Review: Adventure Comics #291 (redux)

In the DC Comics December 2025 solicits, the plot of Supergirl #8 is shown to be our hero going up against her abandoned Linda Danvers robot duplicate. It is a story I can't wait to read. But it made me wonder when was the last time a Linda Lee robot had been seen in continuity. 

Now I freely admit that I didn't do a deep dive scrub of every comic but Adventure Comics #391 was the last story I found a Linda robot in. And boy what a story it is. The robot bit is the smallest part of a 12 page story that has planetary student exchange programs, a deeper dive into another world's culture than I would have expected, a deeper dive into alien anatomy than I would have expected, and more twists and turns that even the most wacky Silver Age story. It even has a college protest in it so it remains relevant today! So settle in! More plot and info is dumped in this back-up story than in many current comic 6 issue arcs.

But it is also one of those overly elaborate plots that makes little sense if you think about it too hard.

This issue also was a bit of a throwback for me to read again. Hard to believe but 10 years ago, I reviewed the cover story 'Linda Danvers, Super-Star' . That review was spurred on by Melissa Benoist talking about wire-work on the Supergirl show. That feels like a lifetime ago!

Anyways, this was a bonkers fun story to review and I promise that the destiny of one Linda Lee robot is definitively met in this story. If anyone knows of a later appearance of a robot double, please let me know and I will cover it here with full recognition.

On to the book!

Back Issue Box: Superman Family #210

Last week I reviewed Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1, another in a litany of DC books where Supergirl is angry, borderline murderous, and the pawn of a villain. 

I'm sick of it.

Whenever I need a little palate cleanser, I head to the long boxes and look for some joy. I also have been nursing some sport fan ennui. My college hoops team is struggling. The Patriots didn't make the playoffs. 

So why not find a Supergirl sports story.

And so I give you a 40 year old comic, Superman Family #210,  with a wild Supergirl story with some dated references, some crazy sports action, an odd villain who seems like he would be at home in the present, and a rapid denouement. Plus, if you need a primer on Bronze Age, check out the other stories. Clark typing the future? Lois gets a puppy? Jimmy has doubles?

Buckle up! Here we go!

Back Issue Box: Adventure Comics #394

Every so often I need a little bit of a breather from reviewing critically modern comics. Every so often I need to slip back into the silliness of the Silver Age.

I wanted to cover a Supergirl this issue to keep the focus of the site intact. I was going to delve back into the world of the Earth Angel Supergirl. But as I was thumbing through the Supergirl collection I realized I hadn't covered an Adventure Comics story in quite some time. And boy, I could use a little bit of the insanity that was in these books.

I thought for sure I would review the cover story, 'Heartbreak Prison'. I mean, who can resist the girl prison cover by Curt Swan. 

But then I read the other story in this issue which is so insane that I needed to cover it.

If I was looking for a simple and fun diversion, this was it.

"The Mysterious Motr of Doov" was written by E. Nelson Bridwell with art by Win Mortimer. 

Readers surely picked up the gist of the story just based on this opening panel but there is an even bigger clue there if you look for it.

But Supergirl walking with a metal humanoid, an anthropomorphic beast, and an electric man? All while following the Crimson Trail? Yeah, this all looks familiar.

Review: Superman Family #202

Last week I reviewed Superman Family #201 picking up on Supergirl's romantic feelings towards Peter Barton. That issue ended with a cliffhanger! Supergirl's super-hypnosis granted Barton super-powers. But he could never love Supergirl as that would be an insult to his male ego. So he uses his powers to become Dynamic and try to force Supergirl to retire.

The whole idea is ludicrous. 

As always I am amazed at how much could be told back in the day. In a mere 12 pages, we get a complete resolution to these problems. 

But mostly this shows that Supergirl's romantic problems are evergreen. How could she ever love someone like Barton. Yeesh.

If there is one thing to laud this early run of Supergirl stories in Superman Family by Jack C. Harris is that he did his best to inject Supergirl mythos into the stories. Remember, he brought back Lesla Lar. In this issue, he gives one nod to her Action Comics early adventures. I appreciate flourishes like that.

