DC Comics Rebirth Spoilers & Review: Action Comics #966 & Detective Comics #943 With Superman & Batman Plus Lois Lane, Superwoman, Tim Drake / Red Robin RIP & The Victim Syndicate!

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DC Comics Rebirth Spoilers and Review for Superman in Action Comics #966 follow.

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The previous issue ended with DC Rebirth’s Superwoman confronting the pre-Flashpoint and now Rebirth Lois Lane. Superwoman knows that the New 52 Lois Lane is dead as she died in Superwoman #1 and wants to know what the deal with Lois Lane is and why she’s in the deceased Lois’ apartment.

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As Superwoman questions Lois Lane, she discreetly calls Superman and Superboy at the “Smith” residence.

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They quickly join Lois Lane and Superwoman while the latter shows that she’s a smart cookie surmising that the new Superman and Lois Lane are connected and from a parallel Earth / universe.

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Superwoman also realizes that they are not a threat and reveals herself to be Lana Lang to them.

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We get a history lesson on how both the New 52 Lois Lane and Lana Lang got their powers after the blast that occurred when the New 52 Superman died. We also get a recorded message from the New 52 Lois Lane…

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…to the new Rebirth Lois Lane. It includes a message wondering if the New 52 Superman’s death and her death could mean the other “supers” may die as well. She also gives permission for the Rebirth Lois Lane to take her place as she doesn’t want her dad, Per White, Jimmy Olsen and others to suffer when she dies. She also remarks how Lana Lang will be alone when Lois dies; hence how Superwoman being part of the DC Rebirth Superman Family.

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DC Rebirth’s Lois Lane spends the rest of the issue contemplating if she should take on the New 52 Lois Lane’s life. After much soul searching, and hours of talk with her Superman / Clark Kent (Smith), she decides to do it. Lois Lane confronts Daily Planet owner Lex Luthor and takes him up on his offer last issue of reporting on his Superman-Iron-Man heroics plus getting to the bottom of the new Superman mystery (who he is despite Lois knowing full well where her husband comes from). She’ll do it, however, on her own terms.

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The book ends with the next threats to Superman emerging…

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…in the form of new villains? Hmmm.

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So…

An interesting issue that answers a few questions left from the end of the New 52 Superman arc and setting up Lois Lane’s new Rebirth status quo. The inclusion of Superwoman in this issue made sense and came at the right time. Dan Jurgens is really doing his best writing on this book with the characters he knows and seemingly loves best. The stories are compelling, intriguing and action-packed. Stephen Segovia art wasn’t always my cup of tea in this issue, but inker Art Thibert really helped him out. Overall, I’d say when considered story and art, this is a 7.5 out of 10.

DC Comics Rebirth Spoilers and Review for Batman in Detective Comics #943 follow.

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The book opens with the Victim Syndicate striking with Batman in the cross-hairs. Batwoman and Gotham City Police Department’s (GCPD) Renee Montoya are collaborating.

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We also get some video footage of Lucius Fox explain what happened and looks at the various members of the Victim Syndicate and brief hints at their powers and…

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… their first victims!

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We also see Batman honoring Tim Drake / Red Robin as one would expect; costume under glass.

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Stephanie Brown, the Spoiler, is also dealing with her grief over the death of her boyfriend. She confides in the former Bluebird Harper Row…

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…when Azrael, as Jean Paul Valley, steps in…

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…while it appears a member of the Victim Syndicate is stalking Stephanie Brown?

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The book ends with the Victim Syndicate attacking a gala where Bruce Wayne and Luke Fox (Lucius Fox’s son) are attending where they speak in code about the secret identities of Batman and Batwing respectively. An explosion rocks the gala and…

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…the Victim Syndicate declares Batman their top criminal!

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Who are the Victim Syndicate? Here is the roster.

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So…

I enjoyed the issue. It was packed with a lot of character moments while allowing for the mourning of Tim Drake / Red Robin and setting up the Victim Syndicate as a big threat. We also seem to be setting up Batwoman’s eventual departure from Detective Comics when her new DC Rebirth series starts in 2017; she seemingly will get replaced by Batwing? I’m a huge fan of writer James Tynion IV and enjoyed the art of Alvaro Martinez. This book gets a 9 out of 10.

John is a long-time pop culture fan, comics historian, and blogger. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief at Comics Nexus. Prior to being EIC he has produced several column series including DEMYTHIFY, NEAR MINT MEMORIES and the ONE FAN'S TRIALS at the Nexus plus a stint at Bleeding Cool producing the COMICS REALISM column. As BabosScribe, John is active on his twitter account, his facebook page, his instagram feed and welcomes any and all feedback. Bring it on!