Review: Supergirl Survive #3

Supergirl Survive #3 came out this week and was another interesting chapter in this Elseworlds where Kara Zor-El has survived the nuclear destruction of Krypton and is trying to safely raise her baby cousin Kal-El.

I can't help but feel that writers Ethan Park and Griffin Sheridan got the idea for this issue from the famous Swamp Thing #55 'My Blue Heaven' issue by Alan Moore and Rick Veitch. In that issue, as in this issue, the hero is lost in space, living on a blue world of their own design, trying to forget their emotional trauma, until someone lifts them out of their fugue. In Swamp Thing, it was a flower John Constantine. In this, it is Ms. Mxyzptlk.

But here, Kara is burying her own issues under the surface in hopes of giving Kal a better life. Mxy shows our hero that it isn't sustainable. Is Mxyzptlk a good catalyst for the story? Or the right one? We have to get Kara off this planet for her story to continue and there is no way she would leave on her own without a nudge. But this felt a little out of the blue ... pun intended.

Still, the story is showing how responsible Kara feels towards her legacy and her charge.

Rod Reis continues to impress me with his art on the book. Here he has to bring a sort of painterly approach to things given the sheer amount of blue in the book. 

On to the book.

Review: Supergirl Survive #2

Supergirl Survive #2 came out this last week, continuing the story of a young Kara caring for a young Kal after Krypton was 'destroyed' in a complete nuclear war. I do like the overall concept of Kara and Kal rocketed off together (as opposed to separately in the current continuity) and seeing this young Kara use her wits to remain alive.

Writers Ethan Parker and Griffin Sheridan grow this universe a bit in this issue. We see all the Lantern Corps, working together to police the universe. We see Lobo and (I assume) clones of him working as a criminal gang in a sort of Western environment. But most importantly, we see Kara taking her role as caretaker as her primary role and willing to get a little morally gray if she needs to in order to keep Kal safe. Overall, this was a solid second chapter.

The one thing I'll say is that we are still learning this universe. There is a nonlinear aspect to the story-telling here which didn't seem necessary not really adding much and instead confusing me. There is a story element from the past that we don't know that I hope will be revealed later. But not knowing it now also was a bit vexing.

Rod Reis' art continues to shine. It feels almost painterly. It continues to echo Phil Noto's work, always a good thing. And his take on the Lantern Corps is pretty cool as well, especially the Red Lantern. 

On to the book. 

Review: Supergirl Survive #1

The Summer of Supergirl started out with a bang this week with both Supergirl:The World and the Elseworlds Supergirl Survive #1 hitting the stands. With the movie around the corner, I am pretty thrilled to see DC pushing the character forward.

Supergirl has only headlined a couple of the old prestige Elseworlds in the past - Wings and Elseworld's Finest - so when Survive was announced, I was intrigued. I know really nothing of the writing partners Ethan Parker and Griffin Sheridan. I am familiar with Rod Reis.

One of the wrinkles added to the Supergirl origin when Jeph Loeb brought her back was the idea that she is older than Kal. That an errant path and suspended animation has her land long after Superman had grown up. Elseworlds are about mixing things up so why not have a story where Kara and Kal aren't separated and she truly has to raise him. That is a decent hook.

Parker and Sheridan definitely give this kick-off issue a political angle. Here, Krypton doesn't explode. It is destroyed in a world war brought on by a splintered culture, evident even in the relationship between Jor and Zor. 

But this is a Supergirl story. In this issue we get a sense of who this Kara is, a little shy, a little smart, completely loving. It will be interesting to see where this story leads here.

Rod Reis really has a soft touch here. He brings an almost Phil Noto feel to the art, a high compliment from me. I like his Kara a lot.

On to the book.