Iterations of Supergirl: the Silver Age original (top left), the Matrix version from the 1990s (top right), Linda Danvers (bottom left), and Cir-El (bottom right)
Created as a female counterpart to Superman, Kara Zor-El shares his superpowers and vulnerability toKryptonite. Supergirl plays a supporting role in various DC Comics publications, includingAction Comics,Superman, and several comic book series unrelated to Superman. In 1969, Supergirl's adventures became the lead feature inAdventure Comics, and she later starred in aneponymouscomic book series which debuted in 1972 and ran until 1974, followed by a second monthly comic book series,The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl, which ran from 1982 to 1984. Supergirl was originally introduced inAction Comics #252 as the cousin of the publisher's flagshipsuperhero,Superman in the storyThe Supergirl from Krypton. In most depictions, she is analien from the planetKrypton, possessing a multitude of superhuman abilities derived from the rays of a yellow sun. Other mainstream characters have taken the name Supergirl over the years, with decidedly non-extraterrestrial origins, such as that of a superhumanartificial life-form. The 2016 miniseriesSupergirl: Being Super written by Mariko Tamaki and penciled by Joelle Jones is a coming-of-age take on Supergirl's origins.[1] It depicts Kara as a seemingly ordinary teenager living in the rural Midvale with the Danvers, since the couple found her inside a pod in the middle of a field. Kara grows up aware of the pod and her unknown origins (which are glimpsed in dreams) and struggles to live a normal life as she discovers her abilities, which she keeps a secret even from her closest friends.[1]
Because of changing editorial policy at DC, Supergirl was killed off in the 1985 eventCrisis on Infinite Earths. DC Comics subsequentlyrebooted thecontinuity of theDC Comics Universe, re-establishing Superman as the sole survivor ofKrypton's destruction. Post-Crisis, several characters unrelated to Superman assume the role of Supergirl, including Matrix,Linda Danvers, andCir-El. Following the cancellation of the thirdSupergirl comic book series (1996–2003), which starred the Matrix/Linda Danvers version of the character, a modern version of Kara Zor-El was reintroduced into the DC Comics continuity inSuperman/Batman. This modern Kara Zor-El stars as Supergirl in an eponymous comic book series and additionally in a supporting role in various other DC Comics publications.
Since her initial comic book appearances, the character later branched out into animation, film, television, andmerchandising. In May 2011, Supergirl placed 94th onIGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time.[2] In November 2013, the character placed 17th on IGN's list of the Top 25 Heroes of DC Comics.[3]
Super-Girl on the cover ofSuperman #123: Super-Girl (August 1958) Art byCurt Swan
Superwoman – The first comic ever to feature a female counterpart to Superman is "Lois Lane – Superwoman", a story published inAction Comics #60 (May 1943), in which a hospitalized Lois dreams she has gained Kryptonesque superpowers thanks to a blood transfusion from the Man of Steel. She begins her own career as Superwoman, complete with copycat costume. Similar stories with Lois Lane acquiring such powers and adopting the name "Superwoman" periodically appeared later. One such story is inAction Comics #156 (May 1951), in which Lois accidentally gains those powers through an invention of Superman's arch-foe,Lex Luthor. In the story, Lois wears a short blond wig in her crime-fighting identity, giving her an appearance almost identical to the later version of Supergirl after the latter's real name was specified as Kara Zor-El.
Supergirl – InSuperboy #5 (November–December 1949) in a story titled "Superboy Meets Supergirl", Superboy meets Queen Lucy of the fictional Latin American nation of Borgonia. She is a stellar athlete and scholar. Tired of her duties and wanting to enjoy a normal life, Queen Lucy travels toSmallville, where she meets Superboy and soon wins his heart. Superboy puts on a show with her where he uses his powers to make her seem superhuman; during this contest, she is called Supergirl. As Supergirl, Queen Lucy wears a tan dress with a brown cape and Superboy's "S" symbol. Superboy later saves her from a scheming minister. She returns to her throne, leaving Superboy to wonder if she ever thinks of him.
Super-Sister – In theSuperboy #78 story titled "Claire Kent, Alias Super-Sister", Superboy saves an alien woman named Shar-La from a life-threatening crash. After he ridicules her driving, Shar-La turns Superboy into a girl. In Smallville, Clark Kent (Superboy'salter ego) claims to be Claire Kent, an out-of-town relative who is staying with the Kents. When in costume, he plays Superboy's sister, Super-Sister, and claims the two have exchanged places. As a girl ridiculed and scorned by men, he wants to prove he is as good as he always was. In the end, it is revealed that the transformation is just an illusion created by Shar-La. Superboy learns not to ridicule women.
Super-Girl – InSuperman #123 (August 1958),Jimmy Olsen uses a magic totem to wish a "Super-Girl" into existence as a companion and helper for Superman; however, the two frequently get in each other's way until she is fatally injured protecting Superman from a Kryptonite meteor that a criminal has dropped towards him. At her insistence, Jimmy wishes the dying girl out of existence. DC used this story to gauge public response to the concept of a completely new female counterpart to Superman. In the original issue, she has blond hair and her costume is blue and red like Superman's; indeed, it closely resembles the uniform that actressHelen Slater would later wear in the1984 movie. Early reprints of this story show her with red hair and an orange and green costume to prevent readers from confusing her with the then current Supergirl character. Much later, the story was again reprinted in its original form.
After positive fan reaction to Super-Girl, the first recurring and most familiar version of Supergirl debuted in the year 1959. Kara Zor-El first appeared inAction Comics #252 (May 1959). The story that introduced the character was drawn by Al Plastino and written by Otto Binder. Like Supergirl, Mary Marvel was a teen-age female version of an adult male superhero, wearing a costume that was identical to the older character's other than substituting a short skirt for tight trousers. (Binder also createdMarvel Comics'Miss America, a superhero who shared little other than the name with her sometime co-starCaptain America.)
Reaction to Supergirl's first appearance was tremendous, with thousands of positive letters pouring into the DC Comics offices.
