Review: Superwoman #17

Superwoman is ending. Superwoman #17 is the penultimate issue and came out last week. And it seems we are heading for a dramatic conclusion of some sort. There are a lot of ominous goodbyes in this issue which makes me think that the whole idea of Superwoman might be coming to end.

And it is a shame. K. Perkins has elevated this book from the early mess it was. And there are moments in her run that really captivate me. Indeed, in this one, there is a dreamish sequence that stuck with me long after I read it. My guess is she'll bring this to some hopeful ending but I'm feeling a twinge of tragedy will be there too.

The art on the issue is by Federico Dallocchio and there is a nice style to the art here. I wish I could elegantly explain it. But there is a freshness and clean feel to to the art that really clicked for me.

It is a shame that this book never really exploded. I think, in the end, it was something of a noble experiment. But the 'Lois is/isn't the star', the convoluted early arc by Phil Jimenez, the Superman Reborn story demolishing the star's origin, and the inability for a dedicated reader like me to explain the character's backstory or powers easily left this on shaky ground. I suppose I should be impressed we made it this far.

On to the book.

 The book opens where last issue ended. Midnight has absorbed people and things into herself in hopes of obtaining energy to rescue her mistress Lena Luthor. But she needs more power, power only Superwoman has. And so she gives Lana a choice. If Lana gives Midnight power, Midnight will free all her captives.

One thing that has been explored in this book is Lana's anxiety and lack of self-worth. That is always in the background, even when she is flying into danger to help people. But even here she is challenged. Does giving in to this demand mean giving up?

There is something fresh-faced about this Lana. She looks pretty young here. But it works.

 Luickily, this book is sort of a team book right now.

The armored Natasha and the new Maxima fly in to bash Midnight and rescue a rapidly fading Superwoman.

I have liked the recent dynamic of this group of women working together as super-human allies. I dubbed them (with Traci Thirteen) the New Fantastic Four.

Okay, so with Midnight forced to retreat, her black hole energy dissipates and the sun shines over Metropolis again. But Lana is drained and near death.

Now I said above that even I'm not sure of who or what Lana is. So when Natasha said that Lana needs yellow sun rays to recharge, I paused. Is that true?

I mean it. I am confused. Lana received power from a solar flare bolt from a dying Superman who no longer exists. But she keeps saying that she received her powers from Clark in some way. But then we wondered if it was her suit? Or Red K? Or now some infusion of Kryptonian physiology?

You know what we really needed? (I can't believe I'm saying this.) A zero issue. A stand alone origin issue which delineated how Lana got her powers and what her powers are in the post-Reborn world.

After that moment, we get the best scene in the book.

In what is clearly a dream sequence, we see Clark and Lana standing in a cornfield. At times they are in their super-suits. At times they look like they did back in Smallville.

I talked about how part of the backbone of this book is Lana trying to deal with her anxiety and feelings of helplessness while also being a superhero.

So I loved that panel of the young lovers holding hands. And hearing Lana say that Clark believing in her is what made her believe in herself was just the sort of Smallville sweetness I love!

But then there is this sort of poignant and heavy moment at the end of this scene. Lana says it all seems to be heading to a goodbye.

I doubt that Lana will die but maybe the 'depowering' and becoming a more typical supporting cast member is probably going to happen.

But all of that happened while she was being recharged by solar lamps. Hmmm ... okay ...

Once awake, Lana is told that Midnight is 'an annihilator' and is destroying the city.

This is one of these moments you need to roll with. Did Maxima, Natasha, and Traci just hole up while Midnight is ripping the place apart? Did the JLA turn away from Metropolis (of all places) is being destroyed?

I guess I could say that in almost any comic book issue.

Meanwhile, Midnight goes all Skynet. She now realizes that she can be more than her code; she can exist for reasons other than rescuing Lena. She can be her own person.

So why not absorb Lana and become her own person.

Now this could be an interesting wrinkle if Perkins had the time to explore. Could Midnight stop killing people? Maybe release everyone as a sign of good faith? Ask the heroes for help? Or is she stuck in this 'might makes right' mindset despite her free thought?

 And then, more foreshadowing.

Lana decides she needs to head out and face Midnight. She'll need some help from her friends. But it is hard to know how this will all play out. Now it is Natasha who has a crisis of faith and Lana who needs to prop her up. Once again, Lana tells Natasha outright that Natasha is a great hero.

And once again we hear that this sounds like a goodbye.

Now we know that the book is going away. So this is a goodbye. But how big a goodbye? I hope they aren't killing off Lana.

After a bit of a brawl, including a nice trick where Traci has multiple images of Superwoman show up to confuse Midnight, the two combatants come face to face. After some back-and-forth, Lana decides indeed the time has come to give up, give in, and sacrifice herself to save everyone else.

How will it end! Is Lana gone? Possessed?

I have to say I like the sort of pixie-ish take on Lana on this page. The pony tail and legs up reminds me of someone on a trampoline, a rare feeling of fun which works in this rather dark page.

If I could go back in time, I'd have Perkins be the writer on Superwoman from the beginning. I am interested in seeing how this all plays out.

This book was really elevated by that Clark dream sequence. I loved that.

Overall grade: B/B+