A couple of years ago at the Baltimore Comic Con, I had the honor of meeting comic legend Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez. I had him sign some Supergirl relevant issues and basically stammered through telling him how great I think his art is.
Recently I stumbled across his DC Style Guide pages over at the Comic Art Community website. Here is the link: http://comicartcommunity.com/gallery/categories.php?cat_id=247 I assume the guide was used for other artists to see the composition of costumes, the character in a variety of poses, etc. Among the many pages were plenty of Supergirl images.
I had seen the above pic many times in other place, the perfect montage of the 'head band' costume.
Here is a sort of 360 view of the same character showing Supergirl in all her glory. I have to say, while the headband variation isn't one of my favorites, I do miss the red skirt look for Supergirl.
I don't know if these pencil pages were included in the guide itself but here is more Garcia-Lopez action spots of Kara in the head band costume. Just solid composition there.
These are all marked from 1983, no surprise given the head band costume was initiated then.
I was thrilled to see Garcia-Lopez' Supergirl style guide page from 1982 showcasing the 'hot pants' costume. You can see that the basics of the page composition are the same as the head band version. Except there is something warmer about the position of the main center Supergirl. I think the smile seems broader and friendlier. Fantastic.
If anyone has this in color, please get it to me somehow so I can post!
DC fans should definitely go to the Garcia-Lopez link above as he has great style guide pages for plenty of heroes and even some villains.
Sweeeeeet.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I wan't much of a fan of the headband either, but that red-skirted costume rocks. That's basically what I visualize when I think Supergirl.
ReplyDeleteIf they use that costume in video games, cartoons, and appearances outside of current DCU continuity and considering that is the costume most easily identified with her and most beloved of her outfits, why don't they return to it in her title?
I think the current costume is fine, the art is wonderful, and the writing is great and avoids what I disliked about the characterization of issues 20 to the end of the series (particularly the Puckett issues).
The red-skirted costume, however, solves many headaches associated with the character. It keeps her cute, sexy and feminine in a way she's aways been while not introducing new elements like the midriff or cleavage to one extreme and the shorts/skort to the other. In addition, the feminine cut one piece, like she wears now without the added coverage of a skirt, solves the heated panties vs. shorts debate. The cut is still feminine and cute, unlike the ugly and masculine shorts, but it's a leotard and not panties either. It is very much an attractive and classic look and very much Supergirl.
predictable.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I say the post I knew you'd pop up.
Yeah just post the words "Red Skirt" and wham the same cut and paste argument.
ReplyDeleteMe I always liked the red jogging shorts....
But then I remember Supergirl when she was hot AND Old Enough to Vote.
:D
JF
Very cool. I always find it interesting just how much costumes have changed over the years. My first real introduction to Supergirl was on the Superman Animated Series and for me that design will always be my favourite I think.
ReplyDeletehttp://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x270/servewithchips/stas-5.jpg
BTW somewhere out there exists some model sheets for Supergirl that were generated on behalf of ye olde Superfriends cartoon.
ReplyDeleteSupergirl was never used on said show in it's eleven year run so I guess these were filed away in "Just In Case" drawer.
I believe she wore the red jogging shorts as well, I could be wrong though.
JF
Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez is an absolute master. His depiction of Wonder Woman is the best ever of her. They used his illustrations of Supergirl in the background a lot when the made that short Supergirl documentary in the Smallville season 7 set years ago.
ReplyDeleteJF wrote:
"BTW somewhere out there exists some model sheets for Supergirl that were generated on behalf of ye olde Superfriends cartoon.
Supergirl was never used on said show in it's eleven year run so I guess these were filed away in "Just In Case" drawer.
I believe she wore the red jogging shorts as well, I could be wrong though."
I would love to see those if they ever are revealed.
Thanks for all the comments!
ReplyDeleteI also grew up with the shorts wearing Supergirl so there is some nostalgia for that look.
But the Matrix uniform is my fave.
I used to have an early-90s DC style guide, back when I was editing UK reprints. Wish I'd nicked it when I left!
ReplyDeleteI used to have an early-90s DC style guide, back when I was editing UK reprints. Wish I'd nicked it when I left!
ReplyDeleteNow that would have been sweet Mart!
The Matrix Supergirl outfit is the FAVORITE of little girls. This I can state as a fact from what I have seen. For years I would take my little nieces and a nephew to Halloween parties, trick or treating, or saw parties being thrown for them. I would see at least 2 to 4 little Supergirls.
ReplyDeleteOne Halloween I helped my one sister hand out candy and I kept track of the Supergirls who showed up and I counted 14 different ones of various ages and ALL wore the Supergirl Matrix outfit.
Its not the "Matrix Outfit" though, its the costume designed for the 1984 Helen Slater feature film which DC then used in the comic. This in turn was her "costume brand" for nigh on twenty years from Matrix thru the Kara revival in 2004. Supergirl wore the movie costume longer than she wore the original 1959 blue mini dress...
ReplyDeleteJF