[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writers: Steve Orlando & Vita Ayala
Artist: Jamal Campbell
Summary
In his search to write a CatCo piece on the truth about Supergirl, Ben Rubel interviews a young kid named Lee Serano, who recently became friends with the Girl of Steel. As Lee struggles with their parents and bullies at school for acceptance as non-binary, Supergirl is caught between punching her way through the problem and standing beside Lee as a symbol of hope.
Positives
I like the cover by Jorge Jimenez and Alejandro Sanchez. I love how colorful it is; the blue used is gorgeous. I love the tone and style that the cover sets for the book.
The art is by Jamal Campbell and it’s wonderful. Campbell perfectly nails the feeling of Supergirl. The book features gorgeous city landscapes, beautiful skylines and expressive characters. I adore how vivid these colors are.
The main plot of the issue is a non-binary teenager, Lee, telling Ben about a friendship with Supergirl. Lee struggled with personal identity and Supergirl helped Lee reach a more comfortable place. I really love this kind of story with these heroes. Supergirl, along with her cousin, can do a lot more than hit things. I love it when they hit things too but it’s great when they reach out to people. It reminds me of the part in All-Star Superman in which Clark comforts a potential suicide victim. Those moments can be so powerful.
Negatives
There are no negatives worth mentioning in this issue.
Verdict
This is a great issue. The art is gorgeous throughout; there are so many stand out panels and pages. I just love Campbell’s work in this. Orlando and Ayala provide a very sweet and hopeful story. There’s a simplicity to it in how it examines young people trying to deal with their internal confusion especially in a society that functions in particular way. What happens when that system doesn’t recognize you? It’s very effective. I highly recommend this issue.
