Comic Action Figures for 2008

Two of my favorite comic book heroines will receive new action figures in 2008. Both are designed by Alex Ross from his work in the recently completed JUSTICE mini-series from DC Comics.


Batgirl looks great and really captures the 1970s look of this classic DC Character. Even though the yellow interior on her cape is a modern revision, the character looks fantastic.




This verison of Supergirl ,which existed from the mid-70s through the early '80s, hasn't been seen in an action figure since the Mego Figures from the 1970's "Worlds Greatest Super Heroes" collection were around. This has always been my favorite costume for the character, so it's great to see it being utilized here.

Worst 2007 Mainstream Super Hero Comic Book Events

Of course, if I'm listing some of my favorite comic events of 2007, I have to list some of the events I hated as well.

No. 1 - Spider-Man "One More Day"

This is an absolutely assinine storyline created solely because the head of Marvel Comics, Joe Quesada, doesn't like the concept of a married Spider-Man. Never mind that the majority of readers who have responded to polls do like the concept. It's all about what Joe wants. Even the writer of the book wanted his name taken off the story - he disagreed with it that much.

Spider-Man's beloved Aunt May was shot and lies dying. Medical Science can't save her; Spidey's super-powered and mystical friends can't save her; no one can. Spider-Man is able to get into her mind and she tells him that she is ready to die.

But Mephisto (the Marvel version of the devil) offers Spidey a deal. If Spider-man will give up all traces of his marriage to Mary Jane, Mephisto will heal Aunt May....and Spider-Man does it. His whole past changes. He has now never been married to Mary Jane, the love of his life. His aunt is alive...but for how long? She's elderly, and Mephisto never promised she wouldn't get hit by a bus the next week.

How in the world can Marvel allow Spider-Man to make a deal with the devil? It's out of character, it's unfathomable. And why is there a problem with the marriage? Why not write about how interesting the marriage could be?

Of course, it's comics - anything can be reversed in a matter of months...and hopefully this will be. But right now, Joe Quesada has ruined Spider-Man.

No. 2 - Amazons Attack

DC totally destroyed the concepts of the Amazons and Queen Hippolyta with this mini-series. Hippolyta was brought back from the dead by the evil witch Circe, and was upset to hear that her daughter, Wonder Woman, was in U.S. captivity because she had killed a government official who was mind-controlling Superman. Hippolyta declares war on the U.S. and leads the Amazons into a brutal attack on Washington DC and much of the country. The Amazons slaughter innocent people, right and left. And at the end...we learn that while Circe may have darkened Hippolyta's soul and while the evil Granny Goodness (posing as Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom) definitely influenced the war, Hippolyta is still responsible for her actions. This is so totally out of character. Hopefully writer Gail Simone will be able to redeem her somehow...but it's going to take a lot of work.

No. 3 - Countdown Arena

The DC Universe is once again a multiverse (although there's a finite amount of Earths this time). The once heroic Captain Atom of Earth-1 has become the evil Monarch and he is assembling his army. He's pitting various multiverse versions of characters against each other in battles to the death.

Issue #1 pits three different versions of Batman against each other; #2 features three different Green Lanterns; #3 features three different Wonder Women; and #4 featuers three different Supermen. Along the way we also see battles amonst three different Nightshades, Flashes, Blue Beetles, Starmen/girls, and various versions of Captain Atom and other heroes.

This is fan fiction at its worst, being published by one of the Big Two. The story is mindless and boring, and destroys the potential of many of these characters to be used again.

Favorite 2007 Super Hero Comic Events

Among my favorite mainstream super hero comic events of 2007 were:

1) The War between the Green Lantern Corps and the Sinestro Corps

With the Green Lantern Corps fully embracing their space policeman role, the Guardians of the Universe adapting with the times, and Sinestro at his most evil, this story arc delivered one of the best Green Lantern tales of all time while also planting seeds for future arcs. Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, Arisia, Ion, Ganthet, Sinestro, Anti-Monitor, Superman-Prime, Cyborg-Superman, the Manhunters, and more, this story rocked.

2. Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes

After the "5 Years Later" storyline of the late '80s, the classic Legion of Super-Heroes were never the same...and then they suffered through a complete reboot after "Zero Hour" and a new one just a few years ago.

But the classic line up (with a few changes and adaptations) returned in 2006 with the JLA/JSA team-up, and now they've teamed up with old ally Superman for their first case together in years. It's great to see Dawnstar, Wildfire, Night Girl, Polar Boy and others back along with the real Shadow Lass, Cosmic Boy, and more. THIS is the Legion as they should be and I can't wait to read more adventures with them.

3) Gail Simone writes Wonder Woman

One of today's best mainstream superhero writers is now on the title I think she was born to write. Only two issues in and already the title character has more personality than she's shown in the most recent reboot. After suffering through the horrendous "Amazons Attack" mini-series, Wonder Woman fans finally have a writer that can bring on the good stuff.

4) Booster Gold

Who would have thought a new Booster Gold ongoing series would be any good...and yet, this one is brilliant. Written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Booster Gold creator Dan Jurgens, this series bounces all over the DC Universe's past, present and future. In 5 issues we've seen Flash (Barry Allen), Kid Flash (Wally West), Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), Jonah Hex, Sinestro, Joker, Ultra-Humanite, Per Degaton, the Justice League of America, Blue Beetle I (Dan Garret), II (Ted Kord) and III (Jaime Reyes) and more in addition to series regular the time master Rip Hunter. This title is fun, in the tradition of the original Blue Devil and Harley Quinn series.

5. A better backstory for Supergirl

A few years ago, DC brought back the real Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) and then promptly ruined her by making her an angry, edgy teenager who was sent to Earth by her sadistic father to kill her cousin Kal-El (Superman).

Over the course of the series there were examples of false memories and possible memory implants, which gave many readers hope that this backstory wasn't true and that we might get the real Supergirl back after all.

While it's too early to know for sure, Supergirl #24 showed a new backstory that feels like home. The evil father and the mission to kill Kal-El are no longer....Supergirl was sent to Earth by her loving parents because they wanted to save her from Krypton's destruction. If DC can continue to redefine Supergirl as the heroine she should be, this series may turn out to be good after all!!