For all the debates that could be had about the merits of James Gunn ushering in a new Kryptonian superhero with Superman: Legacy, I’m firmly in the club who believes the project is 100% worth it based solely on Nathan Fillion’s Green Lantern being part of the stacked cast list headed up by lead David Corenswet. While I wish I had a ring powerful enough to create a finished version of the film far ahead of its July 11, 2025 release date, I’ll just have to make do with some excellent comic-inspired fan art depicting not just Fillion’s Bronze Age hero, but also Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl, Anthony Carrigan’s Metamorpho, and Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific.
Always one to give a nod to his ever-growing fanbase, James Gunn took to Stories on his Instagram page to share a pair of fan art pieces highlighting artist Davi Alves’ super-cool takes on Superman: Legacy’s supporting cast of heroes, specifically Fillion’s Guy Gardner and Merced’s mace-wielding warrior.
The text in the art above is a direct reference to Guy Gardner’s first comic book appearance in 1969’s Green Lantern #59, and also plays into why Nathan Fillion is such a great choice for that Lantern in particular. Guy has often been an overly egotistical twerp, for all his heroics, and Fillion is great at portraying just such characters whose confidence outweighs intelligence.
Best known for her starring roles in Sicario: Day of the Soldado and Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Isabela Merced is set to make her superhero debut as Hawkgirl for James Gunn’s DCU-anchoring film. And I’m pumped to see the character getting her due on the big screen with the actress in the role, especially with this fan art offering an idea of what we might see.
For all that I’m looking forward to both of the above stars’ arrivals as their respective heroes, I’m all the more enthused about the comic cover art paying tribute to Justified and House vet Edi Gathegi’s vastly intelligent Mister Terrific — as well as Dave Gibbons’ cover art for 1970’s JSA #70 — as well as Barry and Gotham alum Anthony Carrigan as the transmutational hero Metamorpho. Check out those pieces below, as shared by the artist.
Superman: Legacy Retro Comics(New covers coming soon 🙂)#fanart@JamesGunn @iamedigathegi pic.twitter.com/25Zx010w8ZOctober 4, 2023
Both characters have popped up across a slew of DC animated projects over the years, but this will be their first official live-action appearances, though Arrow did feature Echo Kellum as a remixed version of M.T. named Curtis Holt. I can’t wait to see two DC introductions led by actors in their 40s, which perhaps speaks to my own age, but more to the point, I know that Gathegi and Carrigan will destroy those roles because of their talents and experience.
I would have watched a whole spinoff just based on the latter’s sadistic and masochistic Victor Zsasz on Gotham, so seeing him as the offbeat Metamorpho will no doubt be a unique DCU treat. And For All Mankind fans know what Gathegi looks like playing a brainiac for his Season 3 portrayal of engineer Dev Ayesa.
Superman: Legacy isn't the only upcoming DC movie that we're ironing our capes for, but we're already ready to line up (meta-mo-phorically speaking) for its July 11, 2025 release.
