Supergirl: Being Super

The original Supergirl was invented in the early 60s. It was still the time of silly, light stories, and her stories, set in an orphanage were light humor, and odd adventures, such as her dressing up like a fairy godmother to entertain kids, or her boring a hole through the earth so people could look through it and see the leaning tower of Pisa.

I grew up on this Supergirl, and though that it was odd that she would have to be reinvented. But in looking at the old stories, though I loved them as a kid, they seemed odd, a time of orphanages, and having to be perform to be adopted seemed much older than the 60s, more like something out of an Little Orphan Annie musical.

So, I shouldn’t have been too surprised that someone has decided that she needs to be updated. Because, she does. And though I love the CW TV version of her, I find this retelling to be well written, interesting, and well rounded.

The basic facts are still the same. She is still Kara from Kyrpton, and her parents put her on a ship to escape when she was a young child. Only in this version, she isn’t discovered by Superman, but by a rural couple, and raised by them, rather the way Superman was, if his parents had not trusted the government.

Like the Superboy of old, this Supergirl has to hide her powers from everyone but her family. She has to hold back in sports. And this works, as she grows up to have good friends, and a good life.

Of course, something has to happen to make her become a hero, and something does happen, but that is the story you have to read.

The pacing was good.  The friends of Supergirl seemed fully formed. She has a lesbian best friend, and it is just part of the story.

This first collection of the first four books of the series held my attention, was fun to read, and makes me wonder if they will continue the series from here, now that they have established her as a character.

I would recommend this to people who remember the original Supergirl and what to see a well done retelling, as well as people who have never heard of Superman’s cousin, and wonder what all the fuss is about.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest reivew.