Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Poll 4: Who Is Superwoman?

We have only seen here in a handful of panels. We have been told she is a 'friend of the House of El'. We know she is featured on a 'Faces of Evil' cover in January. We have discussed her hair color (brown? or blond in shadows?). We have discussed her eye color.

Who is she? Who is Superwoman?

I thought a blog poll might give some inclination where the Kara audience is leaning. Here are the usual suspects.

Alura - She certainly is a friend of the House of El; heck she's a member.

So far, she has acted in a nationalistic and belligerent manner befit of someone from a 'Faces of Evil' cover. Look at her calm face as she brutally beats Doomsday to death.

She has a decent reason to become Superwoman - a means to convince Supergirl that she is 'not needed' as a member of the human race, that she has no necessary role as a super-hero, and instead can go live with her family as a Kryptonian in Kandor.

And she even has a convenient excuse for her actions; she is pumped full of the mind-altering K-poisoning which was drained from Kara. But do we want Supergirl's mother to be a villain? Didn't we all just lament Zor-El's time as the bad guy?

Alura seems to be the favorite.

Karsta Wor-Ul - She is the 'Third Kryptonian' from Superman issues 668-670. In that storyline, she befriended Kal thus making her a friend of the House of El.

She is an ex-Kryptonian Navy officer who left as a rogue when the fleet was decommisioned. She was a space pirate on the run from some rivals. In her life as a pirate, she did questionable things including murder law officers who tried to apprehend her. She seemed nice, but those qualifications make a 'Faces of Evil' cover a clear possibility.

She has a decent reason to don the cowl and hood. She might want to rejoin a Kryptonian society after being on the run for so long. But techinically she's a deserter. She might want her identity to remain a secret.

When living on Earth, she took the name of Kristen Wells, the Silver Age woman who was Superwoman. That is too big a clue to ignore.

Karsta is an intriguing and valid pick.

Linda Danvers - I don't want it to be Linda, but she did already live as a Superwoman in the 'Many Happy Returns' Silver Age DC Universe. She is a 'Friend to the house of El'.

Linda shouldn't be on a 'Faces of Evil' cover.

Linda shouldn't be in Kandor or understand Kryptonian language.

More than anything Linda wanted to be left alone, so she has no good reason to put on a costume.

That said, she has only made a cameo in Reign in Hell. Maybe the powers that be told Giffen that Johns was going to use her and so Giffen just hasn't mentioned her again. I care for Linda too much. I am worried; I don't want her to be a villain. But no mystery in Supergirl can occur without Linda being named.


Evil clone - This is my awful guess.

Maybe Zor-El and Alura missed their daughter so much while in the bottle of Kandor that they cloned their own copy to love and raise. And maybe that Kara aged a little faster because she was a clone. And maybe she wants to be part of the fun of the Superman family but she is a little insane.

She would be a 'friend of the House of El'. She might want to take Kara's place making her a 'Face of Evil'. She would be in Kandor and feel she has a right to wear the emblem.

But really ... an evil clone? Pretty lame. And didn't we already see something like that early in the Loeb issues?

Thara Ak-Var - She is Kara's friend who was marooned in the city of Kandor and became the city's head of security.

She would be a 'friend of the House of El'. She has seemed a bit off since we met her including this weird exchange. She could be evil.

Maybe she wants to 'play super-hero' like her friend Kara but does not want anyone to know. It might be frowned upon by the Kandorian council.

Thara seems too regimented in her militaristic role to become a vigilante. I don't think it is her.

Lesla Lar - Could Superwoman be the re-imagination of old Silver Age Supergirl villain Lesla Lar?

Lesla Lar lived in Kandor in the old issues and was envious of Supergirl's role on Earth. She would have a reason to try to 'replace' Supergirl; that was her goal back then. She was outright evil thus makes the cut for the 'Faces of Evil' cover. She may have befriended the Els during their stay in Kandor.That said, we haven't heard her name mentioned at all in the arc. Only old timers like me would remember her. It is hard to have a mystery where the answer is someone unknown to most readers.

Still, the long-time Kara fan might like this villainous Superwoman to be Lesla.


The Split Kara - Well, at one point Kara was purportedly split in two (as seen in this panel from World War III). One was thrown into the future to serve in the Legion. We assume that at some point the Supergirls simply merged (the current Kara remembered her Legion time in the Countdown crossover issues). But what if she still existed and is out there? And what if she wants to reclaim her life?

