In my opinion, something would have to be absolutely brilliant and groundbreaking, utterly unforgettable and a perfect example of how to do comics to get five stars. It'd have to be wildly great, very entertaining, and somewhat unforgettable to get four stars, as well. As such, I've rated this first Supergirl Annual at 3 and a half stars, so please don't think that's a ~low~ rating by any means.

I've had this annual since, well, it originally came out, but I hadn't gotten around to reading it till now. So I just wanted to say a few things. This review probably won't be up to review standards, but ah well. It'll probably be like an evaluation with plenty of spoilers thrown in, but here's what I think.

(Spoilers ahead)

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"The Surrogate" by Chuck Dixon. Art by Ron Wagner & Bill Reinhold.

The first story was the best of the three, though it's probably featured on the cover not for that reason, but because it makes for the most striking image out of the three. I'd seriously like to see that version of Supergirl have more adventures and deal with her current situation. Is she more than just the memories of one woman named Cryssia who had a dream to fly? In the most unlikeliest of situations, sometime in the far future, Supergirl still manages to right a wrong. I liked the scientific reasons for why this Supergirl -- created in the mind of Cryssia -- appears to have all the powers of Supergirl. The explanations for her abilities never seemed forced or stilted. I thought this story was very well done and this annual is worth it for this story alone.

"The Legend Lives On" by Barbara and Karl Kesel. Art by Dick Giordano and George Pérez.

I didn't like the second story very much. I mean, it was predictable: a band of thieves finds one of their own, mysteriously dead among the mystery cargo they just stole, with only a mysterious symbol ~mysteriously~ carved into the floor as a clue. Ahem. And, of course, they proceed to turn on each other as a result. But, I have to admit, I loved the way it showed how legends can become something so far removed from the truth over time. Many of the ideas in this story of who Supergirl might've been are humorous, as well. The rest of the story, unfortunately, seems forced. I enjoy sci-fi, but this story seemed to want to beat me over the head with it; some things that only needed to be mentioned once are mentioned more than once. And while all the information thrown in about the different phrases, manners of speaking, and points of view of the different bandits were mildly interesting to anyone interested in science fiction,, it wasn't enough to get me attached to the characters or be particularly affected when they die. On a positive note, although I could see the twist at the end coming from a mile away, it was still chilling to see, which is a credit to the art and story. Overall, this story wasn't that bad, it just wasn't that entertaining, either. The highlight of this story is definitely the different interpretations of Supergirl.

"Shootout at Ice Flats" by Joe Lansdale and Neal Barrett Jr. Art by Robert Teranishi & Stan Woch.

The third story, in contrast to the second story, did a great job with setting up the setting and characterization in the short number of pages it was afforded in this annual. It renewed my belief (which had been shaken by the second story) that you can tell a good story in a relatively few number of pages. It was especially a treat -- after two stories in the Annual that didn't really have much Supergirl -- to see a flesh-and-blood heroine in the far future who looks so much like Supergirl and embodies many of Supergirl's best qualities, such as the courage to stand up for what's right. And it was an absolutely hilarious little touch how the locals of this little backwaters planet used common household appliances as weapons, their true purposes having been lost to the sands of time. For instance, the heroine of the story uses a "gun thing" when she has to face down the meanest alien this side of the frozen flats, only to see staples fly harmlessly at the fiend. Luckily for her, her family has carried a mysterious amulet for as long as they can remember. An amulet that bears the signature S of Sardine Girl. Yes, Sardine Girl. What, it's not Sardine Girl? Someone better tell them that! This light-hearted story was definitely the best way to end the annual.

Art:

The art for all three stories was nice, too. Being more of a writer than an artist myself, however, I don't have much to say about it. I suppose I'll say, compared to other comics I've read, it was consistently done well, as opposed to comics where some panels look nice and others like they were just hurriedly pencilled on. I must admit the outfits in the second story are a bit too revealing, but that's a minor gripe.

Conclusion:

If you're a fan of Supergirl for more than her good looks, or just want to see how Supergirl has affected (will affect?) the lives of people far into the future, buy this. You don't have to be a Supergirl fanatic, well versed in all the ways Supergirl's been reinvented by DC, or even know particularly much about the DCverse to enjoy this book, but there are probably some funny inside jokes or mentions that'll please you if you do decide to pick it up. Still, buy it for the stories, not the super-powered cameo appearances.