A dozen years!
It is hard to think back that far but way back on April 29, 2008 I decided to run a Supergirl centric fan site.
I named it the rather tongue twisty 'Supergirl Comic Box Commentary' and set about promoting my favorite comic character during a time when I felt she was being overlooked or (even worse) misrepresented and underutilized.
This was a time when an angry, surly, barely dressed Supergirl was trying her best to save a boy named Thomas. She had just been through relatively horrid stories where she went evil, smoked, dated a way older guy, got into an abusive relationship, was revealed to have shot up a Krypton high school with Zor-El, and then was on a mission to try and kill Superman.
She needed someone to point out the good things about her and I was up for the challenge.
In these 12 years I have had a lot to cheer for. Her character has had some amazing arcs, was a prominent player in the DCU, and has even had mainstream visibility with a hit TV show. And this site is here to cheer and promote those moments.
In these 12 years I have had a lot to moan about. She has gone evil too many times to count. She has had creators attached to her comic who don't seem to like her. And I am here to point out my difficulties with those stories.
So what about the last 12 months?
Well, Brian Michael Bendis has really included Supergirl in the super-family. She has been a very important part in some of the bigger arcs on his super-books.
And for that I am appreciative.
But in her own book, Rogol Zaar's axe had her become fueled by rage (again!) and almost killed someone if Krypto hadn't stepped in.
A rage-y murderous Kara?
No thanks.
And then the Batman Who Laughs had her become fueled with rage and almost kill someone if Krypto hadn't stepped in.
These books are a handful of months apart!!!
And then, sadly her book got cancelled.
So 2020 hasn't really been the best year for Supergirl.
All the more reason for me to continue this site.
Now things might be different here for a bit. There'll be no solo title on the shelves for me to review. That might not be a lot of new Supergirl material for me to cover.
But I believe ... I have to ... that this upcoming year will be a great one for Kara.
So thanks again for all the folks who come here and interact and help me celebrate this character. Thanks to everyone who follows along on Twitter and retweets so the news can spread. Thanks to all the creators who touch base with me now and then. You all are the reason I keep getting up and posting.
Let's hope that my 13th anniversary has Supergirl in a better place in the DCU!
17 comments:
Happy Birthday, and thanks once more for keeping that Kara flag
flying! Yep, it's been a bumpy ride.
One ray of hope is the possibility of Kara getting a spot in DC's new
daily Digital First rollout - this is just a hunch, but Graeme
McMillan of the Hollywood Reporter and the Wait! What? podcast, says
DC will shortly be adding new material to supplement the DC Giant
stuff, so why wouldn't Kara be in there? Certainly they'll use the
stuff from the Giant she had with Batgirl, but after that? We should
be tweeting nicely to DC editor Marie Javins, who handles most of this
stuff.
And of course, there's my ongoing hope that Brian Bendis is taking
Supergirl to Wonder Comics... he never comments on the idea when I
tweet him (I do TRY not to be irritating!) which I take as hopeful.
Hello from a french fan of supergirl,
Happy birthday and thanks you for your blog and your love for Kara Zor-El.
Can we hope a return of Streaky in comic, too ?
Happy Anniversary! I’m also hoping this year will be a great one for Kara, despite the current disruptions. It’s wonderful that she has someone to carry her banner with such enthusiasm.
Happy 12th anniversary. Thanks for providing a place on the net where Supergirl fans can come and share their love for a unique character. I agree with you about the current direction of the comic. However, the tv show has mostly resolved chronic flaws and hit its stride with a vengeance since the brilliant Jon Cryer came on board as a definitive live action Lex Luthor.
I am hoping that the cancellation is just DC getting her back on track again. As you mention her title went off track when she got the axe.
She needs a writer now who loves the character for who she is. DC are giving her writers who seem to think that Kara needs to be something else than Kara. DC needs to stop writers who are pitching "It's like Supergirl but..." and then turning her into something else. Just let Kara be Kara for at least 3 years and let her have an identity that isn't a schizophrenic mix of the writers whims.
I hope that Bendis heard the call of the community to give her to Sterling. Sterling truly cares for the character. He understands her. He loves the character for who she is.
DC needs strong women. DC needs a good role model. DC needs Supergirl. Not a juggalo, not a berserker, not a girl abused by her boyfriend, not a Darkseid slave, not a cousin murderer. They need the smart, strong, caring girl who lost her world and gave hope and love to her new one.
Anj, congrats on the 12-Years and thank you for keeping up the good fight for Kara!
Anj,
Congrats on twelve great years!
Thank you for carrying the Supergirl torch for so many fans.
And speaking of fans, you will always have a fan in me. And not only for your outstanding blogging, but also for the amazing work you do as a doctor.
Hope you're staying safe and healthy,
- Sterling
PS: If anybody talks to Bendis about Supergirl, put in a good word for me. :)
And
Happy Birthday to the BEST Supergirl Site on the Internet, and its all thanks to your wit, determination & Happy Talent for Composition...
I am heartened by your determination to soldier on, yes this is a challenging time, but in life and in comic books "Obstacles Amplify Glory".
:)
"ALL POWER TO THE KARA SOVIETS"
"NO SUPERMAN WITHOUT SUPERGIRL"
"MIDVALE UBER ALLES!"
:)
JF
I think my favorite Supergirl run is by Sterling Gates (Bizarro-Girl, Who is Superwoman?, etc.). I also liked the first seven issues of Peter David's Supergirl title but it got a bit too weird (angel with flaming wings?). I wasn't a fan of the New 52 title but I did enjoy Steve Orlando's Supergirl run during Rebirth. The TV show is hit or miss for me, but I'm glad it exists. Melissa Benoist has been great in the role.
Congrats on running the Supergirl Comic Box Commentary blog for 12 years (I don't think I've ever done anything for 12 years)! Here's hoping Supergirl has a bigger (and better) role to play in the DC Universe in 2021.
Congrats, my friend! :)
Congratulations on 12 years of Supergirl Comic Box Commentary! Appreciate what you're doing here day after day, year after year.
And here's hoping DC will wake up someday and realize the potential this character has.
Congratulations!
I've learned SO MUCH thanks to your site. I hope you may keep up the good work.
DC/WB has abused, mistreated and ignored Kara for a long while, but let's find solace in the fact that they tried to bury her for eighteen years, and they failed. And that was before she got her own show.
Congratulations, Anj! Yours is the first blog I check, and one of the few I read regularly. It's a tremendous resource for finding smart reviews, insights and discussions about more than the last 12 years of Supergirl (and comic book) history.
So many people abandon projects - some have come and and then gone during the last 12 years - but you've been a constant, a reliable voice all these years. Thanks for maintaining this through all the ups and downs and challenges life brings.
Best to you --
T.N.
Thanks for all the well wishes!
I'll hope to keep going strong!!
Belated congratulations on your 12th anniversary!
There is currently a feature on the DC Comics website about the Supergirl TV series under the headline "The Melissa Benoist-led series makes a case for inclusivity, strength and above all else, hope." If only the comics could do the same!
Congratulations on a dozen years! I hope this year will be better for Kara, too. The TV show is so much fun -- you'd think DC would learn a lesson or two from that.
I'm a little late but congrats on 12 years blogging about Supergirl !!!
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