Supergirl Vol. 1: Misadventures in Midvale (Supergirl

Supergirl (2025) #1

by Sophie Campbell

Kara Zor-El is a key member of the Super-Family in Metropolis, but what happens when she strikes out on her own? Follow her as she returns to her roots in Midvale…only to find the town already has a Supergirl protecting it! How could this be?! Can Kara stop the impostor before they steal her fresh start and her whole life? Celebrated writer/artist Sophie Campbell (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Wet Moon)makes her mark on the DC Universe with this thrilling series, featuring a new costume designed by bestselling cover artist Stanley “Artgerm” Lau. Collects Supergirl #1-6

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Comics Manga, Superheroes

Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2026

About the author

One of the most exciting and talented creators working in comics today, Sophie Campbell has made her mark on IDW books such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Jem and the Holograms.

A graduate of the Savannah College of Art & Design, Campbell began her career writing and drawing independent comics primarily focused on the lives of young women from all walks of life, including Wet Moon, Shadoweyes, and the Abandoned. She further proved her versatility as an artist when she began drawing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for IDW, where her kinetic action sequences and distinctive character art were a hit with fans and critics alike.

Campbell was brought on as the first artist on the IDW continuing series Jem and the Holograms, where she was responsible for the modern redesign of the characters and establishing the unique look of the comic. Her work on Jem with writer Kelly Thompson was so well received that the two were profiled by the New Yorker in 2015.

Campbell continues to work on several projects for IDW, as well as her own creator-owned independent comics.

Reviews

[Volition]

in this 6 comic collection, 1 of which is entirely dedicated to super-pets, Supergirl can be seen wearing at least 15 outfits, including Goth and lots of alt-costumes, and they all feel like they were drawn with joy and love.

I love how stupid the story is willing to get; first page: evil villainess shark is making it rain sharks to take over the city. Can the sharks fight? Are they killing people? HELL NO. THEY'RE JUST LYING IN THE STREET NOW.

It is perfectly silly and light-hearted for a comic book, a vehicle for fun, positivity and kindness, and OUTFITS/HAIRSTYLES. KEEP EM COMING!

[Anna Quilter]

More ALL AGES than recent Supergirls other recent appearances which may put people off..but definitely worth a look.

[Paxton Holley]

3.8 stars. Very close to 4.

This was exactly what I needed after my DNF. Fun, breezy, and cool. Great group of characters. Awesome art.

[Khurram]

I was extremely dissapointed in this book. Kara and Supergirl have almost had the Brand New Day comic treatment that Spider-man/Peter Parker received. The character seems to have devolved, into an insecure and overthinking shell of herself. The one positive i could take from this book is Kara/Supergirl mentoring as i though Peter should have done for Miles.

Supergirl is busy between patrolling Kondor City in a bottle, (people seem to be able to move in and out of Kondor quite easily now, why is it still in a bottle and the population remaining shrunk down?), and Metropolis she is invited back on a vacation to stay with her parents in Midvale. However it seems Kara has been replaced as in both her identities. Who is this new girl and what are her plans?

I am not impressed with the start of this series. I think the whole Misadventures title is well earned. Apart from the formation of team Supergirl I can't point to anything that even interested me about this series. Also it seemed to have way too many teams working on it. The book finished with a variant cover gallery.

[Kieran McAndrew]

Supergirl Vol. 1: Misadventures in Midvale

Kara returns to Midvale to find that her old home town has a new Supergirl protecting it. With the help of Lena Luthor, she has to work out who is impersonating her before people get hurt.

Some lovely artwork and fine colouring help this new generation of characters come to life. The variant covers are simply superb.

[Paul]

2.4 stars

[Jason]

4
A fairly strong title. As long as you take it for what it is. I usually appreciate titles written and drawn by the same person.

[Morgan]

read in singles. really really loved this

[James W. Ware]

The Summer of Supergirl continues!

