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EspañolSUPERGIRL (KARA ZOR-EL)
'Kara Zor-El' is a fictional DC Comics superheroine and the cousin of Superman. She first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #252 (May 1959) and was the first of several people to use the name 'Supergirl'. She was killed during the ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' in 1986, then retconned out of existence. Kara was reintroduced in 2004 in the ''Superman/Batman'' comic book series. Kara will also have a prominent, upcoming role in season 7 of the popular ''Smallville'' television series.
Fictional character biography
Silver age
Kara Zor-El is the last survivor of Argo City of the planet Krypton, which has survived the explosion of the planet and has drifted through space. When the soil of the colony turns into Kryptonite, lead sheeting is placed on the ground. But meteorites pierce the sheeting and the Kryptonians began to die of radiation poisoning.
In her debut story in ''Action Comics'' #252 (1959), Kara is sent to Earth by her parents Zor-El and Allura to be raised by her cousin Kal-El, known as Superman. So Superman will know Kara is his cousin, her parents provide a costume based closely on the Man of Steel's.[1]Upon meeting Kara (who begins to display powers similar to those of Kal-El), Superman decides she will become his secret weapon, and explains to Kara that her presence on Earth must be kept confidential while he trains her in the use of her new powers.
After her debut, Kara starred in her own backup feature in ''Action Comics'', the comic book that would be her home for 10 years. In these stories, Kara adopts the identity of Linda Lee, an orphan at Midvale Orphanage, in which she hides her blonde locks beneath a brunette wig. For the next two years of stories, Linda interacts with humans mainly on a person-to-person basis performing good super-deeds, "saving the world" by helping one person at a time, while using clever schemes while to avoid being adopted before her time came. Travel to other times or worlds comes more easily, since she could be openly seen away from Earth in the "present."
While temporarily powerless due to the scheming of Kandorian scientist Lesla-Lar who is out to supplant her on Earth, Linda allows herself to be adopted by engineer and rocket scientist Fred Danvers and his wife, Edna. She reveals her secret identity to her adoptive parents on the same day her cousin Superman finally introduces her to an unsuspecting world in the finale of then-DC's longest series ever published aptly titled "The World's Greatest Heroine".
Changing her name to Linda Lee Danvers (later known as just Linda Danvers), she becomes a student at Midvale High School, from where she eventually graduates (1965). During this period she befriends telepath Lena Thorul, the sister of Lex Luthor (Lena had first appeared in Lois Lane's series and changed her name from Lena Luthor) who becomes a helper and confidant to Kara in both of her identities until she marries. In 1966 Linda goes on to study at Stanhope College until she graduates in 1971 (her major is never revealed). She even gains Streaky, a pet cat that also possessed superpowers, an equine companion named Comet, a magical superpowered "pet" once described by Superman as "the mightiest Super-Creature on Earth", and joins the Legion of Super-Heroes. Comet becomes Kara's inseparable companion. Originally a centaur named Biron who was magically hexed by Circe to become a super-powered horse, he is secretly in love with Kara and romances her while he is human, which happens whenever a real comet passed near Earth (another facet of Circe's hex). His invulnerability to kryptonite allowes him to save Supergirl many times. But the two grow distant when she goes on to college.
When dreams about her Kryptonian parents Zor-El and Allura being still alive alert her, Kara builds a machine and brings both back safely from the survival zone (where they had teleported during Argo's final moments) with the help of her adopted father's engineering talent. Eventually, Zor-El and Allura settle in Kandor, and when the city in the bottle is enlarged they lived on New Krypton/Rokyn.
Always popular with boys and fond of romances, Kara enjoys many boyfriend-girlfriend relationships, like her Midvale orphanage friend Richard (Dick) Malverne, her merboy friend from Atlantis Jerro, and fellow Legion of Super-Heroes member Brainiac 5, but she always shuns a serious commitment that would translate into marriage, putting her super-career first.
