Speed Reviews for: Supergirl #44, Superman #691 and Superman Annual #14

Since I liked doing the Speed Reviews so much last night, that I think I'll do another batch of them tonight!

Supergirl #44 Writer: Sterling Gates Penciller: Jamel Igle
This is the third part of Codename: Patriot.
What Happened: Gen. Lane purposely let it slip to Ral-Dar that Lane was only using him and that the US President, along with several allies were going to blow up New Krypton. Ral flips out and heads to Markovia, where the President is to meet with his Markovian counter-part. Supes chases after Ral upon learning he was headed to Markovia and Supergirl and Mon-El head to Los Angeles, where Nightwing and Flamebird are inexplicably tearing up the town. We discover it was a trap, and that Nightwing and Flamebird were actually Reactron and Metallo in disguise. Metallo and Reactron(along with Lane's lackey Mirabai)beat up SG and take off, leaving Mon and SG to chase after them.
What I thought: Honestly, there really wasn't much to this comic. It mainly consisted of super-folks flying after each other. Thus far, I think my favorite part of this x-over is Gen. Lane. I'm really enjoying the way he has been pulling every body's strings, and I can't wait to see what his endgame is.
Score: 6 1/2 out of 10The worst kind of Kryptonian? An angry Kryptonian!

Superman #691 Writer: James Robinson Pencils: Renato Guedes & Eduardo Pansika
This is the forth part of Codename: Patriot.
What happened: Mon-El and Supergirl track Nightwing and Flamebird to the sewers of Metropolis where Mon discovers that SG is actually Mirabai in disguise, while Nightwing and Flamebird are Reactron and Metallo. The trio KO Mon and after getting out of there they blow the Metropolis sewer system up, all on the orders of Gen. Lane, who makes it look like an act of Kryptonian terrorism. Superman catches Ral-Dar just as he reaches Markovia, but before either Kryptonian can make a move towards the respective leaders of the US or Markovia, Gen. Lane arrives on the scene and attacks the aliens with Squad K and Kryptonian firing weaponry. Ral is KO'ed in the attack, but Supes is more concerned as to how Lane is alive. Before he can get his answers, he is called back to New Krypton by Alura, who states Supes is urgently needed. Supes leaves with Ral, looking like a traitor to Earth, while Lane comes out smelling like roses.
What I thought: Meh. This comic was OK, but for me there was just something missing... I can't quite put my finger on what the missing aspect is though. I guess I was left feeling kind of unfulfilled. I don't know, I was hoping for something more I guess.
Score: 6 1/2 out of 10.USA! USA! USA! Sorry about that...

Superman Annual #14 Writer: James Robinson Artist: Javier Pina
What Happened: This was a Mon-El origin issue. Daxam was originally established by Kryptonians who colonized the planet and then crossbred with the natives. In time the Daxamites became their own people and began to explore the stars themselves, not as conquerors, like the Kryptonians, but as scientific observers. One such observer visited Earth several hundred years ago and was impregnated by a Terrain. She returned to Daxam and bore the child. From there the Daxamites begin to fear space and after a bloody civil war, they ban all space travel. Years later, Mon comes across an old Daximite ship and escapes from Daxam just as the anti-space forces were closing in on him. He crash lands on Earth, meets a young Clark Kent, and the rest is history. Oh yeah, and Mon is a descendant of the Daxamite who visited Earth, meaning he has some Terrain blood running through his veins.
What I thought: Once again, I was hoping for something more here. The origin of Daxam/Mon-El wasn't particularly interesting or original, and the stuff with Mon's distant ancestor and the earthling was just plain dumb, with some of the hokiest dialogue you'll ever read.
Score: 6 out of 10.Look, it's Mon-El meeting Clark Kent for the first time! Again...