With the comic book thought to be cancelled and super-books on a sort of hiatus, I thought I might be scrounging for things to write about here. Turns out I was wrong.
I had heard that DC Superhero Girls was getting a new look courtesy of 'My Little Pony Friendship is Magic' front runner Lauren Faust. Last week we got our first look at the new feel for the team as it becomes a show on Cartoon Network. Here is a link and a blurb:
https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2018/05/21/first-look-lauren-faust-brings-dc-super-hero-girls-to-cartoon-network
The world may know them as Wonder Woman, Supergirl and Batgirl, but not-so-typical teenagers Diana, Kara and Barbara, alongside their Super Hero friends have much more to deal with than just protecting the citizens of Metropolis from some of the most sinister school-aged Super-Villains of the DC Universe. After all, being teens is tough enough, what with school, friends, family and the chaos that comes with managing a social life. But add super powers and a secret identity to the mix, and things can get a lot more complicated.
Sure, gal pals Bumblebee, Zatanna and Green Lantern Jessica Cruz are always there to lend an ear, a shoulder to cry on, and a fist to punch with, but what happens when Diana and her favorite study buddy and fencing partner, Tatsu, can’t agree on how to dole out justice as Wonder Woman and Katana? Or when Barbara finds out her Gotham-Con bestie is teen-fiend Harley Quinn? Along with all their friends, foes and frenemies, this squad of super teens navigates the unique growing pains that come when you’re a teenager trying to fight the battles of the world and the battles of growing up at the same time.
I'm thrilled Zatanna is coming on board. I wonder what will happen to well-established characters like Ivy and Harley. Harley has always seemed to be class clown ... not a teen fiend! Of course, the minor episodes never had members of the student body be villains. This was a very very positive webisode show before.
Still I trust Faust implicitly. Loved the MLP upgrade. And, yes, loved her work on Super Best Friends Forever.
I covered The SBFFs pretty extensively here on the site. I LOVED those shorts.
So I wasn't surprised at the visual feel of the Super Hero Girls now as they seem to bring some of that Faust-like dynamic. Seriously, look up Super Best Friends Forever Batgirl and you'll see a near copy of Batgirl in the DCSHG picture above.
And I thought overall Supergirl has a similar look.
Now what will that mean for the Kara character. In SBFF's, Supergirl was a little bit of a rebel. In DCSHG, she has been awkward and sort of shy. So will Faust mold Supergirl a bit? Will the prior DCSHG continuity sort of fade away? Or be incorporated?
All that said, Landry Walker tweeted this which had me nodding my head. This Kara does have a little Cosmic feel to her.
But look at that look of determination on the Faust Supergirl. That isn't the meek, 'fade into the background' SuperHeroGirl we saw before.
I love Faust's oeuvre so I am on board. Can't wait to see this.
11 comments:
I can't tell whether I like the designs or not, but I hardly like current cartoon art, anyway, so it's not a strike against this series.
I wonder whether this reboot will replace the original or run concurrently with Shea Fontana's version. I've happened upon contradictory information.
Regarding Poison Ivy, Lauren Faust posted this:
https://twitter.com/Fyre_flye/status/998924364140527616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fs9e.github.io%2Fiframe%2Ftwitter.min.html%23998924364140527616
So I suspect Ivy and Harley will go through a redemption arc.
Interesting to see some kids are already experiencing their first instance of: "I like this stuff how it is! Why are they changing it?" Poor children. Welcome to the life of a comic and animation fan.
"Still I trust Faust implicitly. Loved the MLP upgrade."
I never watched it. I never cared much for the franchise. I watched the original series in the 80's. Entertaining but nothing special. In the 90's I watched some episodes of a season where everybody had been rebooted into a high-school setting. I didn't care for it.
I wonder what the new Kara will be like. SBFF was reckless, hotheaded, mischievous... but good-natured. DCSHG was a shy, insecure, clumsy, sometimes clueless sweetheart. Maybe too shy and clueless.
Some fans have compared this new Kara's determinated air with Power Girl. I hadn't thought of Cosmic Adventures, though. Good catch by Landry Q. Walker.
Anyway I hope this reboot is successful (and doesn't get screwed by Cartoon Network like JL Action did). There's already fanart (https://twitter.com/Fyre_flye/status/999687807902732288), which I think it's a good sign.
I so deeply love what Shea Fontana and Agnes have done with DCSHG. It is consistently high quality with a beautiful message and it brings a smile to my heart every week.
Lauren - she is amazing. I would sacrifice just about every DC property for her take on DCSHG.. Every one except... Sheas DCSHG.
Where does that leave me? Well it depends on DC. Will they allow me to follow both versions - well then I just won the lottery. If Sheas version must die because licensing it would be heartbreaking because I would have to give up the thing I love the most to get that which I really want.
So please DC, don't take anything away. Give us the best of both worlds.
Just as Comcast relocates the Cartoon Network to their premium package, puzzling decision on their part.
But at least Supergirl now has a team affiliation, I'm all for that!!
Maybe I didn’t talk up the Fontana DCSHG stuff enough. I’ve loved it.
I don’t know if there is room enough for both. We know the original DCSHG has been wildly popular. So it is an interesting choice to change now.
But heck, we lived through the New 52.
I never watch any of the cartoons except the current DC Super Hero Girls by Shea Fontana. The messages it gives are great for kids of all ages, warm and fuzzy for adults, the theme song is catchy and exuberant, the character stylings are adorable, the setting is fun, and most of the voices are good. (Except the Supergirl voice - the voiceover artist sounds like a smoker to me, and puts an edge into the voice I don’t like.)
There was even a free comic on FCBD. Why bother? Well, it looks like material is still being produced.
The whole package seems so successful it is hard to believe they would gamble that something else would be more so. Unless they found a way to cut costs to make a reboot more profitable even if less popular.
Oh and these faces are stylized in a way only Brian Ching could love. And give Supergirl her red lace-up high top sneakers and white collar back! Sad.
Thanks for sharing Anj. I'm on the fence as well. On one hand, I remember the complaints here about DCSHG Supergirl and her keds.
Now we've an "allnew new look" to things... I dunno. And it makes me wary just how much of the Shea Fontana continuity they have
to / will jettison in favor of this new version.
Let me echo as well I LOVE the current Fontana version of DCSHG -- it's got a nice universe built up, and nice cast (though I wouldn't
mind some of the lesser known characters to be shown someday). I totally agree with 1st commenter's statement here :
> Interesting to see some kids are already experiencing their first instance of: "I like this stuff how it is! Why are they
> changing it?" Poor children. Welcome to the life of a comic and animation fan.
I'll be fair though and give this a chance.
Regards
Thanks for continued comments.
Now I’m imagining 8 yr olds looking at the new style and shouting ‘stop ruining my childhood,’
Hee hee
"Now I’m imagining 8 yr olds looking at the new style and shouting ‘stop ruining my childhood,"
Actually, I'm imagining that the new look is designed to sell a whole new crop of DCSHG merchandise to a new generation of sprouting youngsters...and the department and specialty stores that will sell them.
Sure, it's kind of a crass way of looking at the changes, but it also seems like the most logical take on it....and given Lauren Faust's track record with My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (which basically turned a long-in-the-tooth franchise into a revitalized powerhouse, still going strong), I'm not at all surprised that the suits at WB Animation and Cartoon Network are seeing only dollar signs in their future.
KET
I was making a joke KET.
I guess if you have to say you were making a joke than the joke failed.
"I guess if you have to say you were making a joke than the joke failed."
I got the joke and I thought it hilarious.
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