MOUNTAIN COMICS is back! For this season premiere, Rob welcomes big time comics pro Paul Kupperberg to the cabin to discuss his work writing THE DARING NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERGIRL #1 and then flash-forwarding a year and discussing SUPERGIRL #13!
Check out images from this comic by clicking here!
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It may be an unseasonably cool 46 degrees in Massachusetts this morning, but it feels like summer because Mountain Comics is back! Although, I think I’ll trade the Yoo-Hoo for a hot chocolate.
Mr Kupperberg was a charming and entertaining guest. It’s always wonderful when the people we like and admire are terrific people.
I was only 9 years old when this comic was on the racks. I didn’t read Supergirl, I was afraid of getting cooties! A few shot years later, I began seeing Helen Slater in her Supergirl costume and suddenly cooties seemed worth the risk. Fortunately as an adult I can go back and read these stories either in trade collections or out of the back issue bins. All I fear now is my knee popping out when I get up from the chair.
Thanks for another entertaining trip back to nostalgia land. I look forward to listening to the rest of the season.
I’m looking forward to listening to this episode as this is one of the first comics I purchased when I began collecting. We were on a family trip to Mammoth Caves in Kentucky. Ironically, I’m currently in Ireland on vacation.
I recently purchased the trade paperback of this series & truly enjoyed it.
I had only recently discovered Supergirl in the final four issues of Superman Family. (The Master Jailer will *always* be Supergirl’s arch nemesis in my brain.) Those stories and images are forever burned into my brain.
I know I bought every issues of this Supergirl series so I must have enjoyed them at the time, but other than her new costume being introduced, I don’t remember anything about it …
… except the headband. I’m probably in the minority, but I felt it added a nice balance of color. And it *definitely* anchors this version of Supergirl in the timeline. When you see that headband you know it is just before Crisis.
(Cue waves of nostalgia)
I think the headband would have gained greater acceptance when her hair went back to straight, which it would have don’t had she not died. I loved the reason for it, to reflect her Kryptonian citizenship.
I think the main problem with the headband is that it just screamed “1980s aerobics instructor.”
Oh I know, it was a constant refrain when she or Black Canary got physical.
Finally! It is summer! Paul K was a great guest as always and I loved your tribute at the end, Rob.
I know I had these issues and enjoyed them. But like Brian I did not recall any details. Thanks for another trip down memory lane!
“Well, that’s funny because I happen to have Mr. Kupperberg right here.”
Quite possibly the best scene in the history of cinema.
Wow, what an excellent way to start the new season in the mountains: with a pro guest appearance right out of the gate. And Mr. Kupperberg in particular is such a great guest, I always enjoy listening to his recollections, insights and stories from his years as a comics pro. (I know he participated in at least one other show on the network, but are there any more I’m forgetting? Is he in the running for a Robbie?)
As to these specific Supergirl comics, I have to admit that I never read them; I do recall seeing them on the spinner racks and in comic shops, but since – like Rob – I was not a fan of Infantino’s later art in the ’70s and ’80s, these were hard pass for me back then. I would be interested in reading them now, since I am a fan of Kupperberg’s writing. In fact, I have to say that I relatively recently (like about a year or two ago) read and quite enjoyed his two Spider-man prose novels written back in the late 1970s, Crime Campaign and Murdermoon, which I purchased as PDFs directly from him (I’m taking this opportunity to say thanks once again.
Woo-hoo, Mountain Comics is back again! I love these interview episodes across the network and it was great to hear from Mr. Kupperberg again. And to have him on talking about specific issues that were influential to you, Rob, was a delight! It’s too bad that comics sales don’t go up with movie releases, especially with movies that bomb, but it was hilarious to hear of the Judge Dredd bet!
And I agree with you, Rob. I’m not the biggest fan of Infantino’s art, but Oksner is the perfect inker for him and Linda Danvers looks beautiful in that first issue’s first panels. Well, she looks beautiful in al the panels, but that splash page of her walking down the street is amazing. Oksner really helps out with the dynamism of Supergirl’s speed as well. So good!
