Supergirl Show: Masked Supergirl Theories

One of the biggest mysteries from the Supergirl Season 4 trailer was the appearance of an armored woman in S-shield armor.

Is it Supergirl?
Why is she wearing armor?
Is this protecting her from something?
If it isn't Supergirl, who is this woman?
Is she a hero? Or a villain?
Is someone co-opting the S-shield for their own purposes? Is this Angel Parker-Jones' character Colonel Haley working for Agent Liberty?

There is nothing quite like a mystery to stoke the fires of anticipation!

Now on line we have seen the outfit in the day. It's brighter than I thought!

So who is this? Or why is Supergirl wearing this?

Here are my early thoughts!

SDCC Femme Fatale Exclusive Statue

Every so often I get lucky.

Last year I saw the SDCC Exclusive DC Comics Femme Fatales JLU Supergirl statue. And I wanted it.

But SDCC is a pipe dream for me. I'll never get there. So I thought I'd never get my hands on this piece of Supergirl swag.

Somehow, recently, my comic book store got hold of one. They said that when the SDCC exclusives don't sell out that they are solicited to stores. Knowing Supergirl is my favorite character, they gave me first crack at buying the statue and even allowed me to pay off a bit at a time. Pretty cool of them.

The whole package is slick. The black box pops, showcasing the bright statue on the inside.

DC Animated Supergirl Bust

I have been floored with the amount of Supergirl merchandise which has been hitting the market lately. Certainly the popularity of the show has thrust the character into the spotlight a bit. But from action figures to statues to plush toys, she is everywhere.

And I thought I was on top of it.

Somehow a Diamond Select Supergirl:Superman The Animated Series resin bust slipped through the radar. So I was surprised to head into my comic store and see this beauty on the shelf. I couldn't resist.

I have always been a fan of the Timm-verse Supergirl and this statue captures her spirit nicely. The clenched fist and hand on hip shows how she was sort of sassy, impetuous young hero in the shows. Her expression is a bit serious but the body language is nice.

The pedestal is also nice, a sort of art deco building cap which also works nicely.

For this version of the character I don't mind the short cape. There is some energy to this with the cape blowing to the side.

And I love the hair pulled back in the black headband.

I have always wondered if somehow Bruce Timm 'Jedi mind tricked' me into liking this incarnation even more by giving her classic Gwen Stacy hair.

There isn't anything special about the box although the yellow dots are a little suggestive of classic Who's Who pages.

The back has the origin of the animated Supergirl.

Remember this was Kara In-Ze from the planet Argo.

Another addition to the collection. An unanticipated one!

New Supergirl Swag

I am always on the lookout for new Supergirl merchandise to add to my collection. IGN released information about this statue, a product of Diamond Select Toys. Here is the article: http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/02/12/first-look-at-diamond-select-toys-supergirl-statue

And the official Diamond Select Toys information:
A Diamond Select Toys release! DST is finally entering the world of the DC Animated Universe! Their first release takes them all the way to Metropolis, the home of Superman: The Animated Series – and the adopted home of Superman’s “cousin” from Argo, Supergirl! Supergirl rests atop a rocky outcropping, ready to hurl herself at the next foe to threaten her favorite city. Measuring approximately 9 inches tall atop her sculpted base, Supergirl comes packed in a full-color window box, and is in scale with other Femme Fatales PVC statues. Sculpted by Steve Varner Studios.

It has been a while since a 'white shirt' Supergirl has had merchandise. And this one is beautiful, smiling and ready for action.  And it is pretty affordable at only $45. Time to start saving up.

But that's not all!

Comic Vine posted an article about new DC collectibles that will be released. Here is that link
http://www.comicvine.com/articles/new-dc-collectibles-revealed/1100-151301/ 

And one of the things release is a plush Streaky!

I can't tell if there is a lightning bolt on the side. And this seems more based on Tiny Titans than 'classic' Streaky.

But still!

Streaky!!

I really think I need to sit back and marvel at just how much Supergirl has become a vital part of the DCU. She's everywhere ... sort of.

Poll Results: Which Is Your Favorite Non-Comic Interpretation Of Supergirl

In the wake of the Supergirl television show announcement, I thought I would look back at the other non-comic incarnations of the character. And as I like to get a feel for the Supergirl fandom, I thought I would open it up as a poll to the blog's audience.

