What Supergirl Needs In Her New Series
DC Comics recently announced a new Supergirl series to join their “All In” initiative. Hitting comic shops and digital stores on May 14th, this book will be written and drawn by Sophie Campbell. Campbell landed on my radar thanks to her world-building work on IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. In this new series, Kara will be returning to Midvale and sporting a new costume designed by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau.
To say I am thrilled is an understatement. That excitement does carry with it some hopes for what DC, Sophie Campbell and any future creators have planned for Kara in her return to a solo title. Here are the areas that need to be addressed in the upcoming series.
Rogues gallery
To begin, one of the big hopes I have for this series is a continued expansion of Supergirl’s foes. That’s in terms of the number of them as well as the variety. We have a hint of a potential new adversary with a “Supergirl” already existing in Midvale. Who is she? And what does she want?
Beyond that, any new enemies don’t necessarily all have to be world-breakers. There should be a range of threat levels. Along with that should be the mix of ways they challenge Supergirl. That also offers opportunities for Campbell to experiment visually and give readers some new treats.
Supporting cast
Another area that should be explored involves the characters populating Supergirl’s world. Whether that focuses on existing relationships and/or new characters. There’s a strong emphasis on the hope they avoid the “tech support” character that superhero movies and films have oddly embraced in the last decade or so. Supergirl is not a character who needs that in this medium.
What Kara, and other leads, do need are characters who help fill out the world. This includes allies and potential romantic partners. Beyond that, there’s always room for antagonistic characters who may not exactly qualify as baddies, but who may oppose Supergirl and her goals. Then we get to the aforementioned rogues’ gallery. While these are related, that’s a need deserving of its own category.
Power display and exploration
When you’re talking about superhero comics, one of the biggest draws is the display of superpowers. Fans will absolutely want to see Supergirl’s powers in action. Here’s hoping we get to see what Campbell will bring visually to this book. Whether it’s Kara performing a small feat or in a hard-fought battle.
This also connects to the ways Supergirl will be challenged. It won’t just be the enemies presenting different obstacles. But giving her powers time to shine will show the diverse ways she can dispatch of any threats.
Commitment
In this era of frequent relaunches, I’m optimistic this series can maintain itself and truly elevate Kara’s status in the DCU as well as the wider world of comics. One way that can happen is long term and quality storytelling. All of the previously mentioned areas can play a role in keeping readers engaged and invested. Allowing creators the time and opportunities to explore ideas and fully develop plot threads is crucial in that regard. That goes for however long Sophie Campbell stays on the series, as well as any future creative teams.
Pictured above are variant covers by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau; Bilquis Evely; W. Scott Forbes; and Joshua Middleton, respectively. I also anticipate at least one more in the form of a blank sketch cover.
Leading into the Summer of Superman, perhaps we should designate May 14th as “Supergirl Day.”