Matt! You've evidently skimmed more than I have. Did she pop up in that title? Which means really recently, since I was looking at #13. Damn.

She was real, was she? How real were the others?

Her storyline ran in Superman/Batman from issue #8 to whatever the October issue was.

Supergirl Cliff's notes:

Power Girl: As it currently stands, she was Arion's granddaughter in Atlantis 45,000 years ago. Got possessed by his archenemy Garn Daanuth, freed, and sent to the far future for safekeeping. Arion looked ahead and found a suitable origin for her to ensure her safety: survivor of Krypton and only biological relative of the era's greatest hero. It's at least been implied that her powers are actual vast latent magical potential which manifested as Kryptonian superpowers because that's what she was mesmerized to believe she was. Fake origin apparently withstood scrutiny for years.

Supergirl I/Matrix: Artificial protomatter life form created by the Lex Luthor of the Time Trapper's pocket universe. Costume resembled the pre-Crisis Earth-1 original, but powers were different including shapeshifting, telekinesis, and invisibility. Merged with Linda Danvers (the Earth-1 version's alter ego) to save her life. Subsequently revealed to be an earthbound angel, but I assume this was either a case of possession or something originating with the Linda Danvers.

Supergirl II: Briefly appeared in the Supergirl series. She was apparently the original pre-Crisis Earth-1 Supergirl, though I'm not certain exactly how elements of the pre- and post-Crisis multiverses are supposed to be able to interact. Possibly just a Hypertime doppelganger whose timeline closely resembled that of Earth-1.

Supergirl III: Recently-appearing character in the Superman/Batman series. Apparently she's supposed to be an actual Kryptonian, and the cousin of the post-Crisis Superman. Given that Darkseid was involved in this story and suspicions were raised of a secret origin on Apokolips, my money is on her turning out to be a plot of Darkseid's somehow linked to Superman's amnesiac stay on Apokolips in Byrne's run. Anyone care to place bets on how long it'll take for her origin to be revealed as a fake?

Fake origin apparently withstood scrutiny for years.

And the deception continues, as Arion has recently revealed (in JSA) that she is indeed NOT his granddaughter, and promised that her real mother will explain it all shortly. Most money is on her mother being Amythest, Princess of Gemworld. Seriously.

Wasn't Amethyst a kid on earth just finding out about her origin around the time in the current continuity that Kara would have first shown up?

Oh yeah. I wanted to mention that while Chuck Dixon is pretty good, but not hot shit as far as I can tell, he cracked my shit up by making a Clarissa Explains It All joke.

Wasn't Amethyst a kid on earth just finding out about her origin around the time in the current continuity that Kara would have first shown up?

Never make the bet, man. Comic book timelines seem to both expand and contract, depending on how active the character is. Consequently, Power Girl's origins could be made more recent while Amethyst is pushed back. They do it all the time.

Amethyst? That would make me laugh. I used to love Amethyst -- but the art was hypnotic. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

I trust you mean the Esteban Marato art of the miniseries and not Ernie Colon's from the original series? Please?

Oh, this is kind of an important question. In Murderer? Dick mentions he "killed the Joker." When the hell did this happen? One, I know the Joker's not actually dead, because he never is, but what does he mean by this, because I would think this would change the whole Blockbuster situation a little.

Also, what trade has this story of Dick being accused of murder? It sounds interesting.

And did Cass beat Shiva in between Murderer? and Fugitive ? That's what it seems like, but I thought they came directly after each other.

Oh, and I'm so confused as to who knows Batman's secret identity and who doesn't, both at this point and currently.

And I really need to read Officer Down.

You know...the way the story's being spun, how it blames Bruce's reaction on a bad year (to put it simply, as I don't remember what all was supposed to have occurred in this year) now reminds me of what Bendis did with Matt Murdock and his nervous breakdown.

Oh, and he he he. They've used the "The butler did it" joke twice. The second time, to better humorous effect.

Man oh man, I am so in love with this story. It better stay good, and it better end well, and make sense.

Dick kills the Joker (short term--CPR is magical in the DCverse) in Last Laugh, in a fit of passion, thinking the Joker had killed Tim. Dick reacted to what he did by moping for a while and refusing to answer his phone.

Cass defeated Shiva in Batgirl #25, which comes in between the Batgirl issues of Murder and Fugitive.

Nightwing: The Target is a one-shot that came out under DC's prestige format, and it's Dick as a police officer who's been accused of murder. It's pretty good.