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A Kryptonite meteor has fallen on Earth, spreading Kryptonite bits all over the world. Superman (depressed at being the last Kryptonian) is confined to the Fortress of Solitude while everyone else deals with the aftermath.


Quote1 You have a life. You can be Clark, or Kal-El or Superman -- Who am I going to be? Quote2
Supergirl src

Supergirl, also called The Supergirl from Krypton, is the second arc of Superman/Batman (Volume 1). Written by Jeph Loeb with art by Michael Turner, it is the reintroduction of Kara-Zor-El - the Kryptonian Supergirl - to continuity. Previous incarnations of the character after the Crisis on Infinite Earths were explicitly not Kryptonian, as Superman was presented as the sole survivor.

Synopsis

A Kryptonite meteor has fallen on Earth, spreading Kryptonite bits all over the world.[1] Superman (depressed at being the last Kryptonian) is confined to the Fortress of Solitude while everyone else deals with the aftermath.

Batman is getting irritated as Superman continually tries to persuade him to let him join in, to no avail. Batman is searching for meteor fragments beneath Gotham harbour when he comes upon a spaceship that has only been there for a week or two. While he examines it, a naked blonde girl comes out of the water, enters the Batboat and makes off with it. Alerted by an automatic warning, Batman pursues and catches up shortly after it crashes into a pier.

Near the warehouses, three dock workers see the girl approach. She speaks some other language- Kryptonian. Not understanding her, one of the men reaches out to her. She grabs his hand and squeezes his fingers, mangling them. One of his friends speaks up in the man's defence, and comes at the girl with a crowbar of some sort. The girl pushes him back several metres, shattering the crates he lands on, and bends the crowbar out of shape. In Kryptonian, she warned the men off, and then asks what is happening to her. The third man gives her his coat and she leaves, shortly before Batman arrives.

The girl runs through the streets in confusion. A car crashes into her, getting smashed, and when a red traffic light catches her attention, she accidentally blows it up with heat vision. The police arrive and open fire as she explodes one of the police cars' engine. Running away, she takes flight, making it to the top of a building where she is confronted by Batman. Trying to escape and avoid hurting anyone, she crashes into an automated dirigible and sends it plummeting towards the city as she falls through a glass roof. Batman calls Superman to direct the dirigible into the harbour, then catches up with the girl, who is now in tears. Unable to understand that she doesn't mean any harm, Batman knocks her out with a chunk of kryptonite.

In the Batcave, scans indicate the girl's planet of origin as Krypton. She wakes up and causes some damage, before Superman intervenes, and finds out that she's his cousin: Kara Zor-El.

One month later, Superman and Batman are in the Fortress of Solitude examining the spaceship that brought Superman's cousin Kara Zor-El to Earth. Batman queries Superman on a line of the plaque on it. Superman confirms that it is treasure, not terror or trouble, that Kara would be for the planet. They also discover that it has a kind of solar light generators that bathe the occupant in sunlight.

Kara bursts through the door, chased by Krypto. Superman calls him off, and Batman sends Kara out, while trying to convince Superman that he fears that she may not be who she says she is, and asks if he finds it suspicious that the dog hates her. Superman says no, because the dog hates everyone. Later, Batman confronts Kara. She tries to convince him that she's who she claims to be, but Batman explains that he doesn't trust her because she desperately wants him to. Superman turns up and tells his cousin has been through enough, and he's taking her out, whether Batman likes or not.

On Apokolips, a girl called Precious challenges the Female Furies. They defeat her, and Darkseid commands Granny Goodness to get him a suitable replacement for Big Barda. He demands the girl who fell on Earth.

In Metropolis, Clark shows Kara around while Bruce tails them from the shadows. They go to the Superman Memorial. Kara realises that the reason Clark's simple disguise works is because Earth people think of Superman as someone bigger than them.

All of sudden, they are attacked. Kara tries to fly away, but a golden rope wraps around her ankle and pulls her back. Clark changes to Superman and races to her rescue, but Harbinger appears and restrains him. An archer shoots at Batman and he throws a batarang, breaking her bow. Superman throws off Harbinger as Batman confronts the archer: Amazon warrior Artemis. She knocks him down and prepares to stab him, but he drops her with a dart. Meanwhile, Kara is pulled in by her assailant: Wonder Woman.

Several days later. On Themyscira, Superman and Batman are observing Kara and Artemis train in a match overseen by Wonder Woman. Superman is still upset over how Kara had been brought to the island, even though it has been weeks, but Batman still views the plan he and Wonder Woman formed as neccessary. As the match heats up, Artemis sweeps Kara from under her feet, and prepares to deliver a killing blow, when Superman charges forward and grabs her by the neck. Wonder Woman throws her lasso around Superman's neck, asking if he's lost his mind as the sword would have shattered on impact. Superman explains that he's been patient long enough and is taking Kara home. Wonder Woman points out that "home" is one of three options: Clark and Lois' apartment, the Fortress, where her only contact would be Krypto, or Krypton, which has long since died. Kara speaks up and says that she should have a say in where she lives.

