I never got a chance to fully appreciate Kara Zor-El until a few years back, when I read Jeph Loeb and Michael Turner’s “Superman/Batman: Supergirl”. I had read Loeb’s Hush storyline, but it was Turner’s art that initially drew me into this arc; from his hands sprung forth a Batman that was as imposing as he was menacingly beautiful, like a dark angel fraught with vengeful intent. Turner’s lean, gritty, and uber-muscular aesthetic was a fresh take on long-established characters, but his Kara Zor-El was one of the most breathtaking sights ever put to page, perfectly matching the powerful innocence established by Loeb’s script. I discovered with this arc that Supergirl was a true force to be reckoned with, and added a new and exciting dynamic to the Superman character.
With MAN OF STEEL, David S. Goyer has set the foundation for the DC Cinematic Universe (DCCU), and even went beyond the confines of the film to provide yet another new take on the origin of Kal El’s long lost cousin. Available digitally when pre-ordering MAN OF STEEL on DVD or Blu Ray at Wal-Mart, this new origin takes the form of a prequel comic, written by Goyer himself, which tells the story of Kara and her journey aboard the scout ship that would eventually become Kal’s “Fortress of Solitude”. It is an origin that is teased at in the film with the lingering shot of an empty pod, and since then, we have found ourselves wondering “When will we see Supergirl?”, or if we will see her at all. Could this tease be simply that, never to be tied off? Only time will tell…
In the meantime, we can only speculate. Thankfully, that is why we have fan-fiction. I had been planning to write a full DCCU fan cast, but haven’t gotten around to it, so I figured I’d start small. When I initially set out to cast Supergirl, my mind immediately jumped to actress Ashley Benson (Pretty Little Liars), whom is the spitting image of Kara as drawn by Turner. I decided against Benson, because she felt a little too obvious. For a while I abandoned my search, casually examining fan-posters featuring the likes of Taylor Momsen (Gossip Girl), Amber Heard (Zombieland), and Chloe Grace-Moretz (Kick Ass). Momsen was my second pick for the part, with a reputation similar to Henry Cavill’s when he was cast, however, she seems to be more focused on her music, which I can respect (and recommend). Still, nobody jumped out at me as being able to fill the skirt and crimson boots. Then, my mother convinced me to watch a critical-failure of a horror film…
Should we ever see Kara Zor-El hit the silver-screen, here is who I believe should portray the lost Kryptonian:
ALEXANDRA DADDARIO
Upon reading the title, “Alexandra Daddario On Possibly Playing WONDER WOMAN” (an article written by Alex Lynch. Sorry Alex, I’d post a link but I don’t know how…), my mind immediately jumped to NO!-mode, as I already have a concrete pick for Diana of Themyscira. It wasn’t until I put the face to the name that I realized exactly who Mr. Lynch was talking about, and while I stand by my Diana pick, said article inspired me to get in gear and share my pick for Supergirl. I had seen Daddario in “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”, but I wasn’t overly impressed with the film, and thereby wrote it off. I had heard her name here and there, but paid no attention. It wasn’t until “Texas Chainsaw” that I realized it: It’s in the eyes. The fact that Chainsaw displayed her exposed, perfectly toned physique certainly helped, but her eyes were the first thing to strike me.
In “Superman: Birthright”, Mark Waid explains Supes’ spectacled disguise as a way of shielding his eyes, which are an other-worldly shade of blue, and begging the question “Why would a man as powerful as Superman even need to wear glasses?” in an attempt to make it more believable that they wouldn’t dream of suspecting intrepid reporter, Clark Kent. I saw Alexandra’s eyes and immediately thought of Waid’s words; I thought of Kara’s eyes as drawn by Michael Turner: bold, powerful, beautiful.
Now, eyes alone are hardly enough to earn my respect or fan-pick. As mentioned above, Daddario possesses the strong, toned physique needed for the character, and has shown her capacity for action and butt-kickery in the Percy Jackson films. From what I have seen of her acting, it appears that she has range as well as ability. She’s not the next Meryl Streep, but under the right direction, I think that she could do wonders for this role. She has a reputation similar to Cavill’s in that she has a few feature films under her belt, but has appeared mostly in television, with roles in “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, “The Sopranos”, and “Law and Order”, to name a few. She is currently three years younger than Cavill at 27, but with her youthful face she could easily portray a teenage Kara, should they choose to take the character in that direction. Kara’s appearance in the prequel comic appeared to be that of an early to mid-twenty year old, so she could work for that as well.
Her hair presents a unique “problem”, as she is naturally brunette and dying her hair blonde could result in another Anne Hatheway, circa Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland”. As long as her eyebrows are realistically dyed, this shouldn’t be a problem. But the blonde has the possibility of looking unnatural…
So, there you have it. My two cents on who should play Supergirl in the DCCU. There is no guarantee that we will ever see Supergirl appear, especially with WB and DC just starting to set up their universe, but should Kara be introduced in the future, I believe that Alexandra would be a solid casting choice.
Also, may the great Michael Turner rest in peace. Your work will certainly never be forgotten!