On to the story.

Back Issue Box: Superman Family #201

Last week I reviewed Superman Family #197 in which Supergirl finds herself smitten with Peter Barton. 

So what became of Peter Barton? Just recall that Supergirl has never had much success with romance in the present. And in this story, you see that Barton isn't someone that Supergirl should be so enamored of. His views on women isn't exactly woke, even if this is a story from 1980. 

But she is, as seen on this beautiful cover by Ross Andru showing Supergirl gazing into the clouds and thinking of Barton while she also almost crashes into a plane. Lovesick Kara ... a classic trope for the character.

Let's jump right into the story!

"The Face on Cloud 9" was written by Jack C. Harris with art by Win Mortimer and Vince Colletta.

And the story matches the cover art! That doesn't always happen!

Sure enough, Supergirl is flying in the clouds and just thinking about Peter Barton. She can't shake him from her thoughts. But I love how Mortimer has her flight be a series of pirouettes. She is literally twirling in the clouds as she thinks of him. It shows how this is really more of a crush-like, almost adolescent infatuation more that a deep romance.

She is so caught up in her thoughts that she doesn't see the small airplane whose flight lane she has flown into. She has to actual rescue plane who has to swerve out of her way and nearly crashes. These invasive thoughts about Peter are almost dangerous.

Back Issue Review: Superman Family #216

 Recently in DC Comics, two Superboys met each other. Jon Kent traveled back from the 31st century to visit Conner Kent in the present.

It made me remember an odd 2 parter from Superman Family when Supergirl from the 500th century travels back in time to team up (sort of) with the Supergirl from the present. It is a crazy story but classic for the Bronze Age. Last week, I reviewed the first part in Superman #215 .

Today, I wrap up the story by reviewing Superman Family #216.

There is a lot that makes little sense in this story. The Supergirls switch times to thwart two villains. But there isn't a clear reason why they have to do that. (At least the villains do have a decent reason to switch time periods.) A lot of the plot points are revealed in a long exposition section in the middle of the story in which one character explains the plot. And the ending is almost two easy.

Still, you have to give writer Marty Pasko some credit for trying to do this story in the constraints of two issues. We barely get a glimpse at the Earth in the 500,000. And in each part, Pasko mentions a prior story where the future Supergirl teamed up with Superman to defeat the villain Toxus. I wonder if Pasko hoped to eventually go back and tell that story.

Otherwise, this story is relatively forgettable. And even the usual steady work by Win Mortimer is diminished by the sparse inks of Vinnie Colletta.

On to the story ... settle in.

Back Issue Bin: Superman Family #215

Right now in Action Comics, Brian Michael Bendis is giving us The House of Kent storyline. In that arc, Superboy (Jon Kent) travels back from the future and meets Superboy (Conner Kent) in the present. 

With that plot wrinkle in mind, I thought it would be a good time to review Superman Family #215 in which a Supergirl from the future comes back in time to meet our Supergirl in the present.

As I have said in the past, the late 70s and early 80s are an interesting time in Supergirl's life. It was clear that DC kind of didn't know what to do with her and each writer put on the strip would go in their own direction. In short order she went from college grad/TV news team member to acting student to guidance counselor to soap opera star. In a couple of years from this issue, Paul Kupperberg puts her back in school as a grad student studying Criminal Psychology. Whew!

While the Linda Danvers aspects of the character were a bit malleable, it was clear in these stories that Supergirl herself was well established as a capable hero. No longer do we have her as a kid learning her capabilities. She isn't training any more. And New York City has embraced her as their hero.

Given that, I like this story for showing how Supergirl has a legacy, even in the far far flung future. Sure there are some Bronze Age leaps you need to make to have this story work. But otherwise, this is fun.

On to the book!

Back Issue Box: Adventure Comics #386

After several days of misery, I thought the blog could use a little bit of levity. And as tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I thought I would review Adventure Comics #286.

