Supergirl/YMMV

General

 * Better Than It Sounds: Teenager Superman with tits, skirt and a ton of issues tries to prove that she is her own person. Finally she does, and then she gets killed and erased from history.
 * First Installment Wins: Ask someone on the street who Supergirl is and they will describe a blond girl wearing a female version of Superman's costume and who happens to be Clark Kent's cousin. Ask them about her name and "Kara" is the only one you will get. No one will mention or describe Matrix or human Linda Danvers. Supergirl's writer Peter David tells that his book -featuring human Linda Danvers- hardly sold anything because most of fans only cared for the original Kara Zor-El who was Kryptonian's Superman cousin.
 * Girl Show Ghetto: Supergirl had this problem for decades. Even though she is one of the most recognizable superheroines in the world, she has never been on the same level of sales as her cousin, and her character is often disregarded and put down by people who never read her stories due to their perception of her being a "Superman with skirt/boobs", to the point that DC decided to kill her in the Crisis On Infinite Earths (in spite of her books having decent, albeit no great, sales). This situation started changing gradually since her reintroduction in 2004. She has starred in several comic-book series, cartoons and tv shows -including her own series- and she has become a kind of household name since then.
 * Incest Yay Shipping: A number of Superman and Supergirl fans ship both characters together despite of being first cousins, either because they think there's no getting around the "Kryptonian of Steel, Human of Kleenex" trouble or because they genuinely think Clark/Kal and Linda/Kara make a good couple. To be fair, Silver and Bronze stories provide plenty fuel, accidental innuendo and subtext if you know where look ([Action Comics #260], Action Comics #270, [the infamous Action Comics #289], [Superman #309] during the Krypton No More story arc, [this panel] from The Superdictionary). Fanfic writers such like [Megamatt09] have penned long tales featuring them together.

The Comics
{{quote|"Take off that Supergirl costume right now! And remove those boots, too!"|Superman
 * Accidental Innuendo: In Action Comics #270, Superman asks his sixteen-year-old cousin to take off her clothes. In context, he wants Kara to put on her civilian clothes because he is going to give her a costume-compressing device and he needs to show her how it works. Taken out of context... well...
 * Author's Saving Throw:
 * Writer Sterling Gates reconciled Post-Crisis Kara's origins and gave her a personality that was palatable to the fans. Artist Jamal Igle moved her away from Ms. Fanservice, drawing her more like human being than a stick, and lengthening her skirt and putting shorts under it.
 * Many Happy Returns almost saved Peter David's Supergirl series. Long chided for its use of Christianity and religious themes, the series introduced the Pre-Crisis Supergirl to her Earth Angel Post-Crisis incarnation and did a continuity-loving hilarious romp which ended on a tear-jerking note.
 * Broken Base:
 * The conflict between fans of the various incarnation of Supergirl and the changes between them.
 * Kara becoming a Red Lantern in the New 52 Red Daughter Of Krypton storyline. Being HotBlooded is a long established character trait, and she has plenty of reasons to be angry, but many feel its just out of character to make her so Darker and Edgier by making her a member of a group known for being the most volatile of the Lantern groups. However, Tony Bedard and Charles Soule's handling of the story in the Supergirl and Red Lanterns books have been mostly well received, and many feel they made the story actually work.
 * The miniskirt costume. Some find it demeaning and stupid, considering the obvious implications of flying in a skirt and how regularly its used for fanservice. Others however (not including the ones who just like it for the fanservice) like the skirt because its so synonymous with her character, like Superman's trunks; its a stupid design choice, but something so iconic to her design at this point. The New 52 outfit is generally given a similar mixed reception, since it doesn't do anything to reduce the fanservice while also doesn't resemble her classic outfit at all.
 * Complete Monster: Benjamin Krull, alias Reactron, is one of the worst enemies of Supergirl. A sadistic psychopath, an abusive leech, and a bullying thug, he killed Supergirl's father, mother and her nearly whole race in a matter of weeks.
 * Dork Age:
 * The 'Matrix Era' where Supergirl was a protoplasmic being from a pocket-universe where Lex Luthor was a good guy. Later, she would date Lex Luthor's supposed son who was actually the original with his brain transferred into a clone body.
 * The Linda Danvers era, since it was all so contrived to avoid having a Kryptonian Supergirl.
 * Joe Kelly's run, where they tried to make Post-Crisis Kara an overly angsty and jerkish Anti Hero, with wild mood swings and notoriously ultra-sexualised artwork. Eventually all of it was reconned.
 * Action Comics #289, where Superman falls in love with a woman identical to an adult version of his cousin. The really crazy part is that Supergirl set the two up. [Discussed here] and [here].
