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Supergirl  1998 (SC TPB) 224 pgs.

Written by Peter David. Pencils by Gary Frank (and Terry Dodson). Inks by Cam Smith (and Karl Story)
Colours: Gene D'Angelo, Megan McDowell. Letters: Pat Prentice, Albert DeGuzman. Editor: Chris Duffy, Frank Pittarese.

Reprinting: Supergirl (4th series) #1-9, with covers, plus a 10 page story from Showcase '96 #12 (1996-1997)

Additional notes: : introduction detailing Supergirl's immediate history (cleverly "written" by Supergirl).

Rating: * * * * (out of 5)

Number of readings: 1

Published by DC Comics

The first story arc detailing Supergirl's adjustment to living the life of Linda Danvers.

This nicely -- and surprisingly -- satisfies the criteria of a graphic novel. It is made up of a bunch of self-contained one and two-issue stories, but there's an overall story arc and character progression that comes to a head in the final two issues. It can be read both as a collection of independent adventures, and as an interlocked epic.

This chronicles how the modern Supergirl, an artificial being feeling cut-off from humanity, merges her psyche with that of the murdered Linda Danvers, gaining Linda's memories, friends, family. Linda was a troubled girl and Supergirl gradually begins to unravel the unsavory secrets behind her new persona amid various adventures battling otherworldly demons and conventional super villains like Gorilla Grodd (uh, did I really say "conventional"?). Lurking in the background is Buzz, who seems to be involved, in one capacity or another, with much of the deviltry at work in the town of Leesburg.

Writer Peter David is a fan-favourite, and this nudges me closer to his corner. There's clever dialogue, but more restrained than David's been elsewhere where his penchant for one-liners and puns can threaten to turn the proceedings into a cloying sitcom. There's wit, yes, but not so much that it undermines the drama. He also tells briskly-paced tales, without the thing degenerating into one lengthy brawl after another. After reading a few comics recently where "plot" and "ten page fight scene" were treated as synonymous, this was refreshing.

I'd use the word "intelligent" if that didn't threaten to obscure the fact that this is a fun, entertaining read. I'd say it was fun, but that ignores the attempts at sophisticated discourse, flirtations with big ideas, believable dialogue and subtly handled characterization. Of course, like many modern writers, David's adventure-of-the-month plotting is little more than workman-like. No one story really distinguishes itself as a "story" per se -- the closest being "Trust Fund" (#6) (which, coincidentally, guest stars Superman). And the saga's finale, involving both Supergirl and Buzz facing life-altering decisions, kind of comes out of nowhere, character-wise.

The art by Gary Frank (inked by Cam Smith) is striking. No manga-styled cartooniness, no Image-influenced distortions, just cleanly rendered figures and emotion-conveying faces, evocative backgrounds, and a nice eye for telling a story through pictures. All nicely coloured by Gene D'Angelo. The opening 10 page story (from Showcase '96) is drawn by Terry Dodson and Karl Story, and is also attractive-looking.

David and Frank re-evoke the original Supergirl, who was eliminated from DC's mythos in The Crisis on Infinite Earths. Stripping away some of the modern Supergirl's abilities while making her the alter-ego of Linda Danvers, she now looks and acts like her predecessor -- which isn't such a strange idea. Despite claims that the original Supergirl was an unsuccessful character, she remained a headliner (in runs of Adventure Comics, Superman Family, and two versions of a self-titled comic) in an unbroken run for a decade and a half -- most comics characters dream of that kind of "unsuccessfulness". What kept her from really emerging as her own character was that every creative team kind of jettisoned what the previous team had done by changing her setting, her supporting cast, her job (kind of like what David does here). As such, this is particularly appealing for older readers. There's even an overt homage in that, before the original Supergirl was adopted by the Danvers, her name was Linda Lee, and the town in these stories is Leesburg.

