Review: Supergirl #3 (v8)

Supergirl #3 came out this week and was another entertaining and frankly refreshing look at the character by writer/artist Sophie Campbell. Over the course of this blog's history, there have been plenty of times that creators have been put on the character and it is clear they don't know the character or don't like the character. There have been runs where I have said things like 'remove Supergirl and put in Starfire and this story would proceed without a problem' or 'this doesn't seem like the Supergirl we know'. 

That isn't true here.

This is firmly a Supergirl book. This is a creator who seems to like and respect the character, weaving in history and characterization that fit. And this thrills me.

We can start with the obvious homages and nods as a way to refer and acknowledge the past. From Midvale to Lesla Lar to Lena Luthor to Streaky, Satan Girl, and even Black Kryponite, this series is mining the best of Supergirl's 66 year history and bringing it into modern time. Heck, there are even artistic homages!

But that stuff if done alone can simply feel like nostalgia. What is needed is story. And we get that too. Because in this issue we get a look into Supergirl's psyche. How she is heroic and kind and compassionate. How she probably struggles being in the shadow of her big cousin and his influence. How maybe she struggles with a dark side ... but it isn't that dark. And how most of all she wants to help. She can throw down when she needs to. She can be fierce in fighting injustice. But maybe that is the last resort. Some might find the 'sort of' conclusion of the Lesla Lar story underwhelming but for me it fit the character well. Campbell just seems to get it. 

Add to that the sumptuous, breezy, engaging art by Campbell and colorist Tamra Bonvillain and you have a big win. From old costumes to new, from mutations and birthday cake shenanigans, it all sings.

My only quibble might be that the arc might be wrapping up too soon for my taste. But in a world of endless arcs and decompression, this might be a compliment.

On to the book.

We start out with a montage of Supergirl helping the people of Midvale in an attempt to reclaim her name and credibility. Yes, it isn't punching out super-villains - it's saving kittens and helping with math homework. But I wouldn't expect Midvale to be a hotbed of scum and villainy. 

It shows that Supergirl wants to help people however she can. 

We won't talk about other runs where Supergirl was 'dark' or 'edgy' or 'traumatized'. But this feels right.

And there is no denying that first panel is a riff on the first panel of Supergirl #1 from the 1970's. 

If you are a long time fan, you'll see it and love it. 

If you aren't a long time fan, the art stands up for itself.

But nods like these make the book a visual feast for longtime fans.

That night, Kara (I guess I should start saying Linda) is hanging out with Lena Luthor talking about Midvale's food choices and just being friends.

It is clear that Lena has lived a sheltered life, always working under some megalomaniac, and never had anything resembling normalcy. No friends. No late-night snacks. Extreme loneliness. You can feel the awkwardness, maybe even some hesitancy to accept all of Linda's 'let's hang out' standard teen girl stuff.

If the Lena/Linda friendship is going to be a sort of pillar of this book, we need to see scenes like this. 

Plus, a Legion of Super-Heroes shirt? You might remember Linda talking about a 'future Brainiac' in House of Brainiac. Maybe we'll see some LSH?

A quick scan lets Linda (or should I be saying Kara) see the 'angry fan' shrine that Lesla has of Supergirl. Lena and Supergirl know that means Lesla is probably extremely lonely and looking for some sort of validation which has led to this takeover of Supergirl's life.

When the inevitable throwdown start, Supergirl actually starts by extending a hand. Supergirl's life isn't perfect. It isn't always easy. She might understand what Lesla is dealing with.

I sometimes get accused of wanting a 'perfect' saccharine Supergirl in my stories. Nothing could be further from the truth. I like her young, brash, learning, dealing with her history but rising above. I like her trying to figure out who she is with the monolith of Superman in her life. Her saying her life is tough makes sense ... as does the hope to end things peacefully. 

But that extended hand is rejected. Instead we get the black Kryptonite beam infused with the matter-changing Lesla goo ... leading to Satan Girl.

Now Satan Girl is a huge part of Supergirl lore so I was thrilled to see Campbell's take.

It is a warped, 'evil' version of Supergirl. But the 'evil' that Satan Girl does is graffiti calling Midvale 'mid', ruining a kid's birthday party, and digging up her step-parents garden. Not exactly the worst disasters brought to man. I love that! It is a sort of subtle way of telling us that this isn't the dark Supergirl we saw with Loeb. This isn't the Supergirl who'd bring a kid to a stoning execution. She is inherently good; even her bad deeds are more like pranks.

But the line 'I can be myself, not tied to Superman' is a heavy line in the nonsense, showing how much his presence can both weigh her down as well as inspire. Of the whole issue, that one line in that one panel just hit me. This is a Supergirl book by someone who understands Supergirl.

It also shows us that Lesla isn't the scheming, murderous pre-Crisis version. She doesn't like seeing Satan Girl do things to the Danvers she has come to love (even if she mind-controlled them).

Suddenly, she sees that what she has been doing has been just as wrong.

She destroys her own mind control device.

I don't always need a sympathetic villain. But this take on Lesla, someone suffering, is interesting.

These last 2 years have had Joshua Williamson putting the Lex/Superman relationship under the microscope. Is Lex pulling a fast one? Is he trustworthy?

We see that same story playing out here. A suspicious Streaky wondering if Lena is going to help Supergirl or betray her.

This Lena promises she is her own person, not bound by the Luthor name or its history. 

I really like Lena being part of the supporting cast. She is going to be a fascinating character to learn about. Even this 'girl in the dragon tattoo' makeover smacks of 'I am trying real hard to rebel and discover who I am'. But it seems she is a force for good.

Some comic book science lets Lena make a crystal gun, powered by tiny Titano K-vision to rip the Black K protoplasm off a mutating Supergirl.

Love the art here of Kara blasted out of the Satan Girl persona. The whole book is beautiful.

We get a double-page mega-splash of Supergirl ready to throw a right hook into Lesla's mug.

But turn the page and it is actually a hug. 

Supergirl believes in second chances.

And while Lesla's mind control and identity theft is horrible, she didn't kill people. She was suffering. Heck, even the Danvers feel that if Lesla asked to be taken in they would have.

The crisis is over.

Do I want to see a Supergirl right cross across the mug of a super-villain. Of course. Nothing better than 'Kara-tharsis' (to quote frequent commenter JF).

But if this opening arc is showing us who this Supergirl is, this is a great ending.

But it leads to another cliffhanger.

Lesla's absentee parents show up and are charging Supergirl and Lesla with crimes against Kandor.

Will this be a sort of sideways homage to the time Supergirl was brought to trial in Kandor because of Lesla? We shall see.

This is just the sort of Supergirl I want to read. I love Lena and how she has to overcome her own issues. I like that Supergirl struggles with her proximity to Supergirl but overcomes. 

And the art is just lush.

Three issues in and so far, zero complaints.

Overall grade: A