Interview With Jake Black

I am always thrilled when I get the chance to interview comic creators, sort of a dream come true for an old fan like me.

I recently had the opportunity to talk to Jake Black, a comic writer and big Supergirl fan. Black has been involved in multi-media representations of Kara, a unique position for a creator, and also got to work closely with Helen Slater. So I there was a lot for me to cover. Hopefully, I got to everything.

Anj: Whenever I get to talk to a creator, I always want to get a feel for their comic background. Can you talk about your comic background? Any characters or other creators or arcs that stand out for you?

JB: I started reading comics about 25 years ago, beginning with Archie and licensed Star Trek comics, it wasn’t long before I started reading super-hero books, too. The first arc I remember reading was the Death in the Family story in Batman. I’ve loved the Superman family forever, though I took a little break from them in 1989, when Batman was what everyone cared about. I remember seeing Superman IV in theaters, and loving it. It was the Super Friends, and the Super Powers action figures that really spurred my interest in super-heroes lore. I was also a big fan of the Ruby-Spears Superman animated show. In my adult years, I started re-collecting the Super Powers figures, and had more than 20 of them. I also had the Ruby-Spears Superman show on DVD. I recently had to sell them for my cancer bills (as well as a good percentage of my comics collection), and that was heart breaking because of my lifelong love and background.

Anj: I ask some version of this question to most creators I meet and trust me, you are the first to mention Superman IV. I do think the Ruby-Spears cartoon is totally underappreciated. And as for Death in the Family, I can admit I voted for Robin to die. I have regretted that vote since then.


JB: I never said Superman IV was good! :-) I just remember seeing it in theaters, and I bought a Superman comic around that time. I was disappointed with the comic because it was all about Jerry White, Alice, etc. and almost no Superman.

Anj: You are clearly a Supergirl fan, being involved in a number of projects with the character. Can you discuss the appeal of the character for you? Is there a version of the character or comics run that is your favorite?

JB: What I love about Supergirl is the innocence/naïveté combined with ultimate power. I’ve always been more of a B-list or Sidekick guy. I like Robin over Batman. Supergirl over Superman, etc. I was really taken with the Matrix version from the Death of Superman saga, and her subsequent mini-series and monthly. I thought Peter David did a great job making her interesting. I’ve really enjoyed all of her appearances/stories. My favorite version/run, I guess, was her initial return in 2004. I loved the Jeph Loeb/Michael Turner run, and the whole thing with Darkseid. Really, though, I’ve loved all of it. Even some of the lesser-liked stuff I’ve really, really enjoyed.

Anj: Chronologically, it looks like the first Supergirl project you did was write the character booklet for the Eaglemoss figurine. What was the process behind that? Did you consider all the versions of the character? Did you have anything to do with the layout of the book or the artwork chosen?

JB: I’ve been working on the Eaglemoss magazines since they began, and in June will be writing my 40th issue. They are consistently my favorite projects. I have a degree in history, and as such have a solid background in historical research. I got through various officially licensed publications, like the DC Encyclopedia, and other books, as well as comics, and distill the character’s story down to its streamlined basics. The folks at DC Comics are heavily involved in proofing and editing, and approve the content. With this particular issue, I was told to focus only on the modern version of Kara, and her story.

I don’t have anything to do with the layout, and as far as the artwork, I provide a list of possible comics/trades and the brilliant staff at Eaglemoss pick and choose what will make the issue look the best. They’re really great at what they do!

Anj: Next, you were involved in the Supergirl:The Last Daughter of Krypton documentary featured on the Smallville Season 7 DVDs as well as the Superman/Batman:Apocalypse DVD. What was your role on that project? Was there any discussion to include the Matrix Supergirl in the production (a version of the character skipped in the documentary)? There are great quotes from a lot of amazing people in that featurette, including Gail Simone, Paul Levitz, Elliot S! Maggin and others. Were you involved with any of that aspect of the piece?

