History Trivia / Supergirl

** Keith Giffen, who wrote and illustrated the ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' during the book's most acclaimed and best-selling eras, considers Supergirl one of his favorite Legionnaires, to the point he created [[{{Expy}} Andromeda]] when he was forbidden from using Kara Zor-El by editorial.

** Although most of creatives and fans feel positively inclined towards Kara Zor-El, Creator/MarvWolfman and Creator/JohnByrne resent her existence because they feel she "de-uniques Franchise/{{Superman}}" (Byrne's own words) by taking his "last son of Krypton" status away from him, and both writers have gone out of their way to erase her from canon. Wolfman famously killed her off in ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', and Byrne created a genderless artificial lifeform who called itself "Supergirl" so that DC didn't feel tempted to bring Kara Zor-El back to not lose the trademark.
** Notorious ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' writer Keith Giffen is their polar opposite. It is well known he is very fond of Kara Zor-El, treating her respectfully and going so far to reboot the Legion's continuity and create [[{{Expy}} Andromeda]] when he was not allowed to use Kara. Every single time he has to write other Supergirls, though, they are depicted as loons or laughingstocks. Case in point with Giffen's feelings? He had Linda Danvers from ''ComicBook/Supergirl1996'' literally PutOnABusToHell and depicted as a FallenAngel in ''Reign in Hell''. And in the ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}'' issues featuring Matrix, she was called a "protoplasmic matrix that thinks it's Supergirl".

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Most of Pre-Crisis Supergirl material has never been collected. It wasn't until 2016 her full ''ComicBook/ActionComics'' run and ''ComicBook/Supergirl1982'' was collected, but her ''ComicBook/AdventureComics''' run, ''ComicBook/Supergirl1972'' and her ''ComicBook/SupermanFamily'' stories remain out of print.

* NamesTheSame:
** One should not confuse the Avenger ''Carol'' Danvers with ''Linda'' Danvers.
** Or Princess Allura of ''Anime/{{Voltron}}'' and Allura In-Ze of the ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} comics.
** Or Kara Zor-El and Kara from ''Film/{{Dragonheart}}''.
** When most comic fans hear the name Starfire, they think of [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe a hot alien babe with orange skin]], who wears a {{stripperiffic}} outfit and who is usually [[MostCommonSuperpower stacked enough]] to rival ComicBook/PowerGirl. The name also belonged to the Russian hero, Red Star at a time, a short-lived Supergirl villain and also a sword-wielding female warrior.

** ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'': Christopher Jones has stated that had the show been renewed for a third season, Supergirl would have appeared. Given that the show has been UnCancelled, it could be possible for her to make an appearance.

* FanNickname: Post-Crisis Supergirl was called Supertorso during her short-skirted, belly-midriffed, whisper-thin DorkAge phase.

* ImageSource:
** ActionPet
** AlliterativeName
** [[BoundAndGagged/ComicBooks Bound and Gagged.Comic Books]] (''ComicBook/RedDaughterOfKrypton'')
** [[BreathWeapon/ComicBooks Breath Weapon.Comic Books]]
** [[BrokenBird/ComicBooks Broken Bird.Comic Books]]
** BusFullOfInnocents
** CPRCleanPrettyReliable
** CleavageWindow
** CurtainCamouflage
** DangerousSixteenthBirthday
** [[DoubleEntendre/ComicBooks Double Entendre.Comic Books]]
** DressedInLayers
** DuelToTheDeath (''Franchise/WonderWoman'' crossover)
** EngineeredPublicConfession (''ComicBook/{{Batgirl}}'' crossover)
** EvilBrunetteTwin
** [[Facepalm/ComicBooks Facepalm]] (''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' & ''ComicBook/{{Superboy}}'' crossover)
** ForcedPrizeFight
** ForgottenFirstMeeting (''ComicBook/ActionComics'' #358, ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' crossover)
** GenderedOutfit (''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' crossover)
** GroinAttack
** HarmlessFreezing
** HighAltitudeInterrogation
** IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight
** ItsAllMyFault
** TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife
** MenLikeDogsWomenLikeCats (''ComicBook/ActionComics'' #277, ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' crossover)
** MinidressOfPower
** MostCommonSuperpower (row 2, column 3)
** [[MsFanservice/ComicBooks Ms. Fanservice.Comic Books]]
** [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone/ComicBooks My God What Have I Done.Comic Books]]
** [[NighInvulnerability/ComicBooks Nigh Invulnerability.Comic Books]] (''Superman Volume 1'' #376, ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' crossover)
** [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown/ComicBooks No-Holds-Barred Beatdown.Comic Books]]
** NotSoDifferentRemark
** [[PreAsskickingOneLiner/ComicBooks Pre-Asskicking One-Liner.Comic Books]]
** RetailTherapy
** SuperheroSobriquets
** SuperRugPull
** [[TemptingFate/ComicBooks Tempting Fate.Comic Books]]
** TrespassingToTalk
** ThenLetMeBeEvil
** [[UnstoppableRage/ComicBooks Unstoppable Rage.Comic Books]]
** WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld
** WhyAreYouLookingAtMeLikeThat
** [[YouShallNotPass/ComicBooks You Shall Not Pass.Comic Books]]

