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.

[Thor-Ul]

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.

I think this is the most close thinking I could had too. Supergirl as a character has a different development than Dick Grayson. Not even parallel. I would add than Peter David' Supergirl (Matrix) was more "Nightwing" than Kara Zor-El ever was.
You could alos argue than Power Girl, in her conception was the grow up Supergirl. Curious than any potential development for the character was used to create others characters.


But really, the Nightwing of the Superman Family is Superman himself. He and Van-Zee.

[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.

[Rac7d*]

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 .

She gets screwed over a lot like Nightwing

[Restingvoice]

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 .

I agree that Supergirl is the Batgirl of the Superfamily because like Batgirl they like to keep her young despite already growing up into adulthood for the sake of the brand