Review: Tiny Titans/Lil Archie #2

Every so often something so unprecedented, so unexpected, so incredible happens that I am floored.

Tiny Titans Lil Archie #2 came out last week. In what has to be considered an unbelievable confluence of things I love, as if the planetary alignments of my pop culture loves synchronized, Josie and the Pussycats guest starred.

I don't know if I can say just how giddy I was when I saw this cover. It was almost too fantastic. But the inside was even better.

 Streaky delivers the Pussycats an invitation to the next Pet Club meeting. Obviously, there must be some confusion. The Pussycats don't have pets (unless you count Gleek Gleek from the 'Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space run ... but they aren't in space here). And I don't see Alexandra, so I don't think Sebastian counts here either.

Still. Streaky and Josie and the Pussycats in the same panel! Unreal.

And so when the next Pet Club meeting is called to order, Robin invites in the Pussycats.

The Titans, Supergirl, and Josie and the Pussycats together for the first time! Insane.

Now I will freely admit that I love Josie and the Pussycats. And it is great that I can enjoy the episodes again on Boomerang.

 I mean ... I like Josie and the Pussycats so much that Josie was one of my 2009 jack o'lanterns.

So you put Supergirl and Josie in the same book, something that I never even contemplated as being possible, and I am thrilled.

When the Pussycats confess that they don't have any  pets, Beast Boy volunteers.

It makes perfect sense that Melanie would agree to cuddle up with a kitty-cat  Beast Boy.

The Archies end up showing up in costumes ... but alas without pets.


And now Betty, Veronica, Donna, and Supergirl are all friends now.

Yes it is silly. And yes, I know that this is probably means more to me than others. But I thought this was great. And, just as importantly, the supergirls at home loved it too.

Supergirl, Streaky, and Josie and the Pussycats. Too fantastic!!

Poll Results: Optimism Or Pessimism?

The day after I posted my Optimism/Pessimism poll on this blog I regretted it.

Should I really be pessimistic about where Supergirl is as a character right now? Was it that I had felt so spoiled these last couple of years when the character was starring in great stories, featured on TV and in the movies, and having statues, shirts, and action figures made of her, that any change was scary? Were the dwindling sales of the main title ... did the changing of the creative team on the title ... did those things really justify me feeling so glum?

Or was this a natural feeling?  At times, I did feel like the other shoe was about to drop ... that things were suddenly going off the tracks for my favorite character right when I felt she was finally in a great place. Unfortunately, I have felt this way before.

Well, I guess other fans than me are feeling the same way. First off, let me thank the 74 people who voted in this poll, my most popular poll on this blog to date. I can't thank the folks that come here enough. It is the community here that keeps me posting.

If this poll is an accurate measurement of the Supergirl fanbase's feelings, we are clearly conflicted. The vote was nearly 50/50 as to whether there should be optimism or pessimism over Supergirl. (And I am not suggesting that 74 people voting has enough statistical power to make any sweeping statements about any group's feelings. Still, 74 people might be a decent focus group size.)

Since I posted the poll, Nick Spencer has done several interviews and has said a lot of the right things about the character that all sounded great. Blog friend Saranga talked to Bernard Chang at a recent con (here is that link: http://paiwings.blogspot.com/2010/11/london-expo.html ) and he also said good things. I think the main title is going to be okay. I can remember feeling the same way after reading some of Sterling Gates first interviews about Supergirl. That the creators 'got' Supergirl. I feel more optimistic.

Anyways, the poll was too close to call I think, although optimism won by a whisker. So I think we are collectively nervous.

So I thought I would review some times when maybe I had more reason to be pessimistic as a way of putting the current time in better perspective.

1987: In the post-Crisis world, there was no Supergirl

1989: Matrix Supergirl believes she is Superman, goes crazy, flees Earth

1992: Matrix Supergirl brainwashed by Brainiac into becoming a villain

1993: Duped into falling in love with Lex Luthor, uses her shape-changing powers to become more 'pleasing forms' for him in the bedroom

2003: Linda Danvers abandons her Supergirl name and goes 'underground'; title cancelled

2004-7: Supergirl comes back as an angsty hard-edged young woman with no heroic tendencies, attacks the JLA, attacks the Titans, attacks Power Girl, attacks the Outsiders, attacks Superboy. Goes on a rebel mission in Candor with Power Girl. Gets goosed by her evil cousin. Gets mind controlled by Saturn Queen. Attacks Power Girl again. Abandons mission in Candor. Attacks Batgirl. Then it is revealed that she and her father gunned down her high school class. Oh, and she was sent to Earth to kill Superman.

