I am an addict of the dollar box at my local comic book store. Any time I can, I pick up issues of the late 1980's Secret Origins book. I have been enjoying these Post-Crisis retellings, some more retread than reinvention ... but all fun.
Last week I came across this Phantom Girl issue, an origin story with art by Dave Cockrum! For a $1!
Anyways, Tinya's origin story was fine. And The Grim Ghost back-up story was beautiful with lush art by Michael Bair.
But the thing that really grabbed me in this issue was the informational text in the letter column by editor Mark Waid.
So this is Waid describing the character of Phantom Girl, her long tenure in the Legion, her love of Ultra Boy, her bright and cheery disposition. And as a Tinya fan and a Legion fan I thought this was great.
But it reminded me of a darker time. It reminded me that as much as I complain about the way Supergirl is treated these days, it is better than what was happening in 1989.
Because there was a time that Supergirl was like Voldemort. She couldn't be named ... not even in a text piece in the back of an issue. Waid ... maybe cheekily ... calls her S*p*rg*rl. As if reminding people that there was a Supergirl at one point in the DCU was forbidden.
Anyways, I should remember that there was a time Supergirl wasn't around in any form.
At one point Kara was 'She Who Shall Not Be Named'.
As for that issue, I reviewed Action Comics #276 4 years ago, the issue where she joins the Legion, the issue which introduced a gaggle of Legionnaires including Braniac 5.
So next time I complain too loudly about angsty Supergirl remind me about S*p*rg*rl!
10 comments:
Why was she treated like this?
--Eki
"semi-regularly from now on" ended up being a tale of "Fortress Boy", the 3 dead Legionnaires issue, a 2 page Bouncing Boy bio, and an unpublished spotlight on Mon-El...
Eki, this was probably just DC going way too far with their post-Crisis edict that Superman was to be the true Last Son of Krypton in every way. He was the last Kryptonian, period. I guess they didn't want to break immersion at the time by even admitting Kara ever existed.
Not only is it overdoing it though, it doesn't really make any sense because by this time I'm pretty sure Matrix had already been introduced...
I agree. I think that Waid (as editor) was needling DC a bit, showing how crazy it was to deny that Supergirl existed.
I suppose DC wanted things to be easy for new readers to understand post-crisis. If they read about Supergirl they might want to know about her current situation ... which was null.
Mark Waid was a notable pro-Supergirl creative at DC...This was pretty sharp commentary (for the times) on the company's abusive attitude towards the Kara fanbase. He was one of the few that stuck his neck out for the original SG, I've always admired Waid for that.
John Feer
Yes, Waid was a big Kara proponent and I plan to thank him at the Boston Comic Con this summer!
Thank you for answering Jay. It seems like they went to far. Does this mean no Krypto either?
--Eki
Oh yeah, Krypto was gone too, at least the Kryptonian version (they did eventually create a normal dog named Krypto that belonged to Bibbo). The edict was that absolutely EVERYTHING except Superman was gone in terms of Krypton.
All in all, I understand their mindset, trying to stay true to the "Last Son of Krypton" mantle, but I think the fact that all these characters eventually came back in their original forms showed that trying to adhere to that title just hurt Superman's mythos more than it helped it.
Oh dear,,when reading your title I thought you were referring to how Phantom Girl was treated in the last year! Poor Tinya.
"All in all, I understand their mindset, trying to stay true to the "Last Son of Krypton" mantle, but I think the fact that all these characters eventually came back in their original forms showed that trying to adhere to that title just hurt Superman's mythos more than it helped it."
I SO agree.
Post a Comment