More Supergirl Movie Rumors!

Boy, time flies!

It was only a month ago that news of a possible Supergirl movie hit the internet.

Of course, there wasn't much there other than news of a screen writer. But the idea that Warner Brothers might want to re-energize the Super-franchise by moving away from the doldrums of the Snyder-verse seemed to make sense. With the success of Wonder Woman and impending success of Captain Marvel, it just seems like a no brainer.

But now some new rumors have come out in the aftermath of the announcement that Henry Cavill will no longer play Superman. It is unclear that the Cavill rumor is true. So these new Supergirl movie rumors are worth discussing here, even if (as the first rumors) this is an exceedingly premature conversation.

First off, this comment from The Playlist. Here is the link and a blurb:
https://theplaylist.net/wb-henry-cavill-still-superman-20180912/

A source today, right after today’s news broke, echoed the same sentiment that Warner Bros would shift focus to "Supergirl" and that movie—likely a period piece set in the 1970s (though this could change) with the young Kryptonian as a teenager—would knock Cavill out of the running for appearing in that particular time period (he’d still be a child then). So, the actor could stick around, but if Supergirl were to go first and with no “Man of Steel 2” film in development, it’s very conceivable that Cavill could not turn up as Superman again for several, several years hence everyone kind of walking away for now, but keeping the door open.

Now I must admit that I don't know if I am keen on Supergirl being set in the 70s, especially if it is part of the DCEU continuity. If Kara did reveal herself back then, wouldn't the S-symbol be known. Wouldn't Superman's reveal be less profound? If she were alive, wouldn't she come to aid Kal when the Phantom Zone folks arrived? Or does that mean she's dead in the present?

Honestly, there is nothing wrong with her arriving after him. Or having arrived earlier but having been in suspended animation or something to explain her youth. Isn't that what the Man of Steel open pod supposed to be all about?

All that said, the idea of a 'Daring New Adventures of Supergirl' style movie is intriguing if only to see Linda Danvers in all those clothes we saw in that comic.

And then the rumor about the villain!

Review: Superman #3

Superman #3 came out this week and was my favorite Brian Michael Bendis penned issue of this title. I have been enjoying Action Comics a bit more than Superman because Bendis seems to have a great grasp of who Superman is, what he means, what he would say, and how people would react to him. Action Comics is mostly Metropolis based plot with street level crime and lots of Daily Planet scenes. So that works.

Up to know Superman has been the more Super and less Man of the books. The opening story has the entirety of Earth sent into the Phantom Zone where Rogol Zaar has been exiled. I haven't warmed up to Zaar as a villain yet. The new take on the Zone as a Hellish physical realm is still one I am wrapping my head around. So this arc hasn't exactly grabbed me.

This issue does move the plot along pretty nicely. We learn why all this is happening. We see Zaar scheming from the zone. But most importantly, we see how Superman is leading in this crisis. And we see the profound effect he has on people. We also get a look inside his head to see his thoughts when all this is unraveling. We get an oddly moving moment with a classic DC villain. This was a character issue. And that made me happy.

Add to that the gorgeous art by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado and this issue is a winner. Reis and Prado have the tough task of drawing Earth-side calamities as well as massive space fights in the deeper Zone.  There stuff is wonderfully detailed and just gorgeous. I hope their run on the book is long.

On to the details.

Review: Supergirl #22

Supergirl #22 came out this week, the second chapter in the Marc Andreyko era, and a decent move forward in the storyline of Kara's space investigation of Krypton's destruction. I was heading into this new time with some trepidation. Steve Orlando and Jody Houser had really got their sea legs and were crafting great stories in this title just to have the Bendis-izing of the super-titles rock the boat. Plus, images of an axe-wielding Supergirl being portrayed as an enemy of the Green Lantern Corps seemed like a step backwards.

This second chapter does push the overall storyline forward nicely. We get a lot of internal monologue here which does a good job of telling us just what Kara is feeling here. I have a better sense now of why she is so hell-bent on this mission. There is a nod back to the Silver Age which made me smile. And Kevin Maguire hits another home run on art here, giving us every bit of expressive emotion he can in the art. And there is no doubt this book is linked to the ongoing Superman books. Overall, I liked this issue.

Not to say it wasn't perfect. I don't quite understand why Supergirl is being so secretive about her mission. She seems a bit all over the map here emotionally, more than I would expect from someone who has lived the New 52 life she has. I don't want all those lessons to simply be swept under the rug.

