{"id":33050,"date":"2025-06-07T08:00:30","date_gmt":"2025-06-07T08:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=33050"},"modified":"2025-06-06T14:40:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T14:40:07","slug":"dc-finest-supergirl-the-girl-of-steel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2025\/06\/07\/dc-finest-supergirl-the-girl-of-steel\/","title":{"rendered":"DC Finest: Supergirl – The Girl of Steel"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nBy Otto Binder<\/strong> & Jim Mooney<\/strong>, Jerry Seigel<\/strong>, Robert Bernstein<\/strong>, Leo Dorfman<\/strong>, Al Plastino<\/strong>, Curt Swan<\/strong>, Wayne Boring<\/strong>, Stan Kaye<\/strong>, John Forte<\/strong>, George Klein<\/strong> & various (DC Comics)
\nISBN: 978-1-4012-8131-1 (TPB\/Digital edition)<\/p>\n

This book includes Discriminatory Content<\/strong> produced in less enlightened times.<\/em><\/p>\n

This epic compilation is another DC Finest<\/strong> edition: full colour continuations of their chronolgically curated monochrome Showcase Presents<\/strong> line, all delivering \u201caffordably priced, large-size paperback collections\u201d. Whilst primarily concentrating on superheroes, later releases will also cover genre selections like horror and war books, and themed compendia. Sadly, they\u2019re not yet available digitally, as were the last decade\u2019s Bronze, Silver & Golden Age collections, but we live in hope…<\/em><\/p>\n

Superhero comics seldom do sweet or charming anymore. Narrative focus nowadays concentrates on turmoil, angst and spectacle and – although there\u2019s nothing intrinsically wrong with that – sometimes the palate just craves a different flavour.<\/p>\n

Such was not always the case, as this superb compendium of the early career of Superman\u2019s cousin Kara Zor-El<\/em> of Argo City joyously proves. Gathering here is pertinent material from Action Comics<\/strong> #252-288, Adventure Comics<\/strong> #278, Superman<\/strong> #139, 140 & 144, Superboy<\/strong> #80, Superman\u2019s Girlfriend Lois Lane<\/strong> #14 & 20 and Superman\u2019s Pal Jimmy Olsen <\/strong>#40, 46, 51 & 57 collectively spanning cover-dates May 1959 to May 1962.<\/p>\n

Kicking off proceedings is the delightful DC House Ad advertising the imminent arrival of a new \u201cGirl of Steel\u201d. Sadly missing, however, is the try-out story \u2018The Three Magic Wishes\u2019<\/em> by Otto Binder, Dick Sprang & Stan Kaye from Superman<\/strong> #123 (August 1958) which told how a mystic totem briefly conjured up a young girl with superpowers as one of three wishes made by Jimmy Olsen<\/em>. Such was the reaction to the plucky distaff hero that within a year a new, permanent (ish) version joined the Superman Family\u2026<\/p>\n

Here, then, after that promo, the drama commences with \u2018The Supergirl from Krypton!\u2019<\/em>, the third story from Action Comics<\/strong> #252 introducing Superman\u2019s cousin Kara, who had been born on a city-sized fragment of Krypton, which was somehow hurled intact into space when the planet exploded. Eventually Argo City turned to Kryptonite like the rest of the giant world\u2019s debris, and Kara\u2019s dying parents, having observed Earth through their scanners and scopes, sent their daughter to safety as they perished. Crashed on Earth, she\u2019s met by Superman, who creates the cover-identity of Linda Lee<\/em> whilst hiding her in an orphanage in rural small town Midvale, allowing the newcomer to learn about her new world and powers in secrecy and safety. This groundbreaking tale was also written by Binder and drawn by the hugely talented, vastly underrated Al Plastino.
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\nOnce the formula was established Supergirl became a regular feature in Action Comics<\/strong> (from #253), a residency that lasted until 1969 when she graduated to the lead spot in Adventure Comics<\/strong>. Then \u2018The Secret of the Super-Orphan!\u2019<\/em> sees her at orphanage, befriending fellow orphan Dick Wilson<\/em> (eventually Malverne<\/em>) who would become her personal gadfly – much as Lois Lane <\/em>then was to Superman – a recurring romantic entanglement who suspects she has a secret. As a young girl in even less egalitarian times than ours, romance featured heavily in our neophyte star\u2019s thoughts and she frequently met other potential boyfriends: including alien heroes and even a Merboy from Atlantis. Many early exploits involved keeping her presence concealed, even whilst practising and performing super-feats. Jim Mooney became regular artist whilst Binder remained chief scripter for the early run.<\/p>\n

