Is Supergirl the Nightwing of the Super family?

[CTTT]

She's introduced as a sidekick to Clark initially, and then going out on her own but still crossing over into Clark's world from time to time?

[Vordan]

Clark doesn’t really have the close relationship with his “Family” that Bruce does, but I would agree that Kara is the second most prominent independent Superman character yes. She hasn’t really been his “sidekick” since the Silver Age though.

[Tzigone]

Depends on what you mean. I'd say "no" but I definitely have my own biases. There are absolutely similarities, as you note, but those seem pretty common to all former sidekicks (at least those successful enough to continue getting stories) to me.

One thing is that she and Kid Flash (introduced not much later) both do solo work from day 1 (my impression is Supergirl did more sidekicking than Kid Flash, but I haven't read that much of her in the silver age). Robin took a little while before he did that. Kid Flash and Supergirl were both kept ignorant of the title hero's identity for a time. Neither are wards of the hero. She never had that same kind of dynamic with Superman. Mind you, I liked Wally being a solo hero instead of a sidekick and I liked it when Tim Drake wasn't the hero's ward. I liked the variety.

Also, Kara, unfortunately was killed off in COIE. She's been reinvented since. And I'll grant you that Nightwing a rather different character in personality than he was back then, too. But it's just not to the same degree. That lack of her presence, and then Supergirl being reinvented as not Clark's cousin twice, and then her being brought in at a very different time in Clark's life (moreso in post-COIE than N52, maybe?) with her previous history erased from continuity...she just doesn't have the same anchoring as Nightwing does to me. She's also got a completely different group as peers in pre-COIE v. later versions and her connections to others in the hero community. So, for me at least, she doesn't have the same "must be part of Clark's history/life" than I feel for Dick in regards to being part of Bruce's life.

[Frontier]

Supergirl is the Batgirl of the Superfamily.

I guess if we needed a Nightwing it's either Jimmy or Conner.

This is kind of funny to think about considering the name actually comes from a Kryptonian myth .

[manwhohaseverything]

Jimmy is the nightwing of superman family. Technically, he is the flamebird of the superman family.

[Masterff]

Supergirl is the Batgirl of the Superfamily.

I guess if we needed a Nightwing it's either Jimmy or Conner.

This is kind of funny to think about considering the name actually comes from a Kryptonian myth .

Its ABSOLUTELY CONNER!!

1. "Batman" and "Nightwing" should be either both female or both male.
2. Conner and Dick were both members of teams (Conner with YJ, Ravers, LoSh, TT, ToT)
3. Conner and Dick lived without being mentored (Conner in Hawaii and Smallville)
4. They both have taken over the mantle of the "Batman"... Conner is Superman in ToT
5. Both have shown that they could replace the "Batman", Conner has shown that in the fights with Superboy Prime for example..
6. Both have successors in their role: Dick was replaced by Jason as Robin and Conner is kind of replaced by Jon and eventually also by Kenan..


In the YJ Anime its even clearer than in the Comics because Conner is there in Dicks age-class and he is allowed to age..

[sunofdarkchild]

No.

Nightwing is Dick Grayson's 'graduation' identity, the name he takes when he grows up. Kara will never be allowed to 'grow up' in that sense.

Nightwing is the first of a large adopted family, Kara is a blood relative and makes it harder to grow an adopted family.

Nightwing is a known leader of multiple teams. Supergirl is not known for being such a leader, certainly not to that extent.

The 90s Supergirl who was an adopted step-sister has a better argument for being like Nightwing than Kara, but as others have said Conner is the closest the Superman family has to a 'Nightwing.' type character.

[manwhohaseverything]

Conner isn't Clark's son nor has he ever been a sidekick. He would just be nightwing phase without robin phase. Jimmy was Clark's flamebird,his adopted son at one point, his side kick.... Etc.He is the oldest.Ofcourse, there is chris who is the actual nightwing. And he was adopted.

[mathew101281]

Superman really doesn't have the close nit familial bonds that Batman has. But I'd argue Supergirl is the closest thing Clark has to a Nightwing.
Jimmy's exploits as a superhero seem more like occasional one offs rather then a regular thing, and Conner doesn't really have the close connection to Superman that Dick does to Batman. Another possible "Nightwing," is Mon-el.

[Digifiend]

Conner is kind of replaced by Jon and eventually also by Kenan..

Jon Superboy and New Super-Man actually debuted at roughly the same time.

[manwhohaseverything]

Superman really doesn't have the close nit familial bonds that Batman has. But I'd argue Supergirl is the closest thing Clark has to a Nightwing.
Jimmy's exploits as a superhero seem more like occasional one offs rather then a regular thing, and Conner doesn't really have the close connection to Superman that Dick does to Batman. Another possible "Nightwing," is Mon-el.

Well, in silverage mostly everything was one-off due to episodic nature of comics. Jimmy deserves more credit, if you ask me.Since, his transformations are back maybe many of his exploits might be as well. Heck! Someone had said wally was inspired from jimmy as well. That's crazy.

