Review: Supergirl #2 (v8)

Supergirl #2 came out last week and just built on the good will that I felt from the last issue.

I find Supergirl such a complex character. It is why I love her. 

Who is Supergirl to me? She is a young hero, learning her way. She can be fallible. She's still figuring things out. She has the unenviable position of having Superman as her cousin. She is expected to live up to his standards, she is wearing his symbol ... but she isn't Superman and isn't as experienced. It is a double edged familial sword - a tremendous role model but someone you might always be found lacking against. She has had tragedy but has overcome it. She should be bright and feisty and fierce in fighting injustice. But she also should be smart and more polished than even younger heroes, filling this middle road. She is also a young girl in this real world with all those issues.

How the heck do you put all that together? 

I think it might be why so many fall short in my mind. She isn't saccharine sweet. She isn't angsty and angry. She isn't sad.

Somehow, in two issues, Sophie Campbell has threaded the needle. This is the Supergirl I want to read. I am really charmed by her. She is sweet. She is friendly. She is a hero, diving in to save people. She is bored with some idle prattle by her teenage friends. She has a supporting cast! She has a history! (As with last issue there a ton of references to her Bronze Age adventures.) It is nigh perfect.

Most impressively, Campbell has given us a villain just as complex. Lesla Lar is clearly misguided and addled. She is thinking only of herself, putting others in peril. She is a brilliant evil scientist. But we get a hint at a troubled past, an aching loneliness in her that probably led to her malevolence. I don't always need a sympathetic villain but it sort of works here.

The art is just stellar throughout. Campbell gives us this charming Linda, fighting giant apes and trying on clothes. It is glorious.

Now as a lifelong Supergirl fan, I am eating up the nostalgia bombs with a spoon. I hope the general population is loving it as much as me. I don't think they pull the novice out of the story. They clearly enhance it for a mega-fan like me. (Heck, even the cover is an homage to Super DC Giant #S-24!

On to the book.

Supergirl And Streaky Statue

Last week, I showcased my Supergirl shrine in all its glory on a set of new shelves.

New shelves mean more space. And lucky for me, because Iron Studios is coming out with a fantastic Supergirl and Streaky statue in the second quarter of 2025. You can take a closer look here: https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Product/VariationDetails/289507?o=4

This one is just beautiful and therefore will probably find its way into my collection despite the high price.

For one, it has Streaky. How could I say no.

Second, the costume is a version of my most favorite: red skirt, blue shirt. Heck even the sleeves are oversized, akin to the pointed end version I like best.

But the most important thing is the vibe you get from this. Supergirl happily sitting on a tower top, smiling and happy, enjoying some fun with her kitty cat. Wonderful.

Super-Family Mobile Toy

Some time in July I celebrated a birthday. One more trek around the sun! Still here, old friends!

One of the Supergirls has been helping me add to the Supergirl collection and gave me the best gift.

Check out this old school, tin wind-up toy of Superman, Supergirl, Streaky, and Krypto flying around the Daily Planet.

Everything about this sings! The Daily Planet globe. The catchphrase around the bottom. Super-pets! Super-cousins! The classic feel!

It all works, Just a great gift.

Bullet Review: Power Girl Special #1

Last week, the Power Girl Special #1 came out and it took me a couple of days to wrap my head around it. Thus, the review is up today on Monday instead of last Friday. 

I was pretty unimpressed with the Power Girl story which unfolded in the recent Action Comics. In that story, writer Leah Williams changed Karen to Paige, changed her from a physical, confident, brash hero to a psychologically damage, isolate, psionic. It just didn't read like the Power Girl I have known for the last 40 years. Whether it was the original in All-Star or the JLE hero or JSA All-Stars leader or the Palmiotti/Conner version, they all felt recognizable. This version by Williams just didn't. Marguerite Sauvage was on art and I think her style is a 'love it or hate it' one but I love it. And her pastel pastiche does work well with psychic landscapes.

That story ended with Johnny Sorrow arriving. 

Anyways, all that meant I went into this special with almost no expectations. Like zero. 

So when I read this special the first time, I actually thought to myself 'hey, that wasn't that bad'. A lot of that was built on a couple of Supergirl moments where Kara is portrayed very well. And hey, Streaky is back. Sauvage's art is very good if you like it. I even tweeted that I thought it was better than I anticipated.

