A must buy for anyone looking to flesh out their superhero collection. Supergirl goes through the struggles of being a teenager. Not even being Kryptonian can stop those! But she also must learn about being a hero and the difficulties of saving the world.

Excellent origin story for Supergirl. Shows Kara Danvers as a typical teenage girl, albeit one who gets grossly huge acne (my only quibble about the book--come on people, really? Supersized zits?? Ridiculous!), runs on the track team with her two best friends and is struggling with a recurring dream about someplace exploding--she'll eventually figure out that it's a memory of her parents sending her away from her home planet Krypton. Oh and she's starting to get really weird surges of power and then an absence of her powers. When an earthquake strikes the town literally in the middle of Kara's track meet, she is unable to save her best friend Jen from dying in the catastrophe, in one of those "glitches" of her powers. She is devastated. But this also leads her to the discovery of someone else from Krypton...who may or may not be on her side... and to a scientist experimenting on them both for their powers. This is a great "who am I?" "Why am I here?" teen angst story. It shows the small town charm of her upbringing, her farmer father, how her human family and friends matter to her above her Kryptonian heritage. Plus, you know, flying girl saves the day! Loved the two friends, Jen and Dolly (named for the country star, Dolly the teen is as far from Dolly Parton as you can get). Terrific artwork, my favorite kind of comic book art.

First, that zit popping is the most delightfully gross thing I have ever seen.

This book is so engaging and it's nice to see the origin story for Supergirl.

I thought this was an alternate-universe Supergirl, but by the time I got to the end I decided it was perhaps a rebooted origin story. Not bad, but different then I expected.

I like Supergirl just fine and am decently familiar with her story. However, this book just never sat right with me and grabbed me. Some of the art and coloring made it hard at times to see what exactly was going on and sometimes felt a little busy. Once we started getting towards the end, it felt like we were getting a lot of information and important points that weren't necessarily addressed (I'm not sure if there will be another book that remedies this). Kara just decides to up and leave with some random guy but like what about her family?? And school?? Idk this one just didn't pull me in.

A wonderful DC YA graphic novel by Mariko Tamaki. Each of these, even the previous ones to come out, showcases a story that we haven't really seen from these DC superheroes and villains. I have been enjoying it a lot and I look forward to future releases.

This is the second graphic novel by Mario Tamaki that I have had the pleasure of reading and let me say I will be pre-ordering another other future graphic novels. I am a huge fan of both Supergirl and I felt that this graphic novel was a fresh take on her origin story. The characters were all relateable despite the fact that Kara comes from an alien planet. The only issue I had with the story is that it stopped when it did and I don't have another book to continue reading the story. I was fully engrossed with this story from story to end. HIGHLY recommended for comic readers new and old.

The latest DC YA graphic novel is a collection of the 4-issue Supergirl storyline, Being Super (2018). Caldecott winner and YA graphic novelist powerhouse Mariko Tamaki and Eisner winner Joëlle Jones, whose work I've really loved on Lady Killer and Helheim, join forces here to tell the story of Kara Danvers, a teen who's got BFFs, irritating parents that she totally loves, and a ginormous zit. She can also lift a car with one hand, and runs slower than she really can on her track team, but who cares? She loves her life in Midvale... until catastrophe strikes, and leaves Kara with more questions than answers about her past.

What I've been enjoying about DC's YA graphic novels is the relatability. The super powers take a back seat to the relationships and the frustrations of adolescence; here, it's Kara's struggle to discover who she is, and the decisions she makes as she seeks that answer. Coping with grief is a secondary theme running through the story. Joëlle Jones's  artwork is expressive, bold, and eye-catching. 

Being Super is a Newsweek Best Graphic Novel of the Year.

I had a great time reading this graphic novel. This was my first Supergirl graphic novel I have ever read, and it did a great job explaining her origin story. As the reader is figuring it out, so is Kara Danvers. She faces a villain or two along the way, and finds out what her purpose on this planet might be. As this tale comes to a close, it looks like a deadly villain plans on keeping an eye on this new hero.

Supergirl: Being Super is a coming-of-age graphic novel for young adult readers. In this new origin story, Kara Danvers is turning 16 and facing the same things that all teenagers do; only she has superpowers and is from another planet. That makes figuring out the whole teenaged thing even more difficult, especially when those powers put Kara and her friends in danger!

Supergirl: Being Super begins with Kara trying to explain her life to the reader and not knowing where to begin, because her story is complicated. She feels like no matter where she beings, it wouldn’t make any sense at all. In many ways Kara is a typical teenage girl: dealing with zits, running track, and hanging out with her friends Dolly and Jen in the local diner after school.

During one of Kara’s high school track meets there is a large earthquake. She and her two friends are in danger as a result. Kara ends up using her super strength in front of her friend Dolly when rescuing her. But unfortunately, Kara was not able to save her friend Jen. Worse than that, she slips out of Kara’s grip only to fall to her death.

