Review: Supergirl #18

Supergirl #18 came out this week, a crackling issue which moved the current storyline along nicely while also building the foundation of the supporting characters and environment. I don't know if I can say this is my favorite issue of the run but if it isn't, it is near the top.

One of the things that I have bemoaned a bit about comics in general has been the lack of interest in giving books a cast of supporting characters. I also feel that these days, at times, comics forgets to give us scenes with characters out of their costume, showing us the human side, something which allows me as a reader to relate more. In Supergirl, it felt like at the beginning of this run, the character was so busy in various circles that there was barely any breathing room. Whether it was acting as Supergirl or interning at CatCo or going to school or being at the DEO or living at the Danvers, Kara was running around. It felt like maybe the book was being too ambitious.

Writers Steve Orlando and Jody Houser have, in the last several issues, tightened things up a bit. The CatCo stuff is in the background a bit. Cat herself is gone. Supergirl is on the run from the DEO. That leaves just the Danvers and school as locales. Frankly, I have loved the new focus. We really have got to learn more about Kara Danvers, the shy, semi-awkward school girl trying to do what's right. And we get more in depth looks at Eliza and Jeremiah, at Belinda Zee and Ben Rubel, at Agent Ocampo. It all gives me as the reader a deeper feel of who these characters are.

That doesn't mean the action is lessened. The DEO is present as an antagonist. Villains are being sent to stop Supergirl. So you get characterization and super-heroics. It is just the perfect mix.

The art here sizzles too. First off, we get the Robson Rocha cover which has the feel of a 1940's horror movie or murder mystery. Then you get the Artgerm variant riffing on the cover of Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #1. And on inside art, you get Carmen Carnero. Carnero drew some of my favorite chapters of the Adventures of Supergirl digital series and seems very comfortable with the character. Everything is spot on, from the battles to the slow dances.

All in all a very satisfying read. On to the book!

Review: Supergirl #16

Supergirl #16 came out this last week and was a very fast moving issue focusing on Supergirl's continued problems with the DEO. I was impressed with the pace of this chapter giving us both superhero action as well as continued deepening of Kara's civilian life.

For me, the human scenes and the supporting cast are crucial elements in all comics, not just Supergirl. I need to see more than the earth-shattering punches (although I do love those). And I need to see the character interacting with those around them. So the scenes that writers Steve Orlando and Jody Houser give us of Kara with her parents and Kara and her school friends are so important to me. It gives us the chance to learn about who Kara is in noncombat situations. We get to see the viewpoints of those around her and how they effect Supergirl. So I am tickled that we have been getting more of that these last few months and definitely in this issue.

Add to that the bigger action sequences of Kara fighting Strange Visitor in this issue, the introduction of villain Deceilia, seeing how vindictive Mr. Bones is, the influence of Mokkari, and you get a very satisfying superhero story.

But writing is only half of this medium. And Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques, and Michael Atiyeh really shine here. First off, the action scenes with the lightning effects of Strange Visitor are gorgeous and flow beautifully. Visitor is drawn with a lot of cheekiness. But it is again those personal scenes where I think we see their efforts sparkle. There is a lot of expressive work here which completely sell the scenes.

Enough preamble. Onto the issue!

Review: Supergirl #15

Supergirl #15 came out this week and was a very entertaining issue defining the new landscape of this book. Over the first year of this book we have seen this Supergirl rise to be the inspirational hero of National City. Now we have seen everything turn; now she is Public Enemy #1. And with the 'regular life' of a teenage girl pulling her in different directions, Kara is probably at her most vulnerable.

Writers Steve Orlando and Jody Houser ramp up the multiple threats that are circling Kara in both her identities. From the DEO to new school rival Belinda to her own uncertainty of what to do, Kara is stressed and rightfully so. And yet, unlike more recent incarnations, instead of lashing out against Earth, this Kara continues to try to rise above, continues to try to help. That thrills me. I have had enough of Dark Supergirl.

You may recall that I complained a bit about this cover when it was shown in the solicits. I complained about 'Dark Supergirl' there. Now I realize the genius of this cover. This is the propaganda poster the DEO is probably circulating, the graphic used on the local news. This isn't Supergirl; this is people vilifying her.

