Review: Supergirl Survive #2

Supergirl Survive #2 came out this last week, continuing the story of a young Kara caring for a young Kal after Krypton was 'destroyed' in a complete nuclear war. I do like the overall concept of Kara and Kal rocketed off together (as opposed to separately in the current continuity) and seeing this young Kara use her wits to remain alive.

Writers Ethan Parker and Griffin Sheridan grow this universe a bit in this issue. We see all the Lantern Corps, working together to police the universe. We see Lobo and (I assume) clones of him working as a criminal gang in a sort of Western environment. But most importantly, we see Kara taking her role as caretaker as her primary role and willing to get a little morally gray if she needs to in order to keep Kal safe. Overall, this was a solid second chapter.

The one thing I'll say is that we are still learning this universe. There is a nonlinear aspect to the story-telling here which didn't seem necessary not really adding much and instead confusing me. There is a story element from the past that we don't know that I hope will be revealed later. But not knowing it now also was a bit vexing.

Rod Reis' art continues to shine. It feels almost painterly. It continues to echo Phil Noto's work, always a good thing. And his take on the Lantern Corps is pretty cool as well, especially the Red Lantern. 

On to the book. 

Last issue ended with Krypton exploding and Kara's rocket damaged, crashing on the moon. Good cliffhanger.

We start this issue 158 days after Krypton exploded with Kara on an unnamed planet, at a spaceport, trying to get on a train to Tamaran.

I love how she is holding Kal like a mom, trying to keep them safe and get on the train off this world.

But where is this world? How did they get off that Krypton moon? Why are they bald? What has happened in those 6 months? 

Of course, I will see how this all plays out but this jump and all these questions sort of pulled me out of the story when I wanted to see the resolution of the cliffhanger right away.

A few pages in we get that resolution. We see that a contingent of Lanterns have arrived at Krypton too late. They do protect Kara from a Doomsday-esque creature on that moon. 

But then we move back to that train station.

How did she get off that moon? Where did she go? Hope we find out.

I just think for an Elseworld, a straightforward linear storytelling would be better for me to immerse myself.

Because in the present, Kara misses her train and is kidnapped by a gang of Lobos.

I suppose a young girl with a baby walking without adults in a train station is an easy target. But they seem to have been tracking Kara all along. How did they know to track her? 

The Lobos know that Kryptonians are rare and could fetch a good price.

On Oa, we learn that the Guardians lead all the Ring Corps.

That same team from Krypton learn that there is a Lobo gang sighting so off they go.

I suppose they whole story hinges on this anonymous tip. Will we find out who sent it?

Now this is a true gang of Lobos although there is a Main Man. It is intriguing to hear there names - Lobone, Lobore, Lobolt, etc.

I talked about how protective Kara is with Kal. Here she grabs a ray gun and sword threatening to do what she needs to. I don't know if she would have the stuff to actually pull the trigger. But after seeing the Supergirl movie, I don't know if I needed to see this.

I suppose that if you are the lone survivors of your culture and charged with caring for a baby, you could become fierce. 

Luckily, those Lanterns arrive before Kara is forced to pull the trigger and a skirmish ensues.

I do like that the Hope-powered Blue Lantern is most concerned about protecting the kids during the inevitable brawl. That is what a Blue Lantern would be thinking about.

Unfortunately, this Saint-Walker looking Lantern is killed by the Lobos. 

Enraged by his friend's death, the Red Lantern here loses control and basically kills this Lobo (I think) forcing the others to retreat, and lighting the village on fire.

Cool shot by Reis showing what an angry Red Lantern out of his mind might do. 

While this is standard super-hero violence, it is the inset panel that I really loved. Kara doesn't want Kal to witness the carnage. She is a good guardian. 

Earlier in the book on that Krypton moon, the Blue Lantern sensed hope in Kara. Nice foreshadowing, because with his death, the ring looks for a new wielder and lands on Kara's finger.

I love this because it makes sense giving who Kara is historically. It echoes something Mark Waid said recently in the Summer of Supergirl Special. Kara is a light that cannot be extinguished. 

So another fun cliffhanger. I like Kara being so caring around Kal. But there are holes in the story we don't know that I'd prefer to know now. And we needed a bit of a deus ex machina (an anonymous tip about the Lobos) to move this story along and have Kara not be sold into slavery. 

I do love the water-color feel to the art throughout. Reis is a big draw here.

Overall grade: B-