Another San Diego Comic Con International is in the books and there was a ton of news that erupted from the event. From movie trailers to comic book announcements to merchandise, there was the usual torrent of publicity.
Now I have things to say about the Batman V Superman trailer but that isn't a topic for this site given the amount of Supergirl news which came out of this convention. The upcoming show certainly was a presence and the premiere was shown at the con.
The one piece of Supergirl news that did not come out of San Diego? News of a new comic book. There was no mention of a DCYou book. There was no mention of a digital book tied into the show. There was nothing. This seems to be an odd decision for DC. Interest in Supergirl is at an all time high. The old book sold solidly and consistently. Why not have something?
Anyways, on to the news.
The cast of the show did any number of interviews which can be found on the web if you go looking. But the official panel is available on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Miy8X-DUcjU
It was great to see everyone on the panel and excited about the show. Melissa Benoist is enchanting. Mehcad Brooks has serious abs.
But the big news was the name of some of the villains that will appear on the show!
Reactron, Livewire, and Maxwell Lord (played by Peter Facinelli) will all appear in the first season.
I am thrilled to hear that Reactron will be on the show as he is a pure Supergirl rogue and therefore belongs there.
Livewire has squared off against Supergirl in the animated shows and it would be great if she came from Winath (if she is one of the aliens on the show).
I hope Maxwell Lord is just a corporate villain, media whore style bastard and not a mind-controlling fool. I would love for him to be a foil to Cat Grant. I don't mind him being shady. But I'd love for him to be a human villain.
DC also revealed the WB logos to be featured on all their shows. They are specific to the shows they will be on and include a great Supergirl one with this shot of her from Supergirl #50, art by Cliff Chiang from a story by Helen Slater and Jake Black.
You can see them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiMqGCFm16Q
The show was an absolute presence. The marquee sign of Benoist as Supergirl was on display.
And as noted, she appeared on one of the DC Swag Bags for the show.
Outside the show, there was some other Supergirl stuff to showcase.
A set of figures based on Darwyn Cooke's variant covers from earlier this year is being done.
One of the figures is Supergirl, including Krypto and Streaky!!!
It is just absolutely beautiful and the inclusion of the Super-Pets is just gravy. I absolutely adore this figure and will definitely be grabbing it!
The Sideshow Collectibles premier figure was also revealed. You may recall that this statue is nearly 2 feet tall and costs about $400!
I don't know how I feel about this. I like the smile, the salute, and Streaky. That said, this is sort of a Michael Turner/Ian Churchill throwback with tiny top and mini-mini skirt.
If it was one foot and $150 I might buy it. But I think this is a bit too much skin for me to have in the collection given the size and price point.
Anyone thinking of grabbing this?
While I love the news about the show, I think my take away from the convention is that there is no comic announcement. Just odd.
The reason there is no comic yet seems likely because DC is waiting for the TV show to provide them with an answer for how to proceed with one. In one of her many SDCC interviews, Melissa mentioned that she had been reading some of the Nu52 series until the producers told her that 'this would be a fresh take' on Supergirl, so at that point she stopped reading the material. What that says to me is that the lead actress and the show are being given a LOT of leeway into how to interpret the character and her settings moving forward. At this point, the show needs to get a few more episodes completed before that can rightfully happen. So any comics interpretation is likely on hold until that happens. Filming resumes later this month.
ReplyDeleteKET
SDCC as usual was filled with a lot of hustle and bustle but ultimately fun, fullfilling and most importantly, exhausting. Now really looking forward to heading to Boston for hopefully a more relaxing trip.
ReplyDeleteBtw, out of curiosity, did your buddy get you your swag bag yet Anj?
> But the big news was the name of some of the villains that will appear
ReplyDelete> on the show! Reactron, Livewire, and Maxwell Lord (played by Peter Facinelli)
> will all appear in the first season.
Nice news indeed! And TOTALLY agree with your thoughts about Reactron, Anj. I swear
Gates and Igle must've had to put him and Supergirl into a corner in Timeout anytime
they weren't writing something for them like a pair of fighting kids. Come time to
write a scene for those two, and the fists flew! :)
Don't forget though, Livewire's also been featured in the pre-New 52 version as well.