"The Beast That Loved Supergirl" was written by Cary Bates and drawn by Win Mortimer and is a brief if silly story showcasing just how endearing Supergirl is. Even a monster would instantly fall in love with her.

I can't help but smile at this story. Bates is able to give us a complete story in an action-packed 12 pages. We get a couple of small moments which put a spotlight on Kara's personality. There is a whiff of Supergirl continuity here, something rare for the time. And the ending is a bit of a shock and totally worth it.

Win Mortimer did a lot of Supergirl's stories in Superman Family. Here he seems to be a bit more vibrant and dynamic. His Supergirl is young and beautiful. And the action is rendered nicely.

On to the book and Happy Valentine's Day!

Back Issue Review: Superman Family #213

With a new Blackrock introduced in the pages of Superman:Lois and Clark, I have decided to take a look back at Supergirl's battle with the classic interpretation of the villain. Earlier this month, I covered part one of their battle in the pages of Superman Family.

Today I will finish the story as presented in Superman Family #213.

This book was released in 1981. We are basically about a year away from Daring New Adventures of Supergirl hitting the stands. The Kara in these stories is pretty much an adult established hero so much of the 'beginning the hero's journey' aspect is gone. But it also means we start to see Supergirl acting more confident and intelligent. She is respected by the villain, a rogue from Superman's gallery. She visits Kal and is treated like an equal. And she outsmarts the villain.

While I think Supergirl works best as a young hero learning the ropes, it is interesting to see her in these stories, a valued member of the hero community.

Back Issue Box: Superman Family #212

Over in Superman:Lois and Clark, writer Dan Jurgens and artist Lee Weeks have been reintroducing some old time baddies to the (for now) current New 52 universe. We met the 'new' Hank Henshaw. We finally saw the re-imagined Hyathis. And now we have the latest incarnation of Blackrock.

This version of Blackrock is an ex-con trying to make some money by putting on a battle suit and demolishing things for reality television. Unfortunately, the bridge he is told to smash hasn't been closed to drivers, setting up a disaster where Superman needs to intervene. This guy doesn't seem malicious. If anything, I think this is him being set up by the television show to get footage of him fighting a super-hero.

With a new Blackrock now out there, I thought I would revisit the old Blackrock and the time he fought Supergirl.

In Superman Family #212, Supergirl is front and center on the cover fighting the 'video villain' Blackrock. Ross Andru and Dick Giordano provide the cover which is a decent action shot, even if it is Kara seemingly losing to the villain. The casino setting is interesting as is the down angle of the perspective.

More amusing is the 'jogging your way into this issue' side bar of the characters ...well ... jogging. This was a time in the US where jogging was the latest fitness fad. Clark looks incredibly uncoordinated, perhaps on purpose.

'Payment on Demand' headlined the issue. Written by Marty Pasko with art by regular SMF team of Win Mortimer and Vince Colletta, the story starts out with a bang. Or is that a 'brakassh'.

Supergirl is peacefully flying around New York City when she sees a security guard tossed through the plate glass window of the WGBS building. Nothing like a good defenestration to start a story.

Kara's internal monologue is amusing in that she is pretty surprised at the daily goings-on in the Big Apple. There is little peace for a super-hero.

Flying into the lobby, Supergirl finds the villain Blackrock attacking the security force with his power stone. Kara seems to know of Blackrock and so brings the fight to him but she struggles a bit. He uses the stone quite adeptly, transforming himself into 'cohesive black particles' of energy, surrounding Supergirl in a dense energy bubble, and shooting force beams.

Realizing this wasn't a fight he planned for, Blackrock turns himself into energy, endangers the nearby civilians, and escapes while Supergirl saves the day. But what was he after?

It turns out the guards can't even help identify him. He had entered the building in his civilian identity so they should know his face. But he used his force bolts to give them selective amnesia.

I told you. He is handy with his weapon.

At work at Secret Hearts soap opera, Linda Danvers notices that her friend, script writer Greg Gilbert, is distraught. And the script shows it. The actors and producers are irate about plot turns and dialogue busting words like 'statistically', 'dilapidated', and 'particularly'. In an effort to help her friend, Linda says the two should go out as friends ('dutch treat') to talk things out.

