Tuesday, March 2, 2021

New Supergirl Book On The Horizon?


Ask and ye shall receive. 

Last week I posted the list of official upcoming DC titles coming up in the future and I lamented the lack of a Supergirl title.

 That very day (maybe I spurred something?), Bleeding Cool posted an announcement. Here is a link. https://bleedingcool.com/comics/scoop-dc-supergirl-woman-of-tomorrow-june/ 

And here is the key blurb.

Bleeding Cool has learned that DC Comics is to launch a new comic book Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow #1 in June as part of the continuing DC Infinite Frontier books.

 Now I have to admit that seeing a Supergirl book is on the horizon is always good news.

But that title really worries me.

Really worries me.

 

Because it sounds an awful lot like Future State Kara Zor-El:Superwoman of Tomorrow.

Does the similar title mean the same creative team? The same take?

You might recall this book was a showcase for the 'not Supergirl' character Lynari.

This was an apathetic, near catatonic Kara Zor-El. ... that is until she became enraged, murderous, and wondered if she should be a 'tyrant queen'.

This is not a take I want. At all.

Will DC look back at all the harsh takes on Supergirl, see how they eventually fail and need to revert to a more classic take, and decide they shouldn't go there.

 We'll see.

10 comments:

Martin Gray said...

So very ditto.

Anonymous said...

I fear it's the story of a depressed, demoralized, angry Kara taking her first steps towards building her moon colony

But that would be such a downer of a comic it would be hard to imagine DC actually producing it.

The first Future State issue sold well enough to have received a second printing (with a new cover). That might encourage DC to continue with some or all of this team. Please, no.

Let's hope for something different.

But you know, the title suggests it's a digital first, which if it follows the usual approach, means it will be one-shot (usually told in 2 short digital releases), non-continuity adventures of a classic take on the character by different writers and artists.

"Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" ?

Consider the similar titles, all digital-only:

Superman: Man of Tomorrow (that title is the most similar, and it isn't set "tomorrow").

Others:

Wonder Woman: Agent of Peace
Batman: Gotham Nights
Batman: The Adventures Continue
Titans: Titans Together
Scooby Doo: Mystery Inc.
Flash: Fastest Man Alive
Aquaman: Deep Dives
Swamp Thing: New Roots
Harley Quinn: Make 'Em Laugh
World's Finest: Batwoman and Supergirl
Birds of Prey: Sirens of Justice

I know some people love them. But they are inconsequential to the mainstream DC Universe. Even Silver Age stories had more significance, because they had consequences that carried over to future stories.

At least "DCeased: Hope at World's End" and "Injustice: Year Zero" told ongoing (limited series) stories - set in Elseworlds, but at least they contributed to those Elseworlds in a significant way. And there have been other digital first series in the past that were much more substantial than one-shots, like "Gotham City Garage."

If little one-shot adventures are what's coming, I don't see a point to it. I'd like to see Supergirl IN the main DC Universe, not just featured in modest little adventures outside it.

T.N.

Martin Gray said...

Your logic is spot on, TN, but every book listed at the back of Infinite Frontier is a physical thing, and Kara is firmly there, so let’s keep our fingers crossed.

I did so enjoy Supergirl’s panel in that issue...

Bostondreams said...

Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow #1
Written by Tom King
Art and cover by Bilquis Evely and Mat Lopes
Kara Zor-El has seen some epic adventures over the years, but has recently found her life without meaning or purpose. Here she is, a young woman who saw her planet destroyed and was sent to Earth to protect a baby cousin who ended up not needing her. What was it all for? Wherever she goes, people only see her through the lens of Superman’s fame.
Just when Supergirl thinks she’s had enough, everything changes. An alien girl seeks her out for a vicious mission: her world has been destroyed and the bad guys responsible are still out there. She wants revenge and if Supergirl doesn’t help her, she’ll do it herself, whatever the cost.
Now, a Kryptonian, a dog and an angry heartbroken child head out into space on a journey that will shake them to their very core!