Issue #8 of theSuperman/Batman series originally published in 2004 re-introducedKara Zor-El into the DC continuity. Like the pre-Crisis version, this Kara claims to be the daughter of Superman's uncle Zor-El and aunt Alura In-Ze. Unlike the traditional Supergirl, Kara is born before Superman; she is a teenager when he is a baby. She is sent in a rocket insuspended animation to look after the infant Kal-El; however, her rocket is caught in the explosion of Krypton and becomes encased in a Kryptonite asteroid. She arrives on Earth years after Kal-El, who has grown and become known as Superman. Owing to this extended period of suspended animation, she is "younger" than her cousin. At the end of "The Supergirl from Krypton" arc, Superman officially introduces her to all the heroes of theDC ComicsUniverse. She adopts the Supergirl costume and accepts the name.
A newSupergirl series, written byJeph Loeb, began publication in August 2005. The storyline in the first arc ofSupergirl depicts a darker, evil version of Kara emerging when Lex Luthor exposes her to BlackKryptonite. The evil Supergirl implies that Kara's family sent her to Earth to kill Kal-El as revenge for a family grudge. At the time, Kara herself refuses to believe this, but laterflashbacks indicate that not only is this partly true, but Kara had been physically altered by her father as a child before being involved in several murders on Krypton. However, these matters were later revealed to be delusions as a result of Kryptonite poisoning.[citation needed] Upon being cured, she presents a personality more like that of her Silver Age persona.
Supergirl is introduced to the world on the cover ofAction Comics #285 (February 1962) Art byCurt Swan
Kara Zor-El (so named because on Krypton, women take the full name of their fathers) is the last survivor of Argo City, which had survived the explosion of the planetKrypton and drifted through space.[4] The city had been covered by a plastic dome for weather moderation, devised byZor-El, the younger brother ofJor-El, a climatologist and engineer, the father of Superman (Kal-El). The dome held together a large chunk of land mass under the city as it drifted through space in the general direction of our Solar System. The land is converted into green kryptonite, which is covered with lead. However, the lead covering is destroyed in a meteor strike, forcing Kara to be sent to Earth.
It is later revealed that Zor-El andAlura survived by entering the Survival Zone, a parallel continuum akin to thePhantom Zone. They are rescued by Supergirl and move to the bottle city ofKandor.[5] In the New Krypton storyline, the two are killed byReactron.
On Earth, Kara acquires powers identical to Superman's and adopts the secret identity of Linda Lee, a resident of Midvale Orphanage. She conceals her blonde hair beneath a brunette wig and functions as Supergirl only in secret, at Superman's request, until she can gain, in his opinion, sufficient control of her powers — and the wisdom to properly use them. Her debut was delayed by her powers being stolen by a Kandorian villainess; during this period, she is adopted by Fred and Edna Danvers.
She attends Midvale High School as Linda Danvers. In later years, after graduating from Stanhope College, she changes careers several times, holding jobs in student counseling, news reporting, and acting in a TVsoap opera,Secret Hearts (a play on the DCromance comic of thesame name). She also attends college inChicago. Kara has many boyfriends, including Richard (Dick) Malverne, Jerro theMerboy fromAtlantis, andBrainiac 5, a member of theLegion of Super-Heroes. However, she has shunned serious commitments, placing her super-career first.
Supergirl's secret identity is a closely held secret known only to Superman, her foster parents, and theLegion of Super-Heroes, of which she is a member for a time. Like all Kryptonians, Supergirl is vulnerable to kryptonite.Streaky the Supercat, her orange cat, acquires temporary superpowers as a result of its exposure to "X-kryptonite," a form of kryptonite Supergirl accidentally created in an unsuccessful attempt to neutralize the effects of green kryptonite.Comet, a formercentaur, is Supergirl's equine companion.
One way DC demonstrated the epic nature of its 12-issuelimited seriesCrisis on Infinite Earths (April 1985 – March 1986) was through the deaths of important characters. In issue #7 (October 1985), Supergirl sacrifices herself to save her cousin and themultiverse. When the Superman continuity was rebooted afterCrisis on Infinite Earths, DC editors felt that Superman should be the sole survivor of Krypton, resulting in Kara being removed.[6] Unlike a number of other characters who are shown dying in the Crisis, no one remembers Kara dying or having existed.
After the events ofInfinite Crisis, the sequel toCrisis on Infinite Earths, many historical events from the Multiverse are now being remembered.Donna Troy, after her rebirth and inheritance of theHarbinger's Orb, recalls the original Kara Zor-El and her sacrifice.[7]
A Post-Crisis Supergirl appears inSupergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes, in which she is transported to the 31st century and, as a result of her disorientation, for a time believes she is dreaming her surroundings into existence until finally convinced otherwise. Although her memories of her time with the Legion are erased before she returns to the present, the mental blocks break down upon encountering the pre-Crisis versions ofKarate Kid andTriplicate Girl.
Supergirl exhibits new powers, manifesting sunstone crystals from her body; so far, she only does so while under great stress (for example, whenCassandra Cain tries to kill her). Supergirl's father implants the crystals within his daughter's body to protect her from malevolent beings from the Phantom Zone. The Zone dwellers are released when Jor-El creates the Phantom Zone Projector and exploits the Zone as a prison. Kara's father, believing that Kal-El is a lure to the Zone denizens, instructs Kara to destroy him. More recent comics have cast this plotline as the result of kryptonite poisoning from the kryptonite asteroid in which she was trapped.
A recently completed storyline focused on her promise to a little boy that she would save him. She tries to make good on her promise, following different avenues searching for a cure for his cancer. After he died, she tracks down a villain with the ability to jump through time, but decides not to use that solution, as she would just be doing the same thing as the villain. She accepts that sometimes she cannot save everyone.
As part ofThe New 52, Kara's origin was rebooted once again. An amnesiac Kara awakens after her lifepod crashes to Earth in the midst of ameteor shower. Upon emerging, she encounters humans and the extent of her powers for the first time. When encountered by Superman, she attacks him, believing him to be an impostor as her cousin was only a baby when she last saw him and she believed it to only have been a few days since then. After several battles with supervillains, including the Worldkillers, superweapons of Kryptonian design, she accepts Krypton's destruction, but continues to grapple with her grief. Her desire to restore Krypton results in her being manipulated into nearly destroying Earth by anotherKryptonian whom she falls in love with. Upon realizing his manipulation, she kills him by driving kryptonite through his heart and succumbs to kryptonite poisoning.
