Adventures of Supergirl Chapter 1
DC Comics
Written by: Sterling Gates
Art by: Bengal, Jonboy Meyers, Emanuela Lupacchino and Emma Vieceli.
SPOILERS OF THE SUPERGIRL TV SHOW FOLLOW!
Okay, so let me state it from the very, very beginning that I’m actually a fan of Supergirl starring the absolutely adorable Melissa Benoist. Did the show have its problems to start off its initial season on TV? Sure. (I worded that terribly. It’s still ongoing.)
Since about late November, it has picked up a hell of a lot of solid momentum. I’d argue that this upward trend is due to the bombshell reveal that DEO director, Hank Henshaw, is the famed DC comics superhero Martian Manhunter. The story arcs on the show have become much more focused and intimate in really understanding characters like Henshaw (AKA J’onn J’onzz) and Winn Schott — Toyman’s son. It’s now contrasting itself from the likes of The Flash and Arrow.
If you already watch the show, issue one of Supergirl isn’t going to be anything new to you. It’s nine pages of pretty much a written transcript of the opening to each week’s Supergirl episodes. There were, however, new story beats planted for potential story-lines it’ll tackle in the future. So thankfully it seems us fans of the show won’t have a boring rehash on our hands, instead we can actually look forward to simply more Supergirl.
Not a shot from the show, but…
While in the show there’s only so much air-time, limited space in an episode-by-episode script basis and it being more so in the business of showing spectacle. Sterling Gates is in a unique position where as the writer of the comic companion to the show, he can really expound upon the human side of Supergirl: Kara Danvers. And, of course, her relationship with others, namely, her sister, Alex, which comes off as stale sometimes on the TV-side, despite very good performances put in by Benoist and Chyler Leigh.
There’s not much to say in way of Gates’ writing in the first issue, it’s heavily based in the introduction of Supergirl and setting up who the readers can expect to be reading about. I will say, however, there’s a noticeable charm he adds to his characters voices. If that remains the same throughout, the artwork matches up with it well with all of its bright colors and spectacle.