Review: Supergirl #69

Two weeks ago, in the aftermath the Black Adam movie, I reviewed the Supergirl/Mary Marvel throwdown from Peter David and Leonard Kirk's Supergirl #68 . Given that issue ended on a cliffhanger and with the fervor for the Marvel family still high, I figured I'd cover the next issue.

As I said last time, this is a long arc of a depowered Linda Danvers Supergirl following the Chaos Stream to try and reclaim her Earth Angel powers, stripped from her way back in Supergirl #50 in the aftermath of her fight with the Carnivean.

The villain of this arc was just recently revealed to us here. It is Lilith, the first wife of Adam and a demonic presence. Later we learn she is the mother of the Carnivean and is our for revenge. And using a variety of shape-changing and faerie glamor, she has been manipulating events. 

But the real plot here is Linda recognizing her own worth and shedding her self-loathing. Linda was a problem child before merging with the Matrix Supergirl. She has touched the Angelic. Throughout this story, she keeps putting herself down and wondering if she is worthy. Mary Marvel is a perfect foil for Linda's thoughts. Mary is pure, innocent, good. And Linda can't help but feel flawed in comparison. 

I really loved this book. I loved the journey Linda was on. I feel this second arc wasn't as strong as the first, longform one. But it is a perfect second act for Linda. 

Leonard Kirk remains on art and brings a very fluid, very organic feel style here. I love his depiction of Linda and Mary, young women who look natural and very real. But there is a fantastical element here he also embraces including an amazing splash cliffhanger. 

On to the book.

DC Superhero Girls: Double Danvers

I have been enjoying myself recently in discovering and, in some cases, re-discovering, the second season of DC Superhero Girls. I can't explain why covering the show dropped off here. But I plan to rectify.

As I have said with each episode I have reviewed, the Supergirl here isn't your standard version of Kara. She is brash. She is hot headed. She is impetuous ... okay maybe that is classic Kara. But this version seems more like Power Girl than Supergirl. In any case, she has her heart in the right place, is definitely a hero, is the tank of the team, and is a laugh riot. 

Today I'll look at an episode called #DoubleDanvers, a pure Supergirl episode with a dash of Bizarro Supergirl. In it, Kara tries to skirt some responsibility by sending Bizarro in her place. You can anticipate the madcap hijinks that ensue. 

I love the concept of Bizarro Supergirl, mostly from incredible BizarroGirl arc from Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle. In this show, she is more misunderstood and mostly harmless and that is true here.

But this is a DC Superhero Girls episode. There is a lesson here. You have to be true to your family and honor your promises. 

On to the show.

DC Superhero Girls: The Good, The Bad, & The Bizarre

Life has been a bit busy for me these last few months so some Supergirl stuff has slid by without commentary. One of those has been the Lauren Faust led DC Superhero Girls show. There have been some great episodes with some quality Kara moments that I hope to eventually cover.

We’ll start with the most recent episode “#TheGoodTheBadAndTheBizarre’. Of course, for comic fans the title hints strongly at who the villain of the piece will be.

One thing that I have liked about this version of Supergirl has been her sort of irascible personality, ready with a snarky remark and a left hook at all times. She’s fun and way less saccharine than the last DCSHG Supergirl we had.

I don’t even mind her sort of familial rivalry and semi-distaste for Superman in this universe. Here Clark is played up as being perfect and (perhaps appropriately) narcissistic.

This episode plays up both of those aspects of her character.

But we start on a good note.

After months of feeling overlooked and being overlooked, Supergirl is now the darling of Metropolis, considered a hero worthy of bus tours and endorsements. And after feeling bad about herself or ignored for so long, Kara wallows in it a bit.

So you know it wasn’t going to last.

Supergirl Episode 12: Bizarro

Supergirl episode 12, 'Bizarro', came out this week and was a great character episode while adding the best super-powered battles of the season. I was floored by the action and I was impressed with the depths of emotion that I felt for the characters here.

Are you sensing there is a 'but' coming? Because there is one.

But I also felt that there was almost too much happening in this episode. We are dealing with two major plots. One is Supergirl fighting BizarroGirl, the creation of a suddenly darker Maxwell Lord. The other is Kara trying to date Adam Grant. When taken separately, they are both well done. And I can understand why they are both here, as themes of isolation and trying to find love are in both.

But I feel like this should have been all BizarroGirl. That plot was big enough to dominate the episode. And Adam's story could have waited. But by putting them together, the romance plot seemed small. When those scenes were happening I was waiting for them to end, even though they were well acted and well done.

The BizarroGirl plot really leaned heavily on some ideas of the Sterling Gates story, that is that BizarroGirl and Supergirl are reflections of each other, not true opposites. And the idea that both are dealing with feelings of isolation, of not being normal, of having their worlds and lives slowly destroyed, just resonated. And yet, even in that despair, Supergirl can inspire.

Add to that memorable character turns for Winn, James, and Cat, and overall it was superb. On to the details.

We start by seeing the creation of BizarroGirl three months earlier. Now awake, Maxwell Lord quotes Prometheus Unbound and sends his creation out to kill a 'bad' Supergirl. The last episode we saw her throwing a truck into a mountainside.

With her world reeling a bit, Kara asks Winn to help her. Initially he declines. But then his curiosity and his friendship make him change his mind. I am glad we only had to deal with a sulking Winn for a week. While he doesn't specifically articulate how he thought things through, we see later on that he has accepted that romance with Kara is off the table and that he can still be her friend. Good for him.