See, there were tougher times than this! Sheesh, no wonder we have a pessimistic streak in us as a fanbase. And that's only the post-Crisis time. And these are off the top of my head.

One thing I can say, I think DC now understands the value of Supergirl as a character. And this really is a high point in terms of exposure and strength of character. Maybe I should run this poll again after the new year. Maybe we'll all feel better.

Thanks again to everyone who voted.

Sales Review: October 2010

Should I take a moratorium on these sales reviews? It seems with each month, the news gets just a little bit sadder and sadder.

In what feels a little early for the month, the sales from October are broken down over on ICv2. Here is the link of the top 300 comics for October: http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/18751.html

Again, the overall sales of the top 300 seemed to slip a bit in October, although there is some interesting news out there that sales for the comics below the 300 mark are increasing so maybe overall sales are stable. In what I guess is good news, Superman and Action Comics are selling healthier than they did at the end of New Krypton. And Justice League, starring Supergirl, continues to sell briskly.

There isn't much good news about Supergirl unfortunately. I really loved Supergirl #57. I mean ... I loved it. In fact, in some ways, it just seemed like the culmination of so much Sterling Gates has been dealing with since Supergirl #34. That Supergirl was trying to dealing with all the negativity in her life at that time. Now Supergirl has so much more on her plate. And yet, in this issue, she dealt with it on all levels ... physically, emotionally, psychologically. It just felt like Kara was reborn a little bit there. Those talks with BizarroGirl are such powerful scenes.

And yet, sales continue to drop. The issue, which I think might be the best of the whole Gates/Igle tenure (I know Chang drew this one) sold 23,842. This is the lowest the title sold. And yet, this issue got near universal praise critically. To echo what I say nearly every sales review, it is disheartening.

Could this be some sort of 'lame duck' lag, people waiting for the new team to take over?

Supergirl Annual #2 also came out last month and was an absolute blast. Littered with historical flourishes and reestablishing the Supergirl/Brainy romance as well as stirring the pot a bit with more 'Supergirl death' talk, the Annual worked on a bunch of levels.

I suppose when you compare these sales to the concurrent issue, that the sales aren't bad. The annual sold 21,080. But that is down a staggering 25% from Supergirl Annual #1, which was linked to New Krypton.

What will Supergirl #60's sales be like? Will Nick Spencer reinvigorate sales? I can only hope.

And the underdogs?

Well, I have started to think that I don't need to report R.E.B.E.L.S. anymore. That always sells just north of 11K.

But the Doom Patrol, my latest comic to champion that suffers from great stories and poor sales?

Unfortunately, sales here continue to erode much like Supergirl's. Doom Patrol #15 sold only 10,081. That's a smidge more than Tiny Titans/Little Archie. That can't be good.

Life must be easier for Avengers fans. I keep waiting for the axe to drop on most of my pull list.

Review: Adventure Comics #520

I am sort of sad to see this run of Legion of Super-heroes come to an end in Adventure Comics #520. I don't need a primer on the Legion but it certainly has been fun to see the Legionnaires in their youth, in their Silver Age costumes, and learning hard lessons on being heroes in the 30th century.

Much of this run has been focused on the Legion 'growing up' ... moving from curiosity, to questionable ally of the Science Police, to adjunct to the SciPo, to finally mourners as one of their own has fallen in battle. And, I have liked how we have seen those changes through the eyes of Saturn Girl who has had to do some growing of her own. She has gone from shy girl with low confidence to weary warrior in a short time and doing that while making some dubious decisions about the use of her powers. Imra has always been a rock in the foundation of the LSH, certainly a perfect counter-balance to Lightning Lad's irascible nature.

Paul Levitz shines here, building on definite moments in the Legion's history without leaving new readers behind. And Kevin Sharpe's art works well, showcasing a young Legion.

The overall story arc has been the Legion battling raider Zaryan and his battles with the United Planets. In particular, he has been a thorn in Saturn Girl's side as she feels responsible for the death of the Science Police Liason Sgt. Esquival.

This issue drops us off sometime in the near future from the end of last issue. Zaryan has tried to invade Earth and has died. But in that battle, Lightning Lad has been killed by a freeze ray. The opening scene is Garth's funeral and we get to see how that effects all of the Legionnaires.

