Review: Supergirl #14

Supergirl #14 came out this week and was a nice crossover event between members of the Superman family. Frankly, that word family needs to be part of the Superman mythos. Unlike the face-peeling, emotional trauma of the Batman Family, I want ... no I need ... the Superman family to act like loving colleagues, like family. So when Kara needs help tamping down her ramped up powers, I like that she heads to her cousin. And when he sends her to New Super-Man for help, that also makes sense. They are all parts of a wonderful whole.

I also love Supergirl's character in this issue. She is trying her best. She is embracing Earth as her home. She inspires people. But she throws down when she needs to. It is all I love about the character. While things are maybe a little 'warm and fuzzy', it works. Especially after the bigger melee feel of the recent issues. This issue felt like a 'one and done' pause which will lead into the newer plotlines revealed last issue.

Steve Orlando seems to have a great grasp on who Supergirl should be. I love how he peppers these books with nods to the past and other DC books. The book ends with Supergirl in control of her powers but I doubt Orlando has wrapped up that plot completely. This all works.

The art is by Jose Luis, perhaps giving Robson Rocha some lead time for the future issues. Luis' style (with inker Norm Rapmund) is akin to Rocha's. It is fine-lined and very detailed. It is very pleasing to the eyes. And the covers by Robson Rocha (homaging Jim Lee's Superman #205) and Stanley Lau really leap of the rack.

On to the book.

As I said, Supergirl's powers were revved up by Indigo a couple of issues. Shay Veritas was able to halt the overpowering but Kara's levels are still jacked up. It isn't safe for Supergirl to be tromping around barely able to control herself. So she should turn to Superman to see if he has some advice.

I love this opening panel, a quiet moment between the cousins with Krypto. I really like the inner monologue here with Kara stating she is there to save people's lives. To be one with people.

After years of these two not talking, I love they are acting like friends and family.

But the big hook is Supergirl saying that maybe she'll get a cat for a pet. Make this happen!!

 Superman sends Kara to Shanghai to meet New Super-Man and get trained by I Ching to get her powers under control. There is a lot of 'zen' told to Kara. She needs to focus her Qi, getting her powers aligned. Symbolically, she needs to ground herself, go from heaven to Earth.

There is something slyly elegant about this line. Remember, for a long time this Supergirl denied Earth as her home. Those early, angry issues had her call Earth a mudball and then flee the planet. To have her salvation be coming to Earth is nice.

I do like that Kara, a scientist-type, questions this more philosophical approach to this cure. She was expecting some device to help her. This idea of meditating to gain control of her power sounds 'too easy'. Ching says it won't be easy and I get it. But I think I am more in Supergirl's camp. And that fits her personality.

She mentions the Kryptoniad, perhaps a Kryptonian version of the Iliad? The bible? Some mythological stories? I do love how Kara says her father used those stories as lessons to 'control' her. That also fits with Zor's personality.

But I do like how this focusing of her power is a figure working a lever inside bright light.

Now doubt the inspiration is the ending of All-Star Superman. Here Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely has Superman repairing the sun.

Hmmm. Legendary!

 It seems like Supergirl is making progress and completing this mental ritual when she is interrupted. Her super-hearing catches the sounds of disaster over in Mongolia.

A more selfish Kara might say that there will always be an emergency and instead complete the work she is doing. But this Kara can't sit by like that. She needs to help people. This isn't a distraction ... it's her job, her purpose.

This is why I think we haven't seen the end of this overpowering. She got some handle on things but not 100%.

 The two supers fly to a village in Mongolia where a Rocket Red has crashed. He was flying in Mongolian airspace without authority on some unknown mission. He is shot down. His suit explodes destroying much of this village. The people think he is attacking. He tries to warn them but ends up needing to use weapons to hold them off. These people don't have issues with each other. It is a complete misunderstanding.

So Supergirl comes in and tries to calm everything down. But we have Russian, Cantonese, and Mongolian language here. It is hard for everyone to communicate. The villagers question if New Super-Man is 'working' with the westerners. Meanwhile, Rocket Red is still angrily venting, talking about his mission is his own. He even complains about Russia letting Supergirl escape when she arrived (way back in New 52 Supergirl #1, nice call-back).

And yet, throughout all the blustering and chest-thumping, Supergirl remains calm. She wants to help.

 But eventually, she needs to use her powers to shut down the Rocket's armor.

I love how she uses her super-breath to freeze the armor and then shatter it.

I loooove this panel. I like how this tiniest flick of this overpowered Kara breaks this armor into tiny shards. Excellent.

 With the threat of violence quelled, Supergirl is able to get together translators and bring everyone together. The time has come to rebuild. The time has come to listen. Now is not the time to fight.

I especially like that bottom panel with Rocket Red sitting next to a young girl and getting soup from an elderly woman. What says family more than breaking bread? We all need to help each other. We all need to save each other.

Now you can't rebuild a village in a day. I wonder how long this took.

 With the threat gone, Kenan and Kara enjoy a stroll through Shanghai.

As I said, this issue really focuses on that feeling of family. I like this quiet moment between these young heroes, these legacy Supers, just enjoying some down time in civilian clothes.

I know, this seems like a little thing. But the I have wanted more secret identity Kara moments. I really appreciated this.

But back in the States, Kara hears how Cat Grant is preparing a controversial smear campaign against Supergirl and she wants Ben and Kara on the ball. Cat hating on Supergirl! Everything old is new again!

Despite this looming PR nightmare, the issue ends with Supergirl floating above National City and smiling. She is ready to help people. And she knows that the strength to control her powers came from within. She is stronger than she knows.

I really liked this issue. Inspirational Supergirl. All-Star Superman. And family.

Throw in sweet art and this was a winner.

Overall grade: A