By this point, everyone knows that Marvel’s strategic decision to pull out of Hall H at the upcoming San Diego Comic Con has left a void for Warner Bros. and DC to fill. After teasing audiences for two straight years, DC has decided to go nuclear with this years panel, which will include bits from upcoming films like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman and Justice League.
While that’s one hell of an impressive panel for the mighty Hall H, it doesn’t mean that Warner Bros. dominance is assured. There’s going to be stiff competition not only from Fox, but from Star Wars as well. Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be less than half a year away by the time Comic Con arrives, and fans are going to be losing their minds for a taste of the upcoming J.J. Abrams-helmed sequel.
If Warner Bros. and DC really want to bring it, they’ll want to make sure that their TV panel is as impressive as possible. Now, making it as exciting as a Hall H movie presentation isn’t going to be easy. Audiences have never seen Wonder Woman or the Justice League on the big screen. Even Batman squaring off against Superman is going to be a new thing. And if they decide to bring out Jared Leto in character, it’ll bring the house down.
On the TV side of the coin, DC has new and returning shows for the fans. While shows like Gotham and iZombie are sure to be featured heavily, there are two things in particular that they will want to highlight if they want to really wow people.
Supergirl
Supergirl, debuting Monday’s on CBS this fall, has a lot of hype to live up to. The first six-minute trailer left many in doubt about whether we’d be getting a show with enough action. Then the pilot leaked online, leaving everyone without the will to resist the chance to see what CBS had waiting for us. So far, fan reviews have not been disappointing.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should let you know that I did not view the leaked pilot. While initially concerned, the second trailer released by CBS showed me that we might just get something more in the spirit of The Flash or Arrow, which is just fine with me.
With a strong cast, solid special effects, and the excitement from seeing a hero that has never been done justice on the big or small screen, all the pieces are in place for an epic show. And unlike the other DC property that Supergirl will be competing against in the same timeslot, this show has an actual superhero in it.
If Warner Bros. wants to knock the socks off of their audience, they’ll need to focus on more than just awesome action scenes. They will need to reassure people that they’ll be taking the source material seriously. Supergirl is a revered figure, and dropping a few hints about which comic book storylines they’re drawing would be a great thing to share with people.
The Flash, Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow
DC and The CW have been on a tear lately. Last year, we saw the premiere of the wildly successful Arrow spinoff, The Flash. With both Arrow and The Flash riding high, fans are salivating over the upcoming DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.
Using a mix of both new and established characters, Legends of Tomorrow could deliver a hat-trick for the network. Soon there will be three shows with interconnecting storylines, forming a single, cohesive universe. If you were wondering why DC decided to deviate from Marvel’s choice of connecting it’s movie and television worlds, there’s your answer. We will be getting a giant story without any interference from movies.
It may be a bummer that these three shows will not be crossing over with Supergirl, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t expect great things in the coming season. The Flash ended with great ratings, stellar reviews, and a finale that introduced several characters for the new spinoff. And while Arrow’s third season may have left fans scratching their heads, the show is now in perfect position to reinvent itself again.
All those in attendance will no doubt have plenty of questions. How many times will we see the new characters on Arrow and The Flash before the third show premieres? Are they still planning massive crossover events only once a year? Who will be playing Vandal Savage? What will Robbie Amell’s role be as one half of Firestorm? How will the animated series Vixen, which is set in the same universe, tie in?
I could think of dozens more, but you get the idea. It they provide those answers, they’ll have no trouble leaving all in attendance happy.
There’s no doubt that it’s difficult for television shows, even popular ones, to compete with big movie news. However, if DC and Warner Bros. play their cards right and don’t hold too much back, they could come away from San Diego Comic Con with two fantastically successful presentations.
Many would argue that Warner Bros and DC stole the show last year, even though they only came armed with a small tease of Batman v Superman. Now that they have some real offerings for the crowd, this years Comic Con is theirs to lose.
