Review: Supergirl #31

Supergirl #31 came out last week and continues the Unity Saga story which has been going through the Superman book. I posted my review of Superman #12 yesterday and this issue of Supergirl covers much of the same story, albeit from her perspective.

While the story beats are similar, there are some unfortunate differences. While my review of Superman praised the maturity and respect and love that was evident in Supergirl and the El family, this issue doubles down on Kara's anger and viciousness. It was hard to go from one to the other and think these are the same characters. I just don't quite understand writer Marc Andreyko's take on the character.

Now comes my every couple of year defense that I don't want a sickeningly sweet Silver Age Supergirl, trapped in an orphanage with no agency. I don't mind a fierce Supergirl, learning to be a hero, occasionally failing. I don't mind her being angry when the time is right. But Supergirl should be, foremost, optimistic and bright. She should be about hope, help, and compassion for all. And this sneering Supergirl isn't that.

The art in the book is split. Kevin Maguire does the first 5 pages of the book and then semi-regular artist Eduardo Pansica takes over. Pansica should just be named regular artist and Maguire should start working on the Annual. The two styles don't mesh well. Separately both are fine.

On to the book.

Much like the Superman issue, we start out with Supergirl being dragged into the space battle between Jor-El, Superman, Superboy, Rogol Zaar, General Zod, Jax-Ur, and the Thanagarian, Khund, and Trillium armies.

Right off the bat we hear of how the axe was drawn to the fight by Rogol Zaar's anger. But Kara is angry too.

Ooooh ... edgy.

And then we get a replay of a good battle maneuver by Supergirl. She uses the planetary debris on the axe as basically a bullet to rip through Zaar's ship.

That's pretty cool.

But unlike last issue where we saw Supergirl punch Zaar in his face, here we see her swinging his axe.

Any battle will be fierce. But this seems brutal. I am reading a Supergirl book, not a Red Sonja book. I don't want to hear a Supergirl who wishes she heard the sound of her axe scraping across Zaar's face. Does that sound like Kara?

And while I like the statement that she is thrilled to fighting next to her family again, the last panel of her swinging the axe over her head again seems out of character. Wasn't it just last month that she also was about to swing her axe this way and realized it was wrong?

So she isn't learning. She seems to basically keep soaking in this anger. Every time she 'learns' that this isn't right, we rebound.

And having her say Captain America's tag line seems just wrong.

Then Superboy flies in to tag team him. Nice shot of Jon.

And I like Krypto dragging Supergirl away from this fight. We know she'll lose.

But once more we now again emphasize the 'gritty, edgy, rage-y' Supergirl of this book.

Zaar's anger is immense. But not as powerful as Supergirl's. So the axe chooses her. Look at her with the giant axe and the red angry eyes.

I'm sorry, I don't want to read Supergirl:Queen of the Axe.

And people who want to read books about Queens of the Axe don't want to read Supergirl. This never ever ever works.

We do get a repeat look at the El family hug.

I like this image enough to repeat.

I don't know why Kara looks glum in stating that she now owns the axe, almost as if she regrets her connection to it. But she was just giddy with wielding it a couple of pages ago.

As we saw in Superman, Kara decides she needs to finish off Gandelo right away, leaving Zod/Zaar to Superman. And she convinces Jon to join her.

I do like this gentle ribbing she gives him about 'machismo'. Later she teases his hormones. I like this friendly relationship between the two. I think Kara would be something of a role model for Jon.

Even this art, a sort of buddy-buddy half-hug is wonderful.

But this seems so disconnected from the axe wielder, red-eyed rage monster we just witnessed.

This is the Supergirl I want to read.

But duty calls, using Jon's suit to teleport, the trio of Jon, Kara, and Krypto end up in Trillium space.

It is time for her to settle this.

Nice ending splash, even if her right leg looks a little off.

Still, this is a nice position of strength, a classic 'looking up at our hero'. And a throaty 'RUFF" from Krypto!

So how do I settle all my thoughts on this? There are these nice little moments sprinkled in between these moments were once again we have dark, edgy, gritty, angry Supergirl. I still don't get why creators who clearly don't understand the character or seem to even like the character get given the character to write.

This isn't a Supergirl book.

This is an Angela book. If you want to write Angela, write Angela.

Overall grade: C-