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At Harvard University, two students are debating the evolution of human society. One of them named Alex maintains that it's often through conflict and conquer, because even evil empires improve society in many ways. Then he wonders if super-heroes are holding mankind back by stopping Earth from


Quote1 A bunch of villains "conveniently" appear out of thin air minutes after we're both snapped by the app? I mean... really? Quote2
Supergirl src

Good-Looking Corpse is a 2011 Supergirl storyline written by Nick Spencer, originally published in Supergirl (Volume 5).

Synopsis

At Harvard University, two students are debating the evolution of human society. One of them named Alex maintains that it's often through conflict and conquer, because even evil empires improve society in many ways. Then he wonders if super-heroes are holding mankind back by stopping Earth from being conquered by alien races.

In Metropolis, Lois Lane meets Catherine Devereux, a former Cadmus employee who tells Lois of a project of Cadmus which could threaten the world. Catherine is concerned about her safety with Superman gone, but Lois reassures her that someone else is protecting Metropolis.

Meanwhile, Kara flies over the city and saves some guy falling off a building. It turns out the guy jumped off that building so that she would catch him and he could ask for her phone number. Kara rolls her eyes in exasperation.

Back at Harvard, Alex explains he has made an application called Flyover, for tracking superhero sightings: people see a hero, check in on the program and earn points, and can then upload photos and videos of the heroes.

In Metropolis, the guy Kara just saved uploaded a photo of her to FlyOver. Then some sort of portal opens up where Kara is, and Parasite, Kryptonite Man, Silver Banshee and Metallo step through. Kara asks who hired them, and Kryptonite Man says they want to kill her for free. They engages the villainous foursome.

In the Daily Planet, Perry is asking for some stories when Lois bursts in, yelling that Cadmus is, once again, experimenting with Kryptonian DNA.

Meanwhile, Alex reveals his goals: he wants to eliminate super-heroes so the next wave of alien conquerors will be successful. And he'll eradicate Supergirl and the younger heroes first because they represent the future. When his friends tell he is crazy, he threatens to reveal the skeletons in their closets if they don't keep their mouths shut. Then he tells he is done with college.

As Kara continues to fight the villains, Ms. Devereux comes home to find her child is dead, and a note from Alex that says: "It's not nice to talk out of class. Sorry for your loss."

Alex leaves, mindwiping his fellow students to ensure that they cannot incriminate him. Then he checks his app. Kara Zor-El has managed to take all four villains out against all odds. Alex realizes the young Kryptonian is tougher than he thought.

Back on the rooftops of Metropolis, the four defeated villains are teleported away before Kara can get them shipped off to Stryker's Island Penitentiary. Shortly after Supergirl meets Lois, who debriefs her about Cadmus' latest mad ploy. Supergirl thinks she isn't enough good to deal with that kind of trouble, but Lois tells she lets other people be the judge of that. Then she gives Kara a smartphone, tells her about FlyOver app and leaves.

Kara (as Linda Lang) is enjoying a bowl of ice cream and browsing the app when FlyOver shows Robin in Gotham City being accosted by Clayface and Mister Freeze. Without a moment's hesitation, Supergirl takes off for Gotham and helps Damian out. When she takes Clayface out, she notes that Clayface is easier to beat than usual.

Supergirl explains the FlyOver app to Robin, and figures out it's being used to track heroes by some villain. As they talk, Blue Beetle shows up on the app and she figures out he's in danger. Then she and Robin realize the villains they have fought during the night are androids mimicking the powers of said villains.

Throughout the battle Alex, who is behind the attacks on heroes, has been watching and scheming from the safety of his secret lab, and he has realized that Supergirl is the biggest threat of them all, and might be worthy of special attention.

Alex begins preparing for Supergirl's arrival, telepathically making people leave the campus. However he realizes a student isn't leaving, and he realizes Supergirl is sending that person in to fight him.

Kara meets Lois at the St. Idelson Hospital. Lois tells her about Ms. Devereus' son's murderer and how Catherine is in a coma, and Kara talks about the Cadmus' drones and reveals they are powered by Kryptonian Sunstones. Lois shares her files on Cadmus with Kara, who flies off to investigate. Lois remembers Kara her plan involving other heroes is risky, and Kara replies she knows what she is getting into and just this once feels like she is ahead of the curve.

In his lab, Alex attacks Supergirl's ally, who turns out to be Miss Martian. After a brief telepathic battle, he gains control of her.

