Poll: Favorite Film/TV Interpretation of Supergirl

With the recent announcement of a Supergirl television show we are all wondering exactly what sort of Supergirl we'll see on the new Greg Berlanti/Ali Adler show. The initial blurb says she will become the hero she was meant to be which leads me to think she won't be the angry isolated New 52 version.

Thinking about the new show reminded me that Supergirl has had a handful of other incarnations on the big and small screens. So I figured we could look back at those other versions of Kara, many of them from the recent past. And, to add to the fun, I thought you could vote on which 'outside of comics' Supergirl interpretation is your favorite.

Let's start at the beginning!

1) Supergirl movie starring Helen Slater - I think the Supergirl movie has a special place in the hearts of all Supergirl fans. It is completely campy. The plot makes little sense. The villain feels like she would fit right in on the old Batman television show, crazy with a headquarters at an abandoned carnival.

But the movie is saved by Helen Slater. She just embodies the optimism and grace and determination of Supergirl. She really is Supergirl here. This is the first appearance of the 'Matrix' style costume. And it includes Linda Lee, Midvale High, and a rubbish boyfriend.

Can Slater's performance trump the sheer lunacy of the movie to have this be your favorite Supergirl outside of comics?

2) Timmverse Supergirl - I have to believe that DC Animated Producer Bruce Timm is a Supergirl fan. He made sure to introduce Supergirl in both Superman the Animated Series and the subsequent Justice League Unlimited. This was Kara In-Ze, from the planet Argo, a planet in Krypton's solar system.

And Timm really had this Kara grow over the course of these series. The early episodes of S:TAS show a young, eager, almost impetuous young girl desperately trying to help. We see her befriend Batgirl in a famous Batman:The Animated Series episode. And then in JLU, we see something of an older and wiser Kara. Initially she is still a bit of a hothead. But over the series, we see her mature. We see her confront some demons when she battles Galatea. We see her acting like the veteran compared to Stargirl. And ultimately, she completes the hero's journey, joining the Legion in the future. If people want to see an arc of a character, this is where to go. 

As Timm said (somewhere) and I am paraphrasing "I don't care what people say, Supergirl kicked ass."

I am very partial to this incarnation of Supergirl.

3) Smallville - I have issues with how Clark was portrayed in the Smallville show feeling that he moped and sulked around before finally ... FINALLY ... being a hero!

But I have very few issues about how Supergirl was portrayed on the show. And much of that strength is thanks to Laura Vandervoort. She made Supergirl a strong, proactive, and heroic character. She was the perfect foil to Clark. While he was running around as a blur, she was in your face in her costume.

Unfortunately, Clark was the star. So as a result, this Supergirl had to lose her memory, hang out with Lex, and eventually leave the present time, heading into the future to join the Legion so that Clark would be 'free' to achieve his destiny.

Still, when she was active ... she was fantastic. And I liked the variable 'costumes' she wore. If any one of these non-comic interpretations show that a Supergirl show would work, it is Smallville and Vandervoort's performance

4) Superman/Batman:Apocalypse -This movie made by DC Animation is basically a retelling of the Jeph Loeb/Michael Turner comic arc which reintroduced the Kara Zor-El Supergirl to the DCU.

Visually, this is a great movie. I love the way this Supergirl looks, with wisps of blonde hair and (occasionally) a big smile. She is voiced by Summer Glau who does a great job getting across the young hero. And Glau gives the movie some street cred.

That said, this is the story where she is brainwashed by Darkseid and becomes a dirty girl for a short period of time. She does get in a decent fight with Darkseid at the end. And the movie does smooth out some of the rougher spots of the Loeb plot.

Superman Unbound - This was a movie based on Geoff Johns' Brainiac storyline. There is a lot to like about this version of Supergirl as well. She is a bit scarred by the Brainiac attacks on Krypton. But she channels that into a desire for justice. She is more proactive that the Smallville Kara. She ends up saving the world by stopping Brainiac solar missile. And the performance by Molly Quinn is fantastic.

