Supergirl

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Kara Zor-El was born and raised in Argo City, a fragment of Krypton that survived destruction. When the city is doomed by a meteor shower, Kara is sent to Earth by her parents, Zor-El and Alura In-Ze, to be raised by her cousin Kal-El, known as Superman. Supergirl adopted the secret identity of an orphan "Linda Lee" and made Midvale Orphanage her home. She promised Superman she would keep her existence a secret so he could use her as a "secret weapon," but that didn't stop her from exploring her new powers covertly. Action Comics #255 published reader's letters-of-comment to Supergirl's first appearance; she had allegedly generated a sizeable and mostly positive reaction. Supergirl became a regular backup strip in Action Comics, joined the Legion of Super-Heroes, and in Action Comics #279 (July 1961) she was adopted by Fred and Edna Danvers, becoming "Linda Lee Danvers." She acted for three years as Superman's secret weapon and was at last introduced by her cousin to an unsuspecting world in Action Comics #285 (February 1962). During the 1980s, Superman editors believed the character's history had become too convoluted, thus killing Supergirl during the 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and retconning her out of existence. According to Marv Wolfman, writer of Crisis on Infinite Earths: "Before Crisis it seemed that half of Krypton had survived the explosion. We had Superman, Supergirl, Krypto, the Phantom Zone criminals, the bottled city of Kandor, and many others. Our goal was to make Superman unique. We went back to his origin and made Kal-El the only survivor of Krypton. That, sadly, was why Supergirl had to die." The idea of killing Supergirl was first conceived by DC's vice president/executive editor Dick Giordano, who later said he has never had any regrets, explaining, "Supergirl was created initially to take advantage of the high Superman sales and not much thought was put into her creation. She was created essentially as a female Superman." In the 1989 tale "Christmas with the Super-Heroes," the soul of Kara appears to Boston Brand / Deadman, cheers him up, and then disappears from continuity until 2001. Several characters unrelated to Superman soon took on the Supergirl persona, including the Matrix, Linda Danvers, and Cir-El. DC Comics Senior Vice President Dan DiDio re-introduced the character in 2004 along with editor Eddie Berganza and writer Jeph Loeb, with the Superman/Batman storyline "The Supergirl from Krypton." The modern version of Kara Zor-El made her debut in Superman/Batman #8 (2004). With DC's The New 52 relaunch, Kara, like most of the DC Universe, was revamped. DC relaunched the Supergirl comic in August 2016 as part of their DC Rebirth initiative.

In Their Own Story

In the Linda Danvers' Supergirl series issues 49 and 50 (October and November 2000), the original dead Kara appears as Linda's "guardian angel." Then in issues 75 to 80, "Many Happy Returns," a young Kara appears from an earlier time long before the Crisis. The paradox becomes a moral crisis for Linda who tries to take her place as the Crisis sacrifice, living for years in a Silver Age universe where "no one swears, the villains are always easy to defeat, and everything's very, very clean," eventually marrying the Silver Age Superman and having a daughter with him, before she is forced to return to her universe by the Spectre when he reveals that her efforts to replace Kara as the sacrifice will not succeed. Linda's inability to save Kara, coupled with the loss of her daughter, is so devastating that it ends her own career as Supergirl. Linda leaves a note for Superman explaining that she feels that she has failed to live up to the standards of a true Supergirl and choosing to go somewhere she cannot be found. This story arc is commonly cited as one of the best Supergirl stories ever written. The series ended with issue 80.

Reader's Guide

Kara Zor-El is a powerhouse hero who serves as both a protector and a symbol of resilience for the DC Universe. Her narrative arc often focuses on transitioning from a displaced survivor into a confident leader, learning that she does not need to be Superman's shadow to shine. She possesses the full spectrum of Kryptonian abilities under a yellow sun, including super strength, flight, invulnerability, and heat vision, but her greatest asset is her empathy and ability to connect with others on a human level. Unlike many heroes who hide their origins, Kara often struggles with the visibility of being an alien in a world that fears them. Her defining moments usually involve sacrificing personal safety for strangers or standing up against overwhelming odds when no one else will. Whether fighting alongside the Justice League or leading her own teams like the Superfriends, she consistently demonstrates that power without heart is meaningless. Her role has evolved from a sidekick figure to an independent icon in her own right, often mentoring younger heroes while navigating the complexities of modern life. She represents the idea that one can honor their heritage while carving out a unique destiny, making her a vital pillar of hope alongside her cousin.

Did You Know?

• Supergirl first appeared in Action Comics #252 (May 1959), in the story 'The Supergirl from Krypton' by Otto Binder and Al Plastino.
• She was killed off during the 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths event to make Superman the only survivor of Krypton.
• The modern version of Kara Zor-El was re-introduced in Superman/Batman #8 (2004) by Dan DiDio, Eddie Berganza, and Jeph Loeb.
• In live-action, Supergirl first appeared in the film Supergirl (1984), played by Helen Slater.
• Sasha Calle appeared as Supergirl in the DC Extended Universe film The Flash (2023), and Milly Alcock will portray the character in the DC Universe franchise starting with Superman (2025).