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Supergirl

Supergirl

Real Name
Kara Zor-El
First Appearance
Action Comics #252 (May, 1959)
Creators
Otto Binder, Curt Swan
Team Affiliations
The Legion of Super-Heroes, Teen Titans, Justice League of America
Aliases
Flamebird, Linda Lee Danvers, Claire Connors, Kara Kent, Linda Lang
Base of Operations
Metropolis
Powers
Superhuman strength, speed & stamina, various extra sensory and vision powers, heat vision, x-ray vision, invulnerability, and flight
Skills and Abilities
Skilled Martial Artist

Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) is a superheroine from the DC Universe. There were many attempts to make a Supergirl prior to her official debut. Lois Lane was given superpowers in some stories and Jimmy Olsen conjured a Super-girl using a magic totem that would eventually be wished away. Merely a year later Kara Zor-El appeared. Since her death in 1985, other characters have taken over the mantle including Linda Danvers, Matrix, and Cir-El. In 2004, a revamped version of Kara Zor-El returned to the DC Universe.

Origin[]

A resident of Argo City on the planet Krypton, Kara Zor-El was the last survivor after the explosion that destroyed Krypton launched the entirety of Argo City into space. She was able to find her way to Earth, where she encountered her cousin Kal-El, known to most as Superman. Superman became a friend and inspiration and she went on to follow in his shoes as Supergirl.

Biography[]

Earth-One (Pre-Crisis)[]

Supergirl Classic

Supergirl in a new version of her original costume

Kara Zor-El was born and raised a citizen of Argo City on the planet Krypton to her parents, Zor-El and Allura. When the planet Krypton exploded in a freak disaster, Argo City survived, but was launched into space, drifting without control for years. Unfortunately, the soil of Krypton slowly turned into a radioactive mineral known as Kryptonite, and though the citizens of Argo City lined the ground with lead sheets, meteroites striking the city damaged them. Over time, the citizens were slowly poisoned and Kara, now a young teenager, was left one of the few survivors.

So that Kara may live, Allura and Zor-El created a rocket to send Kara to Earth, aware that Kal-El, a cousin, had also made his way to Earth and was now living as a superhero named Superman.  In the hopes that it would help Kal-El recognize Kara as part of his family, they provided her with an outfit very similar to his Superman costume.  Then they sent Kara to Earth via a rocket so that she may survive and live on Earth.  Superman discovered her immediately on his landing and he quickly accepted the responsibilty of helping her on Earth.  He also realized that while she wasn't prepared to fight evil early on, she could play the role of a secret weapon, covertly using her powers in ways that could be advantageous.

Superman created a new Earth identity for Kara, Linda Lee, and the child began living in an orphanage in the small town of Midvale. Kara began to act in secret as Supergirl, until Superman felt she was ready to be revealed to the public. As Linda Lee, Kara was adopted by Fed and Edna Danvers and became Linda Danvers. Supergirl’s life was cut short when she was killed by the Anti-Monitor during the Crisis in Infinite Earths.

Post Crisis (New Earth)[]

With the timelines being merged and rewritten due to the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Kara Zor-El became the teenage cousin of infant Kal-El on Krypton. When the planet began to explode, Kara and baby Kal were placed in a pair of escape rockets and sent into space. However, while Kal-El made it safely to Earth, Kara’s rocket became trapped in a giant meteor and she spent decades in suspended animation. Her rocket locked on to the signal of Kal-El’s ship and slowly moved the meteor to Earth. When an adult Kal-El (who had now grown into the hero Superman) stopped the meteor from crashing into Earth, he was shocked to find a Kryptonian girl inside.

Superman was surprised to learn that Kara was his cousin, and Kara was surprised to see that her infant cousin was now older than her. Kara was also shocked to discover that she had amazing powers under the light of Earth’s yellow sun. Superman took Kara to meet Wonder Woman and train with the Amazons to learn how to control her powers and when she was ready, Kara became Supergirl.


Other Media[]

Supergirl appeared and became a recurring character in the animated TV series Superman: the Animated Series and went on to appear as a major character in Justice League Unlimited. She also had a guest appearance in Batman: The Animated Series episode "Girls' Night Out" with Batgirl.

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