REVIEW: Supergirl #11
Supergirl #11, “Hero of Kandor” part one, is our fist “Reign of the Superboys” offering that doesn’t feature a Superboy. That being said, Conner and someone dressed as Boy Thunder do grace the pages, but this chapter focuses more on why they’re going to be needed. The turmoil in Kandor is far worse than anticipated and Kara’s going to need all the help she can get, whether she likes it or not.
The standard cover is by Dan Mora. Mora teases us with the return of Superman’s short lived side kick, Boy Thunder…or at least someone dressed like him. Kara and Conner appear in the background looking shocked and surprised as Boy Thunder gets ready for action.
Sophie Campbell’s variant gives us the first look at the perceived new antagonist threatening Kandor’s way of life, The Black Flame. Suggesting Supergirl is done for as she’s trapped in Kandor’s bottle pretty well sums up how this issue plays out. The identity of the new villain doesn’t stay a mystery for long, but the answers to who she is and her motivations await inside.
Eagle eyed readers will notice the corner box art changes this issue. Skylar Patridge’s art gets a variant cover treatment for us to take in her detailed work. Standing back to back, Supergirl gets foreground attention while Superboy (Kon-El) looks over his shoulder behind her. This truly highlights the feeling that Conner is there as back up for Kara which is sure to be a fun ride for us readers.
There are plenty of fantastic variants for this issue due to its connection to the “Reign of the Superboys” arc. AOC has connecting variants with ‘Superman Unlimited’ and ‘Action Comics’. Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson lend their legendary talents to a variant, as well as great works by Leirix Li, Jeff Dèkal, and a limited run variant by Sorah Suhng.
Sophie Campbell is colored by Tamra Bonvillain for ‘Supergirl’ #11. This issue shows Campbell knows how to get down and dirty with her art. Up until now, this series hasn’t really physically challenged Supergirl, but that all changes once she gets to Kandor. Supergirl gets provoked into a fight she wasn’t ready for and the action sequence is just brutal. The once vibrant City of Kandor is shown to be in various stages of disarray as chaos has overcome the streets. Even with this sense of dystopia, Bonvillain’s expert use of colors and Campbell’s signature style shines through to make this a genuinely pleasing book to view.
Sophie Campbell, lettered by Becca Carey, truly shifts gears on the type of tone her Supergirl series has had thus far without compromising her overall theme of the story. She wastes little time getting into the heart of this new arc. The weight of Kandor’s problems feels extra heavy thanks to Campbell’s previous world building. As a true testament to her storytelling, the tone shift doesn’t feel out of place either as current events within the series naturally lead us to these moments. It’s also not a completely dark and depressing issue either as Kara tries to reconnect with Lesla before being jumped by The Black Flame. Having been thrown off guard, Kara doesn’t fair well in the fight that ensues which sets up Kara needing assistance going forward.
(8.5/10) Supergirl #11 was a great opener to this new arc. Honestly, my personal disappointment with the lack of Conner this issue is the only complaint I have for the issue. This is definitely one of the better issues this series has produced and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
