Watching the Walmart Giants 1 "August 2019"

I guess it was time to make it official.  Nobody really seems to be putting an emphasis on these things, so at a time when they're finally going to be available outside Walmart, the stuff I've been reading from Walmart since June 2018...I'm just going to make as regular a feature here as I've been blogging these days.   Hopefully once a month, right?

The Walmart DC Giants began fourteen months ago.  There was a revision of the lineup earlier this year, and there'll be another one next month.  I haven't been getting all the titles every month, but I tend to get the first issue of each new title (so, certainly check back in next month for an expanded edition).

Anyway, without further ado:

Batman Giant #14
The final issue of this particular volume also features the final installment of what's being officially reprinted as Batman: Universe from Brian Michael Bendis and Nick Derington.  Picking up the story from last month, Vandal Savage has erased Batman from existence!  But not Bruce Wayne!  The funny thing about the whole arc, and certainly this final installment, is how the famous master of decompression, Brian Bendis, has actually delivered compressed storytelling, and quite capably, thank you very much.  We join Bruce as he's already hunting Savage all over again.  Alfred, on his coms link as always, observes, "I wish I understood this compulsion, Master Wayne."  To which Bruce responds, naturally, "Me, too, Alfred."  And he finds Savage, and the white ring that in this tale is the first Green Lantern ring (Volthoom begs to differ! but who really cares?), and of course Batman wins.  The whole thing has been a fun little wild ride, and a terrific spotlight for...Nick Derington, actually.  Derington was previously best known for his Young Animal Doom Patrol, but I suspect his profile is going to rise considerably after this.

The issue also features reprints of Paul Dini's Detective Comics #834, which reconciles Batman with Zatanna post-Identity Crisis; Nightwing #14 (circa the New 52), and Batgirl #0, which is Gail Simone's origin story, which ironically for Simone ends with a nod to Batman: The Killing Joke.

Flash Giant #7
I've never been a big fan of Simone.  I should've been interested in reading Flash Giant regularly, but Simone was writing the lead new material.  This is the conclusion to her tale, too.  Long story short, it did not leave me wondering if I missed anything good.  Weird twist: Simone has one of the Rogues working alongside Flash, but it's not Captain Cold (or even Piper), but rather Weather Wizard, for whatever reason.  It at least further suggests that it might be time to revisit the Rogues as potential allies rather than foes. 

The issue also includes Adam Strange: Planet Heist #7 & 8 (to finish the story in this final issue) and Justice League #21 (circa the New 52), which was the final installment of what had until this issue been a back-up Shazam feature, an update for the character that later directly informed this year's Shazam movie (which is actually pretty good; Darla rocks!).  The movie deleted Black Adam and substituted Sivana in an expanded role in his place, but otherwise the ending remains much the same.  I figure Black Adam is being saved for another film appearance, assuming Dwayne Johnson ever actually plays him.  Guaranteed to have more audience appeal for a sequel if he's in that...

Superman Giant #14
No, Tom King is not in this one.  Apparently to accommodate whatever unexplained reasons for repeated delays his story has met in these pages, this is the only title that will not be rebooted next month.  That's all I know for now.  Anyway, replacing Superman: Up in the Sky this month is once again a one-off from Steve Orlando, which is not as interesting as his previous one. 

Also featured are reprints of a story from Green Lantern Secret Files and Origins 2005 featuring Darwyn Cooke illustrating Geoff Johns; Superman/Batman #19, which again features the new Supergirl from that era, which in the credits confusingly uses Steel's logo in a bad printing job for "Girl of Steel;" and The Terrifics #14, from earlier this year, the last issue written by Jeff Lemire.

Titans #7
With all due respect to Dan Jurgens, but I've barely been interested in his Teen Titans stories from these things (which is odd, because I loved his Teen Titans comics from the '90s), and didn't read this installment. 

Also featured: Teen Titans #14 (Geoff Johns era); Superman #38, which features the Super Sons, Damian Wayne and Jon Kent, whose Super Sons series was regularly included in the title, with this issue part of a crossover arc; and Sideways #13, the final issue of the series, which like the series itself far better than lack of fan interest suggested.  In fact, that's the only reason I bought this Giant, so I could catch the final issue.

But it came with a bonus!  A complete listing of the new line-up:

• Batman Giant
• Flash Giant
• Swamp Thing Giant
• Wonder Woman Giant
• Aquaman Giant
• DC Ghosts Giant
• DC Villains Giant
• Teen Titans Go! Giant
• DC Super Hero Girls Giant

And of course, Superman Giant, regardless of whenever, if ever, it gets renumbered.  As my mom used to say, your guess is as good as mine.