As for Cat, she is suddenly acting nice to Kara knowing that a relationship with her assistant will keep her son nearby longer. And from a Supergirl viewpoint, she takes Kara's idea that this truck-throwing Maid of Might could be an imposter.

The super friends unite in their secret office to discuss how to track down the doppelganger. While there, Adam texts Kara to remind her about their date that night. She giggles and blushes and tells her friends about this budding romance. As always, Benoist shines here showing an awkward and innocent excitement while trying, in vain, to not be obvious.

Also surprising is the sort of cringe-inducing response by James who stammers out how he is glad for Kara even though it sounds all too flat.

Meanwhile, we see the tortured life of Bizarro in Lord's room 52. She is bombarded with images of Supergirl and subjected to shocks. She is told over and over that Supergirl is bad and that Supergirl must be killed.

Lord is suddenly going from narcissistic jerk to outright villain. This is brutal.

Kara goes out on her date with Adam and there is such an easy chemistry between the two. You can feel the attraction between them. But they talk a bit more like a couple who has been dating for a little bit and not two people who are in the cocktail time of their first date. Still, even Adam can see that Kara can understand people and he wants to be part of her life.

The date is cut short when Kara sees a new report of a skycar in National City about to fall. She runs out on Adam and flies to the rescue. That effort is stymied by the arrival of BizarroGirl. Before the fists fly, as always, Kara tries to reason with Bizarro, asking her why she is doing what she is doing. But the brainwashed duplicate lashes out.

This is the first of 3 fights in this episode and each improves on the last. Flying around, wrestling on the roof of the dangling car. When the car finally falls free, Kara stops fighting and flies to catch it. This reminded me a little of the Spiderman movie rescue.

After the fight, Supergirl heads to the DEO. This Bizarro (term coined by Cat) is a perfect copy. Alex thinks Kryptonite might stop her. Later, Alex confronts Max about Bizarro and he basically confesses to creating her through Kara's DNA that was left on Red Tornado's arm. Lord thinks he's untouchable.

But things get even creepier. Winn has learned that 7 comatose Jane Doe's have disappeared and been claimed by Prometheus Genetics, a shell company of Lord Industries. He has experimented on 7 women before one survived the process. Serial killer is a far cry from humanist.

But throughout this, we see the inspiration and heroism of Supergirl. First off, Bizarro wonders how Supergirl can be bad if she saved the falling car. Ironically, Lord convinces Bizarro that Supergirl still needs to be killed because 'things that seem good can be very very bad.' Look in the mirror!

When Alex says Bizarro needs to be liquidated, Supergirl reminds her sister that Bizarro is the victim in this. Supergirl always tries to help people.

As for the above pictured scene, Winn and James have a great scene. I like how these two have become good friends. Winn calls James out on the stilted support he gave the Kara/Adam romance. He knows James has feelings for Kara. Lucy deserves the truth. And James deserves happiness. That is relationship wisdom from Winn! Amazing.

Despite the threat of Bizarro, Alex convinces Kara that she should keep her date with Adam. But that date is also cut short when Bizarro scoops up Kara to fight again. (Seriously, Kara is randomly grabbed by BizarroGirl. Cat still has to know that Kara is Supergirl. That is too big a coincidence.

Another battle erupts. This time we see a more full array of Bizarro powers, flame breath and freeze vision. Perfect.

The DEO arrives to lend support and batters Bizarro with high powered rounds of synthetic Kryptonite bullets. The radiation doesn't hurt Bizarro, but it does mutate her to the more classic disfigured imperfect doppelganger we are used to.

It is great. I mean this is BizarroGirl, right down to the darker suit and backwards S. Perfect.

With BizarroGirl attacking Kara in her civilian mode, it is evident that Lord knows the Danvers secret. Anyone involved with Kara could be in danger. Fearing Adam may get hurt, Kara breaks it off with him. She wonders if she has room for someone like him in her life. Benoist conveys the sadness she is keeping under the surface well here. Even Adam knows she doesn't really want him out of her life but is isolating herself.

Continuing a number of badass but maybe ill-advised decisions this episode, Alex heads to Lord's office with some DEO troops, beats him up, and brings him into the DEO HQ. He won't hurt anyone even if she has overstepped her authority. Even Hank is upset with this decision. Imagine kidnapping someone like Steve Jobs? I guess Alex desire to keep her family safe has robbed her of the usual steely exterior. I mean couldn't she give an anonymous tip to the police? The FBI? General Lane? Why take this on personally, with no authority?

I really love the Alex character. But this seemed rash.

Meanwhile, BizarroGirl decides she needs to hurt Supergirl by hurting someone she loves. She takes James. I don't know if that choice makes the most sense. But maybe the childish emotions of a Bizarro could confuse infatuation with love.

James again tries to reach the Supergirl portion of BizarroGirl's soul. He says that even if she looks like a monster, she could be loved as Supergirl is loved. Because people love Kara because she is brave, kind, and always trying to do what's right.

It almost works. But instead the third and final battle between the Supergirls breaks out. This is a great fight with strength, flight, breath weapons and vision powers all on display. All the fighting sequences in this episode were fantastic, well-choreographed.

And Alex shows up with a gun of synthetic Blue K, made when they discover that Kryptonite with ionic reversal will weaken BizarroGirl. I live in a world where blue Kryptonite was used to subdue a live action Bizarro after a super-brawl. Wonderful.