Following her poisoning, Supergirl departs Earth to die alone. While adrift in interstellar space, she encounters a planet under attack by monsters and she intervenes to save them, unaware that the entire planet is a trap byBrainiac. She is captured and restrained by theCyborg Superman, but after a struggle, she manages to escape. Returning to Earth, she is sent into the past by the Oracle alongside Superman and Superboy, where she ensures that a resurrected H'el cannot save Krypton. She sacrifices the planet and her family in order to save the universe.
Back on Earth, she is attacked by the assassinLobo and, in the ensuing battle, kills him while unleashing her rage. ARed Lantern power ring finds her and attaches itself to her, transforming her into a Red Lantern. Driven insane by rage, Kara wanders through outer space, attacking everyone in her way, until captured by several Green Lanterns and brought toHal Jordan. Immediately recognizing a Kryptonian and unable to remove the power ring without killing her, he brings her toGuy Gardner, the leader of one of the two Red Lantern factions, who manages to restore her sanity. After some time under Gardner's tutelage and protecting the galaxy as a Red Lantern, she is discharged from the Red Lantern Corps, as Guy did not want her to die needlessly fighting againstAtrocitus' splinter group. On her way back to Earth, Kara encounters the leader of the Worldkillers, who are revealed to be parasitic suits of armor. He attempts to assimilate Kara as his host, but she voluntarily subjects herself to kryptonite poisoning in order to stop him and eventually flies into the Sun and removes her power ring, killing her and removing him from her body. However, Kara is revealed to be immortal while in the Sun's core and she is restored to life without the power ring or any kryptonite poisoning, immediately destroying the Worldkiller. She later helps Gardner against Atrocitus and his Red Lantern splinter group.
DC Editorial wanted Superman to be the only surviving Kryptonian following DC's Post-Crisis reboot of the Superman continuity.[8] As a result, when DC reintroduced Supergirl, she needed a non-Kryptonian origin. Afterward, DC Comics tried to revamp the Supergirl concept, introducing several more non-Kryptonian Supergirls. Eventually, the rule that Superman should be the only Kryptonian survivor was relaxed, allowing for a return of Kara Zor-El as his cousin.
After the Post-Crisis reboot in the late 1980s, Supergirl's origin was completely rewritten and no longer was she Superman's cousin or even Kryptonian.[9][10] InSuperman (vol. 2) #16 (April 1988), a new Supergirl debuted as a man-made lifeform made of syntheticprotoplasm created by a heroicLex Luthor of a "pocket continuum". She wears aminiskirted version of Superman's costume, but does not have Superman's exact powers. While she can fly and possesses super-strength (like Superman), she also haspsychokinesis, shapeshifting, and invisibility.
The Matrix's Supergirl form resembles the Pre-Crisis Supergirl and new to Earth, Matrix begins a romance with the DC Universe's Lex Luthor (known as Lex Luthor II), until she realizes Luthor's villainous nature in replicating her for an army. She leaves him to find her own way in the world aiding Superman more and more and even living in Smallville with the Kents, who treated "Mae" like their own daughter. Supergirl then began serving for a time as a member of theTeen Titans and central hero in her own right, participating in events such asPanic in the Sky, andDeath and Return of Superman.
Beginning in September 1996, DC publishedSupergirl (vol. 4) written byPeter David. The 1996Supergirl comic book revamped the previous Matrix Supergirl by merging her with a human being, resulting in a new Supergirl. Many elements of the Pre-Crisis Supergirl were incorporated in new ways. The woman that the Matrix merges with has the same name as the Pre-Crisis Supergirl's secret identity, Linda Danvers. The series is set in the town of Leesburg, named after Danvers' pre-adoption surname. Linda's father is named Fred Danvers, the same as the Pre-Crisis Supergirl's adopted father. Furthermore, new versions of Dick Malverne and Comet appear as part of the supporting cast.
As the series begins, the Matrix sacrifices herself to save a dying Linda Danvers and their bodies, minds and souls merge to become an "Earth-BornAngel", a being created when one being selflessly sacrifices him or herself to save another who is beyond saving. As the angel, Supergirl loses some of her powers, but gains others, including fiery angel wings and a "shunt" ability that allows her toteleport to any place she has been before.[volume & issue needed]
The angelic aspect of Supergirl eventually falls from grace,[11] and Linda and the Matrix are separated into two beings. Linda retains some of Supergirl's super-strength and durability and, although she can no longer fly, she can leap one-eighth of a mile. Linda acts as Supergirl for a while, attempting to locate her angelic aspect. After she is found in theGarden of Eden and freed from the Demon Mother, the Matrix merges with a woman named Twilight and becomes the new Earth-Born Angel of Fire. Twilight uses her healing powers to increase Linda's strength to Supergirl's level and restores her powers of flight and telekinesis. InSupergirl (vol. 4) #75 (December 2002), detoured on her way to Earth, Kara Zor-El, the Pre-Crisis Supergirl, arrives in Post-Crisis Leesburg. After learning that Kara is destined to die, Linda travels to the Pre-Crisis universe in her place, where she marries Superman and gives birth to a daughter namedAriella. With the stipulation that her daughter be the exception in the eradication of her alternate "life", Linda ultimately allows history to unfold as it should have, with Kara assuming her rightful but tragic place in the timestream. However, finding no assurance that Ariella survived the restoration of Post-Crisis history, a dejected Linda relinquishes the role of Supergirl, sends a farewell note to Superman, and leaves for points unknown.[12]
Peter David's creator-owned seriesFallen Angel, published by DC Comics, is set in a fictional city named Bete Noire, and features a character, Lee, who is similar to Linda and explores the same themes as his Supergirl series. Prior toFallen Angel moving to another company, Lee was written in a manner such that she could have been Linda, though David remained coy as to whether the two characters were one and the same during the DC run of the title. After it moved to IDW, David revealed Lee's origin, which clearly showed that Lee was not Danvers. However,Fallen Angel #14 introduced "Lin", who was said to be Lee's "predecessor" as the guardian of Bete Noire.[13] Lin had recently escapedLimbo, an apparent metaphor for what happened to Danvers after the cancellation ofSupergirl. David wrote in his December 13, 2006, blog entry, "Any fans of my run on Supergirl—particularly those who are torqued because Linda Danvers was consigned to oblivion in theDCU--must, must, MUST pick up "Fallen Angel" #14 and #15 when they come out next year."[14] However, since David could not explicitly claim that a character owned by DC was the same as the character he owned, he stated, "Can I say this is Linda Danvers? Of course I can't. However, it's pretty freaking obvious that it is."[15]
According to an interview with Newsarama,[16] the Matrix Supergirl is wiped from existence by the events depicted in the 2005 limited seriesInfinite Crisis, althoughInfinite Crisis writerGeoff Johns later stated that Danvers is not.[17] The debate was finally settled in the 2008 miniseriesReign in Hell, where theShadowpact is shown trying to apprehend Linda Danvers before Linda is "recalled" to Hell.