Greg asks Linda to come back to his place first, hoping he can convince her to eat in. It is clear that he is broke. And going out, even dutch, is impossible.

Things get wonky when they arrive. A ruffian is waiting for Greg to take him to 'an appointment'.

Greg tries to fight the thug and, using her super-breath coyly, Linda helps his efforts. The goon runs off.

Linda then asks Greg what is going on. It turns out he has a major gambling problem. He is deep in the hole with a gangster, owing him thirty grand. He recently was trying to win his way out of the hole by doubling down at an all night poker game. Unfortunately, he only made things worse.

The reason the scripts have suffered is because while Greg was away, new writer Lena Thorul struggled a bit.

Linda promises she will try to help Greg out of his problems, both his debt and his problem. She promises to find him psychiatric help or group therapy. But first, the debt needs to be cleared.

Greg's problems don't supplant the presence of Blackrock. In a perfect showing of why the old comics work, Supergirl heads to the Fortress of Solitude to ask Superman for some information. After all, Blackrock is more of a Superman villain.

Kal gives us some nice exposition about Blackrock's origins. There have been several people brainwashed or blackmailed into wearing the costume. Blackrock was supposed to be network UBC's own super-hero to combat Superman's GBS ratings.

So who is *this* Blackrock? And what is he after.

Whatever it is he wants, it is in the GBS building. Blackrock decides that he needs an inside man to pull off the heist he wants. So in a different scene, we see Blackrock cut a deal with Greg Gilbert. If Gilbert steals something from GBS, Blackrock will eliminate the writer's debt. Gilbert initially agrees.

But then Gilbert realizes that Blackrock's solution will be to kill the mob boss. Not wanting to be complicit in murder, Gilbert tells his bosses and ultimately Supergirl of his problems. Supergirl takes off to the casino to stop the villain's murderous plans.

There is a nice skirmish where we see just how evenly matched these two are. Blackrock is untouchable. He can shoot immense force beams. He knows how to use collateral damage to distract Supergirl.

I liked this panel where we see Supergirl actually bounce off the force shield.

The battle heads outside where Blackrock blasts one of the city's famous arches. While Supergirl grabs the top of the arch so it doesn't crush pedestrians, Blackrock takes advantage, shooting Supergirl and knocking her unconscious.

Of course, this is a bronze age villain. So before he knocks out Kara, he tells her the whole plan. Gilbert will steal the blueprints for GBS' 3-D television technology.

And with that cliffhanger, part one ends.

This was a very fun story. We get both Supergirl moments and Linda Danvers' moments as well. So we get a nice feel for this Supergirl's whole life. Moreover, Blackrock is a good villain for her, someone who can actually stand up to her as a challenge.

So not a bad little chapter.

As a bonus, we get a Supergirl heavy Daily Planet as the back cover. First we have an add for Superman #365, one of the many stories where Supergirl fights Superman. I covered that issue way back when, here.

We also get an add for The Krypton Chronicles, a nice three issue miniseries which looks back at Krypton's history. That is a great mini-series for Superman and Supergirl fans.

So overall, a decent issue worth picking up if you find it in the cheap bins.

Overall grade: B

Back Issue Box: Superman Family #221

With the Master Jailer episode of the Supergirl television show behind us, I thought this would be the right time to review Superman Family #221, the ending of Kara's battle with the Jailer in the comics.(I have reviewed the prior chapters here and here for those interested.)

This story was somewhat silly, a villain with clearly incredible scientific genius using fantastically powerful devices, so that he can then crack a safe. The Jailer here makes little sense. It was a simpler time.

For me, the more interesting part of this story was the look at the life of Linda Danvers, emerging soap opera star. Linda's character on the soap was the villain so we get to see the public's reaction to her. We see the perks of being a TV star. And we even see Linda acting like a diva as a way to get away from the set. Even though we are just a couple of months away from Linda uprooting and heading to Chicago to be a grad student, this peek at her life was fascinating for me.