The ending of the episode tugs all the right heart strings. The decision is made to induce a coma in BizarroGirl. She'll be at peace. Realizing her mistakes, Bizarro apologizes the Kara. Supergirl promises she will help. The two are isolated, alone, hurting. They are reflections.

I almost welled here.

As for Max, he is in the standard issue DEO fishbowl.

But how long can he be kept there illegally? Max almost seems bemused, joking about BizarroGirl, saying illegal imprisonment is 'American', and throwing a threat about Eliza Danvers out. Lord is a supervillain in the classic sense, an amoral sociopath with a god complex. Even his quoting Prometheus, who stole the power of the gods, is a tip.

BizarroGirl is a lost cause. Cat is suddenly cold with Kara for dumping Adam. James is weird and leaves to see Lucy. Things with Winn are still chilly. Her family is in danger. Kara is suddenly alone, and emotionally vulnerable.

So why not throw the Black Mercy, a parasite that shows someone their ultimate fantasy at her. It is the right time.

Just a few more notes. The writers continue to throw in some great throwaway lines. Hank says that while imitating Supergirl the skirt was 'surprisingly comfortable'. Winn saying he knows Kara's height, weight, and measurmenets ... then reminding people he made her suit. Cat says that Kara is 'skittish like a horse'. She also talked about putting out an Amber Alert about Kara, showing she thinks of Kara as a child. Kara says BizarroGirl talks like Cookie Monster. Dialogue flourishes make the show that much better.

Anyways, I shouldn't be damning with faint praise. This was very very good. But this felt a bit like the pilot to me, too stuffed for its own good.

Supergirl Show News From TCA 2016 - Vandervoort! Master Jailer! Alan Moore!

I haven't covered all the news and casting but when it comes as fast and furious as it did 2 days ago, I feel I need to comment. Especially because this news is so fantastic that I felt compelled to discuss it. At the Television Critics Association tour on Monday, the Supergirl show crew announced some bombshells. This Entertainment Weekly article does a good job of recapping them:
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/01/11/supergirl-laura-vandervoort-indigo-master-jailer

Settle in, there was a lot of news. And of course I have lots of things to say about so many of these. So some blurbs from the article will be followed by my usual banter.

Laura Vandervoort has been signed to star on the show starting in episode 15. She has been cast as Indigo. Indigo was a Titan who started out as an innocent robot but was then revealed to be Brainiac 8, sent back in time to kill Donna Troy. But here is the blurb describing her in the show.

Indigo is described by producers as a living, strong-willed supercomputer who was sentenced to Fort Rozz after turning against the people of Krypton. Now on Earth, Indigo will let nothing stand in her way.

“She’s badass,” executive producer Andrew Kreisberg says. “She’s going to look awesome. Definitely not going to look just like Laura. Being one aspect of the Brainiac program, she comes in through computers, so Winn is actively involved in that episode. She has a very interesting backstory. She was one of the Fort Rozz prisoners, but how she came to be and how she ended up on the prison, and what she’s been doing on Earth is part of the fun and the surprise of the episode.”

I am pretty pumped to have Vandervoort on the show, continuing the nice sense of legacy in the show. And bringing in a Brainiac derivative is great. Can't wait to see more. But let's be honest. We all know what we want.

We now have the chance to see all three actresses who have played Kara all together in one scene! This better happen!!

In other villain news, soap star Jeff Branson has been cast as the Master Jailer. In the comics, the Jailer was Carl 'Moosey' Draper, a brilliant scientist who grew up in Smallville, insanely jealous of Superboy and obsessed with Lana Lang. Here is the blurb from the article.

Jeff Branson will recur as the forceful and unrelenting jail guard on Fort Rozz who showed no mercy. Now on Earth, he is hellbent on catching all of the Fort Rozz escapees and brutally bringing them to justice.

One thing I like about this is that here he is one of the staff on Fort Rozz. I was wondering if there were any good guys on that prison. It'll be interesting to see if he has been hunting (and maybe executing) the Rozz escapees during all these years. Maybe be will play another ethical foil to Supergirl.

Lastly, in what I think is a brilliant move, the show will riff on the famous Alan Moore story 'For the Man Who Has Everything" in episode 13. In that story in Superman Annual #11 (a story everyone should read), Superman is given a vision of what Krypton would be like had it not exploded. It isn't all rosy. Kara has a bit part in the story, maybe something for me to highlight later. As for the Supergirl show:

“There was something about that particular story that, to me, was almost even more resonant for her,” Kreisberg said, noting that it’s a good guess that this will be the episode that features young Kal-El. “For Superman, when it happens to him, it’s his wish for something that he never had. But for her, she wants something back that was taken from her. It really is like her stepping into this fantasy of what life would’ve been like if she had never left Krypton and had grown up there, if her parents were still alive, if she had grown into the person and the life that she wanted to lead. Again, because it’s coming at a time where she’s feeling so low about her life on Earth, it becomes that much more potent… She’s actually getting back everything that was taken away from her and the only way out of it is to reject it. Imagine how horrible that’s going to be.”

Everything Kreisberg says makes perfect sense. She remembers Krypton. She would have an understanding of what life would be like. This is something she would truly want, unlike Kal who has no memories of the place. I can't wait to see this. Given how hard it was for Superman to reject the vision in the story, I am sure it is going to rip out Kara's heart. And this gives Melissa Benoist another juicy emotional scene for us to see.This also is a good explanation for the casting of a young Kal-El, news we heard about a while ago.

I don't know if they will do the 'Black Mercy' flower as the explanation for this dream. Could it be a telepath? Coma?