Despite some darkness (the stories deal with cults and blood rituals) and grown up ideas, they manage to evoke Kara Zor-El (the original Supergirl) more than, ironically, some modern Superman or Wonder Woman writers evoke those characters' earlier versions...this despite the fact that the modern Superman and Wonder Woman are, technically, much more similar to their earlier interpretations.

Though they have added a peculiar quirk that is probably unique in comicdom...when Linda becomes Supergirl, her breasts get bigger. Oy!

David tackles "ideas" and it's bracing. It's not often that you see characters in comics (or movies or TV shows) discuss ideas -- I mean, real ideas, like reall people do everyday. When characters do try to confront weighty ideas in comics (Kingdom Come, The Watchmen) they often tend to be ideas that relate to the parochial world of superheroes, or cut-and-dried issues ("just say no to drugs", etc.). Here David threads the dicey theme of religion through his stories, exploring ideas of faith and the like. But such ambition also becomes frustrating because religion as a theme, as an allegory, is fine. Religion as a narrative crutch is another thing. Early on we can recognize the symbolism of the angelic Supergirl vs. the demonic Buzz, but when David tries to literalize things, it become awkward. As well, David falls back on what can only be described as Divine Intervention in a couple of the stories. That may wow 'em in Sunday school, but it's weak as storytelling where we expect at least a token "logical" explanation.

Theologically, David seems to be of the new breed of religious thinkers. Dissatisfied with oppressive dogma, he's willing to criticize and satirize organized religion (think Kevin Smith's movie "Dogma"), even as he views out-and-out atheism in a negative light. Buzz, the series' villain, advocates atheism in one scene -- David seeming to equate faithlessness with villainy. Though it's easy to be wowed, thinking, "I can't believe characters are having these kind of adult, and controversial, discussions in a mainstream superhero comic," more secular readers (like myself) are still going to find it a bit superficial in spots.

Religion isn't the only two-edged sword. Though this works better than many TPBs in that it can be read cold by inexperienced readers (with a handy intro acquainting us with Supergirl's history) there's a two-part story where the world is plunged into darkness as part of one of those cross-title "events" DC Comics likes to do. But nowhere is that explained! Of course the darkness is just a backdrop to the real story, which has villain Gorilla Grodd arriving in town...but now the reader is faced with a talking gorilla, but given no explanation as to who or what he is!

Overall, Supergirl is an entrancing read. A book that, despite some short comings, is one of those things that will be a pleasure to re-read more than once. It even looks nice -- I mean as a TPB. Smart writing, striking art; fun and ambitious at the same time. What more can you want from your super-folks?

Cover price: $20.95 CDN./$14.95 USA.

Supergirl: Many Happy Returns 2003 (SC TPB) 144 pages

Written by Peter David. Pencils by Ed Benes. Inks by Alex Lei.
Colours: Brad Anderson, Digital Chameleon. Letters: Comicraft. Editor: Mike McAvennie, Lysa Hawkins.

Reprinting: Supergirl #75-80 (2002-2003)

Additional notes: intro by Peter David; covers

Rating: * * * (out of 5)

Number of readings: 1

Published by DC Comics

Decades ago, Supergirl was Superman's cousin. Though now often regarded as an unsuccessful character, she remained pretty prominant for years, featured either in comics like Action, Adventure, Superman Family, or a couple of different versions of her own self-titled comic. When DC re-invented its "universe" with the Crisis on Infinite Earths, they decided to kill her off and, what's more, in order to streamline Superman's mythos, they had it be she never existed in the first place.

And then they created a new Supergirl!

No one quite seemed to know what to do with her, until Peter David featured her in her own series, changing her about, establishing her own mythos. The TPB collecting the first few issues of her series I really liked. But though the new Supergirl kept going for years, sales ultimately dwindled, cancelation was threatened -- so David needed a big story idea that would woo the readers back. And that idea was to bring back the original, pre-Crisis Supergirl -- Kara Zor-El (yeah, they spend years telling us what an also ran she was...then when they need a sales boost, they bring her back!) Supposedly, sales did improve. Unfortunately (according to David) the DC brass didn't realize that at first and ordered the entire series cancelled -- making this the final story arc.