I also think the overall look of Supergirl in this movie is slick as well.

Okay, those are the other non-comic versions of Supergirl. So let me know which one you like best. And vote on the poll over on the right.

Review: Superman Unbound

I bought Superman:Unbound on May 7th, the day it was released on Blu-Ray. I have watched the movie a couple of times in the interim and have been trying to figure out the best way to review the film.

Based on 'Brainiac', the Geoff Johns/Gary Frank arc from Action Comics #866-870, Superman:Unbound is a difficult movie for me to easily review as I think there are some ups and downs. While I tried to wrap my head around the whole product, the review sort of sat on my 'to do' list, languishing. Anyways, all of this is an early warning that this might be an uneven review, a post where you don't quite know what I thought about the movie. And that isn't far from the truth because there are parts of this movie I love and parts that seem to lackluster. So I will break it down into things that worked, didn't work, and sort of worked.

What Worked:

Supergirl: One of the things this movie captures nicely is the complicated nature of Supergirl's character. On one hand, she is incredibly powerful. She is a force for good. She knows what needs to be done and she does it. On the other hand, she is psychologically scarred by witnessing Brainiac's attack on Kandor. She is feels alone and sort of alien on Earth. And she is still learning to be a hero, how to go about doing that.

Kara felt powerless when Brainiac attacked Krypton and she won't allow others to suffer the way she has. She says outright she doesn't tolerate bullies. So we see her taking down human traffickers, stopping terrorists, we hear her stopping Somali warlords. We see her eventually gather herself to battle Brainiac, her personal boogey man, the thing which frightens her to the core.

And at the same time, we see her scared and shaky. We see her talking to both Superman and Lois, crying or scared, trying to come to grips with the horror in her life. This is a Supergirl who has just arrived on Earth, trying to become used to this world. I didn't mind seeing this more vulnerable part of her character.

Sometimes it surges a bit too much, as she initially wants to leave Earth when Brainiac arrives, or when she becomes semi-catatonic on Brainiac's ship. But each time it does become so apparent, she shakes it off and doles out some Kara-tharsis.

And Supergirl does get to save Earth, like she did in the comic, stopping Brainiac's solar aggressor missile.

Mollie Quinn does a great job voicing Kara, showing a remarkable range in capturing Supergirl's anger, sadness, fear, and love.

As this is a Supergirl blog, I felt she deserved a deeper review, the rest will be briefer I promise.

The Brainiac/Superman similarities: One of the things that is shown over and over in the movie is that Brainiac lives a sort of lie. He captures life, leaves it stagnant in his bottled city, absorbs a finite amount of knowledge but doesn't allow anything new to flow from his captured cities. He leads this very safe and very sterile existence. Brainiac might feel like a god, above everyone ... but he is too far removed. It is this vain attempt to literally bottle life that leads to his downfall.

At the same time, Superman is dealing with his own feelings about keeping those he loves safe from harm. He tries to put Kara on the Kent's Farm, hiding her away. He tries to keep Lois overly safe, asking her to stop putting herself in danger, and hiding their romance from everyone so she can never be harmed by an enemy. He is doing the same thing Brainiac is doing, trying to shove life into a bottle and keep everything locked away. The problem is life becomes stale that way. Lois doesn't want to be shut away. Superman has to learn that he needs to let go a little. And this adventure teaches him that.

It is a nicely nuanced plot line that works very nicely. It is refreshing to see that sort mature juxtaposition done in a 'cartoon' like this.

Lois: She is strong here, standing up to terrorists, Brainiac (giving him a 2-fingered salute), a creepy Steve Lombard, and even Clark when she feels he isn't treating her the way he should be. She simply won't let herself be hidden away, or sheltered, or overly protected by Superman. But she also has this soft side when she befriends Supergirl. And there is a wonderful undercurrent of sarcastic humor in her. It really is a great movie for Lois, showcasing everything that is right about her character. And Stana Katic really does wonderful job voicing her.