** [[BoundAndGagged/ComicBooks Bound and Gagged]]
** [[BreathWeapon/ComicBooks Breath Weapon]]
** [[BrokenBird/ComicBooks Broken Bird]]

** [[DoubleEntendre/ComicBooks Double Entendre]]

** [[MsFanservice/ComicBooks Ms. Fanservice]]
** [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone/ComicBooks My God What Have I Done]]
** [[NighInvulnerability/ComicBooks Nigh Invulnerability]] (''Superman Volume 1'' #376, ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' crossover)
** [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown/ComicBooks No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]]

** [[PreAssKickingOneLiner/ComicBooks PreAssKickingOneLiner]]

** [[TemptingFate/ComicBooks Tempting Fate]]

** [[UnstoppableRage/ComicBooks Unstoppable Rage]]

** [[YouShallNotPass/ComicBooks You Shall Not Pass]]

** Or Princess Allura of ''Anime/{{Voltron}}'' and Allura In-Ze of the Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} comics.

** When most comic fans hear the name Starfire, they think of [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe a hot alien babe with orange skin]], who wears a {{stripperiffic}} outfit and who is usually [[MostCommonSuperpower stacked enough]] to rival ComicBook/PowerGirl. The name also belonged to the Russian hero, Red Star at a time, a short-lived Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} villain and also a sword-wielding female warrior.

* OfficialFanSubmittedContent: In ''ComicBook/AdventureComics'' issue #397 (1970), the editors invited readers to design new versions of ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'s costume. Several of them would be featured in the next issues until issue #410 finally featured the winner costume, which Supergirl would wear until 1983.

** Writer Nick Spencer [[https://www.cbr.com/nick-spencer-reflects-on-his-aborted-supergirl-plans/ had big plans]] for ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} before he left partway through his first issue. He was planning on setting Kara up as a leader like her cousin Kal and would have led to the creation of a new ComicBook/YoungJustice. The story plans go that the villain would have been the Luthor-Brainiac clone and, to deal with it, Kara would gather a team comprised of Comicbook/{{Static}}, ComicBook/BlueBeetle, the Damian Wayne Robin, the Stephanie Brown Batgirl, Miss Martian and the Iris West Impulse (with hopes to include Aqualad). The pinnacle of Kara's evolution would have had Iris running away in a panic and Kara stopping her, convincing her to keep going. Most of the team, minus Kara, would have ended up getting captured and, with advice from Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, would have made a second team to rescue them. The story would have concluded with the dance party of the Flyover app's premiere, with one scene showing Iris dragging Damian out onto the dance floor. The Jaime/Damian/M'gann team (but none of the others) made it into James Peaty's run, but the details of the storyline were completely altered, along with Alex's true identity ([[spoiler: Kryptonian-Dubbilex hybrid clone]]).
** One of the early issues of the ComicBook/{{New 52}} ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' series was supposed to introduce a radically redesigned version of Maxima, with her appearance changed from that of a {{Human Alien|s}} to a {{Humanoid Alien|s}} with PointyEars. This was scrapped at the last minute and the design was instead recycled for a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute named Reign. When Maxima was finally reintroduced in the New 52 several years later, she sported a [[AgeLift slightly younger]] version of her classic appearance.

** Geoff Johns had wanted to include ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} in the "One Year Later" Teen Titans roster, but since she was going a DarkerAndEdgier route at the time and Johns wanted a " naïve, fun alien chick", Miss Martian was created as a [[{{Expy}} substitute]].

