Review: Supergirl #8(v8)

Supergirl #8 came out this week, a holiday issue that focuses on the fact that not everyone feels merry and bright. In particular, it is Supergirl who is both sad around the holidays and also a little grumpy when pressed to talk about her feelings. It seems a little bit off after the excellent Supergirl #6 where Kara said 'yes I have been through a lot but I channeled that into something positive'.

Now I am not saying that Supergirl can't be complex. And yes, the holidays are a tricky time for many people so why not our hero. But this seemed to veer as close to Woman of Tomorrow as I have seen this book and for a Christmas issue, that fell a little flat.

Writer Sophie Campbell does do a great job of explaining why Supergirl is feeling this way. And she uses a forgotten Linda Danvers robot as a plot point to drive it home. But what activated that robot? I am still on board that a Chaos Stream or something like that is coursing below Midvale. 

The art is by someone new to me, Haining. She brings a very manga influenced style to the proceedings which fits the book. There are some nice artistic flourishes and tricks which helps bring home that low mood Kara is feeling. While I missed Campbell's art here, this is a solid fill-in.

Still, this was 'A Blue Christmas' issue, a bit different from the more upbeat vibe of this title before.

On to the details.

As I have said all along, Campbell is really embracing all of Supergirl's history, including the time she spent in the orphanage as a pig-tailed Linda Lee.

We see in flashback when the Danvers came and adopted her. 

There are some things to unpack here. I like how Linda is basically tired of hiding in the orphanage and so is proactive in letting the adoption go through. This is a slightly sassier version of this scene than the one from the Silver Age in Action Comics #279 and fits this Kara who is a mix of multiple continuities.

But what really got my attention was Eliza's right hand! She had it at the time of adoption! So how did she lose it? (I thought Steve Orlando said it was lost in utero from an embryoninc band.) Interesting!

A sudden threat means Kara needs to whisk off but she activates her trusty robot double (often uses in the Silver Age!). With the adventure over, the robot returns to the tree and waits to be summoned. 

I do hope that we get more flashbacks like this in the title as Campbell writes this new history.

In the present, Kara sulks away in the Danvers house, even as her parents make cookies and teach Lesla about snow and cookies. It is clear there is joy in this house but not in Supergirl. In fact, Eliza says Kara is always this way around Christmas.

I did like what Haining did here. The first panel shows reality, a home with a fire burning. But in the second panel as Eliza tries to comfort Kara, we get a sense of how empty Kara is feeling, a stark white background showing us. Nice little art trick. 

When Lesla asks about her mood, Supergirl actually yells and storms off.

Slumped on her bed, she talks about how she lost her family and friends on Argo and the holidays magnify that loss. The cold days don't help. 

It isn't crying in the sun or 'living a life of pain' but it is pretty close. As I said, many people struggle around the holidays. It just seems like this mood is sort of out of the blue in this book. 

It is at this time that the robot re-activates. It only furthers my idea of a chaos stream. Only when Supergirl is seemingly at her lowest does the robot come to life. Perhaps something senses Kara's mood and wants to make things worse.

But the next morning a mystery appears in the Danvers house. The place is trashed with convenient foorsteps leading out.

Tracing things back to the orphanage, Kara comes face to face with the delapidated, broken down robot. 

It keeps asking Supergirl why Kara forgot about her. It then completely breaks down ... dying in Supergirl's arm. 

This is a classic Pieta pose by Haining, another nice touch. I am glad it wasn't a Crisis cover homage. This works better.

And Supergirl is shaken by this. She did forget about the robot. She thought it would just power down. 

Remember, Supergirl is dealing with feelings of loss and now she is faced with another 'loss' this one which she is responsible for. Why now?? There has to be some villain or power at play here.

That gloomy mood deepens as Kara says outright that even the best superhero can;t help everyone. There will always be loss. She feels that weight trying to do it all.

I like that sentiment. I have always felt that Supergirl loves the job because she doesn't want anyone else to have to deal with the things she has. But I also feel that she has made it fuel, that it has inspired her. It has made her optimistic.

I trust Campbell to make this a more seasonal glum Kara.

One thing that made the scene was Lesla telling Kara that she shouldn't lose sight of the happiness and people around her. Lesla has changed.

In fact, we do get that happy ending. We see Kara say she wants to stay in Midvale with her parents. Suddenly, the festive house appears behind her, not that empty void. We even see her playing with Krypto in the last panel. 

It is a nice ending. The story does add some depth to Supergirl knowing she hasn't completely moved past her history. It does put all we have seen in the seven issues before us into some context. She has been spreading herself a little thin trying to do it all. And here, in the cold dark days even Supergirl has some down moments.

Plus, Eliza's hand!

Still, this veered even a little darker that I would typically want for my hero.

Overall grade: B-