This is only a done-in-one right now, but it fleshes out Kara's current mindset and sets up so many more potential stories for the Girl of Steel. Hopefully this will be just the start. Read Full Review

I definitely recommend picking this issue up if youre even remotely interested. From word to art, its worth checking out and certainly a worthy story of the character. Read Full Review

The tale opens with the Super Family battling an enemy, and quickly turns to Supergirls inner thoughts regarding the arrival of Power Girl and the similarity between the two. Afterwards, when family members ask Kara about her experience on Krypton, she has an epiphany. Later, Supergirl has a bad experience during a rescue mission that triggers an unhappy memory. Finally, a conversation with Lois and later Power Girl leads Kara to a revelation.The Story: Tamaki does an excellent job of describing Karas mindset in the introductory issue of this series. I was impressed with the emotional quality of this piece. Karas interactions with the Super Family are done in a manner that is very relatable, just as her self-reflection feels familiar and personal. Overall, I thought this was a great story opener, and I look forward to future episodes.This colorful issue features a bright palette and traditional comic illustrations. The focus on character expression and form does much to create an emoti Read Full Review

This Supergirl Special looks to address Kara's identity crisis head-on, and DC couldn't have picked a better creative team than Mariko Tamaki, Skylar Patridge, and Marissa Louise. It's a pretty low-key issue action-wise, but that's because there's more character development with Supergirl as she reminisces on her past on Krypton. Read Full Review

Taking a personal approach with this Supergirl Special by exploring Kara Zor-El's mentality tapped into the potential presented by the current Superman Family status quo. Mariko Tamaki and Skylar Patridge maximize the time they are given to tell a full story in this one comic. In doing so they create an even stronger foundation for a future Supergirl series to start with right away. Read Full Review

The central conflict of the issue has already popped up and been resolved in the pages of Action Comics, which makes the general lack of urgency here even more puzzling. Read Full Review

Supergirl Special #1 is a strange comic. Kara continues to explore unresolved feelings about being the second-best Kryptonian, feelings that have been addressed and resolved multiple times before, and the art is mediocre at best. For the excessive cover price, Supergirl fans should expect much better than this comic. Read Full Review

I think that DC Comics is better off killing Supergirl than making stories like this just to drain $6.00 from its readers. Read Full Review

Unfortunately it is wasted in this meaningless story about a Supergirl questioning if she should try to improve, scrapping with Power Girl, and sulking. Why was this story released? Would this excite anyone over a possible Supergirl solo book. DC ... the next time, let a writer who understands and loves the character write Supergirl. Because this book does not celebrate the character. Read Full Review

Supergirl stands side-by-side with Wonder Woman and the Legion of Superheroes in the pantheon of characters I adore who are rarely done well, and it's increasingly rare these days that DC even bothers to let her have her own stories. So I was delighted to see her poke her head above ground for a one-shot and even more pleased to see it done by Mariko Tamaki, whose "Being Super" mini was one of the relatively few highlights for the character in the dozen years since the New52 reboot.

Tamaki and Partridge do fine work here and this was a pleasure to read. The footrace metaphor and Supergirl's trauma and sense that she's eternally second-place play well enough to give the issue's relatively slender plot enough emotional heft to make it meaningful, and it's always nice to see her memories of Krypton fleshed out because that's a thing that many writers skip. Partridge's art is stylish and communicates well. So on its merits I'll give this issue an 8; it was a well-made comic and I enjoyed it.

But also? It's a little exhausting that female superheroes have to come back again and again to stories about how they struggle with their insecurities and with not measuring up. It's easy to see why writers would want to go there with any character: self-doubt is a common human experience and it's relatable, we've all been there. But you can open a Miles Morales book with a better-than-even chance that it's not going to be a whole issue of him navelgazing about how he can't measure up to Peter, you can open a Damien Robin book without expecting it to be him crying about how he's not as good at Tim. For women in capes, however, a feeling of inferiority has been the go-to plot since Stan Lee gave the one-dimensional world of superheroes a second dimension back in the 60's, and it's been done to death. If we're only getting one Supergirl story this year, why does it have to be "Supergirl feels bad about herself"? Say what you will about King & Evely's brash, pottymouthed take on Kara, at least she didn't spend the whole time doubting how cool and powerful she was. more

Mariko Tamaki’s return to writing for Supergirl is an excellent character analysis that makes you wish DC would give Kara Zor-El the same type of push as any of Superman or Batman’s male sidekicks. Tamaki’s story is deeply personal and touches on many of the internal struggles Kara has dealt with over the past few years, mostly due to her being used as plot device to move other characters’ stories forward, on top of the struggles she’s dealt with as one of the few survivors of Krypton on an alien world. Skylar Patridge’s art and Marissa Louise’s colors are a perfect match for the moody tone of the book, with muted pastels helping to create a visually compelling look into the world of Kara’s psyche. Hopefully this can be a springboard for a character who deserves more (and better). more

Decent plot executed in a way that’s similar to the same storylines Supergirl has already had before, just with the Superfamily tied in. Please give Kara and the other Supers a plot other than “I don’t fit in.”

What a wasted opportunity to follow up on the great Doomsdays one-shot special of Kara in hell.

I'm not sure why we got a comic of not just Karen but also Kara struggling with their identity and their place in the world. Lots of drama and Kara feeling lost. The art was ok but the girls look very modest, especially by DC's current standards on general attractiveness of female heroes in their roster. Everything from the cover art to the taglines on the cover are all not in this this book. I want the story related to the nice cover art. Just a generally uninteresting comic. Lost potential for a great one shot.

Not recommended.

40 pages of Kara moping to the same beats as the current Power Girl book.

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Max Power - Oct 31, 2023

I wish I could love to hate comics like you.

ItsJess - Oct 31, 2023

I wish I thought everything was superb like you.

Max Power - Nov 1, 2023

Why do you put yourself through the pain week after week?

skullface - Nov 1, 2023

Short and sweet to the point, thanks.

ItsJess - Nov 2, 2023

@Max Power I only do that for my favorite characters. A book like this I'll read max 3 issues probably.

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There was no point to this. This falls into one of the two terrible categories female superheroes get placed in these days. Either they have nothing to overcome because they are the baddest chicks around who can outdo everything and anyone (specifically men) so they have no real character to speak of or it's the complete opposite and they are written as self deprecating, over emotional handbags that have to realize their own self worth by the end of the story. The dialogue doesn't flow well at all and feels laborious to get through. I think Kara says Uh" about twenty times in the beginning of the issue. Issues that were thought to be resolved are put on display in order to have an emotional journey that doesn't feel emotional but instead feels like Tamaki working out her own feelings of insecurity in the pages of this book. Kinda like I am not Starfire, though this is waaaaay better than that. Why Powergirl would try to show up Kara during a life and death rescue and why Kara would try to stop Powergirl from saving a life are just a few of the questions I have about this book. If you want to see Supergirl being....I don't know, super? then read Action Comics Doomsday Special instead. more