Ricky Church reviews Supergirl: Rebirth #1…
Supergirl turns to the shadowy organization known as the D.E.O. (Department of Extranormal Operations) to restore her lost powers once and for all! But as a fateful experiment sends Kara Zor-El rocketing toward the sun, disaster strikes at home in the form of the lost Kryptonian werewolf Lar-On! All the epic action of the brand new Supergirl series starts here!
Supergirl’s popularity has, no pun intended, soared in the last year thanks in no small part to the Supergirl TV series, formerly on CBS and soon to be on The CW. It should be no surprise, then, that several elements from the show are brought into Supergirl: Rebirth #1. This doesn’t prevent writers Ray McCarthy and Steve Orlando from making the title his own, however, and makes some interesting developments with the characters.
Supergirl herself is a standout part of the issue as she makes a charming impression. Orlando makes her a well rounded and likeable character coming into her own as she learns more about her powers and history. Emanuela Lupacchino also captures Supergirl’s lightness through her facial expressions and body language. This is definitely the best Supergirl has looked in a long while, complete with the traditional costume that is only slightly influenced from the television series.
The story is fun and quickly rectifies some of The New 52’s choices with her while setting up her series proper. Orlando and McCarthy also make great use of the supporting cast, particularly the new take on the Danvers. Lar-On made an interesting antagonist as well, bring the first Kryptonian-werewolf I’ve seen, and his relationship with Supergirl seems like it will have some nice developments later on. The mystery surrounding Argo City’s fate is one the draws of the series, as is the return of a very old nemesis of the Superman clan. With this issue, there’s definitely enough to draw people to the upcoming series.
Supergirl: Rebirth is a fast paced issue that, much like many other Rebirth issues, fixes mistakes of the past while planting seeds for the future. The inclusion of several elements from the Supergirl series aren’t as in your face as one might expect and do some clever twists to keep itself separate from that series. Orlando and McCarthy’s take on Supergirl show the character’s appeal and Lupacchino’s artwork is very energetic and dymanic. Though she will be leaving after this, Orlando is staying on and he’s already got a lot up his sleeves.
Rating: 7/10
Ricky Church
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Originally published September 2, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
