Review: Supergirl #18 - Supergirl Meets Supergirl??

 

I am concluding my look back at time 'Supergirl met Supergirl' with Supergirl #18, the penultimate issue of the uneven Joe Kelly run on the book. I have been dreading this review because I have pretty strong feelings about this back issue. As a long time Supergirl fan, I felt that Joe Kelly was deriding me. But I also felt that Kelly got the whole thing wrong, so his derision, his scornful look at Supergirl fans was off the mark ... making it that much worse.

You see, many many people who drop in on this site and read my problems with a dark Supergirl seem to think that I want a super-sweet, super-innocent, super-perfect Kara smiling her way through life and never having a care. 

And that is simply not true. In fact, as I have said a million times before, it is Supergirl's youth and inexperience, her growing into the role of a hero, her failing and picking herself up and trying again that made me fall in love with the character to begin with. She is striving to be something more. And she has passion and drive. She will do whatever she needs to do to help. But she is an optimist ... and a young hero. She wants to do as much good as she can.

I could not say that about Kelly's Supergirl. This was someone who was trained to kill Kal-El, who gunned down her high school with her father, who came to Earth and began hitting the bars and clubs, sold Kryptonian tech to Batman to set herself up for an easy life, and tried to not be a hero at all. And that was simply unacceptable in my mind.

Many Supergirl fans complained about this direction of a dark, jaded, petulant Supergirl. Those few who liked the direction said that the complainers were 'old fans' who wanted stories similar to the early 60s Supergirl ... the saccharin adventures of a young girl helping orphans and quaking in Superman's shadows. But that wasn't true. We simply wanted a heroic Supergirl.

It amazes me how history repeats itself. Because now we are having the same argument about the new Supergirl. . DC wants a dark Supergirl. Supergirl fans want a heroic Supergirl. And again, we fans are looked at scornfully as being anachronisms.

Okay ... on to the issue - titled 'Little Miss Perfect' by writer Joe Kelly and artists Adam Archer and Ale Garza.

We'll start with the cover, a riff of the other time 'Supergirl met Supergirl' in this book, when Kara met the Dark Supergirl made by exposing Supergirl to Black Kryptonite.

At this point in the book, Zor-El was on Earth. He and Kara were dealing with Phantom Zone spirits possessing people. Supergirl was bleeding crystals, fighting normal people, and generally confused about what was happening. And now she was faced with another Supergirl, dressed in a more classic costume.

It isn't surprising that Kelly calls the story 'Little Miss Perfect.' I think this other Supergirl is his perception of what Supergirl fans wanted to see in the book. So we get this vapid, ever-smiling, overly optimistic, overly sweet, caricature of Supergirl.

I can't think it is a good idea to taunt the fans of your character. I was pretty angry after this issue.

This smiling mockery laughs her way through a fight with the 'real' Kara. But she does point out some of the problems with this version of Supergirl. She did try to kill Superman for a chunk of time in the book.

But ... again ... this other Supergirl is so over-the-top in the other direction. Did Kelly think people really wanted that?

The battle heads through the city and the current Supergirl keeps trying to deal with the possessed humans. But things seems off. She sees people who aren't there.

Here we see Kelly's misinterpretation again. This Supergirl 'does the right thing all the time and does it with a smile'. Yes, I want my Supergirl to *try* to do the right thing all the time. I would rather her try to save people instead of complaining that a disaster interrupted her rave. I don't want Supergirl using a 'tight t-shirt' to get herself into a bar. I don't want her leaning over a pool table, teasing guys in their 20's about her 'nice 'S''.

Look at two of the more popular runs on Supergirl - Peter David's and Sterling Gates'. Were those Supergirl's constantly smiling? Always getting everything right?

This venom about Supergirl fans wanting a perfect Supergirl is wrong ... but Kelly keeps jabbing.

We get a two page layout looking at the problems of ordinary girls. Being teased, in a dysfunctional family, being harassed by a stranger at a bus station, drinking and in an abusive relationship....

Crying alone in bed.

And then Kelly drops the boom. This has to be sarcasm. The fake sweet Supergirl says 'Supergirl is happy. I'm fiery! I'm inspirational! People look to Supergirl to FORGET their problems,  to see someone who can teach them to do it better. Who wants a Supergirl with the same problems they have? It just doesn't make sense."

Kelly is saying that a young woman striving to be better, trying to inspire ... is unrelatable, a joke.

