Supergirl: Many Happy Returns

Rating:
Summary: Supergirl Goes Out With A Bang
Review: Although this was the last arc for Supergirl...what a way to go. The mix of Peter David's writing and Ed Benes artwork make this trade a definate must read (it was one of the most talked about comic events of 2003), and will be remembered again as the character of Supergirl evolves in 2004. The story centers around the newly recharged Linda Danvers (Supergirl to you! ) returns to find that a new Supergirl has crashed landed on Earth. Ed Benes' artwork is incredible (he can now be found drawing the gorgeous gals of "Birds of Prey"), I love it and was so happy to be introduced to him. Unfortunately the arc wasn't given the chance the revive the "Supergirl" series, it is still a great read and should be given the once over.

Rating:
Summary: Supergirl Goes Out With A Bang
Review: Although this was the last arc for Supergirl...what a way to go. The mix of Peter David's writing and Ed Benes artwork make this trade a definate must read (it was one of the most talked about comic events of 2003), and will be remembered again as the character of Supergirl evolves in 2004. The story centers around the newly recharged Linda Danvers (Supergirl to you! ) returns to find that a new Supergirl has crashed landed on Earth. Ed Benes' artwork is incredible (he can now be found drawing the gorgeous gals of "Birds of Prey"), I love it and was so happy to be introduced to him. Unfortunately the arc wasn't given the chance the revive the "Supergirl" series, it is still a great read and should be given the once over.

Rating:
Summary: Correction on Earlier Review's Pre-Crisis Argument
Review: An earlier review of Many Happy Returns states: "The entire premise of this story centers on the idea that pre-Crisis continuity still exists somehow. The point of the Crisis on Infinite Earths was that most of the universes were destroyed, and what remained of the multiverse collapsed into one single universe with a revised history. There were no other universes."

Actually, they do exist--the reintroduction of the multiverse came about when Grant Morrison and Mark Waid did the Kingdom storyline that introduced the concept of hypertime. Waid himself notes: "The entire rationale behind Hypertime was simply to once more throw open the doors at DC, to remind readers that continuity should follow stories, not vice-versa, and that the DCU should be a place where ANYTHING can happen. We're especially proud about the structure of Hypertime--that is to say, if you want to use it, you can, but if you're a creator or editor offended by it, that's fine, too, YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE IT. It's there as a tool, NOT AS A RULE." (quoted from Bruce Bachand's interview with Mark Waid, Jan. '99 *see www.fanzing.com for the complete interview).

Given all this, the reviewer's argument doesn't hold. when he says, "The idea of one person creating a new world is insane. Kara's success depends on it being one Earth with only one active timeline. Otherwise, Kara would create a 'divergent Earth' and fail."

But Kara's universe *is* a divergent one, one where only she, not Linda, can play the role that was fated for her. In a sense, one person *does* create a new world. The previous issues had emphasized how different the two Supergirls were--it only follows that one cannot replace the other in a parallel universe without there being some substantial differences in the outcome. Hence another divergent Earth--not the DC main universe, nor Kara's universe, but one that came about because of Linda.

All in all, a really good conclusion to the Supergirl series.

Rating:
Summary: A Bad Ending
Review: I gave the first SUPERGIRL collection five stars. That was probably a bit generous. The whole Earth-Born Angel idea was stupid. The story arc became convoluted and lasted until #50. The second story arc, which relied on knowledge of the first, ran from #51 to #74. After that, writer Peter David promised that the next story arc, starting with #75, would be the perfect jumping-on point for new readers, offering a fresh start.

That doesn't describe this collection at all.

This collection reprints #75-80 of SUPERGIRL. Please note that the review that I originally wrote for this collection was 3,500 words long. That alone gives you an indication of how bad this collection is. I had to trim my review down to meet Amazon's 1,000-word limit. If you want to read the entire review before voting on it, e-mail me.

By #74, sales were dropping for SUPERGIRL. Peter David, in a last-ditch effort to save the series, convinced DC to let him bring back Kara. That right there was the beginning of the problem. Kara never existed. She had been completely wiped from continuity. How could she be brought back?

The entire premise of this story centers on the idea that pre-Crisis continuity still exists somehow. The point of the Crisis on Infinite Earths was that most of the universes were destroyed, and what remained of the multiverse collapsed into one single universe with a revised history. There were no other universes.

Kara has been plucked from pre-Crisis continuity and dropped into post-Crisis continuity, and, if she doesn't get back to her own continuity, which never existed, the remaining universes, which never existed, will be destroyed, and post-Crisis continuity will have never come into being.

DC had let Peter David use Kara for only six issues. He knew that he had to wrap up the story arc by #80, regardless of whether the series continued or not, yet he wasted a lot of time. He admitted that he ran out of room in the final issue, so he glossed some plot points over. He wasted most of #79 by putting Linda in pre-Crisis continuity. That wasn't needed at all, and it created a lot of problems:

The way that Linda behaved in #79 was extremely selfish. She knew that she was going there to die, yet she decided that it was okay to marry Superman and have a daughter, thus creating a widower and an orphan. The Linda Danvers that I had gotten to know over the previous 78 issues would not have behaved so selfishly and irresponsibly!

The Spectre told Linda that only Kara could fix things. Linda's actions create a new world, but Kara's don't? Basically, that's saying that Kara, no matter what she does, will remain on Earth-1, but Linda, no matter how much she tries to adhere to Kara's actions, will end up on a "divergent" Earth.