In Action <\/strong>#254, \u2018Supergirl\u2019s Foster-Parents!\u2019<\/em> sees an unscrupulous couple of grifters adopt her in the belief she uses a \u201cpower tonic\u201d to gain mighty abilities. They are easily foiled and sent packing, after which Linda meets a mystery DC hero after \u2018Supergirl Visits the 21st Century!\u2019<\/em> in #255 (Spoilers!<\/strong>: it\u2019s World\u2019s Finest Comics<\/strong> B-feature star Tommy Tomorrow<\/strong> – who you\u2019ve never heard of or cared about…).<\/p>\n

Linda\u2019s secret is nearly exposed again in \u2018The Great Supergirl Mirage!\u2019<\/em> but she covers her tracks expertly before meeting a fellow associate of her cousin in \u2018Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl\u2019s Pal!\u2019<\/em> by Binder, Curt Swan & John Forte from Superman\u2019s Pal Jimmy Olsen<\/strong> #40 (October 1959). Here the Maid of Might repeatedly saves the temporarily blind cub reporter from a murderous conman, but cannot convince him that she is a Kryptonian and Superman\u2019s secret weapon. Back in Action<\/strong>, she then grants \u2018The Three Magic Wishes!\u2019<\/em> to despondent youngsters and teaches a mean bully a much-needed lesson.<\/p>\n

The Man of Steel often came off rather poorly when dealing with women in those unenlightened days, always under the guise of \u201cteaching a lesson\u201d or \u201ctesting\u201d someone. When she ignores his secrecy decree by playing with superdog Krypto<\/strong>, cousin Kal-El<\/em> banishes the lonely youngster to an asteroid in \u2018Supergirl\u2019s Farewell to Earth!\u2019 – <\/em>but of course there\u2019s paternalistic method in the madness. Next, \u2018The Cave-Girl of Steel!\u2019 <\/em>sees her voyage to Earth\u2019s primordial past and become a palaeolithic legend before Jerry Siegel & Kurt Schaffenberger share \u2018Lois Lane\u2019s Secret Romance!\u2019<\/em> (Superman\u2019s Girlfriend Lois Lane<\/strong> #14, January 1960) as Linda plays matchmaker in a scheme to get Clark Kent and Lois hitched and eligible to adopt her…<\/p>\n

Action Comics <\/strong>#260 does double duty next as the lead Superman – cowritten by Binder & Siegel and limned by Plastino – feature delivers more heartbreak for Lois after Superman & Supergirl perpetrate a very public romantic hoax on the world to thwart a potential alien attack in \u2018Mighty Maid!\u2019<\/em> In her own slot, the mystical Fountain of Youth transforms Supergirl into \u2018The Girl Superbaby!\u2019<\/em>, eventually recovering for a tale introducing feline fan-favourite Streaky the Super-Cat<\/strong> as \u2018Supergirl\u2019s Super Pet!\u2019<\/em> – with an attempt to cure kryptonite poisoning imbuing a mischievous stray kitty with on-again-off-again superpowers – after which \u2018Supergirl\u2019s Greatest Victory!\u2019 <\/em>supplies a salutary lesson in humility to the Girl of Steel as a second anti-K attempt almost kills cousin Kal-El…<\/p>\n

Over in Superboy<\/strong> #80 (April 1960), Siegel, Swan & Forte detail a bittersweet encounter as Kara time travels to the recent past to alleviate the Boy of Steel\u2019s loneliness and isolation on a star spanning playdate in \u2018Superboy meets… Supergirl\u2019s Darkest Day!\u2019<\/em> only to realise to late that he must lose those precious memories or risk wrecking the course of history…<\/p>\n

In Action Comics <\/strong>Binder moved on after scripting \u2018Supergirl\u2019s Darkest Day!\u2019<\/em> – in which the Maid of Might rescues an alien prince – whilst incoming Jerry Siegel began his own tenure with \u2018Supergirl Gets Adopted!\u2019<\/em>: a traumatic yet sentimental tale which ends with the lonely lass stuck back at Midvale orphanage.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve restrained myself so please do likewise and act your age when I say the next story isn\u2019t what you think. \u2018When Supergirl Revealed Herself!\u2019 <\/em>(Siegel & Mooney, Action <\/strong>#265) is another story about nearly finding a family, after which Siegel, Swan & Forte\u2019s \u2018Jimmy Olsen, Orphan!\u2019<\/em> (Superman\u2019s Pal Jimmy Olsen<\/strong> #46) reveals how an accident gives the cub reporter amnesia and he ends up in Midvale where Linda Lee \u00a0is hiding whilst learning how to be a Supergirl…<\/p>\n

