Supergirl Redux

[titansmaster]

Let me start by saying that I was really looking forward to the return of Kara Zor-El to the Superman line. I enjoyed the PAD version of Supergirl. Absolutely. But I was hoping that a Kryptonian Supergirl would return at some point.

That said, the S/B arc that reintroduced her to the DCU was a good, strong story with outstanding artwork.

Unfortunately, there have been numerous problems with her solo title since it began.

First the writer is gone. The following writers wrote as though they had no idea what the character was about or in what direction she was moving. Right now this title is just a flat out mess.

Anyone have any ideas on how to salvage this book and the character along with it?????

[Kage Kisaragi]

It would have been better if she was more of the starting out superheroine who was under the tutelage of a senior superhero, not necessarily her famous cousin but someone who could relate to her in power and could help her understand the reasons people like them exist, someone who could help mold her non superhero life into something respectable.

They really should have stablized the relationship between her and Karen (Powergirl), and probably made her the tutor/mentor of Supergirl. It's always bad to her superpowered teenagers who have no parental figure in their lives.

[KET]

Unfortunately, there have been numerous problems with her solo title since it began.

First the writer is gone. The following writers wrote as though they had no idea what the character was about or in what direction she was moving. Right now this title is just a flat out mess.

Anyone have any ideas on how to salvage this book and the character along with it?????

Why would DC want to "salvage this book"? It's already developed a following among those who don't understand what's iconic about the Supergirl character anyway. They just want mindless T&A violence, and Dan DiDio's quite content to give it to 'em for now. Otherwise, Eddie Berganza would have gotten the boot several issues ago for his usual slacking on the job.

However, DC WILL reboot eventually. That's ALWAYS been their 'solution' with this character, because they don't know any other way out.

[PatrickG]

I dunno. I think the "Sent to Kill Kal-El"/amnesia/"selective memory" plot is leftover brainwashing by Darkseid. And Power Boy is hinted to be from Apokalips.

I think they knew they couldn't get by with Kara having total amnesia forever but they also knew Krypton was in flux in the core super-titles. So I think what we have now is an extended arc where she has false memories, building up to a rematch with Darkseid in some form and answering the question of whether she will take a life.

And that they're buying time until Krypton gets a stable portrayal in the core titles.

My money says she gets her REAL memories back in #20 or #25 along with a new creative team.

My money is on Waid or Simone at that point.

But all I really think it takes to "salvage" things is to bring the lethal force/brainwashed by Darkseid/path to Argo/Kandor plot to a head. I could do it in one doublesized issue. And from there, I'd build on Mark Waid's Legion portrayal... only taking it further.

Kara, as Waid has suggested, needs to be sweet. I think she can retain SOME of her current edge while being sweet. And from there, she needs a new direction.

[astronato]

I wasn't reading comics during the Supergirl Angel period but I don't much like the idea of it.

I dropped the current Supergirl book with issue 10. I'm not a prude, I love Red Sonja but I didn't care for the sexed up Supergirl. Yes, I am a guy but I buy Supergirl comics under the pretense that I'm going to share them with my nieces when they get older. Well theres nothing I care to share about the current series with the girls in my family. Sorry if that sounds corny. But the current book seems more geared to guys.

I didn't care for the Supergirl tours the DCU's D list stories. Supergirl is iconic, Nightwing and the Outsiders and the rest, not so much. Since she is supposed to be in the big leagues in terms of power anyway, I would prefer to see Kara rubbing elbows with the big league characters like on the Justice League Unlimited show.

I am however really liking Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes. I'd prefer she remained in the LoSH book. If not, i'd like to see Waid write her solo title. He writes the Supergirl I want to read about.

But the book sells well enough, right?, so why would they change it?

[Mia]

The following writers wrote as though they had no idea what the character was about or in what direction she was moving. Right now this title is just a flat out mess.

I don't think so. I just think that the writters first Rucka and Kelly weren't telling a story in a neat linear fashion which some readers clearly don't like. Personally I find it a refreshing change to read a book that does not insult my intelligence or where I don't have to turn my brain off to enjoy.


Anyone have any ideas on how to salvage this book and the character along with it?????

