Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)

Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)

Kara Zor-El is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and related media, created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino. As Supergirl, Kara Zor-El serves as the biological cousin and female counterpart to DC Comic's iconic superhero Superman, created by writer Jerome Siegel and designed by artist Joseph Shuster. Since her introduction in 1959 Supergirl has become one of the most iconic and recognizable characters in comics.

The Supergirl character first appeared in a story published in Action Comics #252 (May 1959) entitled "The Supergirl from Krypton." Since the character's comic book debut, Kara Zor-El's Supergirl has been adapted into various media relating to the Superman franchise including merchandise, television, and feature film. However, during the 1980s and the revolution of the Modern Age of Comics, Superman editors believed the character’s history had become convoluted, and desired to reestablish Superman as "The Last Son of Krypton." Supergirl was thus killed during the 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths and retconned out of existence. Since Crisis, several characters unrelated to Superman have used the alias "Supergirl."

Kara Zor-El entered mainstream continuity again in 2004 when DC Comics Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Dan DiDio, along with editor Eddie Berganza and comic book writer Jeph Loeb reintroduced the character in the Superman/Batman storyline "The Supergirl from Krypton". The title paid homage to the character’s 1959 debut. As the current Supergirl, Kara Zor-El stars in her own monthly comic book series. With the launch of the "New 52" by DC, Kara, along with most of the DC Universe, was relaunched. She is currently featured in her own series "Supergirl", in "The Last Daughter of Krypton" story line.

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In other media

Television

Supergirl appears in Superman: The Animated Series voiced by Nicholle Tom. This version is based on the original Silver Age concept of Supergirl according to writer Paul Dini ' We wanted to do the original version, which is Superman’s cousin from Krypton; [however], we ran into a wall with DC because they insisted that Superman be the last Kryptonian. So we did a compromise: she’s from a small planet in the neighboring system that was colonized by Kryptonians, but they’ve evolved slightly differently.' 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 of Argo.

Nicholle Tom reprises her role of Supergirl in Justice League Unlimited. As continued in in this show, she and Superman have grown very close, almost like siblings. She joins the Justice League in "Initiation" and assists Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Captain Atom in fighting a robot based on Brimstone which is attacking an Asian country. In "Far From Home," Supergirl talks about how she wanted to be seen as more than just 'Superman's cousin'. She departs his company when she discovers love for Brainiac 5 of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the distant future.

Laura
Vandervoort
as Kara
in Smallville.

In the seventh season (2007-2008) of the CW's hit show Smallville, Kara is introduced into the cast and is portrayed by Laura Vandervoort. Smallville closely depicts her as Clark's (Tom Welling) cousin whose spaceship became trapped in stasis until the events of the sixth season finale. Much of season seven is concerned with Kara's attempts to adjust to life on Earth, especially after learning of Krypton's destruction. Her storyline sees her simultaneously become the object of Lex Luthor's (Michael Rosenbaum) obsessions and Jimmy Olsen's (Aaron Ashmore) affections, suffer a bout of amnesia, discover her father's (Christopher Heyerdahl) sinister motives and become a target of evil android Brainiac (James Marsters). The season finale sees Kara become trapped in the Phantom Zone, and Vandervoort is no longer a regular in the show's eighth season (2008-2009), but returned for a guest appearance. The episode in which she stars shows her release from the Phantom Zone and her departure from Smallville and her cousin's company, to search for Kandor, her birthplace, that is rumored to have survived during Krypton's explosion. Laura Vandervoort returned for the third episode in the tenth season of Smallville titled "Supergirl". Her picture also appeared in the 11th episode on a government wanted poster under the name Supergirl. Supergirl's next appearance is in the episode "Prophecy" in which she helps Green Arrow locate the "Bow of Orion" in order to be used against Darkseid. She is then called to the Fortress of Solitude, where she is told by the A.I. of Jor-El that her job on Earth is done, and then using a Legion of Super-Heroes Ring, travels to the future to seek her own destiny.

Film

A live action depiction of Supergirl first appears in the eponymous 1984 film starring Helen Slater as Supergirl. The film is a spin-off from the Superman film series starring Christopher Reeve, to which it is connected by Marc McClure's character Jimmy Olsen. The film was poorly received, and it was not a box-office success. Its plot concerns Supergirl, Superman's cousin, leaving her isolated Kryptonian community of Argo City for Earth in an effort to retrieve the unique "Omegahedron." The item has fallen into the hands of evil witch Selena (Faye Dunaway), and havoc ensues.

