Last summer, The CW tried a different way of introducing a hero into their DC TV universe. The animated web series Vixen aired five-six minute long episodes over six weeks on CW Seed, getting fans of Arrow and The Flash acquainted with the eponymous hero. Over the weekend, it was announced that Vixen has been renewed for Season 2, and three weeks earlier, it was revealed that voice actor Megalyn Echikunwoke will also be reprising the character in live action on Arrow. Could this mean Vixen is being prepped for her own show on the network? One of the CW’s top brass is certainly hopeful.
This weekend at the Television Critics Association press tour, CW president Mark Pedowitz expressed interest in seeing Vixen being spun off into her own show or included in their latest DC series, though nothing is set in stone at this point. Here's what he said, according to IGN:
Hopefully that character can spin itself out or if not, join Legends [of Tomorrow].
Starting next week (and not including the Vertigo adaptation iZombie), The CW will have three DC shows on schedule: The Flash for Tuesdays, Arrow for Wednesdays and Legends of Tomorrow for Thursdays. It’s been alluded to before that after Legends of Tomorrow debuts, The CW will take a break from debuting new DC shows, but things could change. Despite not being as well known as Green Arrow or Flash, Vixen has the potential to lead some interesting stories, and using her would be an opportunity to delve deeper into the mystical side of this universe.
If the pitch for her own show wouldn’t work out, including her in the cast of Legends of Tomorrow for Season 2 might be welcomed, whether it’s with the current cast or a new group of characters. Either way, if her upcoming Arrow appearance is well received, then it stands to reason we’ll see her again on television.
?Just like her comic book counterpart, The CW’s Vixen, a.k.a. Mari McCabe, is able to harness the abilities of all animals on Earth using the Anansi Totem she wears around her neck. In the Vixen animated series, her search for her biological parents and demonstration of her unique abilities drew the attention of Arrow and Flash. On top of that, Mari’s sister Kuasa was also hunting her to steal the totem for herself. Outside of the printed page, Vixen previously appeared in shows like Justice League Unlimited and Batman: The Brave and the Bold, but the web series is undoubtedly her biggest appearance in other media yet, and if all goes well, Arrow fans will take a liking to her in live-action.
If you haven’t seen the Vixen animated series yet, you can head over to CW Seed to watch the episodes edited as one, half-hour installment. Her Arrow guest spot will occur in Episode 15, tentatively scheduled for February 24.
