She was only 15 when she first came to Earth, fleeing the destruction of her world's last refuge. Following in the footsteps of her legendary cousin, the Kryptonian teenager named Kara Zor-El joined Superman's neverending battle for truth and justice as his partner in crime-fighting--Supergirl!
Disguised as the brilliant brown-haired college student Linda Danvers, Supergirl sets out from the safety of Metropolis to see her adopted country for herself. From the streets of Chicago to the hills of San Francisco, she encounters loyal new friends and powerful new foes, astounding new discoveries and terrifying new dangers. Can she stand on her own outside of Superman's shadow? Looks like a job for... Supergirl!
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Next: A “parallel story”, whatever that means!
Apparently this story runs "parallel" to Action Comics #555. I suppose, if someone were predisposed to do so, he or she could follow the time stamps that run through the story in order to experience both parts in chonological order. It's not really necessary, though; this story makes sense (as much as it's going to) on its own, and the Superman part is not included in the collection. The time stamps are slightly problematical, though. At 9:05, Joan warns that, if they don't leave soon, she and Linda are going to be "marked absent" for their classes. First of all, I've never heard of a college class that took attendance, but second, at 9:33 they are not in class; 9:47, not in class (at least Linda's not); 9:52, not in class. By 10:00am Linda had been caprtured by the Parasite (or his clone), so presumably she had a 10:00am class, but 9:05 left them plenty of time to arrive on time.
The art is also off this issue. On page one, panel 4, it looks as if Parasite is touching a toy plane; on [page 10, panel one, Infantino draws the key to the fortress as if it were a puzzle piece, the he doesn't even draw the "hole" to match; I'll allow "artistic license" to account for page 14, panel one (in which Suupergirl is being swung around by her cape), but the worst wxample is the splasah page in which the perspective is all wrong.
Parasite reveals that he knows her and Superman’s secret identities.
He seems to "reveal" more than that on page 12, panel 6 (looks like he's flashing her).
She escapes using her comb, somehow...
Yeah, I didn't quite get that, either.
Supergirl goes to Midvale, where Superman shows her a statue celebrating her arrival on Earth.
In "real time" this is Supergirl's 25th anniversary; the "comic book time" component is a bit "iffy." It's been well-established that she arrived on Earth when she was 15 years old, and now she's a freshman in college, her time at Stanhope College now apparently out of continuity.
The statue (made on Nth metal, so it floats) is of odd design, i.e., her current costume. I think the statue should depict the costume she wore when she actually lived there. And doesn't the stature draw attention to her secret identity (or at least helps to narrow it down)?
The League and the Titans are there, as well.
I call "shenannigans" on the cover. "A Galaxy of Guest Stars!" indeed. A "galaxy of cameo appearances," more like, as most of the characters Bob mentioned above appear in the background of a double-page spread. Cyborg, Changling and Hawkman each appear in one additional panel and each is give one line of dialogue.
This issue had some flaws to it.
Supergirl #20 is called a "parallel adventure" because it happens concurrently with Action Comics #555 and shares a few scenes with that issue.
#21 will also connect to a Superman story of the same time period, but by following directly from the Superman story instead of happening at the same time. Yes, Superman will guest star twice in a row.
Jeff said this about Dr Metzner:
I wonder if his visual appearance might not be based on John Ostrander. There's one character named for him, but from photos I've seen of the real John Ostrander later in life, he might well have looked like this in the '80s.
Here's a picture from later in hs life, like Jeff said. I tend to agree.
Supergirl #21: (July 1984) “Curse of the Kryptonite-Man!”
Written by Paul Kupperberg
Drawn by Eduardo Barreto
1)I like Barreto’s art better than Infantino’s.
2)Supergirl is stopping some crooks when she sees some alien spacecraft, that shoot at her. Meanwhile, in Metropolis, Superman is battling the Kryptonite Man, who is apparently from some pre-human race from Krypton. (They’re almost like Krypton’s version of the Silurians from Doctor Who. Another bit of the Superman mythos thar I’d never heard about.) As Supergirl arrives in Metropolis, the aliens attack KM. The aliens are called “Seeders”, and their leader has a mad on for KM. There follows a lengthy three-way battle between the Kryptonians, Seeders and KM. It ends with the mutual destruction of KM and the Seeders.
Overall: Another OK story. Was there another Kryptonite Man? This one looks different than the one I remember. No subplots in this one at all.
Next: “I Have seen the Future…and It Is Me!”
