Blended For Your Enjoyment! Unlimited Access 4 Review!

Captain America, Jr.! Jean Black! Green Goliath! Quick Freeze! Redwing! Thor-El! Wonder Wasp! Heroes Amalgamated from the DC and Marvel Universes! Can they defeat the "Combined Forces" of Darkseid and Magneto - and their New Gods of Apokalips and Brotherhood of Evil Mutants!

It's hard to tell how Darkseid's horde and the Brotherhood are Amalgamated - yet they are! The heroes and villains wage their battle aboard the Justice League satellite, 22,000 miles above the Earth!

The core of Kesel's story, with continued eye-candy by Olliffe and Williams, is not so much about Darkseid and Magneto, The Avengers and the Justice League, Uncanny X-Men, DC sidekicks or even the Amalgamated heroes and villains. No, the true story is Access versus Evil-Access! There are two versions of Access. The older one, who ends up a bum with a glowing cardboard box in an alley. He passes the mantle on to younger Access.

In the end, there can. Be. Only. ONE!

The conclusion is pretty basic and simple. Hit reset and everything goes back to normal. The only nit to pick is that DC and Marvel don't have a community or shared reality, so that, when a reader picks up a cross-company team-up, it happens across Metropolis and New York. Skip the whole introduction and get right to the action. Readers come for the action, not so much the exposition. I know we just met, but I'm not sure I like you, so I think I'll argue and fight you until it's time to work together against a common enemy.

Access, DC and Marvel teaming up and creating an Amalgamated Universe is fun. It would be nice to see more of the Amalgamated Universe characters as well as Access.

Unlimited Access wraps up with three stars! 

This is It! For all the Marbles and the Whole Enchilada! Unlimited Access 3 Review!

 As he makes his departure through a Boom-Tube, Darkseid instructs Amazing Grace to pit The Avengers versus the Justice League! Access can only stand by in gaping surprise as the teams go "toe-to-toe", fist to fist in battle! Thor versus J'onn J'onzz! Aquaman versus Captain America! Hal Jordan versus Iron Man! Giant Man versus Barry Allen! Black Canary versus The Wasp!

Meanwhile, Darkseid and his New Gods of Apokalips enlist Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants! But to what end? World domination!?!

Access can only think of one solution! This looks like a job for Superman! However, it's the electric Blue Superman that none of his teammates recognize! Still, with his new powers, he's able to snap the heroes out of their trance!

Quicksilver captures Access, who calls on a group of sidekicks (who are either part of the Teen Titans or will become part of Young Justice) who free him and best the Brotherhood.

The X-Men arrive just as Darkseid and Magneto issue their ultimatum! There's more arguing, which causes Access to Amalgamate Angel and Robin into Redwing!

Kesel knows what readers and fans want: The Avengers versus the Justice League! And it's a Classic match-up! This is where the whole time travel aspect works perfectly! It's a shame that we don't get a Classic "Fab Five" Titans versus the Original, Uncanny X-Men... maybe another time. The story leads up to the inevitable, almost predictable Amalgamation. DC and Marvel heroes blended into Amalgam characters. Your mileage may vary on that.

Olliffe and Williams do an awesome job on art. The whole look of this book is enjoyable.

Over all, "The Greatest Heroes of All Time!" earns four stars.   

Not Just a Pretty Face! The Adventures of Supergirl 2 Review

After stopping a hold-up at her favorite newsstand, Supergirl races to work at Catco Worldwide Media, where a National City Police SWAT team is arresting Winn Schott as a terrorist! He's accused of bombing Leesburg, VA!

Kara and Jimmy Olsen start digging into Winn's computer. In addition to domestic terrorism, Winn is accused of "Doxxing", dumping personal information openly on the internet. The duo come across the real culprit - VRIL; Virtual Remote Integration Logistics. otherwise known as Vril Dox!

Supergirl races to rescue Winn. He leads her to a super-hacker, who manages to correct most of the damage Vril has done. However, Kara has left Jimmy vulnerable. Together, they have to rescue Jimmy and disconnect Vril!

"The Strange Case of the Smiling Computer" shows Kara's super-smarts along with invulnerability and super-strength. Kudos to Sterling Gates.

