Review: Supergirl #13

Supergirl #13 came out this week and not only wrapped up the current Emerald Empress storyline but effectively blew up the landscape of the book, resetting it a bit for the year to come. When I finished reading the issue, I sort of shook my head to grasp everything that happened. In some ways this felt like the sort of issue that happens right before a creative team shake-up, a sort of clearing of the playing field. But we know that Steve Orlando and Robson Rocha are sticking around.

I wonder, if after a year of stories, the creative team sort of reassessed the book, looking at what was working and what wasn't, at what stories they wanted to tell and which they didn't, and decided to nudge the book in that direction.

Trust me, I'm not complaining. There was a sense of added energy for me when I was done. Things are going to be shaken up ... and in a good way. And perhaps, most important of all, the characterization of Supergirl despite all the upheaval remained sound. I was smiling. Because it would have been easy for the writers to march down the 'dark Supergirl' road, making Kara bitter. Instead, they have her shine even brighter.

I'll get into particulars in a moment. But I have to add that the addition of Robson Rocha on art has added a lot to my love of the book as well. This was a high action issue and demanded some detail and some dynamism and some 'oomph' and we got it. Add to that the Artgerm covers and suddenly Supergirl is firing on all cylinders.

On to the book!

Last issue had the Emerald Empress coordinating an attack on Supergirl on all fronts. They leaked videos of her comforting her father. They ramped up her powers so they are nearly out of control. They attacked the DEO and took over CatCo. And now they are trying to kill her family.

Despite all this, Supergirl has remained resolute in her actions. She is there to help people and try to stop tragedy from ensuing. But all of these attacks on her might leave her as a girl with no tomorrow, alone ... hence the title.

Let's just start off with the glory of this opening page as a way to greet you as a reader. This is a great action shot of Kara leaping in front of a bolt from the Emerald Eye. You feel her leaping, her hair and cape streaming. I love the determined look on her face. But I also love the cackling glee on the Empress, a subtle background detail that shows how much Rocha and inker Daniel Henriques puts into each page. A far cry from the last artist and the occasional black face background characters.

The Empress talks about Supergirl being an enemy in the future. Orlando continues to have this Kara be that beacon of help, hope, and compassion for all. She tells the Empress they could have talked about things, changed the future, instead of rushing to the attack. Love it.

 Meanwhile, Lar-On is beating the snot out of Magog at another DEO site. When Selena senses the tide turning, she grabs Magog's helmet and takes off.

We don't know much about this Selena. But I get the sense she is sort of a magical scavenger, picking up items to boost her own power. It leans a bit into the movie character who had no inherent capabilities but needed the Omegahedron. I definitely want to see more of her.

But with Grundy and Magog defeated and Selena gone, the Fatal Five is now a duo.

 Remember that part of this attack was CatCo's app airing the video of Supergirl helping the Cyborg Superman, the being that ravaged National City. Ben Rubel decides that he needs to stop the video to help quell the tide of mistrust against the Girl of Steel. The best way to do that? A little cyber-terrorism. He orchestrates a denial of service attack against CatCo itself, effectively shutting down the site. Brilliant ... and a little scary he can do it. What do you think of Cat's look? Is it that she is impressed he is doing it? Or concern that he can?

I am waiting to learn what Ben did that made him run away. His quick defense to Supergirl when others complain that she was 'deceiving' them makes me think my ultimate guess on what it is will be right. And I think gender is a key part of it.

 Meanwhile, the fight with the Empress has spilled out of the DEO HQ and into the streets. Zor-El, in his tube, is right there for everyone to see.

The people don't seem happy about this. They can't believe Supergirl helped the man who tried to kill them all.

Instead of getting angry, Kara gives a great speech. She is there to help everyone. She won't abandon anyone. She won't abandon the people of Earth, they have taught her too much. Even in the face of this hate, Supergirl is rising above.

That doesn't mean she is a pacifist. She needs to end the fight. She rips the Emerald Eye in half which seems to send the Empress back to the future.

Nothing funny about a lot of green aqueous humor!

Unfortunately, to the crowd, it looks like Supergirl somehow killed the Empress, evaporated her.

 That leaves just Indigo. And after sounding like a good guy last issue, we get a peek into her true colors. She sounds a bit like a charlatan here. She talks about how Supergirl was a fool for believing humans are inherently good. Instead the can be swayed.

And Indigo will kill Supergirl and become that hero...

Even the villains recognize Supergirl's character and optimism. Love it.

And Indigo almost gets away with it. But Zor-El shows up and tears her apart.

Hmmm .. Kara rips apart the eye. Her Dad rips apart the robot. Is this the El finishing move?

But even Kara knows that this can't make things seem better for the citizens on the street. Indigo was a hero in their eyes and was just killed by the criminal Supergirl was aiding and abetting.

It's all gone pear-shaped.

I also have to wonder if this was a nod to how Indigo was torn in half by J'onn at the end of Supergirl Season 1.

 With the Five eliminated, all that's left to do is the tawdry mop-up of the DEO scandal.

Throughout the last pages, we hear Supergirl in narration boxes talking about how she has chosen Earth and will continue to even if her life has changed.

Cameron Chase is forced out of the DEO. She and Lar-On hit the road. Eliza and Jeremiah quit the DEO as well. Shay Veritas scrubs the databases so no one can know what Supergirl's secret identity is. Supergirl is out of the DEO, now concentrating on her time at CatCo and in school. And CatCo has decided to run a sort of anti-campaign against Supergirl, asking if she is who they thought she was.

 We learn that Mr. Bones is now back in charge of the DEO. He set up the hit on Saturn Girl. He seems to want to eliminate Supergirl, putting this Fatal Five scheme together from behind the scenes.

Bones as an antagonist for Supergirl is brilliant.

 But the end scene of Supergirl, despite all the negativity that has surrounded her she still soars above it all. She still loves everyone on Earth. She'll still defend them.

No angsty Loeb Kara. No angry Kelly Kara. No 'let me be alone' New 52 Kara. We get this optimistic, hopeful, and determined Kara. She is a hero.

Now that is an ending. That is Kara.

But wait ... there's more.

Mr. Oz kills Zor-El. Knowing what we know now, that is even more chilling.

Whew. Let's all catch our breath.

Look, for me this was a near perfect ending to things. I wanted to see more of Kara in school and at CatCo. I wondered how she could be active so much with the DEO and not have those parts of her life suffer. I have never been a fan of Zor-El as the Cyborg and wondered how he could ever be used moving forward; now I don't have to worry. We have a Cat Grant sort of attacking Supergirl ... shades of the Gates/Igle run. And we have the DEO looming in the background as an adversary now.

The parts I want to see more of are teed up. The parts I wanted to see less of are pushed on the back burner or eliminated. It sort of feels like a whole new chapter is about to occur.

And I'm on board!

Overall grade: A