Why would Supergirl be stronger than Superman?

Question

For this question Why is Supergirl so weak? I answered that it wasn't definitive that Supergirl was possibly stronger than Superman. However in Supergirl #6 a Worldkiller says this about her:

And it isn't as if the Worldkiller doesn't know about Superman, because just before on the same panel she says this:

Superman is more physically imposing. So is Supergirl somehow more inherently powerful (or potentially) than Superman?

Answer 1

Supergirl isn't stronger or more powerful than Superman. It only appears that way. See: Is Superman really Super compared to other Kryptonians, section 2.

This mistaken impression leads to the confrontation between Supergirl and Reign/Worldkillers in Supergirl #6 & #7. Reign, the leader of the Worldkillers is a genetically-engineered metapowered lifeform created by Kryptonian super-science.

• Reign's interest in Supergirl was due to her watching Supergirl from afar and gaining the mistaken impression that Supergirl was stronger than Superman because she fought him and appeared to be winning the conflicts.

• In actuality, Superman was exercising restraint to avoid harming her or causing collateral damage which might harm or kill someone. When two Kryptonians battle, it is the surrounding people and property which suffers most.

• Reign was secretly wanting to recruit Supergirl and thought if her collection of Worldkillers could subdue/recruit her, they would be able to discover more about the processes that created them and potentially discover their homes of origin.

• The Worldkillers proved far more formidable than Supergirl could handle. Only by turning the powers of one of the Worldkillers on another was Supergirl able to force the leader Reign to retreat. Reign leaves the battle with a parting threat of the fifth as yet unseen and believed to be most powerful Worldkiller still out there, possibly looking for revenge against Kryptonians.

Answer 2

Seeing as how this is the "New 52" DC Universe, there are many questions like this that we just don't know the answers to yet, because they have not been fully revealed. However, it is important to note that Kara Zor-el (Supergirl) was raised on Krypton, while Kal El was raised in Kansas on a farm. We see in the "New 52" Supergirl run that she underwent extensive hand-to-hand combat training while being raised on Krypton. This may or may not have something to do with Reign's assessment of her threat level vs. Superman's. After all, we frequently see in the comics universe that highly-trained individuals routinely take down untrained, more "powerful" foes.

Answer 3

Under Matt Idleson, DCnU Supergirl probably was stronger than DCnU Superman. He said as much in an interview. Reign said as much in her speech. The Supergirl creative staff had her father augment her through lab experimentation, the comics even showed her able to create her own yellow sunlight, so theoretically able to amp herself at will. She'd be naturally stronger for a short time awakening from perfect suspended animation coming from a heavy gravity planet to a lighter gravity one. Her muscles would be used to bearing heavier loads. She might even have benefitted from having a better diet. Explanations abound for anyone who decides Supergirl should be stronger than her cousin, and very good and sensible ones at that. However, Eddie Berganza is once again editor. So DC has probably recanted that position. For tradition and fear of sales losses, no doubt. A too-powerful Supergirl is a genuinely frightening idea to the company, let alone Superman fans.

Answer 4

well, in the comics there are scenes where (superman/batman 19) they (i think batman) says her abilities rival or even surpass that of supermans. superman can't keep up with her and when she chooses to leave him behind, she's gone. even his superhearing and vision couldn't help