Back Issue Review: Action Comics #337

We have started the Marc Andreyko era on Supergirl, a time in which Kara heads off into space to investigate the claims of Rogol Zaar. Heading off into deep space, Supergirl is bound to run into systems without a yellow sun. She is certain to make new friends. And she will most likely make new enemies.

With that in mind, I will be trying to look into the back issue box to find adventures of Supergirl in sppaaaccceee!

Action Comics #337 has one of the best gogo checked Silver Age covers ever with Superman being both a top-hatted millionaire and bare-footed hobo. How can you not want to buy this issue?

But the real reason I am reviewing this is "The Green Sun Supergirl!" story in the back. After all, we already have seen in the current title that Kara has donned a new uniform designed to absorb yellow sun energy and provide it to her. Because outside of a yellow sun, she is without powers.

Will she survive on a green sun world? Make friends? Make enemies? Solve problems? Become a worshiped figure?

It's the Silver Age. You should be able to guess.

On to the story.

"The Green Sun Supergirl!" was presented by the legendary Supergirl creative team of writer Otto Binder and artist Jim Mooney.

It is a rather dramatic pose of Supergirl smiling while being struck with alien flame vision. Shouldn't she be powerless under a green sun? And what is with the native peeking out from behind the bushes?

Suffice it to say, as in many Silver Age stories, a lot happens in a short period of time. And there are some panels which almost have a 'fan service' feel to them, putting Supergirl in seductive poses. And get ready for one of the most warped panels I have seen, given current mores.

 The story starts with a rather sexist moment. NASA is considering having female astronauts ... or astronettes ... for the space program. They want Supergirl to test out the durability of their astronette space suit to make sure it will withstand the rigors of space travel. Turns out that while out on a spacewalk, micrometeors tear the suit to pieces. Good thing Supergirl tested it out!

On returning to the capsule, Supergirl is aware that somehow the ship is caught in a 'warp stream', akin to the gulf stream in the ocean. Before she can react, the ship is whipped to a green sun system. She is suddenly powerless.

As the capsule crashes, she is tossed out of the ship to her apparent death.

 Check out these two panels! First off, Supergirl's body is seen on the ground, about to die 'an obscure death' on an alien world. It is a rather odd pose, even for someone tossed from a speeding ship. Is it cheesecake? I don't think so, not with her bruised face. But it is a rather 'centerfold' pose.

Luckily, despite her grievous wounds, Kara is revived by a 'golden rain'.

Okay ....

All right, get your minds out of the gutters. It is the gold sap of the local tree, a healing concoction. The natives humans saw Kara land and have saved her.

As she has no powers, she introduces herself as Linda rather than Supergirl.

 Kara quickly gets a lay of the political landscape. The Evil-eyed people live underground but have recently started living above. With their flame vision, they quickly seize power. They tax the poor and rule with an iron fist.

Kara can't stand by and watch this all happen. Using her quick thinking, she gets spare parts from her ship to create an electromagnet and gather up the crystals the people use as money. She has saved the village.

 To return to Earth, Supergirl needs to expose the ship's navigation system to a radioactive pulse. Such a rock exists but it won't be easy to attain. One doesn't simply walk into the evil-eyed people's realm.

Still, she has little choice. Given a map of landmarks, a bag of money, and the gold sap, she sets off on her adventure. If only she had her powers, it would be a trip of seconds. Now it is a journey.

 First up, the 'soldier plants', trees which fire spear like needles at those approaching.

Using the hardening tree sap, Kara creates a bullet-proof vest. Maybe I'll call it a mithril coat instead. But with amazement, the natives see her walk through the hail of quills without fear.

Once past the trees, she sees the industrious 'ant-men' dragging giant trees to their homes. Hoping to save some energy, Supergirl hops onto a log and rides along.

 During this ride, a young ant strays into the path.

Despite not having powers, Supergirl leaps to the front of the log and using 'acrobatic tricks', she scoops up the youngster just like Batwoman would have. Of course, we are talking about the original Kathy Kane here. Cool reference!

I like that despite having no super-powers, Kara still knows the right thing to do is help people, even at her own risk.

Having crossed a great distance on her ride, she is at the site of the giant acorn trees. These are enormous acorns filled with poison gas. Supergirl needs to crawl through the area so as not to make a number of acorns fall and crush her or potentially expose her to poison.

Having navigated the giant acorn tree wood, Supergirl enters the realm of the Evil-eyed ones. Earlier in the story, she saw how the burning hut's plastic windows were undamaged by the flame vision rays.

Knowing she would eventually face those deadly rays again, Supergirl brought a sheet of the plastic with her. Wrapped in it, she is basically invulnerable to fire. The onlookers can't believe it.

I do love the sly smile on her face in the second panel. And Mooney does a good job putting her in a body position which shows she is clearly holding something. She isn't standing there with her hands on her hips.

Still, the aliens herd her onto a short outcropping on a mountain. With nowhere else to go, Supergirl leaps off, possibly to her death.

But the invisible plastic sheet works well as a glider allowing her to 'fly' to safety.

With nothing to lose, the alien overlord decides to go all Looney Tunes on Supergirl, cutting off the outcropping in hopes of squashing her like a bug.

 It all is going according to Supergirl's crazy plan.

She anticipated everything, down to the evil-eyed one cutting off the ledge.

Supergirl had the ant-men create a crude lever armed with a giant acorn.

When the chunk of the mountain hits the teeter-totter, the poisonous acorn was flung into the air. It lands right on the hole which leads to the evil-eyed underground world and becomes lodged. Should they try to remove it, it will burst and release the poison gas. The day of the fascist rulers has ended.

But this is pure Silver Age craziness.

How did she communicate to the ant men? How lucky the acorn was perfectly tossed to lodge in the portal. Is it right that she basically imprisoned them?

Who cares? A smart thinking Supergirl freed oppressed people without shedding blood. Incredible.

With the bad guys captured, Kara can get the radioactive rock and reprogram her capsule.

Back on Earth and re-powered, she looks back at the world she left. She sees that despite not having superpowers, they have come to call her Supergirl. Because all the things she did with her wits and some supplies made it appear as if she did have powers. Plus, she saved them from their oppressors.

Even in a green sun system, she is Supergirl.

Okay, this was a fun 'done in one' story complete with a sharp-witted Supergirl saving the day. The art is crisp and beautiful. And it shows how Supergirl is a true hero to all who encounter her. So I am glad to review.

I don't think it has any particular importance for Supergirl history. But it is a fun tale to read. And I wonder if the current Kara will run into a green sun somewhere along the way.

Overall grade: B+

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