DC Superhero Girls: The Good, The Bad, & The Bizarre

Life has been a bit busy for me these last few months so some Supergirl stuff has slid by without commentary. One of those has been the Lauren Faust led DC Superhero Girls show. There have been some great episodes with some quality Kara moments that I hope to eventually cover.

We’ll start with the most recent episode “#TheGoodTheBadAndTheBizarre’. Of course, for comic fans the title hints strongly at who the villain of the piece will be.

One thing that I have liked about this version of Supergirl has been her sort of irascible personality, ready with a snarky remark and a left hook at all times. She’s fun and way less saccharine than the last DCSHG Supergirl we had.

I don’t even mind her sort of familial rivalry and semi-distaste for Superman in this universe. Here Clark is played up as being perfect and (perhaps appropriately) narcissistic.

This episode plays up both of those aspects of her character.

But we start on a good note.

After months of feeling overlooked and being overlooked, Supergirl is now the darling of Metropolis, considered a hero worthy of bus tours and endorsements. And after feeling bad about herself or ignored for so long, Kara wallows in it a bit.

So you know it wasn’t going to last.

That morning in school, just as Kara was crowing to Babs about how great her Supergirl career is going, she gets some bad news delivered via overhead message. The Prinicipal wants to see her.

There has been a number of pranks that have happened around the school. Graffiti, toilet papering the Principal’s house, and even turning the school statue upside down. They all scream ‘Kara Danvers’ even as she denies it.

But then some interesting back story. Kara grew up in Smallville and was expelled when she apparently blew up the gym. Even though she didn’t do it, she felt everyone’s mind was made up. So she didn’t fight it. That’s how she ended up in Metropolis.

And now she looks like she’s on the verge of being expelled again.

I’d love a flashback episode of this Kara in sleepy Smallville.

But it isn’t just Kara Danvers character being attacked. Now Supergirl’s reputation is also being attacked.

We see news stories of Supergirl spraying graffiti on the Great Wall of China and ripping the roof off the Taj Majal.

Who could be doing it? And how could Babs have her doubts?

So it’s off to the next likely sites of attack.

I love how this is a low key Worlds Finest episode with the Super and the Bat teaming up.

In London Supergirl outs Stonehenge into the Thames.

I love how everyone has pitchforks and torches like it’s Frankenstein. Given our ultimate villain it sort of makes sense.

But those pitchforks and torches are everywhere, including Russia (after Red Square gets toilet papered) and Egypt after the pyramids get turned upside down.

Hilarious.

Shocking no one, we finally see the villain.

Someone in Egypt snapped a pic of ... dun dun dun ... Bizarro Supergirl!

And we get a brawl. One where BizarroGirl strikes quickly and takes off.

Kara consults Clark whomdiscusses his own Bizarro, a monster who is the opposite and just wants to destroy.

But this is conceited Clark who says Bizarro Supergirl, if she is the opposite of Kara, must be smart and pretty.

Yeesh.

The next attack happens in Metropolis.

The two super girls throw down.

I have commented before on the extreme art on this show. I love the amazing action angles we get with Kara. There is even a sort of spaghetti Western faceoff scene in this episode. Just brilliant eye candy.

Remember, this is also a sort of Looney Tunes humor show too.

Throughout the fight Babs tries to figure out what is opposite and what isn’t.

Flight and super strength? Not opposite.

Flame breath and ice vision? Opposite.

What comic fan hasn’t tried to figure out Bizarro rules in this way?

I also loved this gag.

Supergirl stops a statue of Superman from being destroyed by a thrown car.

But she can’t help her feelings. She zaps it’s head of herself.

The fight is too even.

The only thing Supergirl hasn’t tried is a solar flare, similar in concept to the recent DC Comic Power.

I’m not a fan of the flare. But kudos to Faust for knowing about it and bringing it in.

With BizarroGirl continuing to tear up Metropolis, Supergirl decides it is time to take control and command of her life.

She didn’t stand up for herself in Smallville. She will here.

And so she releases her flare ... and BizarroGirl releases her flare! The two Take each other out enough for Batgirl to tie BizarroGirl up.

And then, a little turnabout.

BizarroGirl begins to cry saying that she only did what she did to try and get out of the shadow of Bizarro Superman. She just wants to be recognized and appreciated.

Hmmm ....

That’s just how Supergirl feels.

She empathizes.

So she lets BizarroGirl go free.

BizarroGirl gets some press. Supergirl saves the day and clears her name.

And the two who now understand each other, go out for ice cream.

Now that is a crazy ending. Enemies turned friend.

Again, this was a funny episode.

But that concept of opposite really permeated the episode.

These two really weren’t opposites. They were more like reflections of each other.

And that reminded me of the great Sterling Gates/Jamal Igle/Bernard Chang story arc BizarroGirl.

I have been tickled by the new DCSHG and this Kara-centric episode was just soooo much  fun.