Down in A-Town" by Jarrett Williams (writer), D.J. Kirkland (artist) and Lucas Gattoni (letterer)

"Lessons in Astral Projection" by Nicole Maines (writer), Jordan Gibson (artist) and Ariana Maher (letterer)

"Phantom Rodeo" by Calvin Kasulke (writer), Len Gogou (artist), Marissa Louise (colorist) and Morgan Martinez (letterer)

"The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley" by Melissa Marr (writer), Jenn St-Onge (artist), Jeremy Lawson (colorist) and Lucas Gattoni (letterer)

"Spaces" by Phil Jimenez (writer), Giulio Macaione (artist) and Frank Cvetkovic (letterer)

DC Pride 2024 #1, DC’s annual anthology containing all-new stories spotlighting LGBTQIA+ fan favorites, will publish on May 28. The 104-page Prestige format comic will feature a main cover by Kevin Wada, an open-to-order wraparound variant cover by David Talaski, foil and card stock variants by Babs Tarr, and Wada’s main cover offered as a 1:25 card stock variant. And don’t miss the rest of DC’s amazing DC Pride 2024 covers, on sale in June!

DC Pride 2024 cover by Kevin Wada

DC Pride 2024 variant cover by Babs Tarr

For more information about DC Pride 2024 and more, visit the DC website at www.dc.com and follow DC on social media at @DCOfficial. Fans can also celebrate DC Pride and read comics featuring LGBTQIA+ characters online by visiting the DC Universe Pride hub page on DC Universe Infinite, DC’s premium digital comic book service. New titles are added every month, and a selection of free-to-read titles will be featured for registered users during Pride!

Stay tuned for more Pride announcements from DC and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products between now and June, including more details on DC Pride: A Celebration of Rachel Pollack and DC Pride: Uncovered! DC’s 2024 Pride collection of books and comics will be available at your local comic book shop, bookstore, library, and beyond.

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You can check out all the details below!

Bestselling Author Rainbow Rowell Makes Her DC Debut

Rainbow Rowell and Cian Tormey make news with Lois Lane this summer!

New York Times bestselling author Rainbow Rowell makes her DC debut this July in Action Comics, delivering a story with artist Cian Tormey! Together they’ll take on the most powerful woman in Superman’s life…Lois Lane! Rowell and Tormey’s story will run in the pages of Action Comics #1067-1069, paired with a lead story by Gail Simone and Eddy Barrows.

“As a former newspaper reporter, I’ve always had a soft spot for Daily Planet stories,” shared Rowell. “I love that Clark Kent is Superman and also a working journalist—and that it isn’t just dusty backstory. It’s a real facet of his character. I love that Clark met Lois in the newsroom, and that they still work there together. (This is so realistic, I swear.) I really like it when comic book romances last…There’s a lot of story to tell after two people say yes to each other. So—even though I was a little nervous about diving into the DC Universe—I couldn’t resist the chance to write a love story that is also a newsroom story, and still a superhero story.”

“The story that Rainbow and I are telling is about Lois finding her strength, with Clark supporting her as she becomes stronger in her convictions,” added Tormey. “He sees her finding her courage in a new role, her sense of responsibility for everyone—a gentle reminder for Clark of how far he has come, and how far all of us who are not blessed with superpowers can go when faced with adversity.”

“I’ve just seen the first of Cian Tormey’s pages, and I think people are going to adore his take on Lois and Clark,” continued Rowell. “Cian’s work has a timeless quality that’s perfect for this relationship.”

Rainbow Rowell fell in love with superhero comics in junior high. She’s written two Eisner-nominated series, Runaways and She-Hulk, and the bestselling graphic novel Pumpkinheads, and is working on the manga adaptation of her novel Fangirl. She is best known for her prose novels, including #1 bestsellers Eleanor & Park and the Simon Snow Trilogy. This is Rainbow’s first work for DC.

Cian Tormey is an Irish illustrator and a graduate of the National College of Art and Design in Dublin. He currently lives in Valencia, Spain, and has been the artist for DC’s Injustice: Year Zero, Alan Scott: The Green Lantern, Nightwing, Batgirl, the GLAAD Media Award-nominated Superman: Son of Kal-El, Marvel’s Darkhold, and more.

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“SUPERMAN AND THE CHALLENGE FROM THE STARS”!

SUPERMAN FIGHTS FOR TWO WORLDS!

Gail Simone Returns to Superman, Joined by Superstar Artist Eddy Barrows, for a New Three-Part Action Comics Arc Taking Place at the Beginning of the Man of Steel’s Super Hero Career!

DC’s 2024 Superman Superstars initiative within their Superman line of comics will continue from July to September with the all-star pairing of Gail Simone and Eddy Barrows announced as the next creative team on Action Comics, telling a new Superman story taking place at the beginning of the Man of Steel’s action-packed career. Simone and Barrows’s story, “Superman and the Challenge from the Stars,” follows arcs from Jason Aaron and John Timms (“I, Bizarro”) and Joshua Williamson and Rafa Sandoval (“House of Brainiac”).

“I love the classic Superman cast, and this story is deliberately meant to echo my all-time favorite Superman time period,” said Simone. “We didn’t want to tell a quiet story of Superman in a diner; we wanted to have a massive threat, a war taking place all over the world, and only Superman could possibly protect his adopted planet. It is unapologetically huge in scope and fun as hell, with one of the best art teams I’ve ever worked with…Eddy Barrows, Danny Miki, and Rex Lokus on colors!”

The first of Simone and Barrows’s three issues kicks off when a massively powerful alien race makes Earth their arena. Superman, DC’s Man of Steel, must stand alone against impossible challenges that threaten locations all around the world and the lives of those he loves. Action Comics #1067 begins a not-to-be missed epic tale of Superman’s strength, wit, and resourcefulness in an early stage of his public career!