The art on the issue is by the current team of Robson Rocha. As this is a sort of 'day in the life' of Kara Danvers issue, there are a lot of quiet scenes. But the team flourishes with solid expressive work and by turning up the volume for the action scenes.

On to the book.

An Early Holiday Gift: Belinda Zee

I was on Twitter the other day and I asked Eric Jones for an early Christmas gift.

I have never understood why DC hasn't published more Cosmic  Adventures of Supergirl. Landry Walker and Jones clearly want it. Lots of Supergirl fans want it. It is a no-brainer.

Anyways, I was bemoaning the lack of new Belinda Zee in my life and asked Jones for a doodle and he obliged, posting this new picture on Twitter.

Since some people might have missed it and since it is so fantastic and since I really miss the character, I thought I should share here. Heck, I might make a t-shirt to wear at next year's conventions.

Now, if only DC would do the right thing and put out a sequel!

Original Art From Supergirl Cosmic Adventures

I can't believe that I somehow have not posted about this before now. Since I recently talked about a self-gift I got for my birthday, I thought I would showcase my holiday self-gift.

Back at Christmas (!!) I contacted artist Eric Jones to inquiry about the original art from Landry Walker and Jones' Supergirl Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade. The original purpose was to buy a page for the oldest supergirl at home who has a nice little collection of original art pages. I was lucky enough to pick up a great page for her which had Supergirl and Lena talking in the foreground while Streaky mauls Belinda Zee in the background.

Now that series is beloved by me and so I couldn't help but ask about the above page for myself. And so I got myself one of my favorite pages and favorite moments from the book.

It is a great page with Supergirl, Supragirl (from the future), and Belinda Zee. And, in that last panel, we see Belinda become Superior Girl!

This is one of  my favorite panels in the comic and includes one of my favorite lines.

"Minions! Do minion-type things!"

That is perfection.

Cosmic Adventures In The Ninth Grade ??? Pretty Please DC !!!

It is really hard to believe that Supergirl Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade was released 2 years ago. I gushed over the series back when it came out, the perfect entry drug to Supergirl mythos, accessible to the supergirls at home but stuffed with Easter Eggs for old timers like me. I was thrilled when it came out, sad when it ended. A moment from Cosmic actually was my #1 Supergirl moment in 2009. I shouted from the hilltops for DC to do a sequel. It hasn't happened so far.

And yet, I have never given up hope that it would and over on his blog, Landry Walker rekindled that hope by showing some of the concept art he and Eric Jones had done for the possible sequel. Here is that link:
http://landrywalker.blogspot.com/2011/06/supergirl-cosmic-adventures-in-9th.html and here is a blurb. Please go to the site and read the whole thing. It is worth it.

I think with the slight changes to the artwork here we really begin to see Kara's self confidence manifest physically. This would have continued on a curve, all through 12th Grade. By the end (and there was a definitive end planned) 18 year old Kara would have looked like an adult - particularly because you watched her grow up.

I guess what I'm saying is: It's a mistake to expect a character to be perfect right out the gate. Where do you go from perfect? Perfect makes for boring storytelling and boring reading.

Ideally we would have similar development with the emotional status of the character. And I think we do see that evolution just over the course of the 8th Grade mini-series. It was a trend intended to continue.

We would have seen some similar evolution for Belinda and Lena - for at least as long as they were around. And if that sounds vaguely sinister, it probably is. Or maybe it really isn't. Hard to say.

Anyway, that's some Cosmic Adventures 9th Grade stuff for you.

It is clear that Walker understood Supergirl, making this a wonderful version of the character, a version I would eagerly read again. I am aching for a sequel.

I know I have asked for letter bombs from readers here before. But if you think DC should do Supergirl Cosmic Adventures in the Ninth Grade, take two seconds now to drop them a line! Here is the handy link:
http://www.dccomics.com/sites/dcletterspage/

And now the concept art! First off, the 9th grade Linda at the top, looking a bit more polished, her hair more coiffed.