'A Trip on the Light Fantastic' was written by Paul Kupperberg with art by Win Mortimer and Sal Trapani. It was edited by Superman legend Julius Schwartz. I have been something of a Win Mortimer apologist on this blog. But it is pretty clear that Mortimer's work looks better with Vince Colletta inking him. Trapani's inks sort of muddy things up. There was a smoothness to the preceding chapters that is missing here.

The opening splash page is wild, with an action shot of Supergirl flying towards some device and being tossed around.

One thing that has always been a bit of an undercurrent of Supergirl is her feelings of inadequacy. Will she ever be a true hero, worthy of the S-shield, respected. We see that even here in a very established Supergirl.

Last issue, Supergirl thought she had captured the Master Jailer only to have it turn out to be a robot which explodes above the city. That interaction was not only caught on film but broadcast on the news. Supergirl finds is downright embarrassing.

She isn't happy. I love her body language in that last panel.

The producer of the soap opera shows up at Linda's apartment with a fun offer. Linda has become so famous that the executives of the soap want to take her out on a shopping spree. She will get a new wardrobe. Linda deserves a fun day and she gets one.

I like this panel if only because it shows what was considered fashionable in 1982. Are those culottes?

She has come a long way from Midvale!

But the day ends on an odd note. As she is walking back to the car, she is met by a fan of 'Secret Hearts'. Since Linda plays the cold-hearted siren on the show, she is actually loathed by the fans. They love to hate her.

So this 'fan' actually calls Linda a hussy and smacks the packages out of her hands. Amazing! I don't know if Linda is too happy about being hated. That sounds very un-Supergirl-like.

Sitting at home after her fun day shopping, Linda decides to head out and try to find the Jailer.

She stumbles onto him trying to crack a safe. This is a guy who has built a tremendous arsenal of futuristic weapons. He built a device to make a Kryptonian intangible. And he is actually trying to crack a safe?? I don't think I'll every understand the motivations of Bronze Age villains. He actually says he needs the money to fund his jail-inspired gimmicks.

I include this panel just because I simply love Supergirl's dialogue. "I knew if I ate all my vegetables and led a clean life, things would work out for me!" Wonderful.

He is able to escape Supergirl by fleeing and damaging the rails of the subway, putting a full train in peril.

I like big rescue scenes, so seeing Supergirl figure out how to safely lift the train and save the day makes me happy.

Later, while she is filming, Linda hears that the Jailer has been sighted. To sneak away, Linda has a 'diva moment', stomping off the set saying she cannot stand the working conditions. Much like being called a hussy, this seems off for the character and that made it fun.

Sure enough, the Jailer is on a roof with some mad looking dish weapon. Supergirl flies straight at the Jailer and is struck by the beam. The Jailer hopes she 'packed a toothbrush' because the beam turns Supergirl into pure light and he beams her into deep space.

So in the span of three issues, the Jailer has made Supergirl intangible and now light. And yet, a couple of panels ago he was on his knees trying to open up a safe. Insanity.

I learned a lot from comics growing up. Whether it was vocabulary or 'Flash facts' or simple facts, comics back then tried to infuse some education into scripts now and then.

So it may have been here that I first learned that Einstein learned light was composed of photons and can be effected by gravity. Supergirl slowly gains control of her 'light body' and begins to turn herself a bit.

Kupperberg must have realized he wrote himself into a bit of a hole. Supergirl was hoping to head through a space warp to just be near Earth again. Instead, the warp somehow ... somehow ... makes her whole again. "I guess there's a lot about space warps (we) still don't understand!"

Whole once again, she heads to Earth to battle the Jailer.

Battle might be a strong word.

In seconds, she disarms him. I absolutely love that first panel with multiple Supergirl's removing weapons off his costume. And then, with a simple right cross, she dispatches him.  I wonder why she didn't do that at any other point of this story. But I suppose he had some pretty powerful devices to up his game.

I think this is the worst of the three parts, mostly because of Trapani. It says something when the shopping spree and the soap opera scenes were my favorite parts.

As I said, this is of low importance for a Supergirl collection although it probably best captures her life as a soap opera star.