Cat Staggs provides another awesome Melissa Benoist cover. Jonboy Meyers handles the art on Chapter Four, with Pop Mahan on Chapter Five, "Attack Edge", with colorist John Rauch and letterer Saida Temofonte. Although the series ties into the live action CBS Supergirl series, the comic art bears no likeness resemblance. Which is somewhat odd. Maybe an oversight, or a conscious choice. Who knows.

Vril Dox poses a major threat here, a definite challenge to The Lady of Steel.

Adventures of Supergirl 2 earns three stars.  

 
 

As Seen On TV! The Adventures of Supergirl 1 Review

Rocketing from the flatscreen on your living room wall back into four-color print, The Maid of Steel! The Adventures of Supergirl with an awesome photo realistic cover by Cat Staggs! Melissa Benoist in mid-flight!

Disclaimer: I believe I've seen a handful of Season One episodes of Supergirl. It's set on an alternate Earth in the Arrowverse. I enjoyed what I saw and thought I would pick up the companion comic book, as I did with the '90's The Flash and Smallville.

This is definitely a different version of Kara. She seems quite fun and light-hearted.

"This Is My Life" opens with a slugfest between Supergirl and Rampage at a National City Sharks game. Sterling Gates manages to provide a brief and brisk recap of Kara's origin from Krypton to Earth. While Gates' story is all super-hero fare, the core is sisterhood. Rampage's relationship with her sister compared with Kara and Alex's relationship.

Bengal's art is all comic book. The characters from the CBS series are the same, however there is really no attempt to use the live action likenesses. It's an interesting direction to go in. 

What makes the issue enjoyable is the story has heart. Kara develops sympathy for Rampage as an individual, not just an alien adversary. Gates' take on the character provides some redeeming qualities.

The Adventures of Supergirl, "Based on the Hit CBS Series" earns three stars.

The Super-Genius from Space!

 

In March 2026, Action Comics 242, from July 1958 was re-released as a facsimile reprint. It featured the debut of Brainiac and the Bottle City of Kandor. Maybe in advance of the 2027 Superman sequel, "Man of Tomorrow" featuring Brainiac as the main adversary.

The story is very succinct and to the point. Clark and Lois are covering a story as passengers on a fantastic new rocket! When confronted by Brainiac's ship, Clark suits up as an astronaut and escapes back to Earth to protect his secret identity! So Silver Age! Brainiac quickly captures Earth's major cities, including Metropolis, intending to repopulate his home planet. This was before Brainiac was reimagined as Kryptonian, and developed as the planet's version of Google, created by Jor-El. Superman feigns defeat to sneak back and subvert Brainiac. That's when he discovers Kandor and an old college classmate of his father's! using his super-wits, The Man of Steel outsmarts his adversary, actually catching him napping! It's an interesting out, leaving room for an opening for Brainiac to return for another face-off. Short and sweet, the story doesn't waste any details, moving deftly and smoothly. The pacing is a bit brisk, but it works. Obviously.

But wait, there's more!

Tommy Tomorrow, Space Traffic Cop of the future isa fun, wacky, sci-fi story. A Boring weekend of traffic control in space in the future!

Then there's Congo Bill, before he was Congorilla. Confronted by an alien octopod from Venus! The alien forcefully enlists Bill and Janu into assisting in his plan of world conquest! It takes some ingenuity to discover how to overcome the alien menace, yet Bill does. With the alien's dying breath, it reveals that there are FIVE MORE similar aliens somewhere on Earth working out their own plan! Nana-nana-boo-boo to you Bill!

Zoinks!

Definitely a Classic!

This facsimile issue of Action Comics earns four stars! 

The Girl of Steel! Action Comics 252 Facsimile Reprint Review!

 

In December 2025, DC Comics reprinted Action Comics 252, May 1959, featuring the first appearance of Supergirl and Metallo! The issue was previously reprinted at the turn of the century as a Millenium Edition issue.

The classic issue features an equally classic cover: Supergirl zooming out of her Kryptonian rocket announcing to Superman and the world who and what she is! Definitely a memorable cover by the legendary Curt Swan and Stan Kaye.

