On August 4 Bleeding Cool published a rumor that Jamal Igle is off Supergirl and moving over to Birds Of Prey. I didn’t want to believe it, but this video promo clip on Igle’s gallery (edit: the clip has been pulled, but you can see it here) seems to confirm that it will happen with the December issue. BoP has gone through a series of fill-in artists in just the first four issues due to Ed Benes’ health problems, so it makes sense they’d need a new regular penciller.
I can’t say how gutted I am by this.
Jamal’s replacement better be damn good and bring the same sensibility to character, is all I’m saying. Jamal and Sterling rescued Supergirl and gave her back to us, and it’s a damn shame Jamal isn’t continuing because he’s said time and again that he wants to be on the book as long as they’ll let him.
Jamal posted a few cryptic Twitter comments on August 4 in response to questions about the Bleeding Cool post, but he clearly can’t say anything yet:
krufrank: Just heard you are off Supergirl…what up???
jamaligle: no comment
krufrank: um okay…doesn’t sound good…sorry to hear that. Is it true you are now on Birds of Prey?
jamaligle: Don’t be sorry. For now, really, no comment.
His last twitter on the subject (Aug 10) suggests an official announcement is forthcoming…whenever “soon” is in DC PR time:
Anj (of Supergirl Comic Box Commentary): all the supergirl fans are waiting … hopeful … for any news
jamaligle: there will be news soon, I promise.
And now you know why I made that post about Jamal Igle convention sketches.
ETA: I think Bleeding Cool just sourced me. *amused*
ETA2: An observant fan points out on the Bleeding Cool forums that the graphic shown at the end of the vid resembles a reworked Lady Blackhawk symbol. The vid is labelled “Birds of Prey” though, so who knows. Maybe we should all just relax and look forward to a Lady Blackhawk one-shot?
A week ago, when I checked the official DC Comics message boards there were seven pages of complaints from people claiming that Jamal Igle could not draw women “sexy enough” to work on Birds of Prey. Many of these people were saying he could not draw faces well, or hair, and the complaints went on and on.
These people need to to get a clue. I have said this before, and I’ll say it agan: Jamal Igle draws the definitive Supergirl. His art, along with Sterling Gates’ wonderful writing, has kept me coming back for 20 straight issues now, while I am strongly considering dropping all the other Super-titles. Perhaps Jamal Igle does not draw women “sexy enough” to please the horny fanboys (no Ed Benes-style crotch- or ass-shots, thank God.), but the man is a talented artist. And just for the record, his Kara is beautiful and strong, a great role model for all, an actual person with feelings, and flaws, and strengths.
Jamal Igle will be missed on “Supergirl.” Thank you, sir, for bringing dignity back to this character. And thank you, Michelle, for having such a wonderful blog to share my thoughts.
The reaction of the Benes-lovers is just ugly. Goes to show how risky it is to be an artist who doesn’t draw all women as posing sex objects and all men as steroid abusers. I think JLA proved what a bad artist Ed Benes is.
I can’t picture Igle drawing Birds of Prey either, but not for their moronic reasons. Perhaps because I think he draws the definitive Supergirl, and just can’t imagine him on anything else. But he could surprise me.
Regardless, losing Benes would be the best thing to happen to that book. But that’s not an opinion I’d voice amongst those wolves.