IF SUPERGIRL HAD CONTINUED

Posted By: Glenn HaumanPosted On:

People have been asking me what my plans were for SUPERGIRL had the series gone past issue #80. I’ll tell you, but am putting it in the “extended” section of this entry so as not to spoil the issue for anyone who hasn’t read it yet.

When I first embarked on the storyline, I was told by the powers-that-be that I could use Kara for six issues. That was it. Six issues, no more.

I hoped to change their minds. Because I was positive the addition of Kara would bring in readers in droves.

What I was hoping was that support and interest for the series would be so major, so undeniable, so impossible to ignore, that I could use it as ammo to convince the PTB to change their mind and allow me to keep the character around. If that had happened, my intention was to turn the book into, effectively, a team book. The “S” equivalent of “Birds of Prey.” Linda would have been Superwoman (for want of a better name), Kara would have been officially Supergirl, and I would have brought in Power Girl to boot. The tone of the book would have been straight up fun–three super blondes getting into adventures. In my truly demented best-case scenario, I would have subtitled the book “Blonde Justice.”

That was my “A” plan. Unfortunately, the lack of support up front torpedoed it. Had we seen the kind of support for issue #75 that we wound up getting with issue #80, and built from there, I might have been able to pull it off. As it was, I wasn’t.

The “B” plan was a continuing storyline with Linda about which I will not, at this time, go into detail, except to say that “Supergirl” fans should keep reading my DC work.

PAD

72 comments on “IF SUPERGIRL HAD CONTINUED”

  1. MWR said: “I wanted some finality for Linda.”

    But then PAD would have had to kill her. Only in death would there had been some idea of ‘finality’ for this character.

    “I wanted some happiness for a woman that has, for the most part, been light of heart and spirit.”

    Actually, that’s not true. Linda has HARDLY EVER been ‘light of heart and spirit’. She’s not Kara.

    Besides, who’s to say that Linda’s story is over yet? Hal Jordan’s still around, even though he’s no longer Green Lantern. 🙂

    KET

  2. I don’t see Linda losing any powers, either. Remember, she’s supposedly still developing in powers, according to Xenon. No telling what she’ll become in the future–but Xenon definitely remembers her as “Supergirl” so I doubt there’ll be a name change. (Maybe she’ll merge body and soul with CirEl and become an entirely new Supergirl, like a Krypton Angel? Naaaah, no one would buy that, would they.)

    Was nice to see the Supergirl from DC ONE MILLION show up again, too. 🙂

  3. C’mon. I’m not talking esoterically here. You know what I mean, at least I hope you do, about finality. I’m not talking death. Just something brighter for her, after all of her battles, than the hatred and despair the series ended with. I just thought that the issues dealt with here weren’t given enough time to breathe. It felt like a rushed conclusion. Not a satisfying end to a character I’ve read for 80 issues.

    I also know this is not Kara. Pretty easy to see. Not sure if you read in my post that I’ve been with the title since the beginning. That said, Linda (with PAD’s characteristic sense of humor) has been a character that fights darkness, both without and within, with a certain amount of levity. She’s not the Dark Knight of the Superman books. She’s been able, much like Peter Parker, to quip when things get down and rise above the horrible things that have happened in her past and all around her in her present. And no one would ever characterize Peter as being a “dark” character…the clone saga notwithstanding.

    Finally, for all intents and purposes, the story is done for me. It won’t be written by PAD. The vision and character he created in Linda is over. I’d venture to say that the Hal we see as the Specter isn’t the same Hal of Green Lantern fame…and I didn’t read THE SPECTER either because of that.

    So there you have it. The final issue still left me cold.

    MWR

    PS Thanks for the first issue cover reference Doug. I had forgotten. Been a long time since I looked through my long boxes. Still don’t agree with sending the letter to a friend rather than your family..especially if you’re going away for a loooooooong time and your baby brother had just been born….

  4. Peter, first thank you for your run on Supergirl, you took Byrne’s Kara lookalike protoplasmic blob and gave have her a soul. These past 6 issues have been the most fun I’ve had reading comics in years.

    Having said that I was disappointed in #80. Firstly because it seemed rushed (which was not YOUR fault I know). Secondly it was so darn downbeat. It was not “bittersweet” as you said but depressing. Even though my heart hoped Kara would “survive”, once I opened my copy directly to the end I saw that was not to be. Then my head hoped Linda would continue on as S-Girl but this too proved not to be case. So now we have no Supergirls except the mannish brunette Cir-El who just showed up. It’s so sad. I’m done for awhile with the S-Books.

    But I also must apologize to you because when I saw that Kara would go back to death (and foggy memories) I thought this had been your plan all along and were just toying with fans. As it turns out it was Levitz and DiDio who stuck it to Kara fans and you were more than willing to use her. I know I would’ve bought several copies of “Blonde Justice”!

