Supergirl is one of DC’s New 52 relaunches. It’s a full reboot of the Supergirl story, starting with the origin story, which is the first arc being presented.
A second wave of meteors from the destruction of Krypton crashes to earth years after the one that brought Kal-El.
This time, Kara, Kal’s cousin – though that connection hasn’t been made in the book yet – is among the wreckage.
Thinking she’s dreaming the Russian mech fighters which attack her, she finds that she has super strength and laser eyes – presumably she has all the other powers of a Kryptonian on Earth as well.
She makes a reference to some kind of training program she was in which explains her Kryptonian uniform – similar to Superman’s armor – and combat abilities.
The character is cleverly written, with an internal dialogue (that’s most of what we get in this issue) which is both appropriate and compelling.
It’s the first of the New 52 books to be more than just good.
It’s truly engaging, even in just these few pages of this first issue. Kara’s characterization is at once innocent and terrible. One wants to take her in and shield her from our terrible world, while simultaneously hiding from her burning gaze.
Watching her learn our world from the point of view of a Kryptonian who actually had some time to grow up on her native planet will be interesting to watch, and how she, probably reluctantly, interacts with the other heroes will be a fun story.
To top it off the artwork is some of the best so far in the New 52 with every panel clean and clear with vibrant yet sensical colors, even in the stark landscape Supergirl finds herself in.
I was not expecting Supergirl to be one of the few titles of the New 52 that I really enjoyed, but I’s say that if you’re making a short list of the best of the New 52 to pull, make certain that Supergirl is on it.
Supergirl #1 can be picked up wherever you buy comics, including the ComiXology store.