Well, she would be a friend of El and may have evil intents.

Still why open that can of worms again?


Other - Maybe you think she'll be the Silver Age Kristin Wells, updated for current time. Or maybe Cat Grant? Lana Lang? Luma Lynai?
If you vote 'other', I would love to hear who you think it is so please post.
In fact, no matter who you think she is, I would love to hear 'why' you think that.

And, as always, vote early! Thanks!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

For me Alura packs the maxiumum emotional impact...mother versus daughter just has tons of drama to it. Given her presumptuous airs it seems like something she'd do, k-dementia or no k-dementia. So I'm voting for Alura simply because she has the most story potential as Superwoman.
Failing, that then maybe Lesla Lar as a sort of ambitious surrogate daughter to Z & A, someone intent on proving herself Kara's superior.

John Feer

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, I actually doubt it's Alura now, and I don't believe it's anyone we've either seen or have yet to see as of yet from Kandor itself come further issues. (In other words, I believe it's some one we've recently seen in the comics 'New Krypton' arc as of late but NOT in the actual vicinity of Kandor face on profile wise) Or for that matter the split Kara from WW III arc or a cloned Kara by Alura either. (I strongly doubt that Zor-El would have willingly had a hand in doing such a thing here) and definitely not Linda Danvers. (She has to be Flamebird)

However in having said all of that anj, do you think it's possible that the Science Police's own newest recruitment refering to herself as "Rachel" (Y'know the one that Agent Liberty was being interviewed by) could actually secretly be this Kandorian double agent (who like Commander Gor has learned to speak proper English language in no time flat as well as use that knowledge to her advantage) who may just in fact be our mysterious "Superwoman" herself here? (I honestly don't believe it's Thara Ak-Var under that hood and mask. It'd be too predicable in the end.) Compare "Rachel's" close up profile itself to that of what we got of Mr. Middleton's depiction of Superwoman as having looking like also close up facing front on wise come his #38 cover itself: Superwoman: Brown hair, Rachel: Brown hair, Superwoman: blue eyes, Rachel: blue eyes, and just look at the particular face shape of "Rachel"'s as well as it's features itself, it actually looks like spot on to that of Mr. Middleton's own depiction of his Superwoman at that in the end!

Lastly, let's not forget that upon releasing the news of Superwoman debuting by both Mr. Johns and Gates they both equally claimed at the time that it's NOT anyone who we might think from prior existing Superman lore who will be revealed to be under the hood and mask, remember?

Ergo, I believe Superwoman's really our "Rachel". Especially after the weird banter and observations that Agent Liberty made about her, and her age among other during her time having interviewed him.

Anyways, that's my theory and i'm sticking with it. Heh. :P

Heath Edwards said...

i can't quite bring myself to think of a 'friend to the house of el' as being a villain...

Daniel said...

When I read the first issue of "New Krypton" I thought she would be Thara Ak-Var... But now, I am not so sure. It wouldn't make much sense.

- Alura is a strong possibility, but it seems too obvious. And Superwoman has brown hair...
- I think she must have been involved in the Brainiac, Atlas or New Krypton stroylines. For this reason, I'd rule out Karsta Wor-Ul and Lesla Lar.
- She understands kryptonian, so she can't be Linda.
- Evil clone / Split Kara --> We have seen something like this not so long ago.

I still vote for Alura, though.

Anj said...

For me Alura packs the maxiumum emotional impact...mother versus daughter just has tons of drama to it. Given her presumptuous airs it seems like something she'd do, k-dementia or no k-dementia.

Thanks for the post. I agree it has the most 'weight' of any of the suspects. I wonder how they would be able to easily wrap up such a story though.

And I know Alura hasn't acted like a saint since the beginning. I just think the K-poisoning may be behind some of her more outrageous behaviors.

Anj said...

Lastly, let's not forget that upon releasing the news of Superwoman debuting by both Mr. Johns and Gates they both equally claimed at the time that it's NOT anyone who we might think from prior existing Superman lore who will be revealed to be under the hood and mask, remember?

Ergo, I believe Superwoman's really our "Rachel".


I don't remember reading them say that Superwoman is someone we haven't seen yet. That would put the kibosh on most of this poll. Hmmmm ...

