Supergirl #6 came out this week and as anticipated by the solicit and the cover, it is an homage to the classic Nightflame tale from Adventure Comics #421. It is important to know that that story was an early foray into what now seems to be the well-trod soil of Supergirl having a dark side. In it, Supergirl must face the evil she has in her own soul in her own mind.
One of the things that I have loved about this latest title is that writer/artist Sophie Campbell has really leaned into Supergirl's mythos. It seems as if everything has happened, something we have seen played out in the New History of the DC Universe. Campbell definitely shows us that all aspects of Supergirl's multiple histories is allowed in this book. And if we are revisiting the concept of Nightflame, the darkness in Supergirl's soul, Campbell has a lot of material to pick from. Best of all, Campbell shows why Supergirl is who she is, maintaining optimism and heroism because of the life she has endured. She is a bright hero. As I have said before, if you are a longtime fan of Supergirl, this book is an absolute treasure trove.
The art is a wonderful mix of Campbell's usual sunny style for the live action and Rosi Kampe's more angular, harsher art for the hellish innerspace of Supergirl's mind. The contrast plays wonderfully.
In a meta sense, this was the perfect time for this issue to be released. Recently Supergirl movie screen writer Ana Nogueria told Variety that she couldn't wrap her head around the always sunny Supergirl until she read Tom King's gritty Woman of Tomorrow. It is clear no one gave Noguera any recent books because as Campbell shows, Kara has been through a lot and always shined brighter because of it, not falling into drunken, angry despair. More's the pity.
On to this tremendous book.
The book starts with a clearly exhausted Supergirl lapsing in and out of a nightmarish landscape.
Something is wearing on her more than her active life.
Love this simple scene Campbell gives us, a peek into Supergirl's everyday life. A Wonder Woman sleep shirt, a Carly Rae Jepsen poster, a Mighty Crabjoys poster, Streaky curled up on the bed. I love when we get a good sense of the character in total. Small flourishes like this go a long way.
The issue then unfolds with Supergirl facing her hardest memories inside her own mind, again riffing on that original Nightflame story.
The first memory? Her time as a Red Lantern. She is the turmoil and despair in Supergirl's heart.
I can remember lamenting the concept of the Red Daughter storyline but it turned out to be a redemption story, one of many for Supergirl. It seems ... and we shall see ... that DC has repetitive spin cycle for the character - dark turn, failure of dark turn, redemption back to optimistic, young hero.
I ultimately really liked Red Daughter. But it is a dark turn for the character.
We then get the true villain, Nightflame. She is the manifestation of the darkness inside Supergirl. And given some substance by the recent Satan Girl transformation, she wants to claim control of the body.
I love the design of Nightflame here, a demonic being for sure.
Nightflame starts the tour of Supergirl's history, focusing on the difficulties.
She watched Krypton explode.
She was thrown in an orphanage by Superman.
That Silver Age origin is often scoffed at by fans. 'How could he !?!' But here is a shot showing how much this impacted that young Kara. There's no dialogue here. But you can tell by the body language that Kara is gutted that Superman is leaving.
It also means that the Silver Age orphanage angle is in continuity. No landing in Gotham and trained in Themyscira anymore.
This battle is mental. Kara's physical body is collapsed in the woods of Midvale.
It is Luna Lustrum who stumbles onto the body. And she uses her ESP/psionics to bring Supergirl back to Lena's house.
Lena immediately has Luna 'join the team'.
I love the pets looking on worried.
But the tour continues.
We learned in the New History of the DC Universe that the Crisis happened and Supergirl died.
She is forced to relive it again. The Bronze Age death is in continuity.
Kudos to Rosi Kampe for this double page splash. That shot of Kara being shot by the Anti-Monitor in COIE #7 is burned in my brain. The reverse angle here, the colors, the crackle ... it all feels like Crisis.
But there's more.
She was resurrected by Darkseid in this new universe. And we see her in her Apokolipsclothes, under his sway. More darkness and dark turns. Now we see the Loeb/Turner origin is in continuity.