"Supergirl Volume 1: Misadventures in Midvale"
Writer: Sophie Campbell
Artist: Sophie Campbell
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Becca Carey

This week I read through volume 1 of Sophie Campbell's ongoing Supergirl run that began in 2025.
Some really fun deep cut references to Supergirl's entire history. I love when modern comics play with ideas introduced in the Silver and Bronze Ages. In fact, the whole comic has a throwback vibe.

Sophie Campbell writes and illustrates this volume, so the art and writing pair perfectly with one another. I always enjoy reading a comic by a writer/artist double threat. The lady issue, in particular, had some really beautiful pages.

I'm not sure I am the target demographic for this title. The style of writing didn't resonate super strongly with me. I prefer my comics a bit more literary. That said, it was a fun, almost cozy read with some really delightful callbacks. It's a good time and I enjoyed the characters and art.

Plus Kandy the Superbunny. I love Kandy the Superbunny.

[Mel]

Sophie is one of my all time favourite comic writer/artists and I love everything she does! I love the way she draws people, especially women. I'm generally not a superhero fan, though I did enjoy the Supergirl TV show. And I enjoyed these. Less superhero stories and more, goths going to the club, and then fighting stories. And the animals were adorable. And Lena was the total opposite of the show but SO freaking cool. Can't wait to read the rest.

[Des Fox]

Between 3 and 4!

I just really enjoy everything about Sophie Campbell's work. No, this is not anywhere near a masterstroke like Woman of Tomorrow, but it IS all ages fun, with beautiful illustrations and a girl-power cast of weirdos and misfits. I love that shit. If it gets gay (Lesla x Luna anyone?) I'll be set.

[Rory C]

So much fun to be had within these pages.

Costumes dress-ups, friendships, cute pets being disruptive at any given moment and all with bright, bold and colorful artistic renderings.

Sophie Campbell has built her own delightful corner of the DC Universe with all of these elements and long may it last.

Highly recommended.

(Copy was a loan from the local library)

[Gégé☆]

Meh je sais pas
J'ai kiffer les animaux mais arg le fait qu'elle a vite pardonné à la méchante genre pk ? Et même la meuf des cauchemars elle vient d'où ?
Je vais pas continuer désolée Kara

[♱ lily ♱]

supergirl and lena luthor ayyyyy

[Darik]

A genuine delight!

'Course, the title character's continuity is an unholy mess at this point, due to the fact that recent events apparently made EVERYTHING in DC's history canon... even the contradictory things. But Sophie Campbell is completely unperturbed by this, and just has fun bringing back the stuff SHE likes, like Lesla Lar and Streaky and Nightflame. It makes for an infectiously joyful read!

[Mohan Vemulapalli]

"Supergirl: Misadventures in Midvale" is a breezy, subtly humorous and life affirming tale featuring the Maid of Might. Essentially a soft relaunch, this book follows Kara as she returns to Midvale for Summer break only to find that things are very much not as they should be and that her very identity as Supergirl is at risk. Over all this is a great romp and most fans will find something of value here.

Expect some interesting and awkward attempts at bonding with Lena, a new and not altogether put together super heroine with her own growing pains, a Goth Grrrl night out gone wrong, a holiday special issue worth the price of admission on its own and a lot, perhaps too much, super pet action.

[Brittany Blair]

