Posts Tagged ‘ Supergirl ’

From last week’s Batgirl #14:

How can you not like Steph as Batgirl? Do you have stone in your heart and ice in your veins?

I mean, sure, I liked Cass too but all the silent angst was so 90s. Steph, on the other hand is pure exuberance (even with a past full of evil criminal father, absent boyfriend, unplanned pregnancy, adoption, torture and fake death). She’s just a great counterpoint to the rest of the Batfamily to me.

Great book – I’ll be sorry to see the upcoming art team change.

And – bonus – staking vampires in a phone booth, ice cream and a ferris wheel of Draculas.

I mean, really, why aren’t you reading this?

Posted via web from Comic By Comic’s Wonderous Posterous!

Better late than never – and still ahead of this week’s releases, which is good.

Action Comics Annual #12 – A steaming pile of crap. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve read a worse comic in a long time. Where to begin? Perhaps the grating, omniscient third party narration? Perhaps the fact that their origins are contrived? Perhaps the fact that we may know their history but we don’t really know them? If you haven’t bought it, don’t.

Batman: Streets of Gotham #1 - The store I went to didn’t have it. I choose to take this as a sign that it is not destined to be a monthly pull of mine. Alternatively, I may pick it up this week.

Outsiders #19 – Not bad, not good, just forgettable. The good news is that it has Vandal Savage (who’s always fun, in spite of Morrison’s makeover) and it also has Ra’s Al Ghul. IN A BEAR HEAD-HAT.

Power Girl #2 – Aaand I’m out. Well, that was quick. I’ve been looking forward to this comic since it was announced over a year ago, but I’m done. Two issues in and I get half an issue dedicated to the origin of a villain I don’t care about? Not only that, but the book suffers from serious verbal diarrhea. It’s the opposite of decompressed storytelling – which is fine until you realise that you don’t really care about the story anyway.

Supergirl #42 – Solid issue, with Lois reliably under control mourning her sister’s (apparent) death. It’s funny, but for all the fuss about Supergirl being back on track (and it is), I kind of view this book as the home of the Superman supporting cast right now – Lois, Sam Lane, Lana, Cat Grant; they’re all here. And the book’s the better for it. Oh, and Jamal Igle’s art on here is fantastic. He and Sibal are really working well together.

All-New Savage She-Hulk #3 – A great fun little mini. I find myself liking this more and more, and having the original She-Hulk punch out the Sentry is icing on the cake. Although…who wants more tiny little Normans running around? Sure, Harry’s okay, but the two-whose-name-shall-not-be-spoken weren’t enough? Although…would a Norman/Lyra mix still have his brillo pad hair?

Amazing Spider-Man Family #7 – A Roger Stern-penned Spidey tale is always a must, even if it is about Aunt May and Uncle Ben first getting together – but on the eve of May’s wedding, its a nice little retrospective. Throw in Spider-Girl (still entertaining) and Fred Hembeck’s l’il Peter Parker meeting the Brothers Voodoo, and you’ve got a nice little book.

Cable #15 – The whole Messiah War thing has basically become one big fight scene. Enjoyable fluff, but no depth to it.

Captain Britain And MI 13 #14 – I mentioned how much I liked this last week – but allow me to add this:
Heh.

Dark Reign Fantastic Four #4 – The more I read this book, the more concerned I am with Hickman taking the reigns of the regular title. Reed is back in ‘fix everything’ mode (which is the title of Hickman’s first arc), Ben, Sue and Johnny are supporting characters, and Franklin and Valeria are funny but kind of brattish – and they really shouldn’t be one of the main focuses of the book in my opinion. On the plus side, Norman Osborn is reliably crazy and the end of the issue promises a great smack-down which will, no doubt, not be delivered.

Invincible Iron Man #14 – Apparently I missed last issue which is why , but I’m all caught up now. Fraction handles this book much better than he does Uncanny X-Men. Focused, smart and funny, he’s on fire here, and Sal Larocca’s work is gorgeous. I’m a bit confused about Crimson Dynamo as I thought Dmitri was out of the suit, but that’s not enough to put me off.

Mighty Avengers #26 – Better than last issue, which isn’t saying much. I’m still not entirely on board but I want to see how this plays out. Honestly, though, the book needs a better art team than this.

Punisher #6 – Didn’t pick it up. So its been moved to the trade list!

War Of Kings Ascension #3 – This issue turned the spotlight on Chris Powell as opposed to Darkhawk and was the better for it. The art’s a lot less confusing without the two Darkhawks running around, and I feel like I’m getting to know the protagonist. And the book has finally dovetailed with War of Kings.

X-Men Legacy #225 – A decent enough wrap up to Xavier’s arc, but after a year and a half of him as the central star, I still don’t really care about him. So I suspect that the book’s failed, really, in spite of solid writing on Carey’s behalf. Nice art though.

