Review: Supergirl Vol. 1- The Killers of Krypton

Quick Summary

Pros: The book is instantly appealing, as it exposes an interesting mystery. The mystery gives readers plenty of reason to come back next volume. The entire book features a fun adventure. The artwork looks good from start to finish.

Cons: Fans who have not read The Man of Steel may be confused at the start of this book.

Overall: This is a fresh and positive start to a new chapter in Supergirl’s life. The narrative here is interesting, the adventure is fun, and the artwork backing it all up looks good. The entire collection, in general, does well with pulling the reader in and keeping them intrigued. This is a volume for anyone looking to start a new chapter in Supergirl’s life or for anyone interested in the mysteries introduced back in The Man of Steel.

Story

Supergirl Vol. 1: The Killers of Krypton, by Marc Andreyko, is a seriously enjoyable read and an optimistic start to a new Supergirl storyline. This volume hits the ground running by dishing out a compelling mystery right from the start. This is then followed up on by an adventure that explores this mystery, while still retaining plenty to be revealed in the future. Plus, the volume contains some fun and lighthearted action along the way, emphasizing the hope embodied by a powerful Kryptonian and her dog. As long as readers are a bit familiar with the situation from The Man of Steel, they should have a great time reading this book.

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Right from the start, The Killers of Krypton pulls the reader in. The volume starts with Supergirl deciding that she will seek answers to questions raised by Rogol Zaar’s attack in The Man of Steel (Review). Then, it quickly becomes clear that a powerful force is trying to stop Supergirl from uncovering these answers. This leaves the readers wondering what happened with Rogol Zaar in Krypton’s past and why someone in the present has a reason to cover this up. What follows in an investigation that is part tense mystery and part fun adventure.

The tense mystery comes from the unveiling of a galactic plot that stretches from the distant past to the present. Over the course of the read, the mystery deepens and it is revealed that the destruction of Krypton was a large conspiracy, not simply the work of Rogol Zaar alone. It also becomes clear that these conspirators are still active and that they employ spies in various sectors of space. It gives the mission a clear sense of danger while also giving readers plenty of reason to come back in the future.

The fun comes from the adventurous nature of the investigation. This is the story of a girl and her dog as they explore the galaxy and take down anyone trying to stop them. Even though the book is fraught with danger, there is constantly a feeling that Kara will triumph and that she will get the answers she is looking for. Plus, flashbacks to the past detail two lighthearted tales that generally increase the level of fun found in this collection.

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Art

The quality of the artwork in The Killers of Krypton is positive all the way through. Kevin Maguire’s pencils establish a lighthearted style that adds on to the playful energy found in this adventure. It allows Supergirl and Krypto to come across as both powerful and optimistic throughout the read. Sean Parsons’ bold inks and FCO Plascencia bright colors add to this as well. Together, these artists create a book where the visuals pop and where the characters feel like they are jumping off the page. Plus, the visuals are all laid out well, in a way that provides help to the storytelling. All in all, the artwork in this volume is great.

Continuity

Supergirl Vol. 1: The Killers of Krypton technically continues the Supergirl series from the previous volume, Supergirl Vol. 4: Plain Sight (Review). However, The Killers of Krypton starts a new era in the series that mostly continues plotlines from The Man of Steel (Review) rather than continuing plotlines from Plain Sight.

The story here continues in Supergirl Vol. 2: Sins of the Circle (Review).

This volume also references other comic books, detailed below:

• A character in Supergirl #24 mentions Superman’s recent trip to a galactic bar. This occurred in Superman Vol. 1: The Unity Saga: Phantom Earth. 
• The Omega Men were most recently seen in The Omega Men. However, their appearance here does not continue any plot points from that series.