Belinda Zee was one of my favorite new characters of 2009. Belinda was such a wonderful foil for Linda, someone so polished and popular on the outside but just empty and hurting inside. In that second picture, she clearly is becoming more of a Bizarro, the imperfect duplicate she always has been.

And here, a brawl between Supergirl and SuperiorGirl, Belinda's villainous identity. Walker talks about the evolution, the maturation of Linda he had envisioned. You see it here just in that punch by Linda. She looks tough and capable, a determined look on her face; shedoes not appear uneasy in her shoes.

And, I talked of Walker including so much of Supergirl's history into Cosmic. Lena Thorul played such a big part of the first mini-series. Here, it looks like Walker is invoking her more classic 'ESP' powers. And a reappearance of Streaky! And even Krypto!

And then the inclusion of a Metallo like villain, truly a heart of Kryptonite. This had to be a 'romance' subplot, Linda's first crush. Even that harkens back to earlier Supergirl stories where many guys she fell in love with was a criminal of some sort.

And a Cosmic version of Satan Girl. It amazes me that the concept of Satan Girl, a one issue castaway character in a Legion story, has such a stranglehold on Supergirl history, appearing in Peter David's book, Sterling Gates' book, and potentially here.

And perhaps the most intriguing picture, Supergirl's first interaction with Batman!

There are more pictures on Walker's blog so you must go there.

And if after looking at this art, you want to let DC know you want to see this book, I am re-providing you with the link. Here it is: http://www.dccomics.com/sites/dcletterspage/

I truly truly hope I see this book some day!!

Belinda Zee Design

As thoroughly great as Cosmic Adventures was my favorite parts were the Belinda Zee moments. She was just so wonderfully malicious. She seemed conflicted ... like she had both a superiority and inferiority complex. She had some of the funniest moments in the book. She embraced chaos and often aimed her anger in Kara's direction. I think Kara was an easy target; Belinda clearly hated all Supergirl represented but was jealous of it at the same time. That is just a great stew of a character.

Suffice it to say that I was thrilled that the Belinda Zee concept art was posted on Landry Walker's blog ( http://xray-studios.livejournal.com/51396.html ).

Here is some of what Walker says about Belinda:

The design of Belinda was partially inspired by Archie Comics character, Veronica Lodge. A little of her temperament springs from this source as well. Belinda is a fun character to write. She's not exactly evil, and she certainly isn't good. Her emotional state of being is on a hair trigger. Essentially, she's an agent of chaos. Chaotic neutral, if I must let my roots as a D&D geek show.

The Veronica Lodge reference is so clear now that you say it. In my mind, I thought she was based on Serena, the black-haired mischievous cousin of Bewitched protagonist Samantha Stevens.

And as a fellow D&D geek, chaotic neutral perfectly sums up Belinda. To share my own D&D geek roots, I always play chaotic neutral characters as they can usually have the most fun. So whether it be the Drow cleric raised by good humans and struggling to be good or the pessimistic ex-wererat turned bounty hunter using a demonic sword, my guys have learned to use all CN has to offer.

The images here of her as Superiorgirl are Eric's original take on the concept. But I was looking more for the mirror image feel, so we switched to classic Bizarro look, with the mask. The mask was specifically inspired by the Silver Age appearance of an evil Superman, who was indistinguishable from the good version, except for his domino mask.

Hmmm, anyone know reference issue for the evil masked Superman?

I see that the original Superiorgirl shirt was used as the Stanhope cheerleader sweater design.

I hope that if a sequel happens that we see more Belinda Zee.

Review: Supergirl Cosmic Adventures In The Eighth Grade #6

Supergirl:Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade #6 came out this week, the final issue in what has been a wonderful mini-series on many levels. This was one of those happy/sad moments in comic reading. I was happy that a new issue came out and continued to be of high quality. I was sad knowing it was the last issue ... at least for now.

Congratulations to Landry Walker and Eric Jones for collaborating on such a top notch product. This mini-series was truly for all ages, equally enjoyed by me and the three Supergirls at home (aged 10,7, and 5). When you appeal to all those levels of comic fandom, you know you have hit a home run.

One thing I will say about this issue is that it was very dense from a story point of view. As such, I don't know if there was room for the usual amount of Easter Eggs. I only noted a couple although one was the best of the series.


