A diverse array of Legionnaires get the spotlight – including Bouncing Boy, Dawnstar, Invisible Kid and Arm-Fall-Off-Boy – in four new images from LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, the latest DC Universe Movie, coming to Digital, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray on February 7, 2023 from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.

Welcome to the 31st century and the Legion Academy, where a new generation hones their powers with hopes of joining the Legion of Super-Heroes. Devastated by tragedy, Supergirl struggles to adjust to her new life on Earth. Taking her cousin Superman’s advice, Supergirl leaves their space-time to attend the Academy. There, she quickly makes new friends, as well as a new enemy with old ties: Brainiac 5. But a nefarious plot lurks in the shadows – the mysterious group known as the Dark Circle seeks a powerful weapon held in the Academy’s vault. Find out if the budding heroes can rise to the challenge in this all-new DC Universe Movie!

We have four brand new images from the film to share with fans. Enjoy!

Bouncing Boy, voiced by Ely Henry (Players, Smallfoot), offers a little unsolicited insight to Supergirl, while Mon-El watches, during an early scene in Legion of Super-Heroes.

Supergirl is voiced by Meg Donnelly (American Housewife, The Winchesters), and Mon-El is voiced by Yuri Lowenthal (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Spider-Man).

Dawnstar activates her other-worldly powers, much to the surprise of some of her Legion colleagues, in a key scene from Legion of Super-Heroes. Voiced by Cynthia Hamidi (FBI).

Invisible Kid makes sure he’s very visible to Supergirl as they have their opening introduction in Legion of Super-Heroes. Zeno Robinson (Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons) voices the always entertaining Invisible Kid.

The ever-popular Arm-Fall-Off-Boy demonstrates his unique powers for Supergirl in a scene from Legion of Super-Heroes. In the distance, (from left), Mon-El, Invisible Kid, Bouncing Boy, and Triplicate Girl watch the young Legionnaire introduce himself. Arm-Fall-Off-Boy is voiced by Ben Diskin (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Muppet Babies, Digimon Adventure).

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES and all related characters and elements are TM and © DC. © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

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Unlikely allies Supergirl and Brainiac 5 ultimately lead their young Legionnaire teammates into a battle with the Dark Circle and its mysterious leader in LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, the latest DC Universe Movie, available to own Digitally and on 4K Ultra HD^TM Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray^TM on February 7, 2023.

Welcome to the 31st century and the Legion Academy, where a new generation hones their powers with hopes of joining the Legion of Super-Heroes. Devastated by tragedy, Supergirl struggles to adjust to her new life on Earth. Taking her cousin Superman’s advice, Supergirl leaves their space-time to attend the Academy. There, she quickly makes new friends, as well as a new enemy with old ties: Brainiac 5. But a nefarious plot lurks in the shadows – the mysterious group known as the Dark Circle seeks a powerful weapon held in the Academy’s vault. Find out if the budding heroes can rise to the challenge in this all-new DC Universe Movie!

We have four brand new images from the film to share with fans. Enjoy!

Brainiac 5 focuses his powers during this key scene in Legion of Super-Heroes. Harry Shum, Jr. (Everything Everywhere All At Once, Crazy Rich Asians) makes his DC Universe Movies debut as the voice of Brainiac 5.

Supergirl and Brainiac 5 overcome their initial combativeness with each other to focus their combined forces on their mutual enemies in Legion of Super-Heroes. Meg Donnelly (American Housewife, The Winchesters) provides the voice of Supergirl.

Utilizing his unique powers and unmatched intellect, Brainiac 5 unveils a kinetic energy shield to fend off laser blasts in a thrilling scene from Legion of Super-Heroes.

The ever-relentless Supergirl emerges from the remnants of an explosion to continue her attack on the enemy in Legion of Super-Heroes.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES and all related characters and elements are TM and © DC. © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

The post Supergirl & Brainiac-5 Team Up In Latest LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES Images appeared first on DC Comics News.

Heroes and villains abound in the latest images and clip released from LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, available to own Digitally and on 4K Ultra HD^TM Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray^TM right now from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.