Robert Bernstein and Al Plastino present the debut of Metallo! He's murderous reporter, John Corbin! And, apparently, a reckless driver! Taking a curve to sharp, he flips his car! If not for Professor Vale passing by driven by his housekeeper Edith, Metallo might never have come to be! Humanitarian Vale saves Corbin and continues his treacherous ways. His new metal body requires a Uranium or Kryptonite heart to power him! Coincidentally, he's also a near identical twin to The Man of Steel! Only the fickle finger of fate is able to stop him!

Bernstein and Howard Sherman present another Congo Bill/Congorilla adventure! Congorilla must rescue Bill, the Comandant and his troops at an oasis commandeered by highwaymen bent on pathway piracy!

Finally, Otto Binder and Al Plastino introduce The Maid of Might, "The Supergirl from Krypton"! The story hinges heavily on coincidence and serendipity. It's all very convenient and somewhat predictable. The nitpick I have with this is that DC Comics decided to kill off the Kents. Granted, Supergirl gets her own, individual area. Yet, had the Kents lived, Supergirl could have lived and gone to school in Smallville. Maybe that would have been even more redundant, but it would have avoided what might be considered "super-dickery": Superman shunting his cousin off to an orphanage in Midvale far away from Smallville. It just seems more complicated than less, especially for the newest addition to The Superman Family. Yes, it would have seemed creepy for Superman to have his young "cousin" living with him in Metropolis. Maybe it would have been too revealing to have another superhuman alien in Smallville. Is that where they grow them?

For what it is, Action Comics 252, featuring the famous first appearances of Supergirl and Metallo is fine. It could have been more or better. It is what it is for the time.

Action Comics 252 earns two stars.     

    

Starring John Cusack as Starman Jack Knight! A 60th Birthday Salute!

 

Actor John Cusack is 60 today. I usually enjoy the movies he stars in. Do I agree with his political views? No. Actually, it's more, "hell-to-the-no". That doesn't change that I enjoy the stories he's a part of.

There was a time when I could have seen him as Jack Knight, the sone of DC Comics' Ted Knight - not to be confused with actor Ted Knight, narrator of Super Friends and best known as Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. DC's Ted Knight was the Golden-Age Starman.

Jack made his first appearance in the final issue of Zero Hour and headlined the Starman comic that ran from 1994 to 2001. Written by James Robinson, with art by Tony Harris. The series was highly acclaimed. I was nominated for the Eisner for the first story arc "Sins of the Father" and won an Eisner for the "Sand and Stars" storyline. It was also nominated for "Best Continuing Series" of 1997.

At its core, Starman is about the father and son relationship between Jack and Ted Knight. The series opens with The Mist's son and daughter exacting their revenge on the Knight family. David Knight, Jack's brother is shot and killed. Opal is laid siege. Jack considers running. Instead, he rises to the occasion and turns back the tide. Afterward, Jack agrees to fight crime as needed as Starman, as long as Ted focuses his energies on his science, invention and innovation.

Robinson, with Harris and later Peter Snejbjerg carved out a corner of the DC Universe with Opal City as a focal point. Story lines were mixed with "Tales of Times Past" and "Talking With David" interludes, all driving the story forward toward its conclusion with issue 80.

Jack Knight was created by James Robinson and Tony Harris. Jack makes very rare appearances outside of Starman. Geoff Johns, David Goyer and James Robinson used Jack as part of a Justice Society of America relaunch. Following the conclusion of his series, Jack quietly shuffles off into a "happily ever after". There were some possible rumblings of a falling out between Robinson and DC Comics which ended any possible future of Jack Knight, or any other projects involving Robinson.

A live action series was in development following Smallville, at the same time as Birds of Prey. Due to the lackluster performance of Birds of Prey, a Starman live action series was on indefinite hold.

Stargirl, focusing on Courtney Whitmore, played by Brec Bassinger debuted on the DC Universe streaming platform and the CW Network as part of the Arrowverse. What's interesting is Courtney was created as an homage to Geoff Johns' sister. James Robinson was involved in the live action series. Sylvester Pemberton, the one-time Star-Spangled Kid, was called Starman for the series.

Although time has passed and Cusack has probably aged out of the character, it would have been nice to see him in the role...

A fan can dream.