Does that mean he is saying that girls reading this Supergirl should act like her? Avoid her problem? Sneak into bars? Not be a hero?

Is he saying that the PAD Linda Danvers didn't have problems?
Didn't we see Gates and Igle show us a Supergirl dealing with adolescent problems but still trying to do what was right?

These pages irked me. If being a hero is so disconnected from reality, why write these books?

And it amazes me that this is the guy involved with Ben10!

And more perfection talk. More misunderstanding of what Supergirl is.

This phony Supergirl says she is 'perfect, not ugly, not frightened, not selfish ... a good girl blessed with the same disposition as her cousin.'

The Supergirl I want isn't selfish ... that is true. But I don't want a perfect Supergirl, I want a girl with a different take on justice than Superman ... but striving to be as heroic as her cousin. And she is an optimist, seeing the best in people.

If this 'phony Supergirl' is Kelly's response to the complaints, what does he want? Does he want a frightened, selfish, ugly bad girl??

Isn't there a Supergirl in the middle of these two extremes??

After the verbal beatdown, the perfect Supergirl asks the 'real' Supergirl to step aside.

And amazingly, she does, allowing the good girl Supergirl to 'absorb' her.

But it is a fake out. Once 'inside' the 'perfect' Supergirl, the current Supergirl shatters her way out.

Supergirl calls herself a crazy chick! Ugh.

And then she says all the things I like about Supergirl. 'I make mistakes all the time. But I get myself up. I try to do better. I always try again.' Hey ... that sounds like the Supergirl I would read.

But I want that attitude in a different person. I want her to be striving to do good, to be a hero, to help. This Supergirl rarely did that. What did she fail at? Underage drinking and angst?

This was in the Countdown era of the DC Universe. The 'perfect Supergirl' was the Dark Angel, an emissary of the Monitors (and I believe Donna Troy) who is supposed to root out universal anomalies. She was testing this Supergirl to see if she didn't belong. But this Supergirl passed the test.

The Monitor shows up, chastises his herald, and tells Supergirl she does belong. Amazingly, this could have been a reset card for Kelly. He could have made everything ... the crystal blood, the kill Kal-El memories, the Phantom Zone ghosts ... all of it could have been Monitor hijinks. Instead, Kelly says that all that stuff is indeed true. Supergirl still has to deal with it.

Thankfully, Kelly's run only had one more issue. This issue made me think he had absolutely no understanding of the Supergirl character or her fandom. He basically ridiculed her fans with this empty shell of Kara this whole issue, not understanding what it was we wanted to see and mocking us anyways.

And so ends my look back at issues where 'Supergirl met Supergirl'. Sorry to end on a sour note.

Overall grade: D-

Back Issue Holiday Box: DCU Infinite Holiday Special #1

For the first time in a while I actually skipped a day of blogging, not posting on Thursday of this week. I will be honest, I have been running around like a crazy Anj. Between work, standard family fare, and the holidays, I simply ran out of time.

With the holidays on my mind, I thought I would review a Supergirl Christmas story from 2007, one of the tales in the DCU Infinite Holiday Special #1. 

"All I Want For Christmas..." was written by then Supergirl scribe Joe Kelly with art by Ale Garza, who was going to be taking over the Supergirl title soon after. In December 2007, Supergirl #13 was on the rack, the middle of the Power Boy love story with the 'crystal Hell, kill Kal-El' stories right around the corner. For me, this was not a good time to be a Supergirl fan as things were going to get dark and horrible. She seemed weighed down by angst, bratty, and miserable. And yet, Kelly's last issue (Supergirl #19) seemed to turn all that around. I have always wondered if Kelly was hoping to stay on the title longer, ready to right the ship after cleansing her of all the nonsense. The following year's Supergirl story by Joe Kelly was so uplifting. Maybe that is what he wanted her to be.

I hadn't read this story in a while and you see some glimpses of hope in this story. Kelly still has this be an edgy Kara but you get the sense she is ready to be happy and a hero. The ends are there; the means are still rough. It surprises me that, given this story, we still had 7 more months of a terrible Supergirl ahead of us.

But enough dwelling on the bad. This is the holiday season.

The story starts out with Clark extolling the virtues of Christmas and Supergirl being snarky about the whole thing. Santa isn't in the bible. Jesus wasn't born in December. Shops are 'pimping out' salvation. It all seems like a joke to her.

