Review: Supergirl Vol. 4- Plain Sight

Quick Summary

Pros: The main storyline is diverse in its approach to action and emotion. The narrative provides a great commentary on real world sources of hatred. The volume, as a whole, feels like a reward for sticking with this series from its beginning. The artwork is positive through the collection.

Cons: One aspect of the volume’s conclusion is disappointing.

Overall: This is the Supergirl collection fans have been waiting for. This collection takes all the work of the past few volumes and uses it to tell an awesome story. The result is a Supergirl adventure that has plenty of action and excitement but also develops some meaningful and thought-provoking themes. Anyone who read the previous collections in this series or anyone looking for the best Supergirl volume from this time period should pick up this comic.

Story

Thus far, this Supergirl series has been a little disappointing. Though the past few volumes have not been outright bad, none of them have managed to rise above mediocrity or do much of anything to brand them as particularly worthwhile.

Luckily, Supergirl Vol. 4: Plain Sight, by Steve Orlando and Jody Houser, is so good that it nearly makes up for the missteps made throughout this series. Supergirl’s conflict with the DEO erupts into multiple battles with multiple cool villains. This creates a narrative that is wonderfully exciting but also wonderfully meaningful, as it takes the time for commentary on various forces of hate in the real world. The entire adventure leads to some great moments from all characters involved, many of which are particularly rewarding for fans who have read prior volumes in this series. Though the volume makes a few missteps in working through its conclusion, as a whole, this volume is a fantastic read.

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The narrative in Plain Sight is engaging from the start and stays that way until the volume closes. The entire volume focuses on an intense battle between Supergirl and the DEO, one where innocent people are put in jeopardy and Supergirl is constantly forced to wonder if she is truly doing the right thing. This volume also brings in a variety of unique villains who are each able to challenge Supergirl in a different way.

This narrative has the added bonus of digging in to some thoughts on the nature of morality. Supergirl’s staunch rejection of the DEO’s antagonism attempts to show that what is right is not always what is legal. Meanwhile, each of the villains serves as a warning against a different type of hatred; Strange Visitor’s fury is a warning about lashing out at others without fully understanding one’s situation, Deceilia’s chaos is a warning against violence for the sake of violence, the Evolutionist’s misguided agenda is a warning about the dangers of xenophobia, and Viking Judge’s harsh attack is a warning against letting a perceived sense of “justice” overwhelm logic. Plus, along the way, the volume takes a quick break for a story that severely admonishes transphobia. All of these topics are handled well and are approached in a way that adds to all characters involved. 

Plain Sight also does a tremendous job in rewarding longtime readers of this series. It uses numerous elements from past volumes as a way to further develop the characters within this volume. Readers get to see how Kara’s rescue of minor characters leads to them playing a part in her triumph over the DEO, how the love of her parents has helped her better understand humanity, and how her understanding attitude toward the people she saves and the people she saves them from have helped her win out in the end. This volume seriously rewards readers for having stuck with this series for the past few volumes, even though there were some trying times along the way.

My only complaint with this volume is that the finale is a little disappointing. The sudden and dramatic intervention of the Viking Judge takes away from the very personal showdown between Supergirl and the DEO. Viking Judge’s presence feels more like an advertisement for The Unexpected series than a beneficial addition to this storyline.

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Art

The artwork in Plain Sight is some of the most consistently positive since this series began. The majority of the collection features pencils from Robson Rocha, inks from Daniel Henriques, and colors from Michael Atiyeh. This creative team produces work that is detailed and expressive, highlighting the intense battles and intense emotions found throughout the book. Their work gives this volume a more serious tone than earlier volumes, which matches this collection’s particular narrative.

In addition, Plain Sight also includes a gorgeous chapter from Jamal Campbell. This chapter is filled with beautiful visuals that make the world and the characters within the world all look great. The shift in visual styles also helps emphasize a temporary break in the narrative, shifting from an action-driven narrative to one dominated by emotional interactions. It works as a fantastic solo chapter and as another feather in this volume’s hat.

Continuity

Supergirl Vol. 4: Plain Sight continues the story from Supergirl Vol. 3: Girl of No Tomorrow (Review).

Supergirl’s next major appearance is in The Man of Steel (Review), which takes place shortly before the Supergirl series continues with Supergirl Vol. 1: The Killers of Krypton (Review).

This volume also references other comic books, detailed below:

• Tensions between Atlantis and the surface started to go downhill after the rise of a new king in Aquaman #25, collected in Aquaman Vol. 4: Underworld (Review).
• The character returning in Supergirl #16 “died” back in Superman Vol. 2 #173, part of the Superman: Our Worlds At War event.
• Supergirl’s time as a Red Lantern is briefly mentioned. This time is detailed across ComicBookWire’s “Supergirl as a Red Lantern Reading Order“.
• Plot points surrounding Viking Judge are continued on in The Unexpected #1, collected in The Unexpected: Call of the Unknown.