Lastly, we finally get confirmation that the Jane Doe in 'Blood Bonds' is BizarroGirl. Over on CBR, we get news of episode 12 called simply 'Bizarro'. Here is the article:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/kara-battles-a-bizarro-version-of-herself-in-supergirl-episode-12-synopsis

And the blurb:
"Bizarro" – Kara faces off against her mirrorimage when Bizarro (Hope Lauren), a twisted version of Supergirl, sets out to destroy her. Also, Kara grows closer with Cat’s son, Adam (Blake Jenner), on SUPERGIRL, Monday, Feb. 1 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

I don't know much about Hope Lauren but she certainly looks enough like Melissa Benoist to fool people from a distance. My guess is Max Lord unleashes her to besmirch Supergirl's character. I also bet that she starts out looking normal and slowly 'bizarro-fies' over the episode until she dies at the end. Let's see if I'm right.

Anyways, nothing not to love about any of this news. Laura Vandervoort!!!  

Review: Tiny Titans Return To The Treehouse #2

There is some serious silliness going on in Tiny Titans: Return to the Treehouse #2 by creative duo Art Baltazar and Franco. While the character that is showcased the most in this issue is the Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle, the issue itself is so steeped in Superman mythology that this could have easily been labeled a crossover issue with the missed Superman Family Adventures by the same creative team.

You can see that emphasis on Superman right on the cover, the tiny Titans all donning the S-shield. And the Fortress ... or Fortress technology ... is also a key part of this issue so it also gets some cover love. As always, I marvel at how much the Donner movie still influences comics and Superman. In this issue, the Fortress and Kryptonian technology is all crystal based.

On to the fun!

One other thing to note before we get to the actual story. I love the role call that Franco and Baltazar put on the first page, showing us which Titans are predominantly seen in the issue.

But it looks like Supergirl might be getting some extra love from now on as DC places the Siegel Family acknowledgement.

In last issue, Brainiac 5 and Psimon shrank and stole the Titans treehouse leaving the team without a headquarters. Supergirl decides that Superman's fortress is the best place to try to track where the two 'villains' have gone. Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to know how to get there.

Finally, Cyborg is able to find it eliciting an overly excited squeal from Supergirl. It reminded me of Lucy's response to Schroeder's playing of Jingle Bells.

I love this happy Supergirl.

As I said, this felt like something of a crossover with Superman Family Adventures (although Supergirl and Superboy are definitely in Titans mode). That includes seeing the SFA Superman again!

Unlike the prior Tiny Titans book (where all we saw where adults feet), we get to see Superman in all his glory. Like I said when Adventures were coming out, somehow Art Baltazar is able to make the New 52 super-suit look good!

Superman doesn't stick around too long. He is called away by Jimmy's signal watch. That first panel is pure Superman Family Adventures.

You might recall that a con I went to Art Baltazar said they had plots for 40 issues of SFA. Too bad DC pulled the plug. I can only imagine the fun they would have with Superman:Doomed.

With Superman gone, Supergirl uses the crystal technology of the Fortress like a "super cell phone" and calls Brainiac. Initially Brainiac denies having anything to do with the theft of the Treehouse. But Psimon and Brainiac 5 show up. Having shrunk the Treehouse, they are proudly wearing a Brainiac club shrinking badges.

Suddenly Brainiac is proud of his boys and disconnects.

Now why Brainiac 5 is doing something with the bad guys I don't wholly understand. I hope that somehow Supergirl is able to talk him into helping the Titans. I can never get enough of Kara and Querl together.

Franco and Baltazar take something of a left hand turn in the book, moving away from the Treehouse plot to bring in Bizarro, Match, and BizarroGirl for some funny moments.

I also can't get enough of BizarroGirl. There is something charming about her. Too fantastic.

Superman ends up making a mini-fortress for the Titans but it is made of ice and melts away. The quest for the treehouse  must continue.

I am happy that this irreverent all ages book exists. I always chuckle when I read it. Thankfully, DC keeps giving Franco and Baltazar a forum for the work.

Overall grade: B+

Boston Comic Con 2013 Commission #4 - Amy Reeder BizarroGirl

When the Boston Comic Con was originally announced I was thrilled to see that Amy Reeder was among the guests. And when it was rescheduled, I was thrilled to see her name still listed in Artists Alley. I loved Reeder's work on Madame Xanadu with Matt Wagner. And I really loved her covers on Supergirl during the BizarroGirl arc and beyond. I already had a quick sketch of Supergirl by her (grabbed by a friend of mine at an earlier convention).

But I wanted to chat with her and get a sketch in my sketch book. And since I decided to branch out a bit, and since I already had a Supergirl, I opted to go for a BizarroGirl sketch.

I couldn't be more thrilled with the commission. I always thought that Reeder's take on BizarroGirl was like a cracked porcelain doll and this evokes that nicely. She said she wanted BizarroGirl to look the opposite of the classic sweet Supergirl and so she tried to put heavy Goth style makeup around the eyes. I love the look of subtle malevolence on the face here.

So I talked to Reeder about Supergirl and there was a man sitting at her table who talked about Supergirl and Jim Mooney for a while. When I pulled out Halloween Eve to get signed by her, she asked if I wanted the man at her table to sign it too; he was writer Brandon Montclare.

I then got to talking about their upcoming project Rocket Girl, a book I am very excited for. The first issue is scheduled for October 9. Can't wait!

