SUPERGIRL #79–WHAD’JA THINK?

Supergirl #79 is out this week. Meantime between SUPERGIRL #74 to #80, we saw an increase of 6000 copies. Not bad for a series of stories some pundits claimed “failed to get readers.”

So whad’ja think of the latest issue?

PAD

74 comments on “SUPERGIRL #79–WHAD’JA THINK?

  1. Just a thought. Linda is seemingly VERY happy on Earth-1 (SA).

    For her, being forced to return to Earth-DCU will have to be a little bit like getting ripped out of hea…

    *Stops Dead*

  2. “But whenever we get a flashback or homage these days it’s all “there was no swearing” or “the villains didn’t go around killing people” instead of any attempt to evoke what that era was, y’know, doing right.”

    Sorry to be saying this, but what was REALLY right about it? The warm and fuzzy memories? The fact that nothing of much significance ever seemed to happen to the heroes?

    Was that bygone era REALLY “doing right” by blatantly ignoring the fact that heroism almost ALWAYS involves making hard choices, instead of avoiding them? A crazy quilt funland wherein every day is more like “The Truman Show” than real life?

    Thanks, but no thanks. You can keep the Super-dog and cat. 🙂

    KET

  3. Sorry to be a little late on this, Peter. I’ve had school and only been able to get #79 today. Good thing too I pre-ordered because in 2 days my comic shop was sold out of SG!

    I love LOVE Kara and although it has become increasingly obvious that she will die (or return to the Silver Age) I only hope against hope she doesn’t. That scene with Rebel where will see what this sweet innocent creature is capable of if she wished is more character development than she ever got till Crisis. She’s more than just a blonde in a costume worrying about dating.

    As for Linda…what can I say. NOBODY could have been expecting that. When you mentioned that you had written a marriage scene months ago I dismissed it but what actually happened. Wow! And Ariella? Another surprise! The Pink Kryptonite was just LOL funny.

    DC must be on drugs to cancel this book. I would loved for this storyline to go another 6 issues. It’s just seemed to get better and better. Kudos…even though I know you promised a not so “happy ending” that will leave us sobbing.

  4. KET –

    Well, my memories of the Silver Age include such warm and fuzzy moments as Robin being hospitalized after a brutal back-alley beating (Gardner Fox), Manhunter committing suicide to defeat the Council and fulfill his not-so-subtle death wish (Archie Goodwin), Superboy being emotionally shredded by a testing program Jor-El created to insure he could handle the responsibility of living with humanity (Cary Bates), Batman’s doomed romance with Silver St. Cloud (Steve Englehart), Perry White throwing up in a WGBS bathroom after realizing he’s just advised Superman that the best way out of his current predicament is to kill someone (Elliot Maggin), a sniper wiping out half the cast of WONDER WOMAN in about five pages (Robert Kanigher), Invisible Kid getting squished by Validus (Bates, again), doctors making the first incision of Clark Kent’s autopsy after Kent’s heart has stopped (Marv Wolfman), and Jonathan Kent being reunited with his adult son — only for Clark to lose all memory of the event when the time paradox that brought Jonathan back finally unravels (once more, Bates).

    Oh and this one time Jerry Siegel sent Superman back in time to Krypton so he could watch his parents and loved ones die up close and personal. Real laugh riot, that one.

    Those are all some extreme examples, but my point is that comics pre-1985 may not have been all grim’n’gritty — but they certainly weren’t all sweetness and light either.

    – DB Bennett

  5. “Sorry to be saying this, but what was REALLY right about it? The warm and fuzzy memories? The fact that nothing of much significance ever seemed to happen to the heroes?

    Was that bygone era REALLY “doing right” by blatantly ignoring the fact that heroism almost ALWAYS involves making hard choices, instead of avoiding them? A crazy quilt funland wherein every day is more like “The Truman Show” than real life?

    Thanks, but no thanks. You can keep the Super-dog and cat. :)”

    Actually, in the Silver Age and the later pre-crisis time, they managed to combine the funland with more serious issues. The imaginary stories in the 60s in particular were very much concerned with sacrifices and hard choices. Yes, they weren’t part of continuity, but that’s because Mort Weisinger and his writers didn’t have the option of resorting to reboots, so they had to have the main characters remain fundamentally unchanged. The stories were written for children, but overall had some deeply resonant themes: sacrifice, love of family, the need to belong.

    What was right about them? Read Superman’s return to Krypton by Jerry Siegel and Wayne Boring. Read the stories about Supergirl’s parents in Action 310 or so, read the Virus X story, or the Sally Selwyn stories that another poster mentioned. For all the criticism that those stories take, and the attention lavished on the red Kryptonite stories, or Jimmy Olsen’s disguises, there are a lot of stories that emphasize that heroism involves sacrifice.

    Later, under Julie Schwartz’s editorship, the stories were written for an older audience, and were more openly about those themes. Elliot Maggin wrote a number of good stories involving Lex Luther. Cary Bates did also, but with a different approach. Marv Wolfman did an excellent series in Action about what happens when someone trying to do the right thing is misunderstood. (That also had some great art by Gil Kane, by the way.)

