Truth. Justice. Easter Eggs.

Supergirl has arrived in theaters, and can I just say Milly Alcock knocks it out of the park? The actress brought some great pathos to the role of Kara Zor-El, showing that heroes can be inspiring and messy at the same time. The film was everything I was hoping for when I heard they were doing a big screen adaptation of Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

Along with King and Evely’s classic story, the film references many other elements of the larger DC Universe. If you know me, then you know I love hunting for Easter Eggs, so let’s break down all the things I caught in Supergirl.
 

Warning: Spoilers ahead!
 

  • Supergirl is an adaptation of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, an eight-issue limited series by Tom King and Bilquis Evely. Many scenes from the film, such as Krem shooting Krypto and a drunk Supergirl meeting Ruthye at a bar, are taken directly from the comic.
  • We see a copy of The Daily Planet in our opening scene (shortly before Krypto does his morning business on it). It goes quickly, but if you can pay attention to some of the headlines and articles, and you might catch some cool things. The various credited reporters and photographers are all members of Supergirl’s production team. One article mentions Romita Lake, a reference to artist John Romita Jr.  There is also a blurb mentioning the Metropolis Mammoths, a hockey team that was first referenced in 1990’s Atlas of the DC Universe.
     
  • One of the first planets we visit is Holzherr, which was named after Brittany Holzherr, the DC Comics editor behind Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Tom King credits Holzherr with helping him shape the initial story, so it’s safe to say we wouldn’t have this movie without her.
     
  • Yes, that’s Seth Rogen voicing the bus attendant. The tiny little guy isn’t from the comics, but considering he steals every scene he’s in, we’re glad to make his acquaintance.
  • The Wormhole Xpress is invaded by a group of alien pirates known as the Sklarian Raiders. These intergalactic female bandits first appeared in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #233.
     
  • The Sklarians tell Supergirl and Ruthye that Krem is on a planet called Bilquis, which is named after Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow artist Bilquis Evely. Her gorgeous artwork is a big part of what made the limited series so special (and why you should absolutely read it if you still have not).
  • As Supergirl begins the Bilquis bar brawl, she tells the musicians to keep on playing, just as the band did on Titanic. This caught my attention, since it’s clear Kara hasn’t spent a lot of time on Earth, but she still managed to see Titanic. Then it hit me—of course Kara would be drawn to the tale of the failed ship, since it mirrors the story of Argo City.
     
  • Then again, Supergirl calls another alien “Squidward,” so maybe she’s just really into movies and TV shows that have water.
  • Enter Lobo, the Main Man, the last Czarnian and the baddest bastich in the galaxy. Lobo is a mercenary and anti-hero who was first introduced in 1983’s Omega Men #3. His popularity took off in the ‘90s, leading to some insane comics where he took on Santa Claus, the afterlife and everything in between.
  • Yes, Lobo really murdered his entire race. This event can be seen in the 1990 Lobo limited series.
  • As we see Krypton’s destruction, the phrase “Great Rao” is invoked. Rao is the name of Krypton’s red sun and is a god the Kryptonians worship. Rao was first referenced in 1972’s Superman #248.
  • During Lobo’s second scene we get to see his iconic Spacehog in action. The flying motorcycle with its iconic skull bumper has been the Main Man’s favorite vehicle since Justice League International #18.
     
  • Barenton and its deadly green sun were first seen in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #5. Ruthye is forced to take Kara to a nearby cave and protect her, just as she does in the film.
  • The idea of a green sun being harmful to Kryptonians dates back to 1962’s Superman #155. In that story, a villain filters an alien planet’s sunlight so that it turns green, rendering Superman powerless. It wasn’t quite as painful as Kara’s experience on Barenton, but it still gave Superman a run for his money.
     
  • We won’t go over all the differences and similarities to the source material here, but it’s worth noting that the movie goes in a different direction for its climax. In the comic, it’s Ruthye who talks Kara out of killing Krem, not the other way around. The villain is spared and imprisoned in the Phantom Zone for 300 years. The comic also reveals that the poison was never a real danger to Krypto, Supergirl had just used it as a pretense to keep an eye on Ruthye.
  • Speaking of Superman, Kara reunites with her cousin on Earth in the film’s epilogue. If the apartment they’re in looks familiar, that’s because it’s the same place Lois and Clark had their heart-to-heart in Superman. If it helps, picture a dimensional imp in the outside window.

And this is just what I caught in my first two viewings. There’s probably a ton that I missed, so feel free to do an Easter egg hunt of your own and share your findings over in the DC Official Discord server, where we have an entire channel devoted to discussing Supergirl spoilers!
 

Supergirl, directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Milly Alcock and Jason Momoa, is now in theaters. Get your tickets today!

Joshua Lapin-Bertone writes about TV, movies and comics for DC.com, is a regular contributor to the Couch Club and writes our monthly Batman column, "Gotham Gazette." Follow him on Bluesky at @joshualapinbertone and on X at @TBUJosh.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Joshua Lapin-Bertone and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.