The issue picks up right where the last one ended with the city in shambles and a face-off between the Luthors, the Superman Family, and Mxyzptlk.

Belinda Zee activated the quasi-space communicator in last issue's cliffhanger and we learn that she has been turned into a crystal statue. Despite all of the wickedness she has done to Kara, Supergirl still mourns her perceived death. Well it turns out that Belinda is in some form of stasis and is able to communicate with Kara telepathically. The sudden intrusion of Belinda's thoughts sort of sickens Kara, a quick switch in her emotions now knowing that Belinda has not died.

Lena attempts to attack Supergirl but before she can Mr. Mxyzptlk captures them both and begins to gloat over his grand plan. I love it when super-villains monologue.

Trapped in the 5th dimension, he spied Kara on Argo City and realized her emotional state was perfect for some magical fun. It was Mxyzptlk who nudged Kara into hiding in the rocket, made the rocket land in Metropolis, and had it crash into Luthor's robot.

One thing I did like in these scenes was the use of actual panels from earlier in the comic to show the points where Mxy did his pranks.

But his plans were much more nefarious than just messing around with Supergirl's life. His hope was to absorb emotional energy from her to power a machine he had made. His hope was that Kara's emotional lability would super-charge his device.

Unfortunately, Kara in this comic is an eternal optimist. So despite manipulating the world to conspire against her, Supergirl always saw the bright side. No family ... alien world ... evil doppelganger ... murderous best friend ... nothing changed Kara's outlook on life. And that is one of the things that I love about this comic. I don't think this Supergirl was a 'pie in the sky' dreamer ... she just persevered and saw the goodness in everything and everyone. That *IS* Supergirl!

When Supergirl's emotions weren't aiding his plans anymore, Mxy (as Prinicpal Pyckelmeyer) began manipulating Belinda. He brought her to the peaks and valleys of pre-teen angst: popularity, loneliness, happy, sad, and mad. And she proved to be a great power source for him.

And powered by Belinda's mood swings, his device is now operational, slowly eroding the 3rd dimension and giving Mxyzptlk ultimate power over the entire multiverse. Although not shown here, the collapse of the 3rd dimension is shown as the universe degrading to 2 dimensional crayon drawings. I thought that was a clever touch.

But there is another hero here that Mxyzptlk forgot about. Supragirl and her time-altering powers is still around and is able to thwart the 2D decay because she is infused with 4D (time) energy. She frees both Supergirl and Lena but is forced to shunt back in time. This is where she returns to issue #2's timeline (wearing the crown and scabbard .. remember) only to dissipate.

We also know that Supergirl is still destined to meet Supragirl at some point in the 31st century. Hopefully we get to see that meeting.

With the universe in peril, Supergirl asks Lena to help modify her biological wavelength to chase Mxyzptlk down and stop him.

I love this moment above. A handful of pages ago, Lena was aiming an arm cannon at Supergirl. Here, maybe swayed by Supergirl's complete selflessness ... her willingness to head into unknown danger to save others ... Lena helps Linda and tells her to be careful. Maybe there is more than hatred in Lena after all.

Ahhhh ... and now my absolute favorite Easter Egg of the entire series. Bloated with his new found energy, Mxyzptlk giggles as he sees the multiverse in its entirety. It is his to play with ... that us until he sees a hand 'emerging from all reality'.

This scene has been played out in countless DC Comics. This is the beginning of the DC universe.

It was the Oan Krona who defied Oan law and first gazed at this sight (repeated here in Crisis on Infinite Earths #7). The true owner of that hand has never been revealed in comic history.

That is until now !!!

Yup ... that hand belongs to Supergirl! I don't know if I can tell you how awesome I think that is. I was absolutely giddy reading the comic when I first saw the hand emerging because I knew what was coming. Absolutely perfect!

I wonder if the original art is for sale!

And Supergirl isn't exactly happy with Mxyzptlk. Despite his claims to holding the keys that unlock the 52 layers of hyper-reality (another Easter Egg), Kara makes short work of him. First she has the 'Moon Gang' from her daydreams throttle him. Then she ties him to a giant stick of dynamite which explodes. Just as she is about to vaporize him, Mxy realizes that discretion might be the better part of valor and quietly retreats to the 5th dimension by saying his name backwards.