Welcome to the 31st century and the Legion Academy, where a new generation hones their powers with hopes of joining the Legion of Super-Heroes. Devastated by tragedy, Supergirl struggles to adjust to her new life on Earth. Taking her cousin Superman’s advice, Supergirl leaves their space-time to attend the Academy. There, she quickly makes new friends, as well as a new enemy with old ties: Brainiac 5. But a nefarious plot lurks in the shadows – the mysterious group known as the Dark Circle seeks a powerful weapon held in the Academy’s vault. Find out if the budding heroes can rise to the challenge in this all-new DC Universe Movie!

In the clip, Brainiac 5 and Supergirl must make a hasty escape, and traveling through the air under cover of darkness is the most clandestine path. However, the resulting scenario – Supergirl needing to carry Brainiac 5 in her arms – is a bit embarrassing for the super genius. Meg Donnelly (American Housewife, The Winchesters) and Harry Shum, Jr. (Everything Everywhere All At Once, Crazy Rich Asians) provide the voices of Supergirl and Brainiac 5, respectively.

We also have four brand new images from the film to share with fans. Enjoy!

In Legion of Super-Heroes, the latest DC Universe Movie, Legion of Super-Heroes headquarters is adorned with tributes to some of the greatest Legionnaires, including holographic representations of Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad, as well as in-flight holograms of Matter Eating Lad and Sensor Girl.

Supergirl prepares to level a knockout blow in this close-up of the beloved character during an action-packed scene in Legion of Super-Heroes. Supergirl is voiced by Meg Donnelly (American Housewife, The Winchesters).

Legionnaires gather to inspect a large crater, including a virtual who’s who of the cast – Arms Fall Off Boy (voiced by Ben Diskin), Bouncing Boy (Ely Henry), Supergirl (Meg Donnelly), Dawnstar (Cynthia Hamidi), Brainiac 5 (Harry Shum, Jr.), Invisible Kid (Zeno Robinson) and Phantom Girl (Gideon Adlon) – in a scene from Legion of Super-Heroes.

The infamous Dark Circle approaches as a battle begins in Legion of Super-Heroes, the latest DC Universe Movie, available to own Digitally and on 4K Ultra HD^TM Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray^TM TODAY.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES and all related characters and elements are TM and © DC. © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

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Review: Legion Of Super-Heroes (2023)

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Directed by: Jeff Wamester

Written by: Josie Campbell

Starring: Meg Donnelly, Harry Shum, Jr., Yuri Lowenthal, Ben Diskin, Ely Henry, Cynthia Hamidi, Zeno Robinson, Gideon Adlon, Daisy Lightfoot, Jensen Ackles, Darren Criss, Matt Bomer, Darin De Paul

Reviewed by: Joshua Raynor

Summary

Welcome to the 31st century and the Legion Academy, where a new generation hones their powers with hopes of joining the Legion of Super-Heroes. Devastated by tragedy, Supergirl struggles to adjust to her new life on Earth. Taking her cousin Superman’s advice, Supergirl leaves their space-time to attend the Legion Academy. There, she quickly makes new friends, as well as a new enemy with old ties: Brainiac 5. But a nefarious plot lurks in the shadows – the mysterious group known as the Dark Circle seeks a powerful weapon held in the Academy’s vault.

Positives

After the disappointment from the last DC animated movie in the Tomorrowverse line, Green Lantern: Beware My Power, I was thrilled to get a story that worked well and focused on the story being told.

Right off the bat, I gotta say, I love this animation style. The soft tones and crisp linework really make these characters pop in the best ways possible. It gives a more realistic look, instead of leaning into an overly exaggerated style. And the backgrounds are beautiful as well, at times almost looking like a painting, while at others, being as crisp as the characters that are living there.

The movie starts off with the origin story of Supergirl. We see some of her time in Argo City as she interacts with her mother. It was a great way to quickly become familiar with Supergirl, if you weren’t already. We get a sense of her personality, and it gives us an understanding as to why, unlike her cousin, she becomes more jaded during her time on Earth and has a harder time acclimating. She lived a life on Krypton, has memories of it, and to be completely uprooted from that home and that life is not an easy thing to get over.

