Supergirl star Milly Alcock has not been one to shy away from embracing a queer interpretation of the upcoming film’s eponymous Kryptonian. Alcock recently said the character would “swing both ways” at a fan event ahead of Supergirl’s release, and before that she said Supergirl “doesn’t live in the binary” of typical gender expectations. Supergirl has never been depicted as being anything other than a heterosexual cisgender woman in the comics and was similarly straight in her CW show. However, Alcock’s comments are a microcosm of fan’s views on Supergirl as a character. Despite not being a confirmed LGBTQ+ figure in any mainstream or canonical release, Supergirl has maintained a status as someone queer fans flock to.cnx.cmd.push(function() {cnx({playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530",}).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796");});Tales of a queer Supergirl have long entertained audiences. Searching on AO3 for gay fanfiction of the character will result in thousands of entries posted by users depicting Kara Zor-El (or a new interpretation of Kara) in a queer relationship. Fans of the CW show prolifically shipped Kara and Lena Luthor throughout its run, going so far as to call some of the show’s writing queerbaiting. DC Comics’ Elseworlds spinoff The Dark Knights of Steel, a medieval fantasy retelling of DC’s main characters, put Supergirl and Wonder Woman in a romantic relationship. None of this enthusiasm or new storytelling has translated to mainstream LGBTQ+ storylines for Supergirl, but her comics often take a more coming-of-age route with their narratives than her DC contemporaries. Supergirl: Being Super, Joëlle Jones and Mariko Tamaki’s acclaimed four-issue graphic novel, focuses on Kara Danvers’ story on Earth, a narrowing in on her teenage angst and status as an outsider in her high school (while also providing Kara with a lesbian best friend, Dolly Granger). Tom King’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the Eisner Award-nominated eight-issue miniseries and basis for the upcoming Supergirl film, follows a Supergirl who is still coming to terms with her identity as a superhero and her place in the galaxy. A focus on themes of coming of age and being an outsider, all while centering a person who is still figuring out their own identity, invariably aligns with the lived experiences many LGBTQ+ fans have gone through in their own lives. Going through very awkward teenage years, coming to terms with who you are as a person, and the isolation that comes with growing up different are all hallmarks of both Supergirl comics and being queer. Supergirl goes through this relatable, deeply human drama, all while engaging in cosmic battles and helping those in need. For LGBTQ+ readers, Supergirl points to a bright future where they can beat the obstacles they face while going through incredibly isolating and turbulent times. Characters such as Superman and Batman do indeed get to show a recognizably human side in their stories. The Death of Superman crossover comic event revealed that Superman could die just like any regular citizen in the streets of Metropolis. In Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, readers are exposed to a much darker story that takes on the corrupting influence of power while also showing an older, grittier Batman. These are just two famous examples of stories in which superheroes step off the pedestal of unstoppable forces of good and become relatable, even if just slightly. There’s a long-running archive of these stories with many other big name characters — but none stand out quite as much as the stories about Supergirl. Rarely do comic readers get a real coming of age story for any other character like they do for Supergirl, and few other DC characters have such a frequent emphasis on thematic elements and storylines with a close relation to queer lives. Even when she’s joining the Red Lanterns or battling galactic warlords, fans are still exposed to the parts of her that are undeniably flawed, unsure of herself, and human.So yes, Supergirl might just swing both ways, as Alcock put it. But Supergirl also functions as a narrative capsule for stories many queer comic fans can take from the page and into their own lives. Although she’s not a perfect LGBTQ+ icon, Supergirl’s status is undoubtedly endearing with queer readers.The post Exploring Supergirl’s History as an Unlikely Queer Icon appeared first on Den of Geek.