As if the guilt from Esquival's death wasn't enough, Saturn Girl blames herself for Lightning Lad's death as well ... and we shall see she might not be that wrong. I love her internal monologue here as she realizes that they were simply playing dress-up before, pretending to be soldiers. And now that reality has sunk in.

Throughout the issue, we hear Imra's thoughts as she relives the incident leading to Garth's death. And while she seeps in that sorrow, her teammates mop up what is left of Zaryan's army.

I was a bit giddy when I saw this 2 page spread of the black arm-banded team shouting 'Long Live the Legion'. For one, I liked how some of the Legionnaires aren't ready to beat their chests and scream the motto. Phantom Girl, Saturn Girl, and Brainiac 5 seem much more reserved in their reactions. People grieve differently. I thought a varied response was appropriate.

But I also loved how Supergirl is right there, standing next to her cousin, hand raised. Suddenly, the continuity of Supergirl Annual #2, that Supergirl was in the Legion, acting in this time period of the team, is set in cement. I am thrilled by that. I always felt that being in the Legion was an important part of Supergirl's history.

With Zaryan dead, his fleet of ships seems to be in disarray, fleeing UP space to try to regroup. But the Science Police are right on their tail and so is the Legion.

Just when the SciPo are about to overrun the ships, they are told to stand down and let the Legion get the first shot. This is suddenly personal.

I don't know if the Science Police would do this earlier in the run, so it should some subtle growth in the relationship between them and the Legion.

It also shows how much the Legion has grown. There is no hesitation as the rip into the ship and thrash Zaryan's troops.

Okay, maybe it isn't just respect for the Legion that has made the Science Police take a step back. It turns out that R.J. Brande has been spreading coin to let his team have this chance. I like how his checkbook is his super-power.

But it was nice that Sun Boy mentions how distraught Brande is over Garth's death. He always talked about the Legion, and in particular the founders, as his children. So I liked that we at least heard that.

But revenge ... but dismantling Zaryan's fleet ... it isn't going to bring Lightning Lad back. When Saturn Girl recalls that battle, she ends with an image of her holding Lightning Lad's body. This recurring image nicely echoes the emptiness that Saturn Girl is feeling. As always, whenever the art perfectly meshes with the words, it shows how great this medium is.

It works even more when you hear that it was this moment when Saturn Girl realized she loved Garth. How empty and dark she must feel.

In an added bonus, Supergirl actually gets to see some action and has a speaking line!

She is one of the strong advance force of the Legion, there with the muscle of Superboy and Ultra Boy. In theory they are supposed to disable the criminal's ships so the Science Police can mop things up. But the boys have something else in mind. This really is personal, probably the first time a Legion case has felt this way.

Finally we here exactly what led to Lightning Lad's death. And it really gives us a good look at the inner workings of Saturn Girl's mind. Weighed down by guilt over Sgt Esquival's death, swearing no one else will die because of her, and armed with Dream Girl's vision of a Legionnaire dying, Saturn Girl feels compelled to act ... setting herself up to be the one to die perhaps? It is a pretty dark place.

But it gets murkier. She used her powers to nudge the Legionnaires to vote her as leader, the second time she has used her powers on her friends. First she mind-wipes Rokk, forcing him to forget their tryst. Now she 'controls' them? It certainly isn't the characterization of Imra Ardeen I am used to. But this story gives Levitz the chance to tarnish the otherwise glittering Silver Age history of the team. It fleshes out the character a bit.

I am not saying I like it ... I am still pondering it.

Once elected leader, Saturn Girl uses some 'experimental substances' to absorb all the powers of the Legionnaires and goes out to fight Zaryan alone. Unfortunately for her, Mon-El has observed all her plans from the Phantom Zone and let's Lightning Lad know. Garth then flies off to help, dying in the process.

With Zaryan's troops captured, all that is left is dealing with the emotional fallout. Initially Imra decides to quit the Legion, feeling she has betrayed them in every sense.

But Rokk remains the moral center of the team. Yes, Saturn Girl made mistakes ... but they all are making mistakes. They are new to everything and won't be perfect. The team wants her back and they want her back as leader.

She needs to forgive herself for all that has happened. She needs move on. She needs to lean on her team, her family.She says it best herself. She has the best friends.