From there things begin to spiral for Kara. She is dealing with the strange things going on with her body along with her grief for her friend. In the midst of that, some people she thought she could trust turn out to be untrustworthy and try to use her for her powers. But not all hope is lost, and Kara will soon have the opportunity to learn more about who she is and where she comes from. She is not alone.

Supergirl: Being Super, in my opinion is a very thoughtful story. Sure, it takes place in high school, but it doesn’t have a lot of the more common themes that we often see like popularity, bullies, and getting bad grades. It deals with how to live through the tragedy of losing a dear friend while you’re still so young. It’s especially difficult when you’re going through so many changes yourself as a person. High school is a hard enough growing experience without tragedy and dealing with being a literal alien from another planet.

I recommend Supergirl: Being Super to anyone who enjoys emotional, smart, and tragic yet hopeful coming-of-age stories. You definitely don’t have to be familiar with the character to enjoy the book and it is a solid introduction to the character. Plus, the art is beautiful and the storytelling is top notch. I thoroughly enjoyed every page.

My full review can be found here: https://thegeekiary.com/the-girl-of-steel-supergirl-being-super-graphic-novel-review/84116

Ever since my dive into bookstagram began, and I started joining in on the virtual events during this time, I've been dying to read more from Mariko Tamaki. She was on many of the panels, including one with Rainbow Rowell & I was just knew I had to seek out more by her in the DC Universe. I was SO excited when this particular title was available for request on Netgalley, such a gorgeous graphic novel!

Gorgeous illustrations that made me instantly want to pick up a copy for my shelves, I know I'll be adding this series to my collection!

Tamaki did a fantastic job with this teenage plotline of friendship, family, and being a typical sixteen year old mixed with the struggles of choosing between them or the place she came from. LOVED the orgin story meets female badassery, something we don't see quite enough of and I am SO here for it!

Superhero origin story plus Mariko Tamaki equals a book I can hand to my students. I really enjoyed Kara’s relationship with her parents and her friends. I kept hoping that (no spoilers) a friend would reappear, but that hasn’t happened yet. And I really enjoyed the decision Kara makes at the end. Definitely room for a sequel here.

This story sets down a new origin story for Kara Danvers, also known as Kara Zor-El, and her life looks an awful lot like another famous Kryptonian. Kara's pod crash lands in a corn field outside Midvale, a farming community somewhere in the United States. Kara is taken in by a couple and raised as their own. Now, Kara's a teenager, battling normal Earth-teenager things like zits and homework, but it's all compounded with her secret powers and trying to figure out who she is. She keeps having this strange dream of people saying goodbye to her. Luckily, she has two amazing best friends, Jen and Dolly, who keep her grounded, even if they don't know about her abilities. Then, at a track meet, a powerful earthquake brings tragedy to Kara's life. Kara must overcome her grief, and figure out her powers, in order to stop a much more sinister plot from destroying her town, and everyone she loves.

This story of loss and self-discovery is complex. The novel is narrated throughout with the inner monologue of Kara, and her concerns echo what many teens go through daily (aside from the super-powers part). Most of this story is about Kara figuring out her life and battling her grief, and the super-powers and Krypton portion comes in the last third. The ending is unresolved, hinting at a continuation of the story. My main detractor from this story is that Kara's origin is almost exactly the same as Superman's. Kara's origin in other stories does differ from Kal-El, so I'm not quite certain why in this, she had to be so similar. Jone's illustrations are extremely detailed and beautiful. The color palettes alternate between two main ones: yellows for inside, blues for outside. Special pops of color are used sparingly in the first half (note: the review copy I had was black-and-white through the second half, so the color schemes could be completely different in the second half of the final version).

DC rate this for Teen. The main element elevating this from lower grade levels is death and grief. There is some violence, but no bloodshed.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

This review was made possible with an advanced reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley. This graphic novel will be on sale July 7, 2020.

Read more graphic novel reviews at www.graphiclibrary.org.

In a mix between Superman's origin story, the life of an average girl, and the Supergirl we all know and love, Mariko Tamaki's Supergirl: Being Super in a fun spin on the young girl hero, Wielding the famous Kryptonian powers, Tamaki writes Kara as relatable to the modern age of female comic readers, with issues such as friends, acne, differing/diverse identities, and school bridging the relatable gap between story and reality. Though feminine, this story does not veer away toward more gritty topics, with trauma and mental health being a vital part of the story. Though I wish the story overall was more fleshed out, I fell in love with the beautiful art by Joelle Jones!

Where to start... my father just turned 68 years old and has been a comic book collector since he was a child. Superman is his favorite. So, I grew up with DC comics and Kara Zor-El is one of my favorite super-heroines (Wonder Woman is my main lady though). While I am not one to require the strict adherence to originality and enjoy a retelling, sometimes the stories do not really click for me.

Supergirl: Being Super did not really click for me. While the artwork was beautiful, there were aspects that I couldn't really look past. For one, Supergirl getting a pimple? Huh? Her skin is made of steel, impenetrable to bullets but not dirt?