It turns out that, for the most part, Supergirl has been treated very well in live action and animated features. There is something commendable in almost every interpretation. And as a result, this poll (my most popular on the blog) was a close race. 
 
Do you like the grace, optimism, and innocence of Helen Slater in the Supergirl movie?
The complete hero's journey we see over the years of animated series in the Timm-Verse?
The fierce nature and proactive stance of Laura Vandervoort in Smallville?
The need to protect and mete out justice as portrayed by Molly Quinn in Unbound?

If anything, looking at these versions, it shows me just how complex Supergirl is as a character. That may be why DC struggles and only the finest creators can grasp her. Supergirl can be graceful and optimistic. And she can be fierce and protective. And she can be on the hero's journey. It might be tough to merge all those aspects ... but it isn't impossible. Look at Paul Kupperberg and Peter David and Sterling Gates stories and you'll see.

96 of you voted and I thank you all. As I always say, this isn't a statistically significant number of voters ... but it is a damn good focus group!

The poll was open for a week. The Timm-verse Supergirl jumped out to a quick lead with Helen Slater pushing her for a bit. But as the week closed, the animated features rocketed forward especially the Unbound movie.

The poll closed and the Timm-Verse Supergirl remained on top. But looking at the percentages, things were close and all the versions had their proponents.

I am not surprised by the Timm win. Given the luxury of time, we actually see the whole spectrum of Supergirl in this universe.

In the beginning on Superman:The Animated Series, Kara is an eager young hero hoping to reach past the borders of the Kent farm. This feels like the Silver Age Supergirl trying to get out of the orphanage and into heroing.

Then in the early Justice League Unlimited episodes, she is more established but fierce and proactive. She will jump into the fray earlier than Superman, often to try to bring about justice more quickly. The episode where she flies to meet the returning Amazo in the upper atmosphere shows exactly who she is. While everyone else waits for Amazo to come to Earth, she decides to be proactive and bring the fight to the android. Perfect.

And then, in the later episodes, we see the completion of this Kara's hero's journey. She is mature enough to be her own hero. She isn't stuck in Superman's shadow. She is her own person. And she chooses her own destiny, joining the Legion in the future.

If I ranked them ... the Anj list ... it would go like this.

1) Timm verse
2a) Supergirl the Movie - Helen Slater
2b) Smallville - Laura Vandervoort
3) Unbound - Molly Quinn
4) Apocalypse

Thanks again for everyone who voted.

And soooooo sorry that I left off Lauren Faust's Super Best Friends Forever!

Poll: Favorite Film/TV Interpretation of Supergirl

With the recent announcement of a Supergirl television show we are all wondering exactly what sort of Supergirl we'll see on the new Greg Berlanti/Ali Adler show. The initial blurb says she will become the hero she was meant to be which leads me to think she won't be the angry isolated New 52 version.

Thinking about the new show reminded me that Supergirl has had a handful of other incarnations on the big and small screens. So I figured we could look back at those other versions of Kara, many of them from the recent past. And, to add to the fun, I thought you could vote on which 'outside of comics' Supergirl interpretation is your favorite.

Let's start at the beginning!

1) Supergirl movie starring Helen Slater - I think the Supergirl movie has a special place in the hearts of all Supergirl fans. It is completely campy. The plot makes little sense. The villain feels like she would fit right in on the old Batman television show, crazy with a headquarters at an abandoned carnival.

But the movie is saved by Helen Slater. She just embodies the optimism and grace and determination of Supergirl. She really is Supergirl here. This is the first appearance of the 'Matrix' style costume. And it includes Linda Lee, Midvale High, and a rubbish boyfriend.

Can Slater's performance trump the sheer lunacy of the movie to have this be your favorite Supergirl outside of comics?

2) Timmverse Supergirl - I have to believe that DC Animated Producer Bruce Timm is a Supergirl fan. He made sure to introduce Supergirl in both Superman the Animated Series and the subsequent Justice League Unlimited. This was Kara In-Ze, from the planet Argo, a planet in Krypton's solar system.