I don't think that there is anything to 'salvage'. The book actually is still a very, very strong seller. And actually out performing other core DC titles.

Right now Supergirl and Catwoman are the only half decent female characters that DC have in their stock characters. I love it that Kara is written as multi-dimensional and like a real flesh and blood human being, and i don't want to see this ruined.




I wasn't reading comics during the Supergirl Angel period but I don't much like the idea of it.

I dropped the current Supergirl book with issue 10. I'm not a prude, I love Red Sonja but I didn't care for the sexed up Supergirl. Yes, I am a guy but I buy Supergirl comics under the pretense that I'm going to share them with my nieces when they get older. Well theres nothing I care to share about the current series with the girls in my family. Sorry if that sounds corny. But the current book seems more geared to guys.

Sorry I beg to differ. I'm not 'guy' and I'm loving the hell out of this book.
I don't know at what age you planned on sharing this book with your nieces. But it's clear that this comic book, like most books at DC and Marvel are aimed at their primary readership educated adults. Which it should be. Maybe you should pick up Sailor Moon or Archie some of the other comic that is actually aimed at children. Personally I don't see anything out of the ordinary or 'sexed' up about Supergirl. As long as I can remember women in comic books have been drawn in a very alluring manner.

[PatrickG]

I wasn't reading comics during the Supergirl Angel period but I don't much like the idea of it.

I dropped the current Supergirl book with issue 10. I'm not a prude, I love Red Sonja but I didn't care for the sexed up Supergirl. Yes, I am a guy but I buy Supergirl comics under the pretense that I'm going to share them with my nieces when they get older. Well theres nothing I care to share about the current series with the girls in my family. Sorry if that sounds corny. But the current book seems more geared to guys.

I didn't care for the Supergirl tours the DCU's D list stories. Supergirl is iconic, Nightwing and the Outsiders and the rest, not so much. Since she is supposed to be in the big leagues in terms of power anyway, I would prefer to see Kara rubbing elbows with the big league characters like on the Justice League Unlimited show.

I am however really liking Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes. I'd prefer she remained in the LoSH book. If not, i'd like to see Waid write her solo title. He writes the Supergirl I want to read about.

But the book sells well enough, right?, so why would they change it?

The shared universe stuff kinda grates on me as well. I like the Nightwing crush angle. I like the IDEA of Power Girl and Kandor visits. I liked Joe Kelly's high school issue.

But while Boomer is fun, I don't much care for Kara's book being guest star central nor do I like to see her teamed with Terra and Boomer and the Outsiders and all this stuff that nobody's going to much remember in five or ten years.

Some comics are "written for the trade" but I want a Supergirl comic "written for the DC Archive" edition in 20 years.

I'd like to see less shared universe stuff. I'd like to see the current plotlines wrapped up. I'd like to see Supergirl build a mythology: An HQ, a supporting cast, new and rebooted enemies.

Not TOO many qualms with the art, mind you, but I see this book as the perfect launching ground for a baggage free super-title. Take the basic concept of a teenager who's Superman's cousin and go All-Star Superman with it.

Maybe an approach more like All-New Atom and less like Damage or The Ray.

New friends. New enemies.

And as much as I am reluctant to admit it, PAD's run would be a good template. This version isn't saddled with Earth Born Angels or protomatter beings from other dimensions. But the kind of characterization, mythos building and cast building PAD did would be welcome here.

And maybe a dash of SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS and NEW FRONTIER, adapted for a lead with a little extra edge. A little cheesecake is okay, I suppose, but it shouldn't go the "Bad Girl" route so much IMO.

Also, now that Kara's more established, I'd like to see some kind of costume tweaks. Not a return to an old costume, per se, but something different. Less super-heroes. More normal people. I get that a secret identity may not be her thing but Conner Kent managed to have interactions with more normal people than Kara has and he basically operated as a celebrity.

I'd probably go for Hughes on covers, Mark Bagley on interiors. Pfiefer, Simone or Waid onboard as writer.

[rwe1138]

I like her more in LoSH than all the other books she's in combined.

[J. Robb]

I say, bring back Peter David. He took a Supergirl with an even worse origin than the current one and wrote a great series (Supergirl's longest-running). Let him do it again.