Top 7 Things to Know Before Watching Naomi
#10: The Inception of Wonder Comics
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Back in October 2018, DC Entertainment unveiled its plans for their new “pop-up imprint” Wonder Comics. The imprint was set to feature four new series, focusing on the beginnings of teen superheroes. And the company enlisted the help of notable comic creator Brian Michael Bendis to curate the new venture. Bendis, whose works include “Jessica Jones,” “House of M,” and “Secret Invasion,” also ushered in young characters Miles Morales and Riri Williams. Along with co-creators David F. Walker and Jamal Campbell, Bendis debuted the first issue of “Naomi” in March 2019. The series introduced the titular heroine to the DC Universe. The story follows a 17-year-old African American girl from the Pacific Northwest. But one “big event” turns Naomi’s life into anything but ordinary.
#9: Connection to Superman
Remember that event we mentioned? Well, it involved a certain Man of Steel barrelling through her small hometown of Port Oswego, Oregon. Since this is a town where nothing exciting ever happens, Naomi and everyone else is beyond fascinated. As a huge fan of superheroes, it drives her crazy that she missed the spectacle. And when he comes back to clean up, she misses it yet again. As an adoptee, Naomi identifies with the also adopted Superman. His brief yet epic appearance inspires her to learn more about her own story
#8: Her Origins
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After Superman comes crashing through the town, Naomi becomes obsessed with other possible supernatural occurrences in Port Oswego. It’s a bit of an urban legend, but she finds that there was in fact something weird 17 years before. And it happened on March 14th, the day of her adoption. A portal to another world opened and a woman left two things behind before she was killed — a mysterious black box and a baby girl. Naomi learns that her biological parents are superhumans from an alternate Earth in the multiverse. A select number of people received god-like powers after radiation leaked into the wracked planet’s surface. One tyrannical superhuman Zumbado tried to kill Naomi, which led to her parents sending her to Prime Earth for protection.
#7: Powers & Abilities
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Naomi had no idea the power that lay dormant inside her. The extent of her abilities are still being discovered, but she can fly, levitate, and manifest gold and black armor. The energy waves she generates around her body aren’t just for show. She can add some serious boost to her attacks, giving her superhuman strength. And if that wasn’t enough, Naomi’s energy blasts from her hands will take out an opponent as strong as Red Cloud. In “Justice League” #61, Batman labels Naomi as a “mega-power,” a new power classification in the DCU. Needless to say, she packs a punch.
#6: Her Time With Young Justice & the Justice League
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After Zumbado vows to conquer Prime Earth, Naomi flies to Metropolis hoping to get help from Superman. Here, she also meets Batman, the Wonder Twins, and Dr. Ray Palmer (aka Atom). She later teams up with Young Justice. And when a mega-powered being from her birth world enters her current world, the Justice League comes to ask her for help defeating him. Naomi earns the name Powerhouse from none other than Aquaman, given her undeniably strong abilities. Her time with both the Justice League and Young Justice helped her discover more about herself.
#5: Naomi’s Story Incorporates DC History
While Naomi’s story is brand new, writers Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker wanted to add some callbacks to the classics. Naomi learns that Dee isn’t actually a human and neither is her adoptive dad, Greg. Both are soldiers from other planets, but not the same planet. DC fans will be familiar with the Rann-Thanagar War from 2005 comics of the same name. Dee reveals that he’s from Thanagar, and Greg is from the planet Rann. The two came to Earth (separately) to escape the constant war between their homeworlds and assumed human identities. This is how both were able to locate the portal Naomi came through.
#4: Talent Behind the Scenes
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“Naomi” was written and executive produced by filmmaker Ava DuVernay and “Arrow” writer Jill Blankenship. DuVernay has seen major success in the 2010s with “Selma,” “When They See Us,” and the Emmy-winning Netflix documentary “13th,” just to name a few. The pilot was written by DuVernay and directed by Amanda Marsalis. And with credits like “Ozark” and “The Umbrella Academy,” Marsalis is more than up for the job. “Naomi” isn’t Ava DuVernay’s first DC project, though. She signed on to develop “New Gods” with comic book writer Tom King back in 2018. However, it was announced in April 2021 that the project was cancelled.
#3: The Show’s Premise
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The synopsis appears to stay true to the source material, following Naomi as she uncovers her superhero origins. A clip released during DC FanDome 2021 shows Naomi rushing to town square when Superman touches down in Port Oswego. This mirrors the events of “NAOMI” #1, though Naomi fainting from the encounter is a new detail. But when adapting for the screen, certain changes are needed to convey the same messages between mediums. Given the casting details, it looks like more friends have been added to Naomi’s world, likely so she isn’t talking to herself. Speaking of which…
#2: Cast & Characters
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Kaci Walfall stars as the titular heroine, leading a cast of talented emerging actors as well as veterans. Mary-Charles Jones will take on the role of Annabelle, Naomi’s best friend and main confidant. Daniel Puig, Camila Moreno, Will Meyers and Aidan Gemme round out Naomi’s circle of friends. Cranston Johnson has been cast as Naomi’s arch-nemesis Zumbado. He’s a powerful superhuman, so it will be interesting to see how he’s brought to life. Three very important characters to the story are the adults who investigated the strange portal from Naomi’s homeworld. Naomi’s adoptive parents, Greg and Jen McDuffie, will be played by Barry Watson and Mouzam Makkar, with “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” alum Alexander Wraith as the mysterious Dee.
#1: Joining the Arrowverse
With the CW’s “Supergirl” and “Black Lightning” coming to an end in 2021, a fresh superhero is welcomed to the network’s DC lineup. Given Naomi’s strong connection to the Man Steel, and Tyler Hoechlin’s increased presence in the Arrowverse, it’s likely that we’ll see the two share the screen. The network is known for its epic crossover events, so an interaction between Superman and Naomi is bound to happen. “Naomi” debuts January 11th, 2022 on the CW, right after the second season premiere of “Superman & Lois.” Naomi McDuffie and her energy-based powers are sure to be a compelling addition to the established Arrowverse.