 * Superman vol 1 #415: Supergirl: Bride Of- -X? was published right after Kara's death and was an extra middle finger aimed at Supergirl fans. So she had a canon, never-before-or-after mentioned husband she completely forgot about? [All Supergirl fans hate that story] and no one thinks it is canon anyway (it was a time of way out stories as writers were cut loose to write any story they wanted before the reboot).
 * Fair_for_Its_Day: Much of Supergirl's early comic book appearances in the Silver Age focused more on her love life and whims versus adventures. She also would chiefly use her superpowers for things like super-cleaning in her downtime. Supergirl was, however, the most powerful female comic book character in the world and did have many fantastical adventures. Defenders also point out a huge number of then-Superman stories focused on his love-life and misusing his powers in oddball ways.
 * Fandom Berserk Button:
 * Suggesting that Supergirl is nothing but a "Superman with skirt/boobs" with no distinguishing traits who added nothing to the Superman mythos and had no good stories prior to Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths or Creator/PeterDavid was the first who wrote the character right will get everyone who actually know Supergirl's character and history laughing their asses off or groaning in exasperation.
 * Don't mention Matrix within hearing range of Kara Zor-El's fans, don't suggest that Post-Crisis Linda Danvers was unworthy of the Supergirl mantle and never, ever, bring Cir-El up. And for the God's sake, don't ask "Who is better: Supergirl or Comicbook/PowerGirl?"
 * Joe Kelly's run and anything related to H'El are widely considered Dork Ages. Professing love for them or judging Supergirl based on them will get you lynched.
 * Even though it was repelled back in 2004, DC's "Superman must be the only survivor from Krypton" edict is a hot button for Superman and especially Supergirl fans.
 * Fanon Discontinuity:
 * Fans of Linda Danvers will refuse to accept how the character was treated in Reign in Hell and tend to ignore it completely.
 * Action Comics #289 and all of its creeptacular implications verges between this and charmingly corny.
 * Superman vol 1 #415: Supergirl: Bride Of- -X? was published right after Kara's death and was an extra middle finger aimed at Supergirl fans. So she had a canon, never-before-or-after mentioned husband she completely forgot about? [All Supergirl fans hate that story] and no one thinks it is canon anyway (it was a time of way out stories as writers were cut loose to write any story they wanted before the reboot).
 * Most of fans pretend Kelly's run never happened.
 * Harsher in Hindsight:
 * In Action Comics #270, Superman dreams he travels to the future and his cousin is now Superwoman, the world's greatest heroine. Fast-forward twenty-five years and she is killed by the Anti-Monitor, never becoming Superwoman or taking over her cousin. On the other hand, Superwoman is one of her worst enemies in the Post-Crisis universe.
 * In Action Comics #275, Kara dreams that Superman never turned up and she lived her cousin's life. In Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl And Batgirl, written 37 years after, Superman never turned up and Supergirl was world's greatest hero... because spoiler:Lex Luthor found Kal-El's rocket and murdered the baby.
 * [The cover] of Adventure Comics #383
 * According Adventure Comics #421: Demon Spawn, Kara had an internal death wish. It was written by Marv Wolfman, who fourteen years later wrote Crisis on Infinite Earths #7.
 * In the last page of Supergirl vol. 2, this paragraph was inserted: "It is at this dramatic moment that we reluctantly suspend publication of Supergirl. In the near future we hope to announce the reappearance of the Maid of Steel in a new magazine! Meanwhile, you can look forward in July to seeing Supergirl at your local movie theater -- as well as in DC's magazine adaptation! IT'S A DATE!" Shortly after the movie bombed, DC killed the character because they didn't care about her at all, and Kara Zor-El didn't reappear for nearly twenty years.
 * The original Supergirl [was mistreated and dissed by a number of vocal fans] after her death. Matrix fans claimed that Mae had more personality than Kara ever had. Linda Danvers fans told that Kara only did what Superman didn't and "the only ones who miss her are a small but very vocal group of fans." However Peter David said people missed Kara's Silver Age self, not any other later version, and that sales of his Supergirl book were almost non-existent (improving during Many Happy Returns). Fast-forward to 2016. Supergirl is again Kara Zor-El. She stars in her own book and Live-action series and shows up in other characters' books, cartoons, live-action shows and video-games. Silver Age Kara Zor-El has made several appearances and Comicbook/{{Convergence}} her death has been undone. And Matrix and Linda Danvers have all but disappeared.
 * Hilarious in Hindsight: In Action Comics #270, Superman dreams he has travelled to the future, and Linda Lee works as a reporter in the Daily Planet. Linda never was a reporter in the comics, but in 2016 she became one in her Live-Action show.
 * My Real Daddy:
 * Paul Kupperberg, writer of The Daring Adventures of Supergirl depicted her as a mature, self-reliant and confident young woman who was finding her own path and started following it, and was not under the shadow of Superman.
 * Jack C. Harris wrote lengthy, serious story arcs with plenty emotional and personal conflicts in the Superman Family books.
