Review: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #7
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Tom King
Art:Â Bilquis Evely
Colors:Â Matheus Lopes
Letters:Â Clayton Cowles
Reviewed by:Â Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
Supergirl and Rutheye each fight separate battles. As Supergirl faces off against the crew of the Charming Prince Charlie, Rutheye must wrestle her own demons to NOT kill Krem….
Positives
Tom King does a wonderful job telling two separate stories in this issue as he weaves back and forth between the two until they merge in the last few pages. One marvels at the way he describes Supergirl’s battle with the Brigands on their space ship, the Bonnie Prince Charlie. It’s narrated by Rutheye as she admittedly doesn’t have first hand knowledge of it is relying on other accounts. This is an extremely creative detail by King. It expands the scope of the story to legendary status as we learn of the numerous poems that have recounted the events. It recalls The Iliad and The Odyssey and many other works of ancient epic poetry. The fact that there is a particular couplet that Rutheye doesn’t like just adds to the experience. The depth of the world building here is exquisite. Truly, this journey has maintained a near unparalleled level of quality in the writing.
The use of Comet, the Super-Horse in the story is another bit of genius employed by King. Comet is not only an element that is emblematic of a simpler time in comics and indeed the Silver Age, but Comet’s role in the story is sublime. Comet has a real decision to make- does he abandon the captive Krem to Rutheye’s designs in order to assist Supergirl, or does he stay to prevent Rutheye exacting revenge on Krem and leave Supergirl to her own devices? This plays into the larger theme of trust that permeates the issue. Rutheye spends a lot of time trying to gain Comet’s trust while Supergirl shows her trust in Comet by leaving him to protect Krem and Rutheye from one another. But, how much does Supergirl trust Rutheye? Â
Positives Cont’d
Evely and Lopes turn in another majestic and beautiful job on the visuals in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #7. It’s no surprise that they’ve both been nominated in their respective categories for the first annual DC Comics News Awards. (There’s still time to vote if you haven’t already!) Â
Evely excels in this issue with a lot of dynamic panels, from Supergirl faceplanting in the dirt to battling the hoard of Brigands. But, at the same time she equally communicates the subtleties of Rutheye’s emotions as she wrestles with her conscience in the matter of her revenge on Krem. Perhaps, most astoundingly, Evely also depicts these same subtleties in Comet as the Super-Horse must make the decision on which the issue, and perhaps the story as a whole hinges.
Matheus Lopes, proves again he is a master of finding the right set of colors appropriate for the disparate setting we find in this issue. The beach is light and airy and battle scenes are intense, Supergirl being the brightest element. The explosions and cannon fire are particularly well designed as they contrast with the black of space and contend with Supergirl both physically and radiantly. Â
Negatives
Though this series will conclude in 2022, it has been one of the best series of 2021. However, the conclusion will determine its legacy. A few years back, Tom King wrote the best Superman story of the past 10 years if not more, “Up in the Sky,” easily exceeding the mediocre at best run that was occurring in Superman and Action Comics by Brian Michael Bendis. The finale next month will reveal whether or not he has hit gold with Kara as well.
Verdict
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #7 is yet again, in broken record fashion a stunning issue both visually and story wise. It has depth, it has emotions, it has a literate sense that rises above what we have come to expect in great comics. As long as the story lands the ending, this will go down as a benchmark in the medium, and if it doesn’t, the art won’t suffer the same fate, Evely and Lopes are an iconic artistic pairing.
