Naomi (CW)

[thechase]

One of DC’s newest superheroes—so new, she doesn’t even have a superhero name yet—may be joining The CW’s DCTV roster.



The network announced today that it has given a script development deal to Naomi, a new one-hour drama series from executive producers and writers Ava DuVernay and Jill Blankenship and based on the groundbreaking, highly acclaimed comic series from Brian Michael Bendis, David F. Walker and Jamal Campbell. Produced by ARRAY Filmworks in association with Warner Bros. Television, details about what to expect from the series are limited, but the show’s logline suggests that it won’t be too far removed from what we’ve seen in the comic: Naomi follows a teen girl’s journey from her small northwestern town to the heights of the multiverse. When a supernatural event shakes her hometown to the core, Naomi sets out to uncover its origins, and what she discovers will challenge everything we believe about our heroes.







Part of the fun in reading the Naomi comic’s “season one” storyline was discovering what exactly is happening with Naomi and in her hometown, so we’ll avoid major spoilers here. But readers who did pick up the series were treated to a thrilling, tender story of a young woman on a small-town journey of destiny and self-discovery. The story is full of mystery and superhuman action, but it’s also refreshingly diverse. Naomi, whose full name is Naomi McDuffie, is the Black adopted daughter of two white midwestern parents. (Can you think of another adopted superhero in the DC Universe? Yep, he factors into the comic’s story as well.) She’s best friends with two girls who couldn’t be more different from each other and she strikes up a friendship with the town’s resident loner, a hulking, muscular mechanic. Naomi herself has gone on to make appearances in both Action Comics and Young Justice, suggesting that within DC’s comic book universe, her future is bright. It’s nice to see it possibly expand onto the small screen as well.



If greenlit, Naomi would be at least the third DC project that DuVernay is affiliated with. Last month, it was announced that her event series DMZ, based on the comic by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli, was coming to HBO Max. In addition, DuVernay is developing a movie based on Jack Kirby’s New Gods for eventual theatrical release.

www.dccomics.com/blog/2020/12/04/groundbreaking-superhero-naomi-could-be-coming-to-the-cw

[Muskrat]

I really dug Naomi, so I’m definitely interested in this

[Deleted]

I actually wanted to start a thread asking about Bendis' DC stuff, but this seems like just a good a thread.

I haven't read any of it, but his Marvel stuff was very hit or miss for me. For instance, Ultimate Spider-Man might be one of the best books ever, and stuff like his Daredevil and Jessica Jones were good, but when it came to stuff like X-Men and Avengers, it seemed like stories would always have a strong start but then sort of slog along. I'm curious how his DC stuff is.

[Long A, Short A]

I'ma give this show a chance and I hope CW does the same.

[Deleted]

I kind of wonder if I should try giving CW's stuff a shot at some point. At a point I watched the first few episodes of Arrow and didn't like it, but that was well before it exploded into what it is these days. Only live action superhero show I've really ever made any actual attempt to get into was Doom Patrol as of about a week ago and I loved that so might not hurt to give more a look sometime.

[eJm]

Dec 5, 2020 4:29:36 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

I kind of wonder if I should try giving CW's stuff a shot at some point. At a point I watched the first few episodes of Arrow and didn't like it, but that was well before it exploded into what it is these days. Only live action superhero show I've really ever made any actual attempt to get into was Doom Patrol as of about a week ago and I loved that so might not hurt to give more a look sometime.

Started watching Stargirl since that's an Amazon exclusive here and it feels different in some ways to the other CW shows and you don't need to know a tonne to get into it so I'd say check that out.

[Citizen Snips Has Left]

Dec 4, 2020 17:25:23 GMT -5 @therealoblivion said:

I actually wanted to start a thread asking about Bendis' DC stuff, but this seems like just a good a thread.

I haven't read any of it, but his Marvel stuff was very hit or miss for me. For instance, Ultimate Spider-Man might be one of the best books ever, and stuff like his Daredevil and Jessica Jones were good, but when it came to stuff like X-Men and Avengers, it seemed like stories would always have a strong start but then sort of slog along. I'm curious how his DC stuff is.