JB: I was actually working on the Eaglemoss magazine and the Smallville DVD piece at the same time. I had been working on various Smallville projects since season one, and had written and really assisted with a lot of the season 6 DVD feature on Green Arrow. When Kara was announced as appearing in the show’s seventh season, the DVD feature producers, the uber-talented guys at Retrofit Films, and I started plotting a history of Supergirl piece. It was great fun.

In the initial stages, we talked a bit about including the Matrix version, but elected not to for simplicity and time sakes. The piece was about Kara, the girl who would be on Smallville, and including Mae detracted some. We even had a discussion of Power Girl, the Supergirl from the future with the black tights and scratchy red S, Natasha Irons, etc. but just eliminated all of it in favor of focusing solely on Kara.

As we began production, we assembled a list of potential interviewees. I submitted several names, most of which were included in the piece. I also helped write the interview questions for them. Once the interviews were shot, I worked with the producers and directors and assisted in culling some of the soundbytes, and then wrote the narration for the doc. Several of the images in the piece were scanned from my private comic collection, too. It really was a fun, fun project to do.

Anj: I think that avoiding Power Girl and Cir-El makes good sense. And in retrospect, I suppose for the purposes of Smallville staying away from Matrix makes sense. But I loved the Linda Danvers/Matrix character so much I wish she got some screen time.


And again, just such a nice diverse group of people to interview about Supergirl.

JB: Thanks. I really put a lot of thought into who we could get for the best mix/diversity in the piece.

Anj: You also co-wrote Supergirl #50’s ‘A Hero’s Journey’ with Supergirl herself, Helen Slater. How did you get that gig? How closely did you work with Helen on that story? What was it like working with her? In many ways, that story felt like a defense of the character and how far she had come. Was that tone directly from the two of you or asked for by DC?

JB: I first met Helen in 2007, when we were both guests at the Metropolis, IL, Superman Celebration. (If you’re a Superman fan, you really need to make the trip there some summer. It’s held the second weekend in June annually.) At dinner one night that weekend, Helen, some of the promoters and other guests, and I started having a detailed discussion about Supergirl and developed a great desire to pitch DC on it. Helen and I hammered out an outline for a (I think) 4 issue story and submitted it to DC. It didn’t work, and that was fine.

A couple years later, when Sterling Gate’s first trade was coming out, DC contacted me to see if I could help them get Helen to write the intro. I help broker that deal, and she wrote it. We were then both excited a few months after that when DC approached us about doing a 6-page backup for Supergirl #50. Helen and I bounced several ideas back and forth and submitted a couple options. They liked elements of a couple of them, and after a couple group discussion with the Superman office and DC and Helen and me, came to the “Greet the Press” idea.

Helen had a lot of things she wanted to say about the Hero’s Journey from an anthropological perspective, and she got to do so in the story. We worked together on crafting everything. DC sent her a bunch of comics for reference, and we both wrote a lot of it. I don’t think she gets the credit she deserves on the story, because she really put a lot into it.

She and I both love Supergirl. Helen brings such a unique perspective to the character. It’s a lot of fun. We wanted to throw in a lot of Easter eggs for the fans, including things like Laura Vandervoort’s famous Smallville promo shot being on a TV screen, and stuff like that. It was really a lot of fun!

Anj: Of course Helen Slater has a special place in the hearts of all Supergirl fans. It is so wonderful that she has such affection for the character, really embracing her part of the fandom. I really thought that story was great (gushed about it in a review here) and definitely dove-tailed in nicely with the character progression that Sterling Gates was doing. I hope Helen knows how beloved she is to us Supergirl fans and please let her know we loved that story!

JB: I will!

Anj: I posted here about the fundraiser you are doing to help with your medical bills. Can you give us some background and an update?