** In ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' Creator/PaulDini and Creator/BruceTimm wanted to use the original Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}, Kara Zor-El, instead of the then-current Supergirl (Matrix/Linda Danvers in the comics), but they were denied by DC Comics, due to the then-current "Superman is the ''only'' survivor of Krypton" edict.
** There was talk of a ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague''-style cartoon way back in the late 90's. The team would have included Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}.
** ''WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperheroes'': According to James Tucker in an [[http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=117 interview]] with ''World's Finest Online'', had the show continued with a third season, Supergirl would be introduced.
** ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'': Christopher Jones has stated that had the show been renewed for a third season, Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} would have appeared. Given that the show has been UnCancelled, it could be possible for her to make an appearance.

* AllStarCast: Not to the extent of ''Film/{{Superman}}'' and its sequels, but besides Creator/FayeDunaway and Creator/PeterOToole, there's Creator/PeterCook (as Selena's mentor), Creator/MiaFarrow (Kara's mother), and Brenda Vaccaro (Selena's sidekick), all of whom have reputations comparable to the parent franchise's players.
* BillingDisplacement: Creator/FayeDunaway is billed before Creator/HelenSlater in the credits. It was the same way in the original ''Superman'', with the villain billed before Superman.
* {{Blooper}}: In one of the scenes with Selena and the protesters, a large puddle of water suddenly appears. This is because in an extended version of the scene, Selena turned one woman into an ice statue and shattered it. The sequence was cut but the water remains.
* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget, $35 million. Box office, $14.2 million.
* BTeamSequel: Richard Lester turned down the producers' offer to direct the movie.
* ChannelHop: The film was originally released theatrically by Creator/TriStarPictures after Creator/WarnerBros and the Salkinds had clashed over the film's release date (the former party wanted a Summer release and the latter wanted a Holiday release). On video, it was released through [USA Home Video (and its successors, IVE and Live/Avid), and finally Creator/AnchorBayEntertainment, which released the Director's Cut and (for the first time in the U.S.), the longer International Cut on DVD. In 2006, WB acquired all rights to the film from Canal+, the film's then-owner.
* DarkhorseCasting: Much like Creator/ChristopherReeve, Creator/HelenSlater was cast becuase the producers wanted to cast an unknown.
* DawsonCasting: Lucy Lane is played by actress Maureen Teefy, who was 31 when the film came out. It's not clear what age Jimmy Olsen is supposed to be, given that he's a professional news photographer who is dating a high school student, but the actor Marc [=McClure=] is actually younger than Teefy, at 27.
* ExecutiveMeddling: Tri-Star Pictures cut the film's runtime down from 138 minutes to a mere 105, leaving glaring continuity errors, and the film subsequently made less sense. A Director's Cut was released on DVD in 2000, along with the U.S. debut of the "International Cut" which runs 20 minutes longer than the American version.
* FranchiseKiller: The film's failure not only prevented Supergirl from becoming a film franchise like ''Film/{{Superman}}'', but was also partly responsible for getting the character killed off in the comics as well. It also led to the Salkinds selling the ''Superman'' film rights to Cannon, leading to the infamous ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace''.
* GenreKiller: This is the movie that sent the budding superheroine genre into a hole, and ''Film/Catwoman2004'' and ''Film/{{Elektra}}'' dug it even further. ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' eventually broke the curse in 2017.
* StillbornFranchise: A trilogy was planned, focusing on more of Supergirl's adventures. Obviously the poor critical reception and BoxOfficeBomb put a halt to those plans.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** The movie was originally going to use a brand new costume design for Supergirl, and there are even test shots of Helen Slater wearing it. The producers changed their minds at the last minute, and decided to go with the classic Supergirl look instead. However, the comics had already adopted the new look [[RetCanon to better line up with the movie]], and Supergirl ended up wearing it until her death in ''Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths''.
** An [[https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Supergirl.html early draft]] of the script had Bianca as Selena's advisor and mentor. With her help, Selena launched a coup to take over ruling the Circle from Nigel, then betrayed Bianca and left her mad after being corrupted by her newfound power. Ethan and Supergirl would then free Selena, initiating a HeelFaceTurn. Selena was EasilyForgiven and left to go to Argo City with Kara.
** Creator/BrookeShields was so close to getting the role of Supergirl but was ultimately overruled at the urging of co-producer Ilya Salkind, who wanted an unknown. It was a decision Ilya later regretted. Creator/MelanieGriffith was also considered.
** Creator/DemiMoore was originally slated to play Lucy Lane, but backed out to work on ''Film/BlameItOnRio''.
** Creator/JohnTravolta was approached to play Ethan.
** Creator/DudleyMoore had been offered $4 million to play Zaltar, but turned down the offer and suggested his former TV partner Creator/PeterCook play Nigel.
** The plot was originally going to involve Supergirl rescuing Superman from Selene. It was changed when Creator/ChristopherReeve refused to take part in the movie.
** Creator/RobertWise turned down the offer to direct this film.
** Music/DollyParton was offered $7 million to play Selena, but she turned it down because she was uncomfortable playing a witch. Creator/JaneFonda and Creator/GoldieHawn also turned it down.
* YouLookFamiliar: Sandra Dickinson (Pretty Young Lady) previously played the wife in ''Film/SupermanIII''.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Most of Pre-Crisis Supergirl material has never been collected. It wasn't until 2016 her full ''ComicBook/ActionComics''' run and ''ComicBook/Supergirl1982'' was collected, but her ''ComicBook/AdventureComics''' run, ''ComicBook/Supergirl1972'' and her ''ComicBook/SupermanFamily'' stories remain out of print.