The last panel of the comic shows just how far she has come during this time of her life. This is a confident Saturn Girl, proudly wielding her Legion ring. The point of view of the panel adds to that feeling; she is heroic and shown in a heroic pose. This really was a coming of age story for the whole team but for Imra most of all. I have to say I liked it a lot.

Even more when she vowed she would find a way to bring Garth back.

That is a clear reference to Adventure Comics #312, when Saturn Girl again tries to stack the deck in her favor.

I hope that every so often Levitz goes back to this time period, doing another retro-arc. This has been a lot of fun. Not jaw-dropping ... not unbelievably fantastic. But fun and entertaining. And that is what comics are supposed to be.

Overall grade: B+

Review: Superboy #1

Superboy #1 came out last week and was a decent first issue for a new series. Perhaps I have a more critical eye because I have decided to collect the series regardless. But I always hope that a first issue of a book will be a real eye-opener. Something spectacular with a definite hook to keep the casual reader interested in coming back for more. I don't know if this book reached that level.

Now, to be sure, there were definite flashes of brilliance. And the idea of something sinister bubbling under a small town facade is a decent underlying theme in the book (seen in many David Lynch movies, the Peter David Leesburg, etc).

One thing that I think is compelling about this book is the character of Conner. When he was introduced back in the Reign of the Supermen, he was cocky and brash and had a huge libido. That aspect of him was toned down as he became a Titan and matured a bit, culminating with his heroic death in Infinite Crisis.

Now, back from the dead, he is doing some self-analysis, trying to figure out who he is now and dealing with his resurrection. We saw a lot of this in the Johns/Manapul issues of Adventure Comics and writer Jeff Lemire picks up right where those issues left off. In fact the issue starts with Conner wondering who he would be if he had a childhood. In the end, he realizes he needs to concentrate on the small things in life and get settled. It is almost a 180 degree turn from his original characterization and that makes it that much more interesting for me.

But life in Smallville is never really dull. As Superboy contemplates his new life, he is accosted by The Phantom Stranger who warns Conner that Smallville is far from the idyllic place it seems to be. Below the surface is something sinister, something Conner must face, and something that will effect someone very close to him. The Phantom Stranger is a bit out of place in Smallville which makes this feel fresh. I wonder if there will be a mystical or metaphysical feel to the threats that Superboy needs to face.

I did like Superboy's response, asking the Stranger to drop the cryptic schtick and just tell him the threat outright. Every so often you still see some of that brash Superboy leak through. I thought that was a nice bit of characterization.

 

The Stranger says the first place Superboy needs to go to is his home. Luckily, Conner arrives to catch Ma Kent as she is falling from a ladder.

In the best page in the book, Superboy talks about how the Kent Farm and Ma Kent are the center of his life. Conveying that artistically, the panels of the page encircle a center image of the farm, wrapping around that foundation of Conner's life. I thought that was a very nice melding of words and images.

But before the giant threat appears, the small things need to be dealt with.

One of those things is Lori Thorul, Lex Luthor's niece living in Smallville. In the Adventure Comics issues, Lori was shown to be something of a 'bad girl' but really was having a hard time dealing with her mother's chronic debilitating illness.

At first, it looked like Lori might be being set up as a romantic interest for Conner. But I guess her heritage would make her and Conner kissing cousins. Now it seems like Conner just wants to avoid her. He certainly is stammering a bit as he tries to explain why he hasn't been around for her recently. The internal monologue, screaming 'You're Lex Luthor's niece!' was a nice contrast to his fumbling dialogue.

And while Conner attends school, the Parasite is cutting a swath through Smallville's fields, leaving a trail of desiccated livestock and withered crops in his wake.

Now why is The Parasite there? Was he drawn to Smallville by whatever this underlying evil is?

In perhaps the most 'Twin Peaks' moment of the book, Conner meets an elderly man in town. The man is whittling tiny little monsters and speaking about how it is Smallville's birthday, the 154th anniversary of the town.

There has to be more to this man and that event than meets the eye. The man comes off as something of the town nut, a little creepy but maybe harmless. But it is these small moments that have the most dread. What is up with this guy?

And, addressing my concern from the Superboy preview from a couple of months ago, Simon (the next Lex Luthor I am sure) let's Conner know that he has figured out his secret.

This will be another good plot to follow. I am assuming that Simon is being set up to evolve into a super-villain. There is too much similarity between Clark/Lex and Conner/Simon to think otherwise. But this might also end up being a sort of 'What if?' version of the Clark/Lex relationship. What if Clark and Lex were friends and what if Clark let Lex know his secret. Maybe the whole point of this relationship is that they aren't destined to be enemies.