A Supergirl named Cir-El appeared in 2003'sSuperman: The 10 Cent Adventure #1, claiming to be the future daughter of Superman and Lois Lane. Although she has super-strength, speed and hearing like Superman, she can only leap great distances. She also possesses the ability to fire blasts of red solar energy. Her alter ego is a street person named Mia. She is later found to be a human girl who was altered by Brainiac on a genetic level to appear Kryptonian; she dies thwarting a plot involvingBrainiac 13.Superman (vol. 2) #200 implies that when the timeline realigned itself, Cir-El was erased from existence.
Even though Supergirl is a Superman supporting character, she is also aSuperman Family member, with her own set of supporting characters.
Zor-El andAlura – Kara Zor-El's biological parents. Zor-El, the younger brother of Jor-El, is a scientist who invents the dome over Argo City and oversees the placement of lead shielding over the ground of Argo, thus enabling the city's residents to survive the explosion of Krypton. The city drifts in space for about 15 years, the residents clinging to a precarious existence. During that time, the couple have a daughter, Kara, who grows to about the age of 10 or 12, when the city is put in peril when its lead shielding is punctured by meteors, releasing deadly Kryptonite radiation. At this point, Zor-El and Alura In-Ze place Kara in a rocket ship and send her to Earth, which Zor-El had observed using a powerful electronic telescope. Observing a super-powered man resembling his brother Jor-El, and wearing a uniform of Kryptonian styling, Zor-El and his wife conclude the man is probably their nephew, Kal-El, sent through space by Jor-El when Krypton exploded and now grown to adulthood. In later Silver Age accounts, Zor-El and Alura survive the death of Argo when, shortly before the radiation reached lethal levels, Zor-El projects them both into the Survival Zone, a separate dimension resembling the Phantom Zone; later they are released from the Zone and go to live in the bottle city of Kandor.
Streaky – Supergirl's pet cat. In the pre-Crisis continuity, he is named after a jagged horizontal stripe of lighter fur on his side, and acquires super-powers after exposure to X-Kryptonite. In post-Crisis continuity, she is a normal housecat Supergirl takes in, whose name is taken from her inability to understand the concept of a litterbox.
Comet – Pre-Crisis Supergirl's horse is acentaur accidentally cursed byCirce into being trapped in the form of a horse. In post-Crisis continuity, Comet is a superhero who is a romantic interest of Linda Danvers.
Fred and Edna Danvers – The foster parents of pre-Crisis Supergirl. Shortly after they adopt Linda Lee from the Midvale orphanage, Superman reveals his cousin's identity to them, so they are aware of her powers. Later, they also learn that Superman is secretly Clark Kent.
Dick Malverne – An orphan at the Midvale Orphanage who is one of pre-Crisis Supergirl's romantic interests. While living at the orphanage as Linda Lee, Supergirl meets and befriends a fellow orphan, Dick Wilson. Dick suspects that Linda is secretly Supergirl and constantly tries to prove it. Later, Dick is adopted by a couple named Malverne, and changes his name to Dick Malverne. In the post-Crisis continuity, Dick Malverne is a newly arrived resident of Leesburg who befriends Linda Danvers.
Jerro the Merboy – A merperson from Atlantis who is another of pre-Crisis Supergirl's romantic interests. Superman has a similar relationship with mermaidLori Lemaris.
Lena Thorul – Another orphan at the Midvale Orphanage who is one of Pre-Crisis Supergirl's/Linda Lee Danvers's best friends. Lena is unaware that she is the long lost younger sister of Lex Luthor. When Lena was still a small child and Lex was a teen, Lex turned evil after the laboratory accident he blamed on Superboy turned him bald. Lex's parents disowned him and told him to leave home. In order to prevent disgrace to Lena, they moved away from Smallville and told Lena that her brother had been killed in a mountain climbing accident. They changed their family name to Thorul, ananagram of Luthor. Eventually Lena's parents were killed in a car accident and Lena was sent to Midvale Orphanage. A childhood accident while playing in her brother Lex's laboratory empowered Lena withextrasensory perception.
Siobhan Smythe - Kara's best friend who mistook her for an enemy. They both bonded and later battled Siobhan's father, the Black Banshee.
Black Flame – A Kandorian who takes to a life of crime and fights Supergirl. Introduced inAction Comics #304 (September 1963).
Blackstarr – Rachel Berkowitz discovers the secrets of theUnified Field Theory and employs it to manipulate reality as the leader of a group ofneo-Nazis called the Party For Social Reform. Introduced inSupergirl vol. 2, #13 (November 1983).
Blithe – Earth-born angel servant of Carnivore who merges with the evil form of Matrix. She later becomes an ally. Introduced inSupergirl (vol. 4) #36 (September 1999).
Buzz – Gaius Marcus sells his soul to Baalzebub who goes on to become an agent for theLords of Chaos. He would later become a shaky ally. Introduced inSupergirl (vol. 4) #1 (September 1996).