* RunningTheAsylum: Some fans have speculated Kara Zor-El was brought back because several of the primary architects of the Modern DCU are fans of the Silver and Bronze Ages. Whatever the case may be, Dan Didio isn't really a Silver Age fan, and he okayed her return because he felt that Supergirl's backstory had become too confusing -four different Supergirls with increasingly convoluted origins since the death of the original character in 1985- and a simplified version was needed.

** NotSoDifferent

** Notorious ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' writer Keith Giffen is their polar opposite. It is well known he is very fond of Kara Zor-El, treating her respectfully and going so far to reboot the Legion's continuity and create [[{{Expy}} Andromeda]] when he was not allowed to use Kara. Every single time he has to write other Supergirls, though, they are depicted as loons or laughingstocks. Case in point with Giffen's feelings? He had Linda Danvers from ''ComicBook/Supergirl1996'' literally PutOnABusToHell and depicted as a FallenAngel in ''Reign in Hell''.

** Writer Nick Spencer had big plans for ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} before he left partway through his first issue. He was planning on setting Kara up as a leader like her cousin Kal and would have led to the creation of a new ComicBook/YoungJustice. The story plans go that the villain would have been the Luthor-Brainiac clone and, to deal with it, Kara would gather a team comprised of Comicbook/{{Static}}, ComicBook/BlueBeetle, the Damian Wayne Robin, the Stephanie Brown Batgirl, Miss Martian and the Iris West Impulse (with hopes to include Aqualad). The pinnacle of Kara's evolution would have had Iris running away in a panic and Kara stopping her, convincing her to keep going. Most of the team, minus Kara, would have ended up getting captured and, with advice from Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, would have made a second team to rescue them. The story would have concluded with the dance party of the Flyover app's premiere, with one scene showing Iris dragging Damian out onto the dance floor. The Jaime/Damian/M'gann team (but none of the others) made it into James Peaty's run, but the details of the storyline were completely altered, along with Alex's true identity ([[spoiler: Kryptonian-Dubbilex hybrid clone]]).

** Notorious ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' writer Keith Giffen is their polar opposite. It is well known he is very fond of Kara Zor-El, treating her respectfully and going so far to reboot the Legion's continuity and create [[{{Expy}} Andromeda]] when he was not allowed to use Kara. Every single time he has to write other Supergirls, though, they are depicted as loons or laughingstocks. Case in point of Giffen's feelings? He had Linda Danvers from ''ComicBook/Supergirl1996'' was literally PutOnABusToHell and depicted as a FallenAngel in ''Reign in Hell''.

* DawsonCasting: The casting of Kara is almost an aversion; Creator/HelenSlater was still 19 when the actual filming took place 20 when it premiered, playing a high school age girl. But Lucy Lane? Actress Maureen Teefy was 31 at the time the movie was made! And, well... let's ''hope'' Jimmy Olsen (played by the 27 year old Marc [=McClure=]) is an example, as [[{{Ephebophile}} the alternative interpretation]] is more than a little creepy.

** Notorious ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' writer Keith Giffen is their polar opposite. It is well known he is very fond of Kara Zor-El, treating her respectfully and going so far to reboot the Legion's continuity and create [[{{Expy}} Andromeda]] when he was not allowed to use Kara. Every single time he has to write other Supergirls, though, they are depicted as loons or laughingstocks.

