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.

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.

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.

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.