The ultimate female hero of the vast DC Comics Universe, Supergirl is known as a definitive kick-ass idol, destined to conquer evil with her exceptional superhuman capabilities. As the familiar hero prepares to return to her daring antics as Supergirl season 1 comes to Blu-ray™ and DVD on July 25th, we are taking a look at 10 things you might not know about her.
Supergirl stars Melissa Benoist (Glee), Chyler Leigh (Grey’s Anatomy), Mehcad Brooks (About Last Night) and Jeremy Jordan (Smash), with David Harewood (Homeland) and Calista Flockhart (Brothers and Sisters). Season One guest stars include Dean Cain, Peter Facinelli, Jenna Dewan Tatum, Laura Benanti and Helen Slater. Based on the characters from DC Comics, Supergirl is produced by Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, Ali Adler and Sarah Schechter.
1) Supergirl is Superman’s cousin
Escaping planet Krypton at the same time as Superman, she was lost in the Phantom Zone and didn’t arrive on Earth until years after he did. Being raised by a foster family her superhuman abilities were kept out of sight, and she spent years hiding the phenomenal powers that she shared with her crusader cousin.
2) The Supergirl outfit has a very famous designer
Designed by Oscar winning designer (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha, Alice in Wonderland) Collen Atwood, Supergirl has a costume created with outstanding talent behind it. Designing costumes for fellow superheroes Arrow (2012) and The Flash (2014), Supergirl’s outfit was made by a designer who knew exactly how to make a superhero look like they mean business.
3) There’s an interesting meaning behind Supergirl’s name
Named Kara, removal of the two A’s leaves the letters KR, which is the element symbol of Krypton. Coincidentally, her home planet was named Krypton and was where she lived for several years before entering planet Earth.
4) Melissa Benoist was destined to be Supergirl
Thousands of actors auditioned for the role of Supergirl, but Melissa Bonoist was the first to and turned out to be the perfect match. Remarkably, she wasn’t the only superhero to be made for their role either, with Stephen Amell (Arrow (2012)) and Grant Gustin (The Flash (2014)) being the first to audition too.
5) She has been around for 60 years
Whilst it might seem like she is a new phenomenon, Supergirl actually made her first appearance in 1959. Now an influential idol, she had a humble creation, starting out as a simple comic book character drawn by classic comic book artists.
6) Only three actresses have played her on screen
Melissa Benoist will be the third person to portray her on screen. The first person was in the 1984 film Supergirl, played by Helen Slater. The character also appeared in TV series Smallville, as played by actress Laura Vandervoort, who was the real Supergirl and not just claiming to be her like a character did in an earlier season of the show.
7) Her first boyfriend was a horse
Known for her incredible beauty, it’s hard to believe that she was capable of falling in love with a horse. But the 1960’s was a unique era for comic books, and Comet the Super-Horse was the perfect companion to compliment the trivial tales famously told at the time.
8) Power Girl is actually Supergirl
Another great heroic female, Power Girl was the fan-favourite hero of Earth 2. After seeing Supergirl already doing an incredible job of eliminating the evil in Earth 1, she took her powers to an alternative universe, but is essentially a Supergirl replica.
9) She had a Super Cat
Superman had a dog, Supergirl gets a cat. But he wasn’t just your average cut, after stumbling across some Kryptonite that Supergirl left behind in an experiment, he was turned into a cat unlike any other. Developing super strength, Streaky became the perfect companion to stand alongside his super powerful owner.
10) She might be more powerful than superman
The classic boy vs. girl debate is in full swing when it comes to Superman vs. Supergirl. Both being born on planet Krypton, their powers are undeniable. The real winner of the ‘ultimate hero’ title is unknown, but arguments say Superman has the strength, whilst Supergirl has the edge with more time spent on the powerful planet Krypton.
Own Supergirl On Blu-ray™ & DVD July 25, 2016 and available on Digital HD June 18