    Nothing wrong with preferring today’s stories — Mr. David in particular has written some great ones, and I’m bummed that his Supergirl series will end soon — but if you’re willing to really look at those old stories there is a lot there, along with the hoaxes and dreams. Just looking at the red kryptonite and the other absurd elements is like just looking at the puns in Mr. David’s work. That’s not the only thing there.

    I know that not all the stories from that time were great, and I’m certainly not suggesting that all stories should be like that. But there was an awful lot that was done right, and should be recognized and appreciated.

    End of rant.

  6. I nearly passed on this issue, but I’m glad I took the opportunity. I stopped buying after DC announced the cancellation. Maybe that’s wrong, but when a series like New Warriors & Nova got axed in the 90’s, I felt like a fool for buying them in the first place. Now it felt like DC wanted to take me money & run too.

    I was pleasantly surprised by the twist in events this issue. Having Superman profess his love & figuring out she wasn’t his cousin was hilarious & eye-popping. (I especially loved Lois and Lana’s reactions at the wedding.)

    Sorta feels like you have a Kingdom Come-type scenario going on here, with the Magog-like character hunting down Supergirls in all realities.

    I’ll be back for the final issue to see how it all works out.

  7. I just finished 79. I am completely dumbfounded that someone at DC read this and still cancelled this book. It defies description. It is SO frustrating. This will probably be the best arc of all super hero books this year and then some. It works on so many levels with a pacing that is incredible. I know it sounds like I am blowing smoke, but I’m not. There are a handful of super heroic arcs like this in the history of comics–like The Great Darkness Saga in LSH or Starlin’s original Warlock or Englehart/Brunner Strange. And DC sees this and they just let it slip away. These roots are where you can build an icon, a real complex character as Supergirl.

    Sorry. Don’t mean to be such an effusive fanboy, but at 37 to still get a chill when reading a comic book and still be reminded about the nobility of humans…

    …Thanks

  8. PAD,

    I just read Supergirl #79, and, yes, I loved it! I especially liked Lois and Lana’s reaction to the marriage scene.

    Like some previous posters here, I’m really dumbfounded that DC would read this story and go ahead with the cancellation! Like a lot of people, you have to scratch your head when contemplating the oh-so-mysterious reasons behind some of DC’s decisions! I’d like to point out that it takes TIME for word-of-mouth to get around and to get people to pick up a copy of a book. PAD, you should have been given a little time before they automatically axed Supergirl and Young Justice.

    Enough b**ching! I’ve got a suggestion for some positive action! Everyone reading this can go to the DC Message Boards and TELL DC DIRECTLY WHAT WE THINK OF SOME OF THEIR DECISIONS — ie. cancelling our favourite books. Let them know what you think! I get the feeling that the-powers-that-be do not read this Blog.

    We need to e-mail them directly if we want to influence them.

    ‘Nuff said.

  9. I’ll say that as a reader since 1963, this is the best Supergirl story ever written, and DC is nuts to cancel the title. I hope it returns with the same creative team.

    In the meantime, based upon his use of the character in this title and Young Justice, I’d like to see PAD take a shot at writing the next Spectre series. There’s always a next Spectre series.

    –your pal, Hoy

  10. It took me days, and trips to many, MANY comic book shops. But I do have in my hands tonight a copy of #79. 🙂

  11. Man, PAD, I’ve been a fan of yours since the days of the Sin-Eater and I think you’re a fine writer. First you make me start reading Captain Marvel (before the stupid U-decide stunt, though I still read it.), as well as Supergirl now. I never thought I’d like a book like supergirl (never thought I’d like spidergirl, either…[insert joke with “pink kryptonite” here]) but it’s your credit as a writer that I keep comin back.

    I liked the whole journey to the Silver Age with “our” SG, and if she returns to the main DCU, she’ll never look at Clark the same way again. Can’t wait for 80 to see how it all ends.

  12. I really loved the story and the mixing in of the silver age characters. Superman marring Supergirl (Linda) was a real supprise. I always thought Lois Lane was loser. She just had to prove Clark was Superman irrespective of his wishes. That’s Love? Calling there child Ariella sounds like a salute to Peters daughter Ariel. That was very nice. It was the cover that scared me. A homage to the commong “crisis on Infinite Earths” #7 where Supergirl was killed. There is only one issue left and I would like to see it end on a high note with Linda still married, with her family and Kara-El still alive some where with a future.

    Shame on DC for ending the best supergirl series ever. Having read them all I can say that.

  13. Saaay…you didn’t read ALL of the script to #79 at Farpoint after all!

    God. Poor Linda. She either has to die next issue or go back to the modern DCU and leave her husband and daughter behind.

    Either way, she’s boned.

    I really wish this book wasn’t ending.

