Supergirl’s Nia Nal, AKA Dreamer, is coming to the comic book DC Universe, in a story co-written by the actor who played her on the CW series – Nicole Maines.
Maines will join writer Tom Taylor for July’s Superman: Son Of Kal-El #13, to bring DC’s first transgender superhero from live-action to the DC Universe for the first time.
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While DC is billing this appearance as Dreamer’s DCU debut, she did previously appear in comic book form in June 2021’s DC Pride anthology (opens in new tab) in a story written by Maines. At the time, DC described that story as “the thrilling introduction of new hero Dreamer in the DCU.”
Co-written by Maines and series writer Taylor, Superman: Son Of Kal-El #13 will be drawn by artist Clayton Henry.
“I’m so excited to work with Nicole Maines to bring Dreamer from the screen to the pages of Superman: Son of Kal-El and to the DC Comics Universe,” says Taylor in DC’s announcement. “I want to thank all the people at DC who have championed Dreamer and who recognize the importance of this powerful trans superhero in this time.”
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Maines describes Jon Kent and Nia Nal are two characters that have a lot in common, both as superheroes with “the weight of the world on their shoulders, and as young people with impossibly big shoes to fill.”
“Weaving their stories together for Superman: Son of Kal-El with Tom was a complete pleasure, and there is only a little pun intended when I say that Superman and Dreamer make for a brilliant new Dream-Team,” adds the actor-writer, who also recently wrote the introduction for the DC Pride 2022 anthology.
According to DC, with every superhero on Earth threatened by President Henry Bendix’s machinations, the mysterious Dreamer must warn Superman before it’s too late, but her premonitions might become a nightmare for Jon.
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Dreamer made her debut on Supergirl played by Maines during season 4 of The CW series and became a regular cast member. Her superhero abilities include precognitive visions.
A journalist like Lois Lane and Jon’s boyfriend Jay Nakamura, Dreamer already has something of a comic book pedigree. As a half-human, half Naltorian, she is an ancestor of the Legion of Super-Heroes character Nura Nal, the LSH’s original Dream Girl.
Superman: Son Of Kal-El #13 goes on sale July 12 with a main cover by Travis Moore and variant covers by A.L. Kaplan and Clayton Henry, all of which can be seen here.
Will Dreamer’s DC comic book debut earn a spot among the best superhero origin stories?