Superman asks her to look past this stuff and instead concentrate on the spirit of Christmas. And maybe a good way to do that is to help out others and answer some of the Christmas letters that get sent to Superman.

Surprisingly, given the feel of the book at this time, she takes his suggestion to heart.

We see her fixing homes, flying with gifts and wearing a Santa hat, playing with kids, visiting babies, and doing flying sleigh rides. She even is smiling in some of the pictures.

But, more consistent with her character at the time, we also get that bored panel in the right corner, as if she is wondering why she is even bothering. Because making kids happy and doing good isn't its own reward.

Well, reality sinks in a bit. One of the letters is from a young girl named Brooke who wants to see her father who is serving in the military overseas.

Supergirl heads to the house to gather some information and is shocked to see the mother slam the door in her face, telling her to mind her business.

So much for Christmas cheer.

Heading to the Batcave, Supergirl tries to figure out what's going on. I do like the winter hat look.

But remember this is the 2007 Supergirl.

She doesn't like to be told what to do.
She doesn't want to do nice things.
She has problem with authority.

Okay, I will say it for the millionth time ... I DON'T WANT A SUGARY SWEET Silver Age SUPERGIRL!

But despite the fact that she really is trying to do something nice here, the trappings are of this irritated young girl.

And the scene ends with her kissing Alfred and leaving a Christmas gift for Bruce!

Can you see why I might have thought that Kelly was trying to show that maybe just bubbling under the surface is a Supergirl who wants to be a hero and do what's right? Did he add this element just for the holiday story?

It turns out that Brooke's father isn't a nice guy at all. Cheated on his wife. Lost their savings. Became a drunk. Thinks the mother 'trapped him' with the pregnancy!

So he also tells Supergirl to fly away and mind her own business.

Remember, we were just at the beginning of the 'mad Zor-El' aspect of Supergirl's story. She has her own Daddy issues. And since this guy has a chance to put things right, she pushes things.

She finds the father again and flies him high into the sky ... and then drops him!

Luckily, she catches him.

But this is her effort to scare him straight. Would he really want to die without clearing things up with his ex-wife and daughter. She can't force him to do anything. But she knows he can make things better.

This is one of those 'young heroes learning' moments that I love. This is the right thing to do. Maybe dropping him wasn't the right means to get to this end. But her heart is in the right place.

Again, you can see why I might be lured into optimism with this story.

And then this ending.

A smiling Supergirl, wanting to open presents, talking about Christmas miracles!

And the last panel has Brooke writing a new Christmas letter to Supergirl now ... not Superman. She has a new hero. And the father is hugging her. Again, isn't this a nice Supergirl story, one built on love and hope and compassion ... albeit with the rough edges of youth.

And yet ... for some reason, the image that was burned in my brain with this story is the mother's expression in the lower panel. She does not seem happy. Even her silhouette in the last panel it is clear her arms are crossed.

This isn't a miracle for everyone. This woman probably still wants this guy out of her life. I can only hope that eventually this guy learns to fly right and everyone is content with this family dynamic. But that sullen expression kind of soured a more magical ending.

Still, this is a pretty good Supergirl story as she learns the meaning of Christmas spirit, as she helps people out, sacrificing her time for the betterment of others, going the extra step to make sure someone is done right by her.

Happy holidays to everyone!

Overall grade: B+

Ale Garza Commission - Boston Comic Con Wrap-Up

It has been a trying couple of weeks in the Boston area with the terrorist bombings and subsequent manhunt for those responsible. I am proud of my city, my state, and my country for the handling of this situation.

An unfortunate consequence of this tragedy was the cancellation of the Boston Comic Con. I was looking forward to the show. As I said in earlier posts, there were plenty of creators I wanted to meet and greet. I have been a fan of the show since it started and understand the chaos this must have caused. Hopefully, all those affected - fans and creators alike - will be patient as things get sorted out.

Now luckily, some of the local stores around the area decided to contact some of the creators in town and set up some in-store signings and appearances.Comicazi, Friendly Neighborhood Comics,  Larry's Comics, and Comicopia all had 'mini-cons' and some of the guests appearing in their stores.

I decided to head with a friend to Comicazi to meet the guests that were there. The announced guests included Tim Sale, Ming Doyle, Dan Rosa, Tim Seeley, David Mack, and Agnes Grabowska. I had little to get signed by those folks but I wanted to thank those creators for sticking around and helping the community.