Streaky returns in Siegel & Mooney\u2019s \u2018The World\u2019s Mightiest Cat!\u2019<\/em>, straightening out a lost kid in the process of going bad, before Superman<\/strong> #139 (August 1960, by Binder, Swan & Forte) delivers a dramatic dilemma, a redefinition of the parameters of the deadly crimson mineral, and plenty of thrills with the Man of Steel forced to risk deadly danger and lots of informative flashbacks to rescue a sunken submarine whilst offering cousin Kara a lesson on \u2018The Untold Story of Red Kryptonite!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Courtesy of Siegel & Mooney Supergirl finally finds fantastic fellow super-kids in Action<\/strong> #267\u2019s \u2018The Three Super-Heroes!<\/em>\u2019 but narrowly fails to qualify for the Legion of Super Heroes<\/strong> through the cruellest quirk of fortune. After emotionally picking herself up she then exposes \u2018The Mystery Supergirl!\u2019<\/em> as a movie PR stunt prior to Superman<\/strong> #140 introducing the Maid of Might to her cousin\u2019s unliving opposite.<\/p>\n

Although later played for laughs, most early appearances of the warped duplicate were moving comic-tragedies, here as Binder, Wayne Boring & Stan Kaye debuted \u2018The Son of Bizarro!\u2019<\/em> When the fractured facsimile and wife Bizarro-Lois<\/em> have a baby, it is fast-growing super-powered and human looking, causing the first couple of Htrae to be shunned by the populace of their square world of monsters.<\/p>\n

The simple-minded, heartbroken father has no choice but to exile his son into space where chance brings the tyke crashing to Earth as \u2018The Orphan Bizarro!\u2019<\/em> Despatched to the same institution where Supergirl resides, \u201cBaby Buster\u201d becomes a permanent headache for the undercover Girl of Steel until a tragic accident seemingly mutates him. Eventually, distraught dad comes looking for him at the head of an angry army of enraged Superman duplicates and a devastating battle is narrowly avoided, with a happy ending only materialising due to the introduction of \u2018The Bizarro Supergirl!\u2019<\/em>, after which \u2018Lois Lane\u2019s Super-Daughter!\u2019 <\/em>(by Siegel & Schaffenberger from SGLL<\/strong> #20) revisits the Imaginary Mr. & Mrs. Superman<\/strong> scenario wherein Lois & Clark Lane-Kent\u2019s attempts to adopt Linda Lee lead to heartbreak and disaster\u2026<\/p>\n

Back in Action<\/strong> #369, Siegel & Mooney introduce fish-tailed Mer-boy Jerro<\/em> as \u2018Supergirl\u2019s First Romance!\u2019<\/em> in a charming comedy of manners and errors, whilst #270 provides a double bill beginning with Binder, Swan & Forte\u2019s whimsical delight \u2018The Old Man of Metropolis!\u2019<\/em> as the Metropolis Marvel glimpses his own twilight years with Kara as Superwoman tending to an increasingly doddery and troublesome dotard of Steel before \u2018Supergirl\u2019s Busiest Day!\u2019<\/em> by Siegel & Mooney sees her celebrating a very special occasion, accompanied by a cameo packed guest cast including Batman & Robin<\/strong>, Krypto and Superman\u2019s Atlantean ex Lori Lemaris<\/em>, after which Adventure Comics<\/strong> #278 (November 1960, by Binder & Plastino) sees Linda head to the days of Superboy in \u2018Supergirl in Smallville!\u2019<\/em> with the intention of proving to herself that she\u2019s ready for adoption. It does not go well and crestfallen Linda heads back to the orphanage…<\/p>\n

