Why wasn't Supergirl in Teen Titans or Super Friends?

[ovenmitt]

I am so happy FTC gave me a Mint Mego Supergirl a Mego I have always wanted! With FTC making Teen Titans and Super Friends lines it got me wondering why Supergirl was not a member of original Silver Age TT or why she never appeared on SF cartoon?

Teen Titans were sidekicks and Supergirl was her cousin Superman's sidekick or secret weapon in Silver Age!

And Super Friends covered ALL of Silver Age Superman- Krypton, Jor-El, Lara, Phantom Zone/criminals, green, red, blue, even gold kryptonite, Smallville, Superboy, Ma and Pa Kent, Luthor, Brainiac, Bizarro, Toyman, Mxyzptlk, Clark, Lois, Jimmy, Perry, Metopolis, Daily Planet, Fortress of Solitude, Bottle City of Kandor, and even SUPERMOBILE! Why no Supergirl? Kara never appeared on Filmation Superman cartoon, either, did she?

I am a Supergirl fan and glad she's still around in New 52, but I have questioned these 2 holes in her history!

[samurainoir]

If I were to hazard a guess, at least in terms of the comics, it would have to do editorial control of the character. Superman had some pretty strong longtime editors who probably had a great deal to say on how she was used. Julius schwartz and Mort Weisinger.

She was a member of the Silver Age Legion of Superheroes, and she did headline various titles, of her own in addition to Adventure comics. so likely at the points when the Teen Titans had their own titles, she was already the star of her own book and didn't need to get lumped in.

I think she only recently became a member of the Teen Titans just prior to the New 52, on the team with Damian as Robin?

[ovenmitt]

Thanks! Supergirl 1st became a Titan in 1994 POST-Zero Hour New Titans team with Arsenal, Impulse, Kyle Rayner, Changeling, Damage, Mirage, and Terra the 2 only surviving members of Team Titans future timeline wiped out in Zero Hour! Donna Troy Darkstar was member too! Yes PRE-New 52 Supergirl was a Teen Titan! I just always wondered why original Kara Supergirl was never in original Silver Age Teen Titans! I forgot she was in Silver Age Legion of Super Heroes (with Superboy, how's that for a time travel paradox?)

[samurainoir]

ah yes... the Matrix incarnation! I try to block that out of my mind whenever possible. 8)

I believe that version is appearing in Convergence isn't she?

[Toy Timelord]

The Super Family was more closely associated with the Legion in the Silver and Bronze Age. Superboy (Conner) being a Titan was kind of a big deal when the Johns series launched.

[ovenmitt]

Yes, Matrix Supergirl is in Convergence 90s week. Boy, was Matrix complicated, she was a protomatter life form who merged with Linda Danvers became an Earth Angel (?) then separated from Linda who became a less powerful Supergirl! No wonder DC brought Kara Zor-El Supergirl back in 2004 then again in 2011 New 52!

I wonder what John Byrne would have done with Matrix Supergirl if he had stayed on Superman longer?

[monitor_ep]

Supergirl did show up in one issue of the Super Friends comic book:

Super Friends #37

As far as the cartoon, the only Supergirl came was in the form of the Super Friends:

Underoos commericals

Supergirl Buckles Up

[madmarva]

You nailed it Weisinger kept Superman on the sidelines of the JLA very early on (Brave and Bold issues) for fear of overexposure until the book began to sell so well that he and Batman moved to front and center.

I'm guessing a similar thought process for Supergirl. It would have been fun to see her in the comic, though, and have the two most powerful characters to be girls.

If I were to hazard a guess, at least in terms of the comics, it would have to do editorial control of the character. Superman had some pretty strong longtime editors who probably had a great deal to say on how she was used. Julius schwartz and Mort Weisinger.

She was a member of the Silver Age Legion of Superheroes, and she did headline various titles, of her own in addition to Adventure comics. so likely at the points when the Teen Titans had their own titles, she was already the star of her own book and didn't need to get lumped in.

I think she only recently became a member of the Teen Titans just prior to the New 52, on the team with Damian as Robin?

[samurainoir]

Yes, Matrix Supergirl is in Convergence 90s week. Boy, was Matrix complicated, she was a protomatter life form who merged with Linda Danvers became an Earth Angel (?) then separated from Linda who became a less powerful Supergirl! No wonder DC brought Kara Zor-El Supergirl back in 2004 then again in 2011 New 52!

I wonder what John Byrne would have done with Matrix Supergirl if he had stayed on Superman longer?

out of everyone, I though Peter David did an admirable job trying to craft adventures around the Earth Angel concept. As much as I like reading the title back in the day... particularly with awesome art by Leonard Kirk and Gary Frank, it just wasn't Supergirl.

it's a shame that the character did not retain the same level of popularity when she craftily shifted over to Peter David's creator owned Fallen Angel.