Well ... ask and ye shall receive again.
Just yesterday I posted Bleeding Cool's rumor of a Supergirl book coming out in the summer. I wondered who would be at the helm. And I was concerned that once again DC would come out with a dark version of Supergirl.
A mere 4 hours after my post went up, CBR posted an article confirming the next team on Supergirl. Here is a link:https://www.cbr.com/supergirl-woman-of-tomorrow-tom-king-bilquis-evely/
Spinning out of Infinite Horizon, we are getting a Supergirl 8-issue maxiseries titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
DC had this to say:Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow "promises to be a character-defining masterpiece the likes of which has never been seen before for DC's Maiden of Might."
Now I know that this is PR from DC. They have to make this sound big. But Supergirl has been around for more than 60 years. There are some pretty impactful stories and runs that she has been in. I feel like statements like that denigrate prior creators.
Here is the solicit:
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!
And here are my thoughts.
There is a lot to unpack here.
I have enjoyed Tom King's work on Vision, Mister Miracle, and Strange Adventures. But I did not like the terrible Heroes In Crisis book. King seems to want to put the overlay of PTSD and darkness on all his characters and I have never felt that should be the driving theme in a Supergirl book. Sure, she can have PTSD from her life's experiences. But she should be out the other side trying to help people and see the best in people rather than wallowing in it. So I am concerned about his take on her. I especially worry when I see that Kara thinks her life has no meaning or purpose. That meaning ... that purpose ... is to defend her new home. Now, instead, we have another story with Supergirl off world.
When we last saw her, she was part of the House of El, leading the family in battle against the Invisible Mafia and supporting her cousin. Now we have her being seen only through the lens of Superman?
Toss on top of that the vengeful new character and I worry we are going down a dark path yet again. Even worse, I worry this is going to be like the Future State book where King's own creation becomes the focus rather than Supergirl.
Even the cover, a somewhat stern Supergirl again wielding a weapon of combat, seems wrong.
What I am thrilled about is the art choice. Bilquis Evely is a revelation and her art is just drop dead gorgeous. If it is one thing I know for certain, the book will look good.
Maybe this is going to be another redemption story. Maybe Kara will be the foil to this vengeful new sidekick. Heck, it sounds like this girl's story is a mirror of Supergirl's own. Maybe the point here is Supergirl teaching this girl to rise above the tragedy and become a hero.
And maybe it ends with Supergirl, again, embracing Earth as her home. I mean, she has only done that every other year for the past decade.
King himself tweeted this out.
Maybe Kara is courage and mercy and this sidekick is vengeance?
I like that he says she is a good person. And yes, fate has put her on a hard road. But I like my heroes to rise above. I mean, its shorthand I know, but Sterling Gates' motto of 'hope, help, and compassion for all' is what my Supergirl is about. It's what I want from the character. Maybe King is going to get us there through this story.
Or maybe I am trying to think of the best case scenario for a Tom King written Supergirl book. Because I was really hoping for someone to pick up the reins where Brian Michael Bendis left her - a happy powerful defender of Earth ready to do be part of the super-family and be a hero.
So, as always, I have to wait and see how the book reads. And while I am sure the King factor will make it sell like hotcakes, I am just a tad worried.
Sounds like another round of sad, lonely Supergirl, whose life has no point if she’s not babysitting Kal-El or taking over from him. Another space quest. Another pointy object. More Krypto as moral compass?
ReplyDeletePlease, no post-Argo PTSD.
Can’t we have the Supergirl who loves Earth, and has friends, and gets on with her family? Brian Bendis did a great job with her, but this sounds more in tune with the ‘orrible Superwoman book.
I do agree that BE is all win, I loved her work on Sugar & Spike hugely.
Just remember that DC turned down Sterling Gates on this book last year...they declined his pitch in favor of this mashup of Kara's lowest moments. That is all you need to know as to what DC thinks of Supergirl and her Fanbase.
ReplyDeleteI've said it before and I'll say it again, I WANT MY MONEY BACK!! I've been being DC Books since 1970 and I have nothing to show for it, they hate me and they hate the character(s) I like...this is a toxic customer service experience.
JF
That there is a problem for Supergirl finding a place on the same planet as her cousin is the biggest lie DC ever told. She literally stepped out of the ship in the 50s and immediately found her own way to help Earth. 60 years later and Earth is a man's world. That's modern DCs shitty narrative. Nothing else.
ReplyDeleteIt's the opposite. Kal and Kara are best together. DC has been in the business for ages and literally everyone else but the current main comic line editors knows this.
I don't mind her flying away on a space quest when the call comes, but that's the reason. She sees a problem elsewhere that is important too. It's not because Superman hogs all the people in need. At least it shouldn't be.
The Kara jealousy against Kal is complete hogwash. Just throw that narrative in the garbage where it belongs. Throw it and bury it with the angry vengeance Kara. Kara isn't female Punisher. She is the very opposite of the Punisher.
Is she hurting for her loss, yes! But her response to that isn't falling into darkness. It is spreading the light.
