Supergirl Survive Issue 1 is published by DC Comics. Written by Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan, art and colors by Rod Reis, and letters by Lucas Gattoni.
In an Elseworlds tale, Supergirl’s departure from Krypton leads to her landing on a very different planet.
For much of this first issue, nothing much changes from the origin of Supergirl. Supergirl Survive Issue 1 brings a lot of familiarity to Kara’s early life on Krypton. And cleverly, Parker and Sheridan encapsulate the society of the dying planet with just a few families and a classroom.
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The final days of the planet are filled with tension and political struggles, encapsulated by a family so hostile towards each other. The El’s and the Zor-El’s demonstrate how fractious the world is. Kara is a teenager on Krypton, talking about going to the Kryptonian version of high school. The schoolgirl angst is happening, but the oncoming doom overshadows it.
The pace moves rapidly, jumping into the dystopian danger very quickly. But up to this point, very little separates this Elseworlds tale from other incarnations. The panic that sets in during the most famous moment is superbly written. It’s frantic, frightening, and filled with despair. And then the ship is shot off into space, with Kara and Kal in the same pod. That’s where this alternate reality story takes a detour, because the ship lands somewhere else instead of on Earth. It provides a front-row seat to a traumatic event, before introducing a threat that’s closer to the young Kryptonian.
The character development within Supergirl Survive Issue 1 is incredible. So much is revealed within a few conversations. The tension between Zor and his brother Jor, the fathers of Supergirl and Superman, is indicative of wider issues within the planet. Jor is already noticing the planet’s collapse and its demise, which causes friction between the brothers.
The heart of the series is the sense of protection Kara feels over her infant cousin. Almost immediately, the strength of that connection is clear the first time she holds Kal in her hands. So much of Kara’s early life is drowned out by the arguments between her family members, and that often leaves her voice drowned out. She’s just a girl with a school crush, completely unprepared for the terror that is about to befall her.
The art is stunning. Reis has a gorgeous style, similar to that of Phil Noto, and the planet of Krypton is a beautiful, futuristic location. The city of Kandor is affluent and high-tech, with Kara and her family living in the far reaches. The skyline, with the huge red sun behind it, is an awe-inspiring sight. There isn’t much action in Supergirl: Survive Issue 1 because there isn’t anything to fight yet. But the characters’ expressions are exceptional. You can see the fear, fury, and frustration brewing on their faces before the drama begins.
And sitting in the middle, watching, is Kara, with a vacant expression. She focuses on Kal when he’s in her arms, but the arguments tend to go right over her head. This world’s version of Zod, who appears briefly, is gloriously designed. He looks like an older madman, furiously raving. During their separation, Reis superbly captures a sudden escalation of panic, loss, and terror.
The colors are sensational. The painted style from Reis adds so much rich vibrancy to Kandor and Krypton as a whole. Outside, there is a mixture of blue and purple in the sky, with the intensity of the red sun beating down on the planet. The moon emits a disturbing green glow, which never bodes well in the Superman universe. Inside houses and the classroom, the tones are dark and gloomy. It creates the impression that the planet is hostile, unsafe, and overly negative. The lettering is very bold and easy to read, with the SFX expertly woven into the panels’ backgrounds.
Supergirl Survive Issue 1 makes an already traumatic origin even deadlier. Spending some time on Krypton before its demise is a fantastic start, as it gives an idea of what Kara is missing and what led to the moment when she has to leave. It’s familiar, but necessary as the start of a new series. The key part is the ending, where the course completely changes. The series is transformed into a survival horror, one with so many surprises and a true sense of isolating danger. And the whole comic looks unbelievable, thanks to the breathtaking art style Reis brings.
Supergirl Survive Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.
Supergirl Survive Issue 1
TL;DR
Supergirl Survive Issue 1 makes an already traumatic origin even deadlier. Spending some time on Krypton before its demise is a fantastic start, as it gives an idea of what Kara is missing and what led to the moment when she has to leave.