In Action<\/strong> #271 Siegel & Mooney host another bombastic appearance for Streaky as the wonder child builds \u2018Supergirl\u2019s Fortress of Solitude!\u2019<\/em> and Binder wrote \u2018The Second Supergirl!\u2019<\/em> – a parallel world tale too big for one issue. Sequel \u2018The Supergirl of Two Worlds!\u2019<\/em> came in Action<\/strong> #273 – as did a novel piece of market research. \u2018Pick a New Hairstyle for Linda (Supergirl) Lee!\u2019<\/em> involved eager readers in the actual physical appearance of their heroine and provided editors valuable input into who was actually reading the series. It\u2019s followed by another guest appearance (in Superman\u2019s Pal Jimmy Olsen<\/strong> #51) where Binder Swan & Forte introduce \u2018The Girl with Green Hair!\u2019<\/em>: a sultry superpowered alien who takes an unlikely shine to the lad. Unfortunately, she\u2019s utterly bogus, a sham by a well-meaning Kara Zor-El to get Lucy Lane<\/em> to be nicer to her supposed boyfriend. It all goes painfully, horribly wrong…<\/p>\n

Siegel & Mooney soundly demonstrated DC\u2019s dictum that \u201chistory cannot be changed\u201d in \u2018Supergirl\u2019s Three Time Trips!\u2019<\/em> – to meet Annie Oakley<\/em>, Betsy Ross<\/em> and Pocahontas<\/em> – before Siegel & Plastino describe the terrifying plight of Superman, Supergirl and Krypto as \u2018The Orphans of Space!\u2019 <\/em>(Superman<\/strong> #144) after the Man of Steel seemingly blows up Earth! \u2018Ma and Pa Kent Adopt Supergirl!\u2019<\/em> then offers a truly nightmarish scenario as Linda Lee experiences what might have been had she reached Earth before baby Kal-El…<\/p>\n

Action Comics<\/strong> #276 delivers another double bill beginning with \u2018The War Between Supergirl and the Superman Emergency Squad\u2019 <\/em>(Robert Bernstein, Wayne Boring & Stan Kaye) as Superman is conned into revealing his secret identity and must resort to incredible measures to make a swindler disbelieve his eyes, after which Siegel & Mooney\u2019s \u2018Supergirl\u2019s Three Super Girl-Friends!\u2019<\/em> offers a return visit with \u00a0the Legion of Super Heroes whilst in Action<\/strong> #277 an amazing animal epic ensues in \u2018The Battle of the Super-Pets!\u2019<\/em> as Streaky & Krypto compete for the attention and approval of their biped bosses…
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\nSiegel & Mooney\u2019s next five Action <\/strong>efforts comprise an extended saga, taking the Girl of Steel in completely new directions. On the eve of Superman announcing her existence to the world, Supergirl loses her powers and – resigned to a normal life – is adopted by childless couple Fred<\/em> and Edna Danvers<\/em>. Sadly, it\u2019s all a cruel, deadly plot by wicked Lesla-Lar<\/em>, Kara\u2019s identical double from the Bottle City of Kandor<\/em>. This evil genius wants to replace Supergirl… and conquer Earth. Mini-epic \u2018The Unknown Supergirl!\u2019<\/em>, \u2018Supergirl\u2019s Secret Enemy!\u2019<\/em>, \u2018Trapped in Kandor!\u2019<\/em>, \u2018The Secret of the Time-Barrier!\u2019 <\/em>and – following the results of the Hair Style competition –\u2018The Supergirl of Tomorrow!\u2019<\/em> ran in Action Comics<\/strong>#278-282: solidly repositioning the character for a more positive, effective and fully public role in the DC universe. The saga also hinted of a more dramatic, less paternalistic, parochial and even reduced-sexist future for the most powerful girl in the world, over the months to come; although the young hero is still very much a student-in-training, her existence still kept from the general public as she lives with adoptive parents who are completely unaware the orphan they have adopted is a Kryptonian super-being.<\/p>\n

Its back to silliness first though as Superman\u2019s Pal Jimmy Olsen<\/strong> #57 (Siegel, Swan & Kaye) offers an Imaginary story in which Linda loses her powers and memories. Through a cascade of coincidences \u2018Jimmy Olsen Marries Supergirl!\u2019<\/em>. However when she returns to normal, newlywed Linda Olsen faces a dilemma that is only further fouled up by \u2018Jimmy Olsen\u2019s Two Brides!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

The accent on all these stories generally revolves around problem-solving, identity-saving and loneliness, with both good taste and the Comics Code ensuring readers weren\u2019t traumatised by unsavoury or excessively violent tales. Plots akin to situation comedies often pertained, as in Action<\/strong> #283\u2019s \u2018The Six Red \u201cK\u201d Perils of Supergirl!\u2019 <\/em>Weird transformations were a mainstay at this time, and although post-modern interpretations might discern some metaphor for puberty or girls \u201cbecoming\u201d women, I rather suspect the true answer is author Seigel\u2019s love of comedy and an editorial belief that fighting was simply unladylike\u2026<\/p>\n