Diana dismisses Kara and the other Amazons while she talks with Superman and Batman, but Kara is still able to hear their conversation, noting that Superman is still defending her while Batman still doubts her. Superman keeps insisting that he believes she's from Krypton, but Wonder Woman points out that if she is as powerful as him, it's a secret someone will try to exploit. Superman realizes that she and Batman haven't told him everything about why they took her.

Elsewhere, Kara and Harbinger land near the beach, and Kara tells her what is going on with the others. As far as Harbinger is concerned, with Kara's strength and abilities, she should become Supergirl. Kara isn't so sure, but Harbinger tells her that Diana is someone that she can trust. Kara thanks her, saying that she's the best friend she's had on the Island. Kara suggests that they go for a swim to clear her head, and Harbinger says she'll follow. In truth, her orb is activating, and shows her a vision of Superman holding a dead girl...

Back at the ring, Superman has been informed of another of Harbinger's visions about Kara: her presence will bring death and destruction. There aren't any specifics, but Wonder Woman has had the Amazons on alert since Kara arrived. All of a sudden, a Boom Tube opens up and ejects Doomsday. Superman tells the others to protect Kara while he handles the monster, but to their horror, a whole army of Doomsdays exit the tube. Wonder Woman orders the Amazons to attack and arms Batman. As the battle rages, they notice that the Doomsdays have no blood or higher level functions that Doomsday originally held. Batman concludes that Doomsday's DNA was too complex for Apokoliptian scientists to clone, and what they're facing are Doctor Bedlam's animates. Superman destroys the Doomsdays with a massive blast of heat vision, something which greatly drains him. He realizes that Batman is not there, and he and Wonder Woman fly off.

Near the shores of Paradise Island, Batman has found the body of Harbinger's vision: Lyla herself. Having thought he heard another boom tube open when the Doomsdays appeared, Batman concluded that the Doomsdays were a decoy to allow the Female Furies to get, kill Lyla, and kidnap Kara. As Harbinger's orb activates again, it shows a vision of Kara at Darkseid's mercy. An enraged Superman vows to go straight to Apokolips and take Kara back.

Nonetheless, they'll need to help to storm Apokolips. Superman and Wonder Woman arrive at the home of Scott Free and Big Barda, as Barda nochalantly dismisses the sight of two superheroes to her neighbor across the street. Entering the house, Barda is surprised to find Batman already in there. Wonder Woman thanks her for letting them use her Mother Box, and Barda asks for a few moments to get changed so they can go. Superman, however, has no intention of letting Barda go with them, but Barda says that it's a deal breaker. Batman then opens Scott's secret equipment closet, saying he needs to borrow some of it. As Barda steps out to change, Wonder Woman tries to get Superman to get comfortable with the fact that Barda is coming, but Superman is anything but happy. He partly blames Batman and Wonder Woman for Kara's kidnapping, as their forced involvement is what led to it. A furious Wonder Woman reminds Superman that many Amazons, including Harbinger, gave their lives defending Kara, but Superman counters that they wouldn't even be having this conversation if it had been Donna Troy or Jason Todd. Batman calms them down, pointing out that Kara isn't dead, and Barda steps in, ready to leave.

Using a boom tube, the quartet arrives on Apokolips. Everyone knows the plan, but Superman coldly reminds them that Kara is leaving with him regardless of how they feel. Batman reminds Superman that everyone is going home, and to prepare for anything. As the two leave (Superman under his own power, Batman with one of Scott's machines) Barda asks if Superman knows what they're getting into with Wonder Woman muttering with concern that she is unsure. Heading to the coliseum, the two heroines run into and battle the Female Furies, killing Stompa, but Barda is soon captured. Granny Goodness offers Wonder Woman a choice: surrender, or Barda dies.

Elsewhere, Batman is discovered by a pair of demon dog riders, but manages to lose them by collapsing an archway onto one. Finally, he reaches Darkseid's armory, discovering Hellspores, powerful bombs which burn their way from the surface of a planet to the core, leaving a firepit. With five hundred in here, there is no way Apokolips would survive. As he uses the mother box to begin reprogramming them, the other Demon Dog breaks into the armory. Placing Scott's backpack over his head, Batman is swallowed whole.

Superman has made his way to Darkseid's palace. A swarm of Suicide Jockeys try to eliminate him, to no avail. Breaking into the palace, he makes his way to the throne room, finding Kara with Darkseid, and demands Darkseid release Kara. Darkseid announces that Kara is free to leave whenever she wants, assuming that she does. As Superman tries to take Kara with him, she attacks him savagely, saying that he knows nothing about her, then driving him into the floor. Still seated on his throne, an impressed Darkseid commands a mind-controlled Kara to kill Superman.

Despite Superman's pleas, Kara throws him through the window of the throne room, into a firepit. At the coliseum, Wonder Woman decides to play her own game and throws her lasso around Granny's neck, telling her to order the Furies to surrender, or be killed. At the armory, the Demon Dog that swallowed Batman has smoke coming from its mouth, when it suddenly lunges forward and dies. As Batman emerges from the beast's mouth, he commands the soldiers to give him their armor.