Now to Tom. I don't know. He can write for sure, but is he the most suited for Kara? Maybe, but based on my gut feeling I don't think so. It all depends on whether DCs editorial has finally realized that they aren't selling their take. They have delivered the arguably two worst arcs in Supergirls history in a row.
Now did Tom come with an arc to return her to character, or did editorial just think that the problem was not having a famous enough writer to sell their bad take?
We'll see. I keep hope up. The sword is a bad omen. After the last arcs even Krypto is a bad omen.
Claiming a character defining arc is a really bad omen. It speaks of cluelessness to 60 years of history. It speaks of hubris and defiance of the fans. Readers decide what is character defining. Without our approval it is just a repeated narrative held by their own office.
Selling it with Kara "giving up because Kal" is a dead in the water bad omen. Like the worst of omens.
But. That art looks great. Bilquis. Perfect. But art can't sell a comic on its own. Shitty personality Kara looks bad in every color.
I won't be touching this until it's been vetted by you and Martin. Remember King's Booster Gold who was obviously mentally disabled and had a characterization never seen before? Howzabout a Wally West who covered an accident with evil actions? A Selina Kyle who let herself be manipulated by Bane in just a few sentences? I haven't read the Adam Strange series the reviews showing Adam as a lying war criminal and Alanna as a manipulating murderer turns my stomach. I will read no future Tom King stories without multiple opinions I trust saying he hasn't shat all over the characters to tell a story that character has no business being in. Why couldn't it be Tom Taylor like a misread in the article's headline?
ReplyDeleteOh, perfect. Firt King destroyed Vision, then he cucked Batman and killed any hope of BatxCat being happy ever now we're moving to Supergirl and we're going for something even worse than Marguerite did. Jesus Christ, if anyone's the Jesus of the DC universe, it's Kara, she's just taking on all the worst executive decisions and just takes it in strides, so that others may be spared. At this point the CoIE#7 cover holds a very different meaning : Superman doesn't cry over the sacrifice of the greatest heroine in that event, he cries over what the entire staff of DC wants to do with her for the next 40 years.
ReplyDeleteJust give Supergirl to someone outside of the damn company already, people CLEARLY are either allergic to writting about a blonde and happy girl with aspirations that has the same powers as Superman. Amy Wolfram and the DC SHG roducers knew how to do it, Lauren Fast knows how to do it, a bit, heck even Japan does Supergirl better. In fact, in the last 10 years, Japan has done Supergirl better, TWICE!
To be honest, this sounds a lot like Supergirl going into space looking for who blew up Krypton, in the last Supergirl run. Which killed the book for me. A space adventure for Supergirl isn't a bad idea, but enough, is enough of this angst filled stuff. Maybe we'll be surpirsed, and Kara will be a beacon of help, hope, and kindiness in this book but I have my doubts.
ReplyDeleteWell, there's certainly a suspense factor involved in the announcement and solicitation of this new Supergirl mini-series. Big selling point for me will be Bilquis Evely on artwork. King being the writer is the 'suspense' portion, because it certainly isn't the story's surface premise. Really smacks of a mediocre scenario that's already been played out before....however, maybe it's intentional, and merely a red herring to hook potential readers in.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep my feeling optimistic for now, since King did cite his Superman Up In The Sky book, which was well received. Hope he can accomplish something similarly inspiring with Supergirl as well.
KET
I just want it to stop feeling like we keep getting the off-brand discount-pile version of Kara. We saw the characters potential in the original one that died in the crisis.
ReplyDeleteThey have been so occupied with adding flaws and weaknesses to make the new version "interesting" that it just feels banged up and far away from Super.
If we ever get a comic where Supergirl makes the big reveal to Kal that: "Hah, I tricked you, I am not your cousin. It was me - Lesla Lar all along! Your real cousin is trapped in the Phantom Zone". I'd be: "Well that does make sense"
What's wrong with this new take on Supergirl? Let's see...
ReplyDeleteThere's the "life without purpose or meaning because she couldn't babysit Kal-El" nonsense...the sword...Krypto, the Conscience of Steel...and another space adventure when the last space adventure isn't cold yet. And most likely, no interaction with the Danvers' or any supporting cast.
Aside from that, everything is fine.
Hello from a french fan of supergirl,
ReplyDeleteI still don't believe what i'm going to say but, i'd rather watch the Flash movie with supergirl that read the original supergirl book.
STill no Streaky the supercat on the horizon, except in Mike Maihack's drawing ...
I'll try an issue or two, but it had better be fantastic if DC wants me to spend $4 an issue on it.
ReplyDeleteI love comming here and seeing I am not alone and I am actually quite sane in my takes.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep my hope in check. Heroes in Crisis was trash, but I wonder how much of that was editorial meddling. While I also didn't care for his Batman, I will say King's Superman Up in the Sky was one of the best Superman stories I've read in a loooooong time. It was excellent. If he can do a series like that for Kara it could be epic.
ReplyDeleteI'll also say that the line there of "Wherever she goes, people only see her through the lens of Superman’s fame." I think that is just the feeling of the people who've been on charge at DC in general.