Has anyone ever written a good Supergirl arc?

[Teste]

Let's be honest: Supergirl (Kara Zor-el, at least) is used more often than not as rape-bait (Libra to Lex Luthor in Final Crisis: "Help me and you will be the first in line with Supergirl"; Metallo when depowering and killing kryptonians, speaking about Supergirl: "That's an S I really want to see without powers", and so on; although that last one was written by Scott Lobdell, who's famous for this).

People often have a hard time writting stories about a male invulnerable almost god-like being, and that's with Superman having a very iconic support cast.

Get a bunch of single, straight white men to writte stories about a female god-like being with no previous support cast and, well... Has there ever been any really great Supergirl story arc, other than the ones with the Matrix Supergirl?

I rememeber the beginning of the New 52 Supergirl, with such pearls of good writting as "meet Kara's new major villain! Do you like his chest window?". Then they made her into a single minded neally berzerker character, and when that failed they made her a Red Lantern. Really, it's not going well.

Green Arrow has an interesting supporting cast. Flash has nice-looking powers and maybe the third best gallery of villains in comics. SHIELD is linked to nearly everything in the Marvel Universe.

Supergirl has... What? The TV show's supporting cast is either stolen from Superman (Olsen) or a stereotype (the "friend who's in love but the main character is the only person who doesn't realize it" thing). But honestly, could they do any better? Is Supergirl (that one, at least) a strong enough characters to hold a TV show?

Because her comics don't look like so.

[t hedge coke]

All you got out of her use in Final Crisis was as "rape bait"?

Maaaaaaaybe that's on you.

And, yes, there have been a lot of good comics and two really fun movies with Supergirl (one live action, one animated).

[Chickfighter]

And a long history with Supergirl. Her one-off story in Action Comics vol 1, issue 339, titled "Brainiac's Bllitz" is one of my favorite comic stories ever. It's just a good basic story of a superheroine with some doubts proving herself. It also happens to be the first-ever story by Jim Shooter who was only 14 in 1966. Supergirl appeared in lots of comics in those days.

More recently I recall some of the Supergirl run just prior to the New 52 preboot was pretty decent. She certainly had some fun crossovers with then Batgirl, Stephanie Brown in their own titles and in World's Finest as well.

[LifeIsILL]

Um....Peter David, Loeb, Waid all wrote fantastic Supergirl stories.

[dogwelder]

Peter David wrote years of great Supergirl stories.

[Jim Kelly]

Well there is ACTION COMICS No. 360/G-45 (March-April ’68). On sale the 9th of January ’68. Supergirl: "A Comic First! A Complete Book-Length Novel!" I talk a little about this on my blog that I posted today (80 PIC. GIANT--fourth thoughts)--but I don't get into the particulars of the story. If you look at the cover art for that issue, it pretty much gives you the basic plot.

As I said on my blog, this is one complete story, collected in a single edition, by one artist--Jim Mooney--and one writer. I thought the writer was Otto Binder, but when I checked the GCD today it has Jerry Siegel, as identified by Bob Hughes. Given Bob Hughes is right about virtually everything concerning the Superman family, I have to believe this is so. I always liked to think that the same man who created Mary Marvel--Binder--also wrote these stories. But if it's Jerry Siegel--the creator of Superman--that's maybe even more stunning.

I know snooty graphic novel readers have disdain for this sort of cheap uh comic book. But I have to think this work is just as valid and might be a precursor to the kind of extended story arcs that are so common in modern comics.

The stories collected in this Giant come from ACTION COMICS 278, 279, 280, 283, 284 and 285. You can save money by getting these in the two SHOWCASE volumes (1 and 2) or in the one SUPERGIRL ARCHIVES volume (2). However, the version in the Giant was edited to fit in 80 pages and to leave out redundant bits.

[Agent Z]

Um....Peter David, Loeb, Waid all wrote fantastic Supergirl stories.

One of those three is not like the others.

[t hedge coke]

I'm still reeling from "rape-bait."

One of those three is not like the others.

None of them are really "like the others." For three balding white American dudes, there's quite a range, in storytelling, between them.

[Blacksun]

Sterling Gates had a really good run on Supergirl

I also liked Kelley pucket arc on the book

[manofsteel1979]

It depends on the incarnation of Supergirl I guess.

Pre-Crisis Kara had lots of classic stories over her 30 ish years of existence. One of her finest was her very last, CRISIS#7. That issue still makes me teary eyed.

the first post-Crisis Supergirl (Matrix/Linda Danvers) had her Peter David written series that was a lot of fun and the closest thing to a "creator owned" Superman family book you are ever going to find. it sadly isn't about Kara, but that version was more awesome than she had any right to be given her messy origin.

Post-Crisis/Pre Flashpoint Kara had an uneven start (The Loeb penned early appearances were cool, The run by Joe Kelly... not so much), however Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle did a fantastic run that is memorable, and were some of the stronger parts of the NEW KRYPTON saga. Also judging from watching the Supergirl Pilot, there are quite a few things that it pulled from that run in terms of tone and Kara's characterization. (it's Cat Grant is an almost direct copy for the Gates/Igle Cat Grant , and Alex is reminicent of Lana in terms of the big sister relationship)

Post-Flashpoint had a very strong start under the two Mikes, but it got bogged down in Cross-over itis and derailed the title. The last few issues with the Acadamy in space was nice,but it was too little too late.

So yes, there were good Supergirl arcs. However they are diamonds among the refuge.

[brucekent12]

I agree with Blacksun. Sterling Gates had a great run, pre nu52 I believe, maybe closer to Infinite Crisis.

[JackDaw]

Landry Q Walker/ Eric Jones "Cosmic Adventures in the 8th grade" is a wonderful all ages read. And the few Supergirl stories I've read in the 1996-2002 Superman Adventures series were all good or better.

[Kuwagaton]

I've liked all of the comics mentioned, plus the original stories (back-ups in Action, archived) an about 90% of the latest run.

The real question here is "has anyone ever written a Supergirl arc that Teste would like?" And um.... you tell us.