Supergirl (2005) #41

Sg41

It’s another fast issue.

Gates doesn’t reveal all about Lucy Lane being Superwoman (she dies so I figure it’s safe to spoil) but it’s pretty clear Sam Lane was having his daughter murder people in order to frame Superman. Did Thunderbolt Ross ever go that far?

The problem with Supergirl so far is the villains, whether Lucy, Sam Lane, the supervillains this issue or Kara’s mom… is their one dimensional personalities. Gates is following the DC standard—being really mean and evil makes a great villain—and it hurts the book.

Also hurting the issue is the fill in art from Dagnino. Igle always goes far not to make his Supergirl appear silly or slutty, but Dagnino doesn’t have the same approach. She’s not really slutty, but his proportions are Liefeldian.

This issue would have worked a lot better without the cliffhanger, just to give the reader a slight break.

Supergirl (2005) #40

Sg40

Okay, I did not expect that reveal for Superwoman’s identity.

Gates does manage to reduce his supporting cast by at least two and maybe three here, so it’ll be interesting to see if he uses that opportunity to finally get Supergirl running on its own.

But what he does with the Superwoman reveal is nice since he’d sort of set it up to be something different the last issue and then this issue, when Supergirl does figure it out, the reader isn’t privy to her thought process. It’s a surprise for everyone (well, at least for me).

He does take the time to do other things, of course. Like Jimmy Olsen flirting with high school girls, which is creepy and makes Cat Grant sympathetic because of her disgust. But the Lana Lang plot development is a little problematic because she’s barely in the series.

It’s well-executed, modern superhero stuff.

Supergirl (2005) #39

Sg39

This issue is a very fast read. It’s solid, because it should be a fast read–it starts with Superwoman revealed to be a villain and continues to get Supergirl up to speed on that point.

Gates manages to get in some decent moments. The way he establishes Lucy Lane isn’t particularly bad, just a jerk. He also gets in a nice scene with Kara and Lana. The series really needs a breather issue where Gates isn’t forced to spend half his time on crossover obligations.

It’s clear Gates hasn’t set the series up to run independently yet.

Caldwell fills in for Igle on a few pages–not special pages, just a few pages at the end of the issue. Their styles don’t match at all. Igle has a fluidity and roundness to his lines, Caldwell is sharp and jagged.

Supergirl shows potential, even with New Krypton weighing it down.

Supergirl (2005) #38

Sg38

Some revelations this issue. Well, for me anyway. First, Superwoman works for Thunderbolt Ross (sorry, Sam Lane–again, who ever said Johns’s Superman: Secret Origin was better in terms of continuity revising than Byrne’s Man of Steel? Not me). Second, she’s not Kryptonian. Do these revelations have anything do with Supergirl? I mean, the book’s called Supergirl. Maybe. I’m sure they’ll play out in action scenes anyway.

Otherwise, there’s not much Supergirl here. Superwoman kicks her butt and Kara crawls home to Lana, one of those nice relationships I wanted to see more of but don’t get to because of the New Krypton stuff. Gates is good at those scenes. He’s also good at the stuff with Agent Liberty’s death and Lucy Lane (maybe the series should just be called, Superman’s Women) and the Metropolis detective.

Some very nice Igle art–and from Clark on the backup.

It’s nearly fine.

Supergirl (2005) #37

Sg37

This issue’s a little bit better. There’s a lot of down time with Supergirl (why she wears make-up, I’m not sure–it’s a big Gates is a guy writing a female character moment) hanging out with Superwoman. The development of Supergirl being her mother’s pawn is a little weak and Gates doesn’t spend any time trying to give Alura any depth.

It must be a DC editorial directive to have lame Superman villains.

There’s a lot of nice stuff in the issue, mostly because Igle gets how to balance the superhero comic. Supergirl hanging out at the sun, flying through the city with Superwoman, it all looks fantastic.

I’m sure some of the problem is I haven’t read the crossovers (it reminds so much of the nineties it’s a little scary); I don’t understand the existing character relationships.

But it’s decent. Gates writes good dialogue for his real characters.

Supergirl (2005) #36

Sg36

Ah, so it’s Supergirl’s mother who’s a psycho nut… Interesting choice.

