Kryptonian kara

Lesla Lar is a kinda immature 23/24 years old and has neglectful parents (issue 1). Campbell takes the literary shortcut to show the issues between Lesla and her parents, by making her parent basically judges (issue 3).I think it is a horrible choice. I can't hold their judiciary harshness against them. It is the most basic form of corruption to go easy on family. Plus kidnapping and mind control kinda a big deal. Issues 7 and 8 will also reveal that Lesla often doesn't/refuses to accept complex situations. This is mentioned again in issues in this run as well. She is also privileged in at least one way. She doesn't believe the science guild deserves thanks for ensuring they have food. She has never had to be grateful for basic necessities. Idk I feel like there was supposed to be more to her, but I got: My parent are abusive because their job is to uphold the law and they are part of the group that ensure my people are fed and she is a huge part of this arc, but by the time she gets growth I don't care.

The history of Kandor is kinda of mess right now, but everyone in the science guild was most likely alive and present for the abduction of the city. This current science council followed a true fascist regime that they do not want to be like. The first sin of this council is a failure to inform younger generations that they cannot leave. The council gives them the illusion of choice and I think that their is supposed to be a disconnect where the older generation comprehend why the kids want to leave the safe good Kandor because of their own trauma plus they probably know about the horrors of the outside world. (Fun fact every single kandorian died in 2020 and was brough back via lazarus pit and the half were taken away by zod!). I bring this up because I have seen people excuse (no just explain) Lesla’s part in this but don’t think about the council and part of this whole story is that everyone should be better and own to their part in this problem. You also cant argue one person is allowed to make trauma based decision and others aren’t plus I think this meshes really well with the end with Lesla’s part at the end.

Issue 11 starts off strong. You have your mandatory I miss Kal and what would Supeman do intro. Kara looks around trying to concentrate. First thought? Lesla. Here’s a cry for help meets some of Lesla’s creation hears of the mysterious blackflame and instantly write offs most of Lesla’s blame for any of this. Black flame appears there is banter in a deceitful hug Lesla steals the ring giving kara her powers. Well at least Kara was right that was a dumb decision to just go to lesla head on. ( I am a hater. I swear I try to like lesla. I like her end. I just don’t like her.) Kara proceeds to get her ass kicked by the untrained Zora Vi Lar who eventually stabs her as lesla watches holding the ring. There is a lot of banter. Kara is defensive of Lesla and you see that Zora’s motives are selfish. Lesla tries to speak up. Kara is thrown off a building. My main criticism is Kara is just like oh this isnt you to lesla before knowing anything. Kara so stupid for her. I hate it. Lesla did essentially kidnap kara’s parents during a mental health spiral. They are still her actions. In fact, a huge premise of this series was making up for those actions. Kara is not a foreigner to back sliding mental health.

Yay! Kara isn’t dead. Disoriented cyborg Kara is reasonably mad about the genetic anomaly and asks why if they could work with lesla and black flamw why they didn’t. It's complicated for the Lesla and Zora but not the council? This is where I felt like the story was missing something and the the dialogue was awkward and too defensive of Zora and Lesla who essentially killed Kara. Campbell sells Zora as unstable and we don't see anything that shows us that Zora is anything other than a wildcard. Kara is running off no information here. And the fans intro to Zora in issue 9 with her saying "Want to cause trouble?"

The dialogue in this chapter is also why i hate the combo parent/judge thing. "Go easy on your daughter for breaking the law she just wants loved". It is just awkward to me. This also would have been good to add some complexity to the counsel here. There are signs they are scared and making dumb as fuck heartless decision and also can not understand wanting to leave, add a little banter with kara going, “i understand but this is not okay” show some middle ground (kara can even be mad about it.) Kara should be able to sympathize. She literally has flash backs to an idealized argo city multiple times in this run. Kare canonically has also been hunted by the outside world and knows there is an entire kingdom made of kryptonite that would happily kill any kandorian that leaves. Perfect time for Kandor to display their growing xenophobia as a trauma response with Kara saying something motivational and how you shouldnt be that way. Then take it away with the clones and living weapons that we see and have Kara reasonably go oh come on now this is too far. (Also love a good clone story, but it is a shame that Kon didn't get to hang out with the human/kryptonian hybrid here.)

Issue 13 is my favorite issue. It is a little wordy, but a strong middle issue. We get trauma, we get nostalgia, we get skilled Kara. We get kon getting his ass kicked and choked out by Zora before he can make any more jokes that don't make sense this late. Can't all be a win. On the plus side we finally get Kara not defending Lesla. Also Kara feeling guilty for shit that is 100% not her fault same girl. Also she is definitely fucked up by the enhancements I did nearly throw up at Lesla calling Zora intoxicating and Kara proceeding to compare Zora to Kal. First Zora? Intoxicating she is wishy washy and won't shut up. Second, this is the first time I have read it in a long time outside of a romantic setup, and my brain was flashing back to the days of incest jokes in Superfam comics.

This chapter and the first half are a lot of fighting and catching up. They are kinda choppy so it's easier to list pros and cons, because they are packed with a lot of back and forth and little segments..

Pros: Lena wakes up and befriends the cutest science scouts on the planet. Kara gains some some control and it boosts her dropping confidence. LESLA FINALY STANDS UP FOR HERSELF.

Cons: Kryptonian sunstones are now magic soul sensing???Campbell has pull Solar Radiation poisoning in from all-star superman to the main verse. (Not really a fan of the huge differences between Kandorians and Kryptonians, but they will be gone in like 5 years anyway.) Kon is blacked out the entire time? This issue moves ALOT.

Pros: Kon wakes up and he gets a punch in without getting knocked out and he understands kara's tactics. Thundergirl's cool ass powers. No one likes Zora anymore. Lesla gets a cool speech that shows she listend to Kara's statement that they all were responsible for the state of Kandor. Lena loves the power of friendship now.

Cons: What the fucking hell is that solar radiation poisoning. I hate it and Yeah Campbell just wants to draw body transformations, and I look forward to the red kryptonite maze that Kara, Ursa and/or Zod probably are going to walk into for some ranom reason next arc. Kara's battle dialogue is meh, I feel like she might become a "holier than thou" character which is weird because she was insecure a chapter ago. Kara becoming the leader of the house of El for Clark to be scheduled to come back in like 3 months instead of ya know months ago kinda sucks.

A Kandorian update I would want: Lesla talking about getting to know what her parents went through and them being able to have a repairable relationship . I love when trauma cycles are broken and I really don't see a reason for the Kandorians to just be assholes, especially when it's never not had a reason before.