Issue #110: Catch Up Week #26, Part I: Comic Books For The Week Of Wednesday, February 2, 2011:

Covering for a co-worker's vacation put me a month behind on my reviews, so I will be breaking this post into parts in order to avoid  writing a War And Peace length post. I wouldn't want to read that. I've learned from past blog posts. I begin with the comics I bought just about a month ago, which were released on Wednesday, February 2, 2011:

Superman: 80-Page Giant 2011 #1 (One Shot) (DC)
Legion Of Super-Heroes Annual #1 (One Shot) (DC)
Invincible #77 (Skybound/Image)

Superman: 80-Page Giant 2011 #1 (One Shot) (DC) *  *  *  *


Sometimes, these 80-Page Giants can be inconsistent, but I was pleasantly surprised about this one. I enjoyed most of the stories. The first one was about how Jor-El discovered Krypton was doomed, another about Perry White and Wildcat sitting in a bar reminiscing about old times, a Jimmy Olsen story about an army of Olsen clones, a Supergirl story about how being a superhero crimps your dating life, a Lois Lane/Lana Land team up about how returning someone's lost credit card can have unexpected consequences, and a Conner Kent Superboy story about how to blow off steam. The only one that didn't grab me was the Bizarro Superman story. It had too much Bizarro speak. It was worth the cost.

Legion Of Super-Heroes Annual  #1 (One Shot) (DC) *  *  *  *


Writer Paul Levitz and artist Keith Giffen reunited for this annual. I missed their classic Baxter series run, although I do have a few issues of that run. My first consistent run of the Legion was the 5 Year Later Legion of the early 1990's, co-written and drawn by Giffen. This Annual introduces the new Empress of the Emerald Eye. The main Legionnaires of the story were Lightning Lass and Shrinking Violet. Other Legionnaires came to assist them in their fight against the Empress and the Emerald Eye. For the most part I enjoyed Giffen's art, but Lightning Lass and Shrinking Violet did seem a little too stocky and imitative of Kirby's style. But the story
was great, and the conclusion promises to lead to future consequences, i. e. story lines.The end of the issue has a clever review of Legion history told in the form of a game board.

Invincible #77 (Skybound/Image) *  *  *  *  *


Without spoiling the story, I'll just say that I didn't like the ending, but it was one of the best superhero stories I've ever read. That may sound like it doesn't make sense, but if you read this issue you might understand. I wanted the Viltrumite War to end in the typical superhero comic book fashion. But the way Kirkman and Ottley ended the issue seemed more true to life. Because I don't like it, I'm coming back to see how this twist ending will steer future issues. Well done, Mr. Kirkman and company.

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