Supergirl Best Of 2025 Part Three: Top Ten Comic Moments #5 - #1

Well, we are ending our look back at Supergirl's 2025 by getting to the best comic moments for the character.

As we close out the year, I have to once again say that this has been a big year for our hero. She had a cameo in the Superman movie and her own film is coming soon. She played a big role in the Superman book, the JL United book, and the JLA vs Godzilla vs Kong 2 book. In all those titles, she was treated as a serious hero, a field commander, a leader.

The biggest comic news, of course, was the new Supergirl title on the racks, a love letter to the character's history by writer/artist Sophie Campbell. We have seen some moments from that on the lower part of this top ten list already. But there have been many moments throughout the issues that have been spectacular. Campbell is mining Supergirl's 65 year history and it makes this old time fan happy.

On to the top comic moments of 2025! First, a bonus honorable mention!

Bonus Honorable Mention: "Absolute Kara?" - Absolute Superman 5  

It is hard to elevate this past the Honorable Mention level because frankly I have no idea if this is Kara or if Jason Aaron plans on introducing us to an Absolute Supergirl.

But this sure looks like it could be an Absolute version of our hero. I mean why put this girl in the book if not to make us wonder and wait. I have enjoyed the slow burn world-building that has been happening on Absolute Superman. It would be interesting to see what a Kara in that universe would be like.

And now, my top five Supergirl comic moments from 2025.

#5: "Doomsday's bodyguard" -  Superman #22

Earlier in the year, the Radiant and survivors from worlds decimated by Doomsday arrived on Earth, hellbent on killing the now Time Trapper Doomsday. 

Wanting to protect this Doomsday, Superman has put Supergirl on guard duty. That alone is impressive showing the trust Superman has in his cousin. This isn't Diana or J'onn or even Jon guarding Doomsday. It's Kara.

And then this line as she tries to take on the incredibly powerful Radiant about how they are both orphans. She gets it. Love that comment.

Seriously, I love how Joshua Williamson has elevated Kara to the second in command of the Super-family, the field general. 

Throw in Dan Mora drawing her and you have a winner.

#4 - "Repudiation 2- A Beacon": - New History of the DC Universe #3

I had extremely high hopes for MarkWaid's New History of the DC Universe but it quickly became a laundry list of every event in DC's history with Waid making minor changes to make it all happen. Kara died in the Crisis. Kara came back ... this time resurrected by Darkseid, tying in her origin by Jeph Loeb. 

But what stands out here is how Waid says Supergirl shone as the beacon of goodness and hope. I can't help but think this is there to define the Supergirl character. 

She isn't drunk and angry. 

She isn't crying in a sun. 

She isnt bringing a school age girl to an execution by stoning.

She is a beacon of goodness and jope. 

That is Supergirl!

#3: "Just A League Of Supergirls" - Justice League Unlimited #9

Dan Mora is a revelation. 

Over in Justice League Unlimited, in the We Are Yesterday epilogue, it is up to Supergirl to prevent Gorilla Grodd from being killed by the Time Trapper and the World Forger. She has figured out how to slip through the force field the villains have erected. 

But with time being all timey-wimey, we see multiple iterations of Supergirl getting ready to throw down.

Look closely. The current Supergirl. The Hot Pants Supergirl. The classic Matrix costume. The TimmVerse Supergirl (or late Matrix). One of the Adventure Comics crazy variant costumes. All lovingly rendered by Mora. Make this a t-shirt or a poster!

But most importantly, as Campbell has been doing in the main book, it is great to see DC recognize Supergirl's history in this way. It feels like the company is finally respecting the character. 

#2: "Apologies to Kal" - Supergirl #4

As I have said throughout this annual review, Sophie Campbell has really leaned into Supergirl's longstanding history. This has included referencing more than once the early relationship between Kal and Kara. Superman's dropping her off in an orphanage seems to be back in canon, as crazy and as Silver Age as that sounds.

In Supergirl #4, Kara decides to mentor Lesla Lar who can be both emotional and impetuous. In this scene though, Kara has a moment of grace in which she acknowledges that she was probably a handful when she first arrived too. It must have been hard on Superman. It was no wonder he needed to be strict. That sense of similarity is even echoed in the last dialog boxes mirroring each other.

I am one of many who always lambasts those early Silver Age stories and how overly critical Superman was of Kara, demanding she remain secret and even threatening to exile her into space. To have Kara recognize that maybe she needed that sort of rigor to keep her under control is quite remarkable. It really shows a sense of maturity. 

And now ... the number one Supergirl comic moment of 2025 ...

#1: "Repudiation 3 - Darkness Is Strength" - Supergirl #6 

I seem to be repeating myself a little this year.

This is the third repudiation in the top ten, a rejection of some takes on Supergirl away from the way the character has been historically represented.

In Supergirl #6, Campbell again deep dives into Supergirl's history showing how many times creators have dipped into the well of Supergirl dealing with trauma. But instead of having those times make her go dark, or be depressed, or becoming an alcoholic, or 'living in pain', instead of being a tortured soul, those life lessons have made her stronger.

It isn't lost on me that the exclamation point of this issue, this end point of her saying that she is Supergirl, a hero, a beacon of hope and goodness and not weighed down by the trauma ... all of that end speech is done focusing on scenes and poses from Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow, a book that DID have her weighed down and troubled and traumatized and 'living in pain'.

At least here, in this book, that isn't true. 

And that is why this book sings to me. Because this, for me, is Supergirl the way she should be written.

This was a defining moment for me as a Supergirl fan, both for the year and overall. And that is why it is the number one moment for 2025.

So tell me what you think? Were there moments I missed? Did I overhype some? Are you excited for the movie? 

And Happy New Year!