I’m looking forward to what the next Mountain Comic will be! Keep up the great work!
Nice to hear Paul chatting Supergirl, I loved this series. I WAS a Carmine Infantino fan – sure, he was better served by some inkers than others, but I always appreciated his energy and storytelling chops. And Paul’s scripts were as good as anything superheroic on the stands back them, better than most.
How dare Paul say Supergirl changing costumes every issue was for girls. Tut! I loved it, and it wasn’t just girls sending in the designs.
And while I loved the outfit Linda began this series with – it’s number two in the Supergirl iconic stakes – I was excited to see a new look (and one designed by Edna Danvers to boot!). Paul isn’t quite right in thinking Supergirl wore three distinct outfits in this run – the headband was the only change after costume number two.
Speaking of which, does Fred Danvers need an eye test, asking Linda if that’s her when she flies in the window in #13. As Kara says, she’s a flying blonde. Also, big red S on the chest. Surely most of us can recognise relatives when they change clothes… unless it’s kicking off a ‘Fred’s developed Prosopagnosia’ subplot that never came to fruition.
One mystery in Supergirl #13 – before encountering Supergirl at the Fortress Superman is thinking that he has business, but it’s non-urgent. But what was it? I’ve just been to the aforementioned GCD to check Superman and Action Comics around that time to see if Paul had a tale showing what happened after his cousin flew off. Couldn’t find it. Is Paul just being intriguing?
Did Paul say Jose Delbo had crutches when he was drawing the newspaper strip?
What a shame the real Mrs Berkowitz never knew she was in a comic, she’d likely have got quite the kick out of it!
I have no memory of DC doing Judge Dredd comics, but there it is on the Grand Comic Database, Legends of the Law! Mind blown.
Finally, a big thank you to Max and Paul Kupperberg for helping spark this network I love.
Great discussion on two great issues.
For me, I have always been fascinated by the ease with which SG was rebooted with DNAOS #1. She had graduated college in the early 70s and by this point had a career as a part of a mobile news team, a guidance counselor, and a soap star. (If I recall, Pasko made her a soap star because he was starting to dabble in TV writing and so did a ‘write what you know’ change). So Paul putting her back in school and younger by just doing it is crazy. Can you imagine the internet response to a ‘soft reboot’ today!
As for those first couple of pages in #13, they were part of the DC sampler you have covered here Rob. Those pages were a primer to get new readers there and were probably a nice recap for new readers brought in by the new logo and new costume.
Wonderful discussion on the topic. And (spoiler alert), Blackstarr turns out to be Mrs. Berkowitz daughter! Dun dun DUUUNNNNN!
Thanks for covering these Rob and Paul. Love the series.
Break out the tire swing, Mountain Comics is back! Where are my floaties and neon colored sunglasses?
By the way, aren’t you contractually obligated to have Dr. Anj on any podcast about Supergirl?
I got a special exemption. Anj used his pad and everything!
Well, he is a doctor
Great show and wonderful guest summer is finally here. As mountain comics is back . Super girl is one of my bros favorite super heroes .
Rob, you had Henry Bernstein on your TreasuryCast two weeks ago and he reviewed Supergirl #13, 14 and 15on his podcast discussing explicitly Jewish content in comics just last December. I was struck by the coincidence because your discussion with Paul Kupperberg cleared up some things that Henry and Brandon had speculated about on their podcast (among them, that they thought the story had to be inspired by the Nazi march in Skokie).
Your show meets one definition of a great interview because you got answers to questions that real readers had about his story. Congratulations on a strong opener for this season of Mountain Comics.
MJR
Paul K was hilarious, as usual!
I didn’t know the new episode was out until today. It never showed up on the mountain comics feed on my podcatcher. But great episode as always