Kandor is burning, the war between old and young has peaked. The Science Council has sent super-clones Team Thunder against murderous rebel Black Flame Zora Vi-Lar and her lackey cousin Lesla-Lar. Kara isn’t able to dive into the fray because she’s having trouble adjusting to the cybernetic attachments keeping her alive since she was literally gutted by Black Flame as Lesla stood by.
As she runs to find her enemy turned friend turned enemy, Kara can’t help but be hit by memories of her Kryptonian home, Argo City.
Black Flame, meanwhile, is massacring the hapless newborn members of Team Thunder.
The purple piledriver’s pummelling of tyro titan Thundergirl, physically and mentally, is interrupted by the arrival of Supergirl’s true friend Lena Luthor and kinda cousin Kon-El, Superboy.
Elsewhere, Kara has reached the Tower of Zonn, from where Black Flame dropped her after eviscerating her. Finding Lesla, she gives her a chance to explain her actions – of lack of same.
She seems contrite, and tells Kara so. Again and again. And again.
Thank you! I’m all for hope, help and compassion for all, but if she’s really sorry Lesla needs to get out of her selfish, self-pitying head and use that amazing brain to help people.
And to be honest, I don’t think Supergirl is making the right decision, here.
She gave Lesla every chance… and now she’s a cyborg. The only chance Lesla deserves now is a chance to stew in a cell, get some counselling and become a half-sane citizen of Kandor.
It’s a tribute to Kara that she can function at all, the state she’s in. Writer and artist Sophie Campbell has come up with a superb visual for the cybernetics, not the usual sleek suit awarded comic cyborgs, but a clunky, lumbering thing that drags Supergirl down as much as it helps her; her new body may even betray her.
If I’m not doing some Lesla-Lar overthinking, there’s’ a metaphor in there somewhere.
As far as middle issues in story arcs go – or as we used to call them, stories – this is pretty eventful. There’s a lot of fighting, but a lot of compelling emotional chat along the way. Campbell manages to get me empathising with Black Flame a wee bit, despite her being a sadistic zealot.
One thing I really like is that Lena Luthor shows up and doesn’t immediately invent an oojamaflip that saves the day, making Supergirl irrelevant. Instead, Kon-El gets to showcase the tactile telekinesis that was his whole deal before Kryptonian powers emerged, as well as his natural optimism.
The issue ends on a note of mystery I never saw coming, making it certain I’ll be back next time.
Oh, who am I trying to kid, I’m a Supergirl lifer, I’ve bought some appalling runs and this is decidedly not an appalling run. Campbell’s craft is on show with every page, both in her writing and her artwork. The narrative continues to surprise, the frenetic action sequences excite and the character work engages.
Colourist Tamra Bonvillain engages heavily with the fact Kandor has an artificial red sun, saturating the outdoor-set pages in sometimes sickly shades of red, pink and purple. The interior scenes are very green heavy – a deliberate contract based on colour theory that’s above my pay grade? I don’t know, but the very occasional pops of blue are desperately appreciated.
Becca Carey isn’t asked to provide any showy display lettering this time, but her work is terrific in a quiet way; it’s not understated, it’s just right.
Campbell’s cover is the most intense we’ve seen in the year this volume of Supergirl has been running. I like it a lot.
While the first chapter of this storyline really wasn’t for me, the ‘Hero of Kandor’ storyline has only been getting better. Hopefully I’m not alone in thinking this.
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 