As ‘Supergirl’ approaches, the new DC Universe is beginning to take shape. The DCU does not appear to be interested in playing it safe under James Gunn’s leadership.
Rather than reusing the most obvious heavy-hitters, it is digging into comics that seem complete, character-driven, and surprising. This is why the recently announced miniseries by DC, ‘The Deadman,’ appears cut from the same cloth.
Deadman Could Be The DCU’s Boldest Movie Choice Yet
Boston Brand, or Deadman, is not a household name. But that might be the point. DC has been moving more towards prestige-style miniseries that serve as character statements. ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ was an example of such work, a closed, emotionally full narrative that did not need decades of continuity schooling. It provided a definite start, middle, and end.
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Now, it’s the blueprint for the upcoming ‘Supergirl’ film. ‘The Deadman’ seems to be made of the same cloth. The six-issue series is a dark, surreal exploration of life and death. Deadman’s core power is possession: he can inhabit the bodies of the living to solve problems the dead cannot.
Such narrative devices create vast possibilities in cinema. Think of a DCU movie in which a single character lets us naturally visit various parts of the universe: heroes, villains, street-level criminals, mystical chaos, all through the same emotional prism. That’s not just adaptable. It is effective world-building.
Why Deadman Makes Perfect Sense For A Screen Adaptation
The DCU so far suggests tonal flexibility. There’s cosmic optimism in ‘Superman’, mythic ambition in ‘The Brave and the Bold’, and darker supernatural elements on the slate as well. Deadman is sitting there comfortably at that crossroads. He’s tragic but funny. Spiritual but grounded. Weird, yet deeply human. Unlike traditional origin epics, Deadman’s story isn’t about becoming a hero; it’s about coping with being stuck between worlds.
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Existentialism fits well with the fact that Gunn favors imperfect, emotionally vulnerable heroes. Boston Brand is not invulnerable. He’s searching. He’s restless. And he is attempting to mend something that is broken, including himself. And maybe that is the true attraction.
Should the DCU keep adjusting to tightly-knit miniseries rather than the expansive continuity arcs, Deadman would be a logical follow-up. Not because he is famous, but because he is particular. Following ‘Supergirl’, the message appears to be obvious: in this universe, even the most unusual heroes can receive the limelight.
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