First Appearance
Supergirl will be coming to the DCU. In fact, we may get more than one Kara Zor-El, cousin to the Man of Steel. She’s already been seen in a trailer for The Flash, and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow has been announced. Whether or not they’re the same character remains to be seen.
From her first appearance in Action Comics #252 to the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow mini-series, Kara has a very non-linear history within DC comics, one that includes death, rebirth, and more amnesia than anyone should ever have to face.
Speaking of first appearances, there are 1,201 graded copies of Action Comics #252 in the CGC census. This early Silver Age classic has been climbing in value recently. To date, there have been two sales of 6.0 graded copies in 2023 for an average price of $4,545.
In terms of volume, that already tops the single sale of a 6.0 in 2022 and the one in 2021. Those two sold for $4,000 and $2,900 respectively, so we’re also seeing an increase in value. Expect graded copies to continue to climb as we near the premiere of The Flash and as hype builds for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
First Meetings
While Supergirl was originally introduced as Superman’s cousin, her adventures often teamed her up with a younger version of Kal-El – Superboy. They first met in Superboy #80. There are only 68 graded copies of this 1960 gem in the CGC census. The most recent sale was a 6.0 graded copy going for $233 in an eBay sale on February 26.
While it’s up considerably from its previous sale of $99, that sale occurred back in August 2020. In other grades that have sold within the past year, including an 8.5 and a 5.5, prices are down considerably. C
onsidering the low census count and the fact that it’s a key issue – if you consider first meetings to be keys – if you can catch it on the downside it could be a worthwhile investment.
Supergirl would also become a key member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Her first meeting with the team was in Action Comics #267, an issue that also saw the first appearances of Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, and Invisible Kid. There are 201 graded copies, and a 6.5 set a record in the grade when one sold in a January 15 eBay sale for $249.
It’s similar to bounces we’ve been seeing of late for mid-grade copies of early first appearances of other Legionnaires, including Adventure Comics #247 and Action Comics #276.
First Solo Series
It would be many years before Supergirl received her own series. Until Supergirl #1 was published in 1972, she was regularly relegated to appearances with the Legion in Adventure Comics, as a supporting character in Superman’s adventures in Action Comics and Superman, and making an occasional appearance in other DC series.
Supergirl #1 has been seeing a bit of a resurgence of late, with eight graded copies selling in the first two months of 2023, a pace that surpasses 2022 and the average of two copies per month that sold in 2021. While volume may be up, prices are down – a good thing if you’re in the market for a copy.
Death of Supergirl
The most memorable moment and the most iconic image from the 1985 mini-series Crisis on Infinite Earths came in Crisis on Infinite Earths #7, the George Perez cover of which depicted an anguished Superman holding the lifeless body of Supergirl. DC Comics did indeed kill off Kara Zor-El in this issue. Not only that, the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths caused every character in the DC Universe to forget that she even existed.
This led to awkward and confusing moments for decades as attempts were made to reintroduce Supergirl, and it wouldn’t be until Infinite Crisis in 2005 that the character could be considered somewhat consistent with the original.
There are 3,130 graded copies of Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 in the CGC census, a testimony to the popularity of this Copper Age key. Of course, with so many copies, it’s not surprising that prices are not all that high. Prices for 9.8 copies have been rising a little this year and are currently in the $185 to $200 range.
The Return of Kara Zor-El
After many attempts at bringing a new version of Supergirl to the DC Universe, including Matrix, Linda Danvers, Laurel Gand, and Cir-El, the publisher finally brought Kara back in Superman/Batman #8.
This book definitely benefited from Gunn’s announcement, with 9.8 graded copies reaching as high as $200. While they’ve since fallen down to the $140 range, that’s still far higher than prices prior.
Woman of Tomorrow
Gunn’s announcement included some specifics about Supergirl in the DCU, most notably that the character would be based on the one appearing in Tom Kings’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow from 2021. This is a grittier Supergirl in a sci-fi epic that has the character stray quite far from her previous incarnations.
No one was even slightly speculating on this book prior to Gunn’s announcement, as evidenced by the paltry 73 graded copies of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1 in the CGC census. That rarity of graded copies contributed to the run-up in value to $200 for 9.8s in February. March prices have seen a drop to the $170 to $175 range, and you can be sure that census count won’t stay low for much longer.
I would wait a while before picking up a copy. Prices will likely continue to fall as the census count grows and we’re a little farther away from Gunn’s announcement while still a little too far away for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow hype to really build up excitement for this comic.
Are you a Supergirl fan? Are you excited about her inclusion in the DCU? Let us know below.