Too bad no news about Silver Banshee. I'm also wondering if they would ever do Power
Girl, just to have alittle fun with it. The vision I have of that is could have one
of the other Supergirl alumi some up in an amnesiatic state and when they see
Kara / Supergirl, immediately proclaim themselves Superman's true cousin, even though
they don't have the normal set of Kryptonian DNA or powers. Hilarity ensues.
Regarding the statue... I'd LOVE a closer look at the statue, and yes it does draw its
inspiration from the Turner / Churchill era. Tough Call...
Regards
There was a Supergirl book, with good and consistent sales numbers, that was cancelled after the news of the TV show came out. Arrow and Flash have books as well, and nether of them have much if anything in common with the TV shows.
ReplyDeleteBut the books remain in publication. Nobody is confused about the differences. Grant Gustin or Stephen Amell shouldn't don't appear to be having difficulties figuring out how to play their parts because they read a book where the character has a different history and personality. And if they're concerned about people being confused they should have thought about the fact that they're going to be selling a girl-next-door Supergirl while having statues of the Turner/Churchill version on the floor. There's more opportunity for confusion there than there would be from a comic book.
I have to agree with Anj here, not having a book in publication at this time looks very odd, as if DC doesn't know what they're doing. Or there's some sort of major disagreement internally. With all the publicity for the television show at SDCC they could have taken the opportunity to announce the plans or even make the statement they have some. The fact that they didn't says there's something significantly different here.
But it IS different. Neither Green Arrow and The Flash carry the world-recognized trademark weight of a character with a Bat or S Shield.
ReplyDeleteIn reality, most of the 'confusion' merely stems from the notably smaller audience of the cottage industry of monthly comics publication in comparison with potentially greater revenues being generated by modern IP circulation through multiple media outlets. That there's no monthly Supergirl book currently in publication is merely a small revenue blip by comparison, and likely inconsequential in nature to the bigger picture. One should keep in mind is that most of the comics being published nowadays are mostly being made as 'trial balloons' for future media exploitation, whether it's via TV, film, video games, or other, more profitable means. So if what is being implied is that DC should merely be satisfied by continuing to publish a monthly comic with around 20000 circulation and less due to standard attrition, instead of more than twice as many of a probable relaunch after a 'cooling off' period of a few months, then the argument's rather moot. Looks like DC's just making sure that they're going to 'get it right' this time, instead of yet another half-baked reboot.
KET
On an unrelated note. as far as the Supergirl Series is concerned, will our honorable host be posting a weekly review as the episodes are broadcast? Time to start thinking about that...
ReplyDeleteJF
Thanks for all the comments.
ReplyDeleteI still think that mirroring the book to the show isn't a good reason for stopping the book. What if the show fails? Then you have to reset the book! Just feels like there should be a book on the shelves right now.
And when will they know what the book should be?
Anyways, yes, I will be reviewing the episodes. Will aim for Wednesday reviews if the show airs Monday.
>What if the show fails?
ReplyDeleteThis seems pretty unlikely at this point. It's looking more and more like a surefire blockbuster.
CBS reportedly snapped up the Supergirl concept that Adler and Berlanti pitched to them last November in LESS THAN AN HOUR. Nina Tassler, the President of CBS Entertainment, is fully on board in supporting the show, and is boldly placing it as the opener on Monday nights. Teaser blurbs for the show are already popping up all over the network. The pilot is reportedly the MOST EXPENSIVE one in the history of 'the Tiffany network'. While Greg Berlanti's current rep as the hottest producer currently on network television is on the line, he's also tempering that status by co-producing that big budget PAN movie coming out this fall, with Joe Wright directing and Hugh Jackman starring. So there's some big time gambling and possible plans for further media expansion going on all around.
If anything, Fox should be worried; SUPERGIRL will probably wipe the floor with GOTHAM in the ratings stats, even though the latter is getting a head start with its season premiere.
>And when will they know what the book should be?
To paraphrase Dylan, "the answer is blowing in the wind". It'll hopefully come when things are ready for a major relaunch. This is a VERY important matter, as it's probably going to help usher in a whole new era of awareness for Supergirl, and what she stands for.
KET
> Anyways, yes, I will be reviewing the episodes. Will aim for Wednesday reviews if the show airs Monday.
ReplyDeleteHaha, good to hear Anj.
