Sterling Gates Talks “Supergirl #53” and Beyond

I really wish DC had used the original version of Jamal Igle’s Supergirl #53 cover as coloured by Tom Chu for the issue. Or make it into a poster or something we can buy, because they could sell the hell out of Supergirl with a dynamic, iconic image like this.

Superman #700 featured a look ahead for the next year in each of the super books. These were also published on the DCU official blog, which is awesome, but kind of makes me regret buying SM #700 even more because these pages and the Gary Frank cover were the best parts for me =P

There was a tantalizing sketch of Kara standing in front of a closet full of Supergirl gear that had me asking a lot of questions, such as, “Has Kara cut her hair?” After reading SG #53 and #54, I think so!

Here are my reactions to Sterling Gates talks about Supergirl #53 and Beyond.

“It’s been a hard year for SUPERGIRL. The WAR OF THE SUPERMEN resulted in the tragic loss of New Krypton, thousands of Kryptonian lives, Supergirl’s mother, Alura, and her best friend, Thara Ak-Var (a.k.a. FLAMEBIRD). For the next story arc, Supergirl will be wrestling with guilt over her own perceived culpability in New Krypton’s destruction.

I was pretty sure that Supergirl would be the only super book to actually deal with the trauma of New Krypton in any meaningful way. It would be great to be proved wrong, but I’m not reading Superman’s road-trip-across-America to find out how JMS handles Supes’ manpain (watching Supes pound the bejeesus out of some superbaddie to express his feelings gets kind of old). So I’ll happily continue reading about a superhero who has actual messy feelings and expresses them like a real person and not a Spartan.

“Supergirl will discover that no matter how hard we try to run from our problems, our lives make other plans for us. While Supergirl struggles with her inner demons, a strange and twisted version of herself appears in Metropolis: BIZARRO-GIRL! Bizarro-Girl will take Kara on a terrible journey across dark regions of space, eventually leading back to Bizarro World. There, Supergirl confronts an enemy that threatens not only to wipe Bizarro World out of existence, but every other populated planet in the galaxy, too! Will Supergirl be able to stop it in time?

Wow! I’m kind of excited to get a visit Bizarro World in modern continuity. Will it be a cube? It’s gotta a cube! It’ll be cool for Supergirl to have a big ol’ space adventure of her own. Can Jerry the Merboy and Supergirl’s many alien boyfriends be far behind? Speaking of which…

“Speaking of time, fans of LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON saw the first meeting between Supergirl and the time-traveling Legionnaire named BRAINIAC 5. But Brainy seemed to know Supergirl, as if they’d met beforeĀ¦

“We’ll be picking up the threads of that dynamic this fall in SUPERGIRL ANNUAL #2, when Supergirl meets the LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES for the first time! Yes, she’s met them a few times before, but the statement stands (and will make total sense when you read it). Supergirl and the Legion will square off against one of the scariest Legion villains of all, as a tear in the fabric of time leads to horrible consequences on Halloween in 30th-century Metropolis.

Supergirl #52 threw everything in Supergirl & the LoSH for a loop. That was definitely not the Brainy I know and love from the Threeboot. I…really loved the Threeboot Brainiac and did not care for the lovesick puppy Brainy we got in SG #52. I don’t want a retread of the Bronze Age Supergirl-Brainiac relationship. It just doesn’t feel right for this character, at this point in her life. OTOH I would appreciate Supergirl having a stronger place in the Legion; she was woefully underused by Mark Waid in the Threeboot, who once said he thought her defining characteristic ought to be “sweet” *twitches*

“Kara’s supporting cast will continue to play a major part in SUPERGIRL. LANA LANG, JIMMY OLSEN, NATASHA IRONS, INSPECTOR HENDERSON, DR. LIGHT, even GANGBUSTER — they will all influence Supergirl’s life.

After seeing what Dr. Light’s been doing to Lucy Lane, she may not be such a great role model. But Natasha Irons – yes! Another smart, techy geekgirl for Kara to hang out with.

Daily Planet reporter CAT GRANT will launch a massive new campaign against our Girl of Steel this fall, and she’ll be surprised when fan mail starts coming into the office. When some of that mail turns deadly, though, Cat will have to ask a certain teenaged superhero for help!

I admit I want to see Cat have to come crawling to Supergirl for help. I’d love to see Cat come around and become an ally someday. I’m a bit uncomfortable disliking Cat, and the way she’s portrayed seems too mean spirited. (I don’t agree with Sterling Gates that the Cat Grant we knew before could have morphed into this person.)

“Across 2010 and 2011, readers will see: SUPERWOMAN’s fate; the invasion of Supergirl’s home, Hammersmith Tower; syllabus day at METROPOLIS UNIVERSITY; the biggest mistake in Lana Lang’s life; the tragedy of the terrible TOYMAN; Supergirl’s ever expanding rogues gallery; and just what happens when Brainiac 5 and Supergirl kiss!

“the biggest mistake in Lana Lang’s life” – I thought that was pushing away Kara. Can’t imagine what that might mean.

So Linda’s heading to university? Hm. The superhero-goes-to-school thing tends to annoy me, but as long as university isn’t portrayed like high school on a stupid teen soap (see: Smallville), I guess I could come around. If Kara ever wants to have a good job in today’s world, she either needs to get a degree or fake one. I hope she blows away the science department! I’d like to see an educated, competent Linda who actually has some understanding of her adopted planet.

“By the time we reach the mid-point of 2011, Supergirl will have a much more defined sense of who she is and where her life is heading.

Yay!

Right around then, though, just as Supergirl’s happier with her life than ever before — that’s when her greatest enemy returns and brings along friends.”

Dun dun DUH!

I liked getting these sneak peeks, but it looks like I won’t be buying any super books beside Supergirl this year. Lex Luthor taking over Action Comics makes no sense to me, and I really don’t think he can carry an entire book. (I’m so over him as a villain, I don’t want to hear about him anymore.) And Superboy could have been awesome, but the degree to which they’re retreading Silver Age Superboy (even giving him a Lex Luthor analogue) has me baffled.