When DC Editor Mort Weisinger retired in 1971 Julius Schwartz revamped the Superman Comics, and (under Mike Sekowsky) Kara was given a big set of mod threads to wear, some to the liking of fans, others not so much. Technically more powerful than the 1/3 depowered Superman, and with no peril in sight due to the absence of green kryptonite, Kara was given a potion that made her at times non-powered and other times powered for two years, a formula that soon became tired routine. But under the editorship of Joe Orlando in 1973-4, the character was revitalized to the liking of fans, balancing the superheroics with the romantic girl.
Leaving her adoptive home to become an anchorwoman for KSF-TV in San Francisco, Linda has to battle her co-worker and most memorable villain from this period: Luthor's niece Nasthalthia or Nasty, who follows her doggedly and comes close to proving her dual identity. Her beau during this time is her own boss, Geoff, and his pal, Johnny.
Renouncing her job, she becomes a graduate student in drama at Vandyre College nearby. Supergirl begins to try to establish her own identity and experiments with a wide variety of costume and hairstyle changes; her best-known outfit from this era is a blue v-necked sweater with a small S insignia over her heart, and red hot-pants. While remaining independent from her cousin Superman, Kara maintains close ties with him as she handles a succession of short timed jobs like Student Advisor at New Athens Experimental College in Florida, and female soap-opera actress in the ''Secret Hearts'' TV series, during her "Superman Family" run.
Death during the Crisis on Infinite Earths
thumb
Main articles: Crisis on Infinite Earths
When a cosmic event threatens to destroy the universe (and all of its parallel realities), all of Earth's heroes answer the call. And when Superman is about to be destroyed, Kara sacrifices herself to save him.[1] It is later revealed in a "Superman" title the following month, that Kara had been granted a premonition about her own passing.
But when the universe is rebooted, time has been altered and Kara is erased from existence, no one even knowing that she has died or ever existed.
The cover at right has been chosen by popular acclaim "and by a surprisingly large margin", by DC fans as: "The Best cover of a DC Comic of all time", in a poll conducted by the publisher in early 2007.-
"Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot"
Despite nobody remembering her existence, the soul of Kara made one more appearance, a story titled "Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot" in ''Christmas with the Super-Heroes'' #2 (1988), Boston "Deadman" Brand tries to feel the warmth of Christmas by possessing revelers' bodies. Feeling guilty upon the realization that he has been stealing others' Christmases, he flies off feeling sorry for himself for being denied a reward after a year of helping people. A warmly-dressed blonde woman approaches Brand, startling him. Somehow seeing the normally-invisible Brand, she converses with him, finally reminding him, "We don't do it for the glory. We don't do it for the recognition... We do it because it needs to be done. Because if we don't, no one else will. And we do it even if no one knows what we've done. Even if no one knows we exist. Even if no one remembers we ever existed." She reminds Brand that even though he is dead, he is still human, and he should rejoice because it means his spirit is still alive. As the woman leaves, Brand asks her who she is, to which she replies, "My name is Kara. Though I doubt that will mean anything to you." The story, written by Alan Brennert and penciled by Dick Giordano, is dedicated to Otto Binder and Jim Mooney, adding: "We still remember."
Also, the soul of Kara appeared twice in Peter David's run, specifically in issues #48 and #49 when she appears before a defeated and imprisoned then-Supergirl, Linda Danvers from Earth and comforts her. Linda acknowledges she has been helped thrice by her phantom-friend, and when she asks her name she is told by the smiling figure: "I have gone by many names, but the one I am most fond of is: Kara!"
After ''Infinite Crisis''
Main articles: 52 (comics)
After ''Infinite Crisis'', many historical events from the Multiverse are again remembered. Donna Troy, after her rebirth and inheritance of Harbinger's Orb, recalls the original Kara Zor-El and her sacrifice to save the Universe.[3]
Bibliography
★ 1959 to 1969: ''Action Comics'' #252 to #376.
★ 1969 to 1972: ''Adventure Comics'' #381 to #424.
★ 1972 to 1974: ''Supergirl'' #1 to #10.
★ 1974 to 1982: Her comic merges with Jimmy Olsen's and Lois Lane's to become ''Superman Family'' #164 to #222.