Carnivore – The son of Lilith and Baalzebub, Carnivean is the first vampire to walk the Earth and usurp the rule of Heaven. He was introduced inSupergirl (vol. 4) #32 (May 1999).
The Council – A clandestine criminal organization in Chicago that employs the Director, Matrix-Prime, and the Gang. Introduced inDaring New Adventures of Supergirl #3 (January 1983).
Decay – Daniel Pendergast manipulatesPsi into trying to destroy Chicago only to be turned into a monstrous slime creature. Introduced inDaring New Adventures of Supergirl #1 (November 1982).
The Gang – A group of mercenaries whose members are Brains, Bulldozer, Ms. Mesmer, and Kong. Introduced inDaring New Adventures of Supergirl #4 (February 1983).
Lesla-Lar – A Kandorian who tries to switch places with Supergirl on several occasions. Introduced inAction Comics #279 (August 1961).
Lilith – The Mother of Demons, Lilith seeks revenge on Supergirl for destroying her son Carnivore. Introduced inSupergirl (vol. 4) #67 (April 2002).
Matrix-Prime – A powerful robot built by the Council that acts as their agent, collecting funds and eliminating threats. Introduced inDaring New Adventures of Supergirl #6 (March 1983).
Princess Tlaca – AnAztec princess who seeks to triumph over Supergirl and restore the prestige of her civilization. Introduced inSuperman Family #165 (June 1974).
Psi– Gayle Marsh is a powerful psionic manipulated by Daniel Pendergast into trying to destroy Chicago. Introduced inDaring New Adventures of Supergirl #1 (November 1982).
Reactron – A former army sergeant who can generate radioactive energy. Introduced inDaring New Adventures of Supergirl #8 (June 1983).
Reign – A Worldkiller, a biological weapon created onKrypton that was soon outlawed by the Kryptonian Science Council. Introduced inSupergirl (vol. 6) #5 (March 2012)
Silver Banshee – An enemy of Superman and the arch enemy of Supergirls Kara Zor-El and Linda Danvers.
Superwoman – Lucy Lane becomes her father's agent against the residents of New Krypton, bringing her into conflict with Supergirl. Lucy appears as Superwoman for the first time inSupergirl (vol. 5) #35 (January 2009).
Twilight – ANew God who would curse thePresence and sees Supergirl as a means of exacting revenge. She merges with Matrix and becomes an ally. Introduced inSupergirl (vol. 4) #15 (November 1997).
Laurel Gand (Andromeda) – Laurel Gand was the post-Crisis/Glorithverse replacement for the pre-Crisis Supergirl in theLegion of Super-Heroes after the latter was removed from the continuity followingThe Man of Steel reboot of Superman. Originally, Laurel is simply known by her given name. A younger version of Laurel takes the superhero codename "Andromeda" shortly before theZero Hour reboot of theLegion;post-reboot, Laurel remains Andromeda.
Ariella Kent – Supergirl of the 853rd century, later revealed to be the daughter of post-Crisis Linda Danvers and Silver Age style Superman from the Many Happy Returns story arc.
In the final issue of DC Comics' 2006-07 year-long weekly series,52 #52, it was revealed that a Multiverse system of52 parallel universes, with each Earth being a different take on established DC Comics characters as featured in the mainstream continuity (designated as "New Earth") had come into existence. The Multiverse acts as a storytelling device that allows writers to introduce alternative versions of fictional characters, hypothesize "what if?" scenarios, revisit popular Elseworlds stories and allow these characters to interact with the mainstream continuity.
In52 Week 52 (2007), the newEarth-2 is revealed and a newspaper headline declares that the Power Girl (and Superman) of this Earth are officially missing. On this world, Power Girl fights alongsideHuntress (Helena Wayne),Obsidian,Robin and others in the Justice Society Infinity. InJustice Society of America Annual #1, this world's native Power Girl re-emerges. In a subsequent reiteration of Earth-2 after the events ofFlashpoint, Power Girl had a prior career on Earth-2 as that world's Supergirl before she and Earth-2's former Robin, Helena Wayne, were displaced onto Earth-0 after inadvertently entering a dimensional warp. They resided there for seven years until both returned.
Following52 (2007), on the evil parallel universe ofEarth-3[broken anchor], a mirror of the Earth-2 Kara Zor-L exists in the form ofUltragirl, first introduced inCountdown to Final Crisis #16 (2007). UnlikeUltraman, the Superman counterpart of Earth-3, this version of Supergirl is in fact vulnerable tokryptonite and not powered by it, implying she may be ofKryptonian origin. FollowingFlashpoint (2011), Earth-3 is an evil world once again most closely mirroring Earth-0. Ultraman is once again a Kryptonian, but a new Ultragirl was not introduced in this iteration. In the most recent incarnation of this universe, a new Ultragirl is introduced. Much like the main universe version, she is Ultraman's cousin, though she is a hero while Ultraman is a villain.
OnEarth-10, Nazi Germany won World War II and that world's Superman, named Overman, is a part of the JL-Axis. That world's Supergirl was calledOvergirl. She is first seen as a sketch made by exiledMonitor Nix Uotan inFinal Crisis #2. She makes a full appearance in #3, where she crash lands in a burning heap on New Earth. There, she tellsRenee Montoya, in German, that the sky is bleeding. She is not Overman's actual cousin, rather she is the only child who survived the horrible experiments the Nazis conducted when they tried to seed a human child with Overman's DNA. She has less than half of Overman's strength, speed, stamina and endurance, which is still considerable (however, this is subsequently modified after the events ofFlashpoint impact the Multiverse-she is now a female clone of Overman, produced from hisstem cells).[18] She died inFinal Crisis #7. InThe Multiversity - Mastermen #1 (February 2015), Overman is still mourning her loss, six years after her death, as he opens a memorial to his fallen cousin in Metropolis. His lover Lena (Earth-10's Lana Lang) criticizes his prolonged mourning, as does the ValkyrieBrunnhilde (Earth-10's Wonder Woman).
