A Supergirl Costume Retrospective
The Good, the Bad, and the Booty Shorts

Part I: Good Enough For Superman

Since she first donned it in Superman/Batman #13 (November 2004)¹, Supergirl's current costume has gotten less-than-rave reviews. In the grand tradition of last year's sensational Batgirl Meme, Dean Trippe gave the internet at large a chance to prove they could do better than Kara's canonical catastrophe with a shiny new Draw Supergirl Meme - and the internet responded. The fellows at Project Rooftop have been highlighting their favorite meme results all this week - with a couple of comments from yours truly as well.

What with all this emphasis on Supergirl's current and potential future costumes, I thought it was high time we took a look at what she's worn in the past. Rather than start with Kara Zor-El's debut, however, I'm going all the way back to May of 1943, when Lois Lane first put on Super-booties and started kicking tail.

Okay, so she looks a bit like a piratical Care Bear, what with the heart logo, varnished boots, and talk of high adventure. Still, Lois's Superwoman costume from Action Comics #60 serves her in good stead when she receives a blood transfusion from Superman (which as any doctor will tell you, gives you superpowers).  “I must create an action-costume for myself,” she decides.  “What’s good enough for Superman is good enough for me!” Darn tootin', Lane.

Quickly she whips up a costume; a blue sleeveless tunic, belted over blue tights and worn with a red cape, gloves, and high-heeled boots.  When the skirt flies up, a pair of red briefs like Superman’s are revealed.  Rather than the classic S-shield (which wasn’t standardized in the Golden Age anyway), she’s placed the Super “S” in a gold heart. The costume served her well enough as she pummeled crooks, browbeat Clark, and proposed to Superman.  Too bad it was all a dream.

(Lois has since developed superpowers many times. It's a Planet thing.)²

The first Super-Girl (note the hyphen; she was a test to gauge reader interest in a superpowered female) showed up in Superman v.1 #123 (August 1958)³ wearing the costume that would eventually become the most iconic of the Supergirl outfits, although this unlucky lady would not live to see that day.  This costume, which we’ll see in two different incarnations later on (and riffed on endlessly), paired a blue top emblazoned with the standard S-shield with a red skirt, cape, and boots. Lois Lane saw poor old S-G as stiff competition, and no wonder - check out that micro-mini, and in 1958, no less! Actually, the shortness of the skirt, plus its 50s-style poof, made Super-Girl look kind of squat, but as she only lasted for one issue, her inability to flatter her figure is kind of moot. The stage was set for Kara Zor-El.

Next: The Supermodel From Krypton!

1. "The Supergirl From Krypton, Part 6." Writer: Jeph Loeb. Artist: Michael Turner.
2. Check out a sample of her many costumes: Action Comics #156 (May 1951), Superman v.1 #125 (November 1958), Lois Lane #17 (May 1960), and All-Star Superman #3 (May 2006). Lana also got in on the action in Lois Lane #17. He just gives those powers out like candy, doesn't he?
3. "The Three Magic Wishes: The Girl of Steel." Writer: Otto Binder. Artist: Dick Sprang.

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