And Rachel is an interesting pick since she came out of nowhere this last issue. Who knows who/what she is.

Anj said...

i can't quite bring myself to think of a 'friend to the house of el' as being a villain...

Thanks for the post.

It is tough to find someone suitable to be an El-friend and appear on a Faces of Evil cover.

Maybe she acts villainous but with good intentions?

Jason said...

UGH...I can't make a decision!! LOL. Most of these are credible candidates, but I just don't know enough yet to make a vote.

I think I'm throwing out my earlier suggestion of Cat since this Superwoman did appear to have superhearing and understanding of Kryptonese. I now think this Superwoman is definitely Kryptonian at the very least.

While at the moment Alura does seem the most viable candidate - Kryptonian, white cape, long hair (since it was in the shadows, we don't know that it was necessarily brown or blonde), wanting to make Kara feel like she has no use as a hero and should go back to Kandor - I just can't be confident enough to absolutely put my vote behind her.

I definitely do NOT think it is Linda Danvers mainly because of the Kryptonian requirement. Like I stated above, this Superwoman clearly had superhearing which enabled her to hear something in Kryptonese. Linda would not have superhearing, nor would she be able to understand Kryptonese. I also honestly do not think Johns and Gates have any plans to bring Linda Danvers back into the super-mythos. Like I've said before (and I saw someone else also make this point), it also wouldn't make much sense to bring Linda back since Kara is now going by that name.

I think if you're going to stick to continuity or paying homage to continuity, it should be Kristen Wells (Kirsta Wor-Ul). To have a separate Kristen Wells and a separate Superwoman doesn't seem right to me. However, her short white hair and the "she's not who you think she is" comments make me think it's simply not her.

Lesla is another leading candidate based on the hair length.

Thara seems a viable candidate, but her hair is too short in her appearances so far.

I really don't want it to be the split-Kara or a Kara clone because I really think that is just a lame route to go.

And this whole "friend to the house of El" but also being on a "faces of evil" cover is throwing me for a loop too. I don't know how those two facts can make sense together...UGH.

Well...this definitely makes for a GREAT mystery and makes people want to keep reading the series to find out.

Anonymous said...

I love Linda Dancers. I do. But I really don't think it's her; I agree with TalOs, in that she has a way better chance of being Flamebird...

Meanwhile, I find myself wondering if Powergirl is going to play into New Krypton, or if they're going to officially bring her into the Superman Family, since they've nailed down her origin now (once again, thanks to Geoff Johns)... I'm not saying she's Superwoman, I'm just wondering what's going on there.

But I don't want it to be Alura, if for no other reason than we could all see it coming. That does not make for the best story-telling.

--Yota.

Nikki said...

Alura was my first guess. Look at her costume especially the white cape. Its similar to the superwoman costume.

Karsta. As you said the Kristen parallel is so strong. I'm guessing this is who Gates said when he said 'Its not who you think'

Linda. I think tehre is more chance of her being Flamebird.

Evil Clone. If she was like Galatea.Heck even called Galatea I could love it. I like a villain that causes supergirl to use her head. Thats why I love reactron, she wanted to see how he worked rather than beat him to death. In JLU Kara used her head to beat Galatea by frying her.

Thara. Well thats building something for sure. She's a front runner after her unresolved cold greeting.

Lesla Lar. I'm all for the classic supergirl foes being reborn. I don't think this is Lesla's time though. To be honest I want to see Blackstarr first.

Split Kara. I never noticed that before. However she is coming in from the 31st century which you can see in the hole rather than going out. It looks like a bad attempt at a reflection but what is she being reflected in?

Front runners for me are Alura and Thara

Diana_Fan said...

Yeah, I voted Alura, simply because it was the most obvious. Which means that it probably isn't her at all. :)

These are all interesting theories which I need to investigate. I wish my Supergirl-fu were stronger.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed. I have a lot to think over.

http://diana-fan.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

It is Carol Lee Carter (Ariella) the daughter of Linda Danvers and the other world Superman. Her adopted parents are Army. Superwoman states she is not Kryptonian in the last issue. Carol Lee Carter does not know that she is adopted she believes the US military gave her powers. Her adopted father capitalized on her abilities when he discovered them and has used her. She looks like she works for Krypton but she is a spy for earth. They are tring to find out why the Kryptonians are here and what kind of threat they might be. I don't want to give too much away :-)