Anyways, it was great to finally meet Amy Reeder and talk. Meeting Brandon Montclare was a bonus!

New Sterling Gates And Michael Alan Nelson Interviews

In a nice confluence of Supergirl goodness, the current writer Michael Alan Nelson and the past writer Sterling Gates were both interviewed for the magazine Mass Movement in the MM36 issue. Here is the link:
http://www.middle-age-shred.com/MM36/MM36.pdf

The magazine is an interesting mix of music and comics news and interviews. I firmly believe that comic creators are rock stars of a sort. So this mix feels like chocolate and peanut butter, two great tastes that taste great together.

The magazine as a whole is worth scrolling through and there is an interview with Talon writer James Tynion IV as well. So enjoy. But I'll focus on the Gates and Nelson stuff.

The Sterling Gates interview starts on page 86.

Gates talks about Supergirl, Vibe, and his favorite trades of all time. It is definitely worth reading in its entirety.

I thought this section of the article was great where Gates revisits his time on Supergirl, discussing his favorite story moments as well as the best 'real life moments' while on the series.

This was like a sort of highlight reel for me as well as some of Gates' favorite moments in the series match some of my own. The use of Klukor, the introduction of Linda Lang, the Legion annual, and the gut-wrenching scene with BizarroGirl all rank very high for me in that run.

And I can only imagine how cool it must have been to hear that Helen Slater would be working on the trade as well.

He also comments on Vibe and emphasizes what I think is the best part of the book. Cisco is a good kid who is trying to do what's right. Of course he is working in a corrupt system. Will this challenge dim his optimism? Or will it make those around him question their own morality?

I have loved the Vibe comic, a throwback of heroism in a grim DCnU.

Michael Alan Nelson also is interviewed. His piece starts on page 100. There is a fair amount on his beginnings, his work on Fall of Cthulhu, and his work on Supergirl

Again, you should read all of it. Well worth it.

This is too small to read as is so you'll need to open up the picture. But this question talks about Nelson's thoughts about taking over for Supergirl and who he thinks she is.

It is a great answer. He acknowledges that Supergirl has her 'legions of fans'. Hey! That's us! He does say that he couldn't feel pressured by what her fans want. As there are factions of Kara fandom, I am glad he said this because there is no way he could satisfy everybody.

But he also says he wants to stay true to her character and tell good stories. That sounds like simple common sense and yet it is very reassuring to me. Others have tried to force Supergirl to be something she isn't. I have been pleased with Nelson's approach so far. I think he does have an understanding of who Kara is.

Supergirl's past and future in one magazine! Fantastic!

DC Nation Magazine: SBFFs

The DC Nation magazine came out this week and seemed a natural purchase for me.

I have been a fan of Young Justice since it's inception. And even Green Lantern, which at first seemed lackluster, turned it around in the last few weeks with Mogo, St. Walker, and the Violet Lanterns all turning up.

And of course, the DC Nation shorts have been something of a relevation.

There are three comic stories in the book and some other pages promoting the shows. It is a nice colorful format and the supergirl at home liked it.

And there was a 2 page spread promoting the Super Best Friends Forever shorts.

First off, I love this action pose of the three, Supergirl front and center. I wonder if Donna's 'Suh-beffs' comment is going to be a running punchline, given that she used it in the last episode. And having Batgirl's lines missing spaces between the words nicely conveys her hyper-energized state.

But I don't know if I like Supergirl's comment here. The 'thunder thighs' comment makes it seem as though 1) her body is one that people would tease and 2) she would comment on it - even if it was to rebuff.

One of the things I like about the show is the different body types of the heroes. We don't need to even begin to bring a negative connotation to how Supergirl looks.

There are 'origin' blurbs on each of the SBFF's.

The SBFF Supergirl is sarcastic and has a short temper and is mischievous. This is a two minute short so each character has to have a big, easily defined personality. So this Supergirl is the hothead and the muscle of the group. I'm okay with that.

Because, even with the sort of characterization, we have still seen the 'real' Supergirl come out in these shorts. The one who respects Ma Kent. The one who regrets hurting her friends when she does lose it. And the one who loves her best friends and would do anything for them.

I have to say ... I have gotten a big big kick out of this Supergirl.

But this was the best part of this little 2 page spread.

Is there any doubt that Lauren Faust is one of us?

She relates best to Supergirl. She would love to do an episode with Bizarro Supergirl. Bizarro Supergirl in SBFF?? That would be so fantastic!

Add to that an interest in Harley Quinn or Starfire? Unbelievable!

These shorts have been so great and from a known commodity like Faust (who has a built in faithful audience). It seems premature to pull the plug on this. Time to hear from DCE that they will let Faust make more of these!

New DC Logo - Supergirl Style?

The comic world got to take a good look at the new DC Comic logo last week, a sort of top layer D being peeled off of an deep layer C. It isn't super engaging on its own. But I don't know anyone buying the books simply for the company branding. Here is the DC Source article discussing it: http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2012/01/19/new-brand-identity/

One thing that is potentially interesting is the creation of character or title specific interactive logos as seen above. The glowing green Green Lantern logo and the lightning style Flash one do look pretty.

I saw that the fantastic Aquaman Shrine site made their own new logos for Aquaman and they look pretty snazzy too. Here is that link: http://www.aquamanshrine.com/2012/01/dc-interactive-logos-pt-2.html

I figured why not try my hand at a Supergirl one. Alas, I am pretty lacking of advanced computer art skills. So take these with a grain of salt.

