Signal Watch Reads: Supergirl 64

Supergirl #64
"Good Looking Corpse - Finale"
Writer - James Peaty
Artist - Bernard Chang
Colorist - Blond
Letterer - Travis Lanham
Cover - Mahmud Asrar & Guy Major
Associate Editor - Wil Moss
Editor - Matt Idleson

Supergirl is in a bit of flux until the conclusion of Flashpoint the last week of August. After the pretty-terrific run by Sterling Gates, and only a short run post-New Krytpon, the series was to be handed off to current darling of comics, Nick Spencer. However, after one issue (Supergirl #60), Spencer and DC parted ways and the storyline was handed over to James Peaty, while Bernard Chang stayed on with art chores.

I don't really know James Peaty's other work, and I wasn't sure Bernard Chang was a great fit. I'm very much on board with the notion that Supergirl is a teenager, and depictions of the character should be those of an athlete rather than pin-up. Fortunately, whatever notions I had that Chang wouldn't be working in that manner were immediately dismissed way back in issue 60. I still very much miss Jamal Igle's work, but he wasn't going to stay on the book forever, and while Chang's work is very, very different, it feels appropriate for an all-ages book like Supergirl and I can't criticize what he's up to (that's a compliment, people).

In general, I thought the story was pretty clever from issue 1, and I didn't feel any tonal shift when Peaty took the reigns.  While this isn't a major change of status for Supergirl, and the story is largely devoid of subplots or attempts to build Supergirl's world outside of this run, its still an interesting, well-put together bit of Supergirl adventure, even making the guest-star appearances feel relevant.   Peaty also seems to have a great feel for Lois Lane, who is the only supporting character to appear throughout the run.

As per villains and plots, I will admit that with months inbetween, I wasn't exactly sure anymore what Alex's plot actually was by the time he was trying to just mind-control Titans, other than to give superheroes a hard time, and I very much didn't recall how Deveraux tied into the plot.  Like everyone else, I read a lot of stuff every month, and if I'm being asked to read a longform story in monthly installments, sometimes getting a bit of exposition doesn't hurt.  I suppose it didn't bother me as it did read a bit as "mad scientist plot #98,467", but that seems like something Idleson and Moss should have caught.

Alex (our villain) is now in play in the DCU, and we may see him again, should someone else decide the character is worth exploring.  Mostly, however, I think anyone with a cell phone sees the implications for the "Flyover" app created as part of the series, and while it doesn't need to be a huge part of the DCU, its hard to ignore exactly how technology would impact the secret IDs and behaviors of superheroes going into the next five years.

Next up, Kelly Sue Deconnick, a writer whose work I've never read but other folks seem to really like, takes up the pen.  It should be a fun little sprint to September.

Come the post-Flashpoint DCU, (as of first week of September) I'm ready for this title to get a regular writer back on board and begin world building for Supergirl once again.