Supergirl's Strangest -- and One of the Best -- Runs Ever Is Finally Becoming Available

For the last little while on ComiXology, DC Comics has been quietly releasing issues of Supergirl by Peter David, Gary Frank and a number of other collaborators.

Both David and Frank are well-known and best-selling creators, but comparably little of that Supergirl run, which ran from 1996 until 2003, has ever been collected.

Now, though, there are fifteen issues on ComiXology, being released seemingly on a regular basis so that readers can buy them as they come rather than all at once. A quick scan of Amazon also reveals a $20 paperback edition of Supergirl By Peter David and Gary Frank scheduled for release in March 2016.

Of the 80 issues written by David according to the Comic Book Database, only two collected editions -- each comprised of half a dozen issues or so -- have ever been commercially released by DC.

In fact, DC Comics has been running from this particular version of Supergirl for some time now, insisting that her backstory was too complex for casual readers.

The legend goes that shortly after taking over DC Comics, now-Co-Publisher Dan DiDio went to a Six Flags theme park where there were a number of DC Comics-themed attractions. At one of the rides, there were a number of characters' backstories presented, either on screens or printed on the walls, to keep people occupied in line. DiDio noted that the then-current Supergirl had an origin that he felt might confuse or alienate casual fans, and shortly thereafter got rid of the "Matrix" Supergirl and replaced her with a version who was, as the original had been, Superman's long-lost cousin from Krypton.

For those confused by the terminology, here's a brief history lesson: Following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC rebooted the Superman titles, removing all of the "extra" Kryptonians from their continuity. No Superboy, no Supergirl, no Legion of Super-Pets, no Phantom Zone criminals (although most of these wouldn't last long). In The Supergirl Saga, a woman looking like Supergirl appears, identifies herself as being from another world, a "pocket universe" created by the classic Legion of Super-Heroes villain the Time Trapper, where she was engineered by Lex Luthor to help fend off an incursion from a group of villains who were, essentially, the pre-Crisis, Earth-1 versions of General Zod and two of his minions.

After her world died (they arrived too late to save it), Supergirl -- calling herself "Matrix" after terminology her "father" had used while creating her -- returned to our world with Superman and, after some time out and soul-searching, became a hero in her own right. She had different powers from the classic Supergirl, including psychic abilities and shapeshifting, which helped when she eventually merged with a dying teenager in order to "save" her. During that time, Supergirl "became" Linda Danvers...and the mythology only became richer, more fascinating -- and, yes, more confusing -- from there.

While the upcoming Supergirl TV series also identifies Supergirl as being Superman's cousin, it draws on the look and tone of the '90s Supergirl -- at least from what little we've yet seen. Certainly the title is more in the vein of the pre-Flashpoint series featuring either Matrix or the Kryptonian Supergirl, than of anything since the relaunch, where Supergirl has generally been pretty dour and down-to-business. It's likely, then, that the decision to reissue this (as well as some other '80s, '90s and 2000s Supergirl books) on ComiXology and in print relates primarily to giving potential new fans something to wrap their head around.

And, for those who haven't read this particular run, it's absolutely worth a look. David at the top of his game teams with Frank in his infancy -- perhaps not as polished but full of enthusiasm and backed by the solid fundamentals that would later make him a superstar. And, best of all, finally actually available.