Random comic book panel of the month

Clark Kent and Lois Lane, Action Comics #69, 1944

Superman does not stand for homophobia!

a former student brought this to my attention.

as an art teacher, i stress that my classroom is a safe space for all, without fear or persecution. i have posters on the walls of superman and wonder woman proudly declaring they stand to protect everyone.

dc comics should not publish work from a known homophob. please sign the petition so that superman will continue to fight for truth, justice, and the (every) american(s) way!

Graphic novel review

supergirl is nearly as famous as her cousin, the man of steel, but her origin isn't necessarily as well known. while having a similar background and nearly identical powers as superman, supergirl is a different type of hero altogether. actually, the truth is the maid of might isn't even sure she wants to be a hero. what writers michael green and mike johnson with artist, mahmud asrar, set out to do with their first volume of stories for the new Supergirl series is take readers on kara zor-el's journey of self discovery in the most formative years of any teenager's life.

the first thing one will notice is the exceptionally stylized and kinetic artwork. not only does asrar have a knack for designing futuristic sci-fi inspired technology or weapons, but he can poignantly bring such great emotion to characters through facial expression and body language. as an art teacher i've often used, Supergirl: Last Daughter of Krypton, as an example for various lessons. it should be mentioned that the book's artist did not redesign the god-awful costume of supergirl. i don't necessarily mind the high collar of her cape or knee-less thigh high boots, but the red triangle over her crotch seems inappropriate even for a girl from another planet, tacky even.

green and johnson start an exciting story right away and introduce a new foe's forces that continue to plague supergirl later in SLDoK. the first chapter is frantic and fast-paced to fully express kara's initial confusion and fear that follows as she discovers she's on a planet she's never heard of dressed in a uniform awarded to 'graduates'. kara is clearly a young woman who is bright and intelligent, but not always as responsible as her parents' would hope. basically, kara is a very human girl emotionally and instantly relatable. what perhaps sets this supergirl apart from other past versions of the superheroine is that she's determined to stand on her own. supergirl rejects superman's help, quickly realizing she's in a greater predicament than she imagined when she begins to realize that her home planet, krypton, is no more. 

from armored soldiers, mad scientists, to bizarre and powerful aliens, the list of threats that supergirl encounters are great additions to the girl of steel's mythos. green, johnson, and asrar are creating distinct corners of krypton and earth for kara that uniquely belong to her. it's exciting to read how the world within Supergirl: Last Daughter of Krypton is carefully revealed piece by piece and to see the growth of the book's star. it won't be long for supergirl to be known as heroine in her own right, besides her famous heritage.

Graphic novel review

santa(s) was(were) good to me and i received several graphic novels for christmas. every few weeks i will be posting a review on these books. luckily the flight to and from indianapolis to visit my fiance's family gave me plenty of reading time so i'm ready to begin.

Justice League: Origin, by geoff johns and jim lee

reintroducing the justice league to new and old generations of comic book fans is no easy task, but johns and lee do so in a fun and exciting tale that occurs five years prior to current continuity. from the start, it's apparent that these 'new' heroes are inexperienced, especially when it comes to teamwork. the general populace is terrified of superheroes, many outlawed, and batman, green lantern, the flash, and wonder woman are under suspicion of local and national authorities. on top of it all, personalities clash between the heroes as a galactic despot comes to earth unleashing his demonic army on earth!

each hero has his/her moment to shine, but none more so than batman and green lantern. the dark and emerald knights seem to get more panel time than any other leaguer, with the exception of cyborg whose origin coincides with the formation of the team. batman and green lantern may be the most 'human' of superheroes of the justice league and why johns chose to use these two in particular to further the story. that's not to say johns doesn't take care introducing each character as the battle between the forces of good and evil continues to escalate. besides the over the top intense action, it's these calmer moments between characters, like government agent steve trevor and wonder woman, that really make this book shine. i especially like the humor that comes through, even when the odds seem insurmountable against earth's protectors. there's also a chapters worth of extras that provides back stories on the members of the justice league, adding to the price of admission!

unfortunately, there are a few glaring flaws with this novel. my biggest complaint would be the lack of explanation towards darkseid's motivation of his attack of our planet. i also would have appreciated finding out more about this villain, besides his powers, technology, and horde of creatures, where does he come from? instead we're left with more questions.

also, being a huge long-time fan of wonder woman, i was frankly disgusted that the amazing amazon was treated as a xena, warrior princess, copycat, eager to do battle no matter what the cost. this portrayal seems degrading to a character known for making friends out of her foes, battling only as a last resort. 

Justice League: Origin is a fast paced adventure of seven strangers and ultimately creates the most famous team in comic book history in classic style with good storytelling and illustrations. there's plenty of action, thrills, laughs, and even a little romance thrown in. this graphic novel not only proves to be a great introduction to the justice league, but to the entire dc comics universe.

Random comic book panel of the month

Justice League #12, 2012.

it's been talked about on all forms of media, across all major networks -- wonder woman and superman are now a couple as of the latest issue of justice league! that means no more lois lane for the man of steel or steve trevor with the amazing amazon. a lot of long time fans feel this is just another nail in the coffin for fandom ever since dc comics restarted all of its titles a year ago this month. with little history to hinder a more contemporary future, i'm curious to see what happens for the new power couple. that being said, i'm holding out that steve and wonder woman reunite. despite their recent break up, the amazon princess is trying to protect the man she loves from her enemies (see Justice League #12) and it's obvious superman is the rebound guy.

Movie review: superman vs the elite

dreams save us. dreams lift us up and transform us into something better.

with those words the most well-known superhero in the world tries to convince manchester black, leader of the elite, that "crime does not pay". not really, especially killing, no matter how evil the victim. in the end, superman isn't just speaking to four immensely powerful anti-heroes out to change the world how they see fit, he's speaking to every man, woman, and child - many of who have grown dark and overly cynical with the times. despite everything he's gone through in his seventy year career, superman still believes in, "truth, justice, and the american way."

adapted from a well received superman story from dc comics, the animated film adaptation was written by the comic book author himself, joe kelly. kelly not only creates a superman to admire, but a human clark kent, still madly in love with fellow reporter lois lane. the elite members are each twisted and bizarre versions of the traditional superhero and their point of view can be easily understood. the conflict between superman and the elite is visceral and no less important than when it was first depicted in printed form. i've read other reviews that knock the overly animated designs of the characters, but i imagine this was done to temper some of the more violent scenes which earned the film its pg-13 rating.

with a live action superman currently in the works i can only hope the same message and characterization of the man of steel is translated to the silver screen. this is a hero i want my students to admire and emulate as i did when i was young. superman shows us it's not just being unbelievably powerful that counts, it's what you do with your powers, and the heart behind them.

Superman vs. the Elite is available on DVD and Blu-Ray. the original story is collected in trade paper back form, Justice League Elite Vol.1, or available in digital form on the dc comics ipad app.