Amazingly, more artists just showed up including Ale Garza and Nick Bradshaw. While Ale Garza drew some of the 'crystal hell, kill Kal-El' story arc, he has history with Supergirl, one of the criteria for me to grab a commission. I also thought his anime-flavored work was pretty dynamic, raw in some place in a vibrant way. So out of sheer luck, I was able to grab a commission this weekend.

This is a nice addition to my collection, a mix of pencils, black ink, and copic gray marker highlights. I especially like the expression of Supergirl's face

Thanks to Comicazi and the other stores for putting these last minute mini-shows together.

This was the first time that I have been to this store and I was pretty impressed with it. It is a narrow store but every inch ... I mean every single inch ... of it is filled with merchandise to peruse and purchase. It has an enormous toy section and a very comprehensive trade section. There is a modest back issue section. Definitely worth checking out if you are a comic fan.

I'll look forward to the re-planned Boston Con as well!

Review: Superman/Batman #77

Superman/Batman #77 came out last week and was a great read. Written by newcomer Josh Williamson and drawn by Ale Garza, this was a nice surprise in the middle of my comic pile last week.

The issue is yet another look at how Supergirl interacts with the Batman Family.

We know that Dick acts as a big brother (as seen in JLA); we know that both Tim and Steph consider Kara a close friend and colleague. Damien, on the other hand, isn't too easy to be friends with. He is opinionated and cocky. He isn't warm and fuzzy. And he definitely would be a tough person to easily team up with. He would want to run the show. The last time Supergirl and Robin interacted was in the excellent World's Finest mini-series where she chastised him for calling Steph 'Fat Girl'. They wouldn't be easy pals but can they be crime-fighting partners?

Williamson seems to have a nice grasp of the motivations of these characters and an appreciation of their histories. In particular, I thought he really 'got' Supergirl. And this isn't always the case when it comes to these stand alone issues. Sometimes they read a bit 'out of continuity' (remember the awful Supergirl/Raven Brave and Bold issues a while back). So when a story like this seamlessly slips into continuity and reads true for the characters, I appreciate it.

This issue was a mix of horror and humor, perfect for Halloween. And it was much more of a treat than a trick.

The issue opens with Supergirl coming across a crime scene in the Suicide Slum area of Metropolis. A mass grave of young victims has been discovered, their corpses in a state of decay. With Superman on his 'walk', Supergirl has been left as the hero of Metropolis. Already we get the sense that this is happening 'now' in the DCU. And nice that Supergirl is acting as the city's champion with 'Grounded' taking Superman away.

The police officer on the scene is sort of disrespectful to Supergirl, telling her that this street crime is below the usual bar that super-heroes respond to. Supergirl should find a 'monster' to fight and leave the grunt work to the police. I get the sense that he wouldn't talk to Superman that way ... but maybe he would; maybe this is the bedrock that 'Grounded' is built on. Superman isn't considered an ally to the police anymore as he is above it all.

Supergirl vows to help get to the bottom of this horrific sight and realizes she will need the help of someone who is a better detective than she is. She flies to Gotham. I didn't mind this at all. She recognized her limitations and the Bat-family' strengths. It isn't weakness to ask for help.

In Gotham, she comes upon Damien fighting Killer Croc. It is a great page with Supergirl crashing onto the scene and taking out Croc with one punch. She 'saves' Damien, although he was holding his own.

They aren't exactly buddies as they act cold and prickly to each other. He calls her 'alien'. She says she she is looking for someone to help her with a problem in Metropolis. The tone of this early scene felt right given the prior World's Finest encounter. These two would not be easy allies.

He knows that she is looking for help with the mass murder. I love his response when Supergirl seems surprised that he knew why she was there. That slow 'son .. of  .. Batman' is just what Damien would say. This is Robin writ large, showing off the more obvious parts of his personality and not as nuanced a characterization than we see in Batman and Robin. But in a one issue story there isn't time to look at the minutia of a character. You need the broad strokes. And the feel is right. He is very sure of himself.

He somehow convinces Supergirl to let him help her. The rest of the Bats are busy. And Supergirl realizes that any help is better than no help. But she won't help him get to Metropolis. He needs to find his own way.