Well, I have to say it was fun to see Supergirl finally cut loose on someone after all she has been through. This wasn't the awkward shy Supergirl from the first issue. It is clear that she has grown.

The 5th dimension isn't exactly a safe haven for Mxyzptlk though. He drained his comrades of their power in his mad bid for universal domination and they aren't happy. They punish him by banishing him into a 2-dimensional prison.

Look in the background and you'll see an Easter Egg: a couple of other well known DC magical 5th dimension imps: Bat-Mite and Qwsp.

When her 10th dimensional powers wear off, Supergirl returns to Earth only to find a seriously injured Lena telling everyone to beware the red skies, a nice reference to the Crisis-y feel of this issue.

I also like the classic Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 pieta pose here with Supergirl holding Lena.

Lex is able to rig a machine to drain off the destructive energies in Lena's body. When Lena awakens she tells Supergirl that she is her best friend. In fact, like many adolescents, she couldn't explain why she was so angry on the inside.

Well it turns out she was conflicted between her loyalty for family and friends. And when Lex saw that her loyalty to Linda was stronger, that Lena was rejecting hatred, he had to let her go. In essence, Supergirl robbed Lex of his last loving family member.

The ending is a nice capstone to the series.

First off, Superman, in talking with Kara, says that if Mxyzptlk returns that 'we can handle him'. 'We can ...'. Basically he is welcoming Supergirl into super-heroics. She isn't going to be tucked away at a boarding school any more.

Superman also gives Supergirl a key which will open up quasi-space and allow her to return to Argo. But rather than jump at the chance (something I think she would have done early in the series), she says she'll return later and zooms off to protect the planet. Nice!

I had to include the credits to make sure I thanked everyone on the creative team.

There are so many things I liked about this series but the thing I liked the most was the maturation of Supergirl over the course of the series. Reading her in this issue as opposed to the first issue, you can see how different Supergirl acts ... confident, strong, heroic. And I loved to hear Mxyzptlk discuss her optimism. Regardless of Easter Eggs, humor, and my love of Belinda Zee, this comic was about the characters and personalities. It is the strength of that characterization that made this such a great book.

As for primo Supergirl at home, she also thought it was great. She laughed out loud at the 'moon gang' bit. She giggled when Kara asked herself what she would do with a super-horse.

Overall grade (issue): A
Overall grade (primo Supergirl, issue): A
Overall series (primo Supergirl and me): A

I can only hope that a sequel happens. Come on DC !! Do the right thing!

Supergirl Cosmic Adventures In The Eighth Grade # 5 Easter Egg Hunt

Well, I figured what better day to review Cosmic Adventure Easter Eggs than on Easter Sunday?

For those who celebrate, Happy Easter.

As usual, Landry Walker and Eric Jones put in lots of homages to past Supergirl adventures in this Cosmic Adventures issue. I found a bunch but if I missed any (and I usually do) please let me know!

The issue starts with Kara talking to her mother and she mentions a number of adventures including one with a 'kid who thought he was a magician', one with 'a kid who could see in the dark' who was an alien prince, and one about a werewolf.


The 'kid who thought he was a magician' reminded me of 'The Secret of the Super-Orphan' from Action Comics #253 . In this story, Supergirl's second appearance, Kara helps a poor farming family make some money so they can afford to adopt a child. Then she uses her powers (she breaks chains and floats) to help a young boy named Tim perform 'magic' which impresses the family so much they adopt him.

The boy who could see in the dark and was an alien prince must be Prince Valzorr from 'Supergirl's Darkest Day' in Action Comics #263. In that story, Vlazorr has amnesia and becomes an orphan at Midvale until he regains his memories. Supergirl helps him overcome an evil Prime Minister on his home planet and rescue his parents.



As for the werewolf ... well I'm not sure. But I wondered if it was 'The Wolf-Girl of Stanhope' from Adventure Comics #387 in which Kara is accidentally turned into a wolf-girl, while a wolf-girl Supergirl from a lupine alternate universe is turned into a human.

