tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2669531469217423923.post6413041119303932258..comments2024-03-29T10:05:57.545-04:00Comments on Supergirl Comic Box Commentary: Back Issue Review: Valor #2Anjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10023193805914075078noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2669531469217423923.post-48935593606820694972016-09-04T08:35:55.324-04:002016-09-04T08:35:55.324-04:00A fascinating look back on the early 1990s of DC C...A fascinating look back on the early 1990s of DC Comics. Revisiting this Valor issue makes for a well timed example of just how convoluted and alien continuity and character becomes after multiple restarts of continuity, it makes for a sober contrast to the equally patchwork and brittle DC Universe we have right now, which is just as convoluted and brittle as it was when this issue arrived on the shelves with its heavily revised Supergirl and Lar Gand...<br /><br />I remember Valor well, throughout the 23 issue run it was marked from start to finish by uniformly superb visuals from Mark Bright, Jerome Moore and Colleen Doran, but with a premise and character that were wholly insubstatial and one-dimensional. The book was set around an interstallar nomad essentially, a figure who had all the powers of Superman and was someday destined to be the Legion of Super-Heroes' most powerful member, yet here he is - a hapless, naive, and fresh faced boy with no direction and a reliance on a shuttle to get him around his tour of the galaxy. <br /><br />In hindsight, and bearing this in mind, he and Supergirl here have everything in common... And in Supergirl's case It did seem to be that she was her own worst enemy. Superman/Clark had made sincere efforts to advise and warn her of the reality of Lex Luthor, but even with this warning and a friend (Clark) always close by to visit, she was incredibly slow to take note of the signs presented and as with Superman's original approaches and warnings completely unprepared to process the truth when she DID learn of Luthor's hidden face, and the plan to clone her for his own agenda.<br /><br />But then one mustn't forget the truth was that she was never an actual human being, created in a lab she had none of the intuition or social programming that a real person has. As Peter David put it when he launched her in her own series it is hard to care for, or develop, a blob of protoplasm that is programmed to assume human form... she was created as putty and remained putty, until David added a little something <i>else</i> to give her that actual human dimension and make her finally real.Dave Mullennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2669531469217423923.post-49368871003338834932016-09-02T15:00:21.808-04:002016-09-02T15:00:21.808-04:00and @original Anon
> but as far as I'm conc...and @original Anon<br />> but as far as I'm concerned, Supergirl IS Kara Zor-El<br /><br />+10,000,000,000 on that! And call me biased, but no Kara Zor-L / Power Girl either. Though I am partial to Kara In-Ze :)<br /><br /><br />RegardsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2669531469217423923.post-19023942133949403642016-09-02T14:57:10.848-04:002016-09-02T14:57:10.848-04:00Thanks for sharing, Anj. Appreciate the history /...Thanks for sharing, Anj. Appreciate the history / perspective, especially on Matrix pre-PAD days. I've got the 1st tradepaperback<br />on order -- can't wait! -- but little glimpses like these show me where Matrix was before that time. I'll spare the "how subserviant<br />she was to Lex" salt-pouring... the panels speak for themselves.<br /><br />Also, surprised this hasn't been mentioned by you yet, DC Superhero Girls Superhero of the Year is out! Just got my copy yesterday<br />and can't wait to plug it in tonight. Hope you do a review on it, Anj.<br /><br /><br />RegardsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2669531469217423923.post-16840466668228553992016-09-02T14:40:40.652-04:002016-09-02T14:40:40.652-04:00In regards to Valor the comic, you can find them i...In regards to Valor the comic, you can find them in quarter or dollar bins. Most of the stories were done in one, and while the art wasn't always great, it was a decent book for the time. It didn't have a long run, and I remember a few guest-stars, one being a Green Lantern.<br /><br />If you can find a few of them cheap, they're fun enough.Wayne Allen Salleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199261942617339556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2669531469217423923.post-18627309466729296682016-09-02T11:37:52.253-04:002016-09-02T11:37:52.253-04:00Or some Silver Age Super-Common Sense. Or Super-Se...Or some Silver Age Super-Common Sense. Or Super-Self-Respect. Or something.<br /><br />Regarding the suit of Mon-El... You know you're reading a Nineties book if a classic character is wearing an awful new costume: Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Thor... I'm sorry, but I hated most of redesigns.<br /><br />Supergirl has definitely changed a lot. In twenty years DC went through three different Supergirls before figuring out that the original Supergirl was popular and well-liked and her origin less convoluted than protoplasmic shape-shifters from a pocket universe, flame-winged Earth angels or hypothetical future daughters. And Kara got a successful and well-regarded solo book (let's to NOT talk about the Kelly run) and two relaunches, her character went through drastic developments, and she is an important part of the Superman mythos again.<br /><br />(I don't hate Matrix, Linda Danvers or Cir-El... but as far as I'm concerned, Supergirl IS Kara Zor-El)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2669531469217423923.post-65348570058860516102016-09-02T08:43:12.636-04:002016-09-02T08:43:12.636-04:00Nice review. Not the best issue, gosh, I hated the...Nice review. Not the best issue, gosh, I hated the Lex/Matrix thing - a superhero can be duped for a little while, but falling in love with a duplicitous shyster? This character is supposed to have something of Lana Lang in her, she should be smarter. Oh, for some Sikver Age Super-Intuition!Martin Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09574149543260175962noreply@blogger.com