A disoriented Supergirl is not a happy Supergirl
What They Say:
Meet Supergirl. She’s got the unpredictable behavior of a teenager, the same powers as Superman–and none of his affection for the people of Earth. So don’t piss her off!
The Review:
The only DC character I can think of that has never gotten the love deserved, besides Aquaman, is Supergirl. The big difference between the two? Supergirl is the only one who gets completely rebooted each time! With the new relaunch, hopefully Supergirl will stick this time.
The new Supergirl is, again, rebooted from scratch. This issue starts with Kara’s first arrival on Earth and her run in with some government types trying to capture her. Kara is completely disoriented and unaware of where she is, how she got there, and why she is there. These are completely understandable thoughts; and her inner monologues and actions reflect them appropriately. There are a lot of unanswered questions here but it is feels just right. Just like with Grifter, we are put into her story at the beginning and will go through her journey with her. We aren’t exactly outsiders looking in and that is where this book really succeeds.
The art is very interesting too. Again, like Wonder Woman, the cover art isn’t entirely indicative of the art within the book. I personally really liked the art used in the pre-launch Supergirl series. It was attractive and fun. With this series we are given art that is much more somber and quasi-realistic. With the direction and tone the new series wants to go in, the art is appropriate but might take some getting used to. It might take getting used to only because (in this issue at least) the only characters that have this different style are Supergirl and Superman themselves. The backgrounds and enemies have a more traditional style that offers a wonderful contrast but is slightly jarring. This is a good first issue though. Nothing spectacular and ‘must have’ but good. It has a great setup and feels just right. Only with more issues will we be able to tell if this series is a keeper or a stinker. This is because we have yet to really dive into Kara’s personality and how she will operate in this new world she has found herself in. That is probably the most single important thing this comic needs to get right and only time will tell.
In Summary:
For anyone who likes Supergirl or is interested in Supergirl, this first issue is a great introduction and a good piece of art. Unfortunately, with such a complex character and situation, we need more to really get behind it. It will probably be a good 6 issues before we really get a feel for how the series will be but if the angsty realism on display here is a strong indication…it will be worth the wait.
Grade: B