Earth-11 is first featured inThe Search for Ray Palmer - Superwoman/Batwoman (2007), and is a gender-reversed mirror of New Earth. While not featured in the pages of the comic itself, male Supergirl, or Power Girl counterparts may inhabit this Earth. The previous gender-reversed world featured inSuperman/Batman #24 (2006) featured a male Kara Zor-El counterpart known asSuperlad In the subsequent and currentMultiversity Guidebook (January 2015), PowerMan is described as existing on this Earth, although not depicted.
InMark Waid andAlex Ross'Kingdom Come miniseries,Power Woman is Superman's cousin and a member of Superman's Justice League. This world is currently assigned the designation ofEarth-22. However, a Supergirl appears with the Legion of Super-Heroes alongside Superboy in one panel, with dialogue implying they settled in the future permanently as the 21st-Century became difficult to live in. A brief line of dialogue from Superman implies that Argo City was never destroyed in this continuity, as he left some of the defeated Brainac’s circuitry there. According to Ross, a minor character in the story is the time-traveling daughter of Supergirl and Brainiac 5.
In theTangent Comics imprint (established asEarth-97 prior to Infinite Crisis, now known asEarth-9 post-52),Powergirl is a genetically engineered superheroine created by the Chinese government. Supergirl was an unsuccessful prototype.
OnNew 52DC MultiverseEarth-29, aBizarro-Supergirl imperfect abiotic alternate version of the Kryptonian original exists. As with that world'sBizarro-Superman, it is uncertain whether they are native to Earth-29/Htrae, or arrived there from Krypton-29/Notpyrk.
OnNew 52DC MultiverseEarth-38, Supergirl is Kara Kent, the daughter of Superman andLois Lane on an alternate Earth where Superman and Batman began their careers in the 1930s, married in the 1940s and had children in the 1950s. Unlike other iterations, she masks her actual identity by wearing a black wig as Supergirl, with her normal blonde hair as Kara. Unlike other iterations too, she is not a refugee evacuated fromKrypton or Argo City. Given prenatal exposure togold kryptonite in utero, her brother Joel Kent is jealous of his sister and that leads him to eventually murder his mother Lois Lane and Kara/Supergirl during her wedding to Bruce Wayne Junior/Batman II.
InSupergirl vol. 5 #32, Supergirl is shown 50 years in the future. She has a modified costume that is similar to her Pre-Crisis, original uniform. Here, she is seen fighting Dorlok, a man with a device that allows him to jump through time. In the end Supergirl, after contemplating using the device, destroys it and moves on.[19]
In theTrinity series, reality is rewritten and Superman is removed from existence. In this alternative timeline, Kara Zor-El is known as "Interceptor" and has no knowledge of her Kryptonian heritage. Her ship was found by the Navy, but apparently no investigation took place.[20]
InLegends of the DC Universe: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Earth D is introduced as a previously unknown Pre-Crisis alternate Earth. In this reality, the heroes of the DC Universe are more ethnically diverse. Supergirl of Earth D is still named Kara, but she is married to Earth D's Superman. From Krypton'sVathlo Island, she and her husband resemble African-Americans. Along with her husband and the other members of Earth D's Justice Alliance of America, she was killed during the Crisis as antimatter storms consumed their Earth.
In theAme-Comi imprint, both a Supergirl and a Power Girl exist together. In this universe, Supergirl is still Kara Zor-El, while Power Girl is actually the equivalent of Superman — her name is Kara Jor-El, and she is the daughter of Jor-El and cousin of Kara Zor-El. According to Supergirl, Jor-El and Zor-El destroyed Krypton intentionally as part of a failed attempt to destroy Brainiac, after sending both their Karas to Earth. Brainiac later reaches Earth and uses black kryptonite to turn Supergirl evil. Unusually for most depictions of Kryptonians, this Power Girl claims her powers do not come from the Sun.[21]
In the 2015DC Bombshells iteration, Supergirl, Wonder Woman and Batwoman all exist in an alternate history version of World War II, independently of their male counterparts in the case of Batwoman and Supergirl[22] In this continuity, Kara Zor-El was born to Lara Lor-Van and Alura In-Ze was found in her spaceship by Russian farmers Varvara Dugina and Ipati Dugan, who raised her with their daughter,Kortni Dugiovna. The two sisters became best of friends and in their teens traveled to Moscow to join the legendary Night Witches, an all-female fighter squadron, but became Russian mascots after their powers were discovered. They abandon Russia when they find out the general intended to use them for his own destructive means and join the Bombshells team to aid in defeating the Nazis. When Brother Night turns into the Titan, Supergirl volunteers to sacrifice herself to defeat the monster, but Stargirl knocks her out and does it instead, saving Britain and devastating Supergirl in the process.[23] Kara becomes romantically involved with Lois Lane in this universe.
The 2016 miniseriesSupergirl: Being Super written byMariko Tamaki and penciled byJoëlle Jones is a coming-of-age take on Supergirl's origins,[24] depicting Kara as a seemingly ordinary teenager living in the rural Midvale with the Danvers, since the couple found her inside a pod in the middle of a field. Kara grows up aware of the pod and her unknown origins (which are glimpsed in dreams) and struggles to live a normal life as she discovers her astonishing super-human abilities, which she keeps a secret even from her closest friends.
In the world ofGotham City Garage, Kara Zor-El was adopted byJames Gordon and becomesKara Gordon, Barbara's adoptive sister and a ridealong technician.[25]
InFrank Miller'sBatman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Superman and Wonder Woman hide their daughterLara from the world her entire life, but she later becomes important to the defeat of Lex Luthor and Brainiac, the story's antagonists. Lara possesses some of Wonder Woman's powers, benefiting from both a Kryptonian and an Amazonian heritage as that universe'sSupergirl.
InKurt Busiek'sSuperman: Secret Identity miniseries, which depicts aClark Kent who lives in the real world, Lois gives birth to two girls who grow up to manifest their father's powers and adopt variations on his costume.[26]
Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl depicts aBarbara Gordon/Kara Zor-El team in a world without their male counterparts. In another story that took place in this reality as seen inSuperboy (vol. 3) #61, there is a female equivalent to theConner Kent Superboy named Supergrrl. This Supergrrl is a clone of Supergirl, only aged at sixteen or so, who was created by that world's Lex Luthor.