Probably not, since this Superwoman appears to be from Kandor. But I guess we’ll see.

…for days like these where I can’t seem to find the time to do one myself.

But I don’t, so I’ll just say this: my favorite book of the past week was Supergirl #34. For the first time in years (literally), I’m vaguely optimistic about the direction that the character is being taken in by DC.

I like her being closer tied to the core Superman books. I also like that she’s finally getting a civilian identity – which I said about a year ago was a good idea – although I’m not certain that being Lana Lang’s niece is the best idea, if only for the fact that I’m fairly certain (although not positive) that Lana doesn’t have any siblings. As a former First Lady and head of Luthorcorp, I suspect that Lana’s family is a matter of public record if not an unauthorized biography so this seems like a recipe for trouble.

But maybe that’s going to be a story point.

Anyway, that aside, having the new ‘Linda Lang’ intern at the Planet is the next logical step. Wonder what Jimmy’s reaction will be?

When a Kryptonian drops by for dinner, there are certain protocols one must follow in or
der to make them feel welcome and at home.


Do tell them that they look resplendent in their outfits. Most Kryptonians favor garishly colored garb of a lycra-like variety. They believe that this gives them an aura of respectability and power.

Don’t look up their skirt or tug on their cape no matter how great the temptation.



Do offer them a seat. Remember, just because you can fly indoors, it doesn’t mean you should fly indoors.

Don’t be too vague about directions. Telling a Kryptonian not well-versed in Earth languages to ‘take a seat’ could result in them leaving the house with it.

Do ask them how it feels to fly.

Don’t ask them to take you flying with them. History has shown that bad spoken-
word songs can follow and, as much as you like to think otherwise, you’re no William Shatner. Or, hopefully, Margot Kidder.

Do ask them their opinion on how to save mankind. Your average Kryptonian has an inflated sense of self-worth and often feels that only they could possibly make the right decisions to save the world.

Don’t point out that the whole world-saving thing didn’t go to well on Krypton.

Do offer them plenty of vegetables with any meal.

Don’t try to hide some Kryptonite in the salad, no matter how much they’re annoying you.

Do complement them on their over-developed musculature and body

Don’t stare too long at it.

There are many more rules, of course, but these should at least leave your arms intact in your sockets once dinner is over!

That is all.

One thing that I’m really enjoying about the latest run of Action Comics is Gary Frank’s art.

She’s still got a belly shirt and a really short skirt but damned if she doesn’t at least look a little younger than most other artists tend to draw her.

Oh, and this interaction with Cat Grant?

Priceless and clearly an early shoe-in for the long dormant page of the week.

It’s funny, but at the DC panel on Sunday I could have sworn I heard Geoff Johns refer to the Supergirl book as Supergirls and I had a flashback to 2004 or 2005.

Dammit dammit dammit.

You know I don’t like the Supergirl book. You know that I think its a wasted opportunity.

And yet I still pick up the book and flick through it every month in the hope that it looks better. In the hope that something will make me buy it.

Last week…

…I almost caved.

Not because I thought having Supergirl learn a life lesson by not being able to cure cancer is a good idea and a good use of the character, but because of the mysterious man in the hat on the cover.

It’s only Mitch Shelley, Resurrection Man!

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book, and although it lasted a lot longer than similarly offbeat but great DC titles of the time (Young Heroes in Love, Chase, Chronos) it still ended way too soon.

If he sticks around as a mentor to Supergirl I may be in trouble…

Joshua Middleton is apparently embarking on a series of covers of DC’s comic heroines – but can we get him on the interiors of Supergirl please?

In this one piece he manages to capture the essence of hope that the character is supposed to have and currently sorely lacks. Not only that, but she actually looks like a teenager*.

Seriously, DC, if you’re going to use Supergirl shouldn’t you at least try to use her well?

Via Newsarama.

*An under-nourished teenager that’s giving anyone below or behind her an eyeful but you follow me, right?

…Palmiotti, Grey and Conner’s new Terra mini-series, that backdoor-piloted in the only decent issue of Supergirl to come out in 2006?

…the last issue of the sublime Planetary?

…Pinkman, the pink unitard-wearing, unicycle-cycling, theme-tune singing menace of Venice Beach? I once shared a few beers with him at a hostel in LA back in 1997, and lost his contact details.

…that whole ‘self-awareness’ of the DC Universe thing that Grant Morrison was rumored to be working on years ago?

…that Dakota North mini that Marvel was supposed to be putting out a few years ago?

…season 2 of Young Avengers? (The upcoming one-shots don’t count!)

…an enjoyable issue of Justice League of America?

…Cloak and Dagger?

…next time you’re moaning about a crossover, it could be worse…

No more days ’til Hallowe’en!

In honor of the day of horrors, I thought I’d run down a few of comic-doms most horrifying characters and situations!

First up: Cir-El!

Yep, what you want to do is to create a new Supergirl just as you cancel a popular Supergirl title and banish that version into limbo forever.