** Although most of creatives and fans feel positively inclined towards Kara Zor-El, Marv Wolfman and John Byrne resent her existence because they feel she "de-uniques Franchise/{{Superman}}" (Byrne's own words) by taking his "last son of Krypton" status away from him, and both writers have gone out of their way to erase her from canon. Wolfman famously killed her off in ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', and Byrne created a genderless artificial lifeform who called itself "Supergirl" so that DC didn't feel tempted to bring Kara Zor-El back to not lose the trademark.

** [[BreathWeapon/ComicBooks Breath Weapon.Comic Books]]
** [[BrokenBird/ComicBooks Broken Bird.Comic Books]]

** [[DoubleEntendre/{{Comics}} Double Entendre.Comics]]

** Facepalm.ComicBooks (''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' & ''ComicBook/{{Superboy}}'' crossover)

** [[MsFanservice/ComicBooks Ms. Fanservice.Comic Books]]
** [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone/ComicBooks My God What Have I Done.Comic Books]]
** [[NighInvulnerability/ComicBooks Nigh Invulnerability.Comic Books]] (''Superman Volume 1'' #376, ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' crossover)
** [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown/ComicBooks No-Holds-Barred Beatdown.Comic Books]]

** [[PreAssKickingOneLiner/ComicBooks PreAssKickingOneLiner.Comic Books]]

** [[TemptingFate/ComicBooks Tempting Fate.Comic Books]]

** [[UnstoppableRage/ComicBooks Unstoppable Rage.Comic Books]]

** [[YouShallNotPass/ComicBooks You Shall Not Pass.Comic Books]]

* DawsonCasting: The casting of Kara isn't too bad by the usual standards of this trope; Creator/HelenSlater was 20 at the time, playing a high school age girl. But Lucy Lane? Actress Maureen Teefy was 31 at the time the movie was made! And, well... let's ''hope'' Jimmy Olsen (played by the 27 year old Marc [=McClure=]) is an example, as [[{{Ephebophile}} the alternative interpretation]] is more than a little creepy.

** [[AndIMustScream/ComicBooks And I Must Scream.Comic Books]]

** DuelToTheDeath (Franchise/WonderWoman crossover)
** [[FacePalm/ComicBooks Face Palm.Comic Books]]
** ForgottenFirstMeeting (''Comicbook/ActionComics'' #358, ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' crossover)
** GenderedOutfit

** MinidressOfPower (right)

** [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone/ComicBooks My God What Have I Done. Comic Books]]
** [[NighInvulnerability/ComicBooks Nigh Invulnerability. Comic Books]] (''Superman Volume 1'' #376, ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' crossover)
** [[PreAssKickingOneLiner/{{Comics}} Pre Ass Kicking One Liner.Comics]]

** [[YouShallNotPass/ComicBooks You Shall Not Pass. Comic Books]]

* GenreKiller: This is the movie that sent the budding superheroine genre into a hole, and ''Film/{{Catwoman}}'' and ''Film/{{Elektra}}'' dug it even further. ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' eventually broke the curse in 2017.

* ChannelHop: The film was originally released theatrically by Creator/TriStarPictures after Creator/WarnerBros and the Salkinds had clashed over the film's release date (the former party wanted a Summer release and the latter wanted a Holiday release). On video, it was released through [[Creator/ArtisanEntertainment USA Home Video (and its successors, IVE and Live/Avid)]], and finally Creator/AnchorBayEntertainment, which released the Director's Cut and (for the first time in the U.S.), the longer International Cut on DVD. In 2006, WB acquired all rights to the film from Canal+, the film's then-owner.

** TheGreatestStoryNeverTold

** An [[https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Supergirl.html early draft]] of the script had Bianca as Selena's advisor and mentor. With her help, Selena launched a coup to take over ruling the Circle from Nigel, then betrayed Bianca and left her mad after being corrupted by her newfound power. Ethan and Supergirl would then free Selena, initiating a HeelFaceTurn, who left to Argo City with her.

** Music/DollyParton was offered $7 million to play Selena, but she turned it down because she was uncomfortable playing a witch. Creator/JaneFona and Creator/GoldieHawn also turned it down.

* DarkhorseCasting: Much like Creator/ChristoherReeve, Creator/HelenSlater was cast becuase the producers wanted to cast an unknown.

* LoveConfession: The poetry that Ethan recites for Linda is from ''Translation Of A Romaic Love Song'' by Lord Byron.

** Music/DollyParton was offered $7 million to play Selena, but she turned it down because she was uncomfortable playing a witch.

** Music/DollyParton was offered $7 million to play Selena, but turned down the role because she was uncomfortable playing a witch.