Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow Finds Kindness In A Cruel World

Written by Tom King. Art by Bilquis Evely. Coloured by Matheus Lopes. Lettered by Clayton Cowles. Published by DC Comics.

As you probably know, there’s a Supergirl movie on the way. Starring Milly Alcock in the title role, it’s the second DC Universe film following last year’s Superman, with plenty of people looking to see if it can stick the landing twice. Luckily, the film has strong bedrock, being based on the acclaimed on Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s 2021-2022 Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow miniseries. So, before the movie comics, out let’s dive into the source material.

Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow trade paperback cover by Bilquis Evely and Matheus Lopes.

Supergirl is off-world to celebrate her birthday, where the light of a red sun will dull her powers and allow her to get drunk. Another year older, she feels like there’s no meaning or purpose in her life. However, that begins to change when she meets Ruthye Marye Knoll, the daughter of a rock farmer who witnessed her father being needlessly killed. Together, the pair pursue the killer across the galaxy, witnessing the effects of his terrible crimes along the way.

This pursuit gives this eight-issue series an episodic feel while having a through line. Supergirl and Ruthye end up on different planets each issue as they follow the killer’s footsteps, encountering different threats and challenges. Some of these are directly involved in their quest, while others, like a cosmic space dragon, are native to their location. King did a similar thing with Superman: Up in the Sky. But where the two comics differ is in their approach, with the Superman comic having a patchwork quality where there was less connective tissue between each challenge. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow feels more cohesive, with each issue feeling more connected while still maintaining an episodic structure.

Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow art by Bilquis Evely and Matheus Lopes.

Bilquis Evely and Matheus Lopes give each world a defined visual identity. Evely’s fantasy background (best known for a stint on Wonder Woman and Sandman Universe: The Dreaming) works to its advantage, creating environments that are varied and alien. The book begins on a planet consisting of jagged rocks and giant bean sprouts. But these become more elaborate, ranging from dingy spaceports to lush beaches filled with coral-like fauna and land fish. Evely renders these with delicate, flowing strokes that roll on the page like water. Lopes enhances these through colour choices, using a variety of unnatural purples, reds, greens, and other hues that give each of these worlds an alien quality. It makes for a gorgeous book where every issue feels different.

It’s worth noting that Supergirl is not the point of view character. Readers experience events through Ruthye’s perspective, where she narrates the comic as an old woman looking back on events. Some readers may not like this, as we don’t know exactly what’s going on in Supergirl’s head and the pain she’s feeling. But instead of Supergirl spelling it all out in the first issue for the reader, this distance means that the reader learns details at the same time as Ruthye does. From a narrative perspective, it’s far more rewarding to learn about Supergirl’s pain, drive, inner conflicts, kindness, and the ways she differs from Superman through the journey. Sometimes the narration gives further context to these qualities, being paired with an event in the story, such as witnessing the aftermath of great cruelty. Other times, it’s far more subtle, with Evely presenting it through expressions of quiet sadness.

Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow page by Bilquis Evely and Matheus Lopes.

These character moments drive the book’s ultimate message – finding kindness in a world of cruelty. Supergirl witnesses many terrible things throughout the comic. They’re the kinds of things that could make her jaded or give up, but she rises above them to help Ruthye and others. Yes, she’s a superhero who fights evil. But her greatest acts are in the smaller moments. She consoles victims, uses her powers to dig graves at superspeed, and there’s even a tender moment where Supergirl teaches Ruthye how to wash her hands. It shows that kindness isn’t just about saving the day, but being there when others need it.

After reading Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, I see why it forms the basis for the upcoming Supergirl movie. It’s a character-defining story, highlighting that she always has room for kindness – for big and small gestures – in a cruel world. Bilquis Evely and Matheus Lopes art is gorgeous, with an alien element, but approachable. Packaged altogether, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is one of the most distinctive DC Comics of the 2020s so far.

Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow #1-8 has been collected in various formats. These can be found at comic book shops, online retailers, eBay, and Amazon/Kindle.