Tom King On SyFy

I keep trying to be optimistic about this Supergirl:Woman of Tomorrow mini-series.

I keep trying.

Tom King was interviewed by SyFy about the book and he is trying to make me think better of his approach. But even when he is saying words that you would think would raise my optimism, it just doesn't seem to work. 

Here is a link to the interview. Please read it in its entirety:

https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/exclusive-tom-king-on-supergirl-woman-of-tomorrow-dc-comics

Let's start with SyFy calling it a 12 issue mini-series. Remember, it was King who said in interview (and I paraphrase) that "Supergirl doesn't sell well enough for a 12 issue series." We know it is 8.

King starts out by saying that he channeled the overall feelings of 2020 into Rorschach and Strange Adventures, books which look at the darker side of life.

King says that Supergirl comes from someplace different.

He says that his ideas about Supergirl were inspired by a glimmer of hope.

You would think that his words - words like hope, optimism, and heart - might make me think better of this book.

But the words are meaningless when you compare that to the basic heartless, pessimistic, hopeless tone of that first issue. Where is it?

A few more blurbs to mull coming up.

Remember, I am trying to be optimistic here.

But I don't think it is a secret known only to a few that Supergirl witnessed the destruction of her planet. I am pretty sure every writer of Supergirl from Otto Binder to Steve Orlando knows that this is the big difference in the cousins.

And I will say that almost every writer leans into that difference, some more than others. But others seem to say that Kara's internal character, her persona, is to be fierce in making sure that no one else suffers. 

She doesn't wallow in self-pity. She inspires and fights for justice.

Later King says Kara has "a hidden strength and a hidden pain, and those things often go side by side, that we could really emphasize to make this an incredible series."

Why does Kara, a character known historically for her bright disposition, have to just seep herself in her own pain? How many characters have some hidden pain to deal with?

For example, let's look at Dick Grayson. Let's think of all the tragedy and drama in his life. And yet right now Tom Taylor's positive approach to that character is being lauded. Could Dick Grayson be drunk in a bar, puking in a bucket, sad about everything ... 

But of all the things King said here, this one sort of bugged me the most.

Here he is writing Supergirl, a character who has been around for over 60 years. 

And yet, he says that if someone says 'Supergirl sucks' they will have his trade at some point to give those people to prove them wrong. 

What does that mean? I am sure he doesn't mean it but it sounds like he is saying other trades won't convince people that she doesn't suck. But that is how it sounds. "Don't read the other people's Supergirl books, in those she sucks." And that is lousy.

I know I have to make my way through this mini-series. I have to judge it by the entirety of the story. But I just think that King doesn't think about Kara the same way I do. 

Maybe it is me that's wrong.

But let's not forget that the interview came with a 5 page preview. How was that?

Well, as I said in my prior review it is clear that this isn't a Supergirl story, it is a Ruthye story. This is Ruthye's plot and Ruthye's motivations. Supergirl is a guest star in her own book.

Nothing says that more than this preview.

We get 5 pages ... that's 25% of the book ... of Ruthye's inner monologue and her talking to an unknown alien.

And the 'star' of the book Supergirl? She is in a handful of panels. And she is asleep in every one.

A quarter of the book gone.

As for characterization, Ruthye describes Kara has lived a life of battle and woe. She is a ferocious and unforgiving fighter. So I guess the love from her parents, her life with the Danvers, her life with the super-family ... there was no happiness.

It just all feels wrong.

But I shouldn't be surprised. 

And I'll still try to be optimistic.