Syndrome Of The Imposter — Reviewing ‘Supergirl’ #2

Jealousy and self-doubt can be ugly emotions to deal with. That’s especially true if you allows them to fester and grow outwardly.

Kara Zor-El’s mysterious doppelganger flips the script in Supergirl #2, another delightful issue from Sophie Campbell, Tamra Bonvillain, and Becca Carey.

Delightful. Absolutely delightful.

Okay, review over.

I’m kidding, but those words do sum this series up pretty succinctly. It taps into the character and the universe so easily while bridging the serious and the silly with equal measure. This gives lots of classic comic book vibes with a very modern and more solid foundation. As noted in the last review, this book has even softened my feeling about thought balloons.

Never thought that would be possible.

We get such a good look at what led Lesla-Lar from Kandor to Midvale and Supergirl impersonation. There is a mix of elements at play from social loneliness, non-acceptance, and entitlement all wrapped into one. Watching her put lives in danger to try and hang onto the life she stole speaks volumes.

There is a ton packed into this one issue, making it feel like a double sized one in the best way possible. Campbell is always so good at being able to balance action and character development in whatever book she does, taking even simple plots and making them feel far heftier than they might otherwise.

There is a bright levity to the artwork she does as well. I loved the work she did on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles books over the years, but so different. There are bits that are familiar cause it’s just part of her style, but the presentation feels different right on first glance. A touch of whimsy is baked into every page, against the more serious edge that the former series had.

Smooth and rough textures are the name of the game here. Blending together beautifully as dynamic energy and dense depth fill in all the gaps. Beyond all that is the overall awe aspect of the work. Everything about this feels fully fitting for a character bearing the S shield, larger than life but approachable.

That is the super way.

She pairs so well with Bonvillain who brings a bold saturated color palette into play. Flashy firm colors speak of the bright open space that characters like Supergirl operate within. I love how really vibrant the pages are at every turn. Again, that fits that larger-than-life scenario to an absolute T.

She matches the rougher textures that Campbell employed artistically, mixing some of the smoother textures creep into everything. This gives some colors on the page more space to run free, providing a filter like feeling to the overall background and elsewhere.

Another way that things flow so well is with the lettering. Carey was another great addition because there is an airy and free feeling to the lettering under her watch. This dips into the creative with the shape, size, and coloring of the words, giving things the tonal and emotional push that they require for mental voice creation.

There is an energy present in the thought balloons which makes them feel charming, rather than just feeling nostalgic or outdated as they potentially could. A flow and rapidness to them helps in that respect.

Supergirl #2 is now available from DC Comics.