So which story was better? This Master Jailer one or the television episode?

Overall grade: C+

Back Issue Review: Superman Family #220

The Supergirl show has been a veritable treasure trove of DCU ideas and characters, from Livewire to Fort Rozz to the Black Mercy. We recently learned that the Master Jailer would a recurring character on the show and that has prompted me to look at the time Supergirl fought the prison-themed villain.

Superman Family #220 was the middle chapter of a three part story where Supergirl fought the Jailer but this one had a nice bonus. We have the Atom as a guest star! And with Legends of Tomorrow on the television, this story also resonates with the television universe nicely.

Now this isn't a great story. But it has some fun moments. So here we go.

Back Issue Box: Superman Family #219: Supergirl And The Master Jailer

Last week, a flurry of Supergirl show news came out including Jeff Branson guest starring as The Master Jailer. The show Jailer was staff on Fort Rozz.

But I remember the pre-Crisis Master Jailer very well. Carl 'Moosey' Draper grew up in Smallville with Clark and Lana. A bit portly and picked on in his youth, Draper grew up, got in shape, and became a brilliant jailer, creating hi-tech cells individually designed to contain super-villains. Unfortunately, he also was obsessed with Lana Lang and had a deep-seeded hatred of Superman for presumed past affronts.

But the show isn't the first time that the Master Jailer has battled Supergirl. Back in 1982, the Maid of Might and the Master Jailer fought in an epic three-parter in Superman Family. As I try to link back issue reviews to current news, I thought now would be the right time to dust off these issues. I'll review each issue individually.

I will also add that the first appearance of the Master Jailer showed that he was driven and brilliant. He had built his cells to drain the villains of their powers and feeding those powers into his suit. In this story, he is a bit more of a gimmick-laden thief. Sure, his traps all are prison-related. But he lacks that unhinged drive I saw in him before.

"Prison Bars Do Not a Cell Make!" was written by legendary Supergirl scribe Paul Kupperberg with art by the then standard Supergirl art team Win Mortimer and Vince Colletta.

The story opens up on the set of Secret Hearts. This was the time in Supergirl's life when Linda played the villainous Margo Hatton. But something isn't right on the set this day. While Linda is visible in real life, she is missing on all of the tape the crew shot that day.

Immediately, Linda thinks that this must be some odd attack on her as Supergirl. Luckily she is able to convince everyone she is missing because of a technical glitch. The scenes were reshot and this time she can be seen.

Using her supersenses, Linda discovered a weird energy bathing her on the set. With her work day done, she changes into Supergirl and follows the residue.

It seems to me that Mortimer must have had a 'Linda disrobing' clause in his work contract. There is almost always a panel like that first one in his stories.

Halfway to the origin of the energy, Supergirl happens across a building which is collapsing. Like a hero, she puts her personal mission on hold to help save the people still stuck within. Unfortunately, she suddenly becomes intangible.

Thankfully, her other powers still seem to work. So she is able to use her super-breath to gently blow the trapped kids to the ground. Now that is some elegant use of that power.

I don't know how to tie her invisibility on video tape to intangibility. But I guess I'll roll with it.

After saving the kids, Supergirl becomes solid again, adding to the mystery. The energy trail dissipates but seems to point to an innocent city apartment which seems empty.

Heading back to her apartment, Linda meets with her agents and the show writers. They decide to crank up the nastiness making Margo even more loathsome. They think that pretty soon people will want a Margo doll that stabs you in the back.

But Linda's intangible state once again comes on, this time making her ghostly and invisible. She pushes her co-workers out the door before they wonder why she has disappeared! (Kupperberg can help himself and puts in a 'I can see right through you' pun.)

With things taking a turn for the worse and intangible, Supergirl decides to investigate the apartment. There she finds the device which was bathing her in the energy as well as a note goading her into action. Destroying the device with her heat vision, she is suddenly solid again. And she isn't too happy.

Remember, this is a more fully actualized Supergirl, about to embark to Chicago. She isn't going to back down or worry. She is going to face this threat head on.