JB: In 2009, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a blood cancer. I’ve been cancer free for just over a year and a half. Unfortunately, healthcare is expensive, and as a full-time freelancer, I was only able to afford health insurance with a higher premium and very high deductible. Treatment cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and there are associated costs (like mortgage, utilities, and other everyday bills) that become extremely difficult to pay. Our insurance covered most of the treatment costs, but the associated costs and follow up treatments have not been covered, and we’re $25,000 in debt from the experience. I’m very grateful for my life, and I’m glad that I’m around to pay these bills…but I’ve got to actually pay them! :-)

So, the fine folks at GiveForward.com are hosting a fundraiser for us. We’re trying to reach our $25,000 goal by July 12, which is my birthday. We’ve been giving away prizes for donations, and have a few more to give out. Helen Slater signed some pictures and she and I gave away a copy of Supergirl #50 signed by us both. Lots of cool stuff like that. As of this interview, we’re at about 26% of the way to our goal. My wife Michelle and I are so grateful for everyone’s support thus far. We’ve been battling to get on top of the debt for more than two years, and we’re really ready to have it behind us. To donate, or see what our next cool prize will be, visit http://BlackFamilyCancerFund.org.

Anj: Hopefully the fundraiser is a success. Thanks so much for stopping by and chatting. Always great to talk to a creator with a love for Supergirl.

JB: Thanks for the interview, Anj. It’s always a pleasure to talk Supergirl with someone who cares as much about her as you do!

Supergirl Comic Box Commentary Is Three Years Old

On April 29 2008, I posted my Jim Mooney Supergirl commission and officially started Supergirl Comic Box Commentary.

Back then I had no idea about blogging or social media at all. All I knew was that I had a love of Supergirl and I wanted a place to put down my thoughts about the character.

Here we are three years later. Three. Unbelievable!

And that is why there is a collage of Supergirl #3's above.

While the breadth of this blog has grown a bit to include the other Superman family titles, JLA, R.E.B.E.L.S., and the Legion, I always strive to keep Supergirl as the focus of this place and I think I succeed. It helps that her character seems so popular now. There always seems to be enough news going on to keep Supergirl front and center.

For me, the best part of my doing this blog has been meeting and talking to so many Supergirl and comic fans here. It is great to get a sense of just how big Supergirl's fanbase is.  I know I can be wordy, my posts lengthy, and sometimes overly analytical on things like panel composition or turns of the phrase. I also know I can be something of an easy grader in my reviews. So I want to thank everybody who comes here, reads my posts, and takes the time to comment. I truly appreciate the dialogue that happens here. I have said it before but I'll say it again ... I have become a better comic book reader because of the discussions here. That is truly the best part of this place.

And to the regulars who stop by and comment frequently (you know who you are), I can't thank you guys enough for making it feel like a little community here. Thanks for keeping me on target with reviews and points of view, showing me things I missed, and pointing out when you think I am off the mark. You all are the best.

I'd also like to thank the creators who have stopped by here for interviews or comments over the last year. A very big thank you to Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle for all they have done here. And another big thanks to James Peaty for his recent interview. And thanks to Jake Black, Dean Trippe, Bernard Chang, Matt Camp, and any other creator who has stopped by here to read and comment. As a fan, I appreciate knowing that the voices and concerns of Supergirl's fans are being heard.

With a steady rotation of monthly reviews, sales and solicitation previews, and the usual Anj commentary on previews and interviews I read, I think there is a backbone structure to this place. Add in the occasional back issue review and commission/collection addition and I am usually busy. But I am always interested in hearing if there are things I could be doing more of, less of, or differently. Is there anything I should be doing that I'm not?

Anyways, thanks again to everyone for making the last three years so much fun and for talking Supergirl and comics with me. I hope you all have enjoyed visiting here as much as I have enjoyed blogging.

Fund Raiser For Jake Black

Comics have been a big part of most of my life, providing me with entertainment, escapism, education, and even a sense of right and wrong. So if I can give a little something back to the industry by promoting a good cause on this site, I will. In the past I have talked about Ordinary People Change the World and their fundraising to save the Siegel house. I have promoted the HERO Initiative as well.

