Through cosmic alignment more than cerebral intent, I have been thinking a lot about the reintroduction of 'Supergirl' to the post-Crisis, Byrne-era DC Universe. Much of that probably was born from my recent review of what I will call 'Matrix' in Superman #19 .
In looking back at the site, I realize that I also briefly touched on her third appearance in Superman #20, the first time that Matrix met Ma and Pa Kent as she was trying to work her way through her muddled 'pocket universe' memories.
Heck, I've even covered the John Byrne promotional poster.
While I know that an Elseworld's Finest review is due. And a long overdue viewing of the Supergirl movie and a review of that is also due, I think I need to scratch this Byrne itch. In the end, I think I'll need to review the 'Supergirl Saga', the last Byrne storyline which changed so much of the books moving forward. (Hard to believe I haven't reviewed that before either.)
But before I get there, I figured I better cover the first appearance of Matrix in the DCU, as seen in an explosive cliffhanger in Superman #16. And I have to say I have a little movie-based theory about this first meeting.
As many know, I was lucky enough to meet Byrne at this summer's Boston Fan Expo and got some issues signed including this one. I thanked him for 'somewhat' returning Supergirl to comics and he shrugged and said 'somewhat'. And that little interaction meant a lot to me.
On to the book.
We start out in Antarctica where a research base keeps getting readings of heat underneath the ice. It doesn't make any sense for something that hot to exist at the bottom of the world. So in their helicopter, a team goes out to investigate.
Now any horror movie buff, especially one in the 80s, should get a little shiver of similarity here. After all, John Carpenter's The Thing is set in Antarctica where a bunch of researchers dig up something alien, something with the power to look like us and be a perfect duplicate.
I can't help but think that Byrne was tapping into that here, perhaps giving us a hint that this wasn't truly Supergirl but a thing that only looked like her.
Maybe?
Heading out into the ice, the team comes upon the site where the heat is emanating.
With little effort (after all, the heat has made the ice turn to slush and water), they uncover what is causing the heat.
It's a woman in a Superman outfit.
(Remember, this post-Crisis universe has no recollection of Supergirl.)
Notice the legs. It isn't the blue leggings I marveled at in Superman #19.
You can only imagine what Supergirl fans were thinking back then.
Heck, I didn't know what I was thinking.
Other than I immediately loved this new costume.
Incredible.
While I don't think it all turned out the way Byrne wanted (apparently Roger Stern did a lot of the heavy lifting in filling in Matrix's ultimate destiny), I have to thank him for getting a Supergirl back into the mix.
I've shown this before but worth another look.
Friends and family know when they travel abroad that I love getting comics in other languages. A while back my parents went to Italy and got me the Italian version of Superman #16.
Here is that famous last page one more time!
I'll figure out when to cover the 'Supergirl Saga'. As I said, I have been remiss in other homework assignments. But at least the teasing opening glimpses of her have been covered in detail.
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