DC Isn’t Hiding the Worst Thing Superman Did Anymore (Nor Should They)

Nobody’s perfect, not even Superman. And while DC Comics has generally held back on giving the Man of Steel serious flaws, it’s done pretending that Clark didn’t royally mess up in one particular area of his life. To be fair, Superman has always tried to be the best person he can be and make the right choices. But often, what seems like the sensible thing isn’t always the best thing to do. And that’s something DC Comics has had to reckon with as it tried to figure out the best way to handle Superman’s past with his cousin, Supergirl.

For those unfamiliar, when Supergirl first debuted in canon decades ago, Superman didn’t take her into his home. Instead, he crafted a fake identity for her and took her to the Midvale Orphanage. It’s an admittedly…perplexing choice, especially for someone as caring as Superman. This element of Supergirl’s origin was erased during Crisis on Infinite Earths, but thanks to the continuity reshufflings of the last few years, it’s something that is 100% canon again. And thankfully, DC Comics isn’t shying away from Superman and Supergirl’s past, but rather using it as a teachable moment.

Superman is Finally Being Called Out Over His Treatment of Supergirl

Supergirl has been a great series so far. From its charming art to its engaging cast of characters to the pure Silver Age fun it’s channeling. Supergirl #6 by Sophie Campbell (mostly) takes a break from all the hubbub Kara and her cast have been caught up in to tell a story just in time for Thanksgiving. Family and friends gather at the Danvers’ household, including Superman and Lois. But the one person not happy to see the Man of Steel is Supergirl’s frenemy Lesla-Lar, who snipes at Superman over his sending Kara to live at an orphanage.

This isn’t the first time that this part of the Superman Family’s past has come up in recent years. Just a couple of years ago, in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest’s “Strange Visitor” arc, Superman met a young man from a dead universe. When Superman openly pondered what to do with the survivor, Supergirl bitterly tells her cousin that he should take the boy to an orphanage. Again, Supergirl’s time in the Midvale Orphanage hadn’t been a thing in the Post-Crisis continuity and certainly not the New 52. But Death Metal opened up old canon and made this subject fair game again.

While Superman didn’t acknowledge Supergirl’s remark in World’s Finest, he does take up the opportunity for a heart-to-heart with Lesla. Clark acknowledges that Lesla cares about Kara, just like he does, and admits that he made the decisions he did out of concern for her well-being. At the same time, Superman owns up to the mistake and says that doesn’t make what he did right. That does the trick, and Superman and Lesla make peace, working together to make a pecan pie.

Superman isn’t Perfect, and He Really Shouldn’t Be

Now it is important to understand the context of Superman sending Supergirl to an orphanage, especially considering the time when Kara was introduced. Even though she and Clark are cousins, it simply wasn’t common for bachelors to take in younger women. And the Kents weren’t alive at this time, so it’s not like Superman had a safe, trusted place for her to stay. Of course, with the Kents being alive now, it makes Clark’s decision look that much worse. But continuity snafu aside, there were real social and logistical reasons for Superman’s choice.

But like Superman said, just because he thought it was the right decision doesn’t mean it actually was. Supergirl needed family, and Superman turned her away out of a misguided sense of protection. I can totally understand why DC wanted to ignore this for years. There’s just something ‘un-Superman-like’ knowing that Clark essentially dumped his only living relative at the time in an orphanage. But I’m actually glad DC is bringing this back up now. It might cause a few headaches when thinking about the history, but I think it really helps round out Superman’s character.

Many of us might see Superman as perfect, but the truth is, he’s not. And he shouldn’t be. I mean, how boring would it be to always read about a guy who never makes mistakes? How would that kind of character grow or develop? People have this tendency to think of Superman as an infallible god. But if you ask the man himself, he’ll tell you that first and foremost, he’s a human. Humans aren’t perfect. We make mistakes, and we do things we later end up regretting. And more than anything else, flaws are what make characters interesting.

Superman failed Supergirl. And that’s okay, I mean, who hasn’t failed a family member before? While I’m not a fan of this element, I can understand bringing it back in the way books like Supergirl have. It’s a moment that reminds us that everyone, even Superman, will sometimes fall short. And it doesn’t help anyone to pretend that our mistakes never happened. The only way forward is to acknowledge that they happen, because like Superman, that’s how we become better developed people.

What do you think? Should Superman sending Supergirl to the orphanage be kept in continuity or removed? Let us know in the comments and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

DC Has Finally Worked Out How To Make Supergirl Work Just In Time For Her DCU Return