I recently learned that a fund-raising site has been set up for comic writer Jake Black to help with his medical bills. Here is a link to the site: http://www.giveforward.com/blackfamilycancerfund

Black was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2008, fought the cancer, and won. That battle left him with $25,000 in medical bills. Black is hoping to raise money to help him with those costs. The site allows people to directly donate with the click of a button. As they say, every little bit helps.

I am a fan of Black and his work. He is definitely a Supergirl fan, having written with Helen Slater the great back-up story in Supergirl #50. I talk about the story in depth here; it was a wonderful story showing what a hero Supergirl is.

He also wrote the book that accompanies the Eaglemoss Supergirl figurine.

And he wrote the Supergirl documentary included in the Smallville Season 7 DVD set and re-presented on the Superman/Batman Apocalypse DVD.

Black hopes to give something back to the people who donate by giving out weekly prizes like Batgirl issues signed by Bryan Q Miller. The first prize (for the week of 4/25-4/30) is a copy of Supergirl #50 signed by Black and Helen Slater. Now that is awesome.

 Details about the fundraising site, prizes, as well as other news can be found on the fund-raising website above as well as Black's blog here: http://jakeblack.com/. I hope people check out the site and give if they can.

Sales Review: February 2010

The sales numbers for February are up at ICV2 and as expected the anniversary issue Supergirl #50 did very well. Here is the link: http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/17020.html


Supergirl #50 ranked 48th among comics selling 33,338 issues. That is an increase of 20% from issue #49. It also is the highest amount sold since issue #44, the beginning of Codename:Patriot.

It also outsold every one of the Superman titles, which creeped in right behind.


Of course, this issue had a lot going for it to spur sales up a bit.

It was the magical number fifty.
It had a Michael Turner cover.
It had a variant cover by Josh Middleton.
It had a story co-written by Helen Slater.

There was a lot of publicity and buzz around this. Hopefully some of the folks who tried out the issue will stick around for the future.


As for R.E.B.E.L.S. #13, it continued to dive in sales after the Blackest Night bump.


The penultimate issue of the Starro saga sold 11,836.

My guess is their might not be any middle ground with the book. You either love it or not. There might not be a 'I like REBELS' crowd. Anyways, I look forward to see what happens post-Starro.
I will review the last chapter of that story soon.

Review: Supergirl #50 Part 2

The second story in Supergirl #50 was also very good and I therefore felt it deserved it's own post.

Titled 'The Hero's Journey' and a short but stuffed 6 pages long, it reminded me exactly why I am a Supergirl fan.

It is apparent that writers Jake Black and Helen Slater (!) just 'get' Supergirl. They understand the draw and the core of the character. I shouldn't be surprised. Of course, Slater played Supergirl and has a personal grasp of the character. And Jake Black wrote the Supergirl magazine for the Eaglemoss lead figurine and the Smallville DVD documentary on the character.

If I haven't said it plainly before, I am absolutely tickled that Helen Slater is embracing her place in Supergirl history and taking part in the current character's incarnation.



The concept of the story is deceptively simple. Ron Troupe is hosting a 'Meet the Press' style opinion show and the topic of the day is Supergirl. Is she a hero or a menace?

Acting as host, Troupe at first seems pretty unbiased. He takes more of a moderator's role. Much more opinionated is guest Cat Grant who continues to try to besmirch Supergirl's character.

This format affords Black and Slater the opportunity to explore Supergirl's career and the different ways her actions have been regarded by those around her, by the public.

And much of Kara's history is explored. So we see her fight with Power Girl from way back in Supergirl #1. Remember those early issues where it seemed Supergirl only fought other heroes? No wonder she could be construed as a menace.

And we revisit her brief time with the Titans, a stint that ended when an argument with Wonder Girl drove Supergirl away. (I think the issue where Supergirl quits the Titans is the first time Jamal Igle drew the character.)



And Cat even brings up Supergirl's failure in saving Thomas Price from cancer. Surprisingly, this failure is the one that seems to be brought up the most. I wonder if Kelley Puckett knew his story would have such an impact on the character.

