I never liked Supergirl.
Not before 'Supergirl: Being Super', anyway. I always saw her as nothing more than Superman's distaff counterpart - young, pretty, blonde, something for heterosexual Superman fanboys to ogle at while the power fantasy they can imagine themselves as was being realized (what some of them take away from the Man of Tomorrow. I know there is much more to him than that, as a character and a symbol. Still not a fan). At least Batgirl has the dominant characteristic of being smart and computer-savvy, and she has undergone various changes, identities, revamps, remodeling, and interpretations since her creation. Supergirl/Kara is... young, uncertain, a typical teenager, a sexualized underaged girl, an unintentional poster child for eating disorders, a petite DC heroine constantly living in her cousin's ginormous Holy Trinity shadow, and a weak link who is always male-dependent, taken advantage of, depowered, turned evil, and killed in storylines. Woman in Refrigerator applies to her in magnitudes. I maintain that 'Supergirl Vol. 1: The Girl of Steel' is one of the worst comics I've ever read - and that was meant to entice new readers to the character, and attract fans of the CBS show, which I like okay. Other than that, Supergirl never worked for me.
Until now. After waiting nearly a year for 'Supergirl: Being Super' to be published in trade in my country, my hopes were not to be dashed. I'm glad I gave this superheroine another chance.
Written and drawn by the female team Mariko Tamaki and Joëlle Jones, 'Supergirl: Being Super' is a sweet, heartfelt, wonderfully-realized coming-of-age story about a teenage girl who can fly and possesses super strength and speed. This origin - which manages to be unique among hundreds of others about Supergirl over the years - has her not really remember her time on Krypton before it blew up when she was a child, nor does she remember that she is an alien. She does not yet know of Superman's existence, much less her connection to him. This works on a myriad of levels to her story's advantage.
Kara Danvers is confused, but assertive and proactive. She philosophizes about beginnings and what they mean to different people. Other than at birth, when does one's life begin? No, this blonde, relatively-sheltered girl is not Rapunzel.
'Being Super' is about Kara finding herself, wondering who she really is and why she is the way she is - and what her destiny could be. What is her purpose in this "ordinary" world, as an extraordinary girl?
So she is like any other teenager.
She also gets literally explosive zits. No blood splatter since this is for a relatively young audience.
Kara lives and works on a farm, where there is plenty to lift and plenty of land to go running and jumping in. Aside from her adoptive parents, the other two people who form the backbone of her life are Dolly, a plump, queer POC, and Jen, an aspiring athlete and health geek, her best friends from school. They are lovely, distinct, and they leap off the pages, as Kara can leap off her roof and fly into the air, contemplating the universe. Female friendships are the central focus of 'Supergirl: Being Super', and it is beautiful to see in a modern superheroine comic, especially from DC.
Kara's parents do not allow her to reveal her secrets - how she was found in a space pod on the farm eight years ago, and the nature of her powers, which are a mystery even to her - to anyone, not even to Dolly and Jen. Issues of trust, love and loyalty are among the major themes of the book.
Tamaki is a fantastic writer - she knows all about human emotions and struggles, troubled thoughts and anxieties, plus the need for support from other people. These apply to none-human characters as well. The plot is written to explore the stages of adolescence; of discovering what the real world is like. There is angst, but it is sophisticated, all-encompassing angst. It is executed with the care and craft of a seasoned storyteller, who is serious about characters most of all.
There are lessons included here for the teenage demographic, such as: Dealing with loss and grief; even a superpowered being can't save everyone; no one is immune to tragedy; dealing with guilt; being there for your friends; listening to and loving your kind, caring parents who have sacrificed everything for you; anti-war; anti-greed and hunger for power over disadvantaged and innocent foreigners; anti-revenge; moving on in life; never running away with a strange boy just because he is handsome and has a tragic past. The usual good stuff.
I wasn't sure about the artwork at first - with the lines and pockmarks on the characters' skin, also Kara is still super-skinny; all elbows and pencil waist (lucky for that super-metabolism!) - but it grew on me. It is colourful and vibrant, as a comic about the Girl of Steel should be.
And this comic is definitely about her. 'Supergirl: Being Super' is fun and super-moving, a fresh new treat for both old and new fans. Supergirl receives as much respect as Superman does.
Being super - what does that mean? Being good with your powers and gifts? Saving lives? Being a good friend? Being good for your family? For the world? It can mean a great many things.
Kara Danvers - not quite Supergirl yet - like all teens, is still trying to figure it out.
Final Score: 5/5
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