Supergirl 3 (January 2012)

Green and Johnson give Supergirl a Lex Luthor knock-off this issue–he lures her in, runs tests on her… Seems very familiar. Oh, like Action Comics last month.

It’s unclear why they need a Lex Luthor stand-in, except to make a dig at the U.S. over the lack of a space program.

The issue’s sadly stupid. Superman leaves Supergirl to her own devices (he’s got to help somebody) and Lex Jr. speaks to her as a hologram. In English, so she doesn’t understand, which creates some of the issue’s problems. It’s not a bad plot for an issue, it’s just a poorly written comic book.

And the art’s not up to par either. It’s unclear what, if anything, new inker Bill Reinhold does to Asrar’s pencils because the issue looks like nothing but pencils. Maybe faded ones, but sketchy pencils.

Just when things were looking up, Supergirl drops.

CREDITS

Reunion; writers, Michael Green and Mike Johnson; penciller, Mahmud Asrar; inker, Bill Reinhold; colorist, Paul Mounts; letterer, Rob Leigh; editors, Matt Idelson and Wil Moss; publisher, DC Comics.

Supergirl 2 (December 2011)

Oh, I’m going to regret saying it… but this issue of Supergirl isn’t bad. If it weren’t for some of the art issues, it might even be good.

It’s an all-action issue (again), with Kara and Clark fighting it out over Russia and China. The location makes it a novel idea, but there’s also all this talking, with Clark trying to calm her down and whatnot.

And in those moments, Asrar and Green (and colorist Dave McCaig, can’t forget him here), make this great Supergirl comic. Sure, her costume is still moronic. Asrar doesn’t objectify her, but her costume does? It doesn’t make any sense conceptually and it’s visually confused.

But Asrar’s Superman is awful. Superman looks about fourteen and bears a striking resemblance to “Alfalfa” Switzer. The bad Superman does these moments in.

Green and Johnson actually pleasantly surprised me. I was dreading this issue, but it’s fine.

CREDITS

Reunion; writers, Michael Green and Mike Johnson; penciller, Mahmud Asrar; inker, Dan Green; colorist, Dave McCaig; letterer, John J. Hill; editors, Matt Idelson and Wil Moss; publisher, DC Comics.

Supergirl 1 (November 2011)

Relaunching Supergirl when Superman’s not even established seems thoughtless. Thank goodness writers Michael Green and Mike Johnson are so dull they don’t even engage that question.

Their take on Supergirl is she’s a dumb teenage girl. If they made her like Paris Hilton–someone who turned herself into a brand–it might be interesting. Instead, she’s just a dumb girl.

They do, however, lift moments from Supreme Power and Red Son; their lack of ingenuity is universal, not just Kara.

DC should have hired a female writer. Or at least hired a guy with a teenage daughter. Green and Johnston’s insight into the female condition isn’t laughable. It would need to exist to be laughable.

Mahmud Asrar’s art is actually pretty good. There’s no reasonable explanation for Supergirl to dress like a hooker out of Blade Runner (except DC likes objectifying teenage girls). But Asrar probably didn’t do the redesign….

CREDITS

Last Daughter of Krypton; writers, Michael Green and Mike Johnson; penciller, Mahmud Asrar; inkers, Dan Green and Asrar; colorist, Dave McCaig; letterer, John J. Hill; editors, Matt Idelson and Wil Moss; publisher, DC Comics.

Superman / Batman (2003) #75

Sb75

Levitz wraps up the arc with a Legion of Super-Heroes story guest starring Batman. Superman’s in a panel or two. Lex’s planet has paid-off (in the future), with a Kryptonite-infused Lex clone going through history after Superman (and Superboy).

The story’s unpredictable and funny. And Ordway’s mostly just drawing, not trying to look painted, so the art’s much better.

The rest of the issue is two-page anniversary stories.

Seagle and Kristiansen’s is pointless self-indulgence. Tucci’s actually funny. Hughes does a poster; great art, of course. The big surprise is the Krul one (with Manapul on the art). The writing’s actually funny. Thompson’s got a couple pinups. Green and Johnson (art by Davis and Albuquerque) are unmemorable.

Rouleau’s got a fantastic one, so do Azzarello and Bermejo.

Finch and Williams’s one is atrociously written.

Tomasi and Ha’s entry is pointless but looks nice.

Excellent feature though.