Supergirl #6 questions, thoughts, etc. (spoilers)

[shaxper]

Boy do I need help with this one. How much of what's currently happening are we supposed to understand? I never read SG prior to this issue, but have made an effort to read all OYL titles (even if this one didn't bear the emblem). Who's Karen? At first, I thought one of these two was SG and one was Powergirl, but aren't they both named Kara?


More importantly, I guess SG is getting around quite a bit lately. Let me see if I'm getting this right:

One Year Later: SG is filling in for Superman in Metropolis
One Year, One Month Later: SG finds herself in some strange Kryptonian-loving place, opposing a leader called Kal-El that probably isn't Superman.
One Thousand and One Years Later: SG somehow appears in the future (because it doesn't seem to be an actual dream at this point). I'm assuming she left her normal place in time either just prior to or just after the events of the current Supergirl story arc.

So I guess SG is going to be doing some heavy traveling over the course of the next year.


Incidentally, did anyone actually like this issue? I don't think I'll be keeping up with the regular Supergirl title.

[NotSuper]

Karen Starr is Power Girl's civillian name. Her Kryptonian name is Kara Zor-L. Hope that clears things up for you.

[shaxper]

Karen Starr is Power Girl's civillian name. Her Kryptonian name is Kara Zor-L. Hope that clears things up for you.

Yes, it does. Thanks!

[Rylon]

I too, am wondering how Supergirl has managed to travel so much.

The strange Kryptonion-loving place would be Kandor, a Krypton city that was shrunk down by Brainiac prior to it destruction. I'm not current with the Post-Crisis or post IC continuity on Kandor, but that should help in understanding it.

I liked this issue. I'm curious to see where they are going with Argo. In pre-crisis continuity, Argo was another Kryptonion city that survived Krypton's destruction. Instead of being shrunk, it was flung-out as one chunk because of large dome surounding the city. The inhabitants lined the ground with lead to keep out the deadly Kryptonite radiation.

[NotSuper]

Yes, it does. Thanks!
No problem. There are some good sites out there if you're curious about Power Girl or the various Supergirls. You should get a bunch of hits on Google (if you want to, that is).

Incidentally, I haven't yet read the issue, but it does sound interesting. I've always liked Kandor.

[shaxper]

I'm wondering if it actually is Kandor (due to IC retconning) or if, like the supposed Kal-El in this issue, it's some other place adopting the name in order to be more Kryptonian. While we do see an alien population in this issue, it would make an interesting twist to discover this is actually Bludhaven or some other American city.

[Lord Ichabod]

okay, now that I know what kandor is this issue isn't as muddy.I still am too shaky on my supergirl lore to have any idea what's going on here. are nightwing and flamebird actual characters from before?

[shaxper]

okay, now that I know what kandor is this issue isn't as muddy.I still am too shaky on my supergirl lore to have any idea what's going on here. are nightwing and flamebird actual characters from before?

I know Nightwing was an alternate identity Superman once took up pre-Crisis, but I don't know the story behind it. Obviously, there's also Dick Grayson (and we know a female will be taking over that Nightwing's role in a few issues' time).

No idea about Flamebird.

[Rylon]

Most of the post-IC retconning I've seen is moving toward pre-crisis continuity. Still, the non-Kryptonion population in Kandor is puzzeling to me.

[shaxper]

Here we go, direct from Wikipedia:

In the Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline of Superman (Vol.1) #158 (Jan. 1963), Nightwing was an alias used by Superman in adventures shared with Jimmy Olsen in the city of Kandor, a Kryptonian city that had been shrunken and preserved in a bottle.

In Kandor, Superman had no powers and was branded an outlaw due to a misunderstanding. To protect themselves, Superman and Jimmy created vigilante identities inspired by Batman and Robin; however, as neither bats nor robins existed on Krypton, Superman chose the names of two native avian species: Nightwing (for himself) and Flamebird (for Jimmy).

[Alpha to Omega]

Actually Kandor seems to be pretty similar to the one seen in Godfall with the aliens and the racial conflict between them and the Kryptonians. Plus anyone else think the Nightwing and Flamebird armors look similar to Zod's armor from "For Tomorrow"? And I'm guessing that "Kal-El" will turn out to be a post-crisis version of Van-Zee, Superman's identical second cousin who was the Pre-Crisis Nightwing.

[Rik Levins]

You can read the original Nightwing and Flamebird story here:

http://superman.ws/tales2/invasion/

There were several more adventures in which Superman and Jimmy took on these alternate identities. Later, Van-Zee took over as Nightwing, and some other guy as Flamebird (don't remember who).

Pre-Crisis, Kandor was strictly a Kryptonian city. Now it's got a mixed population. I haven't kept up with Superman in the last few years, so I don't know the new origin of Kandor.

[Cayman]

This issue might've been improved a bit if Supergirl had gotten her own giant Akira motorcycle.

Cay

[Mon-el]

My issue had a small error in it.

It's after Kara (Flamebird) and Karen (Nightwing) bust thru the facility.

Page 18.