    Sorry for the unpleasant thoughts Peter and thanks again. If the hints in #79 and #80 are anything to go by I look foward to seeing Linda in “Fallen Angel”.

  5. I have yet to get to issue #80. (Next week, when I’m near the comic store.)

    Anyway, I think MST3K had it right… every quest has a final adventure… every TV series gets cancelled. Comics are the same way.

    Am I MAD Supergirl is ending. Yes, it is hands down tied as my favorite comic that I’m reading. (Tied with the Foglio’s Girl Genius.) Will I purposely go out of my way not to read Cir-El? no. Why? PAD’s Supergirl and Kon’el Superboy runs (except Marz) were always a notch to higher than the other Superbooks. Why should that stop now.

    People are also complaining about half of YJ joining the Titans. That they keep saying changes will be drastic. That they won’t be funny. Then that ridiculous statement that most of YJ has no tie to the Titans. Look at the lineup we’ve been let in on: Robin- has only been funny under PADs keyboard and made one of HIS FIRST APPEARANCES in Wolfman’s Titans. Impulse becoming Kid Flash – about smegging time. Though it would be funny if he started calling himself that but everyone else kept calling him Impulse. He also served with the Titans for awhile. Superboy has no real tie to the Titans. Still, he is friends with Tim and Bart so I’d figure he’d stick around. I’m not sure if Cassie will be in Titans. If she IS then that really gives him reason to stay. Gar Logan- as much as I like Peter’s work, his take on Gar didn’t quite click with me. Gar is a very fun character. Was a Titan for a million years. Cyborg and Raven- Every team needs people who know what they’re doing. Also Titans from the stone age.

    Will Cir-El be like Linda or Kara? No, and I don’t expect her to be. Do I expect Titans to be like YJ? No. I won’t be upset if it is, but I for one LIKED the more serious Bart and Kon’el at least as much as their YJ appearance. I saw the realistic idea that when ALONE these people acted almost mature… it’s just the group mentality that screws them up.

    YJ and Supergirl were fun. Still, sometimes it is best to end things while the series is still good. That way looking back we have no bad memories of it. I mean look at Power Pack. Great series… but went on at least 20 issues to long. Look at X-Force. Issue #1 should have never got made.

  6. “Blonde Justice”? Oh yeah, I would’ve been onto that in seconds! Especially if they could all go undercover as supermodels and stuff like that(drool)!

    Just one thing though: I’d be happy if Power Girl were to grow her hair longer again, since she’s been wearing it shorter in the past few years. But aside from that, it’s a winner of a concept by me(drool)!

  8. hmmm…Linda quits the super-game and goes off to find herself…meanwhile, her connection and fall from the divine is pointed out, while it’s revealed that she has some hefty mystical potential to her…..

    meanwhile, PAD has a new series called Fallen Angel on the way about a girl with mystical stuff…

    so does 2+2=4?

  9. Great! Thanks alot Peter. Now I’ve got to dig up Supergirl 1,000,000.

    Sorry to see this series go. Like your Hulk finale, this one ended beautifully. Thanks for a great run and I’m looking forward to fallen angel.

  10. Peter,

    I just wanted to thank you and Ed Benes for a fantastic run. I really enjoyed the series. Best of luck with Fallen Angel and Captain Marvel.

  11. Thanks for the GREAT run. I was sad to see how much had to get crammed into the last issue, as I know what a great job you would’ve done if given the time to flesh everything out. Hopefully, when Linda finally reappears, she’ll adopt her traditional costume in honor of Kara (sorry, never liked the white 1/2-tee thing).

    One question: During her time on “Earth-1”, Linda aged about 8 years….did she revert in age at the end of the story? It seems that someone would’ve commented on that if she did suddenly look to be in her late 20s. Just wondering….

  12. Just finished SG #80, and i was truly moved. Been following it since it began. I remember being attracted by the unusual cover, and seeing the reference in the final panel made the whole thing into an epic sweep that made me realize what a little-noticed but significant part of my life SG has been.

    I love how you work serious themes into unserious genres without becoming pompous or annoying. Your perspectives on the meaning of suffering and responsibility have truly affected my life. I plan to jump right on “fallen angel”, and i also plan to read everything else you ever wrote for that perfect blend of entertainment, thoughtfulness, and humor.

    please continue to explore the themes you explored in this series. it meant a lot to me. thanks.

  14. Mr Peter David sir,

    I would just like to say, a big CONGRATULATIONS to you, on a job very well done with all of your 80 issues of Supergirl.

    I personally thought that #80 was a excellent read. And that also like some other posters have pointed out up here previously, that I too will be hoping to see Linda in the DCU again sometime soon.