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Quotes·Quotations by Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)

Helen Slater as Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) from Supergirl (1984)

¶ I am Kara of Argo City, daughter of Alura and Zor-El, and I don't scare easily.

¶ You have no friends, Selena. You treat everyone as if they were put on this Earth to serve you.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergirl_(Kara_Zor-El)

Supergirl

Supergirl

Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out into animation, film, television, and merchandising. In May 2011, Supergirl placed 94th on IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time.

Supergirl (Kryptonian name Kara Zor-El) plays a supporting role in various DC Comics publications, including Action Comics, Superman, and several comic book series unrelated to Superman. In 1969, Supergirl's adventures became the lead feature in Adventure Comics, and she later starred in an eponymous comic book series which debuted in 1972 and ran until 1974, followed by a second monthly comic book series titled The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl, which ran from 1982 to 1984.

Supergirl dies in the 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths, and DC Comics subsequently rebooted the continuity of the DC Comics Universe, reestablishing Superman's character as the sole survivor of Krypton's destruction. Following the conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earths, several different characters written as having no familial relationship to Superman have assumed the role of Supergirl, including Matrix, Linda Danvers, and Cir-El. Following the cancellation of the third Supergirl comic book series, starring the Linda Danvers version of the character, a modern version of Kara Zor-El was reintroduced into the DC Comics continuity in issue #8 of the Superman/Batman comic book series titled "The Supergirl from Krypton" (2004). The modern Kara Zor-El stars as Supergirl in an eponymous comic book series, in addition to playing a supporting role in various other DC Comics publications.

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Quotes·Quotations by Supergirl

Heroine

¶ There's still a planet full of people down there who need our help. Do your job, and I'm gonna do mine. [Justice League, Far From Home]

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Helen Slater as Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) from Supergirl (1984)

¶ I am Kara of Argo City, daughter of Alura and Zor-El, and I don't scare easily.

¶ You have no friends, Selena. You treat everyone as if they were put on this Earth to serve you.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergirl

Supergirl (Power Girl)

Power Girl

Power Girl (real name Kara Zor-L, also known as Karen Starr) is a DC Comics superheroine, making her first appearance in All Star Comics #58 (January/February 1976).

Power Girl is the Earth-Two counterpart of Supergirl and the first cousin of Kal-L, Superman of the pre-Crisis Earth-Two. The infant Power Girl's parents enabled her to escape the destruction of Krypton. Although she left the planet at the same time that Superman did, her ship took much longer to reach Earth-Two.

Possessing superhuman strength and the ability to fly, she is a member of the Justice Society of America and the team's first chairwoman. Power Girl sports a bob of blond hair; wears a distinctive white, red, and blue costume; and has an aggressive fighting style. Throughout her early appearances in All Star Comics, Power Girl was frequently at odds with Wildcat, who had a penchant for talking to her as if she were an ordinary human female rather than a superpowered Kryptonian, which she found annoying.

The 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths eliminated Earth-Two, causing her origin to change; she became the granddaughter of the Atlantean sorcerer Arion. However, story events culminating in the 2005-2006 Infinite Crisis limited series restored her status as a refugee from the Krypton of the destroyed pre-Crisis Earth-Two universe. She was ranked ninth in Comics Buyer's Guide's "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Girl

Supergirl (Cir-El)

Supergirl (Cir-El)

Cir-El is a fictional character. The alleged daughter of Superman, she first appeared in Superman: The 10 Cent Adventure. Created by Steven Seagle and Scott McDaniel, she was one of many characters known as Supergirl.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergirl_(Cir-El)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergirl

Supergirl (Linda Danvers)

Supergirl (Linda Danvers)

Linda Danvers, formerly known as Supergirl, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. She debuted in Supergirl #1 (September 1996), and was created by Peter David and Gary Frank. She is not to be confused with Linda Lee Danvers, the secret identity used by the Kara Zor-El incarnation of Supergirl prior to the events of 1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths, who was inspired to use the name for her secret identity by a half remembered meeting with Linda Danvers.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergirl
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergirl_(Linda_Danvers)

Supergirl (Matrix)

Supergirl (Matrix)

Matrix is a fictional character and a superheroine, best known as the 1988-2002 Supergirl, published by DC Comics. She was created by John Byrne as part of his Superman revamp. She first appeared (as Supergirl) in Superman (second series) #16.

In 2006, another character calling herself Matrix was created by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, and Dale Eaglesham and first appeared in 52.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergirl
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergirl_(Matrix)