After years of social media teases and still shots, we finally got our first full look at Barry Allen’s first-ever feature film, The Flash. James Gunn had set the bar awfully high when he called it one of the best superhero movies he’s ever seen, and he confirmed it would reset the DCU ahead of Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. Despite controversial star Ezra Miller’s negative press, the trailer wowed audiences worldwide, helping it top Marvel Studios on the big advertising night.
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The most buzz is centered around Michael Keaton’s return as Batman, and to a lesser extent, Ben Affleck reprising his role as well. However, the addition of a Supergirl unlike any we’ve seen on screen before is piquing the interest of speculators and collectors alike. For this particular incarnation of Supergirl, we’re focusing on three modern keys that are great for a budget.
SUPERMAN/BATMAN #8
In 2004, Jeph Loeb and Michael Turner reintroduced Kara Zor-El as Supergirl to the DC Comics Universe, who had been killed in Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985. Although the Supergirl mantle had lived on, it wasn’t until Superman/Batman #8 that Kara returned to the fold. Judging by the Super Bowl trailer for The Flash, the interpretation we see in the film has plenty of similarities to this version. That is sending collectors into full FOMO mode, but don’t worry about ridiculous prices here. Despite the excitement, it’s not a first appearance, so there’s no reason to overpay.
Like so many issues published in the 2000s, this one had several editions. We haven’t seen any standard edition 9.8s sold online since one brought $100 in December. However, the same grade for the sketch cover brought $100 on February 13. Don’t want to pay those high fees? On eBay, raw copies are selling for $10-$20, and that includes the sketch variant.
INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, YEAR THREE #7
This definitely should be on your Supergirl wish list. Although The Flash’s Supergirl said her name is Kara in the trailer, there’s no denying how much she looks like Lara Lane-Kent from the Injustice comics. In fact, she looks almost exactly like Lara. However, this variant is the daughter of Superman and Lois Lane rather than being Kal-El’s cousin.
Certainly, Sasha Calle’s DC Studios future is in question considering Gunn’s DCU reset, but she could remain as Kara. We know there’s going to be a Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie in Chapter One, and Calle could stay in the role. Even better, we could have multiple Supergirls, and The Flash could introduce her character from the Injustice timeline.
Raw copies are earning as much as $30 since the Super Bowl trailer debuted. We have yet to see any graded 9.8s trade hands online in 2023, but it did bring $100 last May.
SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW #1
This is less related to The Flash, though it is quite popular due to the Chapter One announcements since Gunn confirmed that Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow would be directly based on Tom King’s comics of the same name. In that series, Supergirl was reimagined with a more aggressive attitude and tragic backstory. With her brandishing a sword on the cover art, it definitely has a Wonder Woman vibe, which could be good things for her movie.
Naturally, collectors flocked to eBay for the first issue. The standard edition graded at 9.8 has sold for as much as $200 on February 1. On the raw side, copies have been staying in the $20-$30 range for the most part.
SUPER TOMORROW
Before anyone cries foul, it’s been made clear that Supergirl will not be replacing Superman in the DCU. That being said, there’s plenty of room to elevate Kara as an integral part of Chapter One and beyond. She’s been a popular figure in the comics for decades, and giving her a new attitude (along with a little brutality) is a great way to reinvent her for the silver screen.