The voices and dialogue: John Noble is great as a cold haughty Brainiac. He talks about the overly emotional Kryptonians but there is definitely subtle emotion in his performance, this feeling of superiority that seeps into every word. And Matt Bomer is solid as Superman, strong when he needs to be.

And there is some great dialogue in the movie as well. One exchange I like between Brainiac and Superman has Brainiac calling Superman 'nothing but fists' followed by Superman replying 'when I need to be'. Or when Supergirl talks about 'not liking bullies' and how she won't let 'anyone feel powerless again' or even her 'I'm on it' when she flies off to grab the missile, the dialogue was very good.


What kind of worked:

The Easter Eggs and wow moments: I know they were part of the comic story, but as a long suffering Supergirl fan, I never thought I would see an animated Zor-El and Alura. And we also got to see a young Kara and best friend Thara Ak-Var. Not bad. Also, we got to see a Kara Kent too!

The epilogues: Once the Brainiac threat is over, some of the other plots need are wrapped up.

I loved the ending of Clark on bended knee proposing to Lois. Amazing that this romance keeps popping up in every version of Superman except the actual current comic!

But I didn't like the implied ending that Supergirl will stop being Supergirl and instead live with her parents on a red-sunned New Krypton. It is implied ... but I would like to think this Supergirl would want to continue to use her powers to help other people on Earth, driven to be a hero.

What didn't work:

The defeat of Brainiac: I suppose it goes along with the theme of being unable to remain completely safe, but a big part of Brainiac's defeat is because he is overwhelmed by all of the life around him on Earth. All the things he would need to catalog makes him short circuit allowing Superman to pound him. But you would think that a being who has absorbed thousands of planets of knowledge wouldn't be so easily buried in data.

In the comics, I think it is more that Brainiac is a germaphobe and that helps Superman throttle him.

The time: I felt a bit cheated by the movie being only 75 minutes long. I mean, can't these things be 90 minutes?

The action: Most of the action is scenes of Superman and Supergirl smashing Brainiac drones. While the action is beautifully rendered, this is Kryptonians against helpless robots. There isn't any sense of conflict or danger here. And, to make matters worse, in one scene we are shown the action in slow motion! Pretty to look at, but sort of empty.

In the end I think this a fine movie. It didn't blow me away. But I was entertained.

And I have to applaud the characterization of Supergirl and her portrayal by Molly Quinn.

Overall grade: 3.5/5 stars

Superman Unbound Preview Scenes

Another scene from the upcoming Superman:Unbound movie has been released. This one focuses on Lois Lane and Supergirl. And man, this clip makes me want to see this movie even more.

For those who haven't seen it, here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddl0zPqNgwE

The film is based on Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's Brainiac storyline, an arc which began to reclamation and rehabilitation of the Supergirl character. The story has Kara run the gamut of emotions from frightened traumatized young girl to heroic saver of the Earth.

From what I have heard of this movie, there is an added plot of Supergirl wanting to be more independent and less beholden of Superman. As a result, I think we are going to see a spectacular rendition of Supergirl in this movie.

This clip also showcases another part of the movie which has been mentioned and that I am eager to see. There is a stronger relationship between Kara and Lois. Here we see Supergirl save Lois from a kidnapper. We get only a taste but I think we are going to see a healthy dose of Kara-tharsis in the movie.

And Lois seems calm and poised even in the face of danger, just the way she should be!

There also is a Superman and Brainiac preview scene as well!  Here is that link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tgx-hcc7AA

So mark your calendars. May 7th!

WonderCon Highlights

WonderCon was this last weekend and it sounds like it was a fantastic time for everyone who was there - creators and fans.