Well ... sort of head on.

She shows up at the bank as Linda Danvers. When the Master Jailer reveals himself, Linda sends in one of her Supergirl robots to do the fighting. This was a time when the idea of duplicate robots was essentially phased out of the super-titles. This was explained that air pollution interfered with their delicate mechanisms. (As a kid, this was the first way that I learned about the threat of air pollution! It was a simpler time.)

The Jailer is surprised to see a solid Supergirl there. (Should he be surprised? He left a note meaning he thought she would find his machine. Maybe he didn't think her heat vision would work.) So he uses a wrist model of the device to try to turn Supergirl intangible again. The device has been calibrated to her unique body signature.

In a neat turn, the device must have a range of effect because Linda, in the bank, suddenly becomes a ghost.

As I said above, the Jailer here is more of a gimmicky villain, including having a prison key gun. But the robot keeps doing what it is supposed to do, saving people and acting like Kara.

Unfortunately, the pollution of the time interferes with the robots mechanics and it begins to shut down.

The Jailer takes advantage and ends up blowing up the robot.

A piece of the robot hits the controls for the 'phantom device', the tech the Jailer had used to turn Kara intangible. Kupperberg does a good job throwing in a line that this device was made with some dumb luck. Draper will never be able to recreate it (thus eliminating it as a potential plot in a future issue). Scared that the real Supergirl might be nearby and solid, Master Jailer takes off.

Unfortunately, the device being destroyed also means that Supergirl is trapped as an invisible, intangible ghost. How will she get out of this predicament? Well, she'll need some help from a guest star, one that I'm sure won't shrink from the responsibility of helping Supergirl.

Overall this is something of a messy story with crazy plots and wacky devices. But for me, the biggest disappointment was devolving the Jailer from a bitter super-genius to a bank robber with a theme.

Given this is part one of a three parter, I will review the next two issues as we approach the Jailer's approach on the show.

Overall grade: C

Review: Superman Family #206 - Lesla Lar!

I recently guest starred on the Waiting For Doom  Podcast where Paul and Mike and I reviewed the times Supergirl crossed paths with the whole Patrol. Two of the issues we reviewed were Superman Family #191, #192 and #193. Within that story there is a disembodied foe, manipulating events to destroy Supergirl.

On that podcast, I reveal that the spirit villain is none other than Lesla Lar, an old time villain in the early Supergirl issues of Action Comics, #279, 280, and 281. Given that Lar works her way through much of Supergirl's Superman Family stories, I thought I owed it to folks to review her eventual defeat.

I actually love that Lesla Lar was a part of this long play arc. Supergirl, at that point (and some might say even now), had very few true rogues. Lesla appeared in a three parter back in 1961. That could be considered a 'major arc' back then. So bringing her back was a very nice homage to Supergirl fans. I also find it interesting that Lar was such a big part of these Superman Family books, spanning several different writers! I wonder if there was some editorial control about this.

All that said, despite being a major part of Supergirl's Superman Family stories, the finale to her story isn't great. So let's review it.

'Strangers at the Heart's Core!' was written by Jack C. Harris and drawn by Win Mortimer and Vince Colletta. Harris wrote a bulk of Supergirl's stories in Superman Family and had first reappeared way back in Superman Family #186, 20 issues earlier! Now all of these reappearances are either in flashbacks or as a disembodied energy blob. But still ... she was a villain working her powers against Kara for nearly 20 issues!

We start out with Supergirl having a nightmare, where her two sets of parents are trying to claim her. This is unsettling to Kara, causing her to toss and turn in the night until she is awakened by a phone call. It turns out that Edna Danvers, her stepmother, is calling to let her know she will be appearing with a surprise for Linda the following day.

Now certainly, when Kara first learned that her parents survived Argo City in the Survivor Zone, she had some emotional issues of loving two sets of parents. But she had come to grips with that in the past. So this is revisiting some more juvenile issues within Supergirl's life.

As for the art, I think Win Mortimer drew a fine Supergirl. Here he gives us some fan service, having her appear rather buxom in lingerie for the first few pages.

