Supergirl‘s new superhero name in the 2026 DC release is connected to the comics, and it continues a James Gunn DC Universe trend. Superman is the most important character in the DCU Chapter One. Not only was David Corenswet’s Clark Kent the main character of the first DCU movie, but Superman‘s cast is involved in multiple DCU releases, showcasing the confidence in them.
After debuting at the end of Superman, Milly Alcock’s Supergirl will soon become one of those Superman characters to appear in multiple DCU releases. The Supergirl movie is all about Kara finding who she truly is. As the trailers have teased, Kara is very different from Clark, carrying a lot of trauma over what happened with Krypton and the way she had to grow up.
For those who read the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comics that the film is based on, it is easy to see how the DCU version of Supergirl is more mature than others. While the upcoming DC movie does not arrive, another 2026 DC release features a somewhat similar version of the Girl of Steel. This other Supergirl has played around with a name change.
My Adventures with Superman season 3 returned recently, with new episodes of the DC series airing weekly. The project is not connected to Gunn’s DCU, with The Boys star Jack Quaid voicing Superman, while Fear Street trilogy actress Kiana Madeira voices Supergirl. The latter is on an arc of letting go of her anger to become a true superhero, similar to Alcock’s.
My Adventures With Superman Season 3 Debuts A New Supergirl Name
Madeira’s Supergirl debuted in My Adventures with Superman season 2, where it was revealed that she was Brainiac’s adopted daughter, manipulated by him to destroy planets and bend civilizations to the villain’s will. After Superman helped her see what she was truly doing, Kara helped her Kryptonian cousin take down Brainiac, whom she locked away in the My Adventures with Superman season 3 premiere. In episode 2, the focus is squarely on what is next for Kara now that Brainiac is done. As she interacts with the public and gets a confidence boost from her loved ones, Supergirl considers a new name.
My Adventures with Superman season 3 sees Kara suggest being called Power Woman. Given how the public had already taken to calling her Supergirl, the name ultimately does not work as Kara intended it to. However, the mention of Power Woman is a cool one for DC Comics fans, as it ties into Supergirl’s long history. In the Kingdom Come comics, where Supergirl is Kara Zor-L, not Kara Zor-El, the character takes on this alternate superhero title, being known as Power Woman. In other adaptations, Kara is also known as Power Girl, coming from her Earth-2 version.
How DC’s Superman Series Continues A James Gunn DCU Trend
Gunn has been pretty open about his comic book inspirations for 2025’s Superman and other DCU projects. Kingdom Come is a big one for the franchise in two ways. For one, the DCU reverses Kingdom come, with the idea of a new generation of superheroes breaking through an older, jaded group of veterans, with Superman leading the first. In the comics, an older Superman comes back to teach reckless new heroes how to behave. Another key Kingdom Come connection comes in the form of the House of El crest, aka the “S” symbol on Superman and Supergirl’s suits, which is inspired by that run.
As such, by being a DC Studios release that borrows elements from the iconic Kingdom Come arc from DC Comics, My Adventures with Superman season 3 is continuing a Gunn trend started in the DCU. The animated series merely plays with the notion of Supergirl going with her Kingdom Come name, though the connection does not amount to something more as of now. However, perhaps it could lead to an eventual Power Girl/Woman appearance in future episodes or seasons of My Adventures with Superman.
- Release Date
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July 7, 2023
- Network
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Adult Swim
- Showrunner
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Jake Wyatt
- Directors
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Diana Huh, Jen Bennett, Kiki Manrique
- Writers
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M. Willis, Angela Entzminger, Aman Adumer, Brendan Clogher, Cynthia Furey, Jake Wyatt, Josie Campbell