Recently, I finished the comic “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,” based on the Supergirl movie that came out this past summer.Â
“Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” follows Kara Zor-El (Supergirl) spending her 21st birthday drunk and powerless on the Yellow Planet. We meet Rutheye Marye Knoll, a young alien girl seeking revenge on criminal Krem of the Yellow Hills, who murdered her father. Unfortunately, Supergirl has no superpowers due to an earlier altercation where Krypton was involved and her dog, Krypto, was injured. Over time, Supergirl and Rutheye’s dynamic evolves from building on shared trauma and a mentorship.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow was written by Tom King, illustrated by Bilquis Evely, and colored by Matheus Lopes. It was published as an eight-issue DC Comics Miniseries and was released over the course of 2021 and 2022.Â
One thing I really liked about the comic is its art style with the dreamy color palette. It’s one of the things that drew me into reading this as my first comic. It has elements of the classic styles of illustration and European art styles that are similar to classic painters like Monet and Van Gogh.Â
The characterization of Kara in this universe is written to have PTSD and a harder personality after surviving the destruction of Krypton. One of the central themes is the moral debate over vengeance versus mercy. There are also themes of trauma and justice shown by how Kara survived Krypton being destroyed as an older child, unlike Superman. I also like how Rutheye narrates the story she had with Supergirl as an older woman, and you can see her dry humor and thoughts. Another thing I like is how the western and science fiction are mixed.Â
If you enjoyed the Supergirl movie or if you are looking into getting started in DC Comics, I would recommend reading Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.Â