Supergirl: Wings reworks the Earth-born angel storyline withZauriel as her companion; in it, Linda's guardian angel is Matrix, whose cynical view of her charge may lead to her fall.[27]
In theSuperman/Alienscrossover limited series, published in 1995 by DC Comics andDark Horse Comics, Superman discovers a domed city on an asteroid, not unlike the Argo City of the pre-Crisis Supergirl's origins, that is infested with thexenomorphs. Superman befriends the sole survivor, a plucky 16-year-old girl named Kara. The story reveals that Kara is not Superman's cousin, and that the colony is not Kryptonian, but is instead part of a world whose culture and religion were strongly influenced by Krypton.
InSuperman & Batman: Generations, Superman's young daughter,Kara Kent, takes up the identity of Supergirl and forms a new Justice League with Bruce Wayne Jr.,Wally West, and Stephanie Trevor. As they grow up, Kara and Bruce Jr. fall in love, becoming a couple in "civilian" life and a crime-fighting duo as Superwoman and Batman. The two eventually marry, but their happiness barely lasts beyond the ceremony when Kara's elder brother Joel attacks the wedding reception. The jealous Joel, who grew up without superpowers due to exposure togold kryptonite as a fetus, was manipulated byLex Luthor into striking against his family with artificial superpowers bestowed by a formula Luthor created; he leads Kara away from the reception and kills her in a rage, but dies himself from the deliberately imperfect serum that Luthor gave him.
InSuperman & Batman: Generations 3, Knightwing (Joel's son Clark, whose Kryptonian genes were activated by a perfected version of Luthor's serum) and his wife have twin daughters, Lois and Lara, who take the heroic identities ofSupergirl Red / Supergirl Blue. Supergirl Blue gives up her powers in the 25th century so she can age normally, but uses Luthor's serum in the 26th century to restore them. Supergirl Red is killed the same century, leaving her sister as the last Supergirl. Supergirl Blue dies in the 30th century. WhenDarkseid is destroyed, she is erased from the timeline.
InJLA: Created Equal, Linda Danvers, fifteen years after the Fall (a population destroying plague that killed all males), changes her name toSuperwoman.[28]
InJLA: Act of God, Linda Danvers is one of many metahumans who loses her powers due to the Black Light event that strips the entire metahuman community powerless. However, she, along with the Martian Manhunter, Aquaman and the Flash, trains with Batman and his associates so they may still be heroes. Changing her name toJustice, Linda and the others form the "Phoenix Group".
InSuperman/Gen13, Caitlin Fairchild ofGen13 had received a bump on the head and suffered amnesia. When she awoke, she found Superman's cape draped over her and assumed that, with her super powers, she was Supergirl. She believed that she could not fly due to exposure to red kryptonite which, at the time, was only considered an urban legend. After going through multiple Supergirl outfits and generally causing more havoc than good, she was found by the other Gen13s and Superman when the real Supergirl knocked her out. When Caitlin awoke, she regained her memory.
Supergirl is shown inJustice with other heroes helping the Justice League in their confrontation against theLegion of Doom. Since the continuity resembles the Silver Age and she is wearing a variation of her 70s era costume, this Supergirl is most likely Kara Zor-El.
Supergirl made a brief appearance inJLA: Another Nail when all time periods meld together. She is presumably Kara Zor-El, since she is wearing a costume identical to her first appearance inAction Comics #252.
Kara Zor-El appears in the six-issue mini seriesSupergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade. The series features elements from all aspects of Supergirl continuity, but is written with a more tongue-in-cheek tone for young readers. In this series, Kara is designed as a typical teenager from Krypton's moon, Argo, who (unintentionally) ends up on Earth and meets up with her cousin, Superman. With his help, Kara is given a cover identity as Linda Lee and is enrolled in school. Over the course of the series, Kara befriends a local student named Lena Thorul (who, ironically, is actually Lex Luthor's sister (her last name is an anagram of “Luthor”)), deals with her own "Bizarro" self, Belinda Zee and ultimately gets drawn into the reality-conquering schemes ofMr. Mxyzptlk.
An alternative version of Kara is accidentally created when she gains time travel powers in order to prevent a meteor from hitting the school. This version of Kara is calledSupragirl (after wanting to be called "Andromeda").
Supergirl appears in theTiny Titans comic book. Due to her pets Krypto, Streaky, Comet and Beppo appearing, this Supergirl is probably Kara Zor-El. She is portrayed as giggly and kind. She is shown to fly everywhere giving her character a sense of innocence. She is very smart, gaining A's and 'super' comments from her supervillain teachers. Batgirl and Robin are shown as two of her closest friends in the book; they all attend pet club together. Batgirl and Supergirl spend time together without the other Titans by having picnics.
Supergirl appears in the comic crossoverJustice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong in which and the Justice League deals withGodzilla,King Kong and other monsters from theMonsterverse unleashed into the DC Universe. Supergirl is brainwashed by Grodd but later breaks where she helps defeat an rebuiltMechagodzilla.
ProducerIlya Salkind originally wrote a treatment for thethird installment from theSuperman film series starringChristopher Reeve that expanded the film's scope to a cosmic scale, introducing the villainsBrainiac andMister Mxyzptlk, as well as Supergirl.[29] The original outline featured a father–daughter relationship between Brainiac and Supergirl and a romance between Superman and Supergirl, even though the two are cousins in the comics.[30] Warner Bros. rejected the outline.
The first live-action depiction of Supergirl was in theeponymous 1984 film, starringHelen Slater asKara Zor-El / Linda Lee / Supergirl. The film is a spinoff from the SalkindSuperman film series, to which it is connected byMarc McClure's character,Jimmy Olsen.[31] Its plot, which connects more traditionally to the comics than Salkind's outline, concerns Supergirl, Superman's cousin, leaving her isolated Kryptonian community of Argo City for Earth in an effort to retrieve the unique "Omegahedron", which has fallen into the hands of the evil witch Selena (Faye Dunaway). The film was poorly received and did poorly at the box office and no reference to the character was made in the subsequentSuperman IV: The Quest for Peace.
