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Supergirl |
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| Alias: Linda Danvers, Matrix |
Titans Member
Joined: New Titans #121 [1995] |
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| Supergirl Quick Bio: A protoplasmic shape-shifter from a pocket universe, Matrix felt most comfortable when she adopted the form of Supergirl. Arsenal invited Supergirl into the ranks of the Titans, where she became a member for a short time. |
Playtime! The Titans play war games in NEW TITANS #126 [1995] |
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Supergirl talks about joining the Titans in NEW TITANS ANNUAL #11 [1995] |
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Matrix Beginnings
An artificial lifeform, Matrix is the only survivor from a pocket universe destroyed by super-powered criminals. Upon arriving in our universe, Matrix took the form of Supergirl. Soon, she met Lex Luthor and allied herself with him. In her universe, Luthor was a brave, honorable man. Supergirl assigned the same attributes to Luthor, not knowing his true nature. Supergirl became Luthor's bodyguard and lover, often coming into conflict with Superman. Eventually, she discovered that Luthor had been cloning an army of Supergirls. Upon discovering this, she uncovered the full nature of Luthor's duplicity and ended their relationship.
In her time in this universe, Supergirl forged a very strong relationship with Jonathan and Martha Kent (who called her "Mae", short for Matrix; she had no real name at the time). After her fallout with Luthor, she stayed with the Kents for a time, until she decided to strike out on her own.
Becoming a Titan
Supergirl was later attacked by an evil incarnation of the former Titan, Raven. Raven had been reborn as an evil avatar of her demonic father, Trigon, intent on planting the seeds of Trigon's unborn children into new vessels. She planted a demon seed in Supergirl, who was then under her thrall. Raven and her corrupted allies - including Changeling, Magenta, Deathwing, Thunder and Lightning - came into conflict with the Titans. Supergirl was able to free herself from Raven's influence and helped the Titans to finally destroy this evil incarnation of Raven.
Raven corrupts Supergirl in SHOWCASE '95 #2 [1995]. |
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Soon after, Arsenal offered Supergirl membership in the Titans. She accepted, and served as a member for a time. Eventually, the newest incarnation of the Titans disbanded, as each member seemed less dedicated to the team at the time.
Merging with Linda Danvers
It was when she came upon the dying Linda Danvers that her life changed dramatically. Linda had been injured in a cult ritual, and having sworn an oath to Linda's parents that she would save their daughter, Supergirl sacrificed herself by merging her protoplasmic body with Linda's.
The blending created a new and unusual entity. However, for Linda Danvers, who had fallen far from grace, it was an entrance into a world seen through the eyes of a being who only looks for the best in others. For Supergirl, it was a connection to humanity and the granting of a human soul - albeit a dark and flawed spirit which she was able to redeem through great effort.
Together, they are a new and powerful incarnation that is, quite simply, an earth-born angel. An angel on earth with wings of flame, serving to protect the interests of both mankind and God.
The Titans play war games in NEW TITANS #126 [1995] |
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Supergirl has assisted Titans-related teams since then. She helped Atom's Teen Titans rescue Fringe from The Veil and assisted the Titans during the Technis Imperative conflict, when former Titan Victor Stone (Cyborg) unwittingly threatened the earth. Arsenal offered her membership when the Titans reformed yet again, but she declined due to other obligations.
Since that time, Supergirl lost her status as an earth-born angel and became just plain Linda Danvers, albeit with super-strength, speed and flight. Just as she was learning on how to be 'Supergirl' in her own right, a bright young new Supergirl emerged from a parallel universe. Linda learned that this naive Supergirl was destined to die in a great Crisis on Infinite Earths; Although Linda was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in her stead, fate would not allow her to do so. After this adventure, Linda disappeared for parts unknown.
Since that time, another Supergirl has emerged: Superman's cousin, Kara Zor-El.
Super powers include super-strength, super-speed and flight. As an earth-born angel, she was able to manifest wings of flame and project fire vision.
DC Universe Role-Playing Games: Sourcebooks and Manuals [ West End Games], DC Secret Files, supplemented by titanstower.com
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Superman #16 [April, 1988]: First appearance of post-Crisis Supergirl
Showcase '95 #2 [1995]: Continued from Showcase '95 #1. Supergirl is kidnapped by an alien artificial intelligence that is intrigued by her morphing abilities as Matrix. After the two-part adventure, Supergirl was attacked by an evil incarnation of the former Titan, Raven. These events lead into New Titans #120.
New Titans #118-121 [1995]: Raven , now reborn as an avatar of Trigon, is intent on planting the seeds of Trigon's unborn children into new vessels. She plants ‘Trigon seeds' in Supergirl, Changeling, Magenta, Deathwing, and Thunder and Lightning. Eventually, Raven and her demon allies come into conflict with the Titans. With the help of Phantasm (who reforms himself, sensing he is needed), the Titans finally destroyed this evil incarnation of Raven (or so they think). Mirage seemingly has a miscarriage in issue #121.
