Axiom's Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy

By Sam Christopher

The Trial of Reactron… Sort Of… in Supergirl #47

With one story running through all the Super titles I’m never really sure who’s plotted what and whose idea was what plot point. I know Sterling Gates wrote this issue of Supergirl but I don’t know if he plotted it or scripted it or how much involvement he had in the overall creation of the story. And I like Gates’ writing; his flashbacks here are excellent, except for the Superman/Brainiac battle one where I thought Allura’s proposition was based firmly in very sound logic, however emotional it sounded. My problem here is with the overall story of the Kryptonians having captured Reactron—which I understand—and the conditions of his imprisonment—which I can in no way fathom. Let’s say Iron Man killed the President. Don’t you think the VP would expend all manner of this country’s blood and treasure to capture him and bring him to justice, no matter where in this world, or any other we had the technology to reach, he chose to hide? Of course, and rightfully so. But once Iron Man was captured and put in a jail cell, or wherever, don’t you think he’d be stripped of his armor? Of course! And that leads us to my question as I gazed at Reactron’s first appearance in this story: Why is this guy still in his costume, up to and including that helmet/mask?!? Why is he wearing any clothes at all, in fact? They kind of explain it later—why Allura kept him in the costume anyway—but I still see no way that happens; I don’t see Supergirl not questioning it. I can’t even see him being delivered to New Krypton wearing it, in fact.

Then there was his attitude. His being snotty with Allura didn’t really bother me at first because he’s always been kinda like that so I could see it. But then, later in the story, they show us that he’s really afraid of the Kryptonians killing him. I don’t know, just seems like a really dumb thing to do when you’re afraid of dying and already in a precarious position: Anger someone who has every reason to want you dead, virtually none to keep you alive, and can pretty much snuff you by sneezing too hard in your direction. But I know people don’t always do the logical thing.

And artist Matt Camp gives us a lot of shots of Allura looking down at everyone. It’s good art, but it does seem like every page that isn’t flashback has her looking down on someone. I’m guessing that’s an intentional nod to her regality (which I guess is a word since Spell-Check didn’t burn me).

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Ghosts is a new miniseries out this past Wednesday. Captain Picard and staff are called to Allios IV by the distress signal of a ship in orbit. Allios IV is known to be a world split into two factions, the Republic of Juulet, which claims to speak for the entire planet and has applied for Federation membership, and Dorossh, a nation which disputes that claim and is apparently highly suspicious of the Republic of Juulet. The ship our heroes is called to investigate is of Juulet origin and they seem reluctant to allow the Feds onboard, although they are also apparently reluctant to defy the organization they seem so anxious to join. There is also one survivor on the ship, a severely injured man who keeps saying he sees ghosts.

Writer Zander Cannon has crafted the best start to a ST story in comics outside of John Byrne in awhile. There is mystery layered upon mystery here. First, we wonder which side is correct in the national dispute, Juulet or Dorossh. It’s easy to side with the soft-spoken, more cerebral Juuletians over the Gatherer-like Dorosshians, but uncouth though they may be, sometimes people are suspicious for very sound reasons (which puts me and Riker on the same side here—don’t think I haven’t noticed that irony). Next, we wonder who the “ghosts” are that the survivor is supposed to be seeing. That mystery deepens when it’s revealed at the end of the ish who one of them is. This all seems familiar to me, though, as if I’ve seen it in an episode of TNG at some point. Not the whole plot, but the one about the nations. I guess it’s reminiscent of the ep—can’t remember the name—where Dr. Crusher is kidnapped by one of two warring factions on a planet, the other side says they’re terrorists.

The artwork of Javier Aranda is all right, I guess, but I admit I’m not thrilled with it on this book. I’ve seen much worse on Star Trek but this really could have been better.