Does The Comic World Really Want An Immature And Irresponsible Supergirl?

I have tried to remain optimistic or at least even-keeled about this DC Relaunch, specifically how it relates to Supergirl. But it is getting harder and harder to maintain that outlook. It is difficult when I read that the powers at DC seem to have no understanding of the character and are talking like they haven't read the book in the past couple of years.

The latest sound bite, and maybe the one that has put me over the edge was this one from the Manhattan DC Retail Roadshow. Here is Bleeding Cool's coverage:
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/06/27/the-end-of-writing-for-the-trade-%E2%80%93-dc-retail-roadshow-takes-manhattan/

Now there is a lot in that article where DC seems to be trying to alienate existing fans. In particular, it seems like every Batgirl fan has some legitimate gripe with the future. But here is the Supergirl blurb:

Supergirl- Another area of improvement DC is looking for is characters to sound true.  Supergirl, as she has been written, sometimes comes across as mature and responsible as a 40 year-old adult.  She shouldn’t.  She’s a teen who is still finding herself and her character should reflect that. 

So this initially struck me as utterly wrong and insulting to the writers who have written Supergirl so wonderfully since Supergirl #34. It makes it sound like she was some super-mature boring character.

But then I thought about it some more and frankly I think all this means is that Didio (or whoever is responsible for this blurb) has not read the book for the last two and a half years. Because yes, there were some times that Supergirl acted mature and responsible ... isn't that we want from our heroes? Isn't that true of all teens ... that SOMETIMES they are mature and responsible?  

The above statement sounds like the 'powers that be' think it is wrong that Supergirl sometimes acted mature and responsible ... sometimes. What does that mean? That they think Supergirl should never be mature and responsible?? 

Who would want to read a comic where the main character is immature and irresponsible all the time?

But most of all, it shows they either didn't read or had no respect for Sterling Gates' run and subsequently Peaty's and DeConnick's. Because, after all, she never acted like a teen discovering herself during their run ... (rolls eyes).

She was angry, even at those who she cared for. Sometimes she lost her temper and didn't do what was right. Like here punching Superman ...

Or snarking at Thara...

Or realizing that life isn't always rosy ...

Or angrily walking away from Thara again ...

Or punching out Dr. Light ...

Or taking off when her mother was yelling at her ...

Or confronting Lana about her illness ...

Or almost killing General Lane ...

And sometimes she was happy ...

Sometimes she was sad. She went through tremendous emotional trauma. Here she mourns Zor-El ...

And mourns Lana ...

And wishes her mother was dead ...

Sometimes she shirked her duties. 

And sometimes she was impulsive ...

And sometimes she pounded the snot out of people ... 

But always, always ...

And this is key ...

She came back to try and do what was right ... to keep moving along that hero's journey.

It did not take long to find all these examples. They remind me how lucky we have been these last couple of years.


What Supergirl am I going to get in September? 

Someone with no affection for humanity so 'don't piss her off'? Someone where that statement represents their perceived 'core' of the character? Someone that DC thinks needs to act less responsible? Is that who Supergirl is? 

Maybe Michael Green and Mike Johnson will be able to pull this off. Maybe their stories will be similar ... a young woman becoming a hero and making some mistakes along the way. Someone always striving to be a better person, a better hero.

But ...

But ...

But if she is always immature, irresponsible, irrational ... 

THAT ISN'T SUPERGIRL.