But then, when going back into the book to try and get this review ready, I realized it isn't really a good Power Girl book. Because, once again, this isn't the PG, the Karen, that I know. For a second, I thought much of the new stuff here would be swept under the rug. Throw in some other moments that don't make sense and I think in the end, this isn't a very good story. The art is wonderful.

Now if you have no sense of PG history, you might love this. And I honestly wonder what long time PG fans think. 

On to some moments.

Mister Miracle #11

It's been a week since Mister Miracle #11 hit the stands and so my hope is I am near the spoiler event horizon.

I have been a fan of this series since the beginning. King and Gerads have really done this spectacular job of making this a truly complete story of the duo of Mister Miracle and Big Barda. We open with some drama and sadness as Scott seems to have tried to kill himself. We then have Scott enter into a new war with Apokolips as a general, ascend to the title of Highfather, all while navigating married life, family politics, and being a new dad.

Throughout the series, panels have been warped as if the original shifted in the copy machine or the signal was breaking up on an old antenna television. And while at times this has been a very sad book, there was somehow this undercurrent of hope. Even when covered in the blood of his enemies after days of nonstop combat, the love and respect Scott and Barda have for each other was a foundation for something better.

The plot twists and the opening suicide and the warped panels (the biggest 'interference' happening in panels discussing death and pain) all made folks wonder just what was this story.

Was it 'real'?
Was it purgatory?
Was it a near death experience?

I myself kept saying I thought it was something like 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge', a potential future that Miracle was running through his mind in a second before he was in danger of dying.

But then the end of Mister Miracle #11 happened. Spoilers ahead.

Review: Scooby Doo Team-Up #37

Scooby Doo Team-Up #37 came out this week, guest starring Supergirl and Streaky. It is a near perfect book to give a Supergirl fan, both new and old. It is practically a primer for her Silver Age adventures with just a splash of Bronze Age thrown in for good measure. As such, for an old timer like me, I was absolutely tickled pink.

Not that I should be surprised by this. Sholly Fisch is writer here and Mr. Fisch has always been able to put together a good yarn. Whether it is all ages like this or the backup stories in the Grant Morrison Action Comics, he seems to grasp the core of characters and put things together in a nice package.

In particular, he must be a Supergirl fan given all he was able to stuff into this issue. Even with the presence of the Scooby Gang and their mandatory shenanigans, we still get major parts of Supergirl's classic history here. I mean it ... I was floored.

Dario Brizuela is on art and brings a nice consistent feel to the proceedings. His Supergirl is young and powerful. I would love a cartoon appearance with this look.

But honestly, if you have a Supergirl fan of any age and you want to show them what the Silver Age for Supergirl was like, buy them this book.

Supergirl Episode 310: Legion of Super-Heroes

Supergirl episode #310, titled 'Legion of Super-Heroes', aired last night and was an extremely entertaining episode, the perfect way to kick off the back half of the season. The midseason finale ended with Supergirl battered and defeated at the hands of Reign, beaten down when Supergirl took her sister's advice to be cold and alien.

But Nietzsche said it best when he said 'battle not monsters lest ye become a monster'. This Supergirl has been struggling with being human, with being emotionally vulnerable, with being Kara this whole season. But the answer was never going to be to match brute, unfeeling force. It was always going to be winning through empathy and humanity. And this episode does a near perfect job of illustrating that ... while also dropping in a Supergirl continuity bomb that has long standing fans purring with happiness.

The episode also was Legion heavy as well. Supergirl and the Legion are as close to peanut butter and jelly as you can get, two great things which are even greater together. And the writers lean into the Legion history pretty hard, name dropping planets and Legionnaires, giving us familiar tech, and showing just how powerful a Legion team can be. (If only DC Comics felt the same!)

Another real draw here was Brainiac 5, a character with major comic history with Kara. I was one of the people who really bashed the way the character looked in preview pictures. And I have to admit, this wild-haired, blue/purple looking Brainy isn't what I would have designed. But the performance by Jesse Nath was pitch perfect, the mix of hyper-intelligent, shy, awkward Querl who is smitten with Kara. His performance sold me, so much I looked past the odd makeup.

And lastly, all this wouldn't work without the evil of Reign. Odette Anabelle is crushing it as the caring mother/malicious judge combo. Now she isn't alone. She gains an ally this episode, showing long term story thinking by the writers, and we hear that maybe there are more World Killers out there, something very true in the comics.

Long intro I know. But excellent episodes get more commentary. Onto the details!