★ 1982 to 1984: ''Supergirl'' second series #1 to #23.
Kara Zor-El appeared in over 750 stories published by DC from 1959 to 1985.
Modern age
Kara Zor-El from ''Supergirl'' #2 (2005). Art by Michael Turner.
In 2004, Kara Zor-El was reintroduced into DC continuity in the ''Superman/Batman'' series.''Superman/Batman'' #8 [2004] Like the pre-Crisis version, this Kara claims to be the daughter of Superman's uncle Zor-El and his wife Alura. The post-Crisis Kara is actually older than Kal-El; she was a teenager when he was a baby. When Krypton exploded, she was sent in a rocket (in suspended animation) to find and look after Superman. However, her rocket got caught in a huge chunk of the planet and she arrived on Earth years after her cousin did. Meanwhile, she was put in suspended animation, so while chronologically born before Kal-El, she is still the age of a teenager. Her arrival is discovered by Batman, who initially doubted that she was really Kryptonian, thinking that it was too much of a coincidence. Eventually Kara is discovered by her cousin Superman and combat trained by Wonder Woman and Artemis. She is captured by Darkseid, and after being brainwashed into becoming the new leader of Darkseid's elite Female Furies, attacked her own cousin. Superman defeats her and returns her to Earth, where he fakes her death so Darkseid will not come looking for her. She then assumes the role of Supergirl. But she feels out of place, not sure where she really belongs. Kara is uncomfortable with her cousin's over-protectiveness, and unable to associate in close quarters with Power Girl since their powers go haywire when they touch.[4] Because of this she finds most solace with the Amazons on Themyscira. She finds kindred spirits in her other "cousin" Superboy,[5] Wonder Girl,[6] and fellow alien Starfire.[7]
Her self-discovery is interrupted when Lex Luthor uses black kryptonite to split her into a good Kara and an evil Kara.[8] The evil Kara states that she was sent to Earth by Zor-El for the sole purpose of killing the infant Kal-El. Zor-El had devised a special crystal that would influence her personality as she travelled to Earth, making her "innocent", thus creating the good side of Kara's personality. However, the good side became dominant. At the climax of the struggle between the two Karas and the Justice League, the good Kara urges Wonder Woman to use her golden lasso of truth to bind the two together and ask: "Who is Kara Zor-El?" The two Karas fuse back into a single good Kara, who decides her past is not important and acknowledges Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman as her foster parents.[9]
Supergirl joins the heroes whom Donna Troy has recruited to operate in deep space during the impending crisis. However, Kara's return from deep space is disrupted by the zeta-beam malfunction which befell Donna's space team. While some incur grievous physical injuries and deformities (Adam Strange loses his eyes; Hawkgirl grows to enormous size), Supergirl simply disappears.[10][11][12] It was revealed that prior to the crisis, Superboy-Prime's reality-altering ripple effect brought Kara Zor-El back to existence.[13]
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes
Kara appears in the 31st century. She is revered as a member of the Superman family. Upon her arrival she concludes that she is "dreaming" the Legion and the 31st century isn't real.Saturn Girl, attempting to learn more about how Kara arrived in their era, scanned Kara's mind and found a particularly vivid memory—that of the zeta-beam accident.[14]
The Legion hypothesized that Kara is rationalizing her fantastic existence by believing her life is a dream. In a relatively short period of time (due to suspended animation):
★ She lost her planet.
★ She lost her parents.
★ She arrived on Earth to find her baby cousin grown up and a legendary hero.
★ She discovered her extraordinary powers and quickly reached the status of "living legend."
★ She found herself inexplicably a thousand years in the future.
To complicate matters, every time Supergirl wants something to happen in her supposed dream world, it does. For example, when told she can't become a full member because the Legion is out of flight rings, one is immediately sent to her from Brainiac 5.
Her supposed dream world was shattered and in shambles when the very same Brainiac, concerned about the effects of a superpowered being like her slipping in madness, exposed her to green Kryptonite, sedated her and left in care of Kandorian scientist in the enlarged Rokin/New Krypton Kandor City for being "re-educated" on the uses of the last Kryptonians (with even language changed in a thousand years, Kara couldn't even be an effective member of Rokin society, thus making her an outcast again), and her "romance" with Cosmic Boy was dismissed as the side-effect of the residual zeta-beam radiaton affecting the young boy's body chemistry.
