SUPERGIRL
Supergirl (primarily Kara Zor-El) is a iconic Kryptonian superheroine created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino for DC Comics, making her official debut in 1959. As the cousin of Superman (Kal-El), she survived the destruction of Krypton's Argo City and possesses extraordinary powers derived from Earth's yellow sun. Over decades across comic books, television, film, and video games, she has evolved from a hidden sidekick into an interstellar leader and defender of the multiverse.
Cronologia
Biografia
Kara Zor-El is a Kryptonian superheroine and the cousin of Kal-El (Superman). Born in Argo City to Zor-El and Allura, she spent her first fifteen years living in a floating planetary fragment protected from Anti-Kryptonite soil by lead sheeting. When a meteor shower pierced the protective lead sheeting and caused lethal radiation poisoning, her parents placed her in a spacecraft bound for Earth so her cousin Kal-El could raise and guide her.
Upon arriving on Earth, Superman placed Kara at the Midvale Orphanage under the secret identity of Linda Lee, wearing a brunette wig to conceal her identity. For two years, she operated as Superman's secret weapon, performing covert good deeds until she proved her maturity. She was eventually adopted by rocket scientist Fred Danvers and his wife Edna, taking the name Linda Lee Danvers. Superman officially revealed her existence to the world in February 1962, launching her public superhero career.
Throughout her adult life, Kara balanced superhero duties with various human professions, including photographer, drama student, student advisor, and television soap opera actress. She served as a core member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st century and teamed up regularly with Justice League heroes such as Batgirl. Defined by a deeply optimistic and selfless nature, Kara famously sacrificed her life fighting the Anti-Monitor during the Crisis on Infinite Earths to save her cousin and the multiverse, leaving a legendary legacy across DC continuity.
Storia
Kara Zor-El's origins lie in Argo City, a piece of planet Krypton that survived the planet's destruction and drifted through space. Her soil was lined with lead sheeting to shield the Kryptonian inhabitants from the deadly Anti-Kryptonite ground.
Kara led a peaceful childhood in Argo City with her parents, Zor-El and Allura, until she was fifteen years old. A catastrophic meteor shower breached the lead sheeting, causing radiation poisoning that slowly killed the inhabitants.
Desperate to save their daughter, Allura and Zor-El located Earth using a super-telescope, spotted Kal-El, and constructed a spacecraft to send Kara to her cousin. They provided her with a suit patterned after Superman's uniform so Kal-El would recognize her. Upon landing on Earth and gaining powers under the yellow sun, Superman decided to train her in secret, placing her at Midvale Orphanage as brunette orphan Linda Lee while she mastered her powers.
I PEZZI DI SUPERGIRL
Evoluzione
Supergirl's character arc and publisher mandate have evolved substantially since her 1959 debut by Otto Binder and Al Plastino. Initially introduced as a secret weapon residing at Midvale Orphanage as Linda Lee, early Kara was sweet and innocent yet occasionally short-tempered while adjusting to Earth culture. Through the 1960s and 1970s, she transitioned into a independent adult heroine, adopting the name Linda Lee Danvers, graduating from Stanhope College, and taking on various careers—including photographer, student advisor, and soap opera actress—while frequently updating her costume to establish her own identity separate from Superman. Her history underwent a radical shift in 1985 when she died in Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 fighting the Anti-Monitor.
Following her death, DC mandated that Superman remain the sole surviving Kryptonian, removing Pre-Crisis Kara from main continuity. During this Post-Crisis period, non-Kryptonian stand-ins assumed the mantle, most notably John Byrne's shapeshifting protoplasmic entity Matrix (1988) and Peter David's Earth-Angel Linda Danvers (1996). In 2004, writer Jeph Loeb and artist Michael Turner restored Kara Zor-El as Superman's official Kryptonian cousin in Superman/Batman. Modern eras broadened her narrative palette: The New 52 (2011) introduced a darker origin story where she briefly wielded a Red Lantern ring, DC Rebirth (2016) integrated Arrowverse elements such as National City, and Tom King's landmark miniseries Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2021) re-imagined her as a battle-hardened cosmic adventurer, laying the foundation for her adaptation into the live-action DCU feature film in 2026.
Da Collezione
In the world of comic book and superhero collecting, Supergirl represents one of the most coveted holy grails of DC Comics history. Her definitive blue-chip comic key is Action Comics #252 (May 1959), which features her official debut by Otto Binder and Al Plastino. Other essential key comic issues highly sought after by collectors include her solo cover takeover in Adventure Comics #381 (1969), her self-titled launching point Supergirl Vol.
1 #1 (1972), her heroic sacrifice issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 (1985), her canonical return in Superman/Batman #8 (2004), and Tom King's modern classic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1 (2021). Beyond vintage and modern comic keys, physical Supergirl collectibles span notable gaming tie-ins and media releases. Her crossover merchandise includes an exclusive physical Lego polybag figure released for Lego Dimensions in 2016. Driven by decades of iconic portrayals—from Helen Slater and Melissa Benoist to Sasha Calle and Milly Alcock's upcoming starring role in the 2026 feature film—Supergirl collectibles continue to appreciate as premier cornerstone items for DC display shelves.
During The New 52 comic run in 2014, Supergirl's immense rage caused her to be chosen as a member of the Red Lantern Corps.
