Comic Book Review: Supergirl #49

Book Information

Written by Sterling Gates

Art by Matt Camp

Plot

The world has gone mad.  A horde of Zombie Lanterns roam the universe.  New Krypton commences in what could be a civil war.  The Justice Society copes with a catastrophic spilt in its team causing anger and hatred.  The new dynamic duo put their lives at risk in reviving the Dark Knight in a Lazarus pit.  Two Kryptonians are realizing they are Krypton’s mythological beings made manifest.  And the Justice League has the destruction of an entire city to deal with.  Amongst all the chaos, death, confusion and evil that surrounds the entire world, Supergirl is the one most in pain as she comes to realize that one of her best friends and mentor has died very unexpectedly…Lana Lang.

My Thoughts

My favorite episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was when Buffy’s mother dies very unexpectedly.  The entire hour of that episode had absolutely no music.  Not even a sad musical score was played to help audiences feel for Buffy and her loss.  Even the fights scenes were musicless.  This was such an effective move on Joss Whedon’s part and became a historical landmark in television artistry.  Supergirl #49 gave out that same exact vibe, but with even more heart throbbing emptiness that Buffy had.

The issue starts off with Lana walking down the halls of her apartment building to the front door.  Immediately after requesting a taxi, she begins bleeding profusely from here eye sockets and mouth.  She hits the floor where her blood begins pooling all around her as the red streams run down white face; very unexpected, yet quite effective.

It’s amazing how one very drastic change on ones personal life can cause you to drop everything and forget about the world around you.  Once Supergirl’s super hearing catches the smallest bit of evidence that Lana was in trouble, she zipped by without a moment’s hesitation.  She even disregarded the doctors who were trying to keep her from bursting into the E.R. where Lana’s body lay bedridden, covered in blood and medical wiring.  How devastating it must be, to loose the one you love most in such a horrible way with no real way of achieving a successful sense of closer.  And with that horrible nightmare come true, followed two pages of confusion and silence in Supergirl’s mind.  Sterling Gates has truly outdone himself with this literary masterpiece.

Not only that, Gates has revived the forgotten truth that the Silver Banshee isn’t this “throw out” villain, though DC seems to have befallen that reputation on the screeching demoness.  Yes, there is a truly heart breaking story that comes along with Superman’s bellowing nemesis that causes you to feel sorry and weep for her.  Being haunted by a family for centuries is definitely not my cup of tea, and it’s nice to see Gates help fans to remember and respect this.  This undoubtedly will lead to a story which will attempt to flesh the Banshee’s character out in a developmental manner.

The art by Matt Camp is nothing short of fantastic.  The first half of the book is delivered with clean lines and gorgeous use of colors.  But the second half is only amplified by its horrifying hospital scenes.  Lana with literally blood shot eyes, and the E.R. with its grey color scheme, gives this the illusion of sudden loneliness and apartness.  The cover is breathtakingly beautiful, while containing no sign of happiness.  As happy as I am to see Jamal Igle return to the Supergirl title, Matt Camp will be sorely missed by me.

Overall

There is nothing hopeful or cheery about this book.  Silver Banshee is still trapped in a cursed state, and Lana died unexpectedly with no explanation of why.  It’s so heart breaking, it’s brilliant!  I can’t wait to find out why Lana’s body is covered in black goo!

Rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming February 17, 2010

Special celebratory 50th issue! Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle reunite to tell an epic, oversized battle royale between the Girl of Steel and a mysterious, diabolical new foe! Still reeling from last issue's harrowing events, Supergirl is put to the test when she uncovers a terrible secret about her friend and confidant, Lana Lang. 
Plus! A look into a day in the life of the Girl of Steel written by Jake Black and Supergirl herself, actress Helen Slater!
Featuring a cover by the man who redefined Supergirl for the 21st century, Michael Turner, SUPERGIRL #50 is an extra-sized extravaganza you won't want to miss!