This slightly parallels an episode of JLU in which Supergirl travels to the future and joins the Legion of Superheroes.
One Year Later
Supergirl with Power Boy. Art by Ken Lashley.
About one year after ''Infinite Crisis'', During World War III of Week 50 of 52, Supergirl returns to the 21st century, and assumes the identity of Flamebird to fight crime in Kandor with Power Girl as Nightwing. They oppose a religious cult based around warped versions of Superman's earlier appearances in Kandor. Kara also believes the key to Argo City, her home town, lies somewhere in the city.[15]''Superman/Batman'' #27 [2006] Kara and Power Girl find themselves battling the Saturn Queen and Ultraman (posing as Superman), villains who have established themselves in Kandor. At the climax of the struggle, Supergirl unexpectedly leaves (with her comrade in tow). Since she did not consult with Power Girl about the timing of their exit, the two part on somewhat strained terms. Kara re-establishes herself on Earth, attaining financial independence after selling an item of Kryptonian technology that would completely "heal" anybody who uses it to Batman for his own personal use at the price of one million dollars. With this money Kara has purchased her own apartment.
After returning from Kandor, Kara has attempted some ties with the Kent Family, who are still mourning the loss of Conner. During a visit, Kara takes one of Conner's trademark black t-shirts and gives it to Cassie Sandsmark later on.
Kara has also forged a close friendship with Wonder Girl. She also has a close relationship with former-villain Captain Boomerang. Owen clearly wishes to date Kara, but she instead sees him as a big brother of sorts. Instead, she has started dating the former Teen Titan known as Power Boy.
In an attempt to create a secret identity, Kara starts going to high school under the name ''Claire Connors'', a teenage girl from Kansas. Like the Silver Age Linda Danvers, Kara uses a wig, glasses, and plain clothes to become "Claire." Her attempts to assimilate fail because she is unable to connect with the other students, and she drops out after a week or so, due to cruel classmates.
As a favor to Captain Boomerang, Supergirl is granted an "audition" with the Outsiders. It had been revealed before ''Infinite Crisis'' that she had a crush on Nightwing, leader of the Outsiders. She even stole a kiss, her "first true one", from Nightwing (her first kiss was stolen by Poison Ivy) during their first encounter. The members of the Outsiders are all very suspicious of her. They believe she is using lethal force against criminals, but she was acting at super speed to disable them. She also broke the leg of a passenger on a cruise ship, who was really Metamorpho in disguise. She used x-ray vision to detect that the passenger was Metamorpho, and she is upset that the Outsiders decided to test her rather than tell her all the details and trust her. She did not join the Outsiders.
She has started dating Power Boy (without telling Captain Boomerang). She met the new Terra, but still little is known of her true intentions and origin. A series of haunting half memories of her past show Zor-El subjecting an unwilling Kara to grievous experiments to enhance her powers; in fact, when badly injured by Batgirl Cassandra Cain in an artificial red-sun environment, Kryptonian Sunstones sprout from her body, healing her and impaling her foe.
Recently, Kara accompanied Hal Jordan on a mission to the casino world of Ventura. She assists the Green Lantern partly out of a desire to see more of the Universe and partly in order to avoid a lecture about responsibility from her cousin. Her personality is slightly different from normal, as she appears to be quite flirtatious and playful with Hal, but when he politely rebuffs her advances, she enters a gladiatorial contest dressed in a pink dress and pigtails. The ploy turns out to not only be a response to Hal's comments but also a clever ruse designed to flush out their prey. Kara's physical age is established at seventeen, as evidenced by Hal's repeated reminders to himself when thinking of her.
Eventually, Power Boy revealed that he loved Supergirl so much, he was obsessed with her. After Kara was about to visit Owen Mercer in the hospital, Power Boy immediately stopped her and decided to go through this with violence, forcing him to turn on Supergirl. Power Boy is revealed to have been born in Apokolips.