Review: Super Sons Annual #1

Super-Sons Annual #1 came out last week but really was more of a Super-Pets one shot with a dash of of our main characters. Jon and Damian appear in a framework sort of style, giving us some interaction at the beginning and end of the tale. But everything in the middle is all super-pets.

As these are animals, writer Peter Tomasi tells the tale with almost no dialogue. We get growls, meows, and coos. And so, as is sometimes the case with comics, the art really has to carry the story. Artist Paul Pelletier has to rely on the emotive expressions and body language of the pets to get across the vibe of the animal-only scene. Pelletier does an amazing job as I had no problem intuiting what each of the pets was thinking. And, in fact, at times, Pelletier seems to be drawing like Patrick Gleason or Jorge Jimenez, leaning into those artists' styles and giving this a very Super Sons feel.

For a long time Supergirl fan though, the biggest revelation of this issue was that Streaky the Super-Cat is back in continuity. Now historically, Streaky is a tomcat and belongs to Supergirl. He also had powers because of exposure to X-Kryptonite. Here, Streaky is a female cat. And how she got her powers remains a mystery. I hope that she isn't from Krypton. I also hope that eventually she will find her way in to Kara's life.

So this was a lot of fun. Glad I got it. On to the book.

Giffen Legion Of Super-Heroes Poster

Between my recent reviews of the last newsprint Paul Levitz/Keith Giffen Legion issues over on the Legion of Super-Bloggers to my guest starring on several episodes of the Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes podcast to my interactions with Keith Giffen at Terrificon, I have been looking back at the Legion of the Super-Heroes of the 1980's a lot lately. A lot.

It is a great comic and a great run featuring my favorite super-hero team of all time.

One of the curiosities that I love from that time period is the Legion of Super-Heroes poster by Keith Giffen. Done in 1983, this massive poster included every character that had appeared in the Legion mythos up to that point. It is an amazing piece of art. The sheer volume of characters is amazing. Kudos to Giffen for being able to do this.

But did you know that there is a character that appears on the poster three times?

But before we get there, let's take a look at Supergirl.

This was at the time when she was just switching costumes, going to the red shouldered look which she adopted in (Daring New Adventures of) Supergirl #13. Note the lack of a headband! When the costume was first conceived, she wasn't wearing it!

Anyways, it is a gorgeous rendition of Kara. I love her pose here, graceful and almost playful. Just gorgeous.

But who is represented on the poster three times?

Statues, Statues, Statues

In their continued effort to make me poor, DC and other companies continue to put out Supergirl merchandise. And in an odd cosmic convergence, a bunch of new statues have all been solicited or revealed within the last few days, many at San Diego Comic Con (and thanks to blog friend Firebird for passing on the photos). I probably won't get all of these. My poor wallet!

The one I would love to get is this Tweeterhead exclusive statue of Supergirl in her Bronze Age costume flying in the clouds with Streaky. Here is the link:https://tweeterhead.com/product/supergirl-and-streaky-maquette/ 

Back Issue Box: Adventure Comics #364

Sometimes this blog writes itself with news items and new books to review. Sometimes I have a day when I wonder what I will post. And while new things about the show keep coming out, like the new Supergirl promo, I don't feel like I need to regurgitate all that stuff here.

So this was an empty day and I wondered what to post. So I asked on Twitter for some ideas. And blog friend Clinton Robson, of the Coffee and Comics blog, threw out the idea of doing something about Beppo the Super-Monkey.

I don't think I have ever talked about Beppo during the 8 years of blogging about the Superman family. And I thought I could shoehorn some relevance for current stories given that there was the Kryptonian pod on the Supergirl show. In theory, Beppo could have been in the pod.

So I decided to review Adventure Comics #364 featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes. This story also did a good job of being a primer for the super-pets. If you didn't know the origins of the pets going in, you learned them here. But after looking at the story again, I think it is worth reviewing just to see how loose continuity rules were during the Silver Age. Things are very silly here. And it all starts with that cover by George Klein and Curt Swan. Krypto is biting Cosmic Boy's shorts! Comet is kicking Superboy! Fantastic!

The writer is Jim Shooter. He was seventeen when he wrote this back in 1968! Seventeen! And he was already a veteran. It is clear that Shooter has a love of the DCU in this, even if he does bend the rules of powers a bit here and there. But I would settle in. The Silver Age was known for stuffing a lot of story in!

The art is credited to Peter Costanza and he does a good job with the animals in the story, giving them a realism which was appreciated.

But honestly, who doesn't want to read a story focusing on the super-pets.