When the preview pages of this story were released, I hoped we would hear from Mrs. Price herself. It would be interesting to hear what that character would have to say about Supergirl now that some time has passed. That said, I am glad she was at least mentioned. The 'Saving Thomas' storyline was a decent arc and showcased that lengths that Supergirl will go in order to achieve her goals.


Cat describes Supergirl as irresponsible, like a starlet famous more for being in rehab than for her acting roles.

At that point, Troupe allows a counterpoint to Cat's diatribe. A local expert on anthropology tells Ron that Supergirl is on the hero's journey and is at a point where she needs a mentor to help her. With that we are treated to a nice panel by Cliff Chiang reimagining the 'deep conversation with Superman' scene from Supergirl #34.



But the expert isn't sure if Superman is the right person to guide Supergirl.

I would say that he is obliquely referencing Lana but given the prior story in this issue, maybe not.



As I said before, Slater and Black really delve into this Supergirl's history in this brief story. So we hear from Brooke and Sara from earlier stories ... characters that Supergirl has helped immensely. These characters weren't being attacked by super-villains. They were people with personal problems that Supergirl helped with. They show that Supergirl is more than just a super-strong left hook.

And as a fan, I appreciate this look back. The early years of this title were difficult ... uneven. I am glad that the current Supergirl creators, whether it's Slater/Black or Gates/Igle, aren't just sweeping those stories under the rug.



My favorite part of the story comes right at the end as Ron Troupe signs off and sheds his impartiality. He succinctly states why I am a Supergirl fan.

He starts out by saying she has value. It is a simple statement. But one I sometimes feel I need to defend to other comic fans.

I had to include this panel in the review. It is too good not to share.



Troupe continues. He says Supergirl is trying to find her way, making mistakes but growing. In essence, she is on the hero's journey (hence the title).

On this blog, I have talked about how I think Supergirl is 'becoming'. She is becoming a great hero, but there will be bumps in the road. She learns and matures. That's why I love the character.

And I like that Linda Lang saw the show and appreciates Ron's sentiment. Supergirl needs to know there are people out there who support her.

So this is a great story for many reasons. One, it shows that other writers outside of Gates know the road this character is on. As a Supergirl fan, what could be better than knowing that Helen Slater is 'one of us'.

Second, for any new readers that bought this as their first Supergirl issue, the story gives a quick review of her current place in the DCU ... underappreciated a bit, heroic. But while this story is accessible to new readers it has nods for the more dedicated fan.

And lastly, it boasts Cliff Chiang art. I have gushed about Chiang's art before. I think he is so economical with his line work, his art conveying so much information so easily.

To see things like a couple of extra face lines on Cat Grant which scream 'trying to look young', to see a crooked eyebrow and a half-frown showing how distraught Supergirl is in the #34 homage panel, or the joy exuding from her as she is flying above Metropolis ... it's all there and not overdone.

It's sweet and can be appreciated by both new and established readers. It was a nice capstone for this over-sized anniversary issue.

Overall grade: A-

Review: Supergirl #50 Part 1

There was a time when I doubted this Supergirl title would make it. There was a time when I thought the powers that be simply had no handle on the character, that they were making her unlikeable and therefore economically insolvent. I thought for sure Supergirl would be cancelled.

So it was with some joy that I bought Supergirl #50 this week, 2 copies no less. It has been 17 issues since the Gates/Igle reboot and Supergirl matters now. So all this pomp ... the extra-sized issue, the Turner cover, the variant cover, the Helen Slater/Jake Black back-up ... it was all icing on the cake. I am just happy this title is surviving and thriving.

I will review the main story here and the Slater/Black/Chiang back-up feature tomorrow.

One quick word about the cover. While I prefer Josh Middleton's and Jamal Igle's takes on Supergirl, there is no denying the splendor of this Michael Turner cover. Turner helped recreate Supergirl and I have always appreciated what he did for the character. Moreover, on a recent interview on iFanboy, Sterling Gates revealed that this cover art was originally a personal piece Turner did for Dan Didio. Didio took the framed piece off the wall to be made into this cover.