“For me talking about Action Comics is something that goes beyond the title itself,” shared Barrows. “I remember when I was 7 years old, I was playing on the sidewalk, and suddenly I was run over by a truck, right there. I spent 3 days fighting for my life, and during that whole year that followed I remained in bed, doing lots of physiotherapy, lots of meds and exams. Going to the doctors was a very regular thing. And it was during that time that Superman came to my life, reading Action Comics. Kal-El became a good friend of mine, making my days better. His adventures and his behavior were things that stuck with me! Reading his stories were the highlight of my days, for a 7-year-old recovering from an accident like I was. Back then I wouldn’t have imagined that one day I would be helping to build his legacy: illustrating his stories. The stories of my all-time favorite superhero… SUPERMAN!”

Action Comics #1067, #1068, and #1069 (July, August, and September) will be written by Gail Simone with art by Eddy Barrows, Danny Miki, Rex Lokus and Dave Sharpe.

Action Comics #1067 will have a main cover by Eddy Barrows, Danny Miki, and Tomeu Morey, and will also carry variant covers by Wes Craig, Pablo Villalobos, and Ben Oliver (1:25), on sale Wednesday, July 10. The main Eddy Barrows cover will also be released as a foil variant cover.

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DC’s Award-Winning The Nice House on the Lake Continues with The Nice House by the Sea

James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno’s episodic comic book horror returns this summer with a second cycle, set at an idyllic coastal retreat

No one who was invited to the House by the Sea knew Max—but she knew each and every one of them. Masters of their fields, titans of industry and knowledge, they all represented the best and brightest of humanity. The cast of DC’s The Nice House by the Sea, a second 12-issue comic book season launching on Wednesday July 24 by acclaimed The Nice House on the Lake creators James Tynion IV, Álvaro Martínez Bueno, Jordie Bellaire and Andworld Design, includes the Doctor, the Writer, the Historian, the Actor, the Artist, the Priest, the Scientist, the Singer, the Politician, and the Mathematician. This time, they’re all strangers. And they’re at the House by the Sea by choice.

“The people in this house do not like each other,” shared Tynion. “They don’t want to spend time with each other. There have been some weak bonds that have formed over time, but none of them are particularly affectionate toward each other. This is a house of strangers and tension much more than a house of friendship, and we’re going to see the way that guilt, boredom, and loneliness has twisted each of them.”

When Max whispered to each of them the truth of what they deserved—to be saved from disaster, to carry on the flame of civilization in a paradise built just for them—they all leaped at the chance. Why not? Why shouldn’t they be the ones to live forever? Isn’t it their destiny to survive the culling of the lesser herd? Wouldn’t being named the future of humanity be…nice?

“Unlike our lake house, everyone in The Nice House By The Sea accepted the deaths of all their friends, family, and loved ones,” continued Tynion. “They accepted the eradication of the human race and their selection as the last humans that will ever exist. It’s a truth some of them think they can live with, but the way they are living with it is by never, ever looking at it.”

With the Eisner Award-winning The Nice House on the Lake, honored as Best New Series by the prestigious Angoulême International Comics Festival, James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno shocked the comics industry and unleashed a classic of contemporary horror by focusing on the overriding anxieties of the 21st century…and no matter what you might think is coming next, you aren’t ready for their second act!

“I’m working with one of the best creative teams in comics right now,” added Martínez Bueno. “We’re doubling the stakes we placed three years ago and we’re pushing The Nice House on the Lake in new directions while holding together the core of what makes the project so exciting. The challenge of creating the new cast, the new locations, and reimagining the entire iconography of the series for The Nice House by the Sea has been the most exciting of my career so far.”

Beginning on July 23, The Nice House by the Sea launches a new cycle of DC Black Label comic book horror that will grip you by the throat and force you to look hard at yourself. Are you bored? Are you bored with the same boring people? Are you looking for an escape? What would you change about yourself in your new, utopian life?

The Nice House on the Lake and The Nice House by the Sea carry DC’s Ages 17+ content descriptor (for mature readers). Pick up the complete first cycle, DC’s The Nice House on the Lake: The Deluxe Edition, wherever books are sold, and preorder your issues of The Nice House by the Sea with your local comic book shop before cycle two launches this summer. The Nice House by the Sea #1, in stores on Wednesday July 24, will have a main cover by Álvaro Martínez Bueno along with variant covers by Nick Robles and Hayden Sherman, plus a 1:25 variant cover by Dani.

About DC’s The Nice House on the Lake

From Eisner and GLAAD award-winning writer James Tynion IV, artist Álvaro Martínez Bueno, colorist Jordie Bellaire and lettering by Andworld Design comes a disturbing tale of psychological horror that asks the question: How do you think the world will end?

Ten individuals have been invited to spend the weekend in an opulent lake house: the Artist, the Pianist, the Reporter, the Comedian, the Writer, the Scientist, the Accountant, the Consultant, the Acupuncturist, and the Doctor. Their mutual connection? Their friend Walter, who gave them their nicknames.

Some of them have known Walter since high school, others met him in college, and one of them only recently became acquainted with him. But in the next few days they’re about to discover the “real” Walter and the reason why each of them was handpicked to join his friend circle.

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For the latest information on DC Black Label, The Nice House on the Lake, The Nice House by the Sea, James Tynion IV, Álvaro Martínez Bueno, Jordie Bellaire, Andworld Design, Walter, Max, or escaping into a great comic book, visit the official DC website at dc.com and follow @DCOfficial and @thedcnation on social media. DC’s The Nice House on the Lake is created by James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez

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