I don't know how I feel about Simon yet.

Before Conner can process that reveal, the Parasite attacks him. The Parasite says he is there to drain Superboy to then use that power to kill Superman. It seems a bit too easy of an explanation for why the Parasite would be there so I am hoping that there is more to it than simple revenge.

Conner realizes he needs to get off Main Street to minimize any damage the Parasite can do. Using the last of his strength as he is being drained, Conner flings both him and the Parasite into the fields.

In what I think is the weakest moment of the book, the drained Superboy uses his only remaining power, his telekinesis, to engulf the Parasite in wheat kernels. Somehow ... and don't ask me how ... being smothered in grain defeats the Parasite. I don't know if I quite understand how or why that happens.

I will say that these panels did remind me of Frank Miller's Ronin with all the beads of matter that seemed to dominate every panel of that series. That is high praise.

With the Parasite defeated, the wheat field swirls into chaos, the waves of grain growing to gargantuan proportions. And who is at the center? Poison Ivy! And she thinks she is too late to save Smallville. Why is she there. It is clear, as the Stranger said, that something big is happening here ... somehow calling to these super-beings. That is a decent hook to keep me interested. Who else will be drawn to the town.

Well, we get a sense of that on the last page which includes some 'coming soon' panels. Can Poison Ivy seduce Superboy to her way of thinking the way Knockout almost did in his original series?

I like the Superboy/Kid Flash race ... a riff on the classic Superman/Flash races of the DCU.

And the last panel is very interesting. Is that and female Elongated Man? And the Earth-2 Robin sporting the look he had waayyy back in the original Justice League #55? And a Hawkworld-looking Hawkman? It looks like we'll be going through some different timelines and dimensions. I live for that sort of stuff.

So overall, the issue itself was fine, with a couple of really fantastic elements. But the potential that I see in the future issues was more than the product itself. Jeff Lemire seems to have a nice grasp of who Conner is. And his dialogue seems right on. I am definitely on board for more.

Pier Gallo's art has a very polished look in the book, almost too polished for material that is leaning towards some darkness. I do wonder if that was on purpose, to show the glittering veneer of Smallville. I wonder if when things do turn dark if he will become more scratchy and chaotic (as he did in the Car-Vex back story during New Krypton). His otherwise looked very good here.

And Rafael Alburquerque's cover is a nice striking image.

Overall grade: B

Review: Action Comics #894 Jimmy Olsen Back-Up

I don't usually focus on the 'second features' tacked on to the comics I read. But the Jimmy Olsen feature in Action Comics certainly has grabbed my attention. First off, Nick Spencer is taking over Supergirl in a couple of months so this is a way for me to get a better sense of his style. Secondly, unlike some of the other back material, the first part of this story was quite good ... snappy and engaging.

Would the second part in Action Comics #894 be as good as the opening chapter?

Last issue ended with a nice cliffhanger, Metropolis looks like it is going to be invaded by aliens and Jimmy says he is going to stop it.

Spencer opens this chapter a bit after that, dropping us into some action and then having Jimmy recall the events that took us from the end of last issue to the opening scene in this one.

The book starts with Jimmy in a spaceship with a lovely female alien who seems to be a bit tipsy. She ends up crashing her spaceship into the Daily Planet globe. It is amusing how often that globe is involved in disasters.

When Perry goes to investigate, the diva alien asks for some alone time with her new BF. Huh? As with last issue, this chapter seems to grab the Silver Age idea that Jimmy somehow worms his way to the center of incredible and crazy stories that are spinning a bit out of control. How did he get here?

Well, it turns out the alien fleet isn't on Earth to invade. They are there to party. They have an annual bacchanalia and are looking for the next planet to host. So this is an advance group to see if Earth fits the bill. Of course, the leader is a young beautiful woman alien who thinks that Jimmy is the cat's meow.

Should Metropolis open themselves to these partying aliens? The mayor calls on Jimmy and his LexCorp nemesis Sebastian Mallory to hear their opinions.

Jimmy has some reservations, wondering whether or not this is opening the citizens to danger. Sebastian is thinking about this from a purely financial point of view ... tourism, alien cash flow, prestige. For an emotional hook to his presentation, he wonders what would have happened if Metropolis turned away another alien looking for a home ... Superman. He is slick and the Mayor buys into it. The aliens can party-hop around Metropolis, as long as Jimmy is their tour guide.