Later when Kara finds herself in deep space and near death, she sees a vision of her Father, Zor-El. He then explains to her that she is remembering things wrong, so he needs to retell her why he did what he did before she left Krypton. He started by explaining that the Phantom zone was inhabited by some sort of ghostly life. These beings were angry about being removed from their home by the projector and took out their anger by possessing various people who lived on Krypton. Zor-El then discovers that the only way to destroy the phantoms is with Kryptonian Sunstones. He implanted sunstone into her to make her immune to possession by the Phantoms. Shortly afterwards, the students at the School Kara goes to on Krypton are possessed by these Phantoms and they are forced to kill them all with sunstone. For this the Kryptonian Science council had decided that Zor-El, Kara, and Alura should be sentenced to exile in the Phantom Zone. However the final quakes before Krypton's destruction interrupted this before the sentence could be carried out. Then in the present day Kara finds herself back on Earth and sees the Phantoms there.
Kara is then assaulted by hundreds of Phantom-possessed humans, including Wonder Girl who forces Kara to admit all the dark secrets that she has been denying since arriving on Earth. Disgusted with Kara, Wonder Girl releases her. Kara then flies to the Batcave in the hopes that Batman might be able to help her. Unfortunately, the Phantoms have possessed him, and he has sealed himself inside the cave. Before Kara can try to break her way inside, Robin who is also possessed blocks her path. He provokes Kara into hitting him, and she accidentally stabs Robin with a sunstone. This surprisingly does not kill nor even mortally injure him, but instead frees him of the Phantom Ghost. Robin who had apparently been keeping tabs on Superman since the sun went red (using a Batsuit loaned to Superman since his powers were gone), then gives Supergirl directions to locate Superman in Metropolis. When she reaches Metropolis, she discovers that the phantoms are coming out of Superman's body.
Once reunited with her cousin, Kara admits to everything. Clark, who has been going mad from the Phantoms that were leaking out of him, begs her to kill him and free their adoptive homeworld. But before any actions can be taken, a pre-crisis version of Supergirl appears and attacks Kara, cheerfully taunting her with accusations of imperfection and inadequacy during their battle over Metropolis.
Several scenes in Supergirl #15 and Supergirl #17 seem to suggest that this is all an illusion created by one of Supergirl's enemies. The defeat of Kara's counterpart in Supergirl #18 finally reveals that Kara's recent ordeals, including the Phantom-infested Earth, Cassandra Cain's attack, and Kara's direct encounter with her father, are part of a twisted "test" designed by Dark Angel, who also masqueraded as pre-Crisis Supergirl. Acting under the auspices of one of the Monitors to identify post-Crisis "anomalies" who threaten the Multiverse, Dark Angel had become personally invested and then obsessed with proving Kara's status as an anomaly through increasingly brutal means. The Monitor appears and chastises Dark Angel harshly. He asserts that Kara is, indeed, this universe's Supergirl, and apologizes for Dark Angel's excess. After stating that Kara's tragic memories of her journey to Earth are real, the Monitor departs with his employee, leaving Kara in deep space with her Kryptonian abilities apparently restored and no outward sign of her sunstone implants.
Kara is then met by the reborn Pariah, who warns her of a "Great Disaster" that is coming during which she will play a role. Kara then returns to Earth where she sets about correcting some of her past wrongs, apologising to Boomer for leading him on, repairing her friendships with Cassie and Sarah (a girl she met during her brief time in High School) and dealing with her cat Streaky. Though she attempts to apologise to Power Girl for her actions in Kandor, Power Girl says she can't trust her and challenges Kara to fix things with Clark. After spending fifteen minutes outside Lois and Clark's apartment deciding what to do, Lois invites Kara inside where she and Clark embrace. Her actions over the past year forgiven, Kara races her cousin to the Fortress
Later when Wonder Girl confides in Kara some of her personal problems, they discover that the Amazons of Themyscira have invaded Washington, D.C. as part of the events of ''Amazons Attack''. Because of the McCarran Internal Security Act, implemented by the US President, Wonder Girl's mother and a friend of Supergirl's, named Alison, are held at an internment camp. As they try to storm the camp and free the women, they are stopped by the Titans, and told by Robin that negotiation would be a better solution. Consequently, they fly to Washington D.C. and talk to Queen Hippolyta, who tells them that negotiations are impossible, since the President is safe on Air Force One. Agreeing to bring the US leader to the Amazon Queen, the two girls block the path of Air Force One and threaten to bring the plane down if the President does not come with them. After the Amazons then forcefully cause Air Force One to crash, Cassie and Kara realize how foolish they are and aid the heroes battle against the Amazons.