And Timm really had this Kara grow over the course of these series. The early episodes of S:TAS show a young, eager, almost impetuous young girl desperately trying to help. We see her befriend Batgirl in a famous Batman:The Animated Series episode. And then in JLU, we see something of an older and wiser Kara. Initially she is still a bit of a hothead. But over the series, we see her mature. We see her confront some demons when she battles Galatea. We see her acting like the veteran compared to Stargirl. And ultimately, she completes the hero's journey, joining the Legion in the future. If people want to see an arc of a character, this is where to go. 

As Timm said (somewhere) and I am paraphrasing "I don't care what people say, Supergirl kicked ass."

I am very partial to this incarnation of Supergirl.

3) Smallville - I have issues with how Clark was portrayed in the Smallville show feeling that he moped and sulked around before finally ... FINALLY ... being a hero!

But I have very few issues about how Supergirl was portrayed on the show. And much of that strength is thanks to Laura Vandervoort. She made Supergirl a strong, proactive, and heroic character. She was the perfect foil to Clark. While he was running around as a blur, she was in your face in her costume.

Unfortunately, Clark was the star. So as a result, this Supergirl had to lose her memory, hang out with Lex, and eventually leave the present time, heading into the future to join the Legion so that Clark would be 'free' to achieve his destiny.

Still, when she was active ... she was fantastic. And I liked the variable 'costumes' she wore. If any one of these non-comic interpretations show that a Supergirl show would work, it is Smallville and Vandervoort's performance

4) Superman/Batman:Apocalypse -This movie made by DC Animation is basically a retelling of the Jeph Loeb/Michael Turner comic arc which reintroduced the Kara Zor-El Supergirl to the DCU.

Visually, this is a great movie. I love the way this Supergirl looks, with wisps of blonde hair and (occasionally) a big smile. She is voiced by Summer Glau who does a great job getting across the young hero. And Glau gives the movie some street cred.

That said, this is the story where she is brainwashed by Darkseid and becomes a dirty girl for a short period of time. She does get in a decent fight with Darkseid at the end. And the movie does smooth out some of the rougher spots of the Loeb plot.

Superman Unbound - This was a movie based on Geoff Johns' Brainiac storyline. There is a lot to like about this version of Supergirl as well. She is a bit scarred by the Brainiac attacks on Krypton. But she channels that into a desire for justice. She is more proactive that the Smallville Kara. She ends up saving the world by stopping Brainiac solar missile. And the performance by Molly Quinn is fantastic.

I also think the overall look of Supergirl in this movie is slick as well.

Okay, those are the other non-comic versions of Supergirl. So let me know which one you like best. And vote on the poll over on the right.

Superman 75 Years Of History Film By Zack Snyder and Bruce Timm

From the beginning talks about Superman's 75th anniversary to the details of what would be on the Man of Steel Blu-Ray collection, there were rumors of a collaborative animated short conceived by Bruce Timm and Zack Snyder. The film was supposed to highlight Superman throughout the years with an eye towards his many incarnations.

Well, turns out the rumors were true!

 The short was shown at the NYCC Superman 75th panel, then embedded in an Entertainment Weekly on-line article and finally showed up on YouTube. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouzoJZvDfbY

Now I didn't envy this task when I first heard about it. We knew early on this thing was going to be, at most, a couple of minutes long. How do you cover 75 years of Superman history in 2 minutes? Some things are going to be left out. And how do keep all the fans happy?

I have mixed feelings about the final production and some of those are based on what must have been tough decisions.

There is one 'blink and you'll miss it' Supergirl moment, 49 seconds in, lasting about 1 second. It is squarely in the Silver Age section. Funny the skirt is red there, not actually accurate, but the look I prefer. Also ... Streaky!!

But I really thought there would be a Crisis #7 cover bit, as that is such a defining moment the industry and Superman. I was also worried there might be no Supergirl at all! So I suppose I should be happy with 1 second.

There is a lot of great stuff in the piece from a Fleisher Studio bit to a boxing match montage from Superman vs Muhammed Ali.

But there are some Superman elements woefully underused.

Lois is in the piece for about 1 second as well and in the Animated Series section. One second of Lois?

Luthor isn't seen at all (maybe we see his back if he is the bald guy getting punched through a brick wall). No Luthor??

Plus no Legion! Or Lois and Clark! Or really Smallville (although written on a water tower).