At the Metropolis morgue, it is discovered that all the bodies in the mass grave were young people who died of heart attacks. Supergirl's scans with her super-senses doesn't uncover any cause for these strange deaths. In a nice barb, Damien thanks her for using her senses for him, as if she was a tool for him to exploit. Even better is him saying that Bruce did it to Clark all the time.

Luckily Damien finds a connection. All were LexCorps interns from a local college. A quick trip to LexCorp HQ clears the company of being any ill will. In fact, Luthor's second-in-command Spaulding seems sad, calling the interns the future of the company.

Luckily, another lead pops up. The interns were all invited to the college's Halloween party.

In some ways I was impressed with the ease with which Damien put these clues together. I understand that the plot needed to be finished in 22 pages so there was little time for investigation. But I thought Robin was written in the sort of uber-Bat style where he was always a step ahead.

The two go undercover to the costume party. This whole thing is perfect. First off, Damien's choice as going as a 'young Matches' Malone is really spot on. Of course he would want to be cool and slick and be in his father's image. I also like how he puts Kara in a giant pink bunny suit, a ludicrous thing for her to be in. Given the somewhat abrasive nature of their relationship, that seemed right on the money.

Scanning the crowd with her super-hearing, Supergirl comes across someone who is neither talking about the murders or acting nervously.  He has to be the perpetrator.

In a nice change, Damien recommends caution and a calculated take-down. Supergirl simply runs off grabbing the alleged criminal. It is a nice reversal of the usual encounter between Batman and Robin. Usually it is Damien who is wading into battle without careful thought.

Again, this reaction by Supergirl was the right one. After all the trauma she has seen, she isn't going to waste time. She wants to mete out justice.

The criminal turns out to be the Scarecrow and does Kara with his fear toxin.

The resulting madness in Supergirl was the high point of the issue for me.Supergirl's fears unfold before her. The resurrection of Reactron. Her parents complaining that she wasn't able to save them. Superman saying Superwoman is stronger and a better partner for him.

Those would be her fears. She isn't afraid of harm or monsters. Her fears are that she has let people down. Her fears are more emotional than irrational or physical fears. I tip my hat to Williamson for having that understanding of Supergirl and her current feelings.

While panicked, Supergirl thinks Robin is Reactron and tries to attack him.

Another part of this scene that I thought was great was how Robin finally begrudgingly shows his respect for her. He tells her to snap out of it because 'she's Supergirl dammit!'.

And with that, she does snap out of it.

With Supergirl in command of her senses, the Scarecrow gets quickly captured. It turns out that he hates Lex because during Blackest Night Luthor stole the Scarecrow's Yellow Lantern ring. And now the Scarecrow craves that power, that sensation of fear. He dosed the interns with fear toxin causing them to die of heart attacks. He then simply dumped the bodies in the slum. I hope this vendetta continues forward in the DCU.

With the case finished, Supergirl and Robin finally bury the hatchet a little bit. He calls her Supergirl ... not 'alien'. She carries him back to Gotham rather than making him fend for himself. They probably aren't best friends but they can work together.

In my second favorite scene, Dick talks to Damien. I love how he first says Supergirl is way out of Damien's league. And then ... in a great deduction ... Dick realizes Damien has a crush on Supergirl. It makes sense. Damien would want a strong, powerful, intelligent woman who would stand up to him. He respects her. He might deny it ... but it feels true.

I think Joshua Williamson did a very good job here with the characters. It is a fast paced and engaging story with a lot of whimsy. How often do you read a 'fun' comic these days. Despite the horror elements, this was fun. Between the high quality of  Batgirl #14 and this issue, I think we need a 'Young World's Finest' mini-series.

I didn't really like Ale Garza's work on the title in the past. It looked a bit to scratchy and blotchy then. Here, his J. Scott Campbell-esque style looks much more polished. I think his art is something I appreciate more in doses than on a month to month basis.

Overall grade: B+/A

Publishers Weekly DC Sales Report

There is a very in-depth look at DC's current economic woes at Publisher's Weekly. Here is the link:

http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/07/02/dc-month-to-month-sales-may-2008/

The writer does an incredible job at breaking down the numbers, not only of DC as a whole but each individual title, looking back at not only the last several issues sales but also prior incarnations of the title going back years.

Here is the breakdown of Supergirl. The numbers are sobering ... staggering ... depressing. I had no ideas the title had hemorrhaged readers so badly.

