Comics Fondle

For the last two issues–Infantino is back by the way, I guess he just took an issue off (issue twenty-two is one of his best, actually)–Kupperberg gives Supergirl a lot to do. She’s fighting a big-headed man from the future (sort of), while Linda is alienating everyone who cares about her.

Issue twenty-two, featuring around eight pages of Supergirl’s heroics during a blackout, sets itself up to be the best issue in the series during those pages. Unfortunately, it isn’t just a “one night” comic, but even Kupperberg’s fantastic developments–revealing deep secrets about one of the series less interesting supporting characters–aren’t so bad. The issue’s solid enough, full of good art and good action.

It’s the final issue where Kupperberg seems ready to alienate readers himself. Linda becomes a super-jerk, even if it is for a good reason. Her boyfriend’s been lying to her for ten or so issues and she finally dumps him. There’s a great scene where Linda slams down the phone, breaking it.

But, and I’ll save any spoilers just in case DC some day does a Showcase, given Kupperberg’s terrible ending… it’s hard to be pro-Supergirl right now. At first, I thought Kupperberg knew it was over, then I thought he didn’t, then the note at the end certainly made it clear the comic was cancelled.

What Kupperberg does here is change everything in the span of an issue. I’m not sure if he intended to pick it up again and fix the problem or if he intended to make it difficult for another writer or if he really did just find out about cancellation too late.

I’m not so pissed off Linda’s mean to her friend, I’m pissed off I never got to find out some of the secrets.

But it’s a good series. I remember it had a rocky start, but Kupperberg really got it on track during the latter issues of the first year and from then on, it had these wonderful bursts (albeit short) of fantastic superhero comic books.

I’m sad it’s over.

C+