Still waiting for your review of the 1984 Supergirl Movie as well :)
Regards
Dan DiDio, for all his fautls, wanted Supergirl to be "the real Supergirl, Kara Zor-El", and DC even allowed her Pre-Crisis self to be in Convergence, so there seems to be some thought going into the character, but it seems that "Supergirl" is cared about mainly as a brand, as a marketing tool.
ReplyDeleteShe's most profitable to them when they make pink "Super" baby clothes, as an iconic character on girl clothes; on t-shirts, mugs, action figures, statues, and so on. They can't use Superman on TV, not even the word "Superman" is allowed to be used because of DC's insane idea that the movie and TV worlds can't co-exist at all. They can't have a new Superman show but Supergirl is available.
I don't mean to be so negative, but I'm just very jaded after so many years of poor treatment as an Sgirl fan. DC may not have had anything "Supergirl" other than the TV show at SDCC because they haven't had any plans for her and they weren't expecting just how HUGE the reaction to the TV show would be. While they've had an Arrow and Flash Digital First comic based on the TV show as well as the "regular" comic book, it's not really a big surprise that they wouldn't do this for Supergirl because of past treatment of her but also because when she had a second book it didn't sell well, and they don't want to risk it again.
The Arrow and Flash TV comics are cancelled, and the main comics have a lot in common in direction and characters as their TV versions. Perhaps DC is waiting to see how well the TV show does first - yes, it's guaranteed a (13 episodes) season, but until they see the numbers are justifiable, they may not want to put out a full TV version yet. If it does well, they may put out one of those, or perhaps a new series of New52 Kara but more related to her TV counterpart, or even a new Kara altogether as a mash-up of TV and "iconic" Supergirl.
As for the Sideshow Statue, I was surprised that they used Michael Turner's version of costume, since generally any Supergirl merchandise is more akin to "classic" Supergirl, "Silver-Age" but with red skirt, often even older looking, such as with the Pullip doll, and what you see as her representation on Supergirl.com to name only two. This has been due to more collector's preferring that look, as well as being more recognizable to the gen pop. However, as with the Pullip doll, there were tween/ teen fans who actually preferred the bare midriff. Nowadays, the bare midriff is an iconic look for Kara, so perhaps they just wanted to appeal to a wider range this way, as they did include Streaky. Kara-2 was designed by "pin-up artist Artgerm", with an overtone of her cup-size but still presented her as a strong super hero. Thus, if in a similar context, we have a "sexy" Supergirl in an innocent light because of her salute and smile and because of the Super-Cat.
Speaking of the statue, I realllly want to buy it; it would be an ultimate type addition to the shrine, but I don't know, as the statues are so expensive. I'd love to buy Power Girl as well, and have both Kara's together, but for the price of both of those (especially with the way the Canadian dollar is) one could buy a nice copy of Action #252.
ReplyDeleteIf you buy it through Sideshow, however, they do allow payments, even over six months. You pay a certain amount "today" and then equal payments over the period of time you've requested. I would definitely do that but they don't ship to P.O. Boxes, and couriers don't come out to where I live (in a rural setting). My option then would be through BBTS, but I don't know I'll have that amount.
So, use that amount of money on one statue, or use it to buy lots of other Supergirl merchandise or comic books or whatever, or use that money toward something else. Ultimately though, if one can't afford it, one shouldn't feel as if they're not a fan because they don't have it, and "you can't take it with you ... "
Also, Anj, if your friend wasn't able to snag the swag for you, SDCC TV SGirl goodies are available on eBay, even promo "Super Hero Girls" booklets with Supergirl branded (the tag) cape. However, be prepared for "not cheap" prices and bidding wars.
Oh, and if someone has one of those life-size standees that were at the Con, I'll like pay even a thousand bucks ... just over a very lengthy period of time. ;P
Ya know what would really be kewl? A "Supergirl'84" digital comic! Why not DC is already trafficking in Batman '66 and "Wonder Woman '77....I'd boost for a "Superman '78" digibook...But DC can't seem to make good decisions about Superman anymore. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou could start with Kara still at Midvale Academy delving into the mystery of Superman's whereabouts....lots to work with IMHO.
It'd be a way to traffick the character without really making any decisions...cuz making decisions about Supergirl seems to be a big problem for DC as well.
;)
JF