Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Howard Porter Supergirl



I have gushing a bit lately about JLA 3001 (and its predecessor JLA3K). For me, I have found it to be a multi-layered, relatively dense read that also has a bit of irreverence to it. I wouldn't call it a humor title but there is some Giffen flair in there. In some ways, it reminds me just a bit of the 5YL Legion book. There is a lot going on here and you better be on your toes as a reader.

It doesn't hurt that Howard Porter is on art on the book, bringing a nice energy to the proceedings. There is a sort of raw feel to the art which works well with the story. It doesn't hurt that he draws a great Supergirl.

With Porter on my mind, I thought I'd scour the long boxes for other times he has drawn the Girl of Steel (outside of the current JL3001 and the recent covers of the Convergence Matrix book).


In JLA #5, the League decides to have a membership drive and some usual suspects arrive to try out.

It is interesting to note that it is Tomorrow Woman, an android co-made by T.O. Morrow and Professor Ivo that gets the seat. It is also interesting to note that Plas, Aztek, that Green Arrow, and Steel all eventually are all formally in the League during Morrison's run.


There in the background is the Matrix Supergirl.

Wonderful.


The last storyline Morrison does in the book is World War III, a standard Morrison arc where an anti-god is going to destroy everything. Over the course of the issues, the New Gods get involved, then all heroes, and eventually a suddenly super-powered entire population of Earth join in the fight.

It is crazy Morrison magic. But with the entire planet in peril we get lots of cameos.

Here on this crazy page, Supergirl is flying up the stairs to join the heroes.


Later she is at one of the fronts, saving Lex Luthor from being possessed by the evil of the entity and generally kicking butt.


And then finally, while the world itself seems bent on destroying itself (hence the title World War III), the heroes have to unite to save the planet from destruction.

Supergirl is right there in the lead.


Great stuff.

I know Porter is heading over to Superman for a spell to relieve John Romita Jr. But I hope that doesn't mean he is leaving JL3001.

This is basically the only Supergirl we got!

3 comments:

Martin Gray said...

Great research, and good-looking stuff. I love Porter's new style even more.

Jude Deluca said...

Is this the first time they did WW3 at DC? Because by my count this makes it three times they've used that title for a battle.

Anonymous said...

Ah yes I remember those panels from JLA: World War III. Very good dynamic style, and it improved in JL3000 as well. That kind of progression and growth is great to see in an artist.

Louis