This is the sort of convention that I would eventually like to see the Boston Comic-Con evolve into. It is clearly still comic book based as a convention. But it didn't only have artists in attendance. It had writers. It had company booths. It had major panels with higher-ups from the publishers.

This is the type of convention I wish was local. And yes, I know that technically NYCC is local. But I want something in my backyard that his this type of clout.

And I guess I should say I am not complaining at all about the local cons I look forward to. Boston Comic-Con and Granite State Comic-Con  have been growing massively each year.

WonderCon was held on Easter weekend, so I was busy with family. Still, I was able to peruse the usual sites and find some bits and pieces I thought should be reviewed here.

Newsarama covered the DC All Access panel on Friday. Here is the link:
http://blog.newsarama.com/2013/03/29/wondercon-dc-entertainment-%E2%80%93-all-access-panel-live/

Here were some fun quotes.

As for Superman Unchained, Snyder says that he’s, “Excited to see what you guys think. It’s meant to be a classic Superman story, but done in a new way. 

I am hoping that this title lives up to the hype. With nothing to base it on other than the good word of mouth he has had on Batman, I trust Snyder to do what's right.

Onto Smallville. “When we left Kara in the TV series, she went into the future to get out of Clark’s way,” Miller says. “A Booster Gold mishap lands Clark and Booster in the 31st century,” where they’ll encounter the Legion of Super-Heroes, Supergirl and tell a version of the “World of New Krypton” story. Miller makes it clear that Supergirl will be wearing pants, “Because she flies around.” 

And I loved this quote from Brian Miller. Maybe this version of WONK will make sense and not end ugly. Also, as I have said I love this uniform, I have to chuckle at Miller's response about the trouser-wearing Supergirl.

CBR revealed that Bruce Timm was stepping down from WB animation. Here is the link: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=44577 and a blurb.

Cartoonist Bruce Timm, who shepherded a majority of the DC animated universe titles over the past two decades, has stepped down as supervising producer at Warner Bros. Animation to develop his own projects. He's been replaced by James Tucker, a veteran of "Batman: The Animated Series," "Justice League" and, more recently, "Batman: The Brave and the Bold."

Can't think of a better replacement than Tucker. I will always appreciate Timm for his approach with Supergirl, treating her just like I would want her to be treated. Later, it was stated that Timm is probably going to come back to WB at some point to work on a new Justice League show. I can only hope that is true.

I love the Timm-verse!

Perhaps the biggest news that came out of WonderCon (at least for me) was the premiere of Superman:Unbound and the quotes and discussion from the cast and crew. Everyone who has seen it has tweeted that it was incredible and I am not surprised. The trailers look fantastic. There is a lot of coverage of the movie out there but here were a couple of things I liked.

First off, watch this great interview with Molly Quinn, the voice of Supergirl:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFGAFqmzBiI&sns=tw

And then, more coverage on Newsarama:

http://www.newsarama.com/tv/wondercon-superman-unbound.html with this quote:

But Lois is not alone. There's a wonderful duality and complexity with Kara-El, a.k.a. Supergirl who is still a teenager. Quinn was able to relate to that easily — being a teenager — but more for Supergirl's "sense of right and wrong, which I really connected with and what I really love about her." When the role for Supergirl came up, Quinn was Romano's absolute first choice, after working with her on Ben 10.

Both actors were asked what superhero was their favorite growing up. Quinn said the she loved Supergirl but she was never the one she pretended to be. "I preferred Poison Ivy, so I like being mad, but I was so unhappy. By the end I enjoyed playing her and I have to say, she gives Ivy a run for her money."

How fantastic that the thing that resonated with Quinn was Supergirl's sense of right and wrong. It is one of the things I love about the character ... she knows what is right and she strives to make sure she helps people get there, help eliminate evil. So I love that Quinn picked up on that. Tweets and comments say she nails the role, another feather in the massive headdress Andrea Romano sports. Romano is fantastic.

Maybe it is time for a Supergirl solo movie?

