Noteworthy Issues: Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow #5 (November, 2021)

Supergirl and her friend and companion Ruthye are looking for the devious killer Krem of the Yellow Hills.  He’s traveling with ruthless space pirates who just love massacring people.  Ruthye wants him dead for killing her father.  Supergirl doesn’t want that, but she does want the antidote for the poison Krem hit Krypto with before the faithful dog dies.

What happens when they catch up to the guy?

Issue:  Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #5, November 2021′

Writer:  Tom King

Artist:  Bilquis Evely

The Plot:  Supergirl and Ruthye find themselves trapped on a planet that could kill them both.

Commentary:  So, the women have found Krem while he’s enjoying a good massacre, but it turns out the guy was ready for them with a magical artifact that was able to teleport both Supergirl and Ruthye to a distant planet, very far from where they were, in a place where Supergirl cannot easily fly the pair out and return to Krem’s trail for a very simple reason:  the planet has a Kyptonite sun, weakening Supergirl to the point where she can’t really stand for very long.

Oh, it’s also covered what with looks like dinosaurs.  The planet itself was set up as a trap for Superman, and he was sent there once for what, he said, was the longest 45 minutes of his life.  That was with the Justice League looking for him.  In the meantime, Supergirl is basically helpless until sunset in a number of hours.

What follows is Supergirl only occasionally doing anything all that useful while Ruthye does her best to keep her friend and companion alive and comfortable.  It mostly involves waiting as just because there are dinosaur-like animals all over the place doesn’t mean they all want to eat the two of them.  But when a big one does come along…

For the most part, this story has been about showing how Supergirl is different from her cousin, and this issue does a little of that.  She’s more jaded than Superman, and she isn’t quite so “good” as he is without being a villain or anything.  She’s just seen more of the universe’s darker side and let it get to her.  But an issue like this one, once again taking place in a fantastic setting, shows a bit more about what Ruthye sees in all this.  Even when Kara was technically powerless, she was still more than capable of being Ruthye’s protector.  Here, it’s the other way around.

And Kara’s final thoughts in this issue, well, it’s not the sort of thing Superman would ever say.

Grade:  B+