In the issue, the Supra-girl, travelling through time, tells Kara how she hoped to be named Andromeda when she was working with the Legion. She even says how she got the nifty belt she has when she was in the future.

Of course, Andromeda was the Legion codename of Laurel Gand, a post-Crisis on Infinite Earths to creat a character that fit the gaps left by the loss of both Supergirl and Mon-El from continuity.

I actually sort of liked the Laurel Gand character.

I liked how Walker and Jones had Supra-girl sport a legion belt with big pouches like Andromeda wore. The above panel is from Legionnaires #6 whose cover shows the belt off nicely.

While it isn't a hidden Easter Egg, it was nice to see Comet again. I liked how his bridle was even similar to the one Comet wore in the Silver Age. Here is a panel from Action Comics #293, one of Comet's first adventure when he first met Supergirl. While he has the cape, he has not yet added the S-shield to the bridle.

And look who shows up again at Stanhope! Wally the God-boy!

Wally the God-boy was a key player in the first fifty issues of Peter David's Supergirl, acting as ... well ... God. He helped Linda discover who she was and occasionally gave her some rough life lessons as we see in this scene from Supergirl #25. I don't think Wally could be mind controlled.




Now at the end of the issue, Supra-girl is able to rescue Superman with ease since she states she is immune to Kryptonite.




While the Silver Age Supergirl was always trying to find a cure for Kryptonite, she actually gains K-immunity in Action Comics #282. In that issue, Supergirl is initially stripped of her powers by Lesla Lar.

In one of those wild Silver Age quirks, Mr. Mxyzptlk gives Linda back all of her powers as well as granting her immunity to Kryptonite. He is unaware that Linda is actually Supergirl. He thinks she is simply a girl wearing a Supergirl outfit.

That immunity to Kryptonite and magic-granted powers storyline was pretty short lived. Almost immediately, Supergirl reverted to her basic powers/weaknesses including Kryptonite.

As usual, there was a lot of great stuff in this issue for both older and newer Supergirl fans. As I have said before, I will miss this title when it finishes.

Review: Supergirl Cosmic Adventures In The Eighth Grade #5

Supergirl Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade #5, the penultimate issue of the mini-series, was released and as usual I thought it was great.

Unlike the prior issues and their 'one and done' stories, this one is the first of a two part finale. As such, it does just what it is supposed to do, stir up all the lingering plot elements into a boiling mess. If this is the set-up, the final issue is going to be a doozy!

In fact, this issue was so dense with story elements moving at a lightning pace that this is going to be a long and 'scan heavy' review. How dense was the story? The caption box 'Meanwhile' is used 9 times in the book to flash back and forth to different scenes.

As a result, I am going to do my typical "Cosmic Adventures Easter Egg Hunt" as a seperate post, probably over the weekend. That will give me time to scour the collection for the right panels to show.

The issue starts out just prior to graduation day. Linda and Kara are lounging in their room chatting about the end of the school year. It is interesting to see how far their friendship has come and how they have grown.

This is a very different Linda than we saw earlier in the book. She is more confident, happier, and even able to poke fun and Lena's down-trodden personality. Gone are the slumped shoulders and near tears. Linda has grown up a lot.

This peaceful interlude in the dorm room is abruptly ended by the 'past and future Supergirl' we saw in Cosmic #3. This was the Linda who went into the future and then into the past to stop the meteor shower from striking Stanhope. She grabs Linda and flies off.

Now things are always tricky in time travel stories, so it is important to remember who this gloved Supergirl is. She is emotionally the Linda from several months back ... not this more mature Linda we see now. This comes into play a little bit later.

Unfortunately, her sudden arrival triggers Lena to remember that Linda and Supergirl are the same. Faced with those suppressed memories, the paranoid (and kind of evil) Lena fires off an email to her brother Lex saying that she is going to a 'code red'.

We cut to Belinda Zee who is pouring out her heart to Principal Pickelmeyer. While Lena has slowly become a very unsympathetic character, here we see Belinda in a somewhat sympathetic light.