I am sure there is a lot more out there I could cover but these were the highlights for me.

Superman Unbound Movie Press Release

Recently, over on the Superman home page, the back trade dress for the Superman Unbound was posted. They (and other sites) also posted the press release Warner Home Video has distributed for the movie. Here is the link: http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php?readmore=12637

One thing that I have talked about is how the last 5 plus years have been something of a golden age for Supergirl fans. Starting with ... at least for me ... the Gates/Igle run, the character has really been showcased to the world more than ever. A solidly selling comic, multiple statues and action figures, important roles in company crossovers, and now starring in 2 animated movies. I remember days when there was no Supergirl. I remember days when there were bad Supergirl stories. Let's face it, Supergirl fans have had it pretty good.

And this movie looks like another great piece for the character. We know how Supergirl grew as a character in this arc and ends up saving the world. That was the beginning of a rehabilitation of the character away from the insanity of Loeb and Kelly.

Now the back of the box does have one interesting sentence. "It's just another day for the heroic Man of Steel ... only this time, for better or for worse, he has his unpredictable cousin by his side." For better or for worse? Really? My guess is Supergirl comes out as a star in this movie.

Here is the press release (long) and my comments afterwards:

A destructive force is devastating planets across the galaxy - with Earth next in its sights - and even Superman may not be capable of halting the terror in SUPERMAN: UNBOUND, the next entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies. Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the all-new, PG-13 rated film arrives May 7, 2013 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment as a Blu-ray^TM Combo Pack ($24.98 SRP) and DVD ($19.98 SRP), On Demand and for Digital Download. The Blu-ray^TM Combo Pack will include UltraViolet^TM*.

Based on the Geoff Johns/Gary Frank 2008 release "Superman: Brainiac," SUPERMAN: UNBOUND finds the Man of Steel aptly handling day-to-day crime while helping acclimate Supergirl to Earth's customs and managing Lois Lane's expectations for their relationship. Personal issues take a back seat when the horrific force responsible for the destruction of Krypton - Brainiac - begins his descent upon Earth. Brainiac has crossed the universe, collecting cities from interesting planets - including Supergirl's home city of Kandor - and now the all-knowing, ever-improving android has his sights fixed on Metropolis. Superman must summon all of his physical and intellectual resources to protect his city, the love of his life and his newly-arrived cousin.

The film's stellar voicecast is led by Matt Bomer (White Collar) as Superman, John Noble (Fringe, The Lord of the Rings films) as Brainiac, Stana Katic (Castle) as Lois Lane and Molly Quinn (Castle) as Supergirl. Additional voices in the cast include Golden Globe Award winner Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) as Ma Kent, Wade Williams (The Dark Knight Rises) as Perry White, Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show, Office Space) as Steve Lombard, Stephen Root (Boardwalk Empire, Justified) as Zor-El, and Alexander Gould (Weeds) as Jimmy Olsen.

Supervising Producer James Tucker (Justice League, Batman: The Brave and the Bold) also directs the film from a script by Bob Goodman (Warehouse 13, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns).

"SUPERMAN: UNBOUND adds an all-new chapter to the growing legacy of animated films featuring the Man of Steel and his epic challenges to maintain peace on Earth," said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Home Video Vice President, Family and Animation and Partner Brands Marketing. "Matt Bomer's voice epitomizes the All-American hero that is Superman, and John Noble counters that tone with a commanding, chilling delivery for Brainiac. A superhero is only as good as the depths of his opposition, and Noble brings out the best in his villainous portrayal of Brainiac."

SUPERMAN: UNBOUND Blu-ray^TM Combo Pack has over 4 1/2 hours of exciting content, including:
Standard and high definition versions of the feature film
UltraViolet^TM*
Sneak Peek at Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, the next DC Universe Animated Original Movie

Featurette - "Kandor: History of the Bottle City" - An all-new featurette. Kandor: a peaceful scientific community dedicated toward the preservation of all that is good on Krypton, the home world of Superman. That is, until the city was ripped from its world and placed into a small glass bottle! This is the short story highlighting the shrunken city of Kandor. Its history just as fascinating as it is unique, here is how it ties in directly with the Man of Tomorrow.