We get a couple of cool scenes with some of the members of the Justice League – specifically Batman (Jensen Ackles), Superman (Darren Criss), and The Flash (Matt Bomer) – including a heartfelt scene between Superman and Supergirl, which really shows how differently they view their new “home”, and why it’s been more difficult for Kara. The inclusion of these characters helps to keep the connection to the Tomorrowverse, as they continue with the same voice actors, linking them nicely before moving into the part of the story with completely new characters.

Then there’s the Legionnaires. We get introduced to several great heroes from the 31st century, including Mon-El, Arms-Fall-Off-Boy, Triplicate Girl, Bouncing Boy, Dawnstar, and of course, Brainiac-5. Some of these are characters we almost never get to see in anything outside of the comics, so it’s great that they’re getting a chance to be showcased a bit. I was happy they mentioned that Mon-El actually changed his name because of his love for Krypton, and wasn’t actually a member of the El family, which I think many people don’t know.

I don’t want to spoil too much, so I’ll refrain from saying who the big bad of the movie is, but what I will say is that they did a fantastic job with this character, giving us a unique version that was both amazing and terrifying at the same time. And there’s also a post-credit scene (so be sure to stick around) that ties directly into the next Tomorrowverse film, Justice League: Warworld.

Negatives

My main negative is that I wish we had actually gotten more of Kara’s time on Krypton. That opening scene was great, but I wanted more. And, as with most of these animated films, I would love to see them be a little be longer.

Blu-ray Special Features

The home release includes four wonderful featurettes that dive into different aspects of the film, as well as two episodes of Superman: The Animated Series. In “The Legion Behind The Legion“, the cast and crew talk about the making of Legion of Super-Heroes. We also get some really cool glimpses of pre-vis animations and a peek into some of the writing process.

“Down to Earth: The Story of Supergirl” takes a deep dive into the character of Supergirl, why she was chosen to be the focus of this Legion story, as well as her journey up to now, including her relationships with Superman and Brainiac-5. And speaking of Brainiac-5, “Brainiac Attack: The Intellect Behind the Super-Villain” tells the history of Brainiac, leading up to this incarnation, and why he is the way he is.

Then we have “Meet the Legionnaires“, which tells us about the Legion and the Academy, spotlighting some of the main members of the Legion that we meet – including Timberwolf, Chemical King, and Shadow Lass – as well as the group of new trainees that make up the focus of this story. One of the best parts of this featurette is producer Jim Krieg dressed up as Matter Eater Lad throughout the whole thing.

Finally, within the special features were two episodes of Superman: The Animated Series from the DC vault – “Little Girl Lost – Parts 1 & 2,” which is the introduction of Supergirl to the series. These are the perfect episodes to include, and they do a wonderful job of telling Supergirl’s origin story.

Verdict

Overall, this was a great addition to the pantheon of DC animated films, and makes me want more of these characters. I hope they do follow-ups with the Legion and Supergirl, as this told a great story and really fleshed out some amazing characters that need more time on screen to shine. We also got some great special features that everyone should take the time to watch.

Legion of Super-Heroes is available to buy digitally and on Blu-ray right now.

Score: 4.5/5

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES and all related characters and elements are TM and © DC. © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

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The second trailer for the upcoming DC Studios film The Flash was dropped during this year’s CinemaCon, just a few hours before the film’s early screening. This new trailer takes a more serious tone, compared to the previous one, and focuses much more heavily on Michael Keaton’s Batman.

Check out the trailer below:

They also released two brand new posters, seen below:

Here is the official synopsis for the film:

Worlds collide in The Flash when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?

The Flash is directed by Andy Muschietti,  and stars Ezra Miller, who reprises their role as Barry Allen, as well as Sasha Calle as Supergirl, Michael Shannon as Zod, Ron Livingston as Henry Allen, Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen, Kiersey Clemons as Iris West, and both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton as Batman.

Let us know what you thought of the new trailer and be sure to check out The Flash in theaters in North America on June 16th and internationally beginning June 14th.

The post New ‘The Flash’ Trailer Highlights Michael Keaton’s Batman appeared first on DC Comics News.