 * Peter David's run with the Linda Danvers Supergirl in which she was treated as someone with interesting stories to tell about.
 * Mark Waid treated post-Crisis Supergirl as a smiling, optimistic young hero as opposite to Joe Kelly's run's self-absorbed jerkass. Waid is actually a big Silver Age Supergirl fan.
 * Sterling Gates for Post-Crisis Kara. He gave her a personality that was palatable to the fans. Artist Jamal Igle moved her away from Ms Fanservice, drawing her more like human being than a stick, and lengthening her skirt and putting shorts under it.
 * Tony Bedard gets an excellent handle on the character and his Post-Crisis and New 52 runs are noteworthy for rehabilitating the character and transforming her from a self-absorbed jerkass or an angry, angsty loner to a heroic, young woman.
 * Jerry Siegel Supergirl's stories are simplistic and maybe somewhat dated, but they are more complex and emotionally-charged than the then-current Superman stories, and Supergirl was depicted as a girl who had flaws and made mistakes but was determined, brave, slightly impish and a worthy heir of her cousin's mantle.
 * Older Than They Think: In ''Supergirl (series) Kara and Jimmy have a short-lived romance. Some fans have shipped both characters since the late fifties, and [they married in imaginary story Superman's Pal #57]
 * Never Live It Down: Pre-Crisis Kara is never going to live down dating her horse, Comet... even though he was not a horse and he had been turned back into human when they actually dated.
 * Replacement Scrappy:
 * The Matrix incarnation of Supergirl wasn't Superman's cousin but a protoplasmic shape-shifting blob with some of Superman's powers. She was naive and ingenue enough to date Lex Luthor II (not knowing he was the original in a cloned body). In short, many fans viewed her as an In Name Only incarnation of the character as well as Too Dumb to Live.
 * Peter David's Supergirl had detractors due to the angel angle, which was rather outside the norm for Supergirl. There are plenty though who greatly appreciated the series and wish the character wasn't Put On A Bus. Her later popularity was ironic, as Peter David noted.
 * Cir-El was loved by nobody, in large part due to being Linda Danvers' replacement. So, she was a Replacement Scrappy for a Replacement Scrappy. The fact she came in the heels of the wildly popular Many Happy Returns arc didn't help. The backlash over it was so fierce that DC retconned the character out.
 * Rescued From the Scrappy Heap:
 * Mark Waid was the first to make Post-Crisis Kara a likable character in Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes.
 * Sterling Gates made it permanent in her main series.
 * Those fans who hated the Earth-Angel Linda Danvers years came to like the character a great deal more in Many Happy Returns. Peter David said that if DC comics hadn't already planned to cancel the title and replace the character with Cir-El, they would have given him an ADDITIONAL series (named "Blonde Justice") starring Linda Danvers, Power Girl, AND Kara Zor-El.
 * The Scrappy:
 * Cir-El was hated by everybody for being too edgy and replacing Linda Danvers.
 * Post-Crisis Kara Zor-El was this during Jeph Loeb and Joe Kelly's runs owing to be given a jerkass, self-absorbed, vapid personality. Subsequent writers retooled the character and Sterling Gates retconned her jerkass traits as Kryptonite poisoning.
 * Signature Scene
 * Supergirl flying out of her space rocket in the cover of Comicbook/ActionComics #252 has been paid tribute to, referenced and parodied countless times.
 * Kara's space rocket leaving Argo.
 * Superman finding Kara after her rocket crashed into Earth.
 * Superman and Supergirl hugging after discovering that they are cousins.
 * The Danvers adopting Linda.
 * Superman revealing his cousin's existence to the world and the Earth's people organizing a parade in the cover of Action Comics #285.
 * Superman telling his cousin if he ever married it would be to someone lovable like her.
 * Supergirl kneeling and crying in the cover of Comicbook/{{Supergirl 1972}} Supergirl Vol 1 # 3.
 * The cover of Comicbook/{{Supergirl 1982}} Supergirl Vol 2 #19 in which Supergirl fights Supergirl has been referenced several times.
 * Kara fighting the Anti-Monitor, being blasted away and dying in her cousin's arms.
 * Superman holding Supergirl in his arms in the cover of Crisis On Infinite Earths #7 has been frequently referenced and/or parodied and [has sold tons of merchandising].
 * Superman wrapping her body in her cape and taking her to her birth parents.
 * Post-Crisis Linda Danvers unfolding her fire wings.
 * Post-Crisis Kara wandering around the streets of Gotham, naked and confused after having just left her space rocket, and scaring three bullies away.
 * Kara stopping a missile launched by Comicbook/{{Brainiac}} and aimed at the Sun in Superman: Brainiac.
 * The cover of Comicbook/{{Supergirl 2005}} Supergirl Vol 5# 53 in which Supergirl rips off her shirt as she runs towards several thugs while they shoot at her.
