Over the years, DC Comics has introduced hundreds, if not thousands, of different characters. Realistically, not all of these characters can be a hit. Sometimes, the characters introduced are intentionally strange, such as with Condiment King or Bouncing Boy. Othertimes, the strangeness is less apparent – at first. A backstory that grows with time can make a character weird or off-putting, if done poorly. Hindsight can give readers plenty of reasons to regret a character’s appearance. That’s certainly the case for one character from DC Comics. Comet the Super-Horse has a long history in DC Comics, yet he hasn’t extensively appeared in years. Given what that history includes, we’re okay with the thought of never seeing this guy again.
On the surface, it probably seems like there’s nothing wrong with Comet the Super-Horse. After all, what’s not to love about a pretty white horse? Unfortunately, Comet is a character with a weird and twisted backstory, and the more readers learn, the less they like him. Trust us on this one.
Comet’s Introduction
Comet the Super-Horse was first introduced back in 1962, so it’s safe to say he has deep roots in comic book history. Some parts of his backstory will even feel familiar and comfortable, such as how he quickly joined the Legion of Super-Pets alongside Krypto and the rest of the Superman pet family. But there are also some pretty odd parts about his backstory, like how he was originally a centaur named Biron, from ancient Greece. Yes, really. He looks like an average horse now because of potion shenanigans. He had convinced Circe to create a potion that would turn him into a human, but that got swapped out with one that would turn him full horse instead.
Even that part of his backstory isn’t all too bad, at least not compared to what happens next. Biron had gotten himself trapped on an asteroid (again, really), which put him in the perfect position to see Supergirl’s comet blasting to Earth. He followed, and thus began a very strange and uncomfortable series of events.
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Comet’s History with Grooming
Supergirl’s side of Comet’s story begins with a film and a dream. Ever the horse girl, she was excited by the idea of seeing the latest horse-themed movie. So at first, it seemed natural that she might dream about a white horse, right? Well, it’s less cute and innocent than it seems, as Biron used his telepathic abilities to worm into her dreams. Remember – this is a grown man (centaur) from ancient Greece, while Supergirl was a teenage superhero. We don’t need to point out how gross and invasive this is.
Unfortunately, that’s just the beginning. Supergirl soon finds the horse of her dreams, literally, naming him Comet the Super-Horse. They seemed like the dream team, with complementary powers and everything. Comet would go on to have many adventures, sometimes with the Legion of Super-Pets and sometimes with his Supergirl. As a reminder, at this point in the story, Supergirl had no idea about Biron’s backstory.
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Doubling Down on Concerning Trends
Thanks to comic book magic, Comet and Supergirl earn the gratitude of Prince Endor. It’s a long story, but the end result is that Prince Endor ensured that Comet could become a human whenever a comet was flying over the Earth. This is where the story goes from uncomfortable to downright wrong, as Comet, in human form thanks to a passing comet, gets a gig at a rodeo. Supergirl, having no idea that Bronco Bill is really her horse, swoons (really) for the new character, and they begin a bit of a relationship. Did Comet/Biron/Bill groom Supergirl? All signs point to yes. He certainly never came clean about his connections or intentions.
We wish we could say this was the end of the story, but it isn’t. At some point, Comet wanted more from Supergirl, so he jumped through hoops to become fully human. This kicked off a whole series of confusing events, including accidentally dressing as an outlaw and kissing Supergirl in front of her classmates, who apparently have no problem with her dating grown men. There’s a little bit of karma in this scene, as Supergirl quickly assumes that Bronco Bill really is the outlaw in question and tries to go after him. This would later lead to a bit of heartbreak on her part, with Comet (once again in horse form) watching from the sidelines. Talk about awkward.
At the end of the day, Biron’s time as Comet the Super-Horse wasn’t permanent. Comet would begin appearing less and less in comics, before his entire backstory was retconned away. We’re more than okay with that outcome, as Supergirl always deserved better than a creepy groomer who watched her from the shadows. Even if DC Comics keeps that backstory tucked away, we don’t think we’ll ever feel comfortable seeing Comet make an appearance.
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