Despite delivering three well-reviewed DC Comics adaptations with Creature Commandos, Superman, and Peacemaker Season 2, the internet has a short memory, and James Gunn's ability to lead DC Studios is being questioned after the largely negative response to Supergirl.
That's the first DCU project Gunn has neither written nor directed, so it's facing extra scrutiny. Plus, after talking about how DC Studios would never move forward with anything that didn't have an excellent script—and the Superman director called Supergirl's screenplay "incredible"—his words are coming back to haunt him.
As someone who is hugely active on social media, Gunn has opened himself up to being criticised in a way that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has cleverly avoided. Remaining a largely elusive figure, Feige stays off the internet and only shows up when it's time to make an impact with a big announcement or hype a new release.
Gunn often celebrates character anniversaries on X, Instagram, and Threads. However, in a week where everyone is talking about Supergirl's struggles, he's highlighted one of the DCU's most divisive characters...with the wrong information.
Rick Flag Sr., played by Frank Grillo in the DCU, made his first comic book appearance (in post-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity) in 1987’s Secret Origins #14. Gunn incorrectly pointed to that happening in The Brave and the Bold #25 in 1959, which is actually where Rick Flag Jr. first appeared.
Mistakes happen, this isn't a big deal, and in Gunn's defence, he may have meant the Rick Flag character in general, who was obviously retconned into being a Sr. and Jr. years later. Still, at a time when he's staying quiet on how Supergirl is faring, many fans didn't appreciate the error, leading to the DC Studios co-CEO being hit with one of X's dreaded Community Notes...
It's a little embarrassing, sure, but not the end of the world. Still, this is social media, and many unhappy DC fans took the opportunity to question Gunn's fandom and demand answers on why he's celebrating and prioritising Rick Flag Sr. over so many DC heavy-hitters still missing from the DCU.
You can check out a sampling of those posts below.