Movie: THE FLASH (2023)

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Director: Andy Muschietti

Writers: Christina Hodson, Joby Harold

Starring: Ezra Miller, Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, Sasha Calle, Gal Gadot, Michael Shannon, Jeremy Irons

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

The Flash (2023): Barry Allen is struck by a bolt of lightning and thus, an extraordinary power is born inside him: The Speed Force. When he uses this power to run back in time and save his mother, he creates a world without heroes and General Zod has returned. To defeat him, his only hope rest in the hands of a retired Batman, another Barry and an imprisoned Kryptonian.

Positives

While this review is marked with a spoiler warning, I will try to avoid spoilers except where absolutely unavoidable. And where unavoidable, I will try to keep them as vague as possible. With an amazing movie like this, I don’t want to risk diminishing the experience in any way for viewers who haven’t already seen it.

I have to say right off the bat that I absolutely loved this movie. I am not sure how the mainstream audience will feel about this entry in the DCEU, but most fans should love it, presuming the don’t refuse to give it a chance due to the actor starring in the titular role.

Right off the start, this movie signals a departure from the DCEU into the James Gunn era of DC movies by debuting the new DC filming opening animation. I would hesitate to say it’s better or worse than the one used for the DCEU films, as I’m still not sure which I like better myself.

But it does serve as a delineation between the DCEU and the Gunn era movies. It does so much more clearly than the movies have so far, as we have so far gotten a soft reboot, with some movies strongly tied to the DCEU still coming out, including Shazam: Fury of the Gods, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, and of course, The Flash).

The plotline borrows elements from the comic storyline Flashpoint, which launched led into DC’s New 52 hard reboot. This has led many to speculate that The Flash would do the same thing, with this version of the Flashpoint, leading to a reboot of the DCEU into Gunn’s era of DC movies.

Positives Cont.

However, there are only two notable changes to this version of the DCU once Barry fixes the mess he made. One is a deliberate change Barry made, which seems to have worked out well, even though he was courting disaster by attempting it (When will you ever learn about messing with time, Barry?).

The other is a last minute twist. If the DCEU were continuing, it would be a major change for future movies, but it’s likely just a passing joke that will not affect any of Gunn’s future DC projects. But other than these two changes, it still seems to be the same old DCEU.

Speaking of Flashpoint, I liked that they accurately recreated Thomas Wayne’s device for restoring Barry’s powers from the comics. References like that show that Muschietti is familiar with and pays respect to the original source material. Generally, ignoring or disrespecting the original comics is the quickest way to turn off the superhero fan-base. And I’m glad to see Muschietti avoiding this pitfall that so many superhero movies fall into.

Initially, in the Flashpoint comics storyline, it was implied that Barry’s messing with time was the cause of all the changes introduced in the New 52 era. But somehow Barry’s actions affected events that took place earlier in the timeline, which doesn’t match DC’s rules regarding the timeline. Eventually, it was revealed that these changes were due to Doctor Manhattan messing with time, but the original explanation didn’t seem to make any sense.

Positives Cont.

However, Batman gives an alternate explanation how Barry’s interference has caused changes up and down the timestream. Using uncooked spaghetti as a prop, he demonstrates that there are unchangeable points where timelines intersect. When you make changes in the past, you pivot the entire timeline on that fixed point, changing both the future and the past. I really appreciate that the movie took the time to address a potential plot hole that much of the audience might not even realized is a problem.

One of the best things about this movie is the wealth of guest appearances and cameos of various DC characters from various live action versions. Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot feature prominently in the movie’s opening. And of course, Michael Keaton also reprises his turn as Batman.

And I expect that there will be much talk about the Multiverse scene near the end of the movie. Using archival footage and computer trickery, we are shown various DC heroes from movies and TV shows. It comes as no surprise that Christopher Reeve and Adam West are acknowledged here. But there are some surprising appearances.

One particular hero me by complete surprise. It comes from a movie that was never made, but has become rather notorious among the fandom. Those who know the story will find this reference absolutely hilarious, but I imagine that the rest of the audience will be left scratching their heads in confusion.