Second, her origin story seemed like a Smallville retelling replacing Clark with Kara.

Third, pretty early in the story, there is an earthquake and one of Kara's best friends is killed. I expected this aspect of the story to come full circle but it did not.. yet. I assume there will be a part two to this story because it was not finished at all.

Being Super wasn't terrible although Supergirl was really being super - at all - yet. This story seems to lay out all of the strings for the future however I just wish there was.... more. I do appreciate the small LGBT representation and I hope that is given more story and not just thrown in. I would be interested to see where this goes...

I've been a huge fan of Supergirl for a long time, so when I saw this up for request on Netgalley, I knew I had to snatch it up! The newest addition to Supergirl's origin story is filled with emotion and nuance that made it one of the best of its kind.

Lasting Impressions

This Supergirl origin story focuses on a (probably) sixteen-year-old Kara Danvers who is a regular high school girl with friends, extracurriculars, and lots of homework. But she can lift tractors over her head and she has to watch her speed when she runs track. This focus on her teenage life made her very relatable as she hangs out and makes plans with friends while figuring out how she fits in the world... especially since it seems she was born off of it.

Then a huge tragedy happens, and we see Kara dealing with a lot of grief. The way Tamaki shows Kara's inner thoughts really gives a window into Kara's mindset. As she grows beyond her grief, as she learns more about herself, she becomes more self-assured.

The growth that Kara goes through is subtle, but it's pushed onward because of the supporting characters. Dolly, a lesbian of color, is Kara's best friend and a huge support when Kara's life feels like it's been turned upside down. When she needs protecting, Kara's parents are there for her in their own way.

The major conflict in the story felt out of place compared to the rest of the story. It felt rushed and not fully fleshed out. But the exploration of grief, pain, and healing was my favorite part throughout the entire story. I especially liked the ending, and I hope there is a sequel that continues Kara's story.

Quick Thoughts
-I don't have much to say on the art this time around, as the art in the eARC I received was unfinished. But the emotions and body language in this book were incredibly well-done. I can't wait to see what the final product looks like.

Overall Feelings

This is an excellent addition to Supergirl's origin story, which explores many more things than just finding out her powers and her identity is a Kryptonian. I would recommend this to old fans and new fans.

Most of the time I grab a graphic novel because it feels familiar. It's usually a story I already know in a new format or with minute differences. Sometimes a graphic novel or comic takes place somewhere that feels familiar but the characters are all new. In this case, neither of those things is true. I knew who Supergirl was but I didn't really know anything about her story or what made her character unique. I'd seen a few seasons of the CW show and a few episodes of Smallville with her and that was about it.

This story was such a fun dive into a character I was peripherally familiar with. The writing did a great job of pulling me into the story and her life with her friends and parents and the illustration was engaging and beautifully done. It felt both fantastical and familiar with its setting. Kara herself might seem difficult to relate to but like most of us, she is just another outsider looking for what makes her special.

I loved getting this peek into Midvale and what makes Kara Danvers different in the DC universe. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the issues

I received an advanced copy of Supergirl: Being Super from NetGalley, so that I could share my review with you!

Kara Danvers has a lot to balance, what with being a high school student, track athlete, and (quite possibly) an alien from a different galaxy. She’s not totally sure about the whole alien thing, given her lack of information about her past, but all signs point to her being a bit different. Thankfully, Kara has her parents and her two best friends to support her in all elements of her life. Things seem fairly manageable, up until Kara begins to experience strange lapses in her powers. After one of these moments of weakness leads to a tragic end for someone Kara cares deeply about, it all becomes too much to ignore. It’s time for Kara to figure out why she has these powers and why they are failing her when she needs them most!

You can get your copy of Supergirl: Being Super on July 7th from DC Comics!

As someone who has read a LOT of Supergirl comics, I was really looking forward to reading Mariko Tamaki’s take on Kara Danvers! Overall, I did enjoy the book, but it is not my favorite Supergirl comic for a couple of reasons. I felt like this version of Kara lacked some of the elements that typically define Supergirl as a unique hero, who exists separately from Superman. The choice to have Kara live on a farm (in a setting reminiscent of Superman’s youth) felt somewhat inauthentic to the story of Supergirl I have come to love so dearly. Taking into consideration the handful of problems I had with the character representation, I still liked reading it quite a lot!

My Recommendation-
If you love reading about teen superheroes struggling with growing up and finding their inner strength, Supergirl: Being Super could be a good choice for your next read! You don’t need to have any background knowledge to read this book, as it collects previously published issues of a mini-series into one convenient book!

So, I love the storyline and I think kids will like it. I do have one small issue. There are like 4 instances of cussing, and they do not feel natural to the characters really, including the phrase "badass d*ke" very early in the book. I do not know if I could include it my library in a very conservative area because of it. I will probably try to sneak it in there anyway but it does make it difficult for me.

Great story with solid character development. Artwork was well-done, especially liked the color choices. Plot ended nicely for sequel.