Streaky And His Powers

Last month, in Superman #1, Jon Smith accidentally immolated his bet cat Goldie.

After that, I was talking to friends about how back in the day, the super-pets were beloved colleagues in family adventures. And that has led me to do a couple of posts about Supergirl's cat Streaky. First, I reviewed the original Streaky's first story in Action Comics #261.And then I covered the appearance of the second Streaky in Daring New Adventures of Supergirl.

That review made me wonder what actually happened to the first Streaky? 

Well, luckily, by some cosmic karma, the answer was given to me on Twitter. There, @PCabezuelo posted a letter he had read in 1972's Supergirl #2.

It pains me that I have this issue in my collection and didn't remember this.

In the letter column, Maryann Farrell from Wolcott, Connecticut asked what happened to the original Streaky. Why didn't Linda bring him to San Francisco (where Supergirl's Adventure Comics stories were set)?

Well, legendary Superman editor and aficionado, E. Nelson Bridwell has a legitimate answer. Streaky is no longer super and is living out his normal feline life with the Danvers. The X-Kryptonite, which was based on a green Kryptonite nugget, was turned into iron. This is a continuity riff based on the 'Kryptonite Nevermore'/Sand Superman arc which started in Superman #233.

To put this in context, according to Mike's Amazing World of Comics, Superman #233 hit the stands on November 5,1970. Supergirl #2 came out almost exactly two years later on November 21, 1972. Now, by then, many Superman writers had simply forgotten about the Kryptonite ban and the weaker Superman. But others held to it.

Now I suppose you could say that Streaky could have still moved to San Franscisco and been a normal cat loved by Kara. I mean, why does he need powers? My guess is that comics were getting 'mature' and a flying cat with a cape may have fallen out of favor.

At least this is some Streaky I closure. And I am not surprised that Bridwell with his encyclopedic knowledge would think of this.

Darwyn Cooke Supergirl Action Figure

The latest item obtained for my Supergirl collection was the Darwyn Cooke designer series figure which comes with Krypto and Streaky.

The whole collection is just delightful and really a wonderful tribute to Cooke. If there was ever a creator which seemed to understand what the DCU should be, it was Cooke. He was one of those creators who was an automatic buy for me, so sure I was of the quality.

Back to this figure, even the box is great. I love that the side of the box has a snippet of the cover of Supergirl #37 which Cooke did. I have to assume the design of Kara and the pets was based on this cover.

You know what that means? It means I want a Comet now!

The figure is really wonderful.

We clearly are set in the Silver Age here with the blue skirt costume. And there is this joyous expression on Supergirl's face. Between that expression and the Veronica Lake hair, this feels retro-cool and classic. This really captures the brightness of the Supergirl character from this time.

But I also love the small touches that was added to this design, like folds and wrinkles in the skirt and shirt. There is a feeling that this is fabric, not spandex. And I love that too.

The one quibble is the heeled boots, a look I never like. But I suppose it is a minor issue given how great the rest of the figure is.

As for Krypto and Streaky, their designs feel a little simple but, again, they are lifted right from the cover. Even their expressions are straight from #37. So the overall aesthetic feels right. I just wish that Streaky was more of an orange than the deep brown he is here. Streaks has always been an orange tabby.

As for the place in the collection, this figure clearly needed to be in the Silver Age section, next to the classic action figure, the spinning statue, the Mini-Mate figure, and the Action #252 cover.

Look! Two Super-cats!

The Silver Age section has grown nicely. Here is the whole shelf which also includes the Bronze Age hot pants section.

I keep saying it but I will show the whole collection soon. I have a couple more things on order.

Daring New Adventures of Supergirl Streaky

Last week, I covered the origin of Streaky the Super-cat from way back in Action Comics #261. It was a fun review of a time when the super-family had pets that survived!

I was reminded that Streaky the Super-Cat should probably be named Streaky I because back in Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #6, Paul Kupperberg introduced us to Streaky II.

Now this isn't a full review of this issue because there is too much fun with Matrix Prime and The Gang. It deserves its own review.

But I am on something of a Streaky high right now so I want to review the introduction of Streaky II.

Back Issue Bin: Action Comics #334, Streaky

Last week in Superman #1, we saw the Kents' ... ahem, Smiths' pet cat Goldie get incinerated by Jon's uncontrolled heat vision. It was a brutal, shocking scene which I felt was unnecessary to Jon's story. But there it was.

It was with that event in mind that I decided to look to a more pleasant story about a cat.

