REVIEW: Supergirl #14
Supergirl #14, “Hero of Kandor: Part Four”, gets Lena more involved and sees the return of a ally thought lost. The action also moves to the hidden Argo City which allows Supergirl to cut loose a bit more as there’s no innocent bystanders to worry about. The tides may have turned more towards Kara’s favor, but the the battle with Black Flame is far from over.
The standard cover is by Sophie Campbell. Here we get a sneak peek at Supergirl’s new look as she emerges from a background of wreckage. This image isn’t too far off from how it plays out in the story and it’ll be interesting to see how long this new look will last.
Chrissie Zullo-Uminga’s variant is adorable as to be expected. Supergirl and Krypto are flying about enjoying the pleasant skies and each other’s company. It’s fun to see Zullo-Uminga not “kidify” Kara in her usual manner but still have the wonder of youth present in Supergirl’s face.
The movie variant by Jim Lee has him utilizing his watercolor talents we rarely get to see. Kara, in her long coat, seems to be flying without a care of her surroundings. This really captures the essence of where Supergirl’s attitude seems to be at the start of her film and it’s a great piece by an artistic legend.
Terry and Rachel Dodson lend their talents to a fun variant as does Bruno Redondo for ‘Supergirl’ #14.
Sophie Campbell continues to be colored by Tamra Bonvillain this issue. It’s honestly still amazing to see Campbell handle writing, cover art, and interior art over a year into a book and maintain this level of quality. Both artists show how capable they are to keep a bright and vibrant issue from looking too cartoonish while dealing with some heavier content. Plus the action sequences have a more satisfying element to them, but that could be because Supergirl feels like she’s finally ready to face the challenges Black Flame represents. The visual tone is one of the things that make this series as inviting as it is and ‘Supergirl’ #14 is no exception.
Sophie Campbell is lettered by Becca Carey. There’s quite a bit of dialogue as discoveries from last issue require lots of answers. Also, Lena finally catches up with Kara and Lesla thanks to the help from Lesla’s super substance beings. These moments don’t bog down the entertainment value as they really drive this story forward as well as set up future story elements. However, just as we start to feel a moment of peace, Black Flame appears and round three between her and Supergirl gets underway. Thanks to the combined inventions of Lena and Lesla, Kara is finally capable of facing Zora Vi-Lar on equal footing. This makes Black Flame resort to some extreme tactics causing Lesla to take a firm stance about her loyalties. What this could mean for the future of Supergirl and Kandor is definitely fascinating, but this story arc isn’t done with us yet.
(8/10) The underutilization of Conner in Supergirl #14 still bugs me a bit, but the story is compelling enough in spite of that. Plus, there’s some speculation that another familiar Supergirl cast member could be on the horizon given the origins of Kara’s new suit. Overall ‘Supergirl’ #14 should be considered some of Campbell’s best work (both in story and art) and I can’t wait to see where things go from here.
