2010 Comic Book News Archives

Supergirl #53

June 17, 2010: Exclusive "Supergirl" Interview with Sterling Gates

Sterling Gates, writer on the "Supergirl" comic book, took some time out to speak exclusively to the Superman Homepage about the Maid of Might and what we can expect from her comics after the "War of the Supermen".

Bizarro Supergirl first appeared in 1960, will you be paying homage to that version? Or are you coming from a completely different direction?

A: Well, BizarroGirl's full dress costume is obviously a bit of an homage, but the similarities stop there.

I wanted to present a different spin on the typical Bizarro, making one more scary and unpredictable than ever before. I don't like when Bizarros are only played for laughs or as jokes. I think Bizarros should be dangerous and slightly twisted, and BizarroGirl fits that description to a "T."

As Supergirl is dealing with a whole slew of emotions coming out of the "War of the Supermen" and trying to keep them all internalized, BizarroGirl is letting all of her emotions fly. She's constantly changing emotions, one per second, keeping nothing in check. She screams, she fights, she drools. She's like a wild animal with the worst ADD you can imagine, and she has no idea what her own strength is like.

To sum that up, she's a monster. And she's come to Metropolis. But why? Is it random? Is it a concerted attack from Bizarro World? Did Bizarro send her? You'll have to wait and see!

Supergirl #54 Coming out of "War of the Supermen", how much of that saga will impact on Supergirl's story?

A: I don't think you can put Supergirl through all of that and not show how it affects her emotionally and physically. New Krypton - and its destruction - has a massive, long-term impact on Kara. She was given her greatest wish, to be reunited with her people, and she watched it fall apart around her. You can't put her through all of that and expect it not to affect her as a person and as a hero.

Not to mention, she's wrestling with a lot of residual guilt. She was the one responsible for transporting Reactron back to New Krypton, and he destroyed the planet. Does that make her responsible for killing everyone? So she's going to be attempting to come to terms with a lot of these problems even as she has to battle BizarroGirl through the streets of Metropolis and back to Bizarro World.

Why do you think so many writers before you have struggled with the book for so long? It seems Supergirl (the comic book) is unable to find a steady footing. How do you plan to address those issues moving forward?

A: I don't really know what you mean. I think we found a steady direction during New Krypton, and we're going in a new direction - with a new status quo - from here on out. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about it until we reveal it in-story, so you're just going to have to keep reading.

I can say that we aren't planning on crossing over with any other books for a while, so maybe that will help the book feel more "steady."

Supergirl #55 Kara doesn't really have a supporting cast of her own. Is that something you're looking to rectify?

A: I disagree with that statement. I think we've gone to great lengths to establish Lana Lang as a main supporting cast character for Kara, as well as Cat Grant, Inspector Henderson, Alura, Flamebird. You could even make the argument for Batgirl and Superboy.

Two of the people closest to Supergirl are gone now, though, so I'm planning on bringing in some new cast members in Supergirl's future. New faces to the DCU. Oh, and Jimmy Olsen and Natasha Irons will have roles in the book, as well.

But I plan to continuing to foster Lana and Kara's relationship. I think that relationship is extremely important, especially in light of Supergirl losing her mother in the war.

How will Supergirl's new role as a member of the Justice League impact her ongoing adventures in her own book?

A: I just had a long weekend hanging out with James Robinson, and he's got some really, really great plans for Supergirl over in Justice League. Stuff that I wish I'd thought of first!

And having spent the better part of the last two years working with James, I think it's safe to say you'll see some interplay between the two books, but for the most part, we have our own stories to tell about the Girl of Steel.

The Superman Homepage would like to thank Sterling for taking time out of his busy schedule to participate in this interview.



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