Read as individual issues. I am the most familiar with pre-crisis Kara, a fan of Silver Age silliness, and a massive enjoyer of Super Pets stories. So you’d think this series would be a slam dunk. Unfortunately, it just never hit the mark for me. It seems all at once juvenile and fetishized. Kara seems dumbed down and less mature here than in most of her other recent appearances, with virtually no depth of character. It hurts all the more that she’s shackled to uninteresting supporting characters that take away much of the focus from her. The way Lesla is drawn, the nonsensical sexualized transformation when she leaves Kandor, it feels very gross and problematic. The art is vibrant and cartoony but female characters bodies often come off as, uh, …cheesecake forward. Juxtapose that with the very middle grade feeling dialogue and narrative and frankly it makes me uncomfortable. Look at the discourse about these comics and it’s generally 50% “this is for children” and 50% “Thighs!” …It’s off putting.
I love Krypto & Streaky, but to have a filler issue so soon leaves the series feeling a little aimless. I don’t mind self contained stories, but this series feels directionless; I can enjoy lighthearted, fun comics but I don’t get that from this because I’m so put off by the art and characterization. There are ideas I love present in this series, but the execution always stalls out or falls flat. Idk. It’s just not clicking. And while I do enjoy the occasional call back, some things should not be reestablished as canon. Clark abandoning Kara in an orphanage is one of these things! The final issue collected here was the first one I thought was almost decent, but it’s such a short read with such a nothing resolution it’s a massive letdown. I hope we get a new creative team and a different direction for Kara soon.

[Artemis Crescent]

I figured I'd read more 'Supergirl' comics, what with the new film coming out this year, and the new comic, 'Supergirl Vol. 1: Misadventures in Midvale', is one of them.

Up until now, 'Supergirl: Being Super' was the only 'Supergirl' comic I liked (a reread of 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow' would also rectify this, but that's for another review), and although 'Supergirl Vol. 1: Misadventures in Midvale' is far from perfect, and kind of a confused mess that doesn't seem to know who its target demographic is, it is a fun, funny, bright and colourful superheroine comic.

I'm not sure how old Supergirl/Kara Zor-El/Linda Danvers is supposed to be here, when she looks and sometimes acts like a teenager, albeit a very responsible and seasoned one with more of a level head than she is often given credit for. But regardless, there is zany and silly stuff to be had in 'Misadventures in Midvale', such as an imposter Supergirl (Lesla-Lar, later called Luminary, and she has a pet bunny rabbit named Kandy), Krypto the Superdog, Streaky the Supercat, Tinytano the tiny super gorilla, Lena Luthor, the daughter of Lex Luthor (who is plenty goth, and seems to be connected to Brainiac somehow?), Luna Lustrum the psionic goth girl (there are a lot of L-names in the Super-Fam stories), Kandor, Princess Shark and her shark invasions, Supergirl being turned into Satan Girl, a goth party, an adorable and funny issue starring the Super-Pets, Nightflame, and Kara experiencing her worst nightmares and memories, and she breaks through and overcomes it all with the power of female friendship, and realising that her darkness is her strength, not her weakness (the tone really gets muddled there, in the final issue, but it's good character development for Kara).

I'm glad I'm giving Supergirl another chance, at least with her modern incarnations. Between this and the much darker 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow', I properly see now that she isn't Superman's frivolous, smiley and moody teenage cousin and distaff counterpart - Kara Zor-El is a truly tragic character, having experienced so much loss and devastation when she was just a child; the weight of her whole destroyed planet, civilisation, and family on her small shoulders. Unlike Superman, she remembers Krypton, and her Kryptonian family - she had a whole life on another world, that she took for granted, and only survived out of pure luck. While she always tries not to show it, under a youthful, sunshiny, compassionate and hopeful persona, she is a supernova of pain and grief.

But she will not let it end her. She will not let the memory of Krypton die with her. She will keep going; keep moving; keep flying.

And she will not let anyone else suffer like she has.

As Supergirl, she will use her godlike powers to help others, to do good, after having faced the worst the universe had to throw at her, as an innocent young girl, no longer so innocent and naïve.

Supergirl - a Schrodinger's cat of being both hopeful and happy, and despairful and sorrowful. Not quite a teenager, not quite an adult. Young and continuously learning, yet has experienced enough for multiple human lifetimes. Like a less "perfect" Wonder Woman.

Supergirl is a survivor. The epitome of strength and endurance and perseverance, in a stereotypical young, small, skinny, pretty, weak, female body.