I can hardly wait until I get the home video version of The Flash so that I can go through this scene frame by frame. I’m eager to see who else I might have missed.

Positives Cont.

I quite like how The Flash‘ depicts Barry’s superspeed . The effects team do a fantastic job of conveying the speeds that Barry is capable of moving at. Sometimes, the movie shows Barry moving in real time. For instance, we see the world zoom past as Barry runs from Central City to Gotham in seconds. And this gives the audience an inkling of what being the Flash feels like.

At other times, the world around The Flash slows to a crawl allowing Barry to plan his moves and execute them with precision, even though they happen too fast for anyone else to even see him. At one point, several babies and a dog fall from a collapsing hospital. We then witness Barry carefully maneuvering the babies, debris, and other objects into the exact positions they need to be in to allow Barry to save them all.

And as a bonus treat, the end credits roll over the same scene – except from the viewpoint of the dog.

There is quite a bit of humour in this movie, which serves to make watching Th Flash a fantastically fun experience. There are some smaller gags where Barry and Batman get tangled in Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth, leading to the involuntary revelation of some uncomfortable truths.

And pairing Barry with a younger version of himself is mostly comedy gold. Seeing some of his own bad habits from from the outside makes Barry realize how annoying he can be at times. But it also serves to show that Barry is maturing. Meeting a younger, brasher version of himself forces Barry to be the mature one for once.

Positives Cont.

But there is also a lot of pathos in The Flash‘s story too. The death of Barry’s mother and his father getting framed for her murder has been part of the Flash mythos for the past 14 years. They have been at the central of Barry’s story in both the comics and in the CW TV show. But The Flash movie has given us a fresh take on the story, while keeping the actual events substantially the same.

The younger version of Barry exists in a timeline where his mother is still alive. This gives Barry the dilemma of whether or not to tell his younger self about their mother’s death. It makes Barry resentful that his doppelganger got the happy life Barry should have had, but takes it for granted.

And the scene where Barry interacts directly with his mother for the final time is truly heart-rending.

I also found it interesting that Muschietti leaves the identity of Nora Allen’s killer unrevealed. I was waiting for that revelation, but the story goes out of its way to keep the killer a mystery. Muschietti has revealed the killer’s identity in an interview, but stated that Barry’s confrontation with his mother’s murderer would have to happen in a sequel.

This raises the possibility of a sequel. However, given the change of direction Gunn has planned for future DC movies and the controversy around Ezra Miller, if that sequel will ever happen. But at least it give a glimmer of hope that it might happen someday.

Negatives

The elephant in the room is Ezra Miller. His presence is one of the biggest issues with The Flash. While Miller portrays a very likable version of Barry Allen, the actor himself is just the opposite. DC ended up delaying the movie’s release in hopes that the controversy would die down, but the controversy remains. And the delay has given Muschietti plenty of time to deliver a polished final cut.

Some have called for recasting the movie with a new actor, but after seeing the film, I can see that doing so would require reshooting most of the movie. Also, regardless of how you feel about the actor, it’s hard to deny that he did a phenomenal job of portraying not only one, but two Barry Allens. Portraying a dual role for most of a movie’s length is a challenging feat, but he pulls it off admirably.

Negatives Cont.

Others have suggested the idea that people should pirate the movie instead of seeing it in the theatre. I find this to be a stupid reaction. Yes, it would Miller to a degree, but it would also be punishing the rest of the cast, crew, writers, the studio and its employees, and others.

And it’s somewhat hypocritical. If you go to the trouble of pirating it, that’s an admission that you believe it’s worth watching. And if it has value, then pirating is stealing. If you find you cannot support the movie, then just forgo watching it altogether.

While I admit some discomfort watching a movie starring Miller, I am the type of person who can separate my appreciation of art from my distaste for the artist. So, I can forgive Warner/DC from going ahead with The Flash despite the controversy. But it might be for the best if they find a new actor if a sequel ever materializes.

Verdict

I absolutely freakin’ love this movie! The only problem is the casting of Ezra Miller. But since he gave a superb performance and it was too late for WB/DC to recast without raising the cost and lowering the quality, I will give them a pass for this. I also adored every single guest appearance and cameo in the film. After this, I hope Andy Muschietti returns to direct other DC movies. Judging by The Flash, I think we can expect some great things from James Gunn’s era of DC movies.

