Some months ago, with SUPERGIRL sales sagging and Leonard Kirk leaving the title, I came up with what was essentially a “Hail Mary” pass. I talked the DC Powers That Be into letting me do a storyline involving the return of Kara.
My reasoning was simple: Who wasn’t reading the book? (1) People who had become bored with the current storyline. (2) People who had dismissed the series from the get-go because any Supergirl who wasn’t Kara Zor-El was of no interest to them. By doing “Many Happy Returns,” I figured I could snag both groups. A fresh storyline to pull back lost readers, and the Kara angle to haul in first-timers. It was a “Hail Kara” pass to attend to what I felt were alarmingly sagging numbers.
As near as I could tell subsequently, it was a success in both regards. There was a lot of preliminary buzz, and many people were saying that they’d never read the title but were going to give it a look.
And then the solicits came in for #75, and I knew without question we were pretty much dead. Sales were up an anemic 2000 copies. Fan interest had not translated to retailer interest. Why should they? Knock the Marvel no-reorder policy as much as you want, but by this point, the retailers are trained. A Marvel title sells out, they’re screwed. A DC title sells out, they figure more copies are in the offing. The only deficiency in the reasoning comes when the initial low orders becomes a book’s death warrant.
Which is what happened here.
I’ve known for some months that “Supergirl” is going away. Frankly, I kept hoping for a last minute reprieve. Then the numbers came in on #76, showing an impressive lack of any confidence whatsoever as numbers went almost right back to pre-#75 levels, and that was that. Supposedly numbers are now climbing back up. Too little, too late.
Well, at least this incarnation of “Supergirl” was around longer than every other comic bearing that title combined. We did a lot of good work and I worked with some great people: Gary Frank, Leonard Kirk, Robin Riggs, Ed Benes, and long-suffering editor Mike McAvennie. And, of course, current editor Lysa Hawkins, who will be my editor on the new original series, “The Fallen Angel” (more about which later.)
And issue #80 goes out with a bang. Seems I’ve had a lot of experience writing last issues lately.
PAD
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I am disappointed to learn Supergirl has been cancelled. It was the only comic I liked because the main acharacters were very easy to follow. I liked the style. the storyline the colourista and the inklers. There was a more earthly appaeal in the mag. Other mags dealing with Super types have the imageries so dark or gruesome or grotesque. Supergirl had a more human quality about the main Character. SUPERGIRL. Yes SUPERGIRL IS SUPER. Let”s Keep Supergirl going.
Peter, I remeber the excitement of reading comics as a kid, and I wanted to pass that excitement on to my kids. However there were only a few titles that I found appropriate for them (most of the time), Young Justice, Supergirl, Superboy, Impulse among them. But one by one DC has canceled them.
Too many of the other titles have dark and mean spirited stories (even superman, now)
I sincerely do not believe that there are many left I will purchase for my kids. and I think it may be a good time for me to stop buying altogether. And that is the comic business’s biggest loss, because they are not creating a base of comic readers for the coming years.
PAD,
I’m very sorry to hear of the cancelation of Supergirl.
I ‘ve been for the ride since issue #1, and though I haven’t always loved the direction of the book, I stuck because you were the writer.
I am a big red S freak, and liked the way you incorperated “stuff” from the old mythos into the stories.
Maybe you can write a couple of specials , so we could all have some Supergirl to look forward to.
Meanwhile ,I’ll continue to look for books with your byline, and to read your weeekly column in CBG.
Best of luck to you!!!
Sir, I told you at DragonCon, that myself and all of my friends would buy Supergirl when Kara Zor-El returned. We have, and will continue to it’s conclusion. I have always been a fan of yours, ironically I love your Trek the most. Thank you for your work, and thank you for bringing back a character from my childhood that I have missed since Crisis. DC has alienated a whole group of fans who miss the real Superboy and Supergirl. Godspeed sir, Happy Hanukah, and here’s to another Calhoun comic or book.
i believe you didn’t give the two supergirls or, the next supergirl a chance. The word has not gone out.
70 comics the story line lasted. the fate of supergirl is decide on 3 comics limited issues of those comics, this is the end? I started reading comics with superman at age 11 i can remember tracking down superman comics every time my parents drove by a comics store, and i continue to collect picking up more issues and titles when they were avaiable.then a talented artist came around, then he decide to kill superman. after that advertising moment i gave up. i knew superman would come back. but i would not buy every comics from that moment. enough was enough supergirl die when i began and superman was near death at the end of my comic collecting entertainment. i didn’t like the waiting. the draging out of poor storylines killing time.i’m sure this killing time with storylines kills sales. then sales come back when every thing is great.two more collecters to look at superman or supergirl for 3 issues then decide it’s advertising a collecting money making moment. i suggest adding different views/what if give the heroes other villians you
would never expect them having without bringing in the hero whose normaly does the job for a cameo for lame advise in taking out that villian. so there’s my two cents. bring supergirl back fast (please) or you may lose interest.
art and time that’s where the money at.
dan showalter
The first issue of Supergirl I picked up was issue #26. I went home read it and with a week I went back and got the 25 I missed. This book is the only reason I go into that comic book store each week. I don’t think I can say how much I have loved reading about Linda. I was getting so excited with the recent issues beacuse it looked like there were some more great stories ahead that would bring us another 80 wonderful issues. Peter your stories were trully great. Reading about Linda’s quest from a troubled teenager to a strong confident human being and of Mae’s journey from being “nothing” to finding her “soul” have been an inspiration for me in the momments of my life when I have felt souless or not able to live up to the person I’m expected to be. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
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