Warning! Minor spoilers for The New Champion of Shazam! #1!
It looks like Supergirl has an awesome new role in the latest Shazam comic. Artist Evan "Doc" Shaner gave an extra close look at the premiere issue of The New Champion of Shazam #1, which presents the Girl of Steel in a campaign familiar to book lovers everywhere.
She might not be as lauded as much as her cousin Superman is, but Kara Zor-El is just as much a hero as the Big Blue Boy Scout. Since she arrived on Earth, Kara has been trying to live up to the same standard set by Clark Kent. While Supergirl’s reputation isn’t as stellar as Superman’s, it hasn’t stopped her from trying her best to be an inspirational hero. In fact, younger heroes even look up to Kara and see her as the sort of superhero worthy of being a role model.
Case in point, Mary Bromfield and Darla Dudley of the Shazam Family seem to appreciate Kara's heroism. In the first issue of The New Champion of Shazam! # 1, eagle-eyed readers may have seen a poster hanging on the wall of Mary and Darla's bedroom before the former heads out for college. The poster shows an image of Supergirl in a parody of the American Library Association’s READ poster campaign. While the image was hard to see in the actual comic, series artist Evan "Doc" Shaner provided a closer look at the poster. On Twitter, Shaner thanked fans for their support for the series first issue, and revealed a full version as a special treat for Shaner's "fellow 90s kids". The poster shows a confident Kara Zor-El reading a book, and like every other READ poster, Supergirl is reading "for America's libraries".
The American Library Association has been making READ posters since the mid 80s and by the 90s they were everywhere in schools, libraries, anywhere that wanted to promote the joys of reading to young minds. While the real world was has featured celebrities and notable public figures, it makes sense that in the DCU, a few caring heroes would want to lend their image to such an important cause. Not only does Shaner's poster acknowledge Kara's big heart, it portrays her as the icon she definitely is.
While Superman may get the lion’s share of attention, Kara is more than deserving of being featured on a READ-styled poster. Her scrappiness and resiliency has made Supergirl a hero worth looking up to. She’s the sort of figure young people could easily see themselves in and model themselves over her relentless determination. Kara's pluckiness and desire to help makes her the best person to capture the fun spirit of the READ campaign in the DC Universe.
It naturally fits with the hero's desire to help and makes her a great role model for kids to look up to. Shaner's poster in The New Champion of Shazam! is the perfect way to have a fun 90s throwback and prop up Supergirl as modern DC icon.