REVIEW: Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow #1

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1 takes Kara and places her dead centre in an old fashioned blood feud as a young girl seeks revenge on the man who killed her father. This is unlike any Supergirl book I have read before as Kara is placed in a Hyborian age style setting all alone and in deep space. These factors are sure to create a facinating read for the audience as we follow Kara through this unfamiliar land and beyond.

But before we get into too much detail on the issue itself, let’s take look at the covers. The main cover is by interior artist Bilquis Evely and colourist Matheus Lopes who have created an incredible eye-catching piece of art that instantly reminds me of franchises such as Flash Gordon, John Carter and Warlords of Mars. Supergirl takes centre stage as various characters and imagery integral to the story make up the backdrop. 

The main cover is made all the more striking thanks to Kara wielding a sword. An object such as this seems rather out of place but looks totally awesome especially as it ties into the overall tone of the book. Even the logo font is reminiscent of the Spaghetti Western genre. I love this as it adds to the sense of the unknown awaiting Kara. I really love the art style here, it seems choppy, yet unique but that really adds to the impact of it.

The variant cover created by Gary Frank and Alex Sinclair is truly stunning. The pair really double down on the alien world side of the story as the vivid alien flora instantly grabs the readers attention. The green hazy sky only adds to the sense of unfamilarity that runs through the story. Supergirl flanked by a thoughtful looking Krypto looks totally elegant as she is surrounded by intriguing new characters. Seeing Gary Frank back on a character he knows all to well feels me with a warm sense of nostalgia.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1 kicks off with Ruthye Marye Knoll (a native of this unfamiliar land) recounting the tragic death of her father and overwhelming need for revenge. Ruthye sets out on what really feels like an epic quest that could lead her anywhere. The possibilities are truly endless here, which really excites me. 

Tom King and Bilquis Evely set the table immaculately for this portion of the story. Tom King’s intricate dialogue builds unique, three-dimensional characters with depth, personality, and clear motivations. Artist Bilquis Evely has built a world from the ground up that is totally unique from any other I have come across in either literature or film. 

As our young protagonist seeks aid in her quest for revenge, Ruthye comes across a drunken Kara seemingly celebrating her birthday alone. This is where my only criticism comes into play. There really is no explaination as to why Kara is here. Likewise, no real explaination is given as to why she is acting so out of sorts. It just feels like I should have read a prologue or backup story before jumping into this run. Though, hopefully Kara’s arc and backstory will be flushed out more in the issues to come. 

As we find ourselves mid way through the issue, the action begins to pick up as we get some really nice combat sequences between Kara and the locals. Kara gets good and bloody as she fends off a number of attacks featuring weaponry most likely to be found in a Hyborian age style Tavern. I was shocked to see just how bloody this issue got as Kara absorbed some really big hits including grabbing a blade with her hand. I can’t recall the last time I saw this much blood in a DC title that wasn’t black label, but I am totally here for it.

The combat is extremely raw and barbaric. Men and women relying on skill and tactics taught only by the harsh lessons their reality has imposed on them. Even Kara has to resort to this method of survival as she finds herself under a red sun. This only increases the stakes and adds to the tension every time she throws down with an opponent, which was exhilarating to see.

The setting in which we find ourselves initially reminded me of tales featured during the Hyborian age. This is due to the weaponary, clothing and Architecture that can be found all around. The alien flora and forna depicted later in the issue adds new layers to this constantly shifting alien landscape. This really is testament to the artists imagination and creativity.

The colour palette featured in this issue created masterfully by Matheus Lopes really does steal the show for me. The violet and red hues engulfing the night sky during the opening sequence adds so much texture to this unfamiliar setting. The contrast between the warmth expelled from the night sky and the cold unforgiving blue hues found on the surface of the plains is nothing but majestic.

The issue comes to a close with Kara and Ruthye joining forces to take down the man who set this chain of events into motion. There definetly feels like there is work to be done in the coming issues to make me feel more attached to Kara. As it stands right now, this could be anyone’s story. It really does feel like Tom King has dived back through time and cherry picked elements from the very best that film and literature has to offer and combined them into one.

So far I have mixed feelings about Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow #1. If Tom King had spent the same amount of time on Kara as he did building Ruthye I feel we would be onto a real winner, instead all the pressure rests with issue #2 to grab me and show me why exactly this is a Supergirl story.

Haven’t read Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow #1 yet? You can get the standard cover by Bilquis Evely here (UK), or here (US). Or if you prefer the variant cover by Gary Frank, you can get that here.

**The above links are affiliates, which mean I will earn commission from any products bought via these links**