I like Barreto’s art better than Infantino’s.
We'll chalk that up to "horseraces." I missed Infantino's distinctive look. With Infantino, I have observed that people either love him or hate him, but I myself have always approached Barreto's work with indifference. If I ever read through this series again, I will skip over #21, which is essentially one big fight scene.
No subplots in this one at all.
Another reason to skip this issue (although it is written by Kupperberg).
Yes, there was another Kryptonite Man in the Bronze Age, although most of his apparitions were as Kryptonite Kid (an enemy of Superboy). He is visually distinguishable for wearing a pink skullcap and slim sleeveless shirt both as Kid and Man.
He turned up as an adult in Superman #299, as well as in Alan Moore's farewell duo of tales for what was then Earth-One Superman in 1986 (Superman #423 and Action Comics #583).
This Kryptonite Man has different powers, appearance and origin. He only turned up in Superman #397 and in this issue of Supergirl, unless you consider a very minor cameo in late 2020's "Dark Nights: Dark Metal".
Cool, thanks.
The Baron said:
Supergirl #21: (July 1984)
“Curse of the Kryptonite-Man!”
Meanwhile, in Metropolis, Superman is battling the Kryptonite Man, who is apparently from some pre-human race from Krypton. (They’re almost like Krypton’s version of the Silurians from Doctor Who. Another bit of the Superman mythos thar I’d never heard about.)
Pretty sure that they just came up with it.
Jeff of Earth-J said:
If I ever read through this series again, I will skip over #21, which is essentially one big fight scene.
No subplots in this one at all.
Another reason to skip this issue (although it is written by Kupperberg).
Big fight scenes with nothing else do nothing for me.
Supergirl #22: (August 1984) “I Have Seen the Future…And It Is Me!”
Written by Paul Kupperberg
Drawn by Carmine Infantino
1)Supergirl has a busy night in which she helps repair a generator, rescues two women from an elevator and saves a plane from a crash. Then she goes home to see Streaky and go to bed, It is established that she doesn’t need sleep physically, she just likes it. As I recall, there’s psychological reasons to sleep as well as physical ones.
2)Elsewhere, Metzner’s been having trouble sleeping because he’s been hypnopediatizing himself or something.
3)Linda is awoken by a call from Phil that turns into an argument that ends with her smashing her phone. I bet she goes through a lot of phones. Phil better watch out, or this I going to turn into My Super Ex-Girlfriend twenty-two years early.
3)At lunch, Linda spaces out while Metzner whines at her about his problems and then leaves. Phil turns up and they fight and Linda essentially dumps him.
4)Metzner takes a cab and then turns into a mutant from a 50’s World War Three movie, wearing what looks like a Yellowjacket costume adapted to do porn. Seriously, the major problem with this book is the unimaginative design of the heels. Anyway, the Future (as I guess he is called) has vast psychic powers. He wreaks a little havoc but doesn’t hurt anyone.
5)Linda – who is dressed as a postal worker/drum majorette/40’s Red Army colonel - runs into Joanie and is rude to her. Linda’s heard an explosion and races to the scene as Supergirl, where the Future sets her on fire!
Overall: another OK story with yet another lame villain design.
Next: “The Future Begins Today!”
The Baron said:
Supergirl #22: (August 1984)
“I Have Seen the Future…And It Is Me!”
Supergirl has a busy night in which she helps repair a generator, rescues two women from an elevator and saves a plane from a crash. Then she goes home to see Streaky and go to bed, It is established that she doesn’t need sleep physically, she just likes it. As I recall, there’s psychological reasons to sleep as well as physical ones.
A much better story than last issue. It was fun watching her deal with these problems.
Linda is awoken by a call from Phil that turns into an argument that ends with her smashing her phone. I bet she goes through a lot of phones.
Not only didn’t we have cell phones back then, but just a few years earlier I had to rent my boring black rotary phone every month from Ma Bell. It was hard-wired into the wall. No phones at all were for sale. Linda’s lucky that she’s in 1984 and not 1981 or she’d have to explain that smashed phone.
Phil better watch out, or this I going to turn into My Super Ex-Girlfriend twenty-two years early.
A fun movie
At lunch, Linda spaces out while Metzner whines at her about his problems and then leaves. Phil turns up and they fight and Linda essentially dumps him.
She questions him about his lies. He questions her being out late at night, which she can’t explain.
Metzner takes a cab and then turns into a mutant from a 50’s World War Three movie……
Moving into the final issue.
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