Meanwhile, Supergirl is gathering her remaining allies. Jaime asks Damian why he follows Supergirl as a leader, and the youngest Robin answers Kara has passed his test... so far. Before joining them, Kara investigates the Cadmus lab where Alex was 'born'. The place is in absolute ruins, anti-Kryptonian and anti-superhero pictures are plastered all over the walls, and she finds corpses of Kryptonians have been experimented on. When she meets Damian and Jaime, she is very quiet and refuses to talk about what she saw.

Supergirl, Blue Beetle and Robin investigate the emptied Harvard and apparently free Miss Martian. Though she's still under Alex's control, and attacks Kara telepathically. Supergirl defeats her, but then Alex shows up and blasts Supergirl with some kind of energy attack, knocking her out.

Cadmus' drones capture Robin and Blue Beetle. Blue Beeetle's armor sets off some kind of sonic blast that incapacitates Alex's robots, just as Supergirl planned. However, Alex's father -who has been talking to Alex since the beginning-, teleports the heroes away, leaving the unconscious Supergirl alone.

Supergirl comes around and tries to fly away in search of her friends, but the grounds of Harvard are covered in a force field. Curiously she is helped by Alex's friends whom he previously brainwashed. For some reason they remain on the campus.

Lois goes to see Catherine at the hospital. Both women talk, Lois telling her about a co-worker of hers who also lost a son. Catherine reveals that not only she learnt about the project, she helped set Alex free.

Meanwhile, at his secret base at an abandoned Cadmus site in Central City, Alex begins breaking down the spirit of the heroes he has captured. He enslaves Miss Martian and Blue Beetle telepathically, and although Robin resists for a while, he breaks down eventually when Alex forces him to relive his worst fears: becoming Ra's al Ghul's heir and murdering the whole Bat-family.

Lois keeps talking with Catherine. Devereaux tells Alex was a clone grown in a Cadmus lab. She freed him because he promised to cure her son, but she also pitied Alex. She states they formed a bond... and then her eyes begin glowing.

Meanwhile, Kara realizes it's a little too convenient for only those three students remain on the campus with her. Kara tinkers with her cellphone and and a Sunstone ripped from a defeated drone and activates the FlyOver app, revealing that Alex's friends are also drones.

Alex gets furious and teleports in to confront Supergirl. Kara lunges at him, but Alex tosses her around for a bit using his telekinesis, before revealing his true identity: he's a Dubbilex clone with a bit of Kryptonian DNA thrown in.

Alex gloats over Supergirl as a mind-controlled Robin and Blue Beetle pound on her. Alerted by his father that Devereaux has failed to subjugate Lois Lane, he tasks Miss Martian with scouring Supergirl's mind to get information on Superman and leaves to check on Deveraux.

It's revealed that Alex's "father" is an analytical computer created by him. When his "Father" tells him that he's being emotionally unstable because his Kryptonian cells are depleted, Alex goes off abruptly and tears the computer apart.

All of sudden, Supergirl turns up and pummels Alex. When Robin and Blue Beetle try to stop her, she knocks them out with a precisely aimed blast of super-breath. Dubbilex tries to take over her mind, but his telepathy doesn't work. Miss Martian arrives and reveals she was just letting Alex think she was being controlled, but in reality she was shutting down his telepathy without him realizing. Fed up with him, Supergirl punches him out.

After doing a lot of cleaning-up around the place, the team part ways. Supergirl meets Lois on the rooftop of the Daily Planet to hash everything out. Lois tells Devereaux is on the road to recovery, but Lois' story on Alex will not get published unfortunately because Cadmus has cut a a deal with the authorities, and they actually think they can get him rehabilitated.

Then Lois asks how Supergirl's "team" is doing. Kara states she is surprised because she expected them to blame her for what happened at Harvard, but neither of them did. Lois asks Kara if she still feels like she is not in Superman's league. Kara replies her cousin is in his own league, but if anything should ever happen to him, she will be ready to "step up to the majors."

Lois suggests they should celebrate, but Kara hears about a passenger jet's engine malfunctioning, and is off to rescue the plane.

Issues

Notes

Recommended Reading

Links and References


Supergirl v.5 38
Supergirl Storyline
DC Rebirth Logo

This event or storyline is specifically related to the character of Supergirl and/or her supporting cast. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the Supergirl Storylines category.

Superman Our Worlds at War Vol 1 TP
Superman Family Storyline
DC Rebirth Logo

This event or storyline is specifically related to Superman, or to members of the Superman Family. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the Superman Storylines category.

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