The saga begins with the modern Supetgirl returning to Leesburg after spending months on the road, apparently getting involved in all sorts of cosmic weirdness, and undergoing some sort of transformation. Her homecoming is interrupted by a rocket ship crashing, out of which springs a perky teenage girl in Superman-inspired costume (the modern Supergirl had long since switched over to a white, bare-midriff sort of affair). This girl claims she's Superman's cousin. (To avoid confusion, hencefourth the modern Supergirl we'll call Linda, the other one we'll call Kara). Linda is a bit suspicious of Kara, but also becomes kind of fond of her guileless innocence, and her goofy, comicbooky understanding of things like physics.

Eventually some of the truth comes out. Kara is who she says, but she shouldn't be in this time or dimension, and her presence threatens the universe -- so says the modern Spectre (who guest stars occasionally). There's also a villain who's intent on killing Supergirls throughout the dimensions, and cameoes by Superman, and more.

And at the end of the day, it's all moderately diverting...but not much more. To be fair, David was faced with imminent cancellation and based on some of the ideas he speculates about in his introduction, the finished story may not have been what he had originally intended to write.

The ending is surprisingly downbeat, for both Supergirls, and unsatisfying. David's penchant for humour and silliness doesn't really seem to lay the groundwork for the conclusion, and it's unclear how and why some of the things that happen, do. Perhaps David's bitterness over having his series cancelled infused his writing, but it seemed a poor way to treat his longtime fans. I'm being vague, I realize, but I don't want to give away too much. And when I say "downbeat", I'm not just talking about the fate of Kara (DC had done stories before "re-introducing" classic characters, only to then tweak the fans' noses by having it be a con, or killing off the character, or something). But Linda, too, seems oddly treated in the end. No, she doesn't die or anything, it's more a psychological thing -- but even then, I'm not quite sure why or what is supposed to have happened.

Admittedly, since I'm not that familiar with this version of Supergirl (other than the original TPB collection and a few issues in the middle of the run) it could be this all makes sense. But in this collection, it seems odd.

Some of the basic conceits to the story are iffy. David wanted to have fun contrasting the old fashioned innocence of Kara with the modern wordliness of Linda, not just as people, but literally as representatives of comicbook styles. I'll confess, I've never been that big on the obsessive trend of a lot of modern comicbook writers for wanting to "deal" with the medium itself. It just seems too self-reflective to me. Besides, it's a kind of debatable conceit. Yes, early comics tended to be silly and goofy -- but were they more so than modern comics? It seems you can't turn around without encountering a serial killer in modern comics (like this story arc's villain who's killing Supergirls) but serial killers really aren't that prevalent in the real world. The pre-Crisis Supergirl confronted robbers, street gangs and neo-Nazis (just to selectively choose a few) while the modern Supergirl has, apparently, just come off an epic story arc where she battled demons, dealt with a "chaos stream", somehow separated into different entities... Uh, sorry -- which was the more "realistic" reality again?

I may be being unfair. David maybe intends it as contrasting the goofy, unrealistic, Silver Age, with the gritty, but equally unrealistic, modern age -- a contrast of styles, more than an assiigning of values. But in order to make his point, his Kara seems a lot more innocent, a lot more childish, a lot dimmer, than I recall Kara being. In other words, David kind of has to reinvent the character to justify his thesis. And Linda seems a lot more juvenile than I remembered her being in the first TPB, speaking in the hip patois of "so, like, way cool, man." I just didn't get that much sense of the contrast of her maturity with Kara's immaturity.

To be fair, I may've just read the book in the wrong frame of mind. Sometimes a book can take you out of your worldly concerns, and sometimes those wordly concerns stay with you. I may just not have been in the right mood.