Featurette - "Brainiac: Technology and Terror" - An all-new featurette. Mostly machine, but part sentient being, Brainiac steals cities and destroys worlds. Is he the most vile of Superman's villainous foes? Experience the Brainiac mythology and find out why Superman barely stands a chance!
Audio Commentary - Featuring members of the creative team: Mike Carlin, Bob Goodman and James Tucker.

Four bonus episodes from Superman: The Animated Series ("The Last Son of Krypton, Part 1"; "New Kids in Town"; and "Little Girl Lost, Parts 1 & 2"), all handpicked by producer Alan Burnett.

Digital Comic - Excerpt from the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank.

Some interesting stuff here. This looks to be early in Supergirl's career (earlier than in the actual comic) since Superman is 'acclimating' her to Earth. The Supergirl in the Brainiac arc, the one who didn't know about breast implants and was terrified of Brainiac, read a little younger than the one who had been living alone and sulking for 2+ years in her own book. So I suppose that makes better sense.

I also like the continuity nudge that Kandor is Supergirl's home city. It better explains why Zor-El and Alura will be there, avoiding the Argo City story. Of course, if her parents are trapped in a jar in Kandor, who rocketed her to Earth?

The bonus features sound great. A whole featurette on Kandor! It will  have to include the classic Superman #338! And the animated episodes include "Little Girl Lost", the first solo adventure for the animated Supergirl including a nice smackdown with Darkseid. "New Kids in Town" have the Legion going back in time to Smallville when Clark first is discovering his powers to thwart a time-traveling Brainiac.

I know where I will be on May 7th! 

Catching Up On Old News

There has been a lot of recent news items which have sort of sneaked by me. I don't know if any of these necessarily need their own post, especially given how old these items are. But they deserve some coverage and so here they all are in rapid fire.

Greg Pak, mostly a Marvel writer, and Jae Lee are coming together for a new Batman/Superman book. This was announced over on USA Today here:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2013/02/21/batman-superman-comic-book-series/1935817/

Interesting that this book is Batman/Superman and not Superman/Batman like the old version. And the first arc (at least, maybe more) is set in the past as discussed here:

Bruce Wayne is new to putting on a cape and cowl and patrolling the streets of Gotham City, while Superman — when not in civilian mode as budding journalist Clark Kent — is a recently realized hero to the working class clad in jeans, cape and a spiffy, S-logo T-shirt. 

I like Lee's art. The only thing I read by Pak is World War Hulk which was something of a mess for me. I hear he is a great writer and heard good stuff about his Hercules run. So I will be trying this out.

The end of Superman Family Adventures was discussed with creators Franco and Art Baltazar here:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=43886

One of the things I have felt about this book is that the creative team is trying to bring back some of the more classic elements of the Superman mythos. They had stories written through #40!

And here is an interesting quote:
So when we found out that #12 was going to be the last issue, I knew that I had three issues left to say what we wanted to say. It's everything that we wanted to happen in the Superman history."

I said it before. I will say it again. Lois and Clark will marry at the end of this issue!

CBR does a nice interview with Bryan Q. Miller who discusses his Smallville specials and expanding the Smallville universe to include more of the DCU. Here is the link:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=43904

This is more about the building of a community of heroes in "Season 11." We did our Batman arc, and we're in the middle of a Flash arc now. The next arc we have coming up will explore some stuff with Booster Gold who we met in Season 10, and we'll have a side story with Martian Manhunter and Batman. It's more about creating the entire world and fleshing that world as presented over the evolution of "Smallville" as a series than it is just being "Smallville: The Comic Book."