New Titans Annual #11 [1995]: A YEAR ONE tale featuring Arsenal's Titans team. The Time Trapper reveals Mirage, Deathwing and Terra are all from this timeline. Mirage is a street urchin from Brazil. Terra destroys the Time Trapper's message before it reveals her origins, and later unearths the original Terra's coffin to find it empty. Minion adjusts to like on earth. Supergirl recounts how she first met Arsenal and when she was asked to join the team.
New Titans #126 [1995]: A great downtime issue featuring Arsenal's Titans team and art by Rick Mays. Arsenal assesses his new role as leader. The Titans play war games. Fellow Titan Donna Troy tries to reach out to her, but Rose rejects her, still reeling over the death of her mother. Fellow Titan Impulse confesses a crush on her but she is oblivious to his affections. Mirage continues to exhibit new abilities.
Supergirl #1-2 [1996]: Linda Danvers is Supergirl. But Linda Danvers is dead, murdered at the hands of her mysterious ex-boyfriend. And if Linda is dead, then who is Supergirl? This journey of self-discovery, punctuated by battles between good and evil sets the stage for Supergirl's next phase. Supergirl encounters the dying Linda Danvers, injured in a cult ritual. Supergirl swore an oath to Linda's parents that she would save their daughter, so she sacrifices herself by merging her protoplasmic body with Linda's. The blending creates a new and unusual entity. However, for Linda Danvers, who had fallen far from grace, it was an entrance into a world seen through the eyes of a being who only looks for the best in others. For Supergirl, it was a connection to humanity and the granting of a human soul - albeit a dark and flawed spirit which she was able to redeem through great effort.
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Peter David and Supergirl
From Wizard #63 1996
By Patrick Daniel O'Neill
Reunited with Gary Frank and (am Smith (with whom he had a long run on Marvel's The Incredible Hulk), Peter David is now breathing new life into an old spin-off concept: Supergirl. The Maid of Might is once again known as Linda Danvers, haying accidentally merged with the body and consciousness of a human girl. Her powers seemingly remain unchanged, although her ability to morph into new forms is somewhat altered (at least as we can tell so far). Wizard asked the "writer of stuff" about his approach to the character.
WIZARD: Why, when you accepted the assignment of Supergirl, did you decide to merge her with human girl?
DAVID: I had trouble connecting, on an emotional and creative level, with a character who is essentially a blob of protoplasm that coincidentally is in the shape of a human female. I really couldn't wrap myself around that, and I felt I would he able to connect better with the character if she had some sort of personal stake in humanity. That meant bringing her as close to being human as we could possibly make her, and making that one of the linchpins of the series.
WIZARD: In her previous incarnations – back when she was Kara Zor-El – the creative teams for Supergirl seemed to have difficulty finding a milieu, a background, for the that worked. What background do you plan for Linda Danvers?
DAVID: Her base of operations is a small town called Leesburg. One of the things that always intrigued me about super-heroes is that, when they operate out of a city, all kinds of weird stuff happens in that city, and no one even remarks upon it. Leesburg is sort of a deconstruction of that, It seems to be a perfectly normal town - and then stuff started happening. So Leesburg's citizens start to realize that everything was normal until Supergirl got there. And in a subsequent issue, we will explain what is going on and whether Supergirl's arrival triggered these events.
You won't to avoid having Supergirl in a big city, because you want to avoid the inevitable comparisons with Superman. But if you have her in a small town you have to came up with a rational explanation - or at least on interesting irrational explanation - for why this perfectly normal town suddenly has super-villains, gorillas and giant chemical creatures descending upon it.
WIZARD: How much crossover will you have to he rest of the Superman Universe?
DAVID: Supergirl does have a history with Superman and connections to people in that world that have to be honored and adhered to - the Kents and Superman himself, for instance. The Kents will show up in issue #5 and Superman in #6. But we don't have any extensive tie-ins.
WIZARD: What about Luthor?
DAVID: Luthor is not coming into the book at the present time. I think that relationship has been done to death. Similarly, there are still questions about her origins and the packet universe and all that, but we ain't gonna answer them in this book. I'd like to move on to other staff rather than dwell on the past.
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Arsenal's New Titans Team |
The Premise
The Titans were pressured to place themselves under the government's watchful eye, due to increased public scrutiny [NEW TITANS #93-114]. Sarge Steel was their chief liaison, and Nightwing stepped down as leader and allowed Arsenal to take command. Arsenal led this new group of Titans [NEW TITANS #114], and was consistently challenged by the burdens of leadership. Many members left, but new faces emerged as well. Arsenal's team consisted of Darkstar (Donna Troy), Green Lantern, Supergirl, Damage, Mirage, Terra II, Minion, Impulse and Rose Wilson. Eventually, each members' dedication to the team began to waver, and the team disbanded.