What better place to look than Streaky, the super-cat! Supergirl's pet cat was a mischievous scamp who was seen in her earliest stories in Action Comics. He was later seen as a normal cat in Daring New Adventures, the pre-Flashpoint Supergirl, in Cosmic Adventures, Tiny Titans, and even in in cartoon form in Krypto. Streaky is an important part of Kara's history.

Surprisingly, despite doing this blog for eight plus years, I have never reviewed his origin story. I unfortunately don't own Action Comics #261, Streaky's first appearance. But I do own the story in a variety of reprints. The scans you see here are from Action Comics #334, a giant issue of Supergirl stories.

So if you don't like to see a cat's charred corpse and would rather read about a cat flying around with a cape, read on!

Bullet Review: Alter Ego #133 & Jim Mooney

Alter Ego is a comic magazine publised by TwoMorrows which focuses on golden age and silver age creators. Edited and basically run by comic legend Roy Thomas, the magazine is really a treasure trove for amateur comic historians like me.

Last week, Alter Ego #133 came out and included a very long interview of Jim Mooney done before his unfortunate death several years ago. Mooney drew the first first years of Supergirl's adventures in Action Comics, starting with her second adventure in Action Comics #253 and continuing for almost a decade.

His career started long before his work on Supergirl and continued long after he left Action Comics but for me he is the definitive Supergirl artist. So I was eager to hear what he had to say, especially about Kara.

Get ready for a surprise. The word he used most about her is 'bored'! So sad.

Now I suppose that doing anything for 9 years would get monotonous. But I was hoping he would have a love for the character, especially given the apparent love that he put into the books.

Later in the interview, he does say that he got bored with many of the comics he was put on because the stores became repetitive and boring to him.

The article/interview is nearly 40 pages and includes a lot of stunning pictures including this personal commission Mooney did for someone. Just beautiful.

And also this commission and print focusing on Streaky!

So fantastic!

I do like that he put in that knowing little nod to readers at the end of the stories.

And hearing about his approach to commissions was also interesting.

I have to be honest, I forgot he actually worked on Ms. Marvel for a while. The Danvers girls! Two of my favorite characters!

We also get a little Streaky history as well.

Mooney created Streaky and modeled him after his own cat!

It is telling that he felt he needed to move on from DC because of the influence of Neal Adams and realism in the book. I am pretty sure that Kurt Schaffenberger, maybe even more cartoony than Mooney, worked there through the early 80s.

As a Supergirl fan, even hearing how bored he was with Kara, I enjoyed reading this interview. And as a comic buff, it was truly fascinating to see his earliest stuff, including Batman stories from the Sprang/Robinson era and even characters he created in the Golden Age. And while I think of him as a DC guy because of Supergirl, his time at Marvel was pretty prolific. That is also covered in the magazine.

Great stuff!

August 2015 Solicits

The concept of DCYou rather than a DCU has hit the public with DC trying to show that it offers more than just the hard core, glum super-hero books that have dominated its solicits over the last 3 years. DCYou means you get to decide the sort of books you want to read. There will be different styles and tones.

The August solicits for DCYou came out this week and are available many places including Newsarama here:http://www.newsarama.com/24576-dc-comics-full-august-2015-solicitations.html

Now this soft reboot of the comic line is hard to gauge right now. We haven't experienced it yet! Some new books look interesting enough to grab immediately: Bizarro, Starfire, Black Canary, and Green Arrow with its new team all seem like books for me.

Of note, no Supergirl book here. And no Supergirl in JLU.

Here are the super-ish books of the month.

DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS #1
Written by MARGUERITE BENNETT
Art by MARGUERITE SAUVAGE
Cover by ANT LUCIA
1:25 Variant cover by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO

The ultra-popular statues from DC Collectibles come to life in their own ongoing comic book series! Learn the story behind this alternate reality where the Second World War is fought by superpowered women on the front lines and behind the scenes! It all begins with the stories of Batwoman, Wonder Woman and Supergirl.

I covered this announcement last week. I love some of these designs. I love the idea of heroes active in WWII. And that creative team is perfect. I cringe just a bit at that Supergirl outfit but at least she is active here.

ACTION COMICS #43
Written by GREG PAK and AARON KUDER
Art and cover by AARON KUDER

"Truth" continues as Superman defies the Metropolis police and faces a new threat from the shadows!

Remember when Superman was an inspiration for others, a symbol of hope and good? Remember when he wanted truth and justice? Fought a never-ending battle?

