Review: Supergirl #16

Supergirl Comic Box Commentary · 13 hrs ago · 1 views

Supergirl #16 came out this week, the first chapter in the Kingdom of Zod crossover. While I am thrilled that the opening chapter is in the Supergirl book, perhaps bringing more eyes to the title, I have to say this story starts off a bit rushed and confusing. I don't know if I quite understand what Zod is trying to accomplish here. I don't know why he isn't impacted by a ton of Green K around him. But that is more a commentary on the overall story. Let's concentrate on this issue. Sophie Campbell does a solid job showing how Kara is trying to grow into her role of Heir to the House of El. How Kara is trying to be a leader for the El family in Superman's absence. But it isn't going to be an easy transition so seeing Kara doing her best to keep the team together on a dangerous mission into El Caldero is great characterization for our title hero. This is a Super-event so there are plenty of other characters here but Campbell really has Supergirl in the spotlight.The art is a mix between Joe Quinones and Paolo Villanelli. The styles are quite different with Quinones being a more smooth style and Villanelli being more thin-lined, angular, and a bit rougher. The result can feel a bit jarring and I don't know if that is the best way to start an event either.I honestly hope I understand Zod's plan at some point. But I don't yet. On to the issue.We start with a 2 page intro to what has been going on with Zod. hard to believe that Kneel Before Zod was two years ago but it was. We are reminded that the Khunds decimated the New Krypton world. I did like that the art on these pages by Villanelli seemed to lean into Kneel Before Zod's artist Dan McDaid and McDaid's love of late Keith Giffen style art. Nice nod to that creative team. Pretty cool.We open in present time with Supergirl on a helicopter heading into El Caldero. But we flip to a two page spread recapping everything that has been happening in the main super-books that brought us here. The arrival of the giant Green K meteor. The sun crystal in that meteor that has been calling to Supergirl. The disappearance of Superman after K.O. All this culminating in her declaring herself the Heir to the House of El. Very nice, iconic splash page.This was the Superman-like costume we saw at the end of last issue. But we won't see this costume again for the rest of the issue. We are back to the standard red skirt costume the rest of the way.Hard to know when all this stuff was being drawn. Maybe Quinones and Villanelli weren't told about the switch (even though we get this page)?But we flashback to Supergirl trying to get her team together to head into El Caldero to get the Kryptonian technology there.First she has to stop Superboy and Superboy Prime from tearing each other apart. I do like this stand-up Supergirl who isn't going to let these two derail her plans. She takes charge and gets them to stop the squabbling. That's cool.Realizing she needs to create a solid plan covering all bases, Supergirl not only has the other super-family members but also her 'Super-Force'. This includes Lena Luthor who just happens to have created an anti-Kryptonite force shield device! The shield will last one hour unless the device is recharged by the sun.But it is one of those things that I struggle with. Every time there is a huge Kryptonite threat occurs, someone creates a tech that helps protect Kryptonians from Kryptonite which then gets swiftly forgotten and never used again. Or the reverse happens, we get mass produced weapons that can hurt Kryptonians we never see again. In Superman Unlimited last month, Batman had a device to turn Green K to Blue K. In the New Krypton story, the army had red sun rifles. Now we have anti-Green K gauntlets. Why wouldn't our heroes wear these all the time moving forward? This does add an interesting plot wrinkle to the proceedings as we see the power level of the shields counting down during the fights.Then Kara deploys the team. Tomorrow Man will head to SteelWorks to see if John has figured out anything about the Green K. Krypto will make a vault to hold the Kryptonian tech.And everyone else will be Lois Lane's camera crew heading to El Caldero. News of the coup we saw there has reached the world and the new leader only wants to talk to Lois.Holy shades of Linda Lang! Love it. And Quinones' art fits this book so well.And then another info dump. Lena talks about why Lois has powers now. Some sort of comic book science about quantum entanglements. Long time readers remember all of this being hinted at in the Superwoman Special but that was also nearly two years ago. Heck, that book hinted at it being Zod and that he would be coming back.Lena reveals she knew about the origins of Lois' powers but has been hiding it. I like that Lena reveals it as a way to sort of come clean and keep her redemption moving forward. And I like how we see Supergirl there to support her.In El Caldero, Zod reveals himself. But this is where things get a little to nutty for me as a reader. These are quibbles but they sort of pulled me out of the story.How is Zod not affected by the Green K? Is it his lack of powers? That is very Silver Age. But if that is true, why isn't he affected by it like the non-super people around the Green K?Next, in the bottom panel of one page, all our characters are in their camera crew outfits. On the top panel of the next page, everyone is in their hero costumes. Not one tie-loosening or shirt rips. Last, , Zod says that since Lois has his powers he can control her 'on a quantum level' and has Lois go berserk. Where did that come from? If he could control her, why not just force her to fly to him. Zod needs to strip Lois of his powers and reclaim them. To be able to get Lois out of there, Zod brings out the Eradicatrix, a new female version of the Eradicator. For sure this is going to be some resurrected Ursa. Love the design. The Green K is effecting the non-Kryptonians, making them ill.Lois is strapped to some device to drain her.The Supers are struggling against the mecha and weapons of El Caldero.Supergirl has her hands full with the Eradicatrix. And her force shield is running out of time.But I do like that the sun crystal is calling out to our hero (assuming it is the crystal saying it can help). She is the heir.This was a rapid fire opening chapter with a lot happening, a lot of exposition to remind us how we got there, and a lot of action. But it felt a little disjointed.What did you think?Overall grade: B

Supergirl #16 came out this week, the first chapter in the Kingdom of Zod crossover. While I am thrilled that the opening chapter is in the Supergirl book, perhaps bringing more eyes to the title, I have to say this story starts off a bit rushed and confusing. 