There’s some very nice Igle art this issue. He’s got a lot to do here–battle scenes, talking heads scenes, a memorial service. He does fine work. Maybe a little fast on Supergirl’s father dying, but still… nice work.

As for the writing, Gates is constrained. He’s writing a big crossover event installment. He’s got to get the plot from point A to point B so the next guy can pick it up (I’m safe saying guy because I’m talking about Superman comics).

Turning Supergirl’s mother into a one dimensional villain isn’t outlandish, because the character was a one dimensional bitch last issue. Not much of a push.

I started reading Gates’s Supergirl because I’d heard good things. If I hadn’t, this issue might have made me give up–this New Krypton stuff reads like a bad nineties crossover.

Supergirl (2005) #35

Sg35

Did anyone complain about Cat Grant being revised into a mean-spirited harpy? I mean, she’s the villain of this series. Well, maybe her and Supergirl’s parents. I’m not sure if Gates is going for it, but it’s very difficult to assume they’re benevolent.

Being a New Krypton crossover, Gates has some goofy stuff in a few parts of the issue (Lois’s evil dad and his sidekicks), but he manages it well. The issue focuses on the restoration of Kara’s memory–along with a cameo from The Terminator–and it gives him some good scenes between her and her parents. Assuming, of course, they’re not really evil.

The pacing isn’t great, however. Gates doesn’t get to spend all that much time with his protagonist and the supporting cast is barely present.

Nice work from Igle as well. He does a great job at humanizing Supergirl, giving her vulnerability.

It’s solid.

Superman: New Krypton Special (2008) #1

Snks1

Someone has pointed out Johns casting Lois Lane’s dad as a jingoistic, sadistic supervillain really just is… you know, the Hulk, right? I mean, someone besides me. It’s so startlingly uncreative, one has to wonder.

This New Krypton Special does raise a couple interesting ideas—one is the People of Kandor being, well, basically stupid jerks. It doesn’t make me want to read the series, however. Oh, another moronic move—a bad guy named “Agent Assassin?” I mean, that one’s worse than the Image stuff.

There’s some great art. I love the way reading Frank’s pages feels like one’s reading a sequel to the Christopher Reeve movies. It’s too bad Johns’s plotting on everything else is goofy. Woods and Guedes are good too, Woods being better.

It’s too bad Johns shoved New Krypton into a nice memorial to Jonathan Kent. It sort of undoes that whole sequence, the subsequent nonsense.

Supergirl (2005) #34

Sg34

So now Superman has another LL in his life? This issue is my first Supergirl in a while (I wasn’t going to read the Ian Churchill stuff, sorry).

Before I get to the writing, a moment on Igle. Igle manages to make the issue feel both iconic and human. He’s got these very cinematic talking heads sequences of Superman and Supergirl on a skyscraper, Lana Lang and Supergirl on the farm in Smallville–his Clark Kent even has some Christopher Reeve mannerisms. He’s also handles the action ably.

Gates does write first person female narration, which I question, but it’s mostly action oriented so it’s not a major pratfall. The issue’s full, he’s able to move between emphasized characters really well and he personalizes Supergirl’s dilemma.

It’s an impressive superhero book, great looking, inventive and thoughtful. Much better than I expected.

Though, I guess I don’t know what I expected.

Dark Horse Presents (1986) #130

Dhp130

Wow, so Presents dropped Shane Oakley’s Stiltskin, one of the best things it’d published, before it finished? Swell.

For a replacement, we get the endless Wanted Man, from McEown. McEown is a good cartoonist, though his writing is self-indulgent and seems only to serve putting topless little cartoon girls in his story. It’s a waste of time.

Cooper’s Dan & Larry this installment expands the story’s world, which is cool. It’s not as disturbing as usual, just vaguely creepy at times. There’s still a lot of solid humor and Cooper’s art is excellent.

Murray and Gregory’s do a biography of Mary Walker, who was a Civil War surgeon. It’s okay… Gregory’s art is nearly up to par. Murray’s script concentrates on the Army’s misogyny, so it comes off poorly at times. Weak (non-factual too) ending.

Weissman’s Phineas Page is rather amusing (crossing over with the Marquis de Sade’s Justine).