Some Elseworlds stories can really click, and some don’t. Thankfully, Supergirl: Survive is one of the former and has been firing on all cylinders since the series first issue earlier this year. This fourth issue slows things down for Kara and Kal as the duo finally gets the moment of peace they have been craving since K-Day… but nothing peaceful can last forever. Let's get into it! Spoiler Warning Now In Effect for Supergirl: Survive #4!
Some Elseworlds stories can really click, and some don’t. Thankfully, Supergirl: Survive is one of the former and has been firing on all cylinders since the series first issue earlier this year. This fourth issue slows things down for Kara and Kal as the duo finally gets the moment of peace they have been craving since K-Day… but nothing peaceful can last forever. Let's get into it! Spoiler Warning Now In Effect for Supergirl: Survive #4!
The Gifts of Plastino-959
For the first part of Supergirl: Survive #4, Kara and Kal have finally found some time to actually decompress while coming to terms with what happens when Kryptonian bodies come into contact with yellow solar radiation. Powers beyond imagining now become reality as Kara and Kal begin to experience changes in their bodies that they never thought possible. Kara takes to flying pretty well, but Kal just can’t seem to master it yet, although… Kal does experience heat vision first, with some pretty hilarious results to follow. After a full day of experiencing their powers for the first time, the duo lay down under the open sky and let sleep overtake them.
As it always does, morning comes. Kara has taken to the skies and surveys the gorgeous planet that the “bizarre little woman” sent them to at the end of last issue. Kara notices a darkness approaching from the other side of the planet, but a screaming Kal grabs her attention, and she flies back to the sound, with tears in her eyes, as she panics for Kal’s safety. Panic quickly turns to relief as she sees her little cousin up in the sky, getting used to his flying abilities… although not without some complications. Towards the end of the next day, the El’s take in the beauty of Plastino-959 before hunkering down for the evening. The El’s enjoy their final moments of peace before that darkness that Kara saw rears its head… Before we continue with the story, I want to highlight some wonderful things I saw from the creative team in this part of the issue.
Rod Reis has been producing gorgeous art throughout this entire run, but this issue, the first half especially, had some of his best work yet. The way he draws the beautiful setting of the planet Plastino-959 is absolutely stunning. From mornings with a brilliant yellow sun highlighting a beautiful landscape painted with pink, purple, and blue flowers while Kara streaks across the sky, to Kal making “flower” angels while the sun gives him a type of warmth he has never felt before… it all just looks absolutely stunning and almost has this watercolor-type quality to it. The splash page of Kara hovering in the sky with the massive sun behind her and the blue and green sky is something I’d hang on my wall.
It’s not just the mornings that look great on Plastino-959; Reis makes sure the evenings look just as stunning. The stars and the deep black, blue, and purple of the sky envelop Kal and Kara before they turn in for the evening, and the way Reis portrays the El’s using their super vision, with little circular windows that remind one of looking through binoculars, really tied the second nighttime scene together and provided an even more detailed look at what the flora on planet Plastino-959 looks like. For a planet that we might not ever see again in this story, the amount of care and detail that was put into it, you just can’t help but respect. Reis is a master of his craft.
Finally, the detail on both Kara and Kal’s facial expressions is a standout. Reis, similar to the current Escape artist, Daniel Acuña, is really good at showing characters' emotions and making sure the reader doesn’t have a single guess about how they’re feeling. You feel Kara’s pain rise to the surface as tears stream down her face when she thinks Kal has disappeared. You see the peace on the faces of the two cousins as they look over a planet of beauty. You feel Kal’s excitement after he experiences heat vision for the first time. Just awesome stuff.
I have to say, this slice-of-life stuff to open the issue was a breath of fresh air. After suffering unimaginable amounts of trauma all stemming from the death of Krypton, including dealing with the Lobo gang and the questionable morals of the amalgamated Lantern Corps, it was nice to see Kara and Kal get a day to just… be themselves and not have to worry about someone trying to hunt them or kill them. This isn’t Supergirl or Superman at this point; far from it. These are two kids who deserve to have a few days of fun while experiencing one of the greatest gifts the universe can give them: powers that can help stop anyone who tries to do what Zod did to Krypton. Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan have been rockstars during this entire run, and this little moment of peace was a real highlight for me. Sometimes the calmest moments are some of the best moments, especially for two kids who so desperately needed it. Now, back to the story.
