Review by Frank Plowright

Peter David’s a good writer, but his Supergirl series took some time to pick up momentum, and one wonders whether the ideas he introduces about her in this collection were intended from the start, or something that occurred later. Either way, the series turns away from the demonic threats seen in Body and Soul, and to more spiritual matters.

There’s an early indication of how times have changed since the late 1990s, as the suspicion is that a story involving a racist using racist terminology wouldn’t be on the agenda today. If that’s going to offend some, another portion of the audience isn’t going to like his whimsical representation of god, although it’s certainly true to the Biblical old testament. Then there’s whole gender-shifting horse love interest.

If that all sounds resolutely un-Supergirl, it is, but bear in mind that technically this isn’t Supergirl as we know her, and was never meant to be. David’s plots serve up immense variety in jumping all over the place, and you never know if you’re going to get a battle with the Female Furies (a highlight) or Lex Luthor meeting god, horror or comedy. Many of the previously introduced supporting cast begin to make more sense here also.

The volume title is provided by Supergirl teaming with the now forgotten Resurrection Man, a novel 1990s hero who’s reborn with a different super power every time he dies. There’s a definite light and darkness contrast between the crossover chapters originating in separate titles, and co-plotters Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning naturally concentrate on their character, but it works. Butch Guice’s art is darker than that of series regular Leonard Kirk, now the complete superhero package, but again, it fits.

Material by other creators also produced in the late 1990s is included, and none of it matches David and Kirk at their best. Dan Jurgens and Tom Grindberg supply a frankly bizarre tale teaming Supergirl with Prysm, then a member of the Teen Titans, but with a villain who’s stolen every super power there is and can access them instantly Mark Millar comes up with a more interesting proposition. He even provides a good ending, but greatly fudges points in between. Georges Jeanty conceives interesting visual solutions for a storage facility.

Not everything works here, but David’s hyperactive imagination supplies more than enough of interest. DC’s reprinting of David’s acclaimed Supergirl run has previously stalled a few issues after those ending this selection, which were found in Supergirl Book Three and Supergirl Book Four. Let’s hope the effort is made to continue this time.