In the recent DC solicits, we learned that Lesla Lar is being reintroduced to the DCU as a Supergirl villain. It made me realize that I have never really covered the earliest Lesla Lar stories on this sight despite my nearing 17 years of running the place.
And Lar is a pretty big deal in Supergirl lore. In the Silver Age Action Comics, she had (for that time) a pretty long multi-issue story arc where she bedeviled Supergirl. She comes back and has a shocking 'death' later in Action Comics. And then, in one of the things I truly love about the character, she comes back to plague Supergirl over multiple issues in the early 1980's Superman Family book (some of which I have covered here)!
Today I'm reviewing Action Comics #279, Lesla Lar's first appearance which kicks of that long-form arc. I do think that multi-part stories were pretty rare back then. Her arc trying to replace Supergirl on Earth runs over 4 issues! The whole story is written by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Jim Mooney. Overcoming Lar is part of some significant growth for Kara. You looking for an important event in Supergirl's life? It is in this issue! Goodbye orphanage!
As for Lar herself, her motives are pretty basic - jealousy leading to contempt. Her scientific prowess is enough to rival Luthor making her team-up with Lex in this first issue seem appropriate. Lar does a number on Kara for sure. Mooney plays it up well with his usual expressive work.
But it that jealousy, that wanting to be Supergirl and get the accolades, that upcoming writer/artist Sophie Campbell is riffing on in the new Supergirl title. So let's see the villain in action! On to the book!
'Supergirl's Secret Enemy' starts out with a dynamic splash page showing the wicked Lar's plan in full effect. She stole Supergirl's powers last issue. Now she will steal our hero's identity, brainwashing Kara into thinking she is Lesla so the Kandorian villain can head to Earth and replace her.
A few quick things to remind you.
Lar is one of at least 3 people in the Silver Age who looks so much like Kara that she could replace her seamlessly, fooling family and friends.
Second, Mooney does indeed draw her to look like Supergirl albeit with evil eyebrows and a wicked sneer.
Those splash pages are almost a second cover so we cut to the start of this adventure.
Basically Lar is a brilliant scientist in Kandor, renowned for own inventions and skill.
It's not enough.
She sees Supergirl and knows that Superman is thinking about introducing the Girl of Steel to the world. (Remember at this point she is still the 'emergency secret weapon'!) And Lar just can't deal with it. She wants the acclaim that Supergirl will get. So she plots to replace Kara.
It is pretty petty and superficial. But I love that look of anger on her face, the finger in the air, as she thinks her evil thoughts. Solid stuff by Mooney there.
The first step? Use a secret ray to basically erase Supergirl's powers.
Now think about this. Lar builds and fires a beam from Kandor to Earth that permanently strips Supergirl of her powers.
That is something Luthor and Brainiac and every other super-villain has been unable to build.
Is she the smartest villain in the DCU?
Remember that at this point in her comic, Supergirl had a little quirk of putting her finger to her face when in thought. This is the second time Mooney has Lar brandishing her finger but outward as a pointer. It is sort of a pseudo-Supergirl tic that makes it seem like maybe she could sort of be an evil twin.
In comes Fred and Edna Danvers who adopt her.
We all know it sounded pretty silly for Superman to dump his cousin in an orphanage. Well, goodbye Midvale orphanage!
And goodbye pig-tails!
Linda is growing up. Even Fred thinks the braided pig tails aren't right for a young woman.
In comes the 'campus cuddle-bun'!
If you think about the 6 issues of Action Comics #279-285, they represent a story of significant and lasting character growth for Supergirl. No orphanage. Adopted. New hair style. Announced to the world and free to be an active hero. They are all important issues for the character.
But we're here for Lar who enacts the plot we saw in the opening splash.
She uses a teleporter ray to bring Linda to Kandor. She uses a brainwashing helmet to convince Kara that she is Lesla Lar. And then Lar dresses up like Linda and switches places, making sure there is a failsafe to switch them back at a moment's notice.
Incredibly it works.
