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Mild Mannered Reviews - Supergirl Comics

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #23

Scheduled to arrive in stores: October 25, 2006

Cover date: December 2006

Writer: Mark Waid
Penciller: Barry Kitson
Inker: Mick Gray

Reviewed by: Jeffrey Bridges

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We begin with Kara waking up in a Kryptonian city and thinking she's back on Krypton and was, indeed, dreaming up all of the Legion. They're actually on the planet Rokyn, which is now home to the re-englarged city of Kandor and its Kryptonian inhabitants. The Legion used Kryptonite to subdue Supergirl and knock her out long enough to get there so that she might finally realize that she's NOT dreaming up all of their reality because it's making her a danger to the team. And despite Cosmic Boy's thinking his feelings for Kara were just an imbalance in Zeta radiation from her traveling through time, he sure seems to be awfully worried about Kara and quite protective of her. For her part, Kara is confused and distraught and very confused.

Back on Earth some of the Legion members are searching through the remains of the robots from their earlier rebellion and find a scavenger with the power to control plants. The scavenger seems to be very out of the loop on the current state of affairs and is thrilled when the Legion members offer to let him return to the surface with them... although someone from the shadows then reminds him to remember "the part he is to play".

On Talok VIII, Shadow Lass defeats her brother in combat to remain Talok's chosen defender. At the celebration afterward, Atom Girl mentions that Shadow Lass should perhaps run for Legion leader, and it's something she seems willing to consider.

Back on Rokyn, Brainiac 5 seems to know about a break in at a museum before it's going to happen, and the people of Kandor, distrusting outsiders, already suspect Legion members. They arrive at the museum to investigate and find Jeyra (who Chameleon caught and imprisoned back in issue 19) and some other superpowered friends, who all have costumes much like the Legion ones.

They're able to defeat the Legion, but Saturn Girl picks up on a voice calling for help, and the ghostly image of Mon-El calls to them from a Phantom Zone projector, and pleads to be set free.

Story - 4: Good advancement on several story fronts, namely Supergirl figuring out what's going on with her and the apparent imminent arrival of Mon-El. Jeyra coming back was a nice touch and I'm interested to see what she and her friends are up to, and perhaps the most interesting part of the issue, to me, were Brainy's apparent premonitions. There's been no real resolution to his attempts to resurrect Dream Girl, but it's clearly had some effect on him and I like where it seems to be going (as opposed to her just being physically resurrected right away).

The Shadow Lass bit was short and I think the last thing we need right now is ANOTHER sub-story, but at the same time it's certainly tied in to everything going on in the book if she's going to be running for Legion leader.

I have but two problems with this book right now. One, I think there are just too many concurrent sub-stories that haven't been touched on in forever. Sun Boy. The giant criminals. It just feels like there's a little TOO much and it's reaching a critical mass. I sincerely hope Waid is able to tie all the pieces together well enough to pull it off.

The other problem isn't as much of a real "problem", but what I loved the most about this book when I read the first few issues was the sense of fun and adventure, excitement and camaraderie between Legion members. For the past several months that lighthearted fun that I so loved has been missing, and it's missing still.

Not that Waid should never be allowed to be serious in the book, but it's gone on for so long now. And an early precedent was established with the book being more of a light-hearted action adventure book and not a broody, moody, almost-takes-itself-too-seriously book.

I'm still enjoying it, but not as much as I once did. Perhaps it's because it's so difficult to follow the plethora of stories running at the same time with dozens of different characters, or perhaps it's just not as light-hearted anymore, I don't know.

But I find myself already wishing this whole giant storyline and all of its sub-stories would wrap up already so that we could get back to having fun.

Art - 4: Decent, but something felt a little off to me. I don't know what it was, really. I've looked and looked at the book and there's nothing more I can tell you. I can't figure it out. It just doesn't seem quite... right.

Cover Art (Kitson) - 4: Okay, this has been an ongoing problem with the Legion covers. I LOVE this image... but it's got NOTHING to do with the issue! Again!

Yes, Supergirl is upset with the people who bring her to Kandor against her wishes. But they barely even argue about it, let alone fight, super double plus let alone her completely wiping the floor with them.

But! At least all the people on the cover are not only in the book, but involved in the Supergirl storyline. So that's better than other random Legionnaires lying at her feet, I guess.

Cover Art (Hughes) - 5: Why did my shop not get this version? Why did I not get this version? HOLY MOLY, my friends. This is astounding, and Kara's face and expression are fantastic.