Comic Genius

During yesterday’s Heroes Con DC Nation panel in Charlotte, N.C., DC Comics Senior VP and Editor Dan DiDio was asked when the Linda Danvers version of Supergirl would show up again in the comics. To this question he simply replied, “This month.”

Since my exposure to Supergirl was limited to Superman and Justice League cartoons, and the recent appearance of Kara Zor-El on Smallville, I decided to go searching for more information on Linda Danvers so that I could make a decision if I would be happy to see Linda Danvers once again in the comic books.

Currently, the Supergirl in the comics is Kara Zor-El, the cousin of Superman from Krypton. Technically she is older than her cousin, but she is only in her teens because she was in suspended animation on her way from Krypton for years before being discovered by Superman and Batman. She took on the name of Supergirl, but has yet to follow her cousin by adopting a secret identity. By only being known as Supergirl, she has no responsibility other than that of her operation as a hero. I have not read Supergirl beyond her reintroduction in Superman/Batman book, starting with issue #8.

Ultimately, there seems to be two schools of thought about how Linda Danvers will return to the DC Universe. The first scenario is that THE actual Linda Danvers returns in some capacity in Final Crisis. The second scenario, and the one I think will actually happen, is that Kara Zor-El - Supergirl - will take up a secret identity and go by the name Linda Danvers so that she can have a life outside of being Supergirl, just like her cousin does as Clark Kent.

As is the case with other heroes without long-standing connections to Earth (Wonder Woman is the most obvious case) Kara would probably find it very beneficial to have a connection to other people and have the responsibility of a job, a secret identity, and perhaps even other people she cared for, like friends and possibly a boyfriend outside of the superhero circle. Separation often times does a great deal toward accomplishing perspective, and I would love to see this character mature into something like Superman, but able to remain her fiesty nature at the same time.

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