Category: Supergirl Annual

Supergirl Annual (2009) #2

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For the annual, Gates sends Supergirl to the future. The whole new Legion of Super-Heroes continuity is incredibly difficult to understand. Every time they guest in a book, I get even more confused. But Gates does a good job doing a done-in-one adventure. The story moves, has a lot of scenes, and has Supergirl and Brainiac 5’s relationship develop a little.

What’s bad is Matt Camp’s art. He draws everyone like they’re twelve—making the Supergirl kisses Brainiac 5 scene a little confusing—and it draws attention to things one shouldn’t be minding.

There’s some fill-in work from Marco Rudy and Rudy looks a little like Chris Samnee (though nowhere near as good) and those pages work really well. He draws the cast like people, not these weirdos with too young heads and too mature bodies.

It’s nice Gates can competently do this continuity nonsense.

Supergirl Annual (2009) #1

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Dagnino’s art isn’t bad–in fact it’s good a lot of the time–but why does he draw Lana Lang like she’s about thirteen years old? She looks the same age as Kara or younger.

Gates tries to come up with an affecting story but it’s pretty pat. Supergirl foils a bank robbery and inadvertently outs some Kryptonians living on Earth.

The most striking thing about the story is how weak the Kryptonian’s argument is when she’s berating Supergirl. It’s a competently told, but utterly pointless tale. Dagnino’s handling of the bank robbery has some great panels though.

Then there’s Lucy Lane’s origin story. Gates writes it from her perspective, so it’s interesting to see him try to make an evil narrator compelling. He fails. It’s way too clear she’s a nutjob throughout. Again, Dagnino’s artwork is fine (Lucy doesn’t look thirteen).

Regardless, the issue is a waste of time.