The post Movie Review: The Flash (2023) appeared first on DC Comics News.

Review: Power Girl #5
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Leah Williams
Art: David Baldeon
Colors: Romulo Fajardo, Jr.
Letters: Becca Carey

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Streaky the Super-Cat gets a mission of his own!  Streaky must save some missing pets in the neighborhood.

Positives

A super-pet focused story can be a fun change of pace for a title.  This reviewer fondly recalls the Krytpo centered issue, Superman #712 by Kurt Busiek a few years back.  Power Girl #5 isn’t quite a moving issue like that, but more a fun diversion.  As far as that goes, Power Girl #5 is a decent issue.  The art fits the story, and isn’t over the top or overly cutesy.  Baldeon does a good job of communicating through the animal faces, especially Streaky.  There are no thought balloons for streaky so the art has to do all the heavy lifting.  The streaky part of the story which takes up most of the issue isn’t bad.  It’s not perfect as we’ll see below, but the issue would’ve been more satisfying if the final pages hadn’t tried to set up what comes next.

Negatives

The one thing that stands out immediately in the Streaky sequences is the use of gobbledy-gook for human language as heard by Streaky.  Instead of jumbled letters that don’t make sounds, or blah’s or hashes like Woodstock in Peanuts, Williams has nonsense words that can be pronounced.  This is distracting because it makes it appear that if read they will reveal words that are just a little off.  A quick try showed that there was nothing there.  It would’ve been more effective to just make it obvious instead of wasting the readers time to to try to get something out of nothing.

One of the problems with using Streaky is that there have been multiple incarnations of Streaky over the years.  This Streaky has powers, a cape and the lighting streak down his side. A quick recap of Streaky’s history would’ve added more to this story.  Williams probably doesn’t know anything more than what’s on the Wikipedia page for Streaky, so it’s not surprising.  That’s been her approach to Power Girl, so one shouldn’t expect something more to connect the reader with more context.

Negatives Cont’d

The Power Girl/ Omen/ Supergirl bit at the end sets up the next storyline for Power Girl, but it also brings down the overall enjoyment of Power Girl #5.  It would’ve been easy to simply keep the issue about Streaky and give readers a true break from this iteration of Power Girl.  Unfortunately, this section just serves as a reminder how bad this series is and how poorly it’s been conceived from the outset.  Williams lack of understanding of Power Girl is exacerbated as she seems to have flipped the experience levels between PG and Supergirl.  It utterly fails at being a Power Girl comic in making PG the less experienced, less confident, less independent character.  This all comes through in the exchange when Supergirl comes to ask PG to team up.  Ugh.

It’s hard to tell if Williams attempt to give PG friends and a little mini super-team of her Supergirl and Omen is laudable or misguided.  It’s reminiscent of Batgirls which was a wonderful series, but not getting the character’s personalities corrent dooms what she’s trying to do.  A Supergirls team up book was pitched a long time ago by Peter David, called Blonde Justice which would’ve featured the Linda Davnvers Supergirl becoming Superwoman, the Silver Age Kara Zor-El Supergirl and Power Girl.  There’s just barely the suggestion of the idea here in Power Girl.  That Peter David idea genuinely sounds like fun.  Power Girl would’ve been characterized correctly and the differences in personalities would’ve worked.  Williams writes PG too much like a young Supergirl should be and there’s no genuine friction.  It’s all about the ridiculous imposter syndrome which has never been part of Power Girl’s character so it not only feels misplaced, but FORCED, leaving Power Girl to not even feel like Power Girl.

Verdict

If you just read the Streaky section of Power Girl #5, the issue is a decently fun diversion.  There’s noting remarkable about it, but it’s not terrible.  It’s an innocuous little tale to put a couple smiles on your face.  Overall, the issue suffers from the ending…realizing there’s no escape from this version of Power Girl.  This series is not for fans of Power Girl, that’s obvious.  It’s not quite clear who it’s for.  Maybe there’s an audience for it…I’d love to know if it has found an audience that likes this Power Girl.