 * Supergirl becoming a Red Lantern.
 * Wangst: There was a brief attempt to turn the Post-Crisis version of Kara into a brooding, whiny teenager. The fans didn't like it, and she became idealistic again.
 * The Woobie:
 * Post-Crisis Kara three holocausts, two home planets exploding from under her, and losing her parents twice.
 * Pre-Crisis Kara spent years hidden in an orphanage and sabotaging well meaning attempts by would be foster parents to take her in so she could keep her role as Superman's 'secret weapon'. The first time she did get adopted it turned out to be by crooks who only wanted to squeeze money out of having her.
 * And, [as one reviewer put it,] "her 'emotional vulnerability' can be overused as a plot point."
 * WTH Costuming Department Her New 52 outfit gets some scorn for the odd design choices: the cut-out knees on the high boots, the strange red patch on the crotch that almost evokes the image of panties but just looks off, and the general armoured look that doesn't really make much sense. Some fans like the armoured and distinctive look of the costume, though.

The film

 * Awesome Music: Jerry Goldsmith's score [score] is excellent.
 * Fair for Its Day: The Nostalgia Chick noted that the movie didn't try to play Supergirl rescuing Ethan for laughs - because it was a girl saving a guy. Not once does Ethan show discomfort from getting rescued by a woman.
 * Idiot Plot: So you're PERSONALLY responsible for losing the Omegahedron and decide to man up and go after it yourself. You heard less then 5 feet from you that without the Omegahedron Argo City has only a few days to LIVE. Sooooooo you spend the first day learning to fly, go to sleep in a park, then spend the SECOND DAY making up your alter ego and going to school; even when you get a solid lead on the Omegahedron and get up to go after it you sit down and complete the day, play soccer and shower because... the teacher and Lucy Lane said so? No wonder the city was almost dead by the time you could TEAR yourself away from your fun new life. Then again, Kara's mentor took the omegahedron to use for his own amusement whilst fully aware of potential for trouble and then gave it to her to play with so it can be argued that he is far more responsible for dooming Argo city than Supergirl. Also on Earth Kara is basically stranded on a strange world with no money, food or shelter which is why her first night is spent sleeping rough. Infiltrating the school is a clever way to gain food and shelter for free. Selena is only interested in romancing Ethan because she mistook the omegahedrons reaction to Kara's proximity as a sign that Ethan was important somehow to her future plans of world domination and decided that a love spell was the easiest way to get him onside.
 * Just Here for Godzilla: Some fans just watch the movie to see Helen Slater's performance.
 * Narm
 * Ethan can't pronounce the name 'Selena'.
 * Zaltar decides to forgo a Rousing Speech with Kara. When she says "I can't", he just replies "you can" and that works. It gets a Meaningful Echo, too.
 * Kara's home is easily damaged by a little toy butterfly popping the wall. Is a sheet of plastic all that's protecting it from the forces of space?
 * No Social Skills: Most people assume from that scene where Kara puts one of Lucy Lane's discraded bra on over her school uniform that she is doing so because she doesnt know what it is. But its equally plausible that she is simply trying it on to see whether it fits and then getting embarassed when Lucy finds her trying to pad it out cause its too big. By this point she has been sharing a room with Lucy for a few days getting dressed and undressed in front of each other and even taking communal showers with the rest of the class. Kara is presented throughout the movie as a curious girl unafraid to ask questions. If she really didnt know what a bra was she would have asked Lucy before now and even if she didnt Lucy, and the rest of the class, would have certainly noticed that Kara wasnt wearing one.
 * Special Effect Failure:
 * Selena tries to choke Supergirl to death - by stretching the film. That's due to the aspect ratio of the film being stretched. In the theatrical release, there was no stretching.
 * Kara uses Super Speed to type up a letter to get herself enrolled in the school. Except while she's speeding around the room, the leaves outside can be seen moving fast, showing that the film was just sped up.
 * Some flying effects look like very obvious blue screen, but others still hold up reasonably well.
 * Took the Bad Film Seriously: Helen Slater really worked on her role, earning herself a Saturn Award nomination. Even the reviewers who hated the film praise her performance. She also takes special care to give subtle differences between Supergirl and Linda Lee, making it very believable that they could be different people.
 * They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character:
 * Selena as a witch could have been a good villain because Supergirl is vulnerable to magic. Instead she mostly uses her magic to cast a love spell on a man, and fight with Supergirl for his affections.
 * Kara jeopardises the safety of her home and goes to Earth to make amends, which could have set up a nice arc about her maturing and learning to be a hero. But she instead spends the movie doing absolutely nothing for ages.
 * Trapped by Mountain Lions: Kara enrolling in school under the alias Linda Lee. She completely forgets that she went to Earth to find the Omegahedron, and that she's only got a few days to do so.