The Dangers of Plastino-959
For all of Plastino-959’s beauty, it also has a deadly side. “Once in a blue moon, [Plastino-959] whips up a cycle of the deadliest storms in the galaxy.” Oh. Well, it would’ve been nice for someone to tell the Els that, huh? A massive and terrifying storm barrels its way across the landscape of the planet as the Els struggle to find some safety amid the raging tempest that shows no sign of stopping. Kara does everything she can to help her little cousin and does her best to hype him up and keep him from panicking during this scary ordeal. A massive tree crushes the Els, but they successfully push it off before realizing they need to fly away or risk possible injury on this world. As Kara and Kal push through the storm and fly into the atmosphere, a massive lightning bolt strikes the duo, and they plummet back to the planet as both lose consciousness.
I loved the dialogue between Kara and Kal during this section with the raging storm. Kara comes off more like a big sister than an older cousin with the way she protects and keeps Kal focused on the task at hand. He’s young, so of course he's gonna panic and be afraid, but she makes sure his fear can’t overtake him and that he uses that well of hope he has inside him to help escape their situation. This part really resonated with me because I had an older cousin when I was younger who I considered a sister to me; the lessons she taught me and the memories I have with her will always stay with me. She was always there for me, and she got me my first beer when I was younger. She is unfortunately no longer with us, but I hold her close to my heart to this day, just like Kal will always hold Kara close to his.
Rod Reis’ art during the storm is a complete 180 from the calm and peacefulness of the Plastino-959 in the earlier parts of the issue. It’s dark, it’s angry, it’s moody, and it’s rageful. The blue lighting that illuminates the storm gives it a haunting quality, and you feel scared for the Kryptonians even though you know they’re going to be ok. The emotion on Kara and Kal’s faces, the kinetic feel of the storm, and their fall back down to the planet after getting hit are all art highlights from this section. Reis really did some incredible work on this issue and I can’t wait to see what he has cooked up for the next few.
The Mysteries of Plastino-959
The night ends. The storm breaks. Daybreak arrives. But… who is behind that silhouette that has now woken up Kara? Brainiac has arrived in Supergirl: Survive, but not the one you might think. Brainiac 5, the one you might remember from the Legion of Superheroes, finds the two Kryptonians and, after some initial conversation, takes them both back to his home on Plastino-959. Yes, I know, I wouldn’t be so trusting of anyone named Brainiac, especially if I were a Kryptonian, but remember, this is an Elseworlds tale and not everything is always as it seems. Our Brainiac 5 might be one of the galaxy's greatest heroes in the future, but at the same time, it really is tough to trust anyone from Colu. This compelling addition to the Supergirl: Survive cast changes the dynamic of things in more ways than one.
Brainiac 5 and the Els get to know each other in his home (reminiscent of a larger, fancier version of Yoda’s hut on Dagobah) while he makes them some tea. The Els come to learn that Brainiac 5 was sentenced to live in exile from the planet Colu, but his memory was wiped and he can’t even remember what his crime was. For 276 years, he’s been trapped on Plastino-959, but now… he finally sees a way he can get off the planet with help from your friendly neighborhood Kryptonians. He also claims to know a way the Els can get to their main destination of Earth without alerting any of the forces that pursue them…
Now I don’t want to spoil where the last section of this issue goes, but I will say just two things: there is a massive time jump, and the ending page reveals two extremely interesting tidbits of information that will no doubt greatly impact how the rest of Supergirl: Survive plays out. I love the massive hints at where the story could possibly be headed, and I’m excited to see how some of the concepts introduced are either the same or different as they are in the main DC Universe. Parker and Sheridan already had me hooked but with the ending of this issue, I’m craving the next few issues even more.
The supporting cast of Supergirl: Survive has been excellent, and the addition of Brainiac 5 makes it even stronger. The Lobo gang was an interesting take on a classic anti-hero/villain. The amalgamated Lantern Corps was a great concept and one I hope we see revisited in this story or maybe in other future Elseworlds tales. This version of Brainiac 5, whether he turns out to actually be helpful or not, adds another intriguing wrinkle to a story in which we have already had quite a few. Reis’ design for Brainiac 5 reminds me of a more classic Brainiac with a Silver Age hint to it, and I really dug it.
Supergirl: Survive #4 pushes the limited Elseworlds series forward in a massive way. The Planet Plastino-959 not only offers Kara and Kal a moment of peace they so desperately needed, but also helps grant them the abilities that will see them become legend. A new ally offers the Els an injection of hope that rekindles their spirits to find Earth, and artist Rod Reis produces some of his best work yet. Another solid issue from Parker and Sheridan.
RATING: 9 out of 10
Recommended