Superman/Wonder Woman #26 Review

Just Because

Written by: Peter J. Tomasi
Art by: Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza, Wil Quintana and Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 24, 2016

When DC Comics announced Rebirth it was the death nail in a bunch of books, including Superman/Wonder Woman.  It's a shame and not only because I am a fan, but the shame is that this book got caught up in this whole DC You/Truth nonsense.  Peter Tomasi was pretty much kidnapped and hogtied by this crossover and by now, all the Superman books involved kind of run together in my mind.  So, instead of a great ending, this book is just a cog in the shit machine that was the DC You Superman and one of the main reasons that DC decided to get back to the "meat and potatoes".  I'll give Tomasi a ton of credit, however, because it's obvious that he hasn't given up.  He's making the best of a bad situation and this month's issue is exhibit A through Z.  Sure, it's not a perfect issue, but...how about we just start the review now.



The issue picks up with Superman still pretty pissed off that Vandal Savage has bogarted the Fortress of Solitude.  While he doesn't just sit back and watch it happen, I really wondered what he was thinking when he throws the "voice recognition" Hail Mary.  Really?  Come on Clark, the Fortress didn't recognize you before and I really doubt that would change now that you are all hopped up on goofballs...I mean Kryptonite.  Maybe it's me, but I'm thinking that the basic security protocol for the Fortress is "No Kryptonite Allowed"!

We then shift inside Vandal's Thermosphere where Puzzler and him are watching Superman...watching and laughing.  Poor Superman.  Between chuckles, Vandal drops some knowledge bombs on the reader, but if you blink, you might miss them.  He tells Puzzler that the Jupiter realignment was a success and that they need the Fortress to capture the comet.  As in the comet that gave Vandal all his powers.

We continue with Superman going all Hulk on the Fortress and while it is bit of a head shaker that now he can breach it, it looked pretty cool and pushes the story forward.  That is kind of the way this whole issue goes, things just happen "because"...like Vandal's Twins.  You know, those Twins that we've never seen before, but are now in charge of fighting Superman.  It doesn't matter yet because Superman is stopped by a force field and can't get in because Vandal has changed the Fortress to only recognize his and his offspring's DNA.

Vandal and the Twins take leave and Wonder Woman shows up to help, but can't get in as well (remember, DNA).  She must have been paying attention to Superman earlier because it seems it only takes some good old fashioned fist pounding to break the force field.  While this is going on, Vandal tells the Twins (and the reader) that they need the Fortress for it's power source to make a tractor beam to grab the comet.  Okay...maybe I'm a dummy, but shouldn't the comet eventually pass Earth? If not, I wish Tomasi would have given us an explanation.

The rest of the issue zips ahead at breakneck speed as the Twins battle Superman and Wonder Woman as the tractor beam (which suddenly needs to tap into the Earth's magnetic core..."because") grabs the comet and pulls it towards Earth.  I'm not sure that Vandal thought the whole plan through, however, because the side effect of all this is the fused up Thermosphere is falling from the sky.  The issue ends with a cliffhanger that nobody but Wonder Woman will be fooled by and this reviewer happy this whole mess it nearing the end.

Hey, how did Wonder Woman know the title of my favorite movie?!?

Well, I will give Tomasi credit for filling in some of the stories cracks, but I didn't realize some of them even existed.  This story is coming to an end soon at it's obvious that the writers were told to pick up the pace because to me, this issue felt hurried and forced.

I am always a fan of Doug Mahnke's art and this issue is no exception. His character models were kick ass and even though the backgrounds were a little drab, the action scenes made up for it.

Bits and Pieces:

Peter Tomasi pushes Superman's story forward and while it felt hurried and forced, at least we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  I liked Doug Mahnke's art, but this issue just blends (fuses?) into all the others and that's not a good thing.

6.5/10