Matrix Monday: Supergirl #3 (1994 mini-series)

We are into the back half of the 1994 Supergirl mini-series, a story our Matrix realizes that Lex Luthor has been using and manipulating her. For two straight issues we have seen LexCorp test her physically and mentally. It is time to break free.

In Supergirl #3, Supergirl comes face to face with Luthor's ultimate goal regarding all those tests. He wants a new body. His own cloned body is dying. And he also wants an army of Supergirls to control. Writer Roger Stern does a great job of showing us how the truth slowly sinks into our innocent heroine's mind. She has been looking for love and purpose and Lex gave her both. Now she knows that was all a ruse.

Stern also does a wonderful job leaning into this Supergirl's short history in the DCU. All the major events are brought up here, showing us the highlights. Moreover, Stern shows how all of this has been building up for a couple of years. The seeds were planted, the lines laden with foreshadowing said. It shows a sort of respect for a character that could have been a joke. Kudos to Stern for treating Supergirl well.

The art here is by the usual team of June Brigman and Jackson Guice. The art this issue feels a little looser than the prior two. Some of that might come from the major action sequence which the book revolves around. This approach works for Supergirl given the mayhem and destruction happening around her.

Lastly, this does what a penultimate issue should do. We are brought to a point were we can see the climax coming up. I also feel like the story is at a place where a satisfactory ending is within the reach of one issue's pages.

And yes, I got this issue signed by Stern last year at Terrificon.

On to the story.

The book is primarily a flashback.

It starts out dramatically with a battered and tattered Supergirl showing up at Lana Lang's house. She went to the Kent's first but they weren't home. And she needed to tell someone what has happened. She has 'killed them all'.

Knowing what we know about Supergirl, seeing her like this let's us know she has been in a scrap.

As I have said, Stern does a great job on this story showing us this Supergirl's history and building up her relationships. I like that during this comic Lana says that she considers herself family to Matrix. She is happy that Supergirl knew that the Lang farm is a welcoming place.

And remember these two have history.

Meanwhile we get a sense of what has happened when we get to Luthor's Adirondack secret facility. The place is in ruins. Harpersen, already nursing multiple injuries, is found buried in rubble.

He tells security to send out a warning to everyone ... no one is safe.

Great art here in that second panel. The one visible eye, wide with fear, the slight tremble lines, all works to let you know that Harpersen is shaken.

But this also builds up our suspense and wonder. We have seen a bruised Supergirl. We see the lab in ruins. We see Harpersen scared saying 'no one is safe'. We don't know exactly what happened ... but we know it's big.

With the tantalizing scene set, Supergirl starts recounting what actually happened.

Remember last issue Supergirl confronted Dr. Eller about Operation Protomatter.

He does a fair amount of obfuscation, telling her how Lex has her best interests in mind. The testing is all to make sure they understand her and her powers. And after all, Lex loves her.

But enough has happened over these last issues that she won't be so easily fooled. Remember, in the earlier chapters, she happily accepts all the nonsense excuses Lex offered up regarding dolls, tests, etc.

This time, realizing that she won't get far with Eller this way, she smiles and leaves, fooling him into thinking she is the same compliant Supergirl.

In actuality, she goes invisible to ditch the goons following her, tails Eller as he gets on a plane for the states, and confronts him again mid-flight.

Back in the states, Eller arrives at the Adirondack site and talks to Harpersen. Eller sees the pod room with all the Supergirl clones being grown. All the testing has allowed Harpersen to do accelerated growth and other variations. Part of this is to help Lex who is indeed dying.

At this point, Eller morphs, showing that "he" is actually Supergirl shape-changed into Eller's form. Furious, she realizes that the 'other person' Harpersen says has been there is Lex himself. After all, way back in a story in Supergirl and Team Luthor Lex said he wished he had one hundred of her.

Of course, you can imagine how sickening this must be for Supergirl to see.

Operation Protomatter started when Supergirl inadvertantly gave Luthor some material to work with.

 Back in the fight with Doomsday, Supergirl was punched so hard she devolved into her protomatter, gloppy state. Luthor grabbed some of the residue and began his experiments, trying to grow and mold the protomatter into duplicates.

Despite all this, Supergirl keeps her cool. She is angry. But she hasn't lashed out ... yet.

Of course Harpersen can't help but feel threatened.

He calls upon the Supergirl clones to defend him. And since he has been tinkering with the protomatter's properties, we get to see all the horrible mutations he has made.

First up is 'Alpha', presumably the first clone. This is a monstrous, mohawked Hulk of a Matrix. And, no surprise given these are being made by Lex, they have no free will. They are blank slates that Luthor has written to be submissive and obedient. (Remember, from the beginning, Luthor wanted a super-hero he could control!)  So when Harpersen tells Alpha to attack Supergirl as a threat, it does.

When Matrix holds her own against Alpha, Harpersen releases even more of the clones.

We get to see some of the genetic creativity of Harpersen and Luthor. These are very 90s extreme Supergirls, all thongs, thigh belts, and other fetish gear. Plus, given their shape shifting abilities we see some sport claws and body spikes.

But the main thing is that Matrix sees these are empty shells. There isn't anything behind their eyes to make Supergirl think they are 'alive'. These are automatons.

And it isn't like when this Supergirl was confused, believing she was  Clark. At least, even then, Supergirl could listen to reason, could make decisions about her life. These are playthings, robots, an army of simulacrum.

As such, Supergirl doesn't need to hold back. With any major attack, the clones revert to their raw protomatter state.

What I like about this is that after years of Supergirl being mentally unhinged, a dupe of Brainiac, and a naive and manipulated love doll, she finally lashes out. I have to think that some of this, attacking other versions of herself, is a manifestation of self-admonishment. I wonder just how angry she is at herself. Maybe even more than the anger she feels for Lex.

If this were another version of Supergirl, I might call this double page spread a great showing of Kara-tharsis. But I guess I just have to call it catharsis.

Angry at the world, revolted by what she saw, Supergirl brings down the Adirondack facility around her. This is a great splash of strength and power. We finally see Supergirl standing up for herself.

Great stuff by Brigman and Guice.

But there is one last wrinkle to this matter.

The last egg opens up. Except this time it isn't a Supergirl clone that emerges. It is a Lex. He was cloning a protomatter body for himself, a new place to put his consciousness. But like the others, it melts into the raw genetic soup.

But this adds another layer of manipulation on top of the already appalling Luthor scheme. He wasn't only making a Supergirl army, he was using her to save himself. The lies just keep piling up.

With the flashback over, Lana asks Supergirl what will happen next.

The anger is still there. She isn't going to let Lex get away with all this. Morphing herself into a Female Fury-like Supergirl, she vows Lex will pay.

I love this issue. This is about as important a Matrix issue as there is, a true turning point in her character. Finally she has seen through the haze of lies she has been told. Finally, she realizes she needs to stand up for herself. Finally, she will be her own person.

I'll also add that this attack on these mindless husks of clones is sort of a blueprint for what comes later for this character. Is this Supergirl alive? How is she different than those clones? Is she real or is she simply a toy that thinks it is alive? This is the very foundation of Peter David's book.

From the narrow view of the mini-series, Roger Stern brings us right where a penultimate issue should bring us. The climax is set up. We are in a place in the story where I could sense that it could end well within the constraints of only one more issue. And the art is very well done, a mix of ultra-violence and quiet moments of people talking.

This is the true beginning of a bold new direction.

Overall grade: A