Waiting to Exhale

Astonishing X-men #23

Joss Whedon and John Cassaday

“I am diamond, Ms. Pryde. I am by definition, my own best friend.” – Emma Frost

The verbal fencing between Kitty and Emma are always the highlight in an issue of Whedon’s Astonishing X-men. Sometimes I forget that Scott Summers has balls—I seem to be always connecting the character with doubt and self-pity. Whedon reminded my why he is the leader of the X-men. Summers’ plan of misdirection and strategic plays and positioning were flawless. The final part of the plan was classic and it made me put the comics down carefully and cheer! Scott just let go and the anal retentive man that he is, that was a breakthrough. Cassaday’s drawings were detailed and marvelous especially his Wolverine and the tortured Scott Summers.

Supergirl #23

Kelly Puckett, Drew Johnson, and Ray Snyder

It started out good—Batman was testing Kara by sending her a gift. It was lead lined so she didn’t know what was in it. Of course she opened it! Inside is a note that said, “mistake.” Then Batman called to tell her show stupid she was. Funny. Then a portal opens and she was brought to…somewhere and there was Superman fighting with the Green Lantern Corpse (presumably during the Sinestro War). I liked that detail that the Corpse were speaking in their own languages and because no one was addressing Supergirl, she didn’t understand any of it. Then she was sent on a mission where she would shadow a Sinestro ship in deep space. She needed to stay exactly 10 meters away from the ship.

Again, I appreciated the detail—Superman told her to hold her breath—she will be flying through the vacuum of space and she has two hours before she asphyxiates. Then follows 10 pages with no dialogue with Supergirl shadowing the ship, becoming bored, tying up her hair, becoming paranoid of being detected, being forced to “dip” in a sun, overcoming the impulse to press the panic button that was given to her, being detected and shot at, needing to breathe, and finally hitting the panic button which opened a portal that brought her back to a disappointed Superman and Corpse. She lost the ship. She was sent home. Then she realized something that for the life of me didn’t make sense.

Did I like the issue? I liked the panels with-out dialogue (Thor would be expecting that) because it was evocative and well executed but on the whole, the plot was confusing. What was happening? Why was Batman testing her? *SIGH* I want this title to be good because Supergirl is one of three of the solo heroine titles in DC. These are my Barbies!