Media adaptations of Supergirl
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Media adaptations of Supergirl focuses on the various adaptations of the fictional superheroine Supergirl into pop culture. Since 1984, the DC comics character has been adapted into a feature film, animated television programs and live-action television programs.
Contents |
[edit] Film
A feature film adaptation Supergirl was released in 1984, starring Helen Slater in her first motion picture role. Supergirl was a spin-off from the popular 1978 film Superman, and Marc McClure reprises his role of Jimmy Olsen. The movie performed poorly at the box office and failed to impress critics or audiences; Peter O'Toole received a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Actor for his performance, while Faye Dunaway received a Worst Actress nomination for hers.[1] Prior to its release, Supergirl was expected to be the first film of a series, and Helen Slater had a contract for three films, but Supergirl's failure at the box office cancelled plans for a Supergirl II.
Supergirl was originally planned for Superman III, in a treatment written by Ilya Salkind. In a bizarre twist from the comics, Supergirl was to be the surrogate daughter of Brainiac who falls in love with Superman, who until then had been portrayed as her cousin.[2]
[edit] Animation
[edit] Superfriends
Although not appearing in the show, she did appear in some of the related comics with the show. [3]
[edit] DC Animated Universe
Supergirl first appears, voiced by Nicholle Tom, in the two-part Superman: The Animated Series episode "Little Girl Lost" as Kara In-Ze from Krypton's "sister world" of Argos. The character is depicted as a headstrong and independent teenage girl who was placed in suspended animation before the conditions on Argos became inhospitable. The daughter of planetary chief physician Kala In-Ze, Kara was the only survivor of her planet, the rest having died when their suspended animation units suffered damage over time. While on a space exploration trip, Superman discovers Argos and consequently Kara. Clark arranges for the Kents to take Kara in while she adjusts to life on Earth, and upon visiting Clark in Metropolis, she wears glasses and a brunette wig with a ponytail to pose as Clark's cousin Kara Kent. This Supergirl shares Superman's vulnerability to kryptonite; she also suffers from cheimatophobia (fear of cold), due to her experiences prior to her time in suspended animation. Kara is written as eager to take up a position at the right hand of Superman, but Superman thinks she is too young and unready, despite the fact that she and Jimmy Olsen, who struck up a friendship at once, were critical in ferreting out an early connection between Intergang and Granny Goodness. Kara becomes friends with Batgirl in The New Batman Adventures episode "Girls' Nite Out", though their meeting is played for laughs and the girls depicted as somewhat inept. However, this friendship was again referenced in the Justice League season 2 episode 'Comfort and Joy', in which Superman (Clark) asks his parents "Where's Kara?" and they reply "Skiing with Barbara."
The costume worn by the animated Supergirl is used by Linda Danvers in the 1996 Supergirl comic book series. She continues to use that same costume in her first appearance in the first episode of Justice League Unlimited, where the voice-acting role is reprised by Nicholle Tom. In the third season of JLU, Supergirl appears in a new outfit, (the more traditional blue top with red miniskirt) that resembles Kara Zor-El's post-Crisis costume. Plus, She obtains Martial arts abilities. In the episode in which the costume first appears, the explanation is that the costume was altered to look more like Superman's mentioned in a discussion between Green Arrow and Superman.
Supergirl appears in Justice League as a mourner at Superman's funeral; she does not wear her Kara Kent disguise. Rather, she has her blonde hair exposed and is attired in sombre black, a discrepancy that was never addressed considering that throughout the rest of her civilian appearances, she is in her disguise.
In the Justice League Unlimited animated series, Supergirl changes her costume. In is revealed in several more episodes that Supergirl has apparently obtained Martial arts abilities.(In the episode "Far from home, Kara defeats Green Lantern using martial arts). Somewhere in the beginning of the series, it is revealed that scientists from Project Cadmus create Galatea, an evil clone of the program's Supergirl (Kara) for nefarious purposes. The clone is a more mature version of Kara, and in appearance and costume is a homage to Power Girl. Kara, accompanied by Green Arrow and Question travel to S.T.A.R. Labs to investigate. From this episode on, Green Arrow becomes a sort of father figure to Kara and frequently discusses her with Superman. In the episode "Far From Home", Green Arrow tells Superman that he and Black Canary planned on bringing Supergirl out to celebrate her twenty-first birthday.
![Supergirl's second uniform in Justice League Unlimited.](../../../../images/local/thumb/a/a0/Supergirl_"Far_From_Home".jpg/180px-Supergirl_"Far_From_Home".jpg)
In the Justice League Unlimited episode "Far From Home", Supergirl, along with Green Lantern and Green Arrow, encounter Legion of Super-Heroes members Brainiac 5 and Bouncing Boy. They have brought the three modern heroes to the 31st century to aid them in defeating the Fatal Five, who have implanted mind control in all Legionnaires. However, Brainiac 5 tells Green Lantern and Green Arrow that 30th century history says that Supergirl never returned to her own time; Brainiac 5 and Bouncing Boy assume this indicates that she will die while on this mission. As Kara experiences the techonology and society of the 30th century, which is similar to that of her lost homeworld, she becomes more and more conflicted about returning to the past, where she has never felt that she fits in. Finally, she and Brainiac 5 develop romantic feelings for each other, and when Green Lantern and Green Arrow prepare to return to the past, she tells them that 30th century history will be fulfilled since she is staying in the future as a member of the Legion. Paying homage to then new comic "Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes".