Now he is defying cops.

Will 'Truth' be worth it?

SUPERMAN #43
Written by GENE LUEN YANG
Art and cover by JOHN ROMITA, Jr. and KLAUS JANSON
Bombshells Variant cover by DES TAYLOR

Before “Truth”: Superman’s very existence is threatened, and Lois Lane must make the toughest choice of her life!

I guess that 'Before "Truth"' makes this a prequel issue or flashback issue. Will this be the in depth look at Lois' decision to reveal Clark's identity? And will it make it sense for her, and him, and the continuity?

The treatment of Lois in the New 52 has been shabby and uneven. I don't know that this decision will make things better.

BATMAN/SUPERMAN #23
Written by GREG PAK
Art and cover by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES
Bombshells Variant cover by DES TAYLOR

“Truth” continues as Superman must learn to depend on the new Batman’s help—but can he trust him?

I am trying to suppress my eye roll when I read something about Superman and Batman not trusting each other. Is this even a story now? Or the new norm?

It is a shame because Pak was actually making the Bruce Batman and Clark Superman act like friends in this book prior to the shift.

Ah well, guess we'll have to see how this plays out as well.

SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #20
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and JAIME MENDOZA
Cover by PAULO SIQUEIRA
Bombshells Variant cover by TERRY DODSON
"Truth" continues -- and as Superman and Wonder Woman deal with the ramifications of his secret identity being blown, they dig deeper into the disappearance of Lana Lang and Steel, which force them to team up with an unexpected and dangerous nemesis.

I fear that I am going to be sucked back into buying this book because of 'Truth' as well as Lana being part of the storyline. I was a big fan of Lana when first reintroduced in the Pak/Kuder book. I soured a bit during the Smallville horror story but she turned things around. 

I hope Tomasi does her right.

JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 #3
Written by KEITH GIFFEN and J.M. DeMATTEIS
Art and cover by HOWARD PORTER
1:25 Variant cover by HOWARD PORTER

It’s the Super-Buddies versus Giant Turtle Olsen starring in...Who the hell cares what it’s called? It’s Giant Turtle Olsen! You are so welcome. Oh, and the Justice League will show up too. I mean, it being their book and all…And hey, did we mention Giant Turtle Olsen?

Supergirl has been conspicuously absent in the DC books. Last month, a rather Silver Age Supergirl was featured on the cover of JL 3001. I reluctantly added the book to my pull list.

Now this month, no mention and no sight of Supergirl in the book's solicit. Over on Twitter though, artist Howard Porter confirmed she is in the book.

Which Supergirl is in the book? Is this a riff on Silver Age Superman given the Giant Turtle Olsen? So is it the Silver Age Kara? Is this another attempt at a Giffen 'funny' title?

This month hasn't exactly made me want to run to the store. I don't know if I am optimistic about any of these books. Even Bombshells is an unknown commodity.

DC COMICS SUPER-PETS! DEX-STARR AND STREAKY PLUSH FIGURES

How do you like your Super-Pets: sweet – or vicious? You can take your pick with these new, fun plush figures of Red Lantern Atrocitus’s furball Dex-Starr and Supergirl’s faithful pet Streaky the Super-Cat! Better yet, why not get both?

1. DEX-STARR – 9"

2. STREAKY – 9"

At least I got this!

I don't know if I can justify buying this for myself or any of my Supergirls as they are a little too old for stuffed animals. Maybe ...

But still .. Streaky!!

Erica Henderson Commission

The winter months are long and cold and dark here in New England. I have often lamented the fact that there are no comic conventions in the area during these months because it would certainly give me something to look forward to, a ray of sunshine in the biting cold.

Thankfully, a comic event did happen this last Saturday!

Local comic store Hub Comics welcomed artist Erica Henderson, currently working on Marvel's quirky hit The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, to their store for a signing.

I had seen Henderson's work in Atomic Robo Real Science Adventures and, at the suggestion of many friends whose opinions I trust, bought Squirrel Girl and loved it. So I headed to the store and was able to grab some signatures and the great commission you see above.

I love this piece. First off, I love the fact that Henderson knew about Streaky and decided to put him in. Streaky only appears in two other commissions of mine - Jim Mooney and Franco. And I asked for him to be in both of those. This was all Henderson's idea!

And I love that it shows a sort if gentle side to Kara as she pets her kitty.

Lastly, Henderson loves the 'puffy sleeve' costume and so threw that look in.