I thought that keeping the Superman style bright blue 'D' added a sort of visual link between the 2 cousins. They are part of the same hero family. That should carry over visually.

I thought that adding Kara's unique new S-shield as the underlying 'C', just a hint of her blond hair peeking in to show it is Supergirl, might be nice. It looks a bit dark here unfortunately. I should have tried to lighten up the shield.

And here would by my view of the Supergirl big screen. Again, the shield seems too dark for the C in the corner. You can barely make out that it is even a C. So maybe I need to go back to the drawing board a bit. But I think that the Mahmud Asrar cover image from the first issue is stunning and would make the best image to include on a Supergirl logo page.

Hopefully DC will give Supergirl her own interactive logo. I'd love to see other 'home grown' attempts too!

Jamal Igle's Review Of Supergirl #54

Over on Jamal Igle's blog, he continues his personal review of his time on Supergirl. While I haven't discussed all of them here, I had to comment on his recollection of Supergirl #54. Here is the link to his blog and that discussion: http://jamalligle.blogspot.com/2012/01/from-vaults-supergirl-54.html

Now Supergirl #54 is where the BizarroGirl storyline really started to pick up. As I have said countless times, I think the BizarroGirl story arc is one of the best Supergirl arcs of all times, just a wonderfully emotional story about Kara learning to let go of some of her pain and to emerge from the tragedies of New Krypton stronger. But those are hard lessons and initially she depressed and unwilling to act. If you want to see what I thought of Supergirl #54 when it came out here is the link to that review:
http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2010/07/review-supergirl-54.html

Now the thing I am really loving about this series of posts Igle is doing are the process pieces he is including. From thumb nails to concept art, from pencils to ink, we are really being treated to the creation of the art.

Since I love the BizarroGirl arc so much, it is no surprise that I love BizarroGirl as a character. Here Igle let's us see his design pictures for her. Here is concept work for the ultimate design for BizarroGirl. I like that it is a mix of the Silver Age solid blue shirt/skirt with the gold trim of the current incarnation.

But this was also a treat. Here was a concept piece for BizarroGirl that wasn't used. The red shoulders have a sort of Crisis-era feel to them. Igle was going for an Alura feel here and I can see that.

In the end, I like the idea that was ultimately used more. This 'feels' very different from the Supergirl uniform of the time. And part of the power of that arc was that Kara and BizarroGirl weren't opposites, but reflections of each other. The familiar feel of BizarroGirl's final uniform added to that feel.

But there was so much in this issue that I loved. My favorite page was the 'closet of solitude' page, first sneak-peeked in Superman #700. At the time, I had a blast deciphering what the items were. Here is that link:
http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2010/06/supergirl-preview-page-in-superman-700.html

But there was the splash page homage to Superman #1, the Dr. Light orbiting laser trick, and the decision to help BizarroGirl, an emotional stand-in for Reactron and New Krypton. Wonderful.

All these issue reviews have been great so please go to Jamal's blog and peruse. He recently announced there that he is no longer a DC Exclusive talent and so we may see him all sorts of books. But I will always cherish these Supergirl issues.

2011 Year In Review Part Three: Wrap-Up And Top Ten Supergirl Moments

The new year is just around the corner and that means that 'Best of' lists for 2011 are everywhere. And, as I have done the last three years, I will join in the fun by looking back at the year and picking the Top Ten Supergirl moments that happened over 2011. Now I know I am long-winded usually ... and I am reviewing a year ... so bear with me. This is a long post!

2011 was a crazy year for comics in general and it was no different for Supergirl. It was something of a wild ride.But one thing I have to say, she remained in the spotlight of the DCU, not only in comics but outside of comics as well. I haven't always been able to say that so any year I can, it has to be a good thing.

Supergirl remained an active topic in the merchandise world with no less than 4 statues solicited by DC Direct. While the Michael Turner mini-statue was in some ways a re-solicit, we also got a full size Adam Hughes Women of DC statue, an Amanda Conner based Women of DC bust, and a Supergirl portion of a Superman Family multi-statue. We even had a Polly Pocket Supergirl as well and Heroclix of Supergirl, Superwoman, and BizarroGirl. Obviously, she must be a pretty popular character to warrant such merchandising.

And in terms of other media, we learned that she will be part of the DC Nation block on Cartoon Network. She will be part of the Super Best Friends shorts, produced by Lauren Faust of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fame. That is a great way for the character to branch out to a new audience. Love the costume too.

But this post is about Supergirl in comics. In 2011, the 'old' Supergirl title had two major arcs. The first, by writer James Peaty and artist Bernard Chang, seemed to pick up right where Sterling Gates/Jamal Igle's run left off, with Supergirl still sort of reeling and regrouping from New Krypton, wondering about her place in the world. While the villain's motives were murky, the characterization of Kara was spot on making this a big success in my mind. The next arc by writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and artist ChrisCross had a lighter feel to it, a bit more of a  fun and rollicking story. But in the end that feeling and the story's conclusion was perfect for it to be a capstone for that incarnation of Supergirl. And James Robinson and Paul Cornell had her play major parts in the adventures of the Justice League and the Reign of Doomsday.

And then the relaunch happened and we had another Kara crash land on Earth, feeling lost and alone and confused. Early publicity material made her sound unlikeable but so far so good as this Kara tip toes her way into the DCnU.

