It’s just another day for Supergirl. In Metropolis, the Maid of Might has a whale of a time seeing off an over-ambitious bad girl.
And in the bottle city of Kandor, a rescued young woman gets all starry eyed.
The furry pink fella being carried in Kara’s expandable cape is Lar-On, like Kara an Argo city refugee, but where she was rocketed to Earth to become a Supergirl, he went werewolf. Kara wants to help him, and pleads the case for better therapy with Kandor’s ruling Science Council. They try to dump the problem back on her.
Never mind doubting she’d be a good mentor, Supergirl has a full plate as heroine of Earth and Kandor – Superman can’t currently share the latter job as he’s been exiled by that selfsame, selfish Science Council.
A call from adoptive parents Eliza and Jerome Danvers to spend the July 4 weekend with them back in her teenage home of Midvale offers the chance of a breather. But what’s with the strange marketing around Supergirl?
You can go home again… Maybe. That’s the message of this issue for both Supergirl and myself, because just as she’s going back to Midvale, I’m going back to all the Supergirl stories I loved growing up. Seriously, if you’ve been a fan of any version of Supergirl – Silver Age, Bronze Age, the Modern Age, even the TV series, there’s something here for you. Writer-artist Sophie Campbell scatters references to Kara’s storied past throughout this debut issue. Midvale debuted in the Silver Age. The Yellow ring of Nor-Kann and Microwave Tunnel to Kandor date from the early Bronze Age. A piece of grooming paraphernalia I never dreamt of seeing again was around for a couple of years in the Eighties.
But they’re not Easter eggs, they’re parts of Kara’s history, which continues today.
An important part of her history… OK, it’s not easy to see how a Kara who looks this young could have fit in all the Bold New Directions this comic makes clear happened, but what the heck, we’ve been told that the current state of the DCU is Everything Happened. Which equates to, everything a creative team wants to mention on panel happened, for as long as it’s needed for the current story. And I like that Kara’s history has been reactivated – it’s good to be reminded Kara has lived a life, and we know super-powered Kryptonians live an awful long time, which could be why she still looks very early twenties.
And it’s not like Kara hasn’t been de-aged for a relaunch previously – in the Eighties, the Daring New Adventures of Supergirl creative team were open that they’d wound back Supergirl to the age of 19, but with history intact. (Speaking of which series, Campbell gives us the on-panel resolution of a dangling plotline from that terrific comic’s cancellation, cementing what series writer Paul Kupperberg has said he planned.)
The amount of experience alluded to does make her feeling in Superman’s shadow unlikely, and slightly disappointing, but hopefully this first storyline will kick that idea right out of the cosmos.
I really like Kara as filtered through Campbell’s talents – for the first time in a long while it seems we have an actual fan at the helm, which means we get a Supergirl who accepts huge responsibilities but doesn’t feel burdened by them – it’s her privilege to help people. She’s smart, funny, happy, brave but able to be caught off guard when things get weird. I can’t wait to see more of this Kara…heck, now she’s using a secret identity again I may fall back into ‘Linda’ as the default.
This issue also introduces us to a new antagonist and a new supporting cast member… heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if the latter, Clarissa, has been plucked from the Silver Age.
Little details I like include the splash page recap of Supergirl’s history, Krypto and Streaky as ‘animal friends’ rather than pets, and the return of a dog named Skip. Daily patrols of Kandor are a great idea, of course the Supers would help out there if there’s no current Flamebird and Nightwing. Plus, a million points for the unapologetic use of word balloons.
As for the art, well, look at it – it’s gorgeous. First and foremost, Supergirl looks wonderful, she’s expressive, the new-ish costume works, she looks terrific in action. And she impresses as brunette Linda too, though I’d prefer the glasses went – too Supermanny by half.
The Danvers have aged more than I’d expect since last we saw them, but they’re the same fun pair we saw in the DC Rebirth run. It’s actually great to see people who aren’t model-perfect but are attractive, and that also goes for our antagonist, who shows up in the final pages.
Streaky is cute and Krypto is adorable, all floppy tongued and furry.
And how about that Princess Shark design? I’ve already seen a clamour for more of her from readers of the online preview, and I don’t blame them, she’s an instant style icon.
Add the character work to some fine panel-to-panel storytelling, and we are blessed.
The colours complement the art, thanks to Tamra Bonvillain’s typically vibrant palette, while the letters of Becca Carey share the good-natured vibe radiated by this confident debut.
There is a small production error which could be easily tweaked for reprints – Linda is packing for Midvale on page 9, on page 10 she’s landing there in the same outfit, carrying her case, but the caption says ‘a few weeks later’. That could easily be swapped onto the first panel of the previous page.
Campbell’s DC All In cover image is great, though the logo sitting atop it is a tad flouncy; given all the continuity callbacks this would have been the perfect time to bring back the striking Seventies masthead. The Dan Mora corner box illo is smart.
I could say more, but this review is long enough already, and I’d really love to know what you think of this issue. My final word? Super.