She complains about how despite all the trappings of happiness (pretty, popular, awesomeness) that she is, in fact, miserable. The only times she feels happy is when she is doing mean things to others. This should have been the time for Pickelmeyer to talk to Belinda about transference of self-loathing and maybe help Belinda become someone better.

But Pickelmeyer is not that kind of man. Instead, he tells Belinda to embrace her feelings of anger, spite, and jealousy. And to help her actualize them, he gives her a chunk of what appears to be blue Kryptonite with the classic Bizarro #1 carved in it. Belinda has always been 'Bizarro-esque'. Now she seems to be embracing that role.

For some reason, I really like the Belinda character. If I ever meet Landry Walker and Eric Jones, I am going to beg for a sketch of Belinda.

While Belinda revels in her powers, the two Kara's start to compare notes. For ease in review, the time travelling Supergirl will be called 'gloved Kara'. The current timeline Supergirl will be called 'real Kara'. Hope you all can keep up!

Turns out the 'gloved Kara' has met 'real Kara' sometime in the future. When meeting there (a meeting that hs happened in the past for 'gloved Kara' but has not happened yet for 'real Kara'), 'real Kara' warned her that she needed to go back in time to help stop some universal calamity. 'Gloved Kara' even was loaned Comet the Super-horse by the future 'real Kara' to help.

I know, sort of confusing at first but as a fan of 'Back to the Future', 'Terminator', 'Planet of the Apes', and 'The City on the Edge of Forever', I am well versed in time travel story paradoxes. I actually understood what was happening. Guess that makes me something of a geek.

And a Comet the Super-horse sighting! Spectacular!

Before we actually hear what the warning is though, an explosion rocks the campus.

'Real Kara' springs immediately into action, something I don't know if she would have done so emphatically earlier in this series. Unfortunately, her powers are suddenly on the fritz because two Karas currently exist in this one timeline. This was explained to 'gloved Kara' by Brainy! Too awesome.

To help 'real Kara' with her flight problems, 'gloved Kara' gives her a spare Legion flight ring.

We next see that Streaky, now possessing powers of foresight, has also seen the dangers on Earth and is flying back to help as well.

The explosion is Belinda who now has 'Bizarro vision' and is turning the student body into mindless Bizarro slaves.

I love this next interaction.

Belinda, who you can see is actually jealous of Linda's life, rants to 'gloved Kara' about how Linda is an 'arrogant little angel prancing through the sky on a stupid magical fantasy horse!' Then we see 'real Kara' careening through the sky on Comet, hardly prancing!

I thought that exchange was hilarious especially when Belinda comments wryly that she didn't mean the insult literally.

Faced with the two Supergirls, Belinda dons a new costume and declares herself Superior Girl. She then orders her minion to 'do minion-type things!' That was another laugh out loud moment.

We had first read about Superior Girl in an interview with Walker back in December so it was good to finally see her in action, especially in the drab-colored 'Bizarro' costume.

Determined to 'Bizarro-fy' Supergirl, Belinda turns her eye beams on 'real Kara' only to have them intercepted by Streaky. Hmmmm, it seems that her 'superior vision' turns super-cats into super-sabre-toothed tigers.

Later on, Streaky is zapped again, this time with the desired result of turning him into a non-powered mewing kitten.

Of course, Lena isn't taking any of this lying down. She starts 'Stage one' of her revenge scheme, technologically enslaving the non-Bizarro students and dressing them in 'Luthor armor'.

Lena is just insane. Just as Linda isn't the shy clumsy girl from issue #1, Lena is not the bright cheery nerd we met in issue#2.

Finally 'gloved Kara' is able to tell 'real Kara' the warning. They must keep Belinda Zee from getting the communicator Kara has been using to talk to Alura. The communicator is 'the key to everything.'

Alas, the two Supergirl's are unable to keep the communicator from Belinda's grasp.

In the meantime, Lena has both freed Lex Luthor from jail and captured Superman. Both Luthors and a K-chained Superman arrive at the campus so the Luthors can have their ultimate revenge.

One thing I like about this scene is the way the two Supergirls react differently to the threat.

'Gloved Kara' is really the equivalent of the Supergirl from issue #3, a Linda from several months ago. She does not have a very long-standing relationship with Lena and is still trying hard to prove herself to Superman. As a result, she flies to Superman's aid.