The series lacked some focus, as team members were introduced, then not used, then reintroduced into the series.
"The Titans have had a series of problems in the past year," says Titans writer Marv Wolfman. 'They lost a number of members. They were sued by the government and people generally hated them. Finally, their leader Dick Grayson - Nightwing - left them."
Left in such disarray, the road to rebirth has been a long one. "Even before Zero Hour, Ray Harper, once known as Speedy and more recently known as Arsenal, was approached by Checkmate's leader, Sarge Steel, to align the Titans with the government," Wolfman says. "It seems that the JLA has broken ties with the government and Checkmate wanted a new superhero team to replace them. After going over the problems and being assured [his team] will have complete autonomy, Roy agreed to sign with Checkmate.
"Trouble is, he had no members to go with him. On his own and with Sarge Steel, new members are found recruited and a brand new Titans is formed." Wolfman reports that this new group will have a slightly different focus than past Titans teams. "Long ago, when the Titans were first created, the team featured already-existent heroes. In many ways we are going back to that original premise," be maintains. "Arsenal leads a group consisting of Damage, Green Lantern and Impulse, characters who either have their own titles, or in Impulse's case, is featured in Flash. Also in the New Titans are Mirage and Terra from the now-defunct Team Titans. Finally, rounding out the title is Donna Troy, now a Darkstar. So we're bringing in characters from other books as well as several already-known Titans.
"Interestingly, all the heroes mentioned are in one way or another orphans whose past lives are shrouded in mystery," he continues. "Where the last Titans team came together to fight Raven's demonical father, Trigon, the new team comes and stays together because they are all in a similar situation. The Titans is a place for these people to get together, to find themselves, to be with others like themselves. They are not coming together to fight some great battle, but to understand themselves and to grow. This common need will allow them to become close and eventually became friends.
"So the role of the New Titans is a club for the young DC heroes, a way of getting together with their peers, a place where they can he with their own kind and learn from each other as they grow."
"The book has gone under a lot of changes in the past few years, but all were evolutionary," Wolfman says. "Heroes died, new heroes replaced them, tempers flared and, because they were young, mistakes were often made. That is the way life is. But now we begin with a new group. A revolution, so to speak. New heroes, all with their own lives, hopes and desires. This allows us to create a very different kind of Titans book."
The Commentary
The Arsenal-led Titans didn't last too long [from NEW TITANS #115-130]. Sales on the book had slid, and many readers had already left the book. When the series was canceled in 1995 with #130, the Titans team was still active, although with some members having left. It wasn't until TITANS SECRET FILES #1 that we saw the final dissolution of the team.
The team had potential. Check out NEW TITANS #126 and NEW TITANS ANNUAL #11 to see what the team might have been.
Supergirl as a Titan
Readers have suggested Supergirl as a member for the [Teen] Titans as far back as the late 60's. It took almost thirty years until she is finally made it as a member of the team.
Supergirl's Titans Membership:
Showcase '95 #2 [prelude]
New Titans #120-130
New Titans Annual #11
After a two-part adventure, Supergirl was attacked by an evil incarnation of the former Titan, Raven [Showcase '95 #1-2]. Raven had been reborn as an evil version of her former self, intent on planting the seeds of Trigon's unborn children into new vessels. She planted a seed in Supergirl, who was then under her thrall. Raven and her corrupted allies (including Changeling, Magenta, Deathwing, Thunder and Lightning) came into conflict with the Titans. Supergirl was able to free herself from Raven's influence and helped the Titans to finally destroy this evil incarnation of Raven [New Titans #120-121].
Soon after, Arsenal offered Supergirl membership in the Titans [New Titans Annual #11]. She accepted, and served as a member for a time [New Titans #122-130]. Eventually, the newest incarnation of the Titans disbanded, as each member seemed less dedicated to the team at the time [Titans Secret Files #1].
Unfortunately, Supergirl's role in the Titans was limited. During the Raven conflict, she was mostly under Raven's thrall. Following that, the only real storyline she participated in was the "Siege Of Zi Charam" space arc [which crossed over into Darkstars and Green Lantern] in New Titans #124-125. Supergirl appears in the great downtime issue in New Titans #126. She doesn't even appear in the last four issues! [New Titans #127-130]. When the circumstances of the team disbanding are divulged in Titans Secret Files #1, Supergirl had apparently already left the team.
For the best Supergirl Titans appearances, New Titans Annual #11 and New Titans #126 offer some nice bits of character interaction, including some nice moments for Supergirl.
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