I don't know if I quite understand what Zod is trying to accomplish here. I don't know why he isn't impacted by a ton of Green K around him. But that is more a commentary on the overall story. Let's concentrate on this issue. 

Sophie Campbell does a solid job showing how Kara is trying to grow into her role of Heir to the House of El. How Kara is trying to be a leader for the El family in Superman's absence. But it isn't going to be an easy transition so seeing Kara doing her best to keep the team together on a dangerous mission into El Caldero is great characterization for our title hero. This is a Super-event so there are plenty of other characters here but Campbell really has Supergirl in the spotlight.

The art is a mix between Joe Quinones and Paolo Villanelli. The styles are quite different with Quinones being a more smooth style and Villanelli being more thin-lined, angular, and a bit rougher. The result can feel a bit jarring and I don't know if that is the best way to start an event either.

I honestly hope I understand Zod's plan at some point. But I don't yet. On to the issue.

We start with a 2 page intro to what has been going on with Zod. hard to believe that Kneel Before Zod was two years ago but it was. We are reminded that the Khunds decimated the New Krypton world. 

I did like that the art on these pages by Villanelli seemed to lean into Kneel Before Zod's artist Dan McDaid and McDaid's love of late Keith Giffen style art. Nice nod to that creative team. Pretty cool.

We open in present time with Supergirl on a helicopter heading into El Caldero. But we flip to a two page spread recapping everything that has been happening in the main super-books that brought us here. The arrival of the giant Green K meteor. The sun crystal in that meteor that has been calling to Supergirl. The disappearance of Superman after K.O. 

All this culminating in her declaring herself the Heir to the House of El. Very nice, iconic splash page.

This was the Superman-like costume we saw at the end of last issue. But we won't see this costume again for the rest of the issue. We are back to the standard red skirt costume the rest of the way.

Hard to know when all this stuff was being drawn. Maybe Quinones and Villanelli weren't told about the switch (even though we get this page)?

But we flashback to Supergirl trying to get her team together to head into El Caldero to get the Kryptonian technology there.

First she has to stop Superboy and Superboy Prime from tearing each other apart. 

I do like this stand-up Supergirl who isn't going to let these two derail her plans. She takes charge and gets them to stop the squabbling. That's cool.

Realizing she needs to create a solid plan covering all bases, Supergirl not only has the other super-family members but also her 'Super-Force'. 

This includes Lena Luthor who just happens to have created an anti-Kryptonite force shield device! The shield will last one hour unless the device is recharged by the sun.

But it is one of those things that I struggle with. Every time there is a huge Kryptonite threat occurs, someone creates a tech that helps protect Kryptonians from Kryptonite which then gets swiftly forgotten and never used again. Or the reverse happens, we get mass produced weapons that can hurt Kryptonians we never see again. In Superman Unlimited last month, Batman had a device to turn Green K to Blue K. In the New Krypton story, the army had red sun rifles. Now we have anti-Green K gauntlets. Why wouldn't our heroes wear these all the time moving forward? 

This does add an interesting plot wrinkle to the proceedings as we see the power level of the shields counting down during the fights.

Then Kara deploys the team. 
Tomorrow Man will head to SteelWorks to see if John has figured out anything about the Green K. 

Krypto will make a vault to hold the Kryptonian tech.

And everyone else will be Lois Lane's camera crew heading to El Caldero. News of the coup we saw there has reached the world and the new leader only wants to talk to Lois.

Holy shades of Linda Lang! Love it. 

And Quinones' art fits this book so well.

And then another info dump. Lena talks about why Lois has powers now. Some sort of comic book science about quantum entanglements. 

Long time readers remember all of this being hinted at in the Superwoman Special but that was also nearly two years ago. Heck, that book hinted at it being Zod and that he would be coming back.

Lena reveals she knew about the origins of Lois' powers but has been hiding it. I like that Lena reveals it as a way to sort of come clean and keep her redemption moving forward. And I like how we see Supergirl there to support her.

In El Caldero, Zod reveals himself. But this is where things get a little to nutty for me as a reader. These are quibbles but they sort of pulled me out of the story.

How is Zod not affected by the Green K? Is it his lack of powers? That is very Silver Age. But if that is true, why isn't he affected by it like the non-super people around the Green K?

Next, in the bottom panel of one page, all our characters are in their camera crew outfits. On the top panel of the next page, everyone is in their hero costumes. Not one tie-loosening or shirt rips. 

Last, , Zod says that since Lois has his powers he can control her 'on a quantum level' and has Lois go berserk. Where did that come from? If he could control her, why not just force her to fly to him. 

Zod needs to strip Lois of his powers and reclaim them. To be able to get Lois out of there, Zod brings out the Eradicatrix, a new female version of the Eradicator. 

For sure this is going to be some resurrected Ursa. Love the design. 

The Green K is effecting the non-Kryptonians, making them ill.

Lois is strapped to some device to drain her.

The Supers are struggling against the mecha and weapons of El Caldero.

Supergirl has her hands full with the Eradicatrix. And her force shield is running out of time.

But I do like that the sun crystal is calling out to our hero (assuming it is the crystal saying it can help). She is the heir.

This was a rapid fire opening chapter with a lot happening, a lot of exposition to remind us how we got there, and a lot of action. But it felt a little disjointed.

What did you think?

Overall grade: B