Supergirl: Being Super TPB Review

Supergirl: Being Super 

Writer: Mariko Tamaki
Artist: Joelle Jones
Inker (chapter one): Sandu Florea
Colorist: Kelly Fitzpatrick
Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Publisher: DC Comics

Review by Cory Webber

Supergirl: Being Super is an original retelling of Kara Danvers’ origin story. This story sees Kara in high school dealing with typical high school issues, while also balancing her secret super abilities. When an Earth-shattering event, quite literally, hits her home town, she must make a choice to determine who she really is.

Supergirl: Being Super sees Kara in high school dealing with your typical high school problems: homework, fitting in, finding yourself, and zits. And not just any zit, this was a super zit, naturally.

Tamaki does a fantastic job of making Supergirl relatable and down-to-earth. The dialogue between Kara and her two friends was some of the best, most realistic dialogue I’ve read anywhere. It is full of wit, sass, honesty and emotion. Seriously, I need more Supergirl and her friends written by her ASAP! Since this was my first real introduction to Supergirl, I’m left wondering if it’s all downhill from here. Should I read other stories involving her, or do I just leave this in my mind as the only Supergirl story? These are the kinds of questions that keep me up in the night, but I digress.

The plot of this book is smooth and sharp. Tamaki slowly introduces destruction, intensity and action until it all percolates in an unexpectedly poignant conclusion. And there’s enough in the end to justify a sequel. Please, DC, continue this story. If anything, get this creative team on another project.

Joëlle Jones has quickly become one of my favorite artists. Her sense of style alone is worth the price of admission. Seriously, she could probably be just as successful in life as an interior designer or a fashion designer. And the details of her drawings are impressive, whether it’s bedroom furniture, backgrounds or exploding zits. Seriously, so disgusting, yet so hard to look away from. So, thanks for that, Joëlle, I guess.

In addition to Jones’ wonderful art, the colors and letters were also spot on. The word balloons never infringed on the art. There was nothing particularly special about the colors, other than the fact that I couldn’t imagine this book being colored any other way. They helped set the fun, playful tone of this book, while also being gritty, real and unpredictable, just like high school.

Verdict: Buy it!

Supergirl: Being Super has made me a fan of both Kara and the team that brought this version to life. I could not put this book down until it was finished… and then I read it again.