Supergirl Special #1: How We Battle Our Internal Struggles

Supergirl Special #1 is a wonderful character study one-shot that is charming and takes a human approach to Kara Zor-El of Krypton. Fans of this member of the Super family—or any DC fan—will be sure to appreciate this thoughtful issue and its spectacular art.

I will admit, this is the first issue of a Supergirl comic that I have read (I tend to lean into the Bat-Family side of DC). However, I could not be more pleased with the story and careful design from writer Mariko Tamaki. Having been a fan of Tamaki from her Detective Comics run, I was happy to see her writing the Supergirl Special as she handles humanizing heroes of the DC Universe incredibly well.

This issue spends a lot of its 39 page story on Kara and her internal struggles being a hero. It’s a well-done story that discusses the internal dialogues that can hold back even the strongest of heroes and while it would help to be more familiar with the Super family, going into this comic is also enjoyable as it handles the unease that arguably many people can feel.

Sprinkled throughout are grand moments of action and buildings breaking but the core internal struggle of what makes someone good enough and how a person can make comparisons—especially in the limelight—is what really makes this a good read. I found myself realizing the issue had ended wishing there was still more to go as it was such an enjoyable read.

Aside from the story, the art from Skylar Patridge and colors from Marissa Louise are incredibly well done. From the skies and battles of Metropolis to the city areas of Krypton, both artist and colorist truly flex their skills as the art stays top notch throughout. There are moments where Kara is overwhelmed by chaos only to be left alone and the art manages this back and forth beautifully. Additionally, the cover from Jamal Campbell is a great design and represents Kara well in all of her strength.