Just a wonderful commission.

As she drew, I had a great conversation with her and others about the super-pets, the New 52, other recommended comics, and Squirrel Girl.

Head to Henderson's website for more information: http://ericafailsatlife.tumblr.com/

Squirrel Girl seems to be a lighthearted sort of 'Batgirl of Burnside' as the title character is in college and having fun. But unlike Batgirl, she happens to talk to squirrels and have a bunch of funny scenes. This is a comedy comic which pokes fun at comics as much as it embraces them.

And Henderson's style is perfect for this book.

Here's a panel which encapsulates the beauty of the book as Squirrel Girl melees with Kraven. Just a nice example of what this book is like.

Thanks again to Hub Comics for hosting!

Mike Maihack's Supergirl/Batgirl Halloween Comic

One of my favorite things in the world is Mike Maihack's Batgirl/Supergirl comics. They are absolutely a treat mixing in the sensibilities of the super-family and the bat-family while being lighthearted and fun. And lucky for us, Maihack has put together another one just in time for Halloween.

What I like about Maihack's Batgirl is that she puts on the airs of the grim and gritty Bat-family but clearly has a warm heart. And what I love about his Supergirl is that she has a wonderful joie de vivre which permeates everything she does. In this strip we see all of that.

Supergirl, garbed in a Halloween version of the super-suit, is trick-or-treating with Streaky while Batgirl pummels the Scarecrow.

But Batgirl is so overwhelmed by the cuteness of Streaky in a Bat outfit that she pauses the fight to give Supergirl candy.  (The wide-eyed Kara in panel four, hopeful for candy, is so perfect.)

And I love that Kara has a variety of outfits for Streaky to optimize maximum candy from the person she is visiting.

I would read this if it was a monthly. Take my money DC!

As always, visit Maihack's site for more news, comics, and his great Cleopatra in Space books: http://cowshell.com/buffalog/

Back Issue Box: Action Comics #306

A Kryptonian is somehow cursed with a death field, killing those they love the most when approached. With little choice, the Kryptonian is banished to the Phantom Zone until a cure can happen.

Sounds like Superman:Doomed, doesn't it?

In fact it is the Supergirl cover story in 1963's Action Comics #306, in a story by Leo Dorfman with art by Jim Mooney. We don't get to see the plot on the cover as Supergirl was the back-up feature.

But we get a cover when the story was reprinted in Adventure Comics #398. Look at this great piece by Dick Giordano!

One of the things that I love to do on this site is look back at Supergirl's history and review past issues that resonate with current stories. And this story sure does resonate!

It is a classic Silver Age Superman/Supergirl interaction on this cover with Superman chastising Supergirl. And look at that word balloon. "I have to do this Supergirl -- because everything you touch dies!" Replace Supergirl with Superman and you could have a line from a comic from this month - 51 years later!

Even the title of the story, "The Maid of Doom" reminds me of Superman:Doomed!

In the last chapter of Doomed, Superman gives Steel the key to the Phantom Zone projector, telling his friend to send him to the Zone if things get out of control. And here in this title panel we hear Superman sharing a similar sentiment.

I love the peaceful sort of angelic look on Kara. You know she is going willingly, to protect people.

The story starts out a bit dated, with Linda Danvers on a date with Dick Malverne. At the movies, she pretends to be scared of the monster to show she is a 'normal member of the fairer sex'. Okay ... you have to consider the timing of this story. But very quickly we see just how brave and strong Supergirl is.

She has been given a mission from the U.N. to deliver messages of peace to three war-mongering planets. One of them is the planet Mutor, ruled by the shape-changing Plasmos race.

Despite the harsh environments, Supergirl delivers the treaties.

When she returns, Supergirl approaches her cat Streaky. Suddenly, Streaky keels over dead, emanating some odd blue glow.

It pains Supergirl to see her beloved pet dead.

Almost immediately thereafter, Krypton arrives. When he is touched by Supergirl, he also suddenly dies and he also glows with blue energy.

Surmising that she must have picked up some odd form of radiation poisoning from one of the planet's she visited, Kara speeds home to tell her mother Edna.

Amazingly, when Edna rushes to comfort Supergirl, she touches Kara and doesn't die.

And when the two go to investigate further, the two dead super-pets are gone.

Did they disintegrate from the radiation? Turning to ash like those Superman kills in Doomed?

Or was this all some odd hallucination.

Supergirl heads to the Fortress. After some investigation she learns it isn't a Red Kryptonite fugue.