The Josh Middleton variant cover is also spectacular ... not that I'm surprised. I am running out of superlatives for his work.

Here, I loved the frightened expression on Supergirl's face. That conveys so much emotion.

But I also like the more technical aspects of the art here. How the the three dimensional nature of the piece really pops. You can see some of Kara sticking out of amber, that hand almost lunging out of the cover. I also like the slight blurriness of the areas that are encased, giving the viewer a feel that she really is embedded. Slick!

This was a 1:10 variant and my local comic book store had 6 copies on the shelf. That's a good sign of a little sales bump.

As seen in the preview on Newsarama, the issue starts with the resurrection of As seen in the preview on Newsarama, the issue starts with the resurrection of Superwoman and her retrieval by the military. This story started in Supergirl Annual #1.

We don't yet know exactly how Lucy has come back. Mirabai (who we haven't seen recently) wonders if it is Lucy's desire to live.

One thing for sure, I don't think she has come back unscathed. Her body is wracked with pain. She seems invulnerable. She kills a soldier with heat vision. And she's doing it all without the suit from which she initially derived her powers. She's enraged ... scared ... it isn't pretty.

I find it fascinating that General Lane can completely shift the blame for Lucy's condition away from himself. He was the one who put Lucy in the suit, sent her on her missions, had her fight Supergirl. And yet, it's not his fault that Lucy has returned this way. It is the Kryptonians' fault. Talk about rationalization and prejudice.

Even more intriguing, Lane says Lucy is now Kryptonian. It looks like she has their powers, but what does that mean?


Back in Metropolis, Supergirl is shown to be encased in amber in a great hive like building. She is rescued by Gangbuster and when she gets out she isn't happy.

It seems that between the surprise of finding Lana cocooned last issue and the power of the Insect Queen, that Supergirl was captured. I'm not surprised. Remember, this Insect Queen kept Superman under her power for 3 issues back in the Busiek run. She's that powerful.

Now, for all of us who have been waiting to see Supergirl pound on someone, this is the issue. This isn't the usual super-villain fight after all. With Lana involved, this is personal. And the anger on her face here is evident. Supergirl is irate. It's a powerful image by Jamal Igle.


Angry or not, the hive has numbers. Despite taking out some bugs, Supergirl realizes that the best plan is to escape.

Look at the size of that hive! Back at STAR labs, Supergirl learns how 2 days earlier, the hospital was engulfed in this hive. Some SciPo officers and others went in but did not come back out. The hive seems to be biding its time. In fact, STAR only found out that Supergirl was in the hive because they had sent in a reconnaisance robot bug. Two days of a giant hive appearing in the middle of Metropolis and no other super-hero came to look other than Gangbuster and Dr. Light?

What I liked about this scene is that despite the necessary exposition, Supergirl's thoughts are on Lana and her condition. She talks with Dr. Light about Lana's condition in hopes of saving her.


And here is my favorite moment in the book.

Supergirl and Gangbuster decide the best course of action is a stealth mission to rescue Lana. Unfortunately the insects hear them. Gangbuster asks Supergirl if she's ready to get the crap kicked out of her in order to save the world. Supergirl simply replies 'always.'

She has such a cooly confident look on her face ... it's perfect. Perfect. This is a Supergirl who will do what's right regardless of the risks. And it shows how much she has matured over the last year.

However, despite getting a few good shots in against some insect infantry, Supergirl is overrun by a swarm and brought before the Insect Queen.


It's Lana ... but it's also not Lana.

The Queen explains how she left a piece of herself inside Lana during her recent run-in with Superman. Over the last year that piece has been slowly rebuilding Lana cell by cell. She remained in Lana to stay close to the Superman family so she could make super-drones to protect her, something she tried back in the Busiek arc.

