DC establishes a new Kryptonian hero with a fresh twist on Superman’s powers, and Supergirl is there to witness their origins. Kara Zor-El often fights with greater spontaneity and emotional intensity than her cousin, and often relies on speed and instinct where Superman uses measured precision and restraint. Kara carries vivid memories of the world Clark only knows through stories and recordings, which gives her a far more personal connection to her lost civilization. Many comic runs, including Peter David’s, Sterling Gates’, and the Rebirth era, have emphasized Kara’s journey toward finding her own identity instead of simply becoming a younger Superman.
Supergirl isn’t the only ultra-powerful DC hero following in the Man of Steel’s footsteps and often living in his shadow. Superman has transformed countless individuals into symbols of hope in their own right. Superboy-Prime, Steel, Kong Kenan, the Super-Twins, and Clark’s son Jon Kent each carry forward different aspects of Superman’s ideals. Some share his Kryptonian heritage, others emulate his principles through different means, and others inherit his mantle as widely known superheroes. Superman actively encourages new generations of heroes regardless of how closely connected to his origins they might be.
The more heroes who stick to Superman’s Kryptonian legacy, the more chances there are for even more characters to join the movement, even if they don’t share Kara and Kal’s extraterrestrial origins.
Thundergirl Develops Real Superpowers
Supergirl #15; Written And Illustrated By Sophie Campbell
Sophie Campbell’s Supergirl sees Kara Zor-El venture into the microscopic city of Kandor, where she struggles to fight Zora Vi-Lar a.k.a. Blackfame and match her Kryptonian powers, even with the help of the heroic Kandorians known as the Super-Substance Science Scouts. Now outside Kandor and powered up by the Earth’s yellow sun, Blackfame prepares to wipe the floor with Supergirl’s team. Yet, Thundergirl intervenes at the perfect moment, blasting Blackfame with her voice. Apparently, Thundergirl is “manifesting” her own superpowers even though she isn’t supposed to have organic Kryptonian-like abilities.
As Supergirl explains, Thundergirl’s powers are patterned on the DNA of the Kryptonian Kim-Da and David Sikela a.k.a. Boy Thunder, owing her artificial enhancements to Team Thunder’s cloning program. Thundergirl isn’t supposed to be as powerful as a regular Kryptonian like Supergirl or Superboy. Yet, Supergirl #15 proves otherwise. Her super strength, super speed, flight, and durability may continue to intensify as she absorbs yellow sunlight, and her powerful voice might become her signature power. This ability is rare in the DC Universe, only possessed by heroes like the Black Canaries and villains like longtime Superman foe Silver Banshee.
DC Needs To Avoid Kryptonian Power Inflation
Kryptonians Need To Be Rare By Design
Every new character capable of matching Superman’s Kryptonian abilities naturally feels slightly less extraordinary than the last, as they gradually make the Man of Steel’s godlike powers less special. Throughout the decades, DC has introduced numerous Kryptonians and Superman-level figures, including Supergirl, Power Girl, Luminary, General Zod, Faora, Krypto, the Eradicator, Conner Kent, Jon Kent, Bizarro, H’El, and several Doomsday-like creatures. However, if every major conflict involved several Superman-level combatants, new threats and battles would need to grow in scale indefinitely, and less powerful heroes would be increasingly overshadowed.
Supergirl’s New Superhero Name Revealed & It Continues A James Gunn Trend
Supergirl suggests an exciting new superhero name for herself in DC Studios’ new release, and Kara Zor-El’s 2026 return continues a James Gunn trend.
Fortunately, reducing the effects of Kryptonian power inflation doesn’t require eliminating Kryptonians. The strongest additions to Superman’s extended mythos are those that reinterpret the Kryptonian template instead of simply duplicating it. Superboy-Prime, for example, distinguishes himself through his origins as a hero from the real world, his meta-fictional awareness, and his infamous villain turn. Power Girl’s experience on Earth-2 shapes her perspective differently from Clark Kent’s, while Jon Kent’s upbringing on Earth creates stories that could never simply be told with Superman. In Sophie Campbell’s Supergirl, Thundergirl separates herself from the growing population of Superman analogues through her artificial origins and her destructive sonic voice.
Who’s your favorite Kryptonian character?
Supergirl #15 is available July 8 from DC Comics
- Alias
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Kara Zor-El
- Created By
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John Byrne, Peter David, Wally Wood, Otto Binder, Gary Frank, Al Plastino
- Age
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May 1959