REVIEW: Supergirl: Survive #2

Teenage Kara Zor-El and her baby cousin Kal-El have become the last children of Krypton in Supergirl: Survive #2, trying to reach their new home in Sector 2814 (section of space where Earth is in the DC Universe) by way of a spaceport full of dangerous figures.

Writers Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan, artist Rod Reis and letterer Lucas Gattoni continue guiding readers through the harrowing journey of two of DC Comics’ most famous Kryptonians in this fascinating Elseworlds tale. In the first issue, readers met Kara as she dealt with issues that would be familiar to many teenagers on Earth: family drama, school disaster drills and fears about a world seemingly headed toward destruction. The difference is that Kara’s fears become horrifyingly real. She and baby Kal are placed aboard a spaceship by their parents after their fathers, estranged brothers divided by ideology, make the difficult decision to send their children away from a dying Krypton.

Before getting deeper into this issue, let’s take a look at the covers featuring the cousins of Krypton and the dangerous Lobo Gang. The standard cover by Reis is terrifying. Members of the Lobo Gang surround Kara and Kal, who are visibly shaken and helpless. Two gang members stick out their tongues with sickening delight while a larger member grips Kara’s head. Kara and Kal are trapped among these alien scoundrels, and the cover immediately communicates how vulnerable they are.

In Taurin Clarke’s variant, the Main Man himself, Lobo, stands over Kara as though she has already been defeated. He triumphantly raises Kal in one hand while holding a space weapon in the other. Members of his gang smile in the background as sunlight pours over the scene, making the image feel almost like a twisted western showdown.

Lobo looms gleefully behind Kara and Kal on Ethan Young’s variant cover. Kara looks over her shoulder defiantly while Kal clings to her with fear in his eyes. The House of El crest is displayed on Kara’s spacesuit, which resembles an early version of a Supergirl costume paired with a brown cloak. It is a striking image that captures Kara’s determination even as danger closes in around her. She will do what she must to protect her cousin. She is a super girl!

Reis does an outstanding job capturing the harrowing journey of these young survivors, who have only each other to cling to. He beautifully conveys Kara’s emotions as a teenager whose entire life has been destroyed. She is grieving her world, separated from her family and now responsible for protecting her helpless cousin.

Reis’s artwork shines throughout the issue, from the subtle introductions of the Lobo Gang, silhouetted among the aliens at the spaceport, to the brilliant arrival of the Lanterns and Oa. Every page is colorful, expressive and memorable. No panel feels wasted, while Gattoni’s lettering keeps the dialogue, action and tension moving smoothly from page to page.

Parker and Sheridan have me hooked. I am fully invested in this journey with Kara and Kal and cannot wait to see where it takes them. I would also love to see more of this version of the Lanterns, even as another Elseworlds miniseries exploring their formation, adventures and relationships as a team. The Lobo Gang already feels like it could become a recurring threat for Kara, Kal and the Lanterns, and I am here for it. I initially wanted to see Kara and Kal’s journey because I enjoy superhero stories, but this unfamiliar take on their origin has made me a fully committed passenger.

(10/10) Supergirl: Survive #2 puts readers directly into the danger and raises the stakes as Krypton’s last survivors go from refugees to valuable targets. Kara and Kal’s journey is not only going to shape who they become, but it may also change the lives of everyone they encounter across the universe.