In the firepit, Kara attacks Superman. Superman realizes that she may be as strong as him, and unless he acts, she'll kill him. Reluctantly, Superman opens his belt buckle to reveal his trump card-- Lex Luthor's kryptonite ring. Putting it on, he knocks Kara unconscious, though it breaks his heart to do it.

At Darkseid's palace, Batman arrives, wearing the armor of the Dog Cavalry. The claws on the armor break against Darkseid's skin, but Batman reveals that he has used Barda's Mother Box to arm the Hellspores. Realizing what they'll do to Apokolips, Darkseid pounds Batman into the floor and then into the wall, demanding that he disarm the bombs. Batman will only do so if Darkseid releases Kara and gives his word not to kill or try to reclaim her. Realizing that Batman will not give in, Darkseid yields. He expresses admiration for Batman's ruthlessness, saying that Superman and Wonder Woman wouldn't have been able to do what he did. Kara is free to leave, while Superman and Wonder Woman both vow to hold him to the promise.

Returing to Themyscira, all the effects of the brainwashing are removed. Before Superman and Kara leave, Kara says goodbye to Harbinger at her memorial, and tells Batman that she remembers her mother's name, Allura. Later, at the Fortress of Solitude, Kara is trying on a new outfit--a Supergirl uniform. She admits that she isn't sure she has a right to wear it, and is still ashamed of what she did under Darkseid's thrall. Superman dismisses it, saying that Darkseid is corruptive by nature, and whatever evil she displayed was put into her by Darkseid.

Flying across the county, Superman and Supergirl arrive at the Kent farm, as Superman wants to introduce her to his parents. Seeing no sign of the Kents, Superman assumes they're in town, and decides to wait with Kara in the house. Before he opens the door, a massive fist punches through, sending Superman across the yard. Kara sees the attacker--Darkseid. The Dread Lord says that his promise was only with regards to Kara, and that Superman was not part of the bargain. Darkseid fires his Omega Beams at Superman, but Supergirl flies into the path of the beams. The beams strike Kara, and her body appears to dissolve into ash.

As Superman stands over Kara's ashes, Darkseid prepares to leave. As he moves toward the boom tube, he mocks Superman by reminding him that he is once again the last son of Krypton, and saying that Kara's death is his fault. Unable to bear it anymore, Superman attacks Darkseid, punching him clear across the Kent farm and into the barn. As Superman attacks Darkseid, he decries him for talking about Kara like he knew her. Darkseid fires his Omega Beams at Superman, but Wonder Woman dives in, deflecting the blasts back at Darkseid with her bracelets. However, Superman throws her out of the barn, saying that this is between him and Darkseid.

As Superman carries Darkseid out of the atmosphere while fighting him, he talks about the simple things in life that Kara will never experience, things Darkseid does not care for, why he only knows death. Darkseid believes it's made him a god, but Superman retorts it's made him vulnerable. While they fight, they begin orbiting the sun, and a powered-up and berserker Superman manages to break Darkseid's arm and make him bleed. Dragging him out of orbit, Superman activates a boom tube and takes Darkseid to the Source Wall, imprisoning him within it, saying that Darkseid belongs with all the other failures in the universe.

Heading back to the Kent farm, he finds the Justice League helping repair the damage. The Martian Manhunter, repairing the house, reassures Superman that his parents were in town, while Flash, repairing the barn, tells Superman that Green Lantern is getting a new tractor for his family and that they owe him this much. Wonder Woman asks about Darkseid, but Superman tells her that he'll never bother them again. Heading to Paradise Island, Superman enters a hidden room where he informs one last person--Kara Zor-El. The whole event turned out to be Superman's plan, whose idea of flying cross county was to deliberately provoke Darkseid into an attack, and make him believe that he had killed Kara (when in fact, Wonder Woman had teleported Kara out of the beam's path and teleported in ashes). Superman reassures her that no matter what she decides, he will be there for her.

At the Fortress of Solitude, Superman and Batman talk about what happened. Superman admits that he had become so overprotective of Kara that he was denying her a chance to live her life, and also apologizes to Batman about the remark regarding Jason Todd. Batman says that it's forgotten, and admits that this situation is more like what happened with him and Dick Grayson after he became Nightwing. As they speak, Kara shows up, saying that she has made a decision. At Paradise Island, Superman introduces the superhero community to Kara, who is now Supergirl. She admits that she isn't sure she earned the right to wear the costume, but that with their help, she'll grow into it. Superman privately reflects that he'll never be alone again thanks to her, while Batman privately reflects, for Superman's sake, he'll put aside his suspicions regarding Kara... for now.

Issues

Notes

  • This story arc marked the only time in late artist Michael Turner's career that he provided interior art for a company other than Top Cow Productions or his own publisher Aspen MLT.
  • This story is dedicated to Christopher Reeve, who died during the year the storyline ended.

Trivia

Recommended Reading

Links and References


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