The Queen also decides to add a layer of emotional anguish to her conversation with Supergirl saying it was the Queen's will that made Lana befriend Kara. Thankfully, Supergirl realizes this is a lie and shrugs it off. This is another recent example (along with the Black Lantern Zor-El) of an enemy trying to take advantage of Supergirl's emotional vulnerability and failing. Hurray!


With the Queen within striking distance, Supergirl frees herself from the amber and calls in a STAR labs bombing run. She then unloads on 'Lana'.

Calling herself a Lang, calling Lana family, Supergirl rips off one of the Queen's wings and gives her a right hook that sends her sprawling.

She ripped off one of her wings!! Fantastic!

It is perhaps the strongest ... the most physical ... the angriest we have seen Supergirl in a while. It rivals her fight with Superwoman.

But more than that, it is her confidence that shines here. She stands over the Queen saying she doesn't scare easily.

How wonderful to see Supergirl so self-assured as she doles out a thumping!


And best yet ... she's victorious!

Somehow Supergirl was able to help design a de-bugging device to strip Lana of her insect DNA.

When the Queen says she will make Supergirl's life hell, Kara quips that Alura does that enough. I loved that as well.

The device is turned on and cures Lana. And without their Queen, the other insects are defeated.

Okay, it was a bit too easy of an answer, a bit too deus ex machina to have this machine designed and built in so short a time ... with Kara having designed it too! But it is about time that Supergirl got to win one. This was a hard-fought and brutal win complete with bloody fists and quick thinking ... but that's what made it beautiful.

And then we take a bit of a left turn.

After all the 'Lana' family' and 'I'm a Lang' and 'Lana's my mentor' talk, Supergirl turns around and tells Lana she is leaving her life because she can't trust her. Kara is still stung by Lana keeping her illness secret.

It's a complete 'about face' emotionally. I suppose once the stress of rescuing Lana was over, once she knows that Lana is safe, Supergirl can reassess things ... that the pain of this secret can surge. With everything that has happened in her life, Kara needs to trust those closest to her. And she doesn't feel that with Lana right now.

It still read a little funny given all the prior dialogue in the book.


Lana tries to explain her secrecy in a way Supergirl can understand. All of New Krypton and all of Earth needed Supergirl. Supergirl was too important to get wrapped up in the problems of one person. Lana feels she did the heroic thing by keeping her illness to herself, to not distract Kara.

But Supergirl still thinks it was wrong and flies off saying she no longer wants to be a Lang or even human.

This response feels like a regression for Supergirl in her recent character growth. But all of this is happening right before The Last Stand of New Krypton and War of the Supermen. Is this Lana/Kara split just a way of setting up Supergirl's sympathies and fidelity in those books? An easy way to set up some conflict to be resolved between the super-cousins?

And speaking of not wanting to be human, back at Project 7734, we hear that Lucy is an amalgam of "all" the alien races whose powers were in the Superwoman suit ... all their powers and weaknesses.

Hmm .. all the aliens? Not just Kryptonian?

With that announcement, Lucy decides to fry the physician with an apparent electrical blast and declare herself ready for active duty. (I know lightning powers aren't inherent in the race, but maybe Lucy has some Winathian genes in her now?) Lucy seemed like a bit of a loose cannon before but I don't think she would have indiscriminantly killed a doctor like this. She seems insane to me right now.

Well what a great main story in this anniversary issue. Not perfect ... but memorable and worthy of an important issue like this.

First off, I absolutely love Supergirl's personality during the fight portion of the book ... determined, strong, unflappable. Kudos to Sterling Gates. In his time on the title, he has really solidified Kara's persona while having her mature into a competent young hero. It really is hard to believe that this is the 17th issue in his and Jamal Igle's run. It feels like just yesterday I was waiting for Supergirl #34 to hit the stands.

But more than that, it was good to see Supergirl unleash her powers on someone and outright win. This isn't a half-win ... like when Superwoman explodes in defeat or Reactron escapes ... this was victory.

On top of that, I also enjoyed the re-introduction of Superwoman as a viable and permanent member of Supergirl's rogues' gallery. An insane and powerful Superwoman is a terrifying opponent.

