REVIEW: Supergirl #8
Supergirl #8, “Not A Creature Was Stirring…” is an unexpected look at how the holiday season isn’t always jolly and bright for everyone. Kara’s past seems to be haunting her in more ways than one which creates some genuinely creepy moments and a mild nod to Charles Dickens.
The standard cover is by Sophie Campbell. Giving us a clear tease for the creature content of the story, Kara comes face-to-face with her old, rundown, robot stand-in. The imagery also adds to the creepy nature as Linda Robot resembles a zombie due to its neglected maintenance.
Jae Lee and June Chung’s variant is an adorable depiction of Kara and Krypto relaxing on a cloud. There’s always something a bit magical about their work, but this cover is up there with some of their best.
The variant by Todd Nauck is another rendition of Kara and Krypto. This time they’re blowing off some steam by racing through a wheat field. Considering the cold and blistery season, this cover helps remind us of warmer, sunnier days.
Megan Huang’s variant has Supergirl hanging out atop a Midvale theater marquee possibly waiting to see her cousin on the big screen. Seems rather fitting considering the first trailer for her own movie is about to drop worldwide. It’s definitely a cute cover and acts as a nice send off to “The Year of Superman”.
Haining with Colorist Alex Guimarāes does an excellent job with the interior art. Their art style is similar enough to Sophie Campbell’s that there are times you forget it’s not her work. This gives the issue a welcomed sense of cohesiveness with previous installments. That’s not to say Haining doesn’t have their own sense of flair, it’s just nice to have this series look the same between the handful of artists that have worked on it so far. Regardless, you can really feel the emotional context each character brings to the story, even that of a robot. For a lot of people the holidays can be a time of mixed emotions and this art team does a great job exploring it all.
Sophie Campbell, lettered by Becca Carey, delivers an alternative Christmas tale that feels more and more relevant. Kara is struggling feeling any Holiday Cheer as she gets stuck reflecting on those she’s lost over the course of her young life. In contrast, Lesla is trying her best to understand the entire meaning of the holiday season and is understandably confused about Kara’s gloomy demeanor. Meanwhile, it turns out a small oversight from Kara’s time in the orphanage has decided to seek their own answers on being abandoned. This adds an element of “Ghost of Christmas Past” to the story which oddly enough helps Kara deal with some pent up grief. Though the story is self contained, not everything gets wrapped up nicely leaving us on a fairly bittersweet ending.
(7.5/10) I really respect the perspective Supergirl #8 gives on the complex emotional state a lot of people experience this time of year. That being said, I felt the Linda Robot elements felt a little forced and, although it played a huge part in Kara’s catharsis, its purpose could have probably been handled through other established side characters. All in all, this was still a solid issue and felt like one of the more relevant stories Supergirl has delivered in awhile.
