Summary

  • Supergirl and Batgirl's friendship is underutilized in recent comics, despite its historical significance.
  • Mike Maihack's fan art showcases the untapped potential of Supergirl and Batgirl's dynamic.
  • The iconic duo of Supergirl and Batgirl have been featured in Elseworlds tales but are lacking in current continuity.

DC Comics needs to put a bigger spotlight on the friendship between Supergirl and Batgirl, and this fan art by Mike Maihack shows just why that is. Superman and Batman might be DC's "World's Finest," but Supergirl and Batgirl in all of their iterations are some of DC's most prominent female figures. Given their shared position in DC, it's surprising to think the two rarely interact in recent comics.

Maihack's artwork on Instagram is enough to showcase the potential of Supergirl and Batgirl's dynamic that DC has yet to fully tap into. Maihack's fan-favorite art featuring Batgirl and Supergirl often depicts the two women in wacky, cheerful situations, whether sharing some couch-bomb time or trading costume inspiration.

Despite the long history between Supergirl and different iterations of Batgirl, the two iconic female characters have lost their close connection in recent years. It's rare to see them share a together, but when they do, it makes for entertaining viewing that could be all the more entertaining material for a series.

Despite the complicated history of the Supergirl mantle, the Supergirl fans are most familiar with is Kara Zor-El. Meanwhile, Kara has shown being friendly with at least two of the Batgirls: Barbara Gordon, like in Maihack's artwork, and Stephanie Brown.

Supergirl in Different Costumes by Nicola Scott Comic Art
Related
Every Version of Supergirl, Ranked from Weakest To Most Powerful

From Supergirl's creation in 1959, Kara Zor-El and multiple other characters have claimed the name, throughout the DC Multiverse and beyond.

2

DC Needs to Explore More of Supergirl and Batgirl's Friendship

The Best World's Finest Duo?

During the Silver Age, Supergirl and Batgirl had an established friendship within the DC Universe, so much so that Barbara Gordon read the eulogy for Kara's funeral in Crisis on Infinite Earths by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. Before that, they had a handful of regular team-ups until Supergirl's death. Once their characters were reinvented for a new era of DC, the new versions of these characters didn't have as close-knit of a bond as they used to, and as a result, didn't appear together as frequently. As it stands, the duo is best ed today for their team-ups in the DCAU, not the comics.

Interestingly enough, Supergirl and Batgirl's most notable team-up in modern comics comes The orphaned Batgirl and the Supergirl in this world had personalities closer to the canon Superman and Batman than to how Babs and Kara are typically portrayed. Still, their partnership makes for an interesting reading experience.

DC Needs to Revisit Its Best Friendship

Could There Be a Batgirl/Supergirl Series in the Future?

There was a time when the Batgirl/Supergirl friendship was showcased thoroughly and was a joy to witness — until DC forgot that friendship. Now is as good a time as ever to revisit that dynamic. As the fan art above highlights, Kara and Babs' personalities compliment each other in a way that could provide for some wholesome moments. In a world where Batman and Superman's current ongoing World's Finest comic thrives on Silver Age wholesomeness, there's no reason why DC can't attract the same magic with Supergirl and Batgirl.

Source: Mike Maihack (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

Supergirl Comic Art by Talavera
Supergirl
Created By
John Byrne, Peter David, Wally Wood, Otto Binder, Gary Frank, Al Plastino
Alias
Kara Zor-El
Franchise
DC Comics
Age
May 1959

Supergirl is a popular DC character that made her debut in May 1959 in the pages of Action Comics #252. Many characters have taken on the mantle of Supergirl over the years, but the most popular iteration of the character is Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin. Supergirl has appeared in many comics, video games, movies, and TV shows over the years, most notably the 1984 Supergirl movie starring Helen Slater and The CW's Supergirl show with Melissa Benoist. 

Batgirl
Created By
Bill Finger, Sheldon Moldoff
First Appearance
Batman (1940)
Alias
Barbara Gordon, Betty Kane, Helena Bertinelli, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown
Alliance
Batman Family
Franchise
Marvel