On to the book.

Supergirl:American Alien Trailer

We are about a month away from the premiere of Supergirl Season Four and the CW is starting to ratchet up the publicity. The latest has been a brief trailer called Supergirl American Alien on YouTube. Here is a link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyswYomalVo

There is a nice voice over by Kara. Here it is:

Fear

No matter how much we believe in ourselves it never really goes away.

Well I think ‘I’m not afraid of anything’

Then something chases me back down the rabbit hole

But once we catch ourselves, we have to jump right back out there.

As the trailer plays out, it becomes clear that this is Kara talking to Nia Nal in CatCo. Is this a plot about Nia being transgender and afraid by opening up?

But this plays into Kara's character as well. We have seen her be overconfident on the show in the past. So she comes to this moment of mentoring honestly.

On to some screen shots!

Review: Justice League #7

Justice League #7 came out last week, the conclusion of 'The Totality' arc. As has been the case with this title, there is a lot of action and a lot of big comic book ideas that rapidly fly by. It has been almost dizzying in execution and definitely confusing in some places. I feel I really have been flying by the seat of my pants here. But 7 issues in, I actually wouldn't mind a little exposition now.

I think Grant Morrison and his books. A lot of big ideas came and went in his books. But often, they were in the background or were minor details to the plot. I could roll with them because Morrison often times built a foundation for the main storyline that was solid. Here? Those crazy ideas are the main plot.

Now that isn't to say I haven't liked this title. It is bonkers and sometimes I need that in my comic runs. And the art, this issue by Jim Cheung, is gorgeous.

But if the next plot hinges on the ending of this Totality arc, I can only hope that we get some more solid background. A shaky foundation helps no one.

On to the book!

DC Nation #4

I have said before how much I love the DC Nation free magazine. Every month we get company propaganda but also a lot of interviews, process pieces, creative thinking, and Direct Currents.

For someone like me, who likes the behind the scenes stuff as well as the actual finished products, this book is a godsend. And DC Nation #4 continued the trend. I mean, I am stoked about the upcoming Grant Morrison Green Lantern book. So getting to read an interview with him and Liam Sharp is fan-tastic.

Not that all the news is good news. This issue has 'real' psychoanalysis of the DC Trinity and the reports read pretty rough. The Superman one in particular makes him sound depressed. That isn't my Superman.

But we are here to light a candle, not curse the darkness. So what stuff relevant to this site grabbed me?

There is an article about the foil covers coming out in October. It reminds me of the 'Chromium Age' of enhanced covers in the madcap speculator 90s. Jim Lee has seen all the covers and picks out his favorites. No surprise but the Artgerm variant on Supergirl #23 is on that short list.

Unlike some of Artgerm's covers, this really looks like a young girl Kara. Even her pose strikes me like a kid being told to vogue a bit. I love it.

Lee is able to put into words what I feel from Artgerm's covers. There is a vitality in the heroes that just seeps from the page.

And now more news.

Review: The Last Siege #4

The Last Siege #4 came out last week and once again it was one of the most cinematic books that I have read recently. Everything about this title screams film to me. From my description of this as spaghetti western meets Braveheart, to the way the panels flow almost like storyboards, this comic plays out in my mind while I am reading it like a movie. And that is high praise. Because comics are all about filling in the gutters, about intuiting what happens between panels. When a book flows the way this one does, it is magical.

To put it in even stronger terms, I am starting to hear a score in my mind when I am reading this, from percussion beats as our hero is kicking down a door to frenetic strings as our Queen is running on rooftops dodging arrows.

Writer Landry Walker continues to slowly unwind this story of a single castle holding off the hordes of a warlord conqueror. But that external threat still hasn't manifested. Instead we have been shown the internal conflict within the walls of those who are willing to fall in line with the current regime even if it means losing their souls and those holding on to their integrity and identity. It all unfolds in the midst of brutal scenes of violence which makes it all the more glorious.

The art team consists of penciler Justin Greenwood, colorist Eric Jones and letterer Pat Brousseau. They bring a muddy and murky feel to everything here, creating the perfect tone for this dark play. Even when blood is shed, it is more of a black ink than a shock of red. It complements the writing perfectly.

This is the halfway point and it feels as though we have hit the apogee. Our queen has finally talked both in word and in deed. No turning back now.