Bendis is decent with crime/street stuff but pretty bad when dealing with traditional superheroes. His biggest problem is he seems to write every character as either a world-weary mug or a naive idealist.

[thechase]

Dec 4, 2020 17:25:23 GMT -5 @therealoblivion said:

I actually wanted to start a thread asking about Bendis' DC stuff, but this seems like just a good a thread.

I haven't read any of it, but his Marvel stuff was very hit or miss for me. For instance, Ultimate Spider-Man might be one of the best books ever, and stuff like his Daredevil and Jessica Jones were good, but when it came to stuff like X-Men and Avengers, it seemed like stories would always have a strong start but then sort of slog along. I'm curious how his DC stuff is.

Bendis wrote a really fun Batman adventure story called 'Universe' for the 100-Page Giants two years ago at a time where the books were getting increasingly depressing, which was a welcome change. Other short stories he did, such as The Penguin working out Bruce's identity and a Bat- Family story in 'Tective#1027 were also great.

His Superman stuff honestly would not have been received so negatively if he'd have just left the Super-Family angle alone. Instead he aged up Clark's son Jon so he could have him join his Legion book, and he decided to give Lois and Clark this bizarre long-distance relationship where they live separately but still get it on like rabbits.

[Deleted]

Dec 5, 2020 10:01:02 GMT -5 thechase said:

Dec 4, 2020 17:25:23 GMT -5 @therealoblivion said:

I actually wanted to start a thread asking about Bendis' DC stuff, but this seems like just a good a thread.

I haven't read any of it, but his Marvel stuff was very hit or miss for me. For instance, Ultimate Spider-Man might be one of the best books ever, and stuff like his Daredevil and Jessica Jones were good, but when it came to stuff like X-Men and Avengers, it seemed like stories would always have a strong start but then sort of slog along. I'm curious how his DC stuff is.

Bendis wrote a really fun Batman adventure story called 'Universe' for the 100-Page Giants two years ago at a time where the books were getting increasingly depressing, which was a welcome change. Other short stories he did, such as The Penguin working out Bruce's identity and a Bat- Family story in 'Tective#1027 were also great.

His Superman stuff honestly would not have been received so negatively if he'd have just left the Super-Family angle alone. Instead he aged up Clark's son Jon so he could have him join his Legion book, and he decided to give Lois and Clark this bizarre long-distance relationship where they live separately but still get it on like rabbits.

I am okay with a change in dynamic as long as he stories are well told.

I guess what I'm asking is if I am "missing anything" by not reading his DC stuff. For example, if you are a fan of Marvel, you can't follow the major storylines of the time he was there without reading his stuff. Geoff Johns used to be like that for DC. I guess what I want to know is as a fan of the DC universe who currently isn't following much, are the Bendid books like the flagship books of the universe now that everyone should be reading?

[thechase]

To answer that question...no. Bendis' Superman wasn't a cornerstone title. Scott Snyder's Justice Leauge on the other hand certainly was.

[xxshoyuweeniexx]

Dec 5, 2020 8:08:53 GMT -5 eJm said:

Dec 5, 2020 4:29:36 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

I kind of wonder if I should try giving CW's stuff a shot at some point. At a point I watched the first few episodes of Arrow and didn't like it, but that was well before it exploded into what it is these days. Only live action superhero show I've really ever made any actual attempt to get into was Doom Patrol as of about a week ago and I loved that so might not hurt to give more a look sometime.

Started watching Stargirl since that's an Amazon exclusive here and it feels different in some ways to the other CW shows and you don't need to know a tonne to get into it so I'd say check that out.

That’s mostly in part of it really being a DC Universe streaming show, so all the pitfalls and nonsense of the CW superhero shows (well really just Supergirl, Flash and Arrow. Black Lighting and Legends of Tomorrow stay away from that crap mostly) so it wouldn’t be apart of Stargirl.

That being said, hopefully Naomi follow the path of the latter and does their own thing.