Heading to work, Supergirl is distracted by Superman flying around the New Athens Experimental School campus. Supergirl discovers that the 'Superman' is an actor who will play Superman in an upcoming movie on wires. This irks Supergirl, wondering why fake heroes get more adoration than real heroes.

This seems a bit catty for an established super-hero.

I also have to say, these felt like wasted pages given how insanely fast the rest of this issues rolls out.

The surprise of Mrs. Danvers is a drop-in visit to see Linda and have lunch.

But then something strange happens. Slowly, Fred and Edna Danvers morph into Zor-El and Alura. From their looks to their clothes to even there fingerprints, Supergirl's adoptive parents become her birth parents.

It is insane. And suddenly, perhaps weakened by this craziness, Supergirl finds herself attacked on the astral plane.

It is Lesla Lar! We see in a nice flashback panel all the plots that Lesla was involved in during Supergirl's recent adventures, all the times she was manipulating events to weaken Supergirl.

Now I suppose a brief history of Lesla Lar is warranted. Lesla lived on Kandor and looked exactly like Kara. She was also a brilliant scientist. Looking on from Kandor, she became obsessed with hate for Supergirl. Why should Kara live normal sized as a hero while she was stuck in the bottle city. In those early adventures, Lesla traps Kara in Kandor and then replaces Kara as Supergirl on Earth. While posing as Supergirl, Lar releases the Phantom Zone villains. Those villains then vaporized her with some weapon.

But apparently she survived.

She survived, evolving into living energy and psionic power, and still loathing Supergirl.

But then things get even nuttier.

Lar has become more deluded, thinking herself to be Kara's twin sister who was abandoned by Alura and Zor-El. And therefore, to reclaim her life, she will fight within Supergirl's mind to control Kara's body. And then she will confront Zor-El and Alura about leaving her in Kandor. So she used the powers she now has to mutate the Danvers into the Els.

Now there is so much that is bizarre here. The idea that Lar thinks she is Supergirl's twin is crazy (although Kara does admit they are identical - a cosmic coincidence). But it also is wild that she has enough power to transmute the Danvers effortlessly ... some power. If she has that much power, you would think she would have a better way of exacting her revenge.

Lastly, I don't know why Mortimer has Lesla and Kara fighting with glowing psionic rocks.

The battle weakens Kara enough so much that Kara's astral presence is kicked out of her body and Lesla takes over.

It appears that Lesla Lar has won!

Lesla then confronts her 'parents' calling them Zor-El and Alura (remember they are actually Fred and Edna Danvers).

Of course, a daughter would never call her father by his first and last name, nor her mother by her first name. So the fake Zor-El and Alura make Lesla confront her own mistake. (But since this is really Fred and Edna, is this Lesla making them say this?)

Distraught that she might not be Supergirl's sister, Lar's hold on the body weakens.

And so, mentally anguished, Lesla's control on the bodies of "Zor-El and Alura" dissipates. Suddenly Fred and Edna are back. And with that Kara is able to cast out Lesla and regain control of her body.

That attack destroys Lesla's energy integrity. She dispersed in the astral plane, utterly defeated. So did Kara kill her?

I also don't get Linda's last statement, saying Lesla gave her some 'last moments' with Zor-El and Alura. They are alive! She's had plenty of moments with them!

And that panel where Linda has inhabited her body is odd. Why cover her face?

So what do I think of this issue? I love that Lesla Lar was the mastermind of all these issues. That was a great callback to Supergirl continuity. But her powers are immense and her plot seems foolish if she wields such command of reality itself. (Of course, she is insane ... maybe it makes sense to her.)

I also think the battle with Lar feels rushed. It is crammed into 6 pages! The first 5 are the set up of the bad dream and the Superman movie star. The Lar battle deserved some of that time!

Still, overall, a long winding plot done in an anthology book is pretty cool, especially when it leans on a character's past. I don't know if you need to have this in a Supergirl collection but it does show how some Silver Age elements worked their way into the Bronze Age.

Overall grade: B