Monday, September 12, 2016

Supergirl: Being Super



I have been talking lately on this site about what an incredible time it is to be a Supergirl fan. She is everywhere. She seems incredibly popular (weird for long time fans). And suddenly DC Comics seems to have noticed.

So late last week a new Supergirl mini-series was announced. Supergirl Being Super, by Mariko Tamaki and Joelle Jones will be a released in late December. Here a link to the Hollywood Reporter:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/supergirl-being-super-comic-book-926438
Now I highly recommend heading to the site and reading the whole thing and looking at all the art. But here are my thoughts.

I have to admit that I have never heard of Mariko Tamaki before this announcement. But everything I hear about the OGN This One Summer has been extremely complimentary. I don't think that a guy in the back half of his 40's is the target audience for Summer but I'll probably see if my library has it so I can get a sense of Tamaki's style.

Now I am not complaining at all about more Supergirl being on the shelves, especially if this format and creative team will bring in new readers. But this bit had me scratching my chin.

Set outside of regular continuity, the series will offer an updated take on Kara Zor-El's earliest days on Earth.

With a new Supergirl book on the shelves with a slightly rebooted/reimagined/rebirthed origin and tone as well as a popular show which has a different take on the classic origin as well as the one in DC Superhero Girls, it just seems like an odd time to be putting out an out of continuity different origin. Is this a sort of Supergirl:Earth One?

Later in the article, Tamaki had this to say.
"I come from a very John Hughes place, because I'm very old and that's my starting point for starting to talk about adolescence," she jokes, adding, "There's something about taking a weekend in someone's life and just focusing on what happens in that time." 

As someone who was in the perfect demographic when John Hughes movies were in cinemas, I like that reference. So that definitely makes me more intrigued.

Perhaps best of all, my understanding is that this will be released in the prestige format, 48 pages and square bound. I thought that format disappeared!

Now I don't think I need to tell people how much I love Joelle Jones art. Her being on a Supergirl book, even out of continuity, is like a dream come true. Even the few pages shared on the announcement, are just gorgeous. Here is what Jones had to say:

"I try to be very aware of the storytelling aspect, so I try to put myself in the position of people approaching comics for the first time. But beyond that, I want to work on something that excites people and create something that people want to read," Jones says.

Just gorgeous. And her art always draws me in. Her stuff on Lady Killer is just spectacular.


I doubt the Kara in Supergirl:Being Super will be wearing the 70s costume. But here is my Joelle Jones Supergirl commission,  a possible sneak peek of what Jones' Supergirl might look like.

So more Supergirl to read!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Really looking forward to this and love that Joelle Jones is on art duties for this.

A new Supergirl min launching on December 28th? I'll take it!

Martin Gray said...

Hey, if it's out of current canon - whatever that is - I'll take the Seventies cossie. And the logo!

KET said...

"Is this a sort of Supergirl:Earth One?"

Perhaps...but I'm thinking the announcement of this prestige mini-series could potentially be more like "Superman: Secret Identity". It's being defined as a coming-of-age superhero story, which should provide plenty of gateway appeal for the newer Supergirl fans who have been awakened to the character's existence through the smash TV show (even though this tale isn't directly connected to it like Adventures of Supergirl was). In any case, this announcement does seem like DC Comics is finally figuring out what to do with Supergirl at long last....and it's about time.

KET

Anonymous said...

Ok i want that book too.

Anonymous said...

I don't think this is a "Supergirl: Earth One". Although... Why does DC call some books "Earth-One" or "Earth-Two" when their stories are clearly NOT set in those universes?

Oh, right. They want to milk Silver and Bronze Age fans. Silly me.

Moving on. I'll definitely check this. The art is gorgeous and the story sounds intriguing.

If I have understood correctly, Kara has been for a while on Earth before her powers start manifesting. That sounds definitely new.

It's a good while for being a Supergirl fan. However I wish she makes more appearances out of her own book. If she shows up regularly in her cousin's books, join a super-team and teams-up with Barbara Gordon once in a while I'll be glad.

Anonymous said...

From the art alone, "Shut Up DC And Take My Money!" And yes, is a good time
to be a Supergirl fan :) Hope no one and nothing squirrels this up. Sure
as fans, we don't want Supergirl referred to (again) to the "barnacle on the
hull of the Superman mythos."


Regards

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to this even if the costume is "Modified Smallville".
:)

An on line mini, a TV series, a new ongoing and then another miniseries.....its GOOD to be a Kara fan these days....anyone else remember back when she was derided as a "barnacle on Superman's Hulk"?
:)

JF