Supergirl #40 review

It's the final issue of the Crucible academy storyline and the final issue of Supergirl. And what a great close to the series it is - talk about bittersweet!

The story picks up with Superboy being primed to 'give birth' to 'clonelings' whom Crucible vice-principal/head nutter Korstus plans to use to force peace on the universe. Kara's not going to let it happen without a fight, though, and she's ready to take on his super-powered henchman Roho. She doesn't have to do it alone, though, as fellow students Comet, Maxima and Tsavo dive in to help out, along with head teacher Amata. The newcomers fight Roho, Korstus and some deadly drones while Kara uses knowledge of her powers she's gained at Crucible to safely extract Kon-El from the cloning equipment. 

That sorted, there's another challenge - save Crucible from the self-destruct mechanism Korstus put in place should his clone plan be stopped. The students all want to stay and aid Kara, who figures she has the best change of surviving the blast which is coming to the chamber even as the rest of the school's protective mechanisms click in. 

In the end, though, it's down to Kara and Kon, who save the day, survive, and say goodbye to their new friends as they return to Earth - Supergirl to pick up her new life, Superboy to make one. 

And back in New York, Kara buckles down, becomes a pretty good barista and reassures proto-beau Michael that, yeah, she's up for a proper date. And then... a mini cliffhanger which I won't give away - lets just say something is growling at Kara - but it does reassure me that DC has immediate plans for Supergirl even as her series closes. 

As with all the Crucible issues, Supergirl #40 is a masterclass in how to produce a vibrant, engrossing superhero comic. The characters and situations are clearly defined, there's forward movement in the stories and a pleasing mix of action and interaction. It's also a fine example of how to wind down a series, with the main storyline tied up neatly, the characters elegantly placed in intriguing new roles and plenty of promise for the star of the show. 

Because as with the Red Lanterns storyline, Crucible has seen Kara grow, learning more about her powers, herself and how much she's beginning to feel Earth is her home. Given how appealing the latest version of Supergirl now is, I'm pretty sad that writers K Perkins and Mike Johnson, and artists Emanuela Lupacchino and Ray McCarthy won't be developing Kara and her world further right now. But I'm delighted they've wrapped things up so brilliantly, not only further defining Kara, but making her fellow students - Maxima especially - heroes I hope to see again soon. 

I've praised the creative team plenty, and deservedly, for their work on earlier issues, but let's hear it one last time for the neat plotting and sharp narrative of Perkins and Johnson, and the entirely edible artwork of Lupacchino, McCarthy, colourist Hi-Fi and letterer Rob Leigh. Every page reads wonderfully and looks superb. There's loads going on but the book never looks cramped - heck, there's even room for a bit a background adorableness. Thanks guys. 

My one, titchy quibble is how Lupacchino draws the S-symbol - at times I wondered if the art had been accidentally flipped at production stage, given that the emblem looks a tad Bizarro. But given the wonders Lupacchino has done for Kara's New 52 costume, taking away the creepy factor and making it look great, I'll take her overall version over anyone else's. I hope Lupacchino - indeed, all the creators - have regular work at DC again soon (just imagine what these guys could do with a Legion of Super-Heroes book...). 

Supergirl #40 is a splendid end to a series that just got better by the month. The Supergirl we have here - thinking first, using her brain before her fists - is light years from the confused, tough-to-like kid who kicked off the book. She's gone from being a danger to herself and Earth to one of the planet's most trustworthy defenders. And the Kryptonian who would once have killed the clone Kon-El, whom she deemed an obscenity, is becoming like a sister to him. That's progress.  

See you soon, Kara!