And, as usual, Jamal Igle's art wonderfully complements the story. Supergirl's expressions and body language bolster her dialogue perfectly. So whether it is that cocked eyebrow in the 'always' panel or the angry pose when she breaks free of the amber or her slumped shoulders when she is talking to Lana, the art just adds such volume to the scenes.

The one smudge in the issue is just that rapid decision to abandon Lana and Earth. It just felt off a bit.

But honestly, the rest of the book is so great I am willing to see where the story goes.

I mean Supergirl ripped off the Insect Queen's wing! It doesn't get much better than that.

Overall grade: A/B+

More Peeks At Supergirl #50

Supergirl #50 is solicited for next month and marks something of an anniversary issue for the title. DC seems to be doing it's part to start to market the book. We know about the Michael Turner cover and the Josh Middleton variant. We know the main story will reunite Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle as we see the finale of the Insect Queen story. And we heard about the Jake Black/Helen Slater back up story. Here on this blog, Black said the story would be 'paying tribute to "50 years and 50 issues."'

Well we learn more about the Black/Slater story over on the DC Source blog. Here is the link:

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2010/01/29/an-added-plus-to-supergirl-50-helen-slater-jake-black-and-cliff-chiang/

And here is the accompanying blurb:

In addition to the special, 50th issue wonderful-ness coming your way next month from the stellar creative team of writer Sterling Gates and artist Jamal Igle, SUPERGIRL #50 features a story by none other than Helen Slater,who as some of you can recall, played Supergirl in the major motion picture by the same name. In tandem with co-writer Jake Black and the very talented Cliff Chiang, Slater will tell a story about a “Meet the Press”-type show where a panel discusses Supergirl’s merits (or, according to Cat Grant, her lack thereof).

So I as excited as I was about the writers on the story, I am really thrilled to see that Cliff Chiang is the artist on the story! That Titans splash panel is fantastic!

And more from The Source:

We checked in with SUPERGIRL assistant editor Wil Moss for the lowdown on the story, and not only did he share some info, but he passed along two lovely pages by Mr. Chiang. Take it away, Wil:

“We’re thrilled to have Helen Slater - Supergirl herself! - contribute a story to this special anniversary issue of SUPERGIRL. She and her co-writer, the wickedly talented Jake Black, have crafted a short story that really encapsulates everything that’s good and true about the Girl of Steel. The fact that we were able to get the A-list art team of Cliff Chiang and Dave McCaig to provide the art and colors just seals the deal - this is one story you do not want to let fly by!”

So looking at this page, my guess is the bottom rows of panels are a reporter asking people what they think of Supergirl.

One thing I have liked about the Gates/Igle run has been there willingness to recognize and acknowledge what the Supergirl character did in the early issues. They haven't simply brushed it under the carpet. They have dealt with it.

If I had to guess, it looks like Black and Slater are doing the same thing. Look closely at the people in those panels.


The girl with the headband has to be Brooke who was the little girl whose Christmas letter to Superman was answered by Supergirl in 2007's DCU Infinite Holiday issue. That story, written by Joe Kelly, had Supergirl drop Brooke's father Henry (I assume the man in the panels) from the upper atmosphere to spur him into spending more time with his estranged young daughter. I am over-simplifying it ... but it wasn't a typical hero move, something all to common in a Joe Kelly Supergirl story.

The dark haired girl has to be Sarah from Supergirl #10, the girl she first humiliated and eventually befriended at the end of Kelly's run.

As a fan and a continuity nerd, these small homages recognizing this Supergirl's history are welcome. I can only hope that one of the people they talk to is Thomas' mother from 'Saving Thomas'.

I am really looking forward to this collaboration between Jake Black and Supergirl herself, Helen Slater!

As for Cliff Chiang ...


Well, this announcement is an excuse to repost my Chiang commission. I think his stuff is great. I love this piece!

I am very excited about this issue and hope it brings new readers to the book.