Lower Decks

Earlier today I learned all about Supergirl‘s underwear. It’s not as strange or creepy as it sounds. Certain folks at DC simply lean more towards modesty these days. Read on to learn more. I also talk about the trouble I’m having trying to switch entirely to buying trade paperbacks for new miniseries. And finally, I give my thoughts on Dark Reign: Elektra and Dark Reign: Fantastic Four.

What’s This About Supergirl’s Underwear?

I found this wonderful article at The Beat that links to this NPR article that discusses this article at Newsarama focusing on the recent change in the way Supergirl’s costume is depicted in comics. Apparently, DC editor Matt Idleson was fed up with seeing Kara Zor-El’s (Supergirl) panties in the pages of Supergirl and decreed that from here on out she’ll be shown wearing red shorts under her blue skirt.

A cover from 2007 with two Supergirls. One's modestly clad, one's showing plenty of skin. (Courtesy of The Grand Comics Database)

As someone who doesn’t read the current incarnation of Supergirl, hasn’t read any of the previous volumes or even a single issue with Supergirl, I found this entire thing hilarious. Apparently, Supergirl’s costume — and its emphasis on certain assets — has been something of a controversy for years. Here‘s a lengthy thread at the Comic Book Resources Forums regarding the skirt/panties/shorts debacle.

Still Trying to Migrate to Trades

Sometime last year I made the decision to start buying most of my comics in trade paperback form. Or at least miniseries and limited series. Sure, it would mean waiting several months for the trade to come out but it would be cheaper and easier to store. Since then I’ve purchased very, very few trades and at least a hundred comics. I just can’t bring myself to stop buying individual books.

On the other hand, I have four miniseries (Unknown and Ignition City, among others) in varying states of completion sitting in piles waiting to be read. Maybe I have the first two or three issues but haven’t read a single one, not wanting to start a miniseries and then have to wait a month or two for the final issues to be released. So why not wait for the trades?

I suppose in part I’m concerned that these miniseries won’t be released in trade paperback form. In that case, I’d have to track down the individual issues anyway and that would take even longer (although it probably would be even cheaper). But it seems like just about everything is getting a trade paperback release these days. So what’s my excuse?

Dark Reign: Elektra / Fantastic Four

Although not an “event” along the lines of Civil War or Secret Invasion, Marvel’s current Dark Reign storyline seems to have impacted plenty of titles while producing a lot of limited series. I’m only read two: Dark Reign: Elektra and Dark Reign: Fantastic Four. I’m enjoying both but of the two, Dark Reign: Fantastic Four is much more fun.

Dark Reign: Fantastic Four #3 (Courtesy of The Grand Comics Database)

Given the subject matter I suppose the term fun isn’t quite right. I’m still not sure when the events in the limited series take place in relation to the regular Fantastic Four title. Before? After? At the same time? Who knows. Maybe, as I’ve theorized, Dark Reign: Fantastic Four takes place in an alternate universe very close to the core Marvel universe. It would make a lot of sense, actually. I can’t wait to see if I’m right.