Supergirl #12 Review

 

Supergirl #12 Review

Writer & Artist: Sophie Campbell

Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain

Letterer: Becca Carey

Cover Artists: Sophie Campbell; Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin; Pablo Villalobos; Joshua “Sway” Swaby

Things To Come Variant Cover Artist: Amy Reeder

April Drools Variant Cover Artist: Marguerite Sauvage

Editors: Jillian Grant & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99 Card Stock

Release Date: April 8, 2026

 

Lesla-Lar wanted a better life. But when Kara Zor-El discovered that Lesla had stolen her life as Linda Danvers in Midvale, and her identity as Supergirl, she helped the Kryptonian girl see the error of her ways. Despite the Kandorian Science Council's desire to punish Lesla, Kara decided to mentor her.

 

Sadly, the Science Council didn't tell Kara about a genetic anomaly that afflicts their people when they venture outside their miniature city. It struck Lesla at the worst possible time, when she and Supergirl had hit an impasse in their relationship. Lesla had to return to the city where she felt like a prisoner. And when Lesla was hurting, someone preyed on her anger.

 

Can Supergirl help Lesla-Lar repair the damage she has done to her city, and the harm she has inflicted on her people? And back in Midvale, can Conner Kent and Lena Luthor do anything to help? Let’s leap into Supergirl #12 and see!

 

Story

When Kara Zor-El enters Kandor, she battles two villains. While Rust is by far the largest, both Rust and Cut remind her of Lesla-Lar’s super-substance. Supergirl hopes Lesla didn’t mutate her fellow Kryptonians into these villains with her programmable matter. But then Lesla pulls the Yellow Ring of Nor-Kann off Kara’s finger, robbing her of her superpowers, as Lesla’s cousin Zora Vi-Lar attacks her.

 

In Supergirl #12, Kara awakens on an operating table in the Science Council’s Emergency Bunker. Dr Kim-Da explains that he had to operate on Kara to save her life. But his bionic and cybernetic augmentations transform her appearance and Kara’s sense of identity.

 

While rich in drama and action, Sophie Campbell’s story feels like a horror story. Not only has Kara Zor-El lost everything that defines her, but Kandor, this last remnant of her dead world, is coming apart at the seams. The Science Council’s refusal to engage with and empower the younger generation drove Lesla-Lar outside. They kept the genetic anomaly that prevents young Kryptonians from surviving outside the bottle city secret, which forced Lesla to return to Kandor. And given their desire to preserve their culture, the Science Council didn’t prioritize finding a cure.

 

The Science Council’s heavy-handed approach has fostered hatred of them among the youth. Even Lesla’s parents, Lan-Lar and Lora-Lar, would have imprisoned her for escaping Kandor if Kara hadn’t agreed to mentor their daughter. Now, the Council has turned Kara into a cyborg, augmenting her body with technology that they can control. But while the Council thinks they hold all the cards, Zora Vi-Lar has Kara's Yellow Ring of Nor-Kann, which changes the balance of power in Supergirl #12.

 

Art

While Conner relaxes with snacks while watching a Titan on the TV, Lena paces and fumes. When they reach the Fortress of Solitude, they study a malformed creature overtaking Kandor, while Lena’s hair turns and twists like Lesla-Lar’s super-substance. Inside the bottle city, Dr Kim-Da holds a datapad as Kara beholds her cyborg enhancements. Cuts extend above and below an eyepiece, while staples bind incisions in Kara’s shaved scalp. Sophie Campbell uses a split-face panel to portray Kara Zor-El and Bry-Zan’s similarities and differences, while the only one who smiles is Kim-Da.

 

As Tamra Bonvillain adorns Supergirl #12 with bright, appealing colors, a yellow eight-pointed star surrounding a beige circle symbolizes Dr Kim-Da’s solution to the problems facing Kandor. White borders separate rectangular panels as Connor Kent and Lena Luthor discuss Kara's disappearance. Black lines separate panels as Supergirl awakens on a pink operating table surrounded by pink monitors. The black lines grow increasingly diagonal, as Kara's situation grows increasingly traumatic. By the time people approach adorned in pink and blue, and wearing a black symbol, diagonal borders rule the day. Yet despite Zora Vi-Lar's assertion about Kara's loyalties, a pink shadow falls upon Supergirl when she takes a stand.

 

Becca Carey fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices. Kara's thoughts fill white clouds, while Dr Kim-Da states the Science Council's solution using the same green and yellow as their headbands. Sound effects enhance a battle for revenge, the future of Kandor, and a result that Kara Zor-El can live with. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Conner Kent’s warning brought Kara Zor-El to Kandor. Lena Luthor feels responsible for damaging Kara’s relationship with Lesla-Lar. When Kara fails to return to Midvale, the two contemplate venturing into Kandor, not knowing if they can escape the Kryptonian bottle city in Supergirl #12.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside, see my preview of Supergirl #12.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Supergirl #11.