Heading back to Midvale, Supergirl runs into Mr. Mxyzptlk. She accosts him thinking that he must be behind the apparent deaths of the pets.

But this really isn't a hallucination. When Supergirl grabs Mxy, he dies ...glowing eerily blue as well.

There is nothing left for Supergirl to do but admit to herself that she kills any super-powered being she touches. She is a murderer.+

She begins leaving a taped account of her problems for Superman to find explaining what has happened. She has no choice but to banish herself to the past.

But before she can leave, Comet shows up. He talks to Kara telling her that he can help. But as he approaches ... you guessed it ... he also dies. Glowing blue, he has an odd last statement, noting the irony of wishing to help her but getting himself killed instead. 'What did I do ... to deserve this?'

Perfectly odd.

And as Supergirl tries to figure out what to do next, the dead bodies seem to disappear, a side effect of the radiation.

Finally, Superman shows up, ambling up to Supergirl. He convinces her to not go to the past because she could still kill people there. The only choice is to banish herself to the Phantom Zone until a cure is found for her affliction, similar to Mon-El. He tells Kara to fly to the Fortress and return to with the Phantom Zone Projector.

And, like the hero she is, Supergirl agrees that for the good of the world, she must leave. She is sent to the Zone. (Funny, why doesn't Superman know to do the same in Doomed?)

But why is Superman gloating? Have you figured it out?

It turns out that Superman is one of the shape-changing Plasmos from Mutor. When Supergirl delivered her statement of peace, they decided to attack. They sent their cleverest warrior to rid the world of Supergirl and Superman so they can invade.

We flashback to the beginning of the story. While Supergirl is still in space, the Plasmo comes to Earth and mimics Supergirl. He is able to convince Superman to take Kandor and the Super-pets into the future where a scientist has learned how to enlarge it.

Suddenly Supergirl is the only Super left on the planet.

Then the shapechanger begins his nefarious plot. He splits his body in two, becoming Streaky and Krypto. When Supergirl touches each 'pet', the Plasmo pretends to die, changing part of his body chemistry to glow blue.

As for the bodies disappearing, the alien changes into something else to reappear later. First he is the tree trunk near the trapdoor leading to the Danvers. (Hmmm ... I wondered where that came from.) Then he became Mxyzptlk and then Comet and then Superman.

With Supergirl in the Zone and now in possession of a Phantom Zone Projector, nothing can stop the evil invaders from Mutor!

Wrong!

Supergirl can stop the Mutor war mongers!

She arrives on their planet as they are planning their attack. The Phantom Zone projector is nothing but a flashlight. She never was sent to the Zone. She had figured the whole plot out beforehand. And know that the Mutorians know that their best agent was outwitted they need to sign a peace treaty.

And incredibly, the Mutorians roll over pretty quickly. Not only do they agree not to attack Earth. They agree to destroy all their weapons! Such is the power of Supergirl!

But how did she figure it out?

Well for one, Comet actually spoke to her ... like Mr. Ed! But Comet always telepathically talks to Supergirl.

For another, none of the 'supers' ever flew to her. Superman walked up to her. And asked her to get the projector. There is no other conclusion to reach other than Superman being an imposter.

Armed with that knowledge, she brought the fake Phantom Zone Projector and 'disappeared' so she could follow the phony and uncover the whole plot.

If there is one thing I love from the Silver Age Supergirl, it is the personality quirk of putting her finger to her face when thinking things through.

The other members of the Superman family return from the 40th century ruse to discover all that Supergirl has done. Not only did she figure out the plot, she got the peace treaty signed leading to peace.

And a proud Superman ... a proud world ... raise an S-shield flag to honor Supergirl!

Okay, so she didn't really have a death touch like Superman in Doomed. But I thought it was close enough to review here.

This is an interesting story. There is clearly an 'old school' feel to this story.  And yet the second half of the Adventure Comics issue is one of the Mike Sekowsky Supergirl stories. The cover is the 'New' Adventures of Supergirl. This was a time when Superman was being depowered by the sand creature Quarmm. This was a time when Wonder Woman was depowered and fighting with I Ching. And DC was trying to bring Supergirl into the modern world. Soon these quainter stories and reprints soon disappeared for a more 'modern' Kara, albeit one where she was depowered.

Still, I love this story showcasing a caring and self-sacrificing Supergirl who is also smart enough to outwit the villains and strong enough to make them change their ways. I really think this a great look at the maturing hero.

Overall grade: A