74 - SUPERGIRL
05/2001: Supergirl #58 — 20,376*
05/2002: Supergirl #70 — 19,156*
05/2006: Supergirl #6 — 102,860
———————————
05/2007: Supergirl #17 — 50,429 (- 2.4%)
06/2007: Supergirl #18 — 50,279 (- 0.3%)
07/2007: Supergirl #19 — 48,576 (- 3.4%)
08/2007: Supergirl #20 — 46,862 (- 3.5%)
09/2007: Supergirl #21 — 44,656 (- 4.7%)
10/2007: Supergirl #22 — 41,758 (- 6.5%)
11/2007: Supergirl #23 — 45,460 (+ 8.9%)
12/2007: Supergirl #24 — 37,922 (-16.6%)
01/2008: Supergirl #25 — 36,459 (- 3.9%)
02/2008: Supergirl #26 — 34,186 (- 6.2%)
03/2008: Supergirl #27 — 32,596 (- 4.7%)
04/2008: Supergirl #28 — 31,379 (- 3.7%)
05/2008: Supergirl #29 — 30,192 (- 3.8%)
—————-
6 months: -33.6%
1 year : -40.1%
2 years : -70.7%
Supergirl sales keep dropping at an alarming rate. Yet another “regular” new creative team (the sixth one to date, if you’re keeping count) has been announced, meanwhile.

70.7% loss of readers over 2 years. 33.6% over the last 6 months recorded.

70.7 % !!!! 33.6%

So ... how do we interpret these numbers? Let's look at some of the key issues.

Issue 6: 102,000 issues. I expected sales to be brisk at this point in the title. The title was just coming off the Loeb opening arc. Churchill's art was being relatively well received. This was also a jumping on point for new readers with a new storyline that was in essence One Year Later. There was a variant Churchill cover. It also marked the return of Ed Benes to a Supergirl title and guest starred Power Girl. Greg Rucka had just been named new writer. I thought issues 1-5 were okay, although I thought the ending of the story was not satisfying. But I had optimism for this new team and story.

Issue 19: 48,500 issues. Well, after a number of creative teams and what I felt was an absolutely abysmal run by writer Joe Kelly, I was not surprised to see that the title had lost about 50% of its readers. The buzz had faded. The story and art was uneven. And the boards unfortunately showed a fractionated Supergirl fandom. To be honest I am surprised the title sold that many at this point. This was the really awful 'mad Zor-El, kill Kal-El' storyline. The Garza art was uneven at best, muddy at worst. Kelly continued to write (for me) an unlikeable Kara. I almost dropped the title myself.

Issue 23: 45,500 issues. This represented a slight bump in sales from the prior dreadful Countdown crossovers. The new team of Kelly Puckett, who wrote Batgirl so well, and Drew Johnson were coming on board. There was a variant cover by Adam Kubert. Maybe some new readers were brought in. Maybe some old readers came back with the end of the Joe Kelly run.

Issue 24: 38,000 issues. Uhhh ... were did all the new readers go? Well, when it is a new team and you expect new readers, you need to hook them. But issue 23, Puckett's first issue, which was nearly wordless, was probably not a great way to reel people in. So 7ooo readers left. For me, these issues were a breath of fresh air. It immediately redefined the Superman/Supergirl relationship. Kal called on her for help. Sheacted heroic, going to her absolute limits to try to accomplish the mission. Even better, in issue 24 we see a loving Zor-El!

Still, I think about Birds of Prey 56, the first Simone/Benes issue. That had a hook ... great dialogue, great cliff-hanger, eye-catching cover.

Heck, it even said 'Bold New Direction' on the cover. Comics readers are suckers for that line! That's what this title needed in issue 23, a hook to keep new readers.

Issue 29: 30,000 issues. Right in the middle of the 'Saving Thomas' storyline and we are at 25% of sales from issue 6. 30,000 is probably on the cusp of cancellation. But just like Kelly's run was loved by some and hated by others (like me), it seems Puckett has the same effect. I think if you hated Kelly, you like Puckett. And if you liked Kelly, you hate Puckett.

Issue 34: ??? issues. My guess is that DC will do some ads about the title, emphasizing the link to the Superman title. Let's hope Sterling Gates is a unifying force for the polarized Kara fans, bringing together the divided Supergirl house. I think this pic from the Igle website will be a variant cover, maybe drumming up orders.

And I am hoping for about 38,000 in sales for that issue. I don't think this title can afford to lose more support.