Ok, I think while the initial opening lines here could be frustrating, I feel like this will be a story of Kara working as a symbol of hope for this young woman. And I REALLY like Tom King overall. DC is actually putting a significant writer on this.

Martin Gray said...

Significant, yeah, but all he ever seems to write about is heroes who are unhappy, I can see Supergirl’s origin leading him straight down the PTSD route. Again.

Newsarama’s take on the story encompasses all my fears:

https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/dc-to-launch-supergirl-woman-of-tomorrow-series-in-june/

‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow's title is is an interesting juxtaposition and can almost be read literally as the growth of a girl into a woman. It also harkens back to Supergirl's DC: Future State title, which was called Kara Zor-El: Superwoman.

While King didn't write that series, the title and DC's description seems to imply that the Prime Earth Kara will be put on a trajectory toward her Future State counterpart's status quo, in which she is an intergalactic hero who lives on the moon and protects alien refugees, having been one herself in her youth.’

Anonymous said...

This sounds terrible quite frankly another alienated disillusioned Supergirl, with yes...wait for it, An All New Supporting Cast, Krypto the SuperConscience and a Sword!!

DC Comics is unusually and morbidly comfortable making the same mistakes over and over again with Kara Zor El, at this point we should consider ourselves lucky she isn't back in GothClown Drag.

I can promise you Supergirl will once again get jobbed out to some other character that fascinates the writer, thats the only reason she is in her own damn book!!

In a word, this sounds terrible.

JF

Anonymous said...

I thought that had to be fake "solicitation" written by Bostondreams - it seemed like a parody. But, it's real!

KRYPTO AGAIN?

Was it ever an actual thing that Supergirl's destiny was to be a babysitter? I thought she was a science prodigy.

In the Silver Age, Zor-El sent her to earth to save her, after observing a full-grown Superman thriving on earth. Probably for him to watch over her, far from the other way around.

This is still New 52 Suprgirl: Per Supergirl #0, her father drugged her and put her in the rocket, against Alura's wishes, to save her. Not a word about babysitting.

She was angry, felt there was nowhere to call home, became a Red Lantern. She got better. She later worked for the DEO. She had important things to do, a role to play. She had a family and a budding romance. This was a version of the TV Supergirl. Then she went to space on behalf of her family, to solve the mystery behind Rogol Za'ar and the destruction of Krypton.

The Bendis version cheers her family on. She teases Jon.

Where did this "sent to Earth to protect a baby cousin who ended up not needing her" idea first appear? Does this pre-date Bennett's take on things? I don't remember if the idea cropped up among "Infected Supergirl's" delusions.

Tom King wrote a good series for Superman ("Up in the Sky"). But there's a risk here of him giving her the "Adam Strange, War Criminal with PTSD" treatment, or the "Wally West, Mass Murderer" treatment.

Bilquis Evely and Matt Lopes? It will be highly stylized art.

T.N.

KET said...

"Was it ever an actual thing that Supergirl's destiny was to be a babysitter?"

Seems like this may be the ONLY aspect that DC Comics have gleaned from the TV series, and that was merely a throwaway premise.

Seems like this new mini-series is another rerun of something that was rather mediocre the first time around...complete with 'sidekicks', too.

Not a good omen.

KET

Professor Feetlebaum said...

This is so depressing. During the Andreyko run (with sales nothing to write home about), Supergirl spent 15 months flying around space with Rogol Zaar's axe. Now she's exchanged the axe for a sword, and is heading into space again! So much for National City, Midvale, family and friends and building a life on Earth. So much for Bendis's positive take on the super family.

It's like deja vu all over again.

And again, and again and again......

Wonder how long it will be before Krypto stops Kara from killing someone with that sword?

Anj said...

Thanks for all the comments over here.

I have the same concerns you all do.