Supergirl head writer K Perkins took to Instagram over the weekend to share thoughts about her stint with the comic book and the work she’s done to bring more queer storylines to DC. Specifically Perkins wanted to draw attention to one of the more longstanding stories revolving around Maxima, a longtime supervillainess and recurring Superman adversary.
“#Supergirl issue #40 is out & the the book is coming to an end – but really happy i got to have this moment,” Perkins wrote. “There needs to be more characters of diverse backgrounds, including LGBT ones, in mainstream media.”
In issue #645 of Action Comics Superman first meets Maxima, queen of the planet Almerac an its war-locked nations. Maxima, like most Almeracians, was originally written as a woman obsessed with the idea of finding the perfect mate to produce offspring perfect for fighting. Unlike Almeracian women, the planet’s men were rare and tended not to be nearly as strong, so many turned their sights of other species of super-powered humanoids. Maxima eventually comes to Earth in hopes of mating with Clark Kent, who roundly rebuffs her sexual advances.
Since her introduction Maxima’s gone from being a villainess with a ticking biological time clock to to a much more interesting reformed hero with a series of complex relationships. Though many of Maxima’s plot lines have centered around her obsession with procreation, she’s consistently had difficulty bonding with the men of DC’s many universes. The problem, Perkins explained, wasn’t that Maxima couldn't find the right man, but that she hadn’t met the right woman.
Check out the panels where Maxima finally realizes her personal truth and comes out to Supergirl AFTER THE JUMP…