Campbell again leans into that original story. Much like in Adventure Comics #421, a friend in the 'real world' begins sending confidence and love and support to Supergirl in her struggle.
This is a much less salacious intrusion. But it shows how much Kara is loved by her friends. Even Lesla is shaken by Kara's condition and wants to help.
Nightflame keeps pushing.
Isn't Supergirl the daughter of an evil menace. Isn't Zor-El the Cyborg Superman?
I am pretty sure Hank Henshaw is back as The Cyborg Superman. But, for a while, Zor-El was the Cyborg.
That means the horror of this Zor-El from the Rebirth era is in continuity.
But it gets even deeper.
Campbell shows us Dick Malverne dying from the Tim Sale Solo issue (one my first posts ever on this blog!).
And we see Krypto being injured in Tom King's Woman of Tomorrow.
It's funny how Campbell has shown us all the difficult times that Supergirl has faced over multiple reboots and timelines and yet always seems to rise above, be galvanized by the experience to become the beacon of hope she is. That is ... except for Tom King's Woman of Tomorrow.
In a brilliant ending, and aided by the support of her friends, Kara says outright that darkness isn't an obstacle, its a strength. That trauma and sorrow and difficulty doesn't need to have us in a ball crying in a sun. That instead it can be used to build us up.
And Supergirl isn't denying the trauma ... or hiding from it. She tells all these 'inner demons' that she'll see them tomorrow. She awakens to the glee of her friends.
Boom.
Once again I have to thank Sophie Campbell. This was just a near perfect issue. From the deep cuts of Supergirl history to her rising above and showing us who she is ... a hero ... this issue sang to me. And the art just complements the story completely.
Wonderful.
Overall grade: A+
6 comments:
The inability to get a sunny Supergirl shows a lack of imagination, not a problem with the character. Barbie proved you can be sunny and be a hit. And I wonder if King's sales come from non-comic readers since his mischaracterizations don't faze them. (Though I'd have hated that Supergirl mini even if it had starred a new character. I prefer heroic fiction)
Luna seems to have made zero impression on me since I Googled to find out what Bronze Age character she was a redo of. And the orphanage scene could have been how she had felt, rather than abandonment that stark.
I'm loving this series too. As far as the art is concerned, I particularly liked the panel on page 16 where Supergirl thrusts her face into Nightflame's face ("I don't have time for this, Nightflame.") It's a wonderful moment of defiance and speaks volumes for Kara's strength of character.
Casually puffing out Nightflame's Evil Flaming Sword of Green Evil-ness with her Superbreath, is some of the best Karatharsis I've seen in weeks...(check out DC vs Vampires World War V #12 for a real moment of glory for Our Girl :). My only complaints were everyone weeping over a comatose Supergirl in the medbay felt very "CW Supergirl" to me, but since it tracks vaguely with the original story in Adv. 421, I give it a pass. Frankly this also felt a little rushed, and could have been a two parter, paying a little more attention to resolving last issues' cliffhanger, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing Nightflame again going forward....not sure what she does for an encore, but I trust the creatives on this book to dream something up. Otherwise we are officially the one year ramp up cycle for the Milly Alcock Supergirl extravaganza, IF said film is a success, then look for DC to do the usual stupid thing and realign Supergirl with the new cash-cow...which means a reboot in the name of a darker moodier Supergirl. My point being, let's enjoy this while we can, soon enough DC will screw it all up past all understanding. JF
Is that also Comet in the panel under the stricken Krypto? The swirling lines on the left side of those panels, where Krypto and I guess Comet are, are suggestive Bilquis Evely's swirly style.
In the final panel, Titano seems to be noticing a blue winged one-eyed baby monster - which was visible in a couple of panels in the Innerverse. Seems something has followed her out?
T.N.
Thanks for comments and interesting points.
I always feel 'dark Supergirl' is a publicity stunt or someone who doesn't understand the character.
Yes, I wouldn't have minded this being a two parter but it did follow the original story's pace.
And interesting idea about Comet given the swirly art TN!
I DEFINITELY wanna see Sophie Campbell's take on Comet The Super Horse...and I am hardly a Comet Apologist as well! :). JF
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