Reflections #17 - Supergirl #6

Opening thought: Why is it that "into" can be written as one word, but "out of" is not? You'd think it could work equally well. The things I think of when writing essays. In case you hadn't figured it how, this is Exhibit #141 in "Calvin Can't Write Good Introductory Paragraphs".

Heh. Ragnell already detailed what DC has apparently decided is Power Girl's trademark symbol. I just thought it was interesting how her Nightwing outfit has the landing strip lights that serve to highlight her contours. Helps distinguish her from Flamebird, who is, shall we say, less developed. As for the placement of some of the lights, well I ain't going there. All joking about it aside, the costumes are pretty cool. Just didn't need those lights.

One disturbing thing I noticed. Page 3, as Kara checks out her new tattoo, her reflection bears a somewhat different expression from her face (God I wish I had a scanner). Her actual face has a sort of curious look, trying to see if it's what she wanted. But the reflection has the visible eye in kind of a glare. It just doesn't look friendly. I guess that, combined with her anger issues later on, are supposed to demonstrate she still hasn't gotten rid of that dark half she had rejoined with at the end of issue #5.

I'm not sure how Kara figures that she'll be able to find Argo with something she'll find in Kandor. It does sound like they're in the bottle (though it still wouldn't explain the aliens to me, as I'd always figured Post-Crisis Krypton was fairly homogenous), so how would a city trapped in a bottle know where a city that survived destruction would be? Am I out of the loop on Kandor's current situation? Maybe her darker half is pulling her strings, trying to escape.

I'm not sure why Power Girl would say their powers are limited. Is it because they've been shrunk down, or some aspect of the environment? Maybe the Fortress got damaged, and only a few rays of golden sun are peeking through the holes into the city?

Does anyone know what that tattoo actually says? I don't speak Kryptonian, nor do I read it.

I have to say the strongest part of the issue is Rucka's writing of the Power Girl/Supergirl relationship. Giving Karen the role of the calmer, wiser mentor, who has to remind this somewhat erratic girl that A) These people have been treated pretty badly by Kryptonians, and aren't likely to feel friendly towards them, B) Flamebird and Nightwing are supposed to be helping these people, not breaking their bones and flash frying them, and C) It is way too easy for Supergirl to do B, if she doesn't stay under control. It really was nice, after watching her kind of get led around by this person or that during Infinite Crisis. Is she portrayed like this in JSA? Some guy gave pratically the entire run to Ken to sell, I might have to pick up some of it. I think Supergirl's fighting in a way actually ties back in to that speech Superman made in issue #5 where he told Supergirl that he grew into his powers, had time to understand them and to realize he had to hold back a lot, which Kara didn't have the benefit of. Not surprisingly, she's still having trouble with that a year later, especially with her having more of a temper than Clark. You know, if I had thrown "closet lesbian" in after "Power Girl/Supergirl", I'd probably get a lot more hits. Ah well.

Given that I've admitted that art often outweighs story for me in a comic, you might believe I was disappointed in the art. Not really. I was pretty satisfied with Ed Benes' art. It looks pretty, Kara appears to have started to eat - guess it just took her some time to adjust to Earth food - but just a few too many shots from butt angle, when there seemed to be no need for that. Cannot believe I just typed that. *Sigh* does that mean I'm maturing?