Summer of Supergirl Special #1 Review

 

Summer of Supergirl Special #1 Review

Writers: Sophie Campbell, Gail Simone & Mark Waid

Artists: Belén Ortega & Cian Tormey

Penciller: Emma Kubert

Inker: Sandra Hope

Colorists: Tríona Farrell, Trish Mulvihill & Alex Guimarāes

Letterers: Becca Carey, Ariana Maher & Steve Wands

Cover Artist: Belén Ortega

Variant Cover Artists: Pablo Villalobos & Tula Lotay

Supergirl Movie Variant Cover Artist: Mahmud Asrar with Mike Spicer

Editors: Jillian Grant & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99 US/Variant $6.99 US (cardstock)

Release Date: June 24, 2026

 

When the weather turned cold amid the holidays, Kara Zor-El started to feel down. How could Kara enjoy time with her new family and friends when all the people she knew in Argo City are dead? Yet, life has its rhythms. And even though Kara has taken a few beatings, when trouble shook the miniaturized Kryptonian city of Kandor, she arrived to save the day.

 

After Lesla-Lar offered Kara a means of regaining what she lost in Kandor, Kara also discovered something that could give her more power than before. But when she interrupts Lobo during his first job following his self-imposed isolation on Azzplaque Major, Supergirl's fate seems to intertwine with the newly reinstated bounty hunter. Will they frag each other into extinction? Or will Supergirl, Lobo, Krypto, and Dawg team up for an extraordinary mission together? Let’s leap into Summer of Supergirl Special #1 and see!

 

Main Man’s Best Friend: Story

After sitting in a jail cell, Lobo, Kara, Krypto, and Dawg attend a hearing. As they face the judge, Lobo pleads innocence, while Kara Zor-El contends they are both guilty.

 

When fate separates them, Dawg returns to Midvale with Kara and Krypto in Summer of Supergirl Special #1. Lobo’s best friend even helps as Kara uses her powers to aid others. But Dawg misses his master. And unlike Lobo, he doesn’t understand the reasons for their separation.

 

As Sophie Campbell examines the bond between a pet and its owner, she also illustrates how Kara’s attitude influences the people around her. Lobo remains the petulant child who didn't want to conform to rules on Czarnia. Yet a little love can go a long way in encouraging good behavior, turning enemies into friends, and helping make the world a better place.

 

Main Man’s Best Friend: Art

As a judge sits beneath an enormous seal, Lobo raises his chain-wrapped forearm. Beside him, Kara smiles at Lobo’s antics. As Kara’s counsel hovers before the judge, his dispassionate discourse infuriates Lobo. Yet as Krypto, Dawg, and Leegra follow Kara’s lead, Lobo’s counsel slumps and supports his head on the table.

 

As Tríona Farrell adorns Belén Ortega’s cheery art with a bright palette, blue creeps into the green courtroom as Kara makes her case. Red tinges Lobo’s retelling of events, and the evening sky on Plinko Astra. Yet as Crush’s red attire seems linked with her father’s antics, stars twinkle in the violet air when she meets Leegra in Summer of Supergirl Special #1.

 

Becca Carey fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters, while Kara’s thoughts fill white clouds. White offscreen dialogue appears in colored boxes. Sound effects accompany more property damage than the night of Clarissa Giltedge’s No Beer New Year party, while enlarged yellow letters help Kara appeal to Lobo’s deeply buried good side.

 

Lost Girls: Story

Taking an exercise break is a great way to relieve stress. But when Brad uses the company mascot to make a statement, Supergirl worries that it will hurt others. Yet instead of getting a good workout, Kara discovers she may have bitten off more than she can chew. When another hero arrives to help, Supergirl still wants to blow off steam. But by sharing her struggles with a like-minded person, Kara’s tension lessens, helping her reconcile with her painful past and look toward the future in Gail Simone’s story.

 

Lost Girls: Art

When a futuristic female robot tears through a concrete wall and a chicken-wire fence, guards brace to fire, while a fireman warns people of danger. As they gaze through a window, Brad’s coworkers look concerned and aghast, while his expression makes an unintended comparison with a supervillain. After Supergirl’s face reflects off the robot’s smooth metal face, Emma Kubert and Sandra Hope combine a tilted silhouette scene with a close-up of the robot’s attack.

 

When the gold robot induces fear, the guards respond with yellow-and-orange gunfire. While the red in her costume links Supergirl with the emergency responders, her gold belt suggests empathy for the robot’s plight. As Trish Mulvihill adorns this ten-page story in vibrant colors, Supergirl shares two colors of her costume with the hero who comes to her aid.

 

As Ariana Maher fills white balloons with black uppercase letters, the robot speaks in a machine font. Small black letters in a yellow banner locate the reader in time and space. Kara begins her tale by sharing her white thoughts in blue boxes. But her narration gradually disappears as Kara interacts with the similarly minded hero.

 

Who Is Supergirl: Story

Having regained a physical form, Red Tornado’s consciousness no longer inhabits the Justice League Watchtower’s computer systems. So, when he needs to recheck the data in the personnel files, Red Tornado asks Conner Kent to review the Super-Family archives. In Mark Waid’s story, Jon Kent finds Steel helping Conner with his assignment. Yet while both belong to the Super-Family, they are puzzled by contrasting entries. Jon may enjoy teasing Conner about living in the past. Yet as he recognizes Conner and Steel's concerns, Jon realizes he can help them understand Kara's place in the Super-Family.

 

Who is Supergirl: Art

As Jon enters the immense room, Kara's numerous costume changes fill a wall monitor in Summer of Supergirl Special #1. A white-and-indigo hologram showcases her origins, while a color photo displays Kara's arrival on Earth. Alex Guimarāes adorns Kara’s early choices with yellow, orange, and brown. But as Kara takes on more color, Cian Tormey’s blue line drawing of all the people who helped Kara appears behind her. 

 

Steve Wands introduces characters and the location with black uppercase letters in yellow boxes. Black uppercase dialogue fills white balloons as they debate Kara’s position in the Super-Family. Offscreen dialogue in white and colored boxes helps the trio realize the breadth and depth of Kara’s contributions to the people around her. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Kara Zor-El may always feel like an outsider. Yet her vibrant spirit and positivity help her make friends wherever she goes. Lesla-Lar’s memory lingers as Kara protects Midvale while advocating criminal reform. And as friends bond over similar interests, histories, and food, Superman's son helps encapsulate Kara's rich history in Summer of Supergirl Special #1.

 

Rating 9.7/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Summer of Supergirl Special #1.

 

For how Lesla-Lar offers to help Supergirl power-up, see my review of Supergirl #14.

For Supergirl's encounter with Lobo, see my preview of Lobo #4. 

For Clarissa's No Beer New Year party, see my review of Supergirl #9. 

For the latest entry in DC's Elseworlds Universe, see my review of Supergirl: Survive #1.