[Deleted]

Dec 5, 2020 10:38:57 GMT -5 thechase said:

To answer that question...no. Bendis' Superman wasn't a cornerstone title. Scott Snyder's Justice Leauge on the other hand certainly was.

Thanks. I was gonna reread Dark Nights Metal and then read Death Metal when it finishes. I'll make sure I find an online reading order that slots his Justice League in there.

[thechase]

Dec 5, 2020 13:14:34 GMT -5 @therealoblivion said:

Dec 5, 2020 10:38:57 GMT -5 thechase said:

To answer that question...no. Bendis' Superman wasn't a cornerstone title. Scott Snyder's Justice Leauge on the other hand certainly was.

Thanks. I was gonna reread Dark Nights Metal and then read Death Metal when it finishes. I'll make sure I find an online reading order that slots his Justice League in there.

Yes, do so. Every vitally important detail in Death Metal spun out of that run. You might want to include Year of the Villain also, even if that part of the story is a complete mess.

[eJm]

Dec 5, 2020 12:29:59 GMT -5 xxshoyuweeniexx said:

Dec 5, 2020 8:08:53 GMT -5 eJm said:

Started watching Stargirl since that's an Amazon exclusive here and it feels different in some ways to the other CW shows and you don't need to know a tonne to get into it so I'd say check that out.

That’s mostly in part of it really being a DC Universe streaming show, so all the pitfalls and nonsense of the CW superhero shows (well really just Supergirl, Flash and Arrow. Black Lighting and Legends of Tomorrow stay away from that crap mostly) so it wouldn’t be apart of Stargirl.

That being said, hopefully Naomi follow the path of the latter and does their own thing.

Same. I don’t know much about the character but I think it suits it better to be away from everything else or even you can have your own versions of characters to add to the mutiverse feel.

[King Boo]

Mandatory "Legends of Tomorrow is the best DC CW property by far" post.

The CW is OOC with these DC shows. Just give me my Legends and you can have all the rest at this point.

[thechase]

Pilot commissioned

www.ksitetv.com/naomi/the-cw-orders-a-pilot-for-dc-comics-naomi/210104/

[EvenBaldobombHasAJob]

Dec 4, 2020 17:25:23 GMT -5 @therealoblivion said:

I actually wanted to start a thread asking about Bendis' DC stuff, but this seems like just a good a thread.

I haven't read any of it, but his Marvel stuff was very hit or miss for me. For instance, Ultimate Spider-Man might be one of the best books ever, and stuff like his Daredevil and Jessica Jones were good, but when it came to stuff like X-Men and Avengers, it seemed like stories would always have a strong start but then sort of slog along. I'm curious how his DC stuff is.

Bendis is at his best when writing characters he created himself. If he's writing someone created by someone else, 9 times out of 10 he'll completely miss the mark.

[thechase]

Kaci Walfall cast in the lead role

variety.com/2021/tv/news/naomi-dc-pilot-kaci-walfall-1234933745/

[thechase]

Three more regulars added to the cast and a director/co-executive producer assigned to the pilot



deadline.com/2021/03/ava-duvernay-naomi-cw-dc-drama-pilot-adds-barry-watson-mouzam-makkar-cast-1234725278/

[Deleted]

Dec 4, 2020 17:25:23 GMT -5 @therealoblivion said:

I actually wanted to start a thread asking about Bendis' DC stuff, but this seems like just a good a thread.

I haven't read any of it, but his Marvel stuff was very hit or miss for me. For instance, Ultimate Spider-Man might be one of the best books ever, and stuff like his Daredevil and Jessica Jones were good, but when it came to stuff like X-Men and Avengers, it seemed like stories would always have a strong start but then sort of slog along. I'm curious how his DC stuff is.

In regards to NAOMI, I believe Bendis was something of a co-writer/plotter on that. It was mainly David Walker in charge; the impression I got was that Bendis had his name on this to bring more attention to it, rather than him doing the bulk of the storytelling. He did use her a bit in his ACTION COMICS run, but again to give her more of a spotlight beyond her own series.

Of everything he's had his name on at DC these past couple years, this was the one I never heard anything bad about.