[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers.]
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artists: Brian Ching and Michael Atiyeh
Summary
The Cyborg Supermen invade Earth while Supergirl tries to evade capture.
Positives
The cover by Brian Ching and Michael Atiyeh is interesting; I don’t think I have ever seen a split screen comic book cover. I always like when covers represent the plot of the issue in some way and this cover does represent both stories. I think it ultimately works. I love the sheer amount of Cyborg Supermen that are on the right side of the cover. It makes the invasion look like a real threat.
Atiyeh’s colors are pretty good throughout the issue. As usual, they’re vibrant and look great. In terms of art, I also like Ching’s backgrounds in National City. The buildings all look really good.
I like that Kara is not involved in the action this issue. She’s trapped and has to find a way to save Eliza from the cyborg version of her Kryptonian mother. She can’t do it with her physical strength so she has to use other means. Kara is able to use her compassion in order to appeal to the cyborg and save Eliza. I like that a lot. Superheroes are more than people in costumes that can hit things. The emotional impact they can have is a lot more powerful and I like that Kara is put in that situation.
Negatives
Like with the previous issue, some of the art is not working for me. I don’t know if I just didn’t notice it in the first two issues, but the lack of detail in the faces in this issue and the previous one is really bothering me. It keeps taking me out of the story. The faces all generally look kind of awkward when characters even have faces.
The invasion is a little disappointing. Not much is shown of it, unfortunately. There is no real sense of the danger. We know that the cyborgs are siphoning energy off humans in order to live but that is never really shown. It’s just talked about. I had a hard time getting sucked into this side of the plot.
Verdict
Overall, I don’t like this issue. The art is a mixed bag; some of it works well but other aspects of it are incredibly distracting in a bad way. Steve Orlando’s characterization of Kara is still great and I love her side of the plot but the invasion plot falls flat for me. I don’t recommend reading this issue.
