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View Full Version : How "Little Girl Lost" Redefined Supergirl for a Generation: A Retrospective



supergirl's pal
09-01-2010, 03:33 PM
Introduced in DC Comics as Superman’s teenage cousin in 1959, Supergirl did not make her animated debut until nearly 40 years later in the two-part episode "Little Girl Lost." Despite a 25-year history and a feature film staring Helen Slater in 1984, the Supergirl known as Kara Zor-El, the cousin of Kal-El, was erased from comic book continuity after the DC Comics reboot in 1986. When producers of Superman: The Animated Series wanted to portray Supergirl as his cousin, they were denied by an official edict from DC Comics that declared Superman as the sole survivor of Krypton. Unwilling to use the protoplasmic Supergirl in the comics at the time, the animated Supergirl producers came up with would redefine that character for a generation.

http://www.toonzone.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=238&pictureid=1696

The Supergirl that premiered in "Little Girl Lost." on Kids WB in May 1998 was Kara In-Ze, the last survivor of Argos, that was knocked out of orbit when its sister planet of Krypton exploded. A young girl when the disaster happened, Kara survived Argos’ icy death in a cryogenic chamber when she was discovered years later by Superman. Rescued by Superman to be raised by Ma and Pa Kent in Smallville, Kara desires to use her powers to help people, but feels restrained by Superman’s decision for her to get better adjusted on Earth first. Much to his annoyance, Superman discovers that Kara is not completely deferential to his wishes when she arrives unexpectedly in Metropolis to help him fight Intergang.

http://www.toonzone.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=238&pictureid=1680

Supergirl gets more than she bargained for when she and Jimmy Olsen discover that Granny Goodness is behind Intergang’s crime wave with the Female Furies as backup. Although initially holding her own against the villainous trio, Supergirl gets buried in rubble while Superman is incapacitated and taken to Apokolips. Supergirl follows them there and succeeds in freeing Superman after another struggle with the Female Furies in Darkseid’s throne room. After quickly returning to Metropolis, Superman and Supergirl save it from being hit by a comet that had been diverted by Granny Goodness’ Doomsday Magnet. Hailed in the press as their newest hero, Supergirl’s first animated appearance ends with her soaring above Metropolis, where she always belonged.

http://www.toonzone.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=238&pictureid=1679

The impact of "Little Girl Lost" on the DC Comics continuity was first seen in 2000 when Supergirl changed her red and blue outfit to a white and blue one similar to the one worn in "Little Girl Lost."

http://www.toonzone.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=238&pictureid=1698

When Supergirl was formally reintroduced into the regular comic book continuity as Superman’s cousin from Krypton in Superman/Batman #8-13, that arc used several themes that were first seen in "Little Girl Lost."

Supergirl was born before Superman and kept in suspended animation due to the destruction of Krypton.

http://www.toonzone.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=238&pictureid=1699

The first major villain Supergirl faces is Darkseid.

http://www.toonzone.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=238&pictureid=1700

When Granny Goodness first meets Supergirl in battle, she considers her perfect for the Female Furies (after a little brain surgery). In Superman/Batman #8-13, Granny is instructed to recruit Supergirl for the Furies by Darkseid himself.

http://www.toonzone.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=238&pictureid=1701

In 2007 Kara was introduced in the seventh season of Smallville played by Lara Vandervoort. Like "Little Girl Lost" nearly ten years earlier, Kara was born years before Kal-El, and was stuck in suspended animation for several years before making her presence felt.

http://www.toonzone.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=238&pictureid=1697

This month will see the release of the DVD movie "Superman/Batman: Apocalypse" an animated adaptation of the popular Superman/Batman #8-13 miniseries. Produced by some of the same people at Warner Brothers Animation who made "Little Girl Lost" 12 years before, the modern redefinition of Supergirl has come full circle. The way we see Supergirl today in comics and popular media was all started by a "Little Girl Lost" that was found by a new generation of fans.

Yojimbo
09-04-2010, 03:41 AM
Well done retrospective piece!

Peter Paltridge
09-04-2010, 03:46 AM
One more note: once that "Last Son of Krypton" edict was lifted, or at least slacked off on, they retconned Kara back into Superman's cousin on Justice League....

I like Supergirl. She's Superman with an actual personality. And unlike Superman, she's very imperfect due to her age and can screw up. Also, her initial description of Apokolips defined it perfectly.

"What a toilet."

Bat-Fan Beyond
09-04-2010, 02:11 PM
Cool retrospective, supergirl's pal!

JTMarsh
09-04-2010, 09:12 PM
A fascinating look back at Supergirl's debut in animation.

Is it wrong that I prefer her classic uniform to the white (later blue) tank top? :(

reflection
09-04-2010, 10:40 PM
One more note: once that "Last Son of Krypton" edict was lifted, or at least slacked off on, they retconned Kara back into Superman's cousin on Justice League....

I like Supergirl. She's Superman with an actual personality. And unlike Superman, she's very imperfect due to her age and can screw up. Also, her initial description of Apokolips defined it perfectly.

"What a toilet."

I thought it was more like Superman's "cousin" on JLU.

DisneyBoy
09-04-2010, 10:54 PM
the last survivor of Argos

Don't let her mama's wonky accent fool you...Kara is from Argo. I think important to any retrospective of the Supergirl that was created on S:TAS is a mention of how Evan Dorkin And Sarah Dyer were the ones who rebuilt Kara from the ground up, ultimately getting some of their story re-written when it was deemed too dark to have Part Two focus on how Granny's interest in the teens was to turn them all into Parademons. Yup, that's right. Those green guys Superman blasts with his heat vision in Legacy Part Two? Innocents corrupted and mutated by Granny. Neat, hun?

supergirl's pal
09-05-2010, 07:17 PM
A fascinating look back at Supergirl's debut in animation.

Is it wrong that I prefer her classic uniform to the white (later blue) tank top? :(

Not at all! In fact, one of the biggest debates among Supergirl fans is which of her costumes is the best. I prefer the movie one myself. ;)


Don't let her mama's wonky accent fool you...Kara is from Argo. I think important to any retrospective of the Supergirl that was created on S:TAS is a mention of how Evan Dorkin And Sarah Dyer were the ones who rebuilt Kara from the ground up, ultimately getting some of their story re-written when it was deemed too dark to have Part Two focus on how Granny's interest in the teens was to turn them all into Parademons. Yup, that's right. Those green guys Superman blasts with his heat vision in Legacy Part Two? Innocents corrupted and mutated by Granny. Neat, hun?

Its funny, when I was doing the research for the Supergirl display and this retrospective, I saw Kara's home planet written and spoken both ways.

You can read more about Evan Dorkin's And Sarah Dyer's original storyline for "Little Girl Lost" in this interview with them here:

http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/superman/backstage/interviews/dorkindyer.php

Thanks to everyone who liked this retrospective!

DisneyBoy
09-06-2010, 06:38 PM
I never liked Supergirl until the S:TAS look came along. It sold me on her in an instant. She was relatable...she looked good...she wasn't just some girl that got a hold of Superman's costume and trimmed it to suit her body. S:TAS look all the way!

Thanks for linking to that interview - haven't read it through in a while :) It's a shame they changed the ending of the storyline. Compared to Batgirl's origin two-parter, I feel Supergirl's falls short. Darkseid, fresh off killing Dan Turpin, just isn't as menacing here. It feels a little too much like all the characters are around just to give Kara her time to fight and something to do...