With the plethora of announcements that DC Studios bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran have been pouring out to comic book lovers in recent weeks, it’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed. But that brings us to one of the most unexpected projects of the new DCU movie grid, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
The title may sound familiar, since is taken directly from the recent Tom King and Evely Bilquis limited series of the same name. Though (like much of King’s output) it’s a darker version of a much-loved character, something Gunn and Safran are clearly excited to put on screen, saying during a press event attended by IGN that “she she’s much tougher and not the Supergirl we’re used to,” there’s more to this comic than just another grim take on Krypton’s most famous daughter.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow y el Western espacial
In Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, King translates the classic Western novel, True Grit by Charles Portis, into a high fantasy space adventure, in which a reluctant Supergirl teams up with a young woman who wants revenge for the brutal and futile murder of her father by an unknown person. Within its pages, artist Evely and colorist Matheus Lopes bring to life what could have been a simple homage in a totally unique way, taking readers on a cosmically colorful quest for revenge.
In a world saturated with superhero stories, and with an audience very familiar with Kara Zor-El and her very famous cousin, Eisner-nominated Woman of Tomorrow offers something entirely different. This isn’t just a dark comic book story (of which there are all over the place), but a magnificent fantasy vision of the West that could bring a whole new superhero subgenre to the big screen. DC has already delved into the comic book western with the forgotten Jonah Hex movie and the much more successful Legends of Tomorrow series. That series often delved into Western territory with heroes heading to the Old West in various episodes. He cemented his passion for the genre with the introduction of Spooner (Lisseth Chavez), a radical Latina cowgirl with a deep connection to space, aliens and sci-fi adventure. But using the framework of the high fantasy deep space western of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow could be a whole new frontier for the DCU cinematic.
Evely and Lopes create a cosmic realm that seems totally unique, a visual landscape that is vibrantly different from what is seen in most superhero comics. Rippling galaxies streak the skies, contrasting with grimy space carriages filled with monstrous creatures and unexpected alien allies. All this gives this story not only a unique genre narrative, but a completely different look.
A very different Supergirl
The adaptation of Woman of Tomorrow would also suppose a clear departure from the Supergirls we’ve seen before. Christopher Reeve’s much-maligned (yet funny) Supergirl movie was a fantasy, but it was very much aimed at a younger audience. The charming CW series saw Melissa Benoist’s Kara on Earth following in her cousin’s footsteps as she found her way in the world. We know that The Flash is apparently going to introduce a big screen version of the heroine, but we don’t know what that version will be or if the actress who plays her, Sasha Calle, will continue the role in this film.
Giving Supergirl her first DCU solo film and launching her into the cosmos in a John Wick-inspired, revenge-filled adventure would be something entirely new.
In any case, give Supergirl her first DCU solo film and launch her into the cosmos in a John Wick-inspired adventure and loaded with revenge would be something completely new. And though it was made on a much smaller budget, DC already has a framework for female-led space adventures thanks to Legends of Tomorrow, which often subverted expectations of the genre with powerful female leads taking on roles in stories that would traditionally be led by men. male heroes. The series also played with Western settings and characters with visits to Johan Hex and the Old West.
Both The Mandalorian and The Last of Us play into this trope, with the latter drawing heavily from Gritty when a tough, tough old man leads a young woman on a violent mission. But it is not usual for these characters to unite two women as this story does. Ruthye is the daughter of a farmer, and in her own words, his death represents to her the loss of the entire world of hers, something Supergirl can desperately understand. Although Kara is only 21 in the bookhas seen more horrible images than most can imagine after witnessing the destruction of their planet.
A whiskey drunk Kara, tired, sick of living in her cousin’s shadow and depressed by the trauma she’s been through, against the colors of the galaxy as a backdrop, It would be a sight to behold. And since the story begins on a planet that looks more like The Lord of the Rings than the Fortress of Solitude, viewers will be able to explore new worlds as they meet this grumpier, gutsier Supergirl. Who doesn’t want to see Kara Zor-El brandishing an ornate sword while he fights a homeless man in a bar? Who among us isn’t a big fan of the story of a reluctant hero who would rather drink with his dog than get caught up in a noble mission that has nothing to do with him?
Like any great comic book adaptation, a Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie is an opportunity to take the material and translate it, to add new nuances, and find the best way to bring the stunning visuals to life in a different medium. The art of Evely and Lopes has to be at the center of that adaptation, as its eye for the celestial nature of the cosmos is the unique selling point that takes this adaptation of Gritty Grit to another level. Then we’re given Kara, Ruthye and Krypto embarking on this dark mission for justice, always remembering who Kara is.
With the right hands, this story could become a new classic in the superhero genre.