What an inspirational heroine. Finally allowed to shoot like the brightest, fastest star, out of her cousin's shadow.

Power Girl isn't the only interesting female Super-Family member, after all. My apologies, dear, dear Kara. You are a miracle, a girl of hope, come to earth from the stars.

Final Score: 3.5/5

[Rory Wilding]

This summer will hopefully be good for Supergirl as not only does she have her first feature film since 1984, but she is also among the main cast in the ongoing third season of My Adventures with Superman. And in terms of comics, DC is publishing the Summer of Supergirl one-shot just like what they did for her cousin last year, and with the first volume of Sophie Campbell’s ongoing Supergirl run recently released, what better way to celebrate the character to read the trade.

While Joshua Williamson’s ongoing Superman run went from telling back-to-basics storytelling to event-like storylines that are coinciding with the seismic shifts going on in the DC universe, Campbell takes a more intimate approach for Kara Zor-El, who has protecting both Metropolis and the city of Kandor as Supergirl. When she decides to return to the small suburban town of Midvale, she is shocked to find that another female Kandorian named Lesla-Lar has assumed not only her previous role as Supergirl, but also her human identity as Linda Danvers.

What is very apparent from its first few pages, from Supergirl and her animal friends Streaky the Supercat and Krypto the Superdog, to outlandish villains like Princess Shark who wants to Metropolis into Sharkopolis, Campbell embraces the Silver Age silliness, even devoting an entire issue to the Super-Pets that is funny and adorable. Much like Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, Supergirl brings a modern aesthetic to these Silver Age ideas, which largely comes from Campbell’s expressive art and Tamra Bonvillain’s vibrant colouring that brings a refreshing spin like the effects of Black Kryptonite.

While recent comics like Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow show an edgier, more jaded version of the character – which will be a major influence on the upcoming movie – Campbell takes a lighter approach to the titular hero who has learnt from the bright optimism of her cousin, but very much has an identity of her own, even if that identity has been taken from someone else. One of the best aspects of this book is the relationships she makes along the way, from the villain Lesla-Lar who struggles with loneliness that Kara can relate to, to Lena Luthor who has an instant friendship with our hero.

As a small-scale superhero story that takes good advantage of the main setting of Midvale, there is a slice-of-life element that will attract a younger readership that wants more than the superhero spectacle. That is not to say that Campbell can’t do action, since she was a writer/artist on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but you can tell she is more interested in the drama. While it is nice reading a comic where none of the women are objectified, as well as Campbell presenting different body types through her art, there is a scene where our three leads are rocking Goth outfits, which will awaken some readers.

While the final issue goes down quite the horror path, it never forgets the light comfort that defines this series, which subtly references Supergirl’s comics history. The series isn’t perfect as there are some characters that remain a mystery (but hopefully more will be revealed soon) and Campbell doesn’t every page, though artists like Rosi Kämpe does serviceable work, but Supergirl aims to be small and not dealing with big superhero spectacle, which ends up being its greatest strength.

[Adam Fisher]

After the excellent film, I was expecting good stuff from the start of this run of Supergirl, and I was really surprised! New Supergirl outfit designed by one of my favorite artists, Artgerm, which adds to the hype!
Highlights:
- Supergirl does patrol from time to time in the bottle city of Kandor. During a patrol, she stops a villain and one girl begins to idolize her...
- Kara goes home to Midvale to see her parents, but not only do they not know her, but it appears as if the town has a new Kara and a new Supergirl!
- Supergirl vs Supergirl reveals that the new one is Lesla-Lar, the girl from Kandor. She fights Kara to remain, but ultimately relents after a Black Kryptonite incident turns Kara into Satan Girl (a ultra dark Supergirl)
- Kara offers the sentence on Lesla by the Kandor Council to be served with her, teaching her to use her powers. Lesla begins going by the hero name Luminary.

