Supergirls Just Wanna Have Sun

When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.

Supergirl, DC Studios’ newest feature film to hit the big screen, will be in theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures, starring Milly Alcock in the dual role of Supergirl/Kara Zor-El. Craig Gillespie directs the film from a screenplay by Ana Nogueira.

This Summer Belongs To Supergirl, According to DC

Summer of Supergirl Special #1 main cover art by Belén Ortega

Ahead of the release of the upcoming Supergirl movie, a 48-page comic, the Summer of Supergirl Special, is due to hit stores on June 24.

According to the publisher:

This celebratory anthology brings together an all-star roster of writers and artists for a trio of stories honouring Kara Zor-El’s legacy across the DC Universe.

The creators involved include writers Sophie Campbell, Mark Waid, and Gail Simone, and artists Belén Ortega, Cian Tormey, and Emma Kubert.

The main cover is illustrated by Ortega, with variant covers by Tula Lotay and Pablo Villalobos, plus a Supergirl movie variant cover by Mahmud Asrar.

The book's lead story is by the current ongoing Supergirl writer Sophie Campbell, with artist Belén Ortega. It sees the quiet town of Midvale shaken when Supergirl comes face-to-face with the galactic bounty hunter Lobo. Can the Maiden of Might stand up to the Main Man?

Clearly this is to echo the movie where Lobo and Supergirl cross paths in live-action, but I suspect in Campbell's hands the story will be more light-hearted and Silver Age. The movie trailer looks like it's positioning her halfway between Guardians of The Galaxy and the Snyderverse. I could be wrong... I often am.

I have to admit I've also never been a fan of Lobo (although, surprisingly, I enjoyed his appearance in the 2019 Krypton TV series, where he was portrayed by the excellent Emmett J Scanlan). The character was always seemed too much of a one joke/one note creation who outstayed his welcome.

But then again I felt the same about Deadpool and Venom when they were first "breaking out" and I've subsequently changed my mind on both of those characters (although comic book Deadpool will never be as funny as cinematic Deadpool).

The Summer of Supergirl Special also includes two other stories - one by Mark Waid and Cian Tormey, and another by Gail Simone and Emma Kubert - each celebrating Supergirl as she resumes her rightful place as the Heir to El.

Supergirl movie variant cover art by Mahmud Asrar

Variant cover art by Tula Lotay

Variant cover art by Pablo Villalobos

SUPERB OWL LX MOVIE TRAILERS

SUPERGIRL

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU

DISCLOSURE DAY

SCREAM 7

MINIONS & MONSTERS

A Taste of Supergirl's Way of Guarding The Galaxy

Supergirl, DC Studios’ newest feature film to hit the big screen, will be in theatres worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures, starring Milly 'House of The Dragon' Alcock in the dual role of Supergirl/Kara Zor-El.

Craig Gillespie directs the film from a screenplay by Ana Nogueira.

When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.

Supergirl lands in theatres on June 26.

Superman (2025)

On his own initiative, Superman (David Corenswet) has sought to prevent a war between an allied nation of the United States and its neighbour, much to the annoyance of the American government and tech billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult).

A social media campaign is orchestrated to turn the American people against Superman, and even his girlfriend, Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) starts to question him.

Superman is not another origin story, rather throwing readers into the non-stop action in media res. However, Superman's backstory is explained episodically throughout the movie as it's a central theme of the story.

This brand, spanking new iteration of the Man of The Steel unapologetically blends the wholesome positivity of the Christopher Reeve era of Superman movies with both Silver Age comic book zaniness and modern sensibilities.

It's clear from the get-go that writer/director James Gunn loves comic book superheroes and has a deep knowledge of his chosen universe, presenting deep cuts - such as Superman's robots and flying dog, Krypto; Metamorpho The Element Man (Anthony Carrigan); bowl-haircut-sporting Green Lantern Guy Gardener (Nathan Fillion); Mr Terrific (Edi Gathegi); and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) - in a matter-of-fact way, rather than tongue-in-cheek.

Superman isn't embarrassed to be a comic book movie, rather it dives headlong into the superhero genre tropes with relish, emerging as one of the finest and most accurate adaptations of the beloved source material that we've yet seen on the big screen.

Gunn's film captures the brightness and optimism of the best, most truthful, Superman stories, yet still manages to weave in the character's inherent "look after the little guy" political nature that has been part of the Last Son of Krypton's makeup since he was created by a pair of Jewish immigrants in the 1930s as a rebuttal to the rise of Adolf Hitler.

Launching the new DC Comics cinematic universe, Gunn brings his A-game to his iteration of Superman, meaning I was hooked from start to finish, and came away totally smitten by this work of art.

However, something I kept to myself until I actually saw this film: I actually wasn't sure if Superman was going to work under the character's current cinematic stewardship.

While I adored Gunn's Guardians of The Galaxy trilogy for Marvel, for embracing the wackiness of comics, his other recent superhero-related shows, such as Peacemaker, Suicide Squad and Creature Commandos, have left me cold. These attempts to force "mature themes" (ie. swearing, crass humour and graphic violence) onto DC characters just doesn't work for me.

