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