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 
I cautiously like this. We’ve been burned so bad and so much post-Flashpoint I can’t trust it yet. The spy parents being back is cool but the Superman’s Secret Weapon stuff being revived doesn’t feel like it fits (without placing it after her bitch phase in her first series post-Flashpoint) or the Daring jobs she rotated through before dying. It was great that Kara is competent and confident though. Campbell at the very least crafted a story that fits Supergirl rather than altering her character to fit a story like King did. I’m here for the time being at least!
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Good to hear! Campbell was trying to pull something tough off by integrating so much old stuff, I’m amazed she just about managed to pull it off.
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This was a great first issue! I love that Supergirl has been given a bit of a reset. The tone of this comic is exactly what I’m looking for in a Supergirl comic.
The artwork was delightful. Bright. Colourful. Sophie Campbell’s pencils definitely gives off a bit of an Amanda Conner vibe, while still maintaining their own look and style. I’m not overly fond of the belly shirt, but Supergirl has a history of changing her look frequently. I don’t mind waiting around to see what comes next.
The story telling was solid. Subplots! Supporting characters! Lots of little story seeds that can be explored in the coming months. My only quibble would be that the scripting comes off as stilted or awkward in some scenes (Clarissa’s introduction, for example). It could be a result of trying to set the stage and give the reader all the information that the creative team feels that any reader might need.
I’ll certainly be back next issue to check in on things.
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I’m awful at noticing dodgy dialogue, Murray, I mustn’t pay enough attention to modern US telly.
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I haven’t read Supergirl with any interest since Sterling Gates & Jamal Igle. I still collect her series out of an OCD complex involving Superman related properties, but I can’t say that this looks very interesting.
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I still hold out hope Sterling and Jamal will get a second run one day.
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Anj here. You nailed it on the head when you said ‘it seems we have an actual fan at the helm, which means we get a Supergirl who accepts huge responsibilities but doesn’t feel burdened by them – it’s her privilege to help people. She’s smart, funny, happy, brave but able to be caught off guard when things get weird. ‘
King’s Supergirl was sulking, alone, depressed, angry, drunk …
Tamaki’s Supergirl was catatonic, amnestic, boring …
Here we have a Kara who has lived, who is feeling independent but still tugged at by her history, who in one issue saves Metropolis, Kandor, a falling jet plane, and a dodgy car driver. Who wants to help anyone she can if she can do the job …
She is what she has been before, a young hero trying to find her way in the world, all while dealing with an older cousin who is perfect.
It felt warm and bright. It felt classic but new.
And the art was gorgeous.
I loved it.
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I’m not hear to tell you that your comment was perfect (it is) but to thank you for teaching me a new word: amnestic. Thank you!
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Great observations! I’m so excited by this new run, and cannot wait to see what we might get on the annual – hopefully something on the tree Linda. I was half expecting the Supergirl robot to be revealed as the mystery Supergirl, her programming to protect Midvale in her mistress’s absence having kicked in. Then I remembered Cary Bates had that idea in the Seventies… is it sad I even remember the story title, the Secret Guardian of Smallville?
No, it is AWESOME! Those Bronze Age stories were the best.
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Great work.
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Thanks Team.
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I’m so glad you and Anj have gotten a Supergirl book you enjoy! It looks like a blast!
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Let us know what you reckon when you read it on the app, I’m very keen to know.
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This book was joyous!
I’ve loved Sophie Campbell’s work for years, and was over the moon to hear she was taking on a Supergirl book.
Although I’ve been reading comics for over 4 decades, Supergirl is a bit of a blindspot for me. I really enjoyed the late Peter David’s work in the 90s, but that wasn’t really Kara. I was not-impressed with the moody revamp from Loeb, but adored the later Sterling Gates/Jamal Igle run and was quite fond of Steve Orlando’s issues.
So I was running to Comicvine to check if Clarissa Giltedge already existed and who Dick Malverne was and how he died. These references, combined with Campbell’s Q&A in the physical issue, have me book marking all of Kara’s old series for a bit of research.
Can’t wait to read issue, to find out more about who this new Supergirl is (I assumed it was going to be the Kandorian girl who had that run in early in the issue, but and pretty sure I’m wrong now) and to see more of Campbell’s adorable versions of Krypton & Streaky.
Plus, looking forward to the return of Decay in an upcoming issue, as he’s from one of the few issues of Daring Adventures that I own. Can Psi be far behind?
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Thanks for the comments, Mike. Our Supergirl tastes are very similar, it sounds. I think you’ll have fun exploring old Kara stories… do you have a DC Infinite subscription, there’s a lot of Supergirl on there, including the entire Daring New Adventures of Supergirl?
Having seen future solicitations and covers, it seems we’re going to get quite the nostalgia hit
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I just read the first issue on DCUI Ultra. It’s a blast! I really liked Princess Shark, and was happy to see Streaky and the comb that changes her hair color — a great relic of her 80s series. And I’m definitely intrigued by the impostor!
It’s been ages since I read those “Daring New Adventures” comics, and I’m at a loss… what was the plotline the Campbell ties up here?
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The Dick Malverne cancer storyline, sadly.
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