The latest film from the “DCU” movie universe, Supergirl, launches in less than a week, with Milly Alcock taking on the role of Kara, cousin of Kal-El. She was first introduced in a very fun scene in last year’s Superman film, and there are many people looking forward to seeing it.
However, in some of the more toxic areas of the Internet, people aren’t so enthusiastic. In fact, take a look in certain online social media places and there are a ton of sexist and misogynistic comments about Milly Alcock, the movie, and even Milly’s appearance. “She doesn’t smile!” they say. Some have even compared her appearance to a character from Mad Max. None of those things are true, by the way.
This bad behavior was made even worse when former Superman actor Dean Cain admitted he “laughed,” and then went on to follow one of the main misogynist grifters one could find on X. Why is it necessary for an actor to insult another actor like that? Would Dean like it if people called him names? Probably not. (And be the better person – don’t do it.) I know some complained about the media coverage — but the point was that what Dean Cain said about her was bad and it should be discussed. That is news.
Some of the people and outlets posting rage bait and doom and gloom repeatedly have their reasons: If you pay for a blue check on X and get engagement, you can get paid for what you post, so if someone posts something infuriating that gets a lot of replies, they get a lot of money for it. Some are angry that the Zack Snyder “Snyderverse” films are dead, and blame James Gunn and anything peripheral to him for it… even though Gunn is not director of the movie, so that does about as much good as attacking James Wan and Aquaman for how awful Batman v Superman was. Some of these people will complain about any social commentary that they don’t agree with; there’s a throughline between the Supergirl haters and those who’d complain that someone ate their comm badge on Starfleet Academy, for example. And finally, there are the folks who took issue with Milly Alcock’s “Dad of four; Christian” comment, that the haters of the film usually have profiles that say things like that. She’s not wrong. One of the most toxic online posters about Supergirl literally says “I became a #1 bestselling author by standing for Christian values” in his profile. His “Christian values,” by the way, are not Christian at all, if one looked around this profile. He spews racism, homophobia, hate, and misogyny like there’s nothing else in the world. Milly Alcock was not attacking Christians with her post.
Just today, there have been completely fabricated “online reactions to a Supergirl screening” from people with only 120 social media followers that have no basis in reality. Or, those who did post positive reviews are getting attacked by the opposition, claiming they are “shills” and lying. Sometimes a movie is a movie, and people have different opinions. I mentioned earlier that I didn’t like Batman v Superman; for others, it’s their favorite film. So, differences of opinion happen. I do still resent it, though, that even back then there was a group of fans insisting that every negative review of BvS was “paid for by Marvel.” If that’s the case, where is my check?
The Internet has also been a place for hit pieces about how Supergirl will “flop.” Maybe it will. We’ll know in a week or so. But, the reasons for posting such things are mostly, again, wishful thinking from the crowd still butthurt that Starfleet Academy had a gay Klingon in it. They’ll find something new to grift their hate on in a few weeks, anyway.
I have not seen Supergirl yet, and I won’t see it until opening night like almost everyone else in the world can. Who knows, maybe I won’t even like it. But I think it deserves a fair shot going in next week. A friend told me his teenage daughter is looking forward to it. Honestly, her opinion matters more than mine or any random neckbeard on the Internet’s opinion would. I do worry that the negativity surrounding the film has killed some of my excitement, and worry that others have had that same feeling, but hopefully, we can fly above and just enjoy the film. Supergirl hits theaters June 26.
Disclaimer, but necessary to mention: Those who have followed KryptonSite for 25 years know that in my younger days, I posted some things that I saw as “jokes,” primarily age-related, that might have read as pretty awful. I apologize for that, and I have apologized for that. It isn’t funny to look back at, and it wasn’t funny then.
bbussey
August 11, 2016 at 2:22 pm
I doubt the person exploring her/her sexuality is Winn. Most likely Sara, as Caity Lotz already has stated her character would be playing the field with a girlfriend or two.
Gomez Munoz
October 25, 2016 at 7:03 pm
So why do they have to throw in crap about homosexuals in everything?
Craig Byrne
October 25, 2016 at 7:04 pm
I’d kindly like you to leave your homophobic crap comments elsewhere and go somewhere else for Supergirl news, because that kind of commentary is not tolerated or welcome here. It’s 2016, not 1916. Get over yourself.
Grood
November 1, 2016 at 5:35 am
Its not homophobia, Gomez Munoz is right, I love Supergirl and Flash but we already have too many heroes and gay characters in the Berlanti universe. Maggie Sawyer, Mr. Terrific, the police boss at Flash, White Canary, Mon-El, clearly in yesterday’s Supergirl episode. And Winn and Alex might be gay too. As a straight viewer I’m starting to feel alienated.
Craig Byrne
November 6, 2016 at 9:28 pm
You just listed about 5 characters out of hundreds. If you’re that threatened by such a small percentage of characters, which isn’t even comparable to the percentage of LGBT population in real life, then yes, it is homophobia.
Mon-El is VERY straight (as we will certainly see in “Crossfire”) and considering Winn’s relationship with Siobhan and anything new that may come in the future, pretty sure he’s straight, too. But I find it very sad that people who watch a show that in itself is about acceptance have problems or disrespect for those who want to be accepted.