The post Review: Power Girl #5 appeared first on DC Comics News.

The cast for the upcoming first film in the new James Gunn-led DCU, Superman: Legacy, is really shaping up to be something special, and that feeling is just growing as a new announcement has been made that House of the Dragon‘s Milly Alcock has been cast as Supergirl.

Rumors have been floating around in recent weeks about possible choices for this role, and Alcock’s name has consistently been in the mix. It’s been reported that the final round of screen tests came down to her and Meg Donnelly, who actually voiced Supergirl in the recent DC animated movies Legion of Superheroes and Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part One. Many assumed this would give Donnelly an advantage in scoring this role.

Supergirl is set to make her debut in Superman: Legacy and then go on to star in her own solo film, Supergirl: World of Tomorrow, so we’ll definitely be seeing more of Alcock sooner rather than later.

Milly Alcock will be joining a wonderful cast for Superman: Legacy, including David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, and María Gabriela de Faría as the Engineer.

No official synopsis has been released yet, and James Gunn has said that filming will begin next month, so stay tuned for more news!

Superman: Legacy will hit theaters on July 11, 2025.

The post Milly Alcock Cast As The DCU’s Supergirl appeared first on DC Comics News.

Review: Power Girl  #6
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoiler]

Writer: Leah Williams
Art: Marguerite Sauvage
Colors: Marguerite Sauvage
Letters: Becca Carey

Reviewed by: Matthew Lloyd

Summary

Power Girl and Supergirl team up to investigate the disappearance of a number of people and the relationship to a new drug making the rounds- Avalon.  It’s not quite what they expect.

Positives

The best thing about Power Girl #6 is the variant covers by Dan Panosian and Brad Walker.  These are two great depictions of Power Girl, despite featuring the current costume.  Panosian wisely loses the jacket to draw attention to Power Girls arms.  Clearly, this isn’t the Power Girl that’s actually in the comic itself.  Unfortunately, one would have to spend extra to get both of these variants.  Panosian also depicts Power Girl as an overall more physically imposing individual.  Walker and Panosian both capture the inner PG as a strong, independent, confident character.  Again, it’s unfortunate that the Power Girl inside the comic shares none of the physical or internal traits Panosian and Walker’s covers show.

There’s an interesting idea in this comic that Williams presents of a “drug” that transports the user to an alternate dimension.  Oddly, it seems like it might fit better in a My Little Pony story than Power Girl, or indeed any DC Universe comic.  If anything, it doesn’t seem out of place for one of the more whimsical Supergirl stories from the Silver Age save the inclusion of the drugs.  It’s surprising that Williams is able to connect Streaky’s story in Power Girl #5 no matter how tenuously.

Eduardo Pansica, who drew the first four issues of this series has been replaced by Marguerite Sauvage who drew the Power Girl back ups in Action Comics and the Power Girl Special.  Pansica’s style fits Power Girl better, but Sauvage’s art is definitely well suited to the playful world Kara and Kara enter in pursuit of the missing people.  Sauvage actually changes her style a bit to reflect the difference between Ferimbia and the regular world.  Her regular style would fit just as well, however…

Negatives

…the more cartoony approach fits too well with the tone of the script so that any sort of gravitas is lost.  There’s no irony here, either.  It’s hard to feel the weight of the situation outside of the facts we are told in the narration and dialogue.  For a character who’s been emasculated in this current incarnation, Power Girl #6 takes all the oomph out of her adventure as well.  The story arc in issues #1-4 at least felt like there was something significant happening.  This first chapter in this new arc is bereft of any seriousness.

The characterization is minimal and subtle.  Williams may do a nice job depicting the relationship between Kara and Kara indirectly, but it leaves the reader with the impression that Supergirl is more competent, more experienced and more capable than Power Girl.  We are used to this characterization of Power Girl by Williams, but it’s still difficult to consume.  Pretty sure Supergirl even blames Power Girl for getting them stuck in a mess.