There are some cute and imaginative scenes, particularly when Linda starts living a life on an alternate earth (the "pink kryptonite" gag is funny, though maybe out of place). The book does have David's usual quips and one- liners -- some which work, some which don't. One can infer the influence of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with Linda as Buffy, Kara as Dawn, and menacing villains who make wry quips. But I just didn't think it worked as well as Buffy. One also can speculate about the Star Trek episode, "The City on the Edge of Forever", which David has gone on record as really digging...and this story arc borrows a similar idea of a character faced with the dilemma whereby an innocent must be sacrificed to save the universe.

I really enjoyed Ed Benes' art on Birds of Prey, though this, slightly earlier work, maybe shows a little less control, with the early issues inparticular a little too busy with background detail, where the key elements of the scene aren't necessarily brought out fully. But it improves over the run (or else I just got used to it). His style is vaguely manga-influenced, with lots of big eyed women that, I'll admit, is a bit cartoony and robs some of the realism necessary to involving us emotionally. But Benes' real talent is for Good Girl Art -- drawing sexy gals in tight clothes and cut-off shorts. Whooo-oooh! I've got nothing against that, in the right context in the right series. Buuuuut...is Supergirl the place for it? Particularly when David's script is supposed to be emphasizing Kara, in particular, as a naive innocent, and Benes is drawing her all long legs, tight bottom, and perky breasts?

It reminded me a bit of Supreme: The Story of the Year, where a writer's nostalgic script clashed with the very modern art styles of his artist.

I really liked the first Supergirl TPB but, since I didn't really follow the comic regularly, I guess I'm guilty of being partly responsible for the low sales that led to the series' cancellation. This story arc is certainly an O.K. read, briskly paced -- maybe too brisk (it feels rushed, which maybe it was, with cancellation looming). And it seems to rely too much on knowing prior information relating to Linda's past adventures, and too much of a sense that, cancelled or not, there's a lot left unexplained, perhaps to be followed up on in another series somewhere, some time.

It's an O.K. page turner, but as a return of Kara Zor-El, and as a close to the modern Supergirl series, it's a bit disappointing.

(Of course, a couple of years later they returned Kara full time -- I think. And she's now starring in the current run of Supergirl comics.)

Cover price: $__ CDN./ $14.95 USA

Supermen! The First Wave of Comic Book Heroes 1936-1941 2009 (SC TPB) 192 pages

Writers/artists: various. Edited by Greg Sadowski.

Reprinting: various Golden Age stories.

Additional notes: intro by Jonathan Lethen; afterward detaling the creators and publishing history; covers.

Rating: * * * (out of 5)

Number of readings: 1

Published by Fantagraphics Books

Comic book history is littered with the colourfully garbed bodies of heroes who arose in the medium's various boom and bust cycles, maybe even attaining temporary stardom, but nonetheless have fallen into obscurity for all but aficianados and nostalgists. Every now and then, though, publishers come along and shine a little light on these forgotten heroes and their creators. The latest example is Supermen! from Fantagraphics Books which assembles old comic book stories from the first wave, when it seemed like every publisher -- and would be publisher -- was leaping into the new art form of comic books, offering up an array of masked heroes and adventurers to their public.

(Part of the impetus for this collection may have been recent comic book series like Dynamite's Project Superpowers and Marvel's The Twelve, which both resurrected obscure 1940s heroes for modern adventures.)

The obstacle to previous types of these collections has often been the copyright restrictions, making it hard to present an assemblage that includes anything but also rans. Not only do Marvel and DC retain the rights to their old characters, but DC inparticular has, over the years, bought up the rights to various other publishers' heroes. Nonetheless, Supermen! does manage to mix in a few less obscure characters like The Flame, the original Daredevil, the Comet, as well as characters that might be familiar now simply because of the Project Superpowers resurrection (The Face) with others that are pretty obscure, including a few spaceman adventure strips that owe more to Buck Rogers than to Superman. Likewise, the creators included remain well known names (even if this marks their early work), with Simon & Kirby, Jack Cole, Bill Everett, Will Eisner, Gardner Fox, Bill Wolverton, Lou Fine and others all on display.

But this remains a mixed effort.