To make matters worse, the aliens can get drunk on oxygen. It really is going to be a party. And so, Jimmy ends up in a ship that crashes into the Daily Planet.

With a little research by Chloe Sullivan in the background, it turns out that when the aliens party ... they really party. The hosting planet gets trampled beneath their dancing feet, razed and ruined.

There is only one way to keep the aliens away, Jimmy needs to be boring! If Earth isn't fun, the Dalwythians will move on.

I like this story as it really seems to capture the zaniness of early Jimmy stories albeit with a more modern flair. It is a very slick story, funny and irreverent with lots of pop culture references. It clearly was written to be an amusing story, not heavy or gritty. And as such, I think it is a nice contrast to the deeper darker main story with Lex. This chapter didn't sizzle the way the first one did but it was still fun and makes me want to read the next installment. That's always a good thing.

Overall grade: B+/B

Optimism: Nick Spencer On CBR!

I was giving off some negative energy when it comes to Supergirl here recently, wondering if (despite a lot of evidence to the contrary) I should be pessimistic about where the character is going.

Well, I have decided to sweep away the cobwebs of despair and pessimism. And, as if heading some karmic call, to help affirm some optimism, Comic Book Resources posted an interview with Nick Spencer specifically about his turn as writer on Supergirl. After reading this, I think things are going to be all right in the book. As always the entire interview is well worth reading. Here is the link: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=29250

But I have picked some key blurbs to discuss here. In many ways it reminded me of my reaction when Sterling Gates was first named writer. I didn't know him from a hole in the wall but in the interviews he did about Supergirl, it made me think he was the right man for the job. Back then, he had to talk about a supporting cast, adding Linda Lang, and building up a rogue's gallery.

Here Spencer is picking up a much more stable character; Gates and Igle have left him a more mature and stronger Kara to write about. So what did Spencer have to say?
If you're not already buying a comic book by Nick Spencer, you may soon be.

CBR News: The "Supergirl" announcement for you and Bernard came out at New York Comic Con, and it took a few folks by surprise given all the work you've already got cooking. How did this one come about? Did Matt Idelson and Will Moss approach you after "T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents" was underway?

Nick Spencer: Work was already underway on "Jimmy Olsen" and "T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents" when Matt and Will approached me about taking over the book with Bernard. As for the why of it, I have written a good number of female protagonists in my Image work, and that probably had a hand in it. Supergirl is obviously a younger character, and with "Morning Glories" and "Forgetless" I've written a lot of those. I think that they saw this as a pretty logical fit, and I felt the same way.

I keep trying to read Morning Glories but my comic store keeps selling out. But it has a lot of buzz going for it right now. But you can get the sense from Jimmy Olsen that Spencer has an ear for younger characters. So I do think he is coming on board with the right background for Supergirl.

One thing we hear a lot online is people harping on DC and Marvel about how their female characters are represented in the market, and Supergirl herself has a real cultural cachet outside of comics that makes her someone who's watched after in a very personal way by readers. Do those things come to bear at all for you as you're writing this series, or do you try to set aside thinking about that sort of thing?

It's certainly something that I do keep in mind. How many people just dressed up as Supergirl for Halloween last week? She's a character that has an enormous amount of cultural cachet and pop relevance, and for me, I get very excited when I get the opportunity to work on a character like that – a character that people who don't read comics and who don't know much about modern continuity still know the name and still know the costume. So, I do keep that in mind. I like to write for a broader audience. I like to write with the hope that someone could come in off the street and pick up a book like this and be able to get into it from the start.

With Supergirl, I always worry that people come into the character thinking she is second rate, or a stand-in for Superman, or just another 'bad girl there for fan service'. So I really like that Spencer recognizes the cultural cachet she has. While he doesn't come right out and say it, I hope that means he also has an understanding of the character's history. She has significant cachet there as well. Still, it isn't as if he is coming off like Supergirl is a blank slate; he recognizes that she is established. I also like that CBR knows that we fans are out here, watching after her in a 'personal way'.

And I also hope that new readers will pick up the book and enjoy it.

On the flipside, within the comic shops this book has been very well received under Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle, and those guys worked really hard to build up the supporting cast. How do you view your job in terms of following up on that run?

