A Super Cool Supergirl
January 30, 2007 by The Fortress Keeper
Artist Dean Trippe, who drew the awesome pic of Supergirl displayed above, has offered some sensible suggestions on how to “fix” Supergirl.
His observations on Kara include this perceptive critique of her current series:
The ‘nutshell’ epiphany I had was this: Imagine young Clark Kent, Peter Parker, Steve Rogers, Bruce Wayne or any of the incredibly selfless, awesome HEROES we know and love, and run them through the ringer of degrading stories Kara Zor-El has been put through since her reintegration into the DCU. She’s not had her own story, she’s not had hope, and she’s not had a good costume. If Peter Parker was portrayed in the recent Spider-Man movies as a ‘typical teen’ in the manner that Kara has been, I really doubt anyone would have enjoyed it. The same goes for Clark Kent on Smallville (though in that instance, they may have erred too far in the whitebread direction). Of course Peter Parker shouldn’t be drawn making out with his cousin. Of course Clark Kent shouldn’t be nearly naked in every show. Of course Bruce Wayne shouldn’t have his origin story mired in knowing every single character in the DCU. Of course not, but wait, is it because they’re males? Or because they’re supposed to be heroes?
When you attempt to put a hero you actually like in the same situations with the same responses as Supergirl, it becomes clear that the Supergirl team doesn’t think of her with the same feelings that they they of other ‘real’ heroes. She hasn’t shown any characteristics people admire in heroes and she hasn’t been given a chance to stand on her own (even if it’s within a powerful legacy).
If nothing else, Eddie Berganza’s recent appeal for women to pick up Supergirl has proved that a lot of fans have strong feelings for the Maid Of Might.
The Keeper hopes - but, sadly, isn’t terribly optimistic - that DC is listening.
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I can’t decide if that picture makes me really like Supergirl, or really like the artist. One of the two is great.
I honestly think Waid et al have caught Kara almost perfectly in LoSH even if she is played for laughs.
She is strong, fearless even if she is a bit spacy…under the circumstances I’ll take that.
The problem with the whole “America’s Sweetheart” approach to Supergirl is that so few writers would ever dare try. Principally because they have first hand knowledge that “America’s Super-Sweetheart” was the biggest and most enduring casualty in Crisis on Infinite Earth2 #7 back in the day.
Ever since then, some have sniffed around that approach…but mostly they’ve played it for laughs (Expl: Mary Marvel in “I Can’t Believe It’s Not the Justice League”).
This is why I was dead set against Peter David’s abortive “Blonde Justice” book…In a team composed on PAD’s beloved version of Linda Danvers, DC’s inexplicable in-house fave Power Girl and SG, Kara would’ve ended up as the “Shemp” in the trio.
I think Kara’s current creative issues come from the notion that her original kinder gentler persona is a non starter at today’s DC even if her revival is an unsubtle rebuke to the politics of dark and gritty comics.
So they fall between the two chairs in every issue as a consequence.
Yeah, isn’t that art great? There’s a personality there, like she’s suddenly- against all odds- a real person with her own thoughts and wants. Like characters should be.
I agree with Joel. Mr. Trippe’s SuperGirl look like she has an internal life of her own. I would buy my 5-year-old daughter a Supergirl book done in such a fashion. I can’t say the same thing about the recent Supergirl incarnation published by DC.
“Of course Bruce Wayne shouldn’t have his origin story mired in knowing every single character in the DCU.”
It seems this use of Supergirl as a POV character for yet another tour of the DCU is a symptom of Jeph Loebism, in both her Supes/Bats debut and the first few issues of her series.
I used to like Loeb’s comics until I realized I just liked the artists he works with, and actually his storytelling is extremely repetitive (tedious recaps of the previous issue make for terrible trade reading, from The Long Halloween to Hush) and his only trick is integrating a new guest-star (or -stars) into every issue who inevitably overshadows the lead character. I’m not sure Marvel’s capture of him is such a great coup.
The problem isn’t that she’s a girl but that’s she’s a spin off character.
Neither the 90s Supergirl nor the 60s version had easy origins, both relied on other characters. The 90s Kon-El Superboy origin wasn’t ‘clean’ either.
Since was never meant to be a headliner, just to be Superman’s female sidekick complaining that she is not a fully developed character is sort of beside the point.
Thanks so much, Keeper!
I have to agree about the costume. I hadn’t looked at Supergirl since before the Crisis, but the whole two piece thing doesn’t work. Picking up a recent episode, I hae to respect anyone who goes through the amount of angst as Kara. Interestingly enough, the mention of Miss Marvel, since the elder Ms. Marvel versus Warbird fight had a similar introspective side.
I’ll give credit to any hero who goes into self-exploration.