And maybe we see just a little bit too much of the New 52 Superman slugging it out with Darkseid and the Man of Steel Superman as well. There are 4 seconds each of those versions - the former being around for only 2 years, the latter for 4 months!

 I know .... I know ... if you included everything it would be really long. But couldn't it be 3 minutes? And does Superman Red/Blue deserve as much time as Lois??

I mean ... 1 second of Lois???

What did you guys think?

Superman: The Stolen Powers

I am always thrilled when I see Supergirl popping up in places that I wouldn't expect or aren't aware of. And so I was pretty thrilled to come across this early reader 'chapter book' based on Superman the Animated series and starring Supergirl.

'The Stolen Superpowers' was written by Martin Powell with art by comic veteran Rick Burchett and Lee Loughridge. The book riffs on the Bruce Timm Superman, right down to the look of the main villain The Parasite.

Unlike the S:TAS Supergirl, the Supergirl in this story seems very young, trying to do what's right but making some pretty basic rookie mistakes. I might grouse at such things usually but I think it works well here. The audience here is going to be a very young one and those readers will identify with another 'kid' trying to do what's right, trying to make their family proud, and needing to learn some lessons. It is clear this Kara's heart is in the right place even if she needs some saving.

Supergirl initially tries to help Superman save a city from a raging chemical factory fire. She uses her super-breath, unfortunately spreading the flames and Superman has to save the day. It is reminiscent of more classic Silver Age stories, including the lecturing Superman gives her. He is actually pretty understanding, grateful she tried to help but asking her to think a bit more when using her powers.

Ironically, though she almost made things worse, the town wants to recognize Supergirl as the queen of the town parade and who wouldn't want to do that.

The fire also weakened the power grid on Stryker's Island prison and the Parasite escaped. Meanwhile, Lois and Clark also arrive in the town to interview Supergirl. All the characters converge and the Parasite ends up draining Supergirl of her powers.

Superman and the Parasite end up brawling across the Earth and up to the Arctic and into the Fortress of Solitude when Supergirl shows up, re-powered. With Superman already in the Parasite's clutches, she flies up and grabs him as well. The power of the two kryptonians overload the Parasite who ends up passing out.

And the two cousins share a nice sentiment:

"That's the only way we could have defeated that monster," Supergirl pointed out. "Because we are family."
"The cousins from Krypton were just too much for him."

Despite her earlier mistakes, Superman invites Supergirl to join him in saving a threatened ocean liner. He doesn't ostracize her for trying. He embraces her.

Sort of sweet, no?

I like the 'can do' attitude of this Kara who desperately wants to help. And I like that Superman is understanding of her early trials and willing to help.

I also liked this sort of variant Animated Supergirl costume on this Kara. A full white shirt and blue shorts. It is a very nice look. I don't think I have seen it elsewhere.

Like many kids books, there is a question page at the end, presumably to stir the conversation between parent/teacher and child as well as to makes sure everything was comprehended.

Personally I like #2 and #3 of the writing prompts. Imagine asking the reader to write a Supergirl story, not a Superman one? Nifty.

Adventures Of Superman Digital Comic

Most of the news that came out of the DC offices last week was unsettling. The list of canceled and changed titles gave the appearance of more instability than ever in a place that has never seemed to be on solid ground since the reboot.

But one bit of news brought a smile to my face. DC is creating an 'out of continuity' digital comic called Adventures of Superman. Here is the officical link from IGN:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/06/introducing-the-all-new-adventures-of-superman

And here is a blurb:

Debuting on April 29, the first digital chapter of Adventures of Superman will feature a story by  Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston with art by the wonderful Chris Sprouse and Karl Story on inks -- a team that will continue onto the second chapter a week later. The third chapter will be by Jeff Parker and Chris Samnee; this one tells the tale of Superman's first encounter with the menace of arch enemy Lex Luthor.

At first I thought I might need to break down and actually download this thing, but it turns out DC will put them in print form eventually, probably in the vein of Smallville. So, hurray for me and my old-fashioned floppy ways.

But the reason why this made me smile is that this is out of continuity (so no mandatory  New 52 nonsense). And there is an incredible list of tremendous creators linked to this. Above, see Chris Samnee's cover to the first print issue. I have loved Samnee's work on Daredevil and Rocketeer. And Chris Sprouse and Karl Story. And Bruce Timm. And Marcus To. And Michael Avon Oeming. And Jeff Lemire. And more! Unbelievable!

