Action Comics #285

ACTION COMICS 285 (1962)
by Jerry Siegel & Jim Mooney
cover by Curt Swan

After teasing us so many times, this time it’s actually true: the existence of Supergirl is going to get revealed to the public.

We’re not wasting ANY time: we immediately begin with Superman telling Supergirl that he’s going to reveal her existence to the world.

He’s supposed to tell her foster parents on the following day… when they drive on a collapsing bridge.

She saves them, because of course she does…

…but she’s been brainwashed so much by her cousin that she doesn’t want to reveal the truth, afraid that he’ll force her to stay in hiding!!!

Considering his past behavior when it comes to secret identities, Superman is surprisingly okay with this!

There’s absolutely no way Superman wasn’t the one to sabotage that bridge.

Although this might actually be post-Crisis Superman, because he’s remarkably sane this time around.

He even allows Supergirl to have her big moment instead of stealing the spotlight!
Her wholesomeness has redeemed even The Worst!!!

The world’s reaction is absolutely hilarious.

The title of this story should be either “Awwwww” or “Cuteness overload”.

She even gets to meet J.F.K. !!!

She even gets deputized by the United Nations. I’m not really sure how that’s supposed to work.

Okay maybe we’re starting to overdo this.

Maybe you can tone it down a bit, now?

At this point you might as well turn it into a cult.

I WAS KIDDING!!!

So… we’re already at page 12 and basically nothing has happened.

Time for giant monster legs from another universe! Wait, WHAT!?

“This is a job for Supergirl!” ©

This proves that the Midvale Orphanage is cursed.

Supergirl’s first public fight is against… a giant foot.

The monster is too tough for her, so Supergirl sends a message by throwing a missile into the future… (!!!!)

…to the Legion of Super-Heroes! Where we learn that:
1) Saturn Girl can read the mind of a rocket (WTF!?)
2) Lightning Lad has magnetic powers instead of Cosmic Boy (double WTF?)

But actually she just needs Brainiac 5.

So is this a victory for Supergirl or for Brainiac 5 ?

Well at least that’s Supergirl 1, military jerks 0.

Brainiac 5 also attached a note for Supergirl, who is rather fond of him this time.
Although I prefer to think that Brainiac 5 actually does know how to restore Kandor but doesn’t tell her because it would mean altering the timeline.

Apparently Supergirl spent 3 years in anonymity. Considering that she’s had her 16th birthday recently, does it mean that she was 14 when she landed on Earth and now she’s 17 ?

More J.F.K. !

At this point I’m starting to worry that Superman will try to punish Supergirl for being more popular than he is. Just be glad that he’s not The Worst in this issue.

She even gets her own apartment in the Fortress of Solitude. I don’t think she visited it much… which makes sense, what teenage girl would crash at her older cousin’s place?

And that’s the end!

Awwww.

 

Historical significance: 10/10
Obviously immensely important for Supergirl.

 Silver Age-ness: 5/10
Giant feet from another universe? Come on, that’s just basic Silver Age stuff.

Does it stand the test of time? 6/10
This is mostly harmless fluff… and that’s kind of a problem. Cuteness and wholesomeness only go so far: this is more like the setup of a story than a real one. Still, Superman manages to be remarkably less awful than his usual Silver Age self.