So with all that going on it was tough to pick my top ten moments. I had plenty of them. But here they are:

#10 - "She's Magnificent" - Superman/Batman Annual #5, James Robinson and Miguel Sepulveda

As blog friend John Feer often says 'there is nothing like some Kara-tharsis!' And the Reign of Doomsday was a perfect storyline for that sort of unbridled action where Supergirl got to cut loose. In this scene, after having just shaken off the anguish of Dark Supergirl (more on that later), Supergirl just lays the hammer down on Doomsday coming within a cat's whisker of defeating him. This was just great. And Miguel Sepulveda's art (aside from the high heeled boots which I really dislike) captures the moment perfectly.

But what really kicked this into the top ten over any other moment of strength is Batman's response when he sees Supergirl on the offensive. Grayson can only say 'She's magnificent' as he watches her batter Doomsday. I have to concur. She is. And I think James Robinson really loved her as a character as well.

#9 - "Super Intuition" - Supergirl #65, Kelly Sue DeConnick and ChrisCross

Kelly Sue DeConnick's short arc was a fun, up-beat story filled with laugh and love. It really was something of a breather after the somewhat heavier arcs that preceded it. This was Kara hanging out at college, meeting friends, and meeting a guy she was attracted to.

But DeConnick also put some Supergirl history into her story, sort of nods to the past. Stanhope was the school that Supergirl was visiting. And here we have a mention of super-intuition! Super-intuition was one of Kara's goofier and less defined powers of the Silver Age. So to see it again, even as a bit of a snark by Supergirl, was greatly fun. I appreciate any time creators recognize Supergirl's history and translate it to the current continuity.

#8 - "Grounded Facepalm" - Superman #713, Chris Roberson and Eddy Barrows

So I could probably write books about the problems that I had with Grounded as a storyline. In particular, J. Michael Straczynski's early issues were cringe-worthy, making Superman act like an elitist jerk more than a hero.

Handed the reins, Chris Roberson did his best to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Roberson's issues had Superman reconnecting with his friends and family and getting a better understanding of his role on Earth. That said, Roberson could have had Supergirl and Superboy play a bigger role in that psychological healing. Instead, we only have this brief moment from Superman #713 before a complete stranger helps Superman (lost opportunity there for Kara to help her cousin in my mind).

Still, I love this moment because it actually summed up my feelings for this arc. After several issues where Superman seems to be on the road to recovery he suddenly decides to stop being Superman out in the open. Kara's response is perfect ... the face palm. That is exactly how I felt that moment. I just wanted this arc to end, I wanted Superman to act like Superman again. And to have him take a step back had me rolling my eyes.

So plant that face in your palm Supergirl! I was right there with you!

#7 - "Bizarro Girl Action Comics #252 Redux" - Tiny Titans #42, Art Baltazar and Franco

I have gushed about Supergirl in Tiny Titans too many places to count. And this year was no different with Supergirl having several great moments in the book.

This panel stood out as the best of the best. Here BizarroGirl arrives on Earth. But this panel is clearly an homage to Supergirl's first appearance in Action Comics #252. Even the dialogue is a riff on that classic picture. As I said before, creator acknowledgments of Supergirl's history are greatly appreciated. I feel as if the creators recognize her and her history as meaningful when it is done. So this was wonderful.

But add to that that it is BizarroGirl arriving here just added another layer of awesome. She is a great character. And she is a new rogue for Kara and a remnant of the Gates/Igle run. I am glad that there is some permanence to the character.

It is sad to see this comic ending.

#6 - "Outsmarted" - Supergirl #64, James Peaty and Bernard Chang

In 'Good Looking Corpse', James Peaty had Supergirl facing off against Alex, the petulant, smarmy, and overconfident clone of Dubbilex. Alex dripped superiority, laughing in the face of pathetic humanity as he plotted.

So this was just a fantastic comeuppance by a Supergirl who had, over the course of the arc, realized that she is a leader, a worthy eventual successor of Superman, and finally in the big leagues. It is a different sort of Kara-tharsis, more subtle but almost more devastating. That is a powerful looking Supergirl, towering over the fallen Alex, almost gloating, as she says 'this must be a new experience for you .. exposed, powerless, outsmarted'. It is the most cutting insult she could give him. And it was Supergirl who did the outsmarting, beating him at his own game ... and maybe rubbing it in just a bit.

Now that is a great Supergirl moment.

#5 - "Big Brother" - Justice League #60, James Robinson and Daniel Sampere

The relaunch of the DCU meant the dissolution of James Robinson's Justice League. One thing I loved about that run was the relationship that Robinson set up between the Dick Grayson Batman and Supergirl. From the beginning Robinson said that they would have a big brother/little sister relationship, not a tawdry one.

Throughout the run it was great to see Dick take Kara under his wing, trying to get her to open up a bit, to befriend him, to trust him. And it was fun to see Supergirl become so protective of him, rushing to his defense a number of times while shouting 'Grayson'. It just seemed natural that Dick, who grew up in the shadow of a legend, tried to find his own way, and inherited a legacy would be the perfect confidante for Supergirl, someone who constantly compares herself to her cousin and finds herself lacking.

This hug, as the team is disbanding, was a quiet moment showcasing that familial love the two had. They'll always be there for each other. Hmmm, this would also be a good World's Finest comic too.

#4 - "Forgive Yourself" - Superman/Batman Annual #5, James Robinson and Miguel Sepulveda

One of the most compelling parts of Sterling Gates' run was the psychological fallout Kara suffered in the aftermath of New Krypton. She went missing. She cut her hair. She swore off being Supergirl. She was grieving on the inside, suffering survivor's guilt, and trying to figure out the best way she could shield herself from more pain as well as make sure she didn't cause anymore harm.