And look ... red tights!

Can't wait for this! 

Batgirl Adventures #1

One of my goals whenever I head to a comic book convention is to come home with goodies for the supergirls at home. And luckily at ComiCONN, I came across a dealer that had a pretty big chunk of some recent Johnny DC books (and by recent I mean the past 15 yrs or so). While these books usually are in rough condition in the 50cent box, this dealer had them bagged and boarded. In some ways it was good since I could easily thumb and find as many DC books that would interest the girls. In other ways it was bad because the dealer called them 'rare' kids' books and was charging $2 a pop. Still, it is my prerogative to spoil my kids with comics, so they got a nice set of Batgirl related Batman books as well as a bunch of Adventures in the DC Universe.

One of the issues that struck me as a find was this Batgirl Adventures one-shot by Paul Dini and Rick Burchett with this great Bruce Timm cover (more on that later).

Anyways, in the issue, Batgirl has to help Harley Quinn rescue Poison Ivy who has been kidnapped.

So why talk about it here? Well this interaction between Harley and Batgirl is too fantastic and therefore must be shared, playing off the mostly assumed romantic relationship between Harley and Ivy.

Harley moons over Ivy a bit, saying that Ivy gave her a shot so she can't be poisoned whenever they 'play'.

Batgirl sort of pushes Harley a bit about their relationship implying they may be more than friends.

Ivy responds with 'Like what everyone says about you and Supergirl?'

I thought Babs response was funny. I guess she hadn't heard those rumors before.

The rest of the issue is just as fun.

Back to that Bruce Timm cover. The composition of the cover was used by Timm later that year when Superman Adventures #21 became Supergirl Adventures for an issue. It is a perfect complement to the Batgirl cover, showing the similarities of the heroes but highlighting the different approaches. So sun instead of moon, futuristic cityscape as opposed to more classic buildings.

I love that both heroes are smiling brightly, happy to be adventuring.

Look at them side-by-side. You would think that DC would have made mini-statues or bookends or something collectible of these.

Animated Anthem Day - Fan Made Supergirl:The Animated Series Opening

I am always thrilled to include Supergirl Comic Box Commentary in comic blog crossovers. So when Frank Delano, mastermind behind the great Martian Manhunter blog Idol-Head of Diabolu, suggested a massive crossover of animated themes for DC characters, I had to hop on board.

Now Supergirl has never had her own show but played a pretty hefty role in both Superman:The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited. Heck, a major long-running plotline in JLU revolved around Supergirl and her doppelganger Galatea.

The best that could be found was a fan-made opening to an imagined Supergirl series set squarely in the Timm-verse. Here is the link to the YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5JvtbCggwE&feature=youtu.be by VladGLX.

Between JLU, Superman/Batman:Apocalypse, and Super Best Friends Forever, I have little to complain about. That said, I keep hoping that Supergirl will guest star on Young Justice at some point. I mean that makes sense! And wouldn't that add a spicy wrinkle to the Superman spurning Superboy sub-plot?

Please visit the other blogs participating in Animated Anthem Day. These folks are the best, passionate about their favorite character, and stoking the fires of fandom! And thanks to Frank for organizing this. An amazing 15 blogs participated in this crossover!

Animated Anthem Day

• Aquaman @ The Aquaman Shrine
• Hawkman @ Being Carter Hall
• Swamp Thing @ The BLOG from the BOG
• Booster Gold @ BOO$TERRIFIC
• DC Characters @ DC Bloodlines
• Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince
• Firestorm @ Firestorm Fan
• Superman @ Fortress of Baileytude
• Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Green Lantern @ The Indigo Tribe
• The Vixen @ Justice League Detroit
• The Atom @ Power of the Atom
• Doctor Fate @ Tower of Fate
• Flash @ Speed Force

And feel free to look back at the other times Supergirl Comic Box Commentary was part of a blog crossover.

There was the DC Challenge!

And there was the Mayfairstivus look at the Mayfair DC Heroes RPG!

Poll 3: Which Is Your Favorite Supergirl Costume?

