Okay, you got me. But the point is, I got these comics cheap, and they're older comics, so the chances are fewer people are talking about them right now...
Batman/Superman 3.1: Doomsday (DC)
From November 2013.
This is the newest comic I picked up in my most recent back issue binge. I've been collecting various Villains Month issues since they were released. It was a heck of an idea, letting the bad guys have their tales told, and for some of these guys, it was a chance to see what exactly their New 52 context was. Obviously Doomsday was pretty famous in older continuity as the monster that killed Superman, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice saw his movie debut (considerably more auspicious than, say, Bane's). This version ties up Supergirl and General Zod into the mythos (the movie features Zod mixed in, too, oddly or not) and doesn't particularly focus on his origins so much as his significance to the Kryptonians people care about, including deeper cuts into the House of El, including a Knight of El and Lara.
The Possessed #3, 4, 5 (Cliffhanger)
From November, December 2003, January 2004.
I last caught an issue of this co-written non-superhero Geoff Johns (#4, actually) in 2013, so I guess I was only two-thirds more lucky this time around (still missing the ending, alas). It's not hard to see echoes of Johns' superhero work in it (particularly the current Darkseid War), and it's got some pretty heady thoughts in mind. The only odd part is Liam Sharp's ridiculously sexy women in what's essentially a religious comic. But I guess someone figured there ought to be something for readers who didn't particularly want to focus on existential matters, too...
The Spectre #11 (DC)
From January 2002.
It's such an interesting thing to remember that Hal Jordan, post-"Emerald Twilight," spent a lot of time away from the superhero gig, but nonetheless managed to remain, if anything, more relevant than ever. Following Day of Judgment, he played host to DC's Spirit of Vengeance, and even got another ongoing series out of it. This is always a fun series to visit with. This issue features the Phantom Stranger, a comic book character infinitely more arcane than Marvel's Doctor Strange and less likely to get a movie out of it, helping Hal figure out his gig, which is considerably more compassionate than Spectre is usually depicted. That's no doubt thanks to the literary stylings of J.M. DeMatteis, one of the more versatile writers in comics (especially when Keith Giffen infects him).
Action Comics #463 (DC)
From September 1976.
Yeah, this is an oldie, and was not kept in particularly good condition, but it was certainly worth a look, as it directly reflects the bicentennial. Classic creators Cary Bates and Curt Swan are at the helm as an alien who has a peculiar reaction to Superman's powers sends him back to 1776 to get him out of the way. A wacky gimmick, sure, but it was fun to read.
Superman #187 (DC)
From December 2002.
This is one of Geoff Johns' early forays with the Man of Steel, smack dab in the middle of a showdown with Manchester Black, who was a key early millennial threat. As someone dabbling in the waters amidst other writers, it's odd to think now that Johns could be so undersold, as it now seems.
Superman Confidential #10 (DC)
From February 2008.
I loved the Confidential/Classified books from this era, allowing creators to leap into whatever period they wanted to write about without having to make a mini-series out of it. This one features Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning bringing on the Apokolips, which I figured I'd have a look at, considering, you know, Johns' Darkseid War. Speaking of which...
Wonder Woman #103 (DC)
From November 1995.
Here's John Byrne bringing the Apokolips to Wonder Woman. Honestly, once DC figured it out, the New Gods were the best thing to come to its superheroes, always guaranteeing big moments, because these were heroes and villains who were literally visiting, or getting visited, with a story all their own, breaking the usual storytelling cycle. It seems every effort to feature the New Gods in their own stories is always doomed to fail, but they remain ridiculously reliable, because they're instantly operatic, like a whole alternative to everything fans normally follow, but always existing whether fans care about them or not, ready and waiting for another big moment...
The Phantom Stranger needs a better name before he could hope for a movie.
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