We’ve recently launched a comic book vending machine (check it out here), giving our readers a new way to grow their personal collections and discover new favorites. Every comic is sourced from a local shop, and today we’re looking at the start of one of Batman’s most important but underrated series: Superman #123 — the Girl of Steel. You can even check out our very own
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Superman is the oldest superhero around, and as such, he has one of the most in-depth and expansive mythos in comic book history. Lois Lane is comics’ greatest love interest, Jimmy Olsen is the number one non-powered friend who gets into wacky highjinks, and the Kents are one of the most wholesome families of all time. Superman has met more characters than most series can ever imagine hosting, and even if they only last for a single issue, they can leave an impact that can still be felt decades into the future. That’s exactly what happened with the debut of the very familiar Super-Girl in Superman (1939) #123.
This issue was written by Otto Binder and drawn by Dick Sprang. The legendary Curt Swan provided the cover, and both the cover and interiors were inked by Stan Kaye. In classic Silver Age goofiness, this issue revolved all around Jimmy Olsen randomly coming into possession of a staff that can grant three wishes. It’s the centerpiece of three different stories, but the most important for us today is the first, “The Girl of Steel.” Jimmy wished for Superman to have a companion, and Super-Girl appeared. Note the hyphen, as this construct woman debuted nine months before Supergirl and ultimately set the stage for her.
Super-Girl Walked So Supergirl Could Fly
Super-Girl only lasted for a third of an issue, but the impact she left on Superman’s mythos cannot go understated. Her similarities to the true Supergirl are obviously intentional. Their designs are practically identical, albeit with Super-Girl appearing much older than teenage Kara. This character was much more positioned as a love interest, which is very different from being Superman’s cousin, but Superman even let her operate as her own hero independently, which he would do with Kara. Super-Girl had her time in the sun just nine months before Supergirl’s debut, so it makes us wonder if that was planned, or some kind of incredible coincidence.
We’ll never know the true intent with this character, but based on what happened with her, we can hazard a few guesses. One possibility is that DC saw positive fan reception to this character and decided to create a permanent version. The other is that they wanted to introduce Supergirl and used this adventure to test the waters. Given how closely the characters resemble one another, and how Superman even has near-identical reactions to meeting them, I’m willing to bet this was a test run for how fans would react. Introducing a new Kryptonian was a major step, after all, as it had never been done before.
And of course, Supergirl is one of the most important characters in DC. She opened the doors for other Kryptonian survivors to pour out of the woodwork, and showed that there was a whole new avenue of stories that Superman comics had yet to explore. Supergirl has saved DC multiple times, and at her peak, was even considered equally as important as Superman to their future timelines. Supergirl is an essential part of DC’s mythos, and everything about her character may have started right here, in this very issue.
Superman #123 Is DC’s Most Important Beta Test
The DC Universe would be fundamentally different, both inside and outside, without Supergirl. Superman #123 set the stage for her eventual debut and gave creative teams the chance to perfect her character by seeing exactly what worked and what didn’t. And thanks to the new ComicBook Vending Machine, you could very well add this iconic issue to your collection. It might not be the first appearance of Supergirl, but it’s a classic Silver Age romp that gives us a fun, wacky story. This is Super-Girl’s only story, but it’s most definitely worth a read.
We sincerely hope you’ll give the Vending Machine a spin – and wish you luck in your pulls.
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