These are attitudes I'll embrace on more independent  "superhero" worlds, such as Invincible and The Boys, because they are their own thing and their "edginess" is there for a reason, but for me the 90-year-old beating heart of the DC comics universe isn't like that at all, it's purer, family-friendly and more aspirational.

And that's exactly what Superman is.

DC Stages A Comeback In My Superhero-Dominated Pull-List

Krypto: Last Dog of Krypton #1 movie variant cover (out this week)

As we were talking about statistics yesterday, I thought today would be a good time for a breakdown of my comic book pull-list.

This will then set a baseline for future comparisons as I monitor my shifting tastes.

There are currently 36 titles on my list, which sounds like a lot but includes pre-orders and one-shots as well as ongoing titles and limited series.

Over my nearly five decades of collecting, my "publisher of choice" has oscillated between DC and Marvel every few years - often with a short spell in between to focus on the smaller publishers. 

I actually thought my current list was dominated by DC at the moment, but I'd overlooked the number of Fantastic Four titles Marvel is pumping out to coincide with the arrival of their First Family in the MCU next month.

Pull-list broken down by publisher - June 2025

DC and Marvel are actually running pretty much neck and neck, thanks to both publishers pushing books tied into their potential summer blockbusters - which just happen to feature my favourite team and my favourite solo hero.

Pull-list broken down by genre - June 2025

I'm not surprised to see "superhero"-themed comics holding such sway over my list though as DC has really hit its stride this year, with its All In initiative. I hope this quality of storytelling will set the status quo for the company's books for a looooong time.

Prior to this, DC had pretty much been wiped off my pull-list (as I wasn't a fan of whatever convoluted balderdash they were doing with their storylines), but now the pendulum is definitely swinging back in the direction of the Distinguished Competition. 

Which is all great fun for me as a reader, but it's also starting to really put a strain on my budget. 

Therefore, largely for financial reasons (the cost of a single comic book continues to creep upwards) I'm aiming to trim my list down to books related to DC's Superman, books related to Marvel's Fantastic Four, and books related to the works of Robert E Howard (e.g. Conan The Barbarian, Solomon Kane etc).

We'll have to see how that goes. I'm already pondering "exceptions", such as catering to my interest in the Green Lantern Corps and its members as well as the JSA!

Fantastic Four Fanfare #2 (out this week)

On July 11, The Entire World Will Look Up

Character Posters for The Metahuman Good Guys In Superman

Thought Bubbles, Silver Age Easter Eggs, and A Super-Bunny - This Fun New Supergirl Comic Has It All!

I had every intention of reviewing the latest Supergirl #1 - part of DC's Summer of Superman initiative - but Sasha of Casually Comics got there first and has done a far better job than I ever could have.

In the absence of "editor's notes", I'm always impressed by Sasha's ability to spot Easter Eggs, especially those that are deep dives into the Silver and Bronze Age.

And Supergirl #1 appears to be full of these.

Who's A Very Good Boy? Krypto The Superdog!

Due to land in stores on June 18, Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton is a reimagining of the origin story of Superman's beloved canine companion by the Fantastic Four's Ryan North with art by the wonderful Mike Norton of Battlepug fame.

DC’s Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton comic book series begins Krypto’s journey on the planet Krypton.

Jor-El and Lara are working on a ship capable of keeping someone alive in interstellar space, but when their first test - with Krypto inside - goes catastrophically wrong, the dog is thought lost.

Unbeknownst to them, Krypto and his spacecraft merely entered an unexpected space-time gateway, and days later from his point of view - even though it’s been decades in real time- Krypto lands on Earth.

Through the five issues of Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton, Krypto explores Earth in search of his family.

Finding himself lost and alone on our alien world - and with strange new superpowers quickly coming in - Krypto begins traveling the strange planet he finds himself in the middle of, always on the trail of his lost friend: Kal-El, a being now better known as Superman.

DC has released a short tease of the first issue, which you can see below:

I'll Say It Now: This Is Going To Be A Classic

From today's trailer, James Gunn's Superman feels like it ticks all the boxes for superhero movie greatness (although I'll confess I'm slightly anxious about the 'political' issues that Lois raises at the start of the trailer. But, sadly, that's the world we live in - a world that struggles to accept that Superman is the best of us).

I cannot wait to see Superman: and, yes, all being well, I'll drag my sorry ass to a genuine cinema and watch it on the big screen. Because I want to see it "first" (before any surprises are inevitably spoilt by da Interwebz) and I want to do my very small part in ensuring that this movie is a success.

It's A Five-Minute Sneak Peek - Not A Trailer!

Superman, DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humour and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.

Krypto Is Best In Show With His Cute Variant Cover For The Summer of Superman

I'm lost for words over the cuteness of this Krypto variant cover by Chrissie Zullo-Uminga

Following on from the recent announcement of the new Superman Unlimited ongoing title by Dan Slott, DC has unveiled further details of its Summer of Superman initiative (that just happens to coincide with the release of James Gunn's highly-anticipated Superman movie).

