Review: Supergirl Woman Of Tomorrow #1

Where to begin this review of a book which is visually gorgeous, a super-hero rendition of True Grit to the point at times it feels like plagiarism, and a slap in the face to long time Supergirl fans?

Where to begin?

Well, first I'll ask you to settle in as this might ramble a bit.

Second, I'll say that this is an extremely well drawn and well colored book. I think Bilquis Evely is a revelation and Matheus Lopes coloring makes this feel like a pastel western movie come to life. I have no objection to the art in this book which is frankly stunning.

I advise everyone who hasn't read the novel True Grit or seen the movie to do so (both film versions are fantastic). But this seems like an absolute lift of that story. The extremely well spoken young girl (Mattie Ross in Grit/Ruthye here) seeks revenge for her father's death at the hands of a bandit (Tom Chaney/Krem). She heads into a town on her own and full of gumption. She tries to convince a bounty hunter to help her because she needs a man of certain skills (true grit/ruthless). The initial hunter tries to steal the bounty she is offering. The person she wants to help her (Rooster Cogburn/Supergirl), ornery and drunk, initially tell her to move on.  But to show her own grit, our main character (Mattie/Ruthye) braves an expanse of water to finally make their point. I mean, if I taped a picture of Hailie Steinfeld over Ruthye and Jeff Bridges over Supergirl, this could read as True Grit.

But let's move beyond that because maybe this is just an homage.

The real opening point here is that this isn't a Supergirl story in any way.

This is a Ruthye story. Just like Mattie is the protagonist of True Grit, this is Ruthye's tale to tell. She does the narration. She drives the story. Supergirl is a part of Ruthye's story. She doesn't appear in the book until page 7. She is once again a guest star, a plot point, in someone else's story. And that is sad when you consider that King said this is THE Supergirl story to define her moving forward.

It also is not a Supergirl story because this isn't really a Supergirl that I recognize. Yes, in places, she mentions things that show that at some level she understands what it means to be a hero. But this is a self-destructive Supergirl going to a red sun planet solely to get drunk. She is violent. Her only reason for getting to this planet is to wallow in her own sadness. Yes, Kara has witnessed trauma. But she has always used that to fuel her desire to help others. Not drown in it. Also, this Supergirl (if we say this is still the New 52/Rebirth one) has already left the planet angrily to realize she needs to return, become a Red Lantern and learned from her rage, gone to Crucible to recognize her worth, dealt with her father's trauma, etc. She chose rage and went into space to hunt Rogol Zaar only to once again 'choose Earth'. From a history point of view, she has dealt with this before ad nauseum! If we chuck in the Omniverse, she has gone 'dark' innumerable times in the last 20 years, always realizing it isn't right. Why tread this again?

And I am not saying (nor have I ever said on this site) that I want a squeaky clean, saccharine Supergirl. I like that Supergirl is complex, relatable, fallible. But I also like that she is bright, optimistic, and has risen above.

But this isn't a Supergirl story because it doesn't need to be. If you removed Supergirl and put Titan's Starfire here, it reads the same. Put in Jessica Cruz and it reads the same. Put in Stalker or Renee Montoya or almost anyone else and it reads fine. Put in a brand new Red Sonja character and it reads the same.

Lastly, a lot of this reads like King trying to hard to make this book seem 'mature'. Having Kara curse 6 times and vomit in her post-binge hangover is an attempt to show how gritty this book is. But these are superficial ways of making this seem adult.

Sigh.

On to the specifics.

We start with Ruthye retelling the story of her unarmed father being killed by Krem. Krem leaves his sword, a weapon of high quality and value which will be used as the purse of her bounty.

On page two we get the first mention of Supergirl. Ruthye reflects how Supergirl will ultimately kill Krem at the end of the story.

I want you to think about that. 

If this plays out, King's influential and character re-setting story has Supergirl murdering someone.

That isn't Supergirl.

Sorry. That isn't my idea of Supergirl. That shouldn't be Supergirl.

We then get 4 more pages about Ruthye's home life. How her brothers talk a mean fight but don't act. How her mother is surprised that Ruthye would strike out on her own. Ruthye takes her father's unruly but swift steed into town. (Reminds me of Mattie Ross's use of  Little Blackie, an unruly and swift horse.)