'Real Kara', on the other hand, has been friends with Lena for the better part of a year and probably thinks Superman can handle himself. Her first reaction is to try to talk to her friend and save that relationship as well as stop the chaos Lena is causing. If I am reading that right (and I may be over-reading it), it is another small acknowledgement of how much Kara has grown over the title.

With the two Kara's flying off to the rescue, Belinda is left alone with the communicator. She turns it on and sees Alura.

Once again we see how there is some emotional vulnerability under Belinda's Superior shell. Hearing Alura's voice, she cries a little for her mother. When Alura tells Belinda that she is not her daughter, it seems to erase the last bit of restraint and sanity that Belinda has.

Everything comes to a roiling cliffhanger.

'Gloved Kara', immune to Kryptonite (more on that in the Easter egg post), struggles to free Superman from Lex's clutches. Superman seems to say that he never gave Kara the quasi-metal communicator (which we assumed he left in issue #1).

Belinda screams into the communicator only to be sucked into it.

And 'real Kara' tries to talk some sense into the unhinged Lena.

Meanwhile, the real bad guys who have been chuckling from the sidelines throughout the issue are finally revealed.

Turns out I was right when I guessed that Principal Pickelmeyer was Mr. Mxyzptlk! And now he has Belinda captured in a force globe of some sort.

The only thing left to say is 'To be continued ...' or is that 'To be concluded?'

Well, as I said before this was the most dense issue both from a plot viewpoint and an emotional viewpoint.

For one thing, we see how the events from earlier issues ... the creation of the time travelling Supergirl, Streaky, Lena's mind control devices and suppressed memories, Belinda trying to help out last issue, Pickelmeyer's subdued malevolence ... all these threads suddenly come together to form this issue's plot.

By having all those plotlines come to near fruition at the same time gave this issue a blistering pace. It was like watching a game of speed chess ... you are trying to keep up with all the manuveurs as they are happening so you have a grasp of the big scheme of things.

Now there is no doubt that seeing Lex and Lena Luthor, Superman, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Belinda Zee, Streaky, Comet, and two Supergirls all in one big scene was just phenomenal. And since the foundation of all these seperate stories was laid out, this climactic faceoff on campus between all of them did not seem forced in any way.

But for me the best thing about this issue was the emotional subtext that we see in all the characters. This is a book that is supposed to show just how bizarre and unforgiving and turbulent middle school is whether or not you have super powers. We see that in all the characters.

So first we see Belinda, the most popular student who oozes superiority and confidence, actually show herself to feel inferior, maybe unloved. We hear that all of her negativity is really spiteful feelings when she sees the happiness in others ... a happiness that, despite appearances, she doesn't have. I felt for her a little when she teared up at hearing Alura's voice. She never has felt the nurturing love of a mother.

Then we see that Lena, who is the shunned kid in the school and should have no feelings of superiority, actually thinks she is better than everyone. She sees betrayal in everyone and everything despite the fact that Linda has been her friend since they met. On the outside she always seems in control, but in reality she is pretty much a jumbled mess.

Lastly, we see Supergirl. It has been a whole school year since she was laughed out of every class. This was the first issue where we didn't see any day dreams of a better life. Instead we see her laughing with her friend about graduation and springing into action. Even her interaction with the 'gloved Kara' shows how much she has matured since issue #3 where that version of her split off.

So when you have an old-fashioned super-powered standoff, great characterization, Supergirl Easter eggs, and the promise of a Supergirl-centric 'threat to the multiverse' come together, you have another phenomenal issue.

As always, I read the issue with Primo Supergirl (age 10) at home. I had to walk her through the time travel stuff a bit and remind her about things that happened in the comic before, but she also thought it was great.

Two things she said to me were telling. One, when I reached the last page she said 'wait, that's it' in a shocked way. She wanted more story right then. Second, when I told her that next issue was the last issue she said 'why? That really stinks!'. Hopefully DC will recognize the statements from this demographic and order up a sequel. It's hard to believe that there is only one more issue.

Overall grade: A
Overall grade (Primo Supergirl): A-