The new Superguirl first introduced in Superman: The 10-Cent Adventure forces her way into the title character's life in this issue, and the result is... disappointing. To say the least. Seagle leaves the reader out of the loop on a couple of plot elements, but instead of fostering an atmosphere of mystery and suspense, the storytelling comes off as illogical. And while McDaniel's exaggerated style conveys energy and action quite well, the sleek, polished world in which the Man of Steel exists is lost.
Look, up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane... it's... it's... a teenage girl who bears more than a passing resemblance to Superman. This new Supergirl catches the attention of all of Metropolis, not so much with her quick and decisive victory over a villain named Radion, but with her claim that she is Superman's daughter. The supposed revelation does not sit well with a certain award-winning reporter by the name of Lane. Meanwhile, another new super-hero, Viceroy, makes his own flashy debut.
McDaniel captures the speed and power of Superman and Supergirl quite well, just as he brings out the agility and grace of Viceroy. But Lois Lane's beauty isn't to be found, for example. Her face is a misshapen convergence of what almost seems like random linework. The splendor of Metropolis, the City of Tomorrow, really doesn't come through here either, and to my surprise, we never get a good look at the Radion design. The new Supergirl's look is a little too simple, and she fails to convey the more iconic appearance of her supposed bloodline.
There are a couple of moments in the this story that really catch my attention. As a print journalist, I can't help but identify with Lois when a colleague/competitor suggests that broadcast journalism will soon outlive its older counterpart. The mystery of Viceroy's origins and intentions is interesting as well.
It's too bad the same can't be said of the Supergirl plotline... or to be more specific, Lois's reaction to it. Clearly, something is amiss when Lois reacts so irrationally to such a revelation, but it's never explained. Even more confusing is Clark's lack of concern over her emotional state and the sudden turnaround in her point of view. And as a character, Supergirl leaves a lot of be desired. She seems completely superficial and is annoyingly bubbly. Perhaps that's the point, that she's phoney and nothing more than a construct. But I just wasn't drawn into that plotline.
