Supergirl (Matrix)

Matrix
Matrix as Supergirl from The Adventures of Superman #502 by Tom Grummet.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Superman (vol. 2) #16 (April 1988)
Created by	John Byrne (based upon the Kara Zor-El created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino)
In-story information
Alter ego	Matrix
Species	Artificial, protoplasmic lifeform
Place of origin	Earth in an alternate dimension
Team affiliations	Teen Titans LexCorp
Notable aliases	Linda Danvers, Mae Kent, Supergirl, Clark Kent, Lana Lang
Abilities	super-strength invisibility invulnerability super-speed telekinesis flight shapeshifting

Matrix is a fictional comic book superheroine, best known as the 1988–2002 Supergirl, published by DC Comics. She was created by John Byrne as part of his Superman revamp. She first appeared (as Supergirl) in Superman (second series) #16 (April 1988).

In 2006, another character calling herself Matrix was created by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, and Dale Eaglesham and first appeared in 52.

In an alternate reality (a "Pocket Universe") three Kryptonian criminals (General Zod, Faora and Quex-Ul) escaped the Phantom Zone, and tried to take over that reality's Earth. There was no Superman in this reality (his younger self, Superboy, having died before the criminals' escape) but there was a Lex Luthor who had not turned evil. Using an artificial life-form called the "protoplasmic matrix", Lex created a red-headed woman, Matrix, who resembled his true love, the deceased alternate-reality Lana Lang. Matrix possessed all of Lana's memories, due to Lana's synaptic pathways being copied into Matrix. Lex had also patterned her physiology to resemble Superman's, whom he had seen by using one of his many inventions to look into the mainstream universe.

Like Superman, Matrix was superhumanly strong and fast, and could fly, but she also had the powers of shapeshifting, telekinesis, and cloaking (including invisibility). Matrix wore a version of Superman's uniform, shapeshifted into a young blonde woman, and fought the three criminals as Supergirl. However, her powers were no match for theirs. Desperate, Lex sent Matrix into the mainstream universe to recruit Superman. Her efforts were successful, and Superman did aid in stopping the Kryptonian criminals, but the alternate Earth had been ruined, and was now lifeless. Superman took the orphaned Matrix back to the mainstream DC Universe with him, where she served as the Post-Crisis world's first in-continuity Supergirl.