Add in a night at the Goth Club, an issue focusing completely on Superpets, and Lena Luthor and new Psionic friend Luna helping Kara escape from her nightmares, and you get a pretty well put together collection. Definitely looking forward to seeing what it next for Kara.
Recommend.

[Ronja]

I happened to come across the first issue by accident and really liked it, so my husband was a dear and got me this collection of issues 1–6.

Unfortunately, the story turned out to be a disappointment by issue #2, already. The potentially interesting Supergirl impersonator was nothing more than a jealous brat named Lesla-Lar who didn't get enough love from her parents and just craved attention. By the end of issue #3 the two girls hug it out, so that Supergirl can become Lesla's mentor in issue #4, teaching her how to be a superhero (rather unsuccessfully, I might add). The remaining issues were a weird Superpets adventure and a Halloween story, neither of which made much sense or were entertaining.

Lesla was annoying as hell most of the time. Kara lacked any kind of personality in my opinion. I liked Lena Luthor, though she was quickly sidelined, becoming Kara's 'gal in the chair', if you will. I have no clue what the deal is with Luna Lustrum, but I also don't really care ...

Anyway, I have no interest whatsoever in continuing this series.

[Matthieu Savignac]

Cette nouvelle série Supergirl démarre plutôt bien. Les trois premiers épisodes sont intéressants et proposent une nouvelle aventure qui accroche immédiatement, avec quelques nouveaux personnages. Rien de vraiment révolutionnaire pour autant, et on pourrait même avoir l’impression que Kara a régressé par rapport à ce qu’elle avait déjà vécu auparavant : elle cherche à nouveau sa place, alors que c’est une problématique qu’elle a déjà longuement traversée.

Cela reste néanmoins agréable à lire, notamment grâce au dessin, que je trouve vraiment réussi. J’aime beaucoup le style graphique de la série.

La suite est plus inégale. Le cinquième épisode, consacré aux super-animaux, est franchement dispensable, tandis que le sixième est un peu plus intéressant, sans être exceptionnel.

Je vais attendre de voir où la série veut aller avant de me prononcer davantage. Pour le moment, c’est un début honorable, qui peut déboucher sur quelque chose d’intéressant. Et surtout, j’aime beaucoup sa patte graphique.

[Chris Lemmerman]

An okay reintroduction for Supergirl. She definitely feels like she's taken a step back after her more recent appearances, which makes it hard to reconcile her with the Supergirl we're used to. There are a lot of continuity references that I like, though they're mostly just nods to things rather than actual follow-ups.

It's all very Silver Age, for better or worse; there's an over-reliance on thought bubbles so we get a lot of explanations of things that are very obvious, which can get super grating after three or four issues. The Super Pets issue was a nice step back from that, with just a few speech bubbles each page instead of swamping the book with them.

I think Sophie Campbell might be having more fun with introducing new supporting characters than playing with Supergirl herself. As much as I'm liking Lesa-Lar, Lena Luthor, and Luna Lustrum, this is meant to be a book about Kara, and it sometimes seems to forget that.

[Norman Cook]

Collects Supergirl (Vol. 8) #1-6.
This is a lighthearted take on Supergirl that skews towards a YA audience. Although Campbell's art is very modern, the stories would be right at home in DC's Silver Age (1950s to early 1960s). There are references to Kryptonite, the shrunken city of Kandor, and Supergirl's super-pets Krypto and Streaky play key roles. Supergirl teams up with Lena Luthor and a Kandorian named Lesla in a series of stand-alone stories that contribute to an overall character arc. This book seems to have more in common with the recent TV series than the upcoming movie. If you're looking for something along the lines of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King, you're going to be disappointed. However, if you take it for what it is, especially if you want a cozy YA experience, you'll probably enjoy it.