In August 2018, a film centered around Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, was announced to be in development withOren Uziel penning the script.[32][33] The studio intends to hire a female director, withReed Morano—who has expressed interest in the project—being its top choice.[34][35] Filming was expected to start production in early 2020.[36]
In February 2021, Colombian-American actressSasha Calle was cast as Supergirl inThe Flash (2023), directed byAndy Muschietti.[37] In February 2023, it was confirmed Calle would be portraying theKara Zor-El version of the character[38]
In theseventh season (2007–2008) of theCW's hit showSmallville, Kara is introduced into the cast and was portrayed byLaura Vandervoort.Smallville depicts her as Clark's (Tom Welling) cousin, whose spacecraft became trapped in stasis until the events of thesixth season finale, when the destruction of the dam the ship had landed near disrupted the stasis systems and allowed Kara to wake up. Much of season seven is concerned with Kara's attempts to adjust to life on Earth, especially after learning of Krypton's destruction and the fact that her "younger" cousin is now at least the same age as she. She makes guest appearances in season eight and in the show's tenth and final season, in which she becomes aJustice League member. In the season finale, she is sent into the future by the artificial intelligence of theFortress of Solitude so that Clark can realize destiny and defeatDarkseid alone.
A television series centered around the Kara Zor-El version of Supergirl, set in the shared universeArrowverse, titledSupergirl starringMelissa Benoist as Kara Danvers, premiered onCBS on October 26, 2015, before later moving ontoThe CW on May 12, 2016. In the series, Kara was sent to Earth-38 to protect her cousinKal-El although her pod got knocked off course and became stranded in the Phantom Zone for 24 years. Eventually, Kara crashes on Earth-38 where she is rescued by an adult Kal, who is now the iconic superhero "Superman". Superman leaves Kara in the care of the Danvers family who decides it best to hide her abilities from the world. Twelve years later, Kara is a reporter for Cat Co Worldwide Media. She eventually decided to reveal her powers to the world by saving her adoptive sisterAlex Danvers from a near plane crash and is dubbed "Supergirl" by Cat Grant. With the help ofDepartment of Extra-Normal Operations (D.E.O.) directorHank Henshaw who was later revealed asJ'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter, her best friendsWinn Schott and [[List of Supergirl characters#James Olsen / Guardian|James Olsen / Guardian] and her adopted sister Alex Danvers,Kara fights aliens and prisoners of fort rozz,led by her evil aunt Astra, and her husband non, who attempted to invade Earth. She is later joined byLex Luthor’s sisterLena, the DaxamiteMon-El,Querl Dox,(Brainiac-5) andNia Nal / Dreamer in fighting enemies such as Mon-El's parents, the World KillersReign,Red Daughter,alien activistBen Lockwood / Agent Liberty and the evil secret organisation Leviathan, in collaboration with led Luthor.
Supergirl was voiced byNicholle Tom inSuperman: The Animated Series, an American television show. She is depicted as Kara In-Ze, not Superman's cousin as in the comic book, but rather a near-Kryptonian from Krypton's sister planet Argos. Argos was jolted from its orbit by Krypton's explosion into a much further orbit and only Kara survived freezing to death. When Superman finds her, he brings her back to Earth and treats her as a cousin. As continued inJustice League Unlimited, she and Superman grow very close, almost like siblings, but she departs when she falls in love withBrainiac 5 of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the distant future, feeling that she had never really fit in on Earth in the present.
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, a direct-to-video animated film released in September 2010, largely parallels the origin-story arc launched in theSuperman/Batman comic series in 2004, with some minor plot differences. Kara Zor-El, voiced bySummer Glau, is described unambiguously as Kal-El's cousin from Krypton.
Melissa Benoist reprises her role of Overgirl in the animated web seriesFreedom Fighters: The Ray, set in the same continuity as the CW'sSupergirl.[46]
Supergirl appears in the fourth season episode ofHarley Quinn "Getting Ice Dick, Don't Wait Up", voiced byLacey Chabert.
Supergirl is introduced as a central character in the second season ofMy Adventures with Superman. In this series, her backstory and character are changed completely. When introduced, she is depicted in a more villainous way as a conqueror for the new Kryptonian Empire, having been captured by the series version ofBrainiac as an infant before her father,Zor-El, could send her to Earth alongsideKal-El. However she is later revealed to have been brainwashed and conditioned by Braniac into believing she was helping the galaxy by bringing many worlds into the fold of the utopian Kryptonian Empire, when in actuality Brainiac was setting her loose to destroy every world they visited,Thanagar among them, and wiping her memories of the events. It's with this heavy dose of reality, combined with resurfaced memories from her subconcious, that she breaks free from Braniac's control, sees the error of her ways, and paves the path for her redemption.
Supergirl makes a cameo appearance in the IOS version ofInjustice: Gods Among Us as a support card.
Supergirl appears as a playable character inInjustice 2, voiced byLaura Bailey. In the story, her escape pod is retrieved by Black Adam after the events of the first game. She is trained by Black Adam and Wonder Woman into perfecting her powers as they tell her stories of her cousin, inspiring her to become Supergirl. After the Regime and Insurgency ally with each other to take out Brainiac (who was responsible for Krypton's destruction), Kara discovers what the Regime has truly done on the planet and is appalled by her cousin's actions. She and Batman infiltrate Brainiac's ship to stop the tyrant, and when Batman and Superman argue with each other over the Brainiac's fate, she allies herself with Batman, believing that her cousin is behaving more like General Zod than Jor-El. She appears in both of the game's endings, where she will either become a part of Batman's Justice League to recapture what her cousin stood for before Lois' death, or will be imprisoned by Superman until she becomes a part of his Regime. In her single player ending, she works with the Justice League to revive the Kryptonian civilizations of Argo City and Kandor.
Supergirl appeared inLego Dimensions as a playable character, voiced byKari Wahlgren. She andGreen Arrow were only available during the Lego convention BrickLive. However, she eventually appeared in thePS4 version of the Starter Pack. She shares most of her abilities withSuperman, but, unlike in previous Lego games, she can turn into a Red Lantern, which is a reference to the comic “Red Daughter of Krypton”.