During the 7-8 years that Linda spent in pre-Crisis continuity, only a few hours had passed in post-Crisis continuity. Was Linda de-aged back to normal after she sent Kara back to pre-Crisis continuity, or was she still 7-8 years older? I say that she was de-aged. When Linda arrives at the hospital, her mother tells her, "Linda, come in! Meet your baby brother." Peter David replied by saying "She was still 7-8 year older. The art didn't reflect that, but she was. Seven years can be subtle in terms of aging." Huh? There's a difference between looking, say, 20 and 28.

Did Linda go to pre-Crisis continuity, marry Superman, and have a daughter? I say that she didn't. The events of #79 were overwritten when Kara was sent back. The idea of one person creating a new world is insane. Kara's success depends on it being one Earth with only one active timeline. Otherwise, Kara would create a "divergent Earth" and fail.

The dreams? Just that. Or maybe the Spectre's way of trying to give Linda comfort. If Linda had to lie to fix things, so might the Spectre. Linda had broken her promise to Ariella that she'd come back. There's no way that riding a hoverboard around space, eternally youthful, would make Ariella happy.

The artwork and dialogue in the supposed pre-Crsis scenes conflict with the comics that were published back then. Peter David admitted that he didn't have his copy of the first Kara story from 1959 handy while he wrote the script, so he just winged it. That's very careless. The fact is that Peter David and Ed Benes got lazy and screwed up.

It's common for writers, after publication, to claim that their "intent" was something different and blame their mistakes on someone else. Peter David was lazy in his descriptions, wasted a lot of pages with extra plot instead of trying to tie things up sooner, blamed Ed Benes, and hoped that the readers would figure out his alleged intentions. If the reader has to supply all of the important parts of the story, what is the writer's job? It's like the writer is saying that the reader is deficient for reading the text as written and not imagining scenarios by which it all makes sense. To assume that the reader can and should interpret something totally different than what is composed there shows a lack of responsibility for the story, the characters within, and the audience that the writer is trying to entertain and/or educate.

To understand this story arc, you'll have to read THE SUPERGIRL ARCHIVES, VOLUME 1, for Kara's first appearance and early adventures; CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS; and the first SUPERGIRL collection, which introduced Linda Danvers. Is this story a fresh start, allowing new readers to come in without any previous knowledge? Nowhere near.

The nonsensical story was a bad way to end the series, and it shows Peter David's complete lack of respect toward the readers that had invested lots of hours and money in SUPERGIRL.

To quote Linda Danvers in #76, "This is wrong on so many levels."

Rating:
Summary: Wish I would have read the series.
Review: I wish I would have read the Peter David Supergirl series but now its gone. However this book lives on. Miss the silver age which seems to have been expunged from current DC comics well its back in a story full of pathos that actually expands your appreciation of those simpler times. Well done Mr. David!!! Well done!!!

Rating:
Summary: Making Supergirl Super Again....
Review: Peter David made some very controversial moves in his career as a writer. He is at his best sheer genius but in between moments of brilliance even a genius has his share of stumbles. I didnt agree with all his choices during the run of the series. When he took on the post Crisis Supergirl expectations were low. The Pre-Crisis Supergirl had died over a decade earlier and the new "Supergirl" was an artificial, souless protoplasmic being who had failed to catch on with all but the most die-hard fans.
So Peter David put his own spin on things...Introducing troubled young woman Linda Danvers. Linda had gotten mixed up with a bad element leading to her murder. In order to save Linda's life the artificial Supergirl known as "Mae" merged with Linda and became one entity...Saving Linda's life and giving Mae a soul. As one being Supergirl fought crime and her newfound humanity won over readers. Between these early issues and the final story arc ALOT went down for our caustic smart mouthed conflicted young superheroine. I won't go into all of that now but I suggest you check out the series run at your local comic book shop.
Despite great writing, Supergirl's sales were never stellar. In a last ditch effort, David and the DC Brass stunned everyone by plucking the Pre-Crisis Supergirl out of her timeline and bringing her to Linda's. The two girls meet and though Linda is wary of Supergirl/Kara Zor-El's perky toooo good to be true demeanor they bond quickly and become sisters of a sort. Peter David handles this well. He only had a handful of issues to make us care about Kara but he did the best possible job. Ultimately, Linda realized that if Kara didnt return to her own time and meet her destiny that the world would cease to exist and millions would perish. Tough choices are made...The Supergirls face off against Xenon a other dimensional assasin and Linda even tries to take Karas place. This final arc is amazing. You will laugh, cry and then probably throw it against a wall in sheer anger. It's great stuff. I wont ruin the ending but I will say that you shouldnt become to attached to either Linda or Kara...Damn DC!
My only objections here are that at times the arc seemed a bit rushed but that isnt Peter David's fault. He had to finish by the final issue. The title was cancelled earlier this year.

Rating:
Summary: A spectacular collection! Two Supergirls at their best!
Review: This trade paperback collects the last six issues of the most recent "Supergirl" comics series. This exciting, heart-wrenching story unites the long-dead original Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) with the third Supergirl (Linda Danvers).

Expertly penciled by Ed Benes and cleverly scripted by Peter David, this story arch takes the reader on a remarkable journey of two heroes facing impossible odds. Guest stars the Spectre, Superman, Lois Lane, Lord Xenon, the Fatalist, and Johnny Rebel. Highly recommended!!!