[Guilherme Smee]

Com a vinda do filme da Supergirl para os cinemas, a DC Comics resolveu rebootar o título da prima do Superman e entregá-lo aos cuidados de Sophie Campbell, tanto nos roteiros quanto nos desenhos. Aí, levando em conta o que já critiquei no especial Supergirl: O Mundo, será que as pessoas acham que histórias de super-heróis, em especial de super-heroínas e, mais especificamente, da Supergirl precisam ser bobinhas e infantiloides? Porque é o que temos aqui nesta edição: garotas brigando contra garotas por atenção e namorados, superpets aprontando muitas confusões na sua tarde. Então, um julgamento em Kandor, para que as meninas se divirtam no Dia das Bruxas, mas nem tanto. E, claro, a indefectível presença de uma galeria de capas que quase ocupa o espaço de uma história inteira, de um gibi completo. Estava com esperanças para essa fase da Supergirl, mas infelizmente, é mais boba do que eu gostaria que fosse.

[James DeSantis]

So Supergirl is a new series from Sophie Campbell and it's good, but I also don't think it's for me.

It starts with Kara trying to settle into a quiet life in Midvale, bringing Linda’s parents back into the fold while also giving us more cutesy art and feel. It’s not quite a YA feel, but it’s close. As she tries to navigate being a normal teenager and dealing with small town drama, the dialogue, while solid, never really sucked me in.

The plot kicks off when a strange, ghostly energy starts haunting the town, leading to the first villain. She was okay, but I did like how Kara handled the confrontation by choosing empathy over a brawl and talking her down.

Overall, this is just an okay series for me because I prefer something a bit more high-stakes. But for people who like a cozy superhero story, I think most people will love it.

[Randy Lander]

Sophie Campbell's Supergirl is light and fun, a perfect take on the sweet, innocent version of the character and her hometown of Midvale, but with an undercurrent of goth and self-awareness about the Silver Age elements, from Titano the giant (or tiny) ape to Supergirl's brief transformation into Satan Girl. There's also a touch of modernity, from the goth club to Supergirl struggling with the expectations from her cousin or her nemesis-turned-ward/friend Lesla-Lar, struggling with finding her own place in the world.

This all accompanied by Campbell's spectacular artwork, and by excellent guest artists contributing as well. With the movie approaching, everyone is focused on the Tom King/Bilquis Evely book, but this is the best Supergirl I've read in a long time.

[Brandon]

The art looks like it's drawn by a tattoo artist - big, bold, clean lines. The colors are bright and vibrant and make every frame pop. This is probably the style I think of as the most idealized version of what stereotypical comic book art looks like in my head. There's something great about comics that are just fun. Silly villains like Princess Shark are a treat in a book like this. There's still emotional storytelling about friends and loneliness but this was such a fun, laid back reading experience that works perfectly in tandem with its art style and coloring. Definitely one of my favorite current ongoing series in DC right now and it's a really fun divergence from the seriousness of all the Absolute series.

[Mike]

This book has a teenager/young adult feel to it. I’m not really a fan of that style but for a younger audience, I highly recommend this and for an adult, it was still fun. I do like her team up with Lena Luthor and I’m excited to see if that plays more into the existing DC Universe. Issue 6 dealt with mental health and dealing with uncomfortable emotions - I love that theme and the way the author dealt with it. The art and storyline of issue 5 was unique. Overall, the book was fun and opened the way to some good character development, the teen/YA writing isn’t my style enough to rate more than a 3. If you like teen/YA books, this one is probably for you!!

[Chris Aylott]

Writer and artist Sophie Campbell takes Supergirl back to her small-town roots while simultaneously declaring that everything that ever happened to Supergirl has happened, even her death in Crisis.

This book is a stew of friends and enemies from different decades, costumes hidden in hollow trees, super-pets and super-traumas and somehow it all works. Light-hearted, charming, with some serious threads running through it about loneliness and friendship plus -- perhaps most important to me -- an all new Super-Pets story that can stand shoulder to shoulder with any of the classics from the sixties!