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Supergirl #37 came out this week, the first issue for the new creative team of writer Jody Houser, artist Rachael Stott, and colorist Cris Peter. And, in classic DC Comics fashion, the team is dropped onto the book in the middle of a crossover, this time The Infected plot with the Batman Who Laughs.
No 'Bold New Direction' here. Instead, pick up the book with an evil Supergirl overwhelmed and turned dark. Suffice it to say, I wasn't looking forward to this issue. I am totally sick of the 'Dark Kara' trope, having been played and replayed ad nauseum over the last decade.
Then I read the book.
It shouldn't surprise me that Houser has a decent grasp of the character and already shows that this isn't simply going to be a dive into the grime. After all, she co-wrote the tail end of the Steve Orlando run in this very volume. And here we see a Supergirl who is still trying to do the right thing although in a warped kind of way.
Artist Rachael Stott is new to me but her airy style fits the book nicely. At times veering towards loose penciling, the issue flows nicely. This is a classic 'hero fights hero' issue and Stott rolls out the action in a dynamic way. Add to that Bengal back on covers and vibrant colors by Cris Peter and you have solid art.
The hope, of course, is that this plot goes away quickly and we get to see Supergirl back in her environment. And already Houser is bring back some of the old gang. So I find it amazing that despite the cover treatment and the Road Warrior Kara, I was pretty hopeful after this read.
On to the book.
The book starts out with our infected Kara saying that she will be the hero this world needs. She will build a better future for Earth because she can.
But right off the bat we know things aren't right.
We have been getting majestic two page spreads by Eddie Pansica recently of Kara swooping into action. Here she is flying upside down, not really paying attention to the world below her, the sort of opposite of the iconic poses we usually see.
Yes, visually this one two page horizontal panel sets the tone for the book.
But unlike Shazam and Donna and Blue Beetle who have totally embraced their dark infections, Supergirl is still out trying to do heroic deeds. Although she is more like the 'heroes' of Kingdom Come than the usual Supergirl, causing as much damage and fear as stopping.
We again go to a classic heroic trope of a school bus hanging off a bridge. She rescues the bus but by tossing it casually away from the ledge. Not exactly neat and clean and safe. And then she threatens the man who accidentally hit the bus when his brakes gave out with a quick death.
I love how Kara's new look is frightening to the kids, even making one poor girl cry.
Still, she did the right thing ... just carelessly.
As one of the infected and part of The Batman Who Laughs plan to destroy Earth, Kara is quickly sought out by Superman and Batman.
But this is an unfiltered Supergirl. Part of the way her infection has plagued her mind is to have her think that restraint isn't needed. And she isn't going to kowtow to the World's Finest's wishes.
First she screams at Superman for hiding how weak he is. Then she attacks him, showing him what a Kryptonian going all out can do.
She even temporarily seems to get the better of him.
And then Batman arrives in the Batplane and she isn't going to listen to his dour broodings either.
After all, many teens who have listened to him in the past have ended up dead.
That is pretty cutting.
But Superman still sees through all the noise to the bottom line.
Supergirl is still calling herself a hero. And she is still ... overall ... trying to do the right thing.
In a nice juxtaposition, you can see the differences between Superman and Batman.
Here is my favorite scene in the book.
Sick of being shot by missiles, Supergirl rips Batman from the cockpit and confronts him.
He says he sees her only as a threat. (Batman has never really seemed to embrace Kara as a hero, in almost all continuities but especially since the post-Crisis.)
But then Batman's image fades and suddenly Kara is facing herself. And that Kara warns that she is losing herself.
All along I have said that Supergirl has been through so much stuff in the current timeline that she should be able to fight off this infection in some way. She has already learned this lesson. Now maybe we see that she is fighting it off.
I cannot tell you how happy this made me.
Indeed, she doesn't kill Batman but just throws him in a way to distract Superman allowing her to escape.
I like the explanation here that the virus was built for Superman not Supergirl which might explain why it is affecting her differently. Still, I like to think it is because Kara has the mental wherewithal to be battling this thing on her own.
I wondered if this color choice was in the script or was Cris Peter's call. Having her don the green and purple look of both the Hulk and the Joker is another nod to what is wrong with Kara's state of mind. So Inreached put to the creative team on Twitter.
Turns out it wasn’t specified in the script. So great work by the colorist Cris Peter and the editor.
This is the beauty of comics ... words, art, colors all complementing each other in story telling.
And then Houser shows she remembers where this book came from before Rogol Zaar and Empress Gandelo and murderous axes shows up.
Kara runs into old friend Ben Rubel who has been worrying about her since she disappeared a year ago.
Maybe we'll actually get to see a supporting cast and subplots and a Supergirl-centric title some time soon!
But that has to wait, The Batman Who Laughs wants some words with his Infected Secret Six member.
What can I say, there was a lot of hope in this book even if Supergirl looks like she is ready to enter the squared circle and professionally wrestle. This isn't a Dark Kara reveling in evil, just misguided in her desire to do good. And she seems to be working through this a bit on her own.
I can't wait to see where Houser and everyone goes with this book. Here is hoping that this Infected nonsense ends relatively soon.I could use a bold new direction!
Overall grade: B+
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