But there is more here including the 'evil' Chloe from Earth 2, some Legion hints, and more about the Martian Manhunter. I do like the Martian art above.

Another image from Supergirl from the upcoming Superman:Unbound movie has been released here:
http://www.comicsalliance.com/2013/02/22/link-ink-superman-unbound-the-wolverine-cardboard-iron-man/

I cannot wait for this movie!!

And ... in a rare example of good taste ... DC has decided to drop the inane WTF promotion! Here is that link: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dc-drops-wtf-and-other-news.html

I applaud this decision. But I am surprised that the original decision to actually name this promotion WTF Certified was made to begin with. There needs to be a 'common sense' person in the rooms at the top of DC.

Superman Unbound Updates

Some more information has been released about the upcoming Superman Unbound movie. Here is a link to comicbookmovie.com: http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/D117/news/?a=73775

So first off, the release date for the movie is May 7.

Here is the Blu-Ray cover art. I suppose it is a nice action shot of Superman fighting off Braniac tentacles. But it doesn't necessarily convey the story of Brainiac endangering Earth. In fact, I think it might have been better with the actual Brainiac on the cover as opposed to this somewhat cartoony skull ship.

No real info on the extras other than the fact that there will be some included other animated features - probably Brainiac related episodes from Superman:The Animated Series. There will also be a preview of the next movie Justice League Flashpoint.

Yeah, this one looks to be good!

DCE, send me an advance copy and I'll review!!

Superman: Unbound Trailer

I occasionally am reminded about the strange karma of the universe, the odd coincidences that occur now and then that make me wonder if there is someone weaving an enigmatic universal tapestry. The day after I read Superman #16, another issue in the H'El on Earth story arc in which Supergirl is treated like a patsy, DCE releases the first trailer for Superman Unbound, the upcoming movie based on Geoff John's and gary Frank's Brainac.

If you are a Supergirl fan, if you want to see some great action from her and be reminded of an arc where she showed courage, strength, and great will, please go to this link and enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EpnT__PBd6Q#!

This movie looks great. And Supergirl is prominently featured throughout this preview. If only she got name dropped somehow!

Here Supergirl starts to tell Superman about Brainiac's attack on Kandor, what he represents to Kryptonian children ( a sort of Boogeyman), and just how terrifying and helpless everyone was.

There is a lot of emotion in the telling but her posture adds volumes. I really love the art style here. Supergirl looks great. And I love that the cousins sport different shades of blue, giving Supergirl a unique take on the classic S-shield blue and reds.

The animation and the art is really solid. We get to see snippets of Brainiac's attack and bottling of Kandor. We even see a young Kara in the crowd.

But that just looks slick.

I thought this was a nice look at the two cousins again as they circle a Brainiac drone. Again, Supergirl looks fantastic here as does Kal.

And there looks to be plenty of action. We see action on Brainiac's satellite. And we see a brawl with Brainiac's drones on Earth. There is a nice sequence where Superman blast a dogpile of robots off himself.

And some nice Kara-tharsis as Supergirl gets up close and personal with one of the drones.

Nice stuff.

And Brainiac himself looks buff and imposing. John Noble is down right creepy voicing him.

Alas, despite being in most of the preview, rolling up her sleeves and fighting, and telling Superman the backstory, Supergirl isn't mentioned in the preview. Indeed, one of the title slides says 'One Superman to save them' ... plus one Supergirl I suppose.

But that is picking nits at this thing. This preview put a smile on this Supergirl fan's face at a time when I really needed it. I can't wait for this movie. We'll finally see a Supergirl fighting alongside Superman to defend the planet ... not fighting Superman and endangering the planet.

Wonderful!