  14. Thanks Peter for the ride, I wish it was not ending but what can one do?

    The last issue was excellant and I wish there was a way for Linda to keep her life as Mrs Superman.

    And I like the fact that Kara is developing a mean streak due to her stay in our “mean” universe.

    Thanks again Peter, please consider writing a Marvel Family story one of these days.

  15. What do I think?

    I think the Powers That Be at DC need to A) rethink their decision to cancel this book, or B) relaunch it with a new No. 1. (My preference would be the first option, frankly, just to see it reach 100, but I’d sure take B.

  16. As a Supergirl fan since 1964 I think D.C. really missed the boat badly by cancelling Supergirl.What are they thinking up there? Better relaunch soon or I’ll drop all the D.C.titles and concentrate on finding Golden Age stuff for my collection with the $40 or so That I spend each month on new titles. Keep Linda and Kara,to blazes with Cir-El.(Are you listening Levitz and Co.???)

  17. Batman’ HUSH may be getting all the big numbers (of course it’s been promoted to death and rightfully so), but the “Many Happy Returns” arc will hopefully be remembered as the better story.

    It just works on so many levels. One, it shows that Kara Zor-El could be a fantstic character in today’s world (loved the edgier ‘tude from her). Two, Linda is more entrenched in the Superman mythos than ever before. Three, a nice look back at the Silver Age, while poking some fun at the same time. Four, everyone is guessing as to how it will end. Five, it’s just plain fun!

    If one book deserved to be saved by TBTB at DC, it was this one. Just what message are they sending by ending it and prolonging books like Power Company (sorry PC fans).

    And why in sweet Lord, does the Superman books have to introduce yet another S-Girl?!! What a kick in the teeth.

    KC

  18. There are rumblings out in DC land about a new series featuring the 3 Girls of Steel.

    No info on who would be doing it, no info on when, no info on if it’s a series plan, I just know that one individual in the know has said there’s been talk about it.

    That’s all I can say, other than to mention that around 85 or so months ago, I was the one who broke the news to the usenet community a PAD/Gary Frank Supergirl series was coming.

  19. Loved it. Upset that it’s still being cancelled. Will buy TPBs for friends. Hope that Scavenger is right iff Peter David is at the writing helm.

  20. Great, great, great. I love watching people tear their hair out trying to figure whether you can “really” alter Crisis, or fighting about which-the-hëll Earth Linda’s on. I just hope #80 kicks such serious butt that you are begged to come back to S-girl at some time of your own convenience.

  21. Mr. David and All SG fans,

    I’ve read Supergirl since issue number 3, and I kept coming back ever since. I never thought I’d be here for the end of the series. Heck, I never thought I would be interested in a Supergirl title eight years ago! But here I am, at the end. I’ve enjoyed the ride, especially the latest arc with Kara Zor-el.

    Yep, it’s been hëll of a series. Issue 79 seemed all the more bitter-sweet. Amusing and moving! Kara’s character seems fleshed out, but she still carries some of that silver-age “innocence.” She’s only been here a few short issues, yet I want her to stick around. Linda’s adventures on Earth 1 proved a great foil; she’s happy, self-assured, and is living silver-age life to the fullest. The marriage was quite a surprise but made complete sense. But the red skies are coming, and Peter David is writing, and I can’t begin to guess what will happen to Linda, Kara, and the Leesburg gang in the next, final issue. But I know one thing: even if it leaves me in tears, I will enjoy this issue.

    All the best,

  22. I must admit to be a very LATE follower of this series, but I found Issue #79 to be very moving. I smiled at the humorous moments when Linda tried to live out Kara’s life in the Silver Age, and it sadly made sense when the Spector was forced to intervene again when Linda’s marriage and Ariella’s birth caused a major divergence from the “official” timeline. Too bad Linda wasn’t handed a script to follow, but you have to credit her for being a superb improvisational actress under impossible conditions. She’s definitely a trooper, and it’s because she’s tried so hard to do the right thing that I’ve developed an emphathy for this character.

    Now that I’ve belated discovered this series, I truly feel cheated by knowing it will end all too soon. Getting to know Kara again makes her now-apparently inevitable death during the Crisis all the more tragic. (I’ll admit that it was this very incident that caused me to abandon the entire comics/graphic novel genre so long ago.) I also fear that Linda too will meet a sad end, though we won’t know that until the dreaded Issue #80 arrives.

    (So despite all efforts, it seems that Kara must still die. But Superman was also killed once… Sigh. Wishful thinking, I know, I know…)

    However, what I personally consider to be the saddest consequence regardless of outcome would be the elimination of the divergent timeline that Linda created in the Silver Age. Even if Linda somehow survives, she would be haunted by memories that never were, including the horrible thought that somewhere in a now-lost timeline is a vault in the Fortress of Solitude, where a little girl is forever crying for her mommy…

    While I expect to grieve once more, I await the resolution of this series knowing that you will provide a respectful farewell for Linda, Kara and the rest — at least for now.

    Thank you, Mr. David.

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