Kara (Flamebird remind you): (yells at Karen) Flamebird! Shut down The Grid! I'll Cover You!

Now either Kara forgot which one she is supposed to be, or Powergirl is moving so fast that shes outflying her word bubbles, or a small error in editing.

Just seems odd the word bubbles are pointing towards Kara.

[i5hawn]

kandor = bottled city
argo = surviving chunk of krypton

they are in kandor right? they say on page 1 "defy the law of kandor", also the guy at the end is zod. he has superman's face these days right?

[Kent H]

My issue had a small error in it.

It's after Kara (Flamebird) and Karen (Nightwing) bust thru the facility.

Page 18.

Kara (Flamebird remind you): (yells at Karen) Flamebird! Shut down The Grid! I'll Cover You!

Now either Kara forgot which one she is supposed to be, or Powergirl is moving so fast that shes outflying her word bubbles, or a small error in editing.

Just seems odd the word bubbles are pointing towards Kara.


I'm pretty sure that's in al the issues - it's in mine at least. I'm also pretty sure it's an editing error, since misplaced/mis-"directed" word bubbles are an unfortunately common editing error.

[NotSuper]

I hope the new origin of Kandor is told soon. The inhabitants remember Brainiac shrinking their city and not Tolos. That changes the history of both Kandor and Brainiac (a good change, in my view).

[AaronJ]

This issue was fantastic. Benes' art was eye-popping, and also conveyed the dark situation in which Kandor finds itself. The story was a good set up, especially with the aliens attacking Kara, proving two things:

1) Even if your goal is righteous, those for whom you are fighting aren't always.

2) Kara is still a livewire. She is perpetually one wrong move by a jerk away from "going heat vision".

But, otoh, Kara is still sweet enough to give a little kiss to the tattoo artist. And, btw, Yea! for that tatt. I hope it makes it out of Kandor with Kara. It reads "Hope".

The relationship between PG and SG has come a long way since Karen told Kara to blow off, standing on the Statue of Liberty. Karen is now like a big sis, looking out for Kara and empathizing with her. Like the tattoo, I hope this relationship makes it out of Kandor, and back to New Earth.

The Flamebird and Nightwing costumes are awesome, and they really fit into the Kandor setting. I am assuming that this Kandor is pretty much the same as the one in "Godfall", since it seems fairly similar.

And this "Kal-El", whoever he is, needs to be squashed, and squashed HARD. And, hey, guess what? Power Girl and Supergirl are there! Whew, just in the nick of time, eh? Seriously, this guy is the worst kind of facist, racist, morally bankrupt slimeball. It's nice to see the gals go up against a foe that is so obviously and completely evil.

Anyhow, great issue. I wish Rucka were staying on, and the same goes for Benes. But Joe Kelly can be pretty good from the little I've read, so we'll see. And Ron Adrian is sort of an unknown to me, but I'm optimistic, since he's Brazilian, and a lot of the Brazilians seem to emulate Ed Benes' style.

[NotSuper]

Is there any chance that "Kal-El" is really Preus?

[AaronJ]

Is there any chance that "Kal-El" is really Preus?

Yeah, I was thinking that too. Lots of people have had this idea, and it is definitely possible.

I'm not sure that it makes sense, in that when did Preus get that powerful? (Or do I just not remember "Godfall" that well?) But it definitely could be Preus. It seems like the same Kandor, and it would make sense that Preus would take the stance that "Kal-El" in SUPERGIRL #6 is taking.

Like I said before: I can't wait for #7. :)

[krammocon]

Hmmmm Rucka or Kelly, I'm sticking till this arc with Power Girl, then I'll see if it can grab my attention and interest after.

I tried issue #6, and surprisingly its the best Supergirl issue I've tried so far. Maybe I am biased coz I am a fan of Karen (I even bought issue #1 featuring her and dropped issues #2-5 where she's not in) or maybe coz Ed Benes is doing a damn great pencils of those girls. Luckily, Ron Adrian is at least closer to Ed Benes' style, so that means that the art will surely still be great. I am also intrigued how this current story will turn into, now that Joe Kelly is continuing it. I hope it'll be good. But as long as I enjoy the art and Peegee is in it.. i'll see y'all on the next issues.

Oh and to be fair.. late or not, britney-ish or whatever.. I can say that I like this Supergirl better than PAD's. Sorry.. but if Power Girl which is a true blue kryptonian didn't even call herself Supergirl when the original one died in COIE.. then no ANGEL or whoever from whatever can use the name SUPER and it's insignia but Kal-El or L's cousin from krypton alone.

[Mon-el]

Thanks Kent H. I thought it was only my issue that it was done in.

And Thanks to diana fan for explaining Kara's tattoo. I was wondering what it said.

As to the matter of who the identity of Kal-El is?

I agree with Alpha to Omega, I'm assuming that it is Van-Zee.

I just so don't want another Preus story so soon.

I liked that Godfall made Preus a credible Superman Villian, but then it was overkill once Austen used him in his run soon after.

I loved the new Flamebird and Nightwing costumes.