[dietrich]

Jimmy Olsen is the Nightwing.
He is the Dick Grayson to Superman and Jimmy and dick where the superbat before Conner/Tim and Jon/Damian.

The Golden age comics make it very clear.
Supes even adopted him and at other times he took the role of a surrogate dad to Jimmy
Kara is the Batgirl.

[Masterff]

Conner isn't Clark's son nor has he ever been a sidekick. He would just be nightwing phase without robin phase. Jimmy was Clark's flamebird,his adopted son at one point, his side kick.... Etc.He is the oldest.Ofcourse, there is chris who is the actual nightwing. And he was adopted.

Not really:

1. Conner is a clone, so his status is complicated, because he can be also considered as Clarks Son, since biologically speaking he is in some ways the "child" of Clark and Lex. In the Anime "Reign of Supermen" Film he also calls Superman dad or so (I have seen it in German, so I dont know how it was in English).
2. As far as I remember he was theoretically Clarks protegee or? I mean he, Cassie and Bart were theoretically Clarks, Dianas and Wallys protegees even if others like Max, Jay and Artemis trained them, right? I mean as they entered TT Clark, Diana and Wally were asked...
3. Superboy is kind of equivalent to Robin....I believe that for example we might see that in YJ Anime better, where Jon is now born...
So I think Jon might take over the name Superboy while Conner might move on and take another Code-Name...
So its like Robin (from Dick to Jason) Superboy (from Conner to Jon)..

4. Like I said Conner fullfills all what Dick is:
-the Nightwing equivalent should be of the same gender as the Batman is (this is why Kara doesnt work for me)
-Conner is a member of Teams (YJ, Ravers, TT...) like Nightwing
-Conner and Dick are both independent and away from their mentors hometown (Conners Time in Hawaii and in Smallville can be considered as equivalent to Dick in Blüdhaven)
-In Terms of Powers Conner is to Superman like Dick is to Batman (similar powers, although not at the level of the mentor)
-Dick and Conner have both taken over the mantle of their mentors (Conner in ToT and Sins of Youth).

[manwhohaseverything]

Not really:

1. Conner is a clone, so his status is complicated, because he can be also considered as Clarks Son, since biologically speaking he is in some ways the "child" of Clark and Lex. In the Anime "Reign of Supermen" Film he also calls Superman dad or so (I have seen it in German, so I dont know how it was in English).
2. As far as I remember he was theoretically Clarks protegee or? I mean he, Cassie and Bart were theoretically Clarks, Dianas and Wallys protegees even if others like Max, Jay and Artemis trained them, right? I mean as they entered TT Clark, Diana and Wally were asked...
3. Superboy is kind of equivalent to Robin....I believe that for example we might see that in YJ Anime better, where Jon is now born...
So I think Jon might take over the name Superboy while Conner might move on and take another Code-Name...
So its like Robin (from Dick to Jason) Superboy (from Conner to Jon)..

4. Like I said Conner fullfills all what Dick is:
-the Nightwing equivalent should be of the same gender as the Batman is (this is why Kara doesnt work for me)
-Conner is a member of Teams (YJ, Ravers, TT...) like Nightwing
-Conner and Dick are both independent and away from their mentors hometown (Conners Time in Hawaii and in Smallville can be considered as equivalent to Dick in Blüdhaven)
-In Terms of Powers Conner is to Superman like Dick is to Batman (similar powers, although not at the level of the mentor)
-Dick and Conner have both taken over the mantle of their mentors (Conner in ToT and Sins of Youth).

1)Is bizzaro Clark's son then? Didn't think so. Conner like bizarro, is Clark's little brothers with bizarro being almost like a twin. Mon el is the older brother.
2)protoge is someone who has trained under you. Conner hasn't.Clark has partnered with conner. That's different. Heck! Dick himself has been kinda raised by and worked under clark more than conner. Clark has partnered with several kids, even jason. Doesn't mean he is their mentor.
3)Not really. That would mean clark kent superboy was equivalent to a robin one time. Batman never was robin. That would be stupid. Robin isn't kid batman. He never was.Robin is a foil to batman brooding. The only exception to that is damian. Who was the robin of dick grayson batman. And dick wasn't brooding. So, damian is brooding one to compensate.

4)like i said, connor has always been independent of clark. Dick wasn't. Dick and jimmy used to be pal around with the world's finest. Jimmy has various transformation that are may put him over superman, like wally is over barry. So power is kinda irrelevant. As for being, part of teams you got me. But, i don't see how that's relevant when we consider in family dynamics. Jimmy is the oldest son figure,followed by chris and jon.

Yes, these team ups lasted 4 or 5 issues. But, it does prove the equivalence.
Furthermore, Superboy isn't a mantle that's given to Clark's sidekick like robin is, that gets passed around. Superboy is what you call kid superman. That's fundamental flaw in your logic. Jon is called superboy by the people, (started by his mom cause he levitated for seconds). like conner was called superboy by the people during the death of superman.why?because they were both kids and doing stuff superman does(almost).

[achilles]

No, Supergirl is not the Nightwing of the SMF. She's the Supergirl of the SMF.