SUPERGIRL #4

Power - Chapter Four:  JLA

February 2006

Written by Jeph Loeb

Pencils by Ian Churchill

Inks by Norm Rapmund

Cover by Ian Churchill and Michael Turner

Synopsis

Due to black kryptonite unleashed by Lex Luthor, Supergirl has been split into two.  The “black” Supergirl attacks Luthor, sending him to the moon and the JLA headquarters.  John Stewart (aka Green Lantern) finds Luthor, thinking he was attacking the JLA, until the “black” Supergirl also arrives.  She takes John’s ring and then punches him to the ground.  Meanwhile, Starfire awakens the other Supergirl, who realizes what has happened and goes off to find her other self.  On the moon, Lex is able to get to a teleporter and get out.  The “black” Supergirl attacks Hawkman, but is blasted by the Black Canary’s sonics.  She is able to put down Black Canary, but is then attacked by the Flash.  The “black” Supergirl races him on them moon, leaving him stranded with no air.  She is then attacked by Martian Manhunter.  She has she threatens to kill him, Supergirl arrives to stop him.

Review

“Somebody made a wrong turn at Albuquerque.”

This issue would have been a lot better if the split of the Supergirls had been explored a little bit more than it was.  There is one brief moment where Supergirl expresses relief that the other Supergirl was gone, but the comment had no context, no meaning and therefore it felt like a lead balloon, just waiting for something to be done with it.  As it is, the issue was a very quick read and enjoyable for what it was, but also very forgettable.  The idea that one person can take out each member of the JLA is not all that original (Hell, Batman did it to his own team, but I digress) so watching the “black” Supergirl take out each one was not all that interesting.  So, at the end of the comic, we are left in the exact same position we were at the beginning of the comic:  the two Supergirls facing each other.  Well, I realize that “our” Supergirl was unconscious, but at the end the previous issue, you knew where the split was going to lead.  So, we get a wasted issue to lead us to where we should’ve been in the first place. 

Is it bad of me to say that I actually prefer the black costume over the traditional red, blue, and yellow costume?  Something about the black and silver just looks so cool.-- MRB

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