Then what you want to do is to link this new Supergirl into an insidious plot by Brainiac-13 to conquer the world through coffee! Yes, coffee! (Actually, literally ‘Yes’ coffee!)

Ah, Cir-El, the mere thought of you makes us shudder…

In the latest DC solicits, I see the new Supergirl team are once again revisiting Kara’s time on Krypton to spur forward her stories.

Because that worked so well last time round.

Comics are funny things because while origins are important to our superheroic characters, and provide motivation and shape their initial forays, it rarely makes sense to revisit them for a lot of stories especially early in the character’s adventures.

Take Batman and Superman; every one knows their origins and yet very few stories harken back to them directly. Sure, you get the occasional Joe Chill or General Zod story but they’re few and far betweeen and it works better that way. But if every story harkened back to the origin, or some past secret then would that really be that interesting?

So why oh why do the current batch of Supergirl writers insist on basing story points on her time on Krypton, on ‘dark secrets’?

Supergirl, above all, should be a character about hope and optimism. The hope that she brings to Superman, who is no longer the last of a dead people; the hope that she brings to other characters through her attitude; and the hope that she brings to everyone because she’s a recognisable symbol.

It’s not rocket science, guys. There are simply some things that you’d need for a decent Supergirl book:

1. Drop the Krypton crap – like I said, Kara’s on Earth now – deal with it. Sure, you can have her be wistful and miss home and family on occasion but don’t make every arc about her dark, dark past.

2. Connect with the Kents – the seeds have been laid for this; Ma and Pa Kent have experience with not one but two Kryptonians, not to mention Matrix and later Linda. Would they be a little wary of letting another into their home after losing three surrogate children?

3. Build a new supporting cast – look at the book right now; Wonder Girl, Boomer and Superman are basically the cast. That’s fine in the short term, but Kara needs exposing to real people. The Kents are part of this, and while she might not be donning a ‘secret’ identity and going to high school, it doesn’t mean she can’t make friends and have a regular life – Kara’s not that odd a name these days.

4. Give her a non-heroic purpose: look; nobody’s on call 24-7, not even Superman. Have her realise – through Clark and Bruce’s example – that being ‘Super’ all the time is a path that leads to loneliness. That’s covered somewhat by giving her normal friends – but it would work well if she had a job to meet these friends through. Nothing too taxing at first – perhaps an intern at the Daily Planet or Wayne Corp? Hell, I’d settle for her spending a couple of weeks as a barista.

5. At some point, she needs a permanent love interest. Boomer feels too much like an older brother; Power Boy is clearly a no-no. Most of the Titans are spoken for – so how about having her love interest being just a regular guy? I mean it worked for Dick Malverne – just don’t give him cancer…

6. Team time – I know that often solo books don’t reflect a character’s team book events; you don’t see the Titans hanging out too much in Robin, for example. But Supergirl’s different -she’s so positive and optimistic that the rest of the Titans want to hang out with her. Personally, I think a Miss Martian/Wonder Girl/Supergirl girl’s night out would be great.

7. Villains – Don’t lump Kara with Superman’s cast offs. I don’t need to see another Super_ vs Metallo, or Super_ vs Parasite. Give her some of her own or use some pre-existing villains that would present a challenge who aren’t traditionally Superman foes. Personally I’d love to have Vandal Savage as an uber-villian for her – but that’s just because I think that he is generally criminally underused.

8. Have her make friends with a criminal. Like I said, Kara’s about hope and optimism – it should be hard to be cynical when she’s around. If there’s one hero who believes in rehabilitation, it should be her. So have her take someone under her wing, turn them around. Whether she succeeds or not shouldn’t matter – but she should definitely try.

9. Lose the belly shirt. Sure, it looks good if drawn ny certain artists, but it can look a little skanky. I agree that as a teen, Kara should be dressing young but there are limits. Modesty shouldn’t be an issue for her, but I can’t imagine that she’d be comfortable with the constant ogling that, say, Wonder Woman draws. She doesn’t need to cover up completely, just a bit.

Just some thoughts…

Thanks to Stuff Magazine and Click the pics to embiggen – and Dan Madison has the full Stuff spread here in all it’s airbrushed and oddly elongated glory.

iF Magazine has some pics of Laura Vandervoort as Kara from what looks like the CW’s publicity shots for Smallville‘s new season:

And I have to say that Ms Vandervoort is a little…um…chestier than I remember her being – not that that’s a bad thing, obviously, but you’d think it might affect how the wardrobe department did their work.

Let’s just hope that these clothes are temporary – though I have to say that I kinda like the vest/bellyshirt thing that she has going on in the last pic.

And she is very attractive…looks like Smallville might be back on my watching schedule…

EDIT: I just noticed that she’s wearing a Superman symbol ‘Go Forward’ dog tag supporting the Christopher Reeve Foundation – you can get them here.