[edit] Smallville Legends Kara and the Chronicles of Krypton
Kara and the Chronicles of Krypton will be the third set of videos of the Smallville Legends "series". In these animated shorts we see Kara during the Kryptonian Civil War which led eventually to her planet's destruction. She is the daughter of Zor-el and lives in the city of Kandor in contrast to previous versions of the character that lived in Argo. Zor-el is a prominent figure in the war and so Kara in in the middle of the chaos.
[edit] Television
A girl named Kara (played by Adrianne Palicki) appears in the Smallville television series episode "Covenant," claiming to be from Krypton, although she does not call herself Supergirl or Kara Zor-El or even claim to be Kal-El's cousin. She was explained to be Clark's cousin when Lana asked who she was, which served more as a nod to comic fans at the time.
The actual Supergirl character appears in the program's seventh season, beginning with the season premiere and lasting seven or more episodes. She is played by actress Laura Vandervoort.[4] Kara was sent from Krypton at the same time as was Kal-El to look after him, but was trapped under a dam during the first meteor shower and was in suspended animation for the past 18 years. After the dam is broken, Kara Zor-El is freed. As the daughter of Zor-El, she is Clark's Kryptonian cousin, and hence possesses the same powers. Though she has also mastered flight, she, like her comic book counterpart, lacks the control Clark has developed over his years of dealing with humans. For example, she is unaware of the more subtle super-hearing until taught to use it by Clark.
Kara explains that Clark was not made aware of her existence because their respective fathers were not on good terms, exemplified by Jor-El's distrust when informed of her arrival by Clark. The Martian Manhunter AKA John Jones is similarly distrustful of her, as Kara is of him, claiming that Zor-El attempted to have Jor-El assassinated. In the episode "Lara", it is revealed the Martian Manhunter was correct about her father. Zor-El had tried to kill his brother out of the love he had for Jor-El's wife, Lara. Kara witnessed an incident where Zor-El attempted to force Lara to leave Jor-El and love him. Zor-El had erased her memories, causing her to believe he was a good man until now. Realizing she was wrong about her father, she puts her memories of him aside and remains with Clark on the farm. At the end of the episode "Blue"[38] , when a double of Zor-El is defeated, Kara is involuntarily teleported to Detroit with a case of amnesia.
After being taken in by a waitress, she works at a diner for several weeks, and eventually takes on the name of "Linda".[39] Her memories and powers remain mysteriously gone, as Clark brings her back to Smallville. However, he decides to hide her Kryptonian identity from her, hiding her Kryptonian bracelet. Because of this, by the episode "Hero" she becomes drawn to Lex, moving in with him, because of Clark and Lana's secrecy.
On the Traveler episode, Kara's memory and powers are restored by Jor-El making her able to save Clark, who was imprisoned on a Kryptonite cell.
In the following episode entitled "Veritas," Kara attempts to teach Clark how to fly so as to further his chances of surviving a confrontation with the newly-restored Brainiac. When Kara resists Brainiac's offer of help in restoring Krypton, Lana falls victim to Brainiac's brain-probe. This, in turn, prompts Kara to voluntarily travel into space with Brainiac, and she is last seen entering hyperspace high above earth.in the seventeenth episode titled "Sleeper", Kara is discovered to be on Krypton, in the year 1986.
In the episode 18, "Apocalypse", we see Kara on an alternative universe where Kal-El never made it to earth. Kara was found and raised by Lex and Lionel Luthor, and took on the name Linda Danvers, being head of DDS (Department of Domestic Security). There, when she finds Clark from the original Smallville universe, she reveals that was sent to Earth to kill him. Back on year 1986, Kara is fighting Brainiac, when she is helped by Clark, destroys Brainiac, and make it to Earth again.
It is finally discovered in the Season Finale "Arctic", that the real Kara never made it back to Earth and is trapped in the Phantom Zone, and that Brainiac had been impersonating her.
[edit] Music
- The song "That's Really Super, Supergirl" appears on the alt rock/psychedelic band XTC's album Skylarking (1986, Geffen Records).
- Pop singer Krystal Harris sings a song "Supergirl" that appears on the soundtrack of the Disney movie The Princess Diaries.
- Pop singer Jessica Simpson's song "With You" includes the lyrics, "I wish I could save the world, like I was Supergirl!".
- The song "Supergirl" is written by Robbie Gennet. John Cougar Mellencamp, Hilary Duff, Reamonn and Papaya have also recorded different songs called "Supergirl." The Gin Blossoms recorded a song titled "Super Girl" for their 2006 album "Major Lodge Victory." Multiple references are made to flight and other super powers.
- The song "Super Sexy Woman," appearing on the 2000 album A Sun Came by Sufjan Stevens, is about Supergirl, explicitly referencing "Superman's cousin."
- The song "Superlungs" by Donovan ("the Sunshine Superman album") was originally listed as "Superlungs (My Supergirl)".
- "Supergirl" is a pop song recorded by Hilary Duff for her fourth album, Most Wanted (2005). It is exclusive to the Collector's Edition of the album and was released as the third single in 2006 in the United States, and was written by Kara DioGuardi and Greg Wells.
- "Supergirl" is a song & titled album by Pop/R&B singer Angela Via in 2007.
- Norwegian rock band Minor Majority have a song named: "Supergirl."
- In the song "Superman" by Stereophonics, the lyrics "...so you can sleep with a teenage blonde" can be heard, referencing Supergirl in the comic books.
[edit] References
- ^ 1984 RAZZIE Nominees & "Winners"
- ^ http://www.supermancinema.co.uk/superman3/general/script/s3_original_idea.pdf
- ^ 'Super Friends' #37 featuring Robin
- ^ Cynthia Wang, "Supergirl Lands in Smallville," People.com July 11, 2007 [1]
[edit] External links
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