Those themes were re-examined by James Robinson when he had Kara again take on the mantle of Dark Supergirl. This wasn't the evil Dark Supergirl that was seen in the earliest Loeb/Churchill issues. This was a bratty and superficial Supergirl, someone trying hard to ignore her feelings but hiding behind a facade of irreverence. But it was clear that wasn't her.

In the Superman/Batman Annual #5, Dark Supergirl is told that she is dying. The only way to be cured is to save herself psychologically. She needs to shake off this phony persona of Dark Supergirl. She needs to accept who she is. And she needs to forgive herself. While many of these themes were seen in the BizarroGirl arc, I feel like emotional catastrophes don't just disappear. They can relapse. I thought Robinson handled those emotional themes well and did it in a novel way. When Supergirl forgives herself, rids herself of that guilt, she dons the classic blue costume and became the Kara we all love again.

#3 - "Respect From Damien" - Supergirl #62, James Peaty and Bernard Chang

I have talked about 'Good Looking Corpse' earlier in this post and in the honorable mentions post. In that arc, Supergirl has to come to the realization that she holds a pretty special place in the DCU, that she is a worthy successor of Superman and in his league. Kara was her own worst critic at times, the sign of a growing hero wondering where she was on the journey.

But another part of that analysis of her place in the DCU came externally in the form of respect from the other young heroes. So when Supergirl comes up with an intricate plan to defeat Alex, when she recruits Blue Beetle, Miss Martian, and Robin, they all fall in line behind her. So we hear how Miss Martian looked up to Supergirl, was in awe of her.

Perhaps the biggest compliment she could get was from Damian Wayne. Damian has always come across as someone who looks down on everybody as an inferior. He is someone whose respect you have to earn. And that doesn't come easy. Here he says that he is following her into battle because he has been watching her and she has 'passed the test'. Outside of Bruce, Dick, and maybe his mother, I don't know if he respects anyone. Add Supergirl to that short list. She is the leader of the next generation of heroes. I loved this scene.

#2 - "Don't You Forget About Me" - Supergirl #67, Kelly Sue DeConnick and ChrisCross

The announced end of the DCU allowed some creators to have a bit of closure with their characters. So whether it was Paul Cornell having Clark and Lois profess their love, or Bryan Q Miller having Steph say 'it's only the end if you want it to be', creators got the chance to have their characters say goodbye.

Kelly Sue DeConnick gave us a great moment of closure to the last incarnation of Supergirl. It isn't Supergirl that says goodbye to us, that asks us to remember her ... it's Linda. While Supergirl survived into the DCnU, it is unclear if Linda Lang did. And from a longevity point of view, Linda Lang is a blip on Supergirl's history, existing only 2+ years out of 50.

And Linda is a decent symbol for that incarnation of Supergirl. Early we saw that this was going to be a troubled Supergirl. She jumped from her rocket naked, she was brainwashed by Darkseid, she beat up other heroes, went Dark, beat up more heroes, complained about being a hero, wanted to rave dance instead of save people, was proud of sneaking into a bar as an underaged girl by wearing a tight shirt, wanted to kill Superman, gunned down her high school with her father, and grew crystal spikes from her body.

That was about as far from who Supergirl is as you could get.

And then Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle came on board, rehabilitated her character, acknowledged the prior bumps in the road but moved past them, set up the Linda Lang identity, and restarted Kara on the hero's journey. And within their run, and James Peaty's, and DeConnick's, Supergirl and Linda learned some hard life lessons but always grew from them, always strived to do what was right. And when she failed she dusted herself off and kept moving forward. These writers seemed to embrace the core of what makes Supergirl Supergirl, that need to do what's right, to help people, to embody hope.

It had been a while since I felt like the creators understood the character. Then I got 3 years of stellar stories. And then DC erased that Supergirl.

So thank you for this moment and this story Kelly Sue. And thank you Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle and James Peaty and Bernard Chang. And Matt Camp. And ChrisCross. Thanks for letting me read the true Supergirl again.

And don't worry Linda. I won't forget.

#1 - "Last Daughter Of Krypton" - Supergirl #1, Mike Johnson, Michael Green, and Mahmud Asrar

Whether you were for a reboot or against it, there is no denying that the DCnU relaunch, the New Fifty-Two, was the biggest event of the comic year.

And by extension, there is no denying that the relaunch of a new Supergirl has to be the top moment in 2011.

So what is this Supergirl going to be like? The early promo material described her as someone isolated, someone with no affection for humanity, someone more likely to fight with her friends, Hell on wheels ... so don't piss her off. Again, that just didn't sound like Supergirl to me, not what she has represented for this half century. I was admittedly worried ... and maybe even a bit perturbed given how far the last Supergirl had come. This seemed like a giant step backwards.

That said, so far in the comic, this Supergirl hasn't been that off-putting. She's confused. And sad. And angry.

But she stopped fighting when innocents were endangered. And she listened to Superman for a bit. I haven't seen the stark description of a disaffected hero in the book at all. While the jury is still out, as I said above so far so good.

Writers Mike Johnson and Michael Green have given me some optimism in the face of the unknown. And Mahmud Asrar's art has been amazing. I have hope that this Supergirl will soar just as high as the last one. But those are some pretty big shoes to fill.

And that's my Top Ten Supergirl moments for 2011. Please let me know if you think I'm off my rocker, or forget a major scene, or if you think I got the rankings wrong!