Linda picks up Lesla's life seamlessly, even inventing things!
And Lesla slips into Linda's life. But she wants more. She dons the Supergirl outfit and flies around to meet Lex.
And Lesla slips into Linda's life. But she wants more. She dons the Supergirl outfit and flies around to meet Lex.
Why not team up with the most evil genius on Earth. Lex is actually the first person to 'see' a Supergirl!
Despite breaking him out, Lex assumes he's boss and starts giving Lesla orders. And while his crane device does lead to a crime spree, Lar isn't too happy. She won't be content to be Lex's stooge.
Frankly, I don't know why she even teams up with Lex. She seems plenty smart and evil on her own.
To keep the whole thing secret, she brings Lex back to the prison to await their next caper. The cops all think the scientific robberies seem like a Luthor crime but they think he has been in prison the whole time.
But our hero, acting as Lesla, has been watching Earth in Lar's lab and has seen the 'Supergirl' helping Lex. She goes to inform the Kandorian police about this Supergirl criminal so they can tell Superman.
Lar doesn't want the scheme to be uncovered so it is time for a reverse switcheroo.
Using the bracelet, the two exchange places again. Lesla 'switches' their clothes ... don't think about it too long. And then, as Lesla, returns to Kandor.
Love that last panel. Linda awakens from this odd nightmare. Great look of terror by Mooney. Now you think Linda would realize at some point that she lost some time. But it never pans out.
Instead, Lesla plots the next time she will switch places and become Luthor's secret weapon. And now she is starting to put her finger to her face, perhaps showing she is truly an evil Supergirl ... complete with quirks and 'secret emergency weapon' status.
And so ends this opening chapter to this fascinating story.
As you can see Lesla is an A-lister, complete with scientific know-how and evil strategic thinking. She has done something no other villain has been able to do. And she is only beginning!
From a Supergirl history viewpoint, this is of pretty high importance given that Linda gets adopted in this issue and grows up a bit.
Will the new Lesla Lar be as big a threat? Time will tell.
Overall grade: B+
7 comments:
I seem to remember Lesla’s ray as only being temporary- it wore off or something after the whole ‘Mxy gave Kara powers’ thing (which I’m pretty sure you covered but can’t find right now). Still, to be the first is impressive and that Kara gets an arch-enemy counts for a lot.
Lesla Lar had real potential as a villain if she had been allowed more than two storylines in the Silver Age. One thing Supergirl has sorely lacked is villains as strong as Lex Luthor and Brainiac and an evil Kandorian scientist could have filled the bill. As for the story, pairing the man who invented the superhero serial with the definitive Supergirl artist on a serialized Supergirl story that completely changes Supergirl's status quo was one of the best decisions Mort Weisinger ever made as an editor. Weisinger may have been a grade A jerk as a human being, but he was far from untalented.
Is Lesla-Lar the only female Kryptonian to be given a male name? I don't believe it was meant to signify anything but a modern writer could use it as a plot point.
Thanks for comments!
It will be interesting to see if the 'male name' does become a plot point given the upcoming creative team.
The depower ray does wear off suddenly without much explanation. I am sure part of it was having Supergirl be 'stronger' than Superman because the Mxy powers made her invulnerable to Kryptonite briefly.
I feel like the real point of this storyline was to get Kara set up with the Danvers and past the ‘secret weapon’ phase- like you said, Kara couldn’t get adopted if she had superpowers. Once she has someone to keep her secret identity, she can have a public identity.
My main point of contention is that at no point does Supergirl confront Lesla Lar for her many many offenses, in fact after nine chapters, Supergirl never even realizes that Lesla is the power-stealing culprit. This makes Lesla the "Frank Grimes" of Supergirl's Rogues Gallery.... JF
I wonder what ever happened to the inflatable Lex decoy? Is that thing still out there somewhere? Has some snarky modern writer worked it in as an Easter egg, perhaps tucked away in that special drawer in Mercy's dresser or bedroom closet or something?
Post a Comment