First out the gate, on April 16, will be the 48-page oversized one-shot Summer of Superman Special #1, featuring the work of Dan Slott, Mark Waid (Justice League Unlimited, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest), Joshua Williamson (Superman, DC All In Special) and Jorge Jiménez (Batman, Super Sons).

In this oversize issue, Slott, Waid and Williamson deliver a single story in three acts, highlighted by Jiménez’s dynamic art style that has made him a favourite of comic book fans worldwide.

The wedding of Lana Lang and John Henry Irons (a.k.a. Steel) serves as the backdrop for an outpouring of love and support from family and friends. However, their big day will also be big trouble, as threats from the past, present and future will spawn major new conflicts for the Superman family.

Featuring a main and variant cover by Jiménez, this... features additional variant covers by Alexander Lozano, John Giang, Mahmud Asrar, and Dan Jurgens, plus an adorable variant cover featuring Krypto, (Super)man’s best friend, by Chrissie Zullo-Uminga.

Main cover art byJorge Jiménez for Summer of Superman Special #1

Variant cover by Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund

This is quickly followed by Superman Day on April 18, celebrating the anniversary of the 1938 publication of Action Comics #1, which will be marked - at participating outlets - by special releases and rereleases of a curated collection of Superman's most "epically heroic and heartwarming" tales.

Oversize (48-page) issues of Superman's regular titles - Superman and Action Comics - will also be appearing in April. 

June sees the publication of new anthology Superman: The World, highlighting the character's global impact, and then in July Superman's Good Guy Gang debuts, the first in a multivolume series for early readers, following the adventures of an eight-year-old Clark Kent and his superpowered friends.

More details about these releases can be found over on the DC website here.

I'm Pretty Sure I Am, But Are You Ready For The Summer of Superman?

To coincide with the release of a certain movie we're all looking forward to (don't let us down, James Gunn!), DC Comics has announced its Summer of Superman initiative.

Leading the charge will be a new ongoing title in May, Superman Unlimited, from the ever-excellent Dan Slott (of Fantastic Four, Amazing Spider-Man etc fame), making his ongoing DC debut, and artist Rafael Albuquerque.

A massive extinction-level Kryptonite asteroid showers Superman’s greatest weakness down upon the earth, creating an arms race for the new most valuable resource on the planet: Green K.

The greater availability of Kryptonite in the DC Universe changes the balance of power in the criminal empires of Metropolis and across the globe: Intergang, under new leadership, is on the rise, with practically all their foot soldiers carrying at least one clip of Kryptonite bullets on them.

The asteroid left massive Kryptonite deposits to be mined, and it houses unlimited horrors yet to be unpacked. To survive, Superman will need to forge new alliances, new tech and new tactics if he hopes to carry on his quest for truth, justice and a better tomorrow!

Superman Unlimited won’t just provide Superman’s nemeses with near-unlimited Kryptonite: the Daily Planet gets an upgrade.

A merger with a new incarnation of Morgan Edge’s Galaxy Communications expands the Daily Planet brand into a multimedia news platform with a cable news channel, website, strong social media presence, and—yes—Lois Lane is still editor in chief.

Daily Planet regulars Jimmy Olsen, Ron Troupe, Cat Grant and Steve Lombard will staff satellite branches across the DC universe, creating a global network.

Behind it all is the tech savvy of a new IT specialist from Gorilla City, King Solovar’s goddaughter, Tee-Nah.

The story kicks off with a 10-page preview in the DC All In Free Comic Book Day Special Edition #1, coming out on May 3. This flip book will also include a new Absolute Universe story, written by Jeff Lemire. 

Superman Unlimited #1 is then scheduled for launch on May 21.

DC’s Summer of Superman will not only embrace the already ongoing Action Comics and Superman titles but will include limited and ongoing series starring Superboy, Supergirl, Krypto (yay!), and more, highlighting DC’s deep roster of Superman-related characters.

I suspect this could see some heavy culling of non-Superman, and non-Fantastic Four, titles from my monthly pull-list, but nothing immediately springs to mind as expendable. Ahhh, first world problems!

The two faces of DC's FCBD flip book

In 2025 We Can Look Up Again...

Now this is what I want from a superhero picture: inspirational and optimistic. 

And Krypto!!!

It's looking like 2025 is going to be a great year for superhero films, but, truth be told, I have no particular interest in seeing Marvel's pair of military-fetish offerings - Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* - at the cinema.

I can comfortably wait for the Blu-Rays (or Disney Plus release) of those.

However, then we get to July and it's a double-hit of my favourites getting (hopefully) the treatment they deserve.

First we have James Gunn's Superman on July 11 (my favourite character in DC Comics) and then on July 25 The Fantastic Four: First Steps (my favourite superhero team finally earn their place in the MCU).

I rarely go the cinema these days (I think the last time was in late 2023 to see The Marvels), but I really feel as though July is going to see a couple of carpe diem days as I really need to see both these pictures on the silver screen.

As bleak as the world is probably going to be by then, these two films should prove the ultimate fillip in the dark days ahead.