Red Kryptonite, a cosmically-altered isotope of the radioactive element left when Krypton exploded, caused temporary physical and sometimes mental mutations in the survivors of that doomed world. It was a godsend to writers in need of a challenging visual element when writing characters with the power to drop-kick planets. Here as limned by Mooney, the wonder-stuff generates a circus of horrors, transforming Supergirl into a werewolf, shrinking her to microscopic size and making her fat. I\u2019m not going to say a single bloody word\u2026<\/p>\n

The drama continues with \u2018The Strange Bodies of Supergirl!\u2019<\/em> wherein Linda Lee Danvers\u2019 travails escalate after she grows a second head, gains death-ray vision (ostensibly!) and morphs into a mermaid. This daffy holdover was actually more madcappery by Mr. Mxyzptlk<\/em>, a shout out to simpler times in the face of a major change in the Girl of Steel\u2019s status\u2026<\/p>\n

Hogging the cover (by Super-stalwarts Swan & George Klein) the simpler times ended as a major change in the Maid of Might\u2019s status finally occurred. When her parents learn of their new daughter\u2019s true origins, Superman allows his cousin to announce her existence to the world in 2-chapter saga \u2018The World\u2019s Greatest Heroine!\u2019<\/em> concluding with a monumental battle against \u2018The Infinite Monster!\u2019<\/em> Here Siegel & Mooney detail how Supergirl becomes the darling of the universe: openly saving planet Earth and finally getting all the credit for it.
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\nAction<\/strong> Comics<\/strong> #286 then pits her against her cousin\u2019s greatest foe in \u2018The Death of Luthor!\u2019<\/em>, prior to \u2018Supergirl\u2019s Greatest Challenge!\u2019<\/em> seeing her visit the Legion of Super-Heroes<\/strong> to save future Earth from invasion. She also meets the telepathic descendent of her cat Streaky. His name is Whizzy<\/em> – I could have left that out but chose not to – one more blow for smug, comedic effect…<\/p>\n

Ending this epic compilation is \u2018The Man who Made Supergirl Cry!\u2019<\/em>, signalling the beginning of Leo Dorfman\u2019s contributions as scripter. Hugely prolific, he worked from the 1950s for Fawcett, on all Superman Family titles, Batman<\/strong>, DC\u2019s horror line, Dell\/Gold Key\u2019s M.A.R.S. Patrol Total War<\/strong> and mystery anthologies including The Twilight Zone<\/strong>, Ripley’s Believe it or Not!<\/strong>, Boris Karloff Mystery<\/strong> and Grimm’s Ghost Stories<\/strong> under his own byline, as Geoff Brown or David George – and probably others – generating quality material continuously from the Golden Age until his death in 1974.<\/p>\n

In this tight little closer thriller, Phantom Zone villains mentally control Supergirl\u2019s new dad in a plot to escape their ethereal dungeon dimension… until she stops them with the help of fellow Legionnaire Mon-El…<\/p>\n

Possibly the last time a female super-character\u2019s sexual allure and sales potential wasn\u2019t freely and gratuitously exploited, these tales are a link and window to a far less crass time, celebrating one of the few strong female characters parents can still happily share with their youngest girl children. I\u2019m certainly not embarrassed to let any women see this volume, unlike most modern \u201cBad-Girl\u201d books or male public figures you could possibly name.
\n\u00a9 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 2024 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Otto Binder & Jim Mooney, Jerry Seigel, Robert Bernstein, Leo Dorfman, Al Plastino, Curt Swan, Wayne Boring, Stan Kaye, John Forte, George Klein & various (DC Comics) ISBN: 978-1-4012-8131-1 (TPB\/Digital edition) This book includes Discriminatory Content produced in less enlightened times. This epic compilation is another DC Finest edition: full colour continuations of their … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “DC Finest: Supergirl – The Girl of Steel”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[191,388,76,290,344,373,154,311,127,172,148,310,121,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-bizarro","category-dc-superhero","category-dinosaurs","category-jimmy-olsen","category-krypto","category-legion-of-super-heroes","category-legion-of-super-pets","category-nostalgia","category-robin","category-romance","category-superboy","category-supergirl-graphic-novels","category-superman"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-8B4","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33050"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33050\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33055,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33050\/revisions\/33055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}