Well, I love that run. Sterling and Jamal did a really incredible job with the character, like you said, building up her supporting cast and giving her her own life. The character had been sort of wandering around. Once Jeph Loeb left, I think it took a while for everybody to figure out what she should be and what her role in the DCU should be. Sterling and Jamal did an amazing job of growing her up a bit and giving her a renewed sense of identity and tapping into what made the character so great and so memorable in the first place. When I sat down to figure out what to do with the book was, "Well, the first thing they did was sort of pull Kara back a bit to build her world out and flesh her out as a person, so what I'd like to do is push her back into the broader DCU now that all these changes with her character have taken place." Particularly, I want to play with her role within the younger set of heroes within the DCU. Kara's had involvement with teams like the Teen Titans and the Legion, and certainly with the Justice League now. But what I wanted to do was tell a story about Kara figuring out her role in relation to those other heroes and what her place is.

Hooray! This sounds just about right. First off, Spencer loves the Gates/Igle run and recognizes that he doesn't need a brand new direction but instead can build off of the last 2+ years of stories. So that is just fantastic. But I also think (and this is without knowing what happens in the Toyman story), that Gates and Igle have also left Supergirl in a more secure and more confidant place than she was when they took over. I always say that part of the joy of Supergirl stories is that she is becoming a hero. Gates and Igle had her realizing that she is a hero, that she wants to be a hero, and that she has to deal with her mistakes. That step of the journey is sort behind her now. After dealing with Bizarro Girl, she feels like she knows who she is.

So now the next logical step is to see where she fits in, who she is in the DCU and with the other legacy heroes. At first I thought a bunch of guest stars might not be right. But is Supergirl is going to become the Superman, the role model, for the next generation of heroes ... well I am all for that. More than any other part, this portion of the interview let me exhale.

Obviously, Kara wears the most important, best known and most respected symbol in all of the DCU. But at the same time, she's a very different person than Clark is. This first story is very much about her figuring out if her past in relation to those other heroes is going to be similar to what Clark's was.

I really hope she is portrayed as a hero and a leader. But I also like that Spencer acknowledges that Supergirl is not just a female Superman.

Part of the fun of the shared universe is not just the big events and stories, it's also playing these different characters off each other. Do you have anyone on tap to either play a foil for Kara or be a friend to her within the young hero community?

You'll see that slowly build over the first few months of the story. What I'd say is that Kara is going to be interacting with some heroes for the first time, others she'll be dealing with for the first time since she's gone through so many changes in her life, and I think there are some strong relationships like her relationship with Stephanie or her recent encounter with Damian. In issue #61, we'll be expanding on those and diving back into those friendships. In #62, we'll see even more characters get added into the mix. Like I said, some are new, some are old friends, and some are people she hasn't seen in a good while.

So I think this is going to be part of the fun of this arc. It has been a bit muddled but since coming back in 2004, Kara has been on the Teen Titans, had adventures with the Outsiders, been in the Legion, and has had adventures with a couple of Robins and Batgirl. She has established relationships with almost all these people. So to see a big adventure where those histories are built upon should be fun. But knowing that Spencer is aware of those stories let's me know he has a grasp of the character.

I love the Supergirl/Batgirl stories. I love the Supergirl/Damien stuff. And I really liked the Supergirl/Tim Drake Robin issue from Superman/Batman as well. So I am eager to see them together again.


Of course, the other part to any superhero book is the villain side and the action side. Supergirl, for a long time, has been a heroine who is pitted against D-level Superman foes because there's no room for them in the Man of Steel's book. How do you view that challenge?


We'll actually be playing with this a lot in the first issue, #60. Kara is keenly aware with the fact that most of the villains she seems to come up against are either younger versions of Superman villains or female versions of Superman villains. This is no small annoyance to her. [Laughs] We're going to have some fun with that particular Supergirl trope and maybe take it in a slightly different direction over the next few issues.

I do think there is some humor to be mined there. It sounds like Spencer is going to pick up right where Gates left off with a rededicated and confidant Supergirl going out and being a hero. She probably feels like maybe she has finally 'arrived' so to speak and deserves better than Superman D-listers.

I'll say it again. I loved the Gates stuff and for me the last half year of issues have been incredibly strong stories. In some ways I was worried that all that stuff would be swept away. Instead it sounds like they will be the foundation for the future. And it sounds like Nick Spencer has some great stories to tell, while understanding where Supergirl has been.

I am optimistic! Can't wait to read Supergirl #60.