Review: Supergirl #36

Supergirl #36 came out this week and seemed to hit all the notes I worried it would hit. This is the Year of the Villain, Supergirl is one of the 'Infected' and readers get yet another turn at a dark Supergirl. You would think DC would not want to keep drinking from this well and yet, here we are.

This also represents writer Marc Andreyko's last issue as writer on the book. You may recall that Andreyko already put Kara through a grim turn, having her abandon Earth, wield Rogol Zaar's axe, and come thiisssss close to using it to kill. When that arc was over, Kara seemed to move past her rage. Now, infected by the Batman Who Laughs, we get an more vicious turn than the 'Mistress of the Axe'. Now perhaps Andreyko had little to do with this current turn. Perhaps it was DC leadership who deemed Supergirl one of the Secret Six. But it seems to me that back to back 'Dark Kara' arcs, especially after she seemed to learn from the first one, seems pretty silly.

The art by Eddie Pansica remains spot on beautiful. Pansica has really grown on this title. And I have come to look forward to his monthly double page spreads of Supergirl doing something spectacular. This issue Pansica is given multiple splash pages to work with and he really brings it to the table. Alas, this also seems to be his last issue on the title.

Derek Chew provides this variant cover with a classic shirt rip.

Perhaps it was the tilt of the figure, but I couldn't help but be reminded of the famous Jamal Igle cover from Supergirl #53.

But let's get into the issue.

We start out with Supergirl battling Brainiac-1's drone army and her making quick work of the androids.

Here is this month's Pansica double page spread.

He really does great work showing just how powerful Supergirl is.

And there is something very kinetic about the art. You see her hair whipping around in this heat vision barrage.

Interestingly enough, it turns out that the whole action sequence is playing out in Supergirl's mind, a vision played out by the nanites Brainiac-1 used to invade Kara's system and copy her genome for his cloning experiments.

Unfortunately, before his scan is complete, the Fortress alarm goes off. He has no choice but to wake Supergirl to fight whatever has broken in. His nanites are still in her; she just isn't docile.

Suddenly awake, Kara wonders how she got there and how she could be so nuddleheaded.

I couldn't believe this. This is an experienced hero Kara. You would think would immediately question this fugue state. That she would see how long she has been 'out of it'. That she would wonder about the visions she saw.

Instead, she laughs it off.

Ridiculous.

Flying into the Fortress, she sees an infected Hawkman trying to kill Batman.
An infected Donna Troy is battling Superman.

Without thinking, Kara jumps into the fray.

Another nice splash page.

When Commissioner Gordon tries to infect Superman with a batarang, Kara dives in to defend her cousin.

I liked this sequence as it at least shows that Supergirl is one of the strongest characters in the DCU, out slugging Hawkman and Donna Troy.

Unfortunately, the batarang has infected her.

Suddenly Kara wakes up with the other infected. Garbed in spiked leather, sporting black eye paint and extended smiles that make her look like The Crow, she is suddenly part of the Secret Six and thrilled.

Hooray (sarcasm).

Another evil Supergirl turn.

But rather than diving right into the plot of the Batman Who Laughs, she recognizes she has been infected by nanites and goes to the source.

And then we get the classic Dark Kara plot device. Despite the fact that this Kara ... the new 52 Kara ... has overcome so much and has shed a Red Lantern Ring and a rage axe, despite her being embraced as the hero of National City, despite all her growth, she rages about how she has always been underestimated and defined by her fears.

Remember, this is the Kara that Guy Gardner said was the best of them and wasn't a red Lantern. This is the Kara who Superman has grown to rely on. This is the Kara who was the Leader of the Crucible School. This is the Kara who just let go of her rage and fear in the Rogol Zaar arc.

But they are still there?

And then she simply fries Brainiac-1. She asks if he is afraid. He says yes. And she says he good.

Yep ... another Dark Kara turn.

Now is she killing Brainiac-1, a self-aware intelligence? Maybe.
But the bigger thing is he turned out the be absolutely no threat, dead after one heat vision blast. This was the ultimate villain Luthor set up?

And while a sad Krypto looks on, Kara revels in the new freedom of her evil.

She doesn't even rush back to her new infected pals. She'll just enjoy life on Earth. Because the 'backward planet' isn't ready for her.

Remember just two issues ago when she said Earth was her home. Remember when she said that at the end of the last volume. Remember how she looks at Earth as home now.

So seeing her so gleefully give into the evil and want to be sadistic ... well, I'm sick of it.

So here we are, in the repeat part of the wash-rinse-repeat cycle of evil Supergirl over the last decade. Maybe, just maybe, new writer Jody Houser will be able to write an ongoing book about a heroic Supergirl.

As for Andreyko, I don't think his run will stand the test of time. Mired by side plots and making Kara almost kill yet again? Nah. It ain't Gate/Igle.

Overall grade: C