Today marks the 65th Anniversary of the first appearance of Supergirl - or as us actual nerds know her, Kara Zor-El of Argo City, Krypton. Yup, Supergirl hit newsstands on March 31, 1959!
Prior to Kara's arrival, DC had played with a few variations of what Supergirl might be - from giving Lois powers for an issue or two to a sorta magical helper friend for Clark for an issue. But eventually DC just said "teen-age cousin" and a superhero was born.
Created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino, Kara Zor-El appeared in Action Comics 252. It's not an epically long story, mostly there to set the table for whatever they'd try next with the newest toy in the DC toybox. Enough for an origin and a status quo set-up, and out.
And, I am happy to say, I do actually have a copy of this comic.
After about 20 years as the semi-sole-survivor of Krypton (minus Krypto, Beppo and a few stray villains in the Phantom Zone), we learn that a chunk of Krypton has been hurtling through space for decades, with the city of Argo attached. Living in that city, Superman's Uncle and Aunt - Zor-El and Alura - have given birth to Kal-El's couson, Kara.
As things go from "this seems bad" to "oh no" during a meteor storm threatening Argo City, Zor-El puts Kara in a rocket and shoots her at Earth. Superman finds her, decides she's his new secret weapon and places the traumatized youth into an orphanage in Midvale. Because he's a swinging bachelor and he has no time for kids, I guess.