 The bar fight scene was previewed a while back but worth briefly revisiting. 

First off, she is here because it is her birthday. Wouldn't Superman be throwing her a party? Wouldn't Jon want to hang with his cousin? Wouldn't she want to hang out with Ben Rubel and Belinda Zee (remember them)? Her foster father? She shouldn't feel this alone.

In the bar, the cursing, drunk Kara intervenes when the first bounty hunter Ruthye approaches tries to steal her sword. Supergirl comes to the rescue to regain the sword and dispatch this ruffian.

But she first asks him to wait so she won't spill any of the drink she has bought. She chugs the remainder of the bottle.

This is our opening moment for Supergirl. Self-pitying, cursing, violent, drunk.

Supergirl wakes up. Apparently in the interval, Ruthye has stripped Kara and put her in her costume. We can talk about consent issues here. Or how that is creepy. If Ruthye was male, I don't know if this would simply be forgotten.

Next, Supergirl says that no one was supposed to see her in costume. I would presume because she doesn't want to besmirch the family crest with this alcoholic bender. But if that was true, why have the S-shield so visible in the prior scene.

But we finally get to the pitch. Will Supergirl track down Krem?

Oooohh ...

Look at how real and gritty!

Supergirl hung over and vomiting!

At least briefly we see a glimpse of Supergirl in the midst of the tawdry.

Yes, she sought out a red sun planet because without her powers she can actually get drunk. Self-destructive way to deal with your feelings, isn't it? But I shouldn't be surprised with King. I might remind you in Heroes In Crisis, Lagoon Boy's therapy was to be persistently shot so he could feel pain.

At least she acknowledges she has responsibilities on Earth. She needs to return. And she also tells Ruthye not to kill people because that is wrong. 

Whew, two statements I can get behind.

But then again, we have heard on page two even the 'no killing' rule is mutable.

And it seems odd in a way that she would up and leave Ruthye this quickly given everything that happened before. Does she really want to leave Ruthye to her own devices, walking into bars again and dealing with murderers?

Once more we get a few pages showing the true grit of Ruthye. We hear how strong and brave she is as she swims the river to get to Supergirl. After all, this is Ruthye's story.

And, once again, she asks Supergirl's help with finding Krem. 

I will give King some respect here as he has this Kara say that Ruthye should want justice not vengeance. Life is compassion, not fury.

That is a sentiment I can get behind. It echoes a little of 'help, hope, and compassion for all'.

Before Supergirl can get too into her own backstory of losing her family, Krem shows up with the bar bounty hunter.

Krem buries an arrow in Kara's chest. Remember we are on a red sun world. How this doesn't kill her, I have no idea.

But then King mines one of the most tired plot tropes there can be. He has Krem shoot Krypto. 

Really? We are in 'Does the Dog Die' territory?

Or is this just to fast forward to Future's End?

Incensed that Krypto is shot, this Supergirl decides that maybe it is time for vengeance.

Even though she is vulnerable she charges. She takes two more arrows to the chest! How is she alive? 

She collapses and Krem jumps into her ship which has been auto-started to leave.(Why he would run into that thing since it is clear no one on this planet has seen anything like this before is a question best not asked. Also, why not wait and see if he can finish off the person he has perforated with arrows? But I guess that is another question best not asked. The plot demanded she chase him to other worlds, so here we are.)

But this is how this first issue of the new defining story of Supergirl closes. After hearing she will kill someone, after seeing her angsty, drunk, hung over, and sad, we see her shot with three arrows in the chest and left for dead.

So what can I say?
Succintly this is:

A rip off of True Grit?

Makes no sense for this Supergirl to be this sad and alone?

Isn't a Supergirl story; is instead a Ruthye story?

Is an immature way to make a 'mature' comic?

Isn't at all true to Supergirl's history?

All of the above.

Now I know I talked about the art in the prologue. But seriously, Evely and Lopes just sing here. Just look at the panels I have posted and drink it in. From panel progression to expressive work to action sequences to sunset skies, this is all beautiful.

But the story?

Overall grade: C-