When Williams was interviewed about taking this series on, one of the things she stated was that she wanted to “definitely wanted to showcase what sets her apart from the rest of the Super-family; not only in her expertise, but how different her personality is. She’s kind of a wild card comparatively because her experience and background differ so greatly [from the others].”  Six issues in it’s clear that what Williams has envisioned about Power Girl is the complete opposite of every other incarnation of Power Girl.  It’s obvious now that this won’t change until someone (an editor? someone on the internet?) explains to Williams that she’s got it all wrong.  Supergirl is not the more confident, experienced and capable character, Power Girl, Karen Starr is.

Verdict

I’ve finally figured out who this series is for.  It’s definitely not for existing fans of the character who supported her in her first nearly 50 years of existence.  As Williams doesn’t understand anything that happened to the character before she started writing her, Williams has invented an approach.  It’s for young girls (and boys?) who feel insecure and like they don’t fit in anywhere.   That’s all well and good, but there’s no reason to reinvent Power Girl to fit this approach.  The first five issues have been an awful experience and Power Girl #6 doesn’t really change that.  This is probably the worst issue of the series, friendship is not magic in this case.

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Review: Power Girl #7
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Leah Williams
Art: Marguerite Sauvage
Colors: Marguerite Sauvage
Letters: Becca Carey

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Power Girl and Supergirl defeat the villain who has transported them to Ferimbia…and, they receive the help they need to return home.

Positives

This is an ongoing Power Girl comics and it’s a great idea to have a Power Girl ongoing series (have to start somewhere).  The story here has a bit of Silver Age wackiness as noted in the review Power Girl #6.  It’s easy to imagine Supergirl having an adventure like this in her stories from the backups in Action Comics in the 60’s.  

Marguerite Sauvage changes up her style to reflect the world that Kara and Kara are in.  It’s a solid story telling choice that accentuates the “other” place they are in.

Negatives

Tonally this storyline which concludes in this issue is way out of place for Power Girl.  Of course, one must understand her character which Leah Williams has so far over the past 13 months has demonstrated she does not.  It’s not that surprising that Williams writes a story that doesn’t fit.  This is not to say if Power Girl (the one true Power Girl, this ain’t her in this series) couldn’t have a story like this, it’s just that her reactions to everything would be completely different.  Williams has PG lean into the whole thing.  It would’ve been in character for her to be annoyed, angry and a bit more aggressive and impatient in this situation.  There’s a single instance that comes close to this in Power Girl #7.  This tone somehow doesn’t translate to a throwback/ nostalgia feel for the Supergirl stories in the Silver Age, but instead pulls a little bit of Amethyst, but mostly what one imagines My Little Pony comics to be like.  It feels nothing like a Power Girl story.

Williams tries to land a Power Girl boob-joke, but it doesn’t land.  Williams can’t find a way to put the pieces together to make her version of Power Girl feel legitimate.  It just comes off like a parody…almost like a Mad Magazine version of a Power Girl story.

From a story craft perspective, too much of this issue is an an information dump giving some Ferimbia’s history and why there’s a usurper on the throne.  It’s necessary to have this information for the resolution, but perfunctory in its presentation.  This gives the impression that the story has been rushed and that’s probably so that beginning next month Power Girl can be part of the Superman event (yawn), House of Brainiac.  Whether or not one is excited for this event, it remains a mistake to force Power Girl into the Superman family.  To do so, once again exposes Williams’ ignorance of the substance of Power Girl’s character and DC Comics lack of care for her and her fanbase.  It’s literally the last thing Power Girl would want to do. 

Verdict

There’s just no reason to expect Power Girl #7 to be any better than issue #6.  In fact, there’s not reason to expect any issue of this series to improve significantly.  Williams’ lack of understanding of the character and inability to write an interesting story (she abandoned the interesting stuff in the first arc) give no hope for Power Girl fans.  Perhaps, Power Girl is new to you…it’s impossible to separate established a character substance, history and tone for longtime fans.  This series has turned its back on those fans seemingly in the hope that this new Paige-iteration will attract a different audience.  Head over to the current Justice Society of America comic for the real Power Girl (costume notwithstanding) so Paige can wither and die on the vine with a subsequent rebirth of Karen Starr, Power Girl.

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