TV Guide On Superman:Unbound

More news has been released about this summer's direct to video DC Release Superman:Unbound. TV guide has a brief piece about it. But more importantly it has a couple of pictures from the movie. Here is the link: http://www.tvguide.com/News/First-Look-Matt-Bomer-Superman-Animated-1058558.aspx

I know it is was one frame, but the art looks very slick here. I like the way both Kara and Lois look here. Very nice. My assumption is this will be the belly shirt costume given that is what Supergirl wore in the Brainiac arc.

And this blurb from the article gives some context around the picture:

In the film's second story thread Superman struggles to relate to the women in his life. As his romance with Lois heats up (in his secret identity as Clark Kent), he worries that she could be in jeopardy if his enemies discover their connection. And his paternal instincts drive him to be overprotective of the teenage Kara — despite the fact that she has super abilities on par with his.

I think this is an interesting subplot. In the prior post with the YouTube video, we heard how Superman is becoming protective of Lois, in essence keeping her in a bottle. That sort of resonance works well with Supergirl as well, harkening back to her earliest stories.

But more importantly, it makes me wonder if she will stop the solar aggressor missile now. He might have to let Kara 'free', let her show him she is ready and doesn't need to be protected in order to save the world. I thought Kara's moment in the sun (literally) might get cut out here. Now I think maybe it will be an important piece to Superman learning a lesson.

One thing that was missing from the YouTube video was a view of Superman in the movie. So I am glad that we got to see what he looks like in this article.

Again, I think the art here looks great.

Can't wait for this movie!

Superman:Unbound Sneak Peek

A lot of news has been leaking out about the upcoming DC Direct to Video movie Superman:Unbound,  and animated movie based on Geoff Johns and Gary Frank excellent Brainiac story arc. The most extensive coverage is available on YouTube, a 10minute preview of the movie. Here is the link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SykkLEkw5M

My guess is this will be an extra on the Dark Knight Returns Part 2 DVD.

First off, the cast and crew and listed in the YouTube video and on World's Finest Online.

Superman: Brainiac Cast and Crew
Matt Bomer – Superman/Clark Kent
Molly Quinn – Supergirl
Stana Katic – Lois Lane
John Noble – Brainiac
James Tucker – Director, Supervising Producer, Character Designer
Bob Goodman – Screenwriter
Andrea Romano – Voice Director
Kevin Kliesch – Composer

We had known Quinn was going to be Supergirl for some time now. I think the rest of the cast sounds great especially Noble as Brainiac. Definitely watch the video for a sneak peek of all of their performances.

Another thing that grabbed me in this video is hearing that this movie, while based on Brainiac, will go 'left' from the source material. It is implied that it means the movie won't follow the arc beat for beat. I will say, the conceptual art and most of the lines in this video seem pretty true to the story. Maybe this isn't 'based on' Brainiac and is 'inspired by' it instead.

And now some images and thoughts.

Clark Kent is described by the director as a more 'buttoned down' version of the character as opposed to Johns' version. He is a sort of 'Mad Men' Clark.

I also find the sub-plot of Clark trying to hold back Lois ... metaphorically bottling her, as Brainiac does to cities ... very interesting, especially now. I am in the mood to see a strong outgoing Lois.

Lois is described as 'bohemian'. I like the short haircut look.

And it sounds like she is as hard-hitting here as ever, volunteering to be a kidnapping victin for someone so she can get the inside story.

And Brainiac looks like the bruiser he was in the comics.

Noble sounds chilling in the role.

As for Supergirl, I will be posting an image of her from TV Guide soon. But we do get some storyboards of her in the video and hear some of her lines.

Here she is about to send that fist to the camera as she mows down Brainiac drones.

My assumption is Pa Kent's death and Kandor's growth are not going to be part of this movie. So I will be surprised if Kara saves the world by stopping Brainiac's solar aggressor.

Quinn says she is honored to be Supergirl and sounds truly thrilled to be Supergirl. And the lines we hear her speak in the video sound spot on.

Superman:Unbound will be out in the summer, although no official release date has been given.

Another animated movie with Supergirl. Should be great!