Houser And Stott On Supergirl

I'll be reviewing Supergirl #42 here on the site next week. Happy 4th of July weekend everyone (who celebrates)!

After almost no publicity support for the title, I found it a little interesting that the creative team spoke to Newsarama about their time on the title here:
https://www.gamesradar.com/dcs-supergirl-creative-team-reflect-on-series-as-digital-first-finale-nears/

It's a brief interview with some stock questions. I'll include some of the interview here but recommend heading over to the site to read it in its entirety. In some ways I feel like this would be a team I wouldn't mind seeing back on the character in a different circumstance when they could write a true Kara. But some of these answers also make me wonder if I should be careful what I wish for.

Newsarama: Jody, to jump right in, what was it like tying into this over-arching DC storyline for Supergirl? How do you feel it affected her overall character arc?

Jody Houser: It was a fun challenge writing a character who still thought herself the hero no matter how dark she got. We obviously didn't want Kara to do anything completely irredeemable, so we made that struggle between her normal and infected selves the heart of the story, one that had repercussions that led into our finale.

I just wish there was some acknowledgment here that Houser was handed this mess. Or that Houser recognized that Kara was a hero with good intentions and writing her as dark was challenging.

Glad the line of 'irredeemable' was held.

Nrama: Rachael, how did you want to make the Metal Supergirl look your own for the ongoing series?

Rachael Stott: Well initially in issue #37 I just drew the established infected Supergirl design that DC sent me (I did a load of googling and can't find out who designed the look ⁠— but I love it. The spikes, the leather, that kiss makeup! Such a fun change for Kara). But then from the end of #39, the infection gets worse and so to reflect that we were able to push that punk design further. It really reminded me of something from Tite Kubo's Bleach (This isn't even my final form, moo haha!) So, I loved that, giving her the insane nails, covering up her face with hair to remove her further from humanity. It's always difficult to know how far you can take the design ⁠— if it wasn't Kara I probably would have gone for something really horrific ⁠— but it's just too tragic when it's happening to such a compassionate character. Taking her down that dark path was a lot of fun.

This is where I wonder about things.

I like the 'anime' final form gag. I know that I love such nonsense in Dragon Ball Z. But when the artist says that darkening Kara and putting her in KISS make-up is a fun change, it makes me think they don't 100% get the character. Then again, at least she says she tamped down the horror a little.

Nrama: As fans eagerly await the last issue, can you tell us your favorite moment from your run on Supergirl?

Houser: Infected Supergirl being absolutely awful to Batman in our first issue. And, of course, any moment with Krypto.

Stott: There were moments of self-reflection for Supergirl that I thought Jody wrote beautifully. Her getting up to fight the robot after being blasted by Kryptonite. Or her flying up to the sun to burn out the infection. The times when you really felt like you were inside Kara's head.

Eagerly await the last issue?

Hmmm ...

Don't know if that is true.

Nrama: If there’s a message you’d like to tell your fans who have followed the series, what would it be?

Stott: I have to say the Supergirl fans have been some of the friendliest, most welcoming bunch of folks I've had the pleasure to interact with online. Even though we were a new creative team taking Kara down some places that were a bit dark, they trusted us with a character they love so I'll always be grateful and want to thank them for their support.

Houser: Kara has some of the best, most devoted fans out there. Thanks for the support!

A recognition that Supergirl fans are friendly and devoted. Hurray.

But here is where I wish the team could have said 'I wish we could have written more straight forward Kara stories'. Or have them say 'we love Supergirl and wish we had more time'. Maybe editorial won't let them say that.

So we go out on a Dark Supergirl.