    I also at the sametime can’t wait for when your new Fallen Angel comic hits my local comic store.

    Yours Sincerely,

    Anthony Arfuso

    A Amateur

  15. Peter,

    This became one of my favorite comics – I started with the Showcase story and purchased every single issue. I say “became”, as I had some minor trouble keeping at it at the start, because, even though there was resolution to a storyline for almost each issue, I had felt that I was reading a continuing story every issue due to the many cliffhangers (yeah, yeah – I know – all stories are continuing & we just drop in at any given point…).

    All of those feelings truly vanished, though, as the series progressed and I didn’t care how long the storylines were. I enjoyed all of the characters and pretty much any direction you took with them. It was obvious that you cared about these characters and the development of a cast and a “world” for Linda/Supergirl to operate in. I had a great time.

    I enjoyed the art in general and your humor, which was evident in each story and which I enjoy most about your work.

    Thank you for this wonderful, enjoyable set of stories. I will continue to re-read them in the coming years.

    Brian G. Philbin

  16. At least it ended on a high note.

    I’ve enjoyed these last five issues of Supergirl immensely, and I was REALLY hoping against hope that Kara would somehow stick around.

    If the powers that be at DC ever come to their senses, here’s a little thought: there IS a way to bring back Zor-El’s daughter.

    Remember the Time Trapper’s pocket universe? Rhetorical question, of course we all do, that’s where Matrix/Supergirl originally came from. The Trapper created his miniverse with only two inhabited planets: Earth, and Krypton. All the rest of the stars and galaxies were illusory backdrop.

    Okay, so Krypton–THAT Krypton–exploded long ago, and Earth was devastated by the Phantom Zone villains. And Superman executed them before he brought Matrix back to the “real” Earth. Which means that’s now a dead universe, with no living creatures remaining…right?

    Not quite. The Trapper obviously modeled his creation on the Silver Age reality. So that means…

    There’s almost certainly an Argo City there. With a few surviving Kryptonians.

    Too bad they’re all going to die any time now, when the meteor shower hits. And Zor-El can’t send his teenage daughter to Earth…it’s as barren as the Moon.

    But Zor-El’s probably smart enough to have figured out the true nature of the universe he lives in by now. And no doubt he’s been working on a warping device that would enable his experimental rocket to arrive on the “real” Earth…

    Sure, this isn’t exactly the SAME Kara that we’ve grown to know and love in the last five issues…but she’d be an exact duplicate, both physically and mentally. And without any “doomed to perish” destiny.

    Food for thought?

  17. I really wish such a plan could’ve been realized. It could’ve been a funny title too. The three girls could’ve even had Jesse Quick teaming up with them. And like Jesse, they’ve all got the ability to apply their makeup at top speed, tie up crooked men by running aroung them fast, and they could all go and look for some good boyfriends together and make a great sisterhood together.

    I really wish that could’ve been done.

  19. The “B” plan was a continuing storyline with Linda about which I will not, at this time, go into detail, except to say that “Supergirl” fans should keep reading my DC work.

    So, wait — are you implying that Lee really *is* Linda? ‘Cause that’s what it seems like to me.

    Ain’t that fascinating…

  21. 1 Hey Mr. DAvid..i have loved your Supergirl Series since it started and i am glad that Linda has finally returned via boom tube in Superman/Batman 24!..a question if you will…which issue is the one wher Supergir is talking to a kid..she says something like this
    Buzz is talking badly and Supergirl says to the girl
    “That wasn’t nice. Should i go and kick his butt?”
    The girl says “Yeah!..oh Guess what i’m Wearing my Supergril underwear today!”
    Supergirl smiles and says “me too.”

    i think that was great!..but can you help bre find which issue that was in?…plus i hear that Akiva Goldsman is coming out With a Supergirl movie this year..or next year..who’s your choice for the lead?

  22. I really do enjoy Supergirl Stories but not as much when in 1982 to 1985 she was admittedly docked from 25 to 19 just to keep her Supergirl of which was very male chauvanistic of them to do.I liked those Superwoman Stories as seen in Action #s 267,271,332,& 333 as well as Superman Family #200 in which in 1999 it started off Argo City last planetary chunk of Krypton from which before its civilization was fully destroyed by kryptonite Kara was sent to earth to assist her cousin first as Supergirl & then Earth’s first & only Superwoman.It was the most heart touching rendition of an introduction.I also understand that there was a plan for a Supergirl/Power Girl x-over in 1983 but it seemingly fell through but if you could scrounge it up somehow then that’ll be great. Truthfully Stephen “Steve” G. Baer a.k.a. “Ste” of Framingham,Ma.USA

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