Each Friday, we'll be letting a different DC.com writer share what they'll be reading over the weekend and why you might want to check it out. Here's this week's suggestion for a perfect Weekend Escape!
 

Thanks to the exciting news from James Gunn about the future of DC Studios, you’ve probably heard of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Singled out as one of the inspirations for the first chapter of DC Studios storytelling, the eight-issue adventure by Tom King and Bilquis Evely immediately became a must-read for fans curious about where DC’s new cinematic universe is going. But DC Comics fans will tell you this was a pivotal story for the Girl of Steel before it was an instant sensation.

“Supergirl was a small, ambitious book that got out there and got attention because of the passion of all the fans who took a chance, read it and shared it,” writer Tom King recently said on Twitter.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow spans the stars in a sci-fi tale that will forever change how you think about Kara Zor-El. Let’s go on a Weekend Escape to a faraway world where a red sun hangs low in the sky as the story begins.
 

The Premise:

A young girl on a distant planet seeks revenge when her unarmed father is murdered by the merciless Krem of the Yellow Hills. Her furious quest for vengeance begins in a nearby town where her path, unlikely enough, crosses with Supergirl. Kara Zor-El and Krypto came to a planet with a red sun to celebrate her 21st birthday with a drink. Or several. But when she meets a girl who feels like she’s lost her whole world, Kara can’t let her go on alone. They embark on an epic journey together that will leave them both forever changed.

Let’s Talk Talent:

Tom King, the writer of Batman, Mister Miracle, The Human Target, The Sheriff of Babylon and so much more, is already considered a comics legend. The Eisner award winner has taken many of your favorite superheroes on genre-spanning odysseys that shape them into fallible, complicated characters. Supergirl is no exception.

Joining King for this series is artist Bilquis Evely. Evely has worked on Wonder Woman and The Dreaming in the Sandman Universe. Her distinctive, detailed art is both evocative and otherworldly, a perfect fit for the extraterrestrial settings of Woman of Tomorrow. Combined with Matheus Lopes’ kaleidoscopic colors, the art in this limited miniseries is nothing short of extraordinary.
 

A Few Reasons to Read:

• Ruthye Marye Knoll. Woman of Tomorrow is just as much Ruthye’s story as it is Kara’s. She’s young, but she’s also determined and undeterred. She’s wise enough to give Supergirl the space she needs to cope with the gruesome horrors they encounter on nameless planets. Kara saves the young girl’s life time and time again, naturally. But Ruthye’s also there for Kara, whether she’s holding a throw-up bucket after Kara’s red sun bender or protecting the powerless Kryptonian when an entire world is intent on destroying her.
• ​​​​​​​Kara Zor-El is more than simply Kal-El’s cousin. Much, much more. They might be related, but Superman and Supergirl are not the same person. There’s a hardness to Kara that’s explored more in this tale. She fights for truth and justice, but she fights her way. Seeing Kara through Ruthye’s eyes gives the story a sense of unflinching honesty about the character that Kara’s own narration might not have otherwise provided.

• Supergirl’s origin story is more harrowing than you ever realized. Kara experienced more loss by the age of 14 than most do in a lifetime. And it wasn’t just when Krypton exploded—the resulting devastation immediately spared her city, but the causalities continued for months after. Kara watched her remaining people slowly die before she left her terminally ill father to follow her cousin to Earth. This retelling of Supergirl’s origin is horrific and raw, adding new depth to the familiar character you thought you knew.
   
• The galaxy is a dangerous and highly compelling place. There are endless stories to be told across the stars in the DC Universe. And until I read Woman of Tomorrow, I never considered how many lowlifes living among those stars would hold a grudge against Superman and his friends. They don’t know what they’re in for.
   

Why It’s Worth Your Time:

It’s exciting to think that we’ll be getting a big screen version of this breathtaking book, but the producers sure have their work cut out for them! Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow takes readers on a cosmic journey while accentuating a fundamental truth about Kara Zor-El: she is a badass, with or without superpowers. It’s impossible to read this series and not come away from it with a new appreciation for the Maiden of Might. Kara isn’t just Superman’s cousin. She’s complex, tough and unbreakable no matter what abominations the galaxy throws at her. And after you read Woman of Tomorrow, you’ll never forget that.
 

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely is now available to read in full on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE and in print as a graphic novel.

Kelly Knox writes about all-ages comics and animation for DCComics.com and her writing can also be seen on IGN, Nerdist and more. Follow her on Twitter at @kelly_knox to talk superheroes, comics and pop culture.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Kelly Knox and do not necessarily reflect those of DC Entertainment or Warner Bros., nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.