What with all the talk recently about Supergirl's current costume, I figured it might be fun to start a poll asking all visitors here which version they prefer. So, as always, please vote. And feel free to post why you prefer that costume. Poll closes next Wednesday at noon, just in time for the local comic shops to open and sell Supergirl #34 with Jamal Igle's new look.

Here are the costumes for you perusal. I tried to pick a couple of covers which featured the costume in a positive way and in some different angles.

1) 'The Original' or 'The Blue Skirt' - This is the version that Kara was wearing when she burst from that rocket on the cover of Action Comics #252. It's old school in a good way, harkening back to adventures when Kara was a girl young enough to be embarassed about her crush on Jerro the Mer-boy, riding a super-horse, and just finding her way in the world.

2) 'The Hot Pants' - Shortly after Supergirl graduated from being the back-up feature in Action Comics to headlining Adventure Comics, she switched to the 'Hot Pants' costume, complete with V-neck puffy sleeve shirt. This was the primary costume for Supergirl until the mid-80's.

Now certainly there were some minor changes, beaded short bottoms vs athletic shorts, slippers vs boots, choker vs no choker. But overall, the design remained fairly constant. This is the Supergirl I grew up with. The first Supergirl I read and enjoyed, making her my favorite character.


3) 'The Variants' - During her Adventure Comics run, the editors actually invited readers to design new versions of Supergirl's costume (see the cover the Adventure Comics #397 at the top of this post). Some of them were featured in issues!! I cannot imagine anything more engaging to readers, something which of course would never happen today. These versions include bathing suit styles and body suits as seen above but also thigh high boots and funky belts.

None have ever caught on with me, but I am sure there are fans out there.

4) 'The Headband' or 'The Crisis'- In the early 80's, the Supergirl movie was being made and the producers decided her costume needed to be changed. The original movie design included a head band and red shoulders on the shirt as well as a red mini-skirt.

DC Comics decided to change the comic book costume to be more in tune with the movie and so unveiled the costume above. Kara explained that she added the headband as a flourish of Kryptonian culture.

Alas, the movie changed their mind and went with a more Matrix-esque version. DC kept the headband look for the remainder of that Kara's career, cut short in Crisis on Infinite Earths #7.

5) 'The Matrix' - My personal favorite. When John Byrne re-introduced Supergirl as Matrix, the protoplasmic heroine from a pocket universe, he put her in this costume, one which I feel is the most iconic. Here with a flowing skirt of decent length and the classic blue shirt with S-Shield, she exudes presence and strength.

Flourishes I like are the pointy sleeve ends and the pointy belt. Supergirl just looks like a hero in this costume.

6) 'The White Shirt' or 'The Timm' - In the late 90's, DC Comics was enjoying great success with animated versions of their properties. Bruce Timm was the mastermind behind Batman: The Animated Series and the Superman: The Animated Series.

In the Superman animated series, a Supergirl was introduced, a young girl named Kara from the planet Argo, a planet in Krypton's solar system. She lands on Earth and befriends Superman, living with the Kents and fighting crime. She dons an updated costume with a white belly-shirt and blue dress.

In a case of 'history repeating itself', DC decided to take advantage of the animated branding by having the comic book Supergirl, a conflicted and now slightly depowered girl named Linda Danvers, don the white shirt costume. She wore this costume throughout the remainder of her run as Supergirl.

7) 'The Turner' or Current- In 2004, DC decided to re-introduce Supergirl as Superman's cousin. Suddenly my beloved Matrix/Linda Danvers version was ret-conned out of existence, paving the way for a young Kryptonian with a 'simple origin' to take on the mantle of Supergirl.

With a new design by uber-fan-favorite Michael Turner and written by Jeph Loeb, a conflicted Kara lands on Earth and dons this version, apparently designed by Ma Kent. Again, Supergirl is in a belly shirt, now the more classic blue, with gold trim and a blue mini-skirt. There have been slight variations along the way different belts and different lengths and sizes of shirt and skirt, but the overall design remains Turner's.

All versions have their plusses and minuses. And I am sure I have missed or not mentioned some of the rarer or seldom seen costumes (adult Linda Danvers full white shirt version from Many Happy Returns comes to mind immediately) but I think I covered the big ones.

I hope people vote. I really enjoyed hearing people's thoughts about the Final Crisis #3 cover.