Kara received membership with the Teen Titans shortly after.
Smallville
In the television series, Smallville, Kara Zor-El will be introduced in season seven's first episode, Bizarro. She will be played by Laura Vandervoort. Her backstory is that she was a teenager on Krypton, then was sent to Earth at the same time as Clark and got stuck in suspended animation, not aging. That is until the dam holding the suspension broke apart at the end of season six and she was released. Now she is the same age as Clark, and she integrates herself into modern Earth society, participating in a beauty pageant. It is currently unknown how many episodes she will be in, and it is said she will play a big part in the creation of Superman.
Powers and abilities
Main articles: Powers and abilities of Superman
Like all Kryptonians under a yellow sun, the current version of Kara Zor-El possesses vast super strength, speed & stamina; various extra sensory and vision powers (including super hearing, x-ray vision, telescopic vision, microscopic vision, and heat vision); tremendous lung capacity and super breath (wind and ice); invulnerability and flight. Continued exposure to a yellow sun will cause the level of her abilities to slowly increase. Many characters in the DC Universe have noted that Kara appears at times to be even more powerful than Superman. However, as Superman himself explains, this is because he has spent a lifetime trying to hold back so that he doesn't hurt the people around him, while Kara, without such experience, simply uses her powers to the fullest without being as fearful of risks to others as yet. Due to experiments performed by her father, this version of Supergirl has had a small amount of sunstones implanted in her body which seem to appear when she is under red-sun light. They allow her to maintain super-powers under the red sun, as well as free those who are possessed by Phantom Zone ghosts.
The present day Kara is a capable fighter having trained with the amazons. Kara is also somewhat capable as an actress, or in disguise, since she has so far managed to play the roles of Flamebird, a highschool girl, a villainess, an innocent young girl/super fighter, and (briefly) a biker babe.
In other media
:''See: Supergirl: In other media''
Trade Paperbacks and Hardcover Collections
| Title | Material collected |
|---|---|
| Original | |
| 'SUPERGIRL ARCHIVES VOL. 1' | ''Action Comics'' #123, #252-268 |
| 'SUPERGIRL ARCHIVES VOL. 2' | ''Action Comics'' #269-285 |
| 'Supergirl Vol. 1: Power' | ''Supergirl'' #0-5 |
| 'Supergirl Vol. 2: Candor' | ''Supergirl'' #6-9 ''Superman/Batman'' #27 ''Superman'' #223 ''JLA'' #122-123 |
| 'Supergirl Vol. 3: Identity' | ''Supergirl'' #10-19 ''Infinite Holiday Special'' #1 |
See also
★ Supergirl
★ Power Girl
Notes and references
1.
2.
3. ''52: Week Four and Week Five'', 2006
4. "The Supergirl from Krypton": ''Superman/Batman'' #8-12 [2005]
5. ''Supergirl'' #2 [2005]
6. ''Supergirl'' #9 [2006]
7. ''Supergirl'' #3 [2005]
8. ''Supergirl'' #4, 2005
9. ''Supergirl'' #5 [2006]
10. ''Infinite Crisis #1'' [2005]
11. ''Superman'' (Vol. 2) #223 [2005]
12. ''JLA'' #123 [2005]
13. ''Infinite Crisis Secret Files and Origins 2006''
14. ''Supergirl & the Legion of Super-Heroes'' #18 [2006]
15. ''Supergirl'' #6 [2006]
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