When I was a kid, a local library contained a book about the Golden Age of comics that was a mixture of non-fiction commentary, and reproduced stories (covering everyone, including Marvel, DC, Fawcett, etc.). Although some stories were reprinted in their entirety, often the writer synopsized old tales, punctuated with a few panels lifted from the story. The result was that a lot could be crammed in (a picture isn't always worth a thousand words) and the synopsizing of the old stories probably made them sound better than they were. As an adult I've never managed to track down that book, or even recall what it was called (books I thought might be it, turned out not to be) and, sure, it might not be half as good as I remembered. But as such, you can understand why a guy like me born in the late 1960s, nonetheless, feels nostalgic affection for 1940s comic book heroes.

But the truth is, a lot of these comics aren't very good, though the art is often quite attractive. Simple by today's standards, there's a clean, classical elegance to the art of people like Lou Fine, Fred Guardineer, Michael Blake and others, a stylistic panache to Bill Wolverton, an energetic verve to Jack Cole and Bill Everett, and Jack Kirby...well, even back then, Kirby had an energy and dynamism, and a more expressive use of panels, that was setting him on the road to being dubbed the "king" of comics (in fact, though you can see echoes of his later style, it's also somewhat different).

It's in the writing the weakness are most pronounced. As a new art form, aimed primarily at kids, and with stories often only six or eight pages, and with creators churning them out for little pay and often between day jobs, the stories aren't just thin without deep characterization...they often aren't even logical, the exposition just there to bridge the action scenes rather than to tell a coherent story. What's funny is that they remind me of the sort of stories I wrote and drew as a kid (and I don't mean that in a good way)!

And I'm not sure I can entirely blame the period, as I've read other comics from this time which boasted slightly more coherent stories, and even witty dialogue.

Some of the better pieces are toward the end of the book (the stories presented chronologically), which maybe reflects the evolution of comics, and the creators now in command of their new medium. The best is Jack Cole's "The Claw Battles Daredevil" which pits the original Daredevil against the giant, monstrous Claw (an attempt by the publisher to create a series around a villain). And maybe because it's the longest piece here (16 pages) actually boasts some build up to the story, with "domestic" scenes of Bart Hill (Daredevil) out of costume, even uttering a few philosophical musings. Sure the action is only vaguely logical, but nonetheless it tells a fast paced adventure, helped by Cole's sense of wit and humour...even peppering it with a few pop cultural references. (And Cole's earlier Comet story is also among one of the more memorable -- the Comet fired lethal eye beams from a visor and may well have served as a visual inspiration for the X-Men's Cyclops).

What's most disappointing about this collection (when contrasted with that long ago volume I got from the library) is the lack of editorializing context. There is some, but most of the text material is devoted to the creators, the publishing history. All well and good and interesting. But it doesn't place the stories or the characters in any context. This is particularly awkward because, despite being billed as containing "twenty full-length stories", a few of the reprinted pieces are merely episodes in a serialized story arc, so it would've been nice to include more of a "what went before/after" introduction.

And even with the behind-the-scenes comments, there isn't much effort given to placing these figures in their creative milieus. For instance with Marvelo, The Monarch of Magicians, the text piece alludes to DC's Zatara...but doesn't point out how they were both obviously inspired by the newspaper strip, Mandrake the Magician. Nor is there any mention of just where the hero Silver Streak fits in to the pantheon of 1940s speedster heroes like The Flash and the Whizzer.

Obviously a collection like this is hobbled by the lingering copyright restrictions, but still, within the context of that, and their specific time frame, it does a credible job of sprinkling some "names" among the curios. But without some better text pieces explaining the characters and their adventures, the stories are left to stand on their own...and other than as a nostalgic glimpse at long ago, few really hold up that well. The book bills itself as covering 1936-1941 -- which might mean they were thinking of releasing later volumes which, given my suggesting the stories are better toward the end of this book, might mean a collection covering, say, 1941-1946 would be even better.

Cover price: $__ CDN./ $24.99 USA

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