James Gunn, the creative force behind DC Studios, has released new visuals featuring official artwork and logos for a prominent Superman villain, drawing renewed attention to his approach within the DCU. These fresh images highlight the focus on Vasil Ghurkos, positioning the James Gunn Superman villain artwork at the center of fan discussions following the latest Superman release.
Behind the Scenes: Revealing Vasil Ghurkos’s Iconography
After a dramatic introduction in this summer’s Superman reboot, where the Man of Steel confronted Lex Luthor, Ultraman, and Boravia’s authoritarian president Vasil Ghurkos, new content featuring one of these foes has emerged. James Gunn took to social media platform X to share several behind-the-scenes glimpses of the film’s production, spotlighting the visuals for Zlatko Burić’s interpretation of the Boravian president.
The shared caption,
“Bits and pieces from the Boravian palace,”
accompanied a sequence of artwork. The first highlighted Ghurkos perched on a horse and holding a squirrel, blending classical leader portrait motifs with a sense of humor unique to this fictional nation’s representation. This distinctive imagery establishes Ghurkos not just as a dictator, but as an icon within Boravia’s mythos.
Attention then shifts to the Boravian crest, which features a slogan in Latin: Sciurus Non Servi (“The Squirrel Does Not Serve”). The motif persists, with the crest itself depicting two squirrels facing each other, bearing acorns and gazing upon the palace. This symbolic artwork aligns with the film’s playful yet menacing tone, weaving the character’s distinctive symbols into the broader narrative tapestry.
Another image includes Boravia’s comic-based motto, Domovina ujedinjena u pobjedi (“Homeland united in victory”), presented over a secondary logo that shows squirrels back-to-back, with their national crest below. This focus on logos and mottos grounds Vasil Ghurkos’s character as a cultural figure within the fictional DC world, as envisioned by Gunn.
Character Fate: Vasil Ghurkos and His Impact
Vasil Ghurkos made a significant impression during his single-film appearance but met a violent demise at the hands of Isabela Merced‘s Hawkgirl in the climax. Despite his absence in the announced Superman sequel, these new images underscore the lasting presence of his legacy. While he, unlike other adversaries such as Lex Luthor or The Engineer, was dispatched by the end of the story, Ghurkos’s distinctive imagery continues to enrich the Superman mythos.
James Gunn’s Superman film, now streaming on HBO Max, marked David Corenswet’s debut as the iconic superhero and included Nicholas Hoult’s portrayal of nemesis Lex Luthor. The story followed Superman as he confronted both superhuman foes and political enemies, marking the beginning of a new narrative arc for the DCU.
The confirmed sequel, Superman: Man of Tomorrow, written and directed again by Gunn, is scheduled to open in theaters on July 9, 2027. This upcoming film promises further exploration of Superman’s battles, with Lex Luthor expected to return in a new alliance against an as-yet-unnamed opponent, likely Brainiac.
What the Future Holds for the Boravian Villain
The timing of Gunn’s deep dive into Vasil Ghurkos’s look is noteworthy, given the character’s apparent dead-end in the storyline. He remains one of the few major antagonists introduced and eliminated in the same film, with justice served at the hands of the Justice Gang’s Hawkgirl.
While Lex Luthor and The Engineer survived, continuing as looming threats, Boravia itself has been neutralized for now. However, legacy and consequences loom large—the struggle for Jarhanpur and the Justice Gang’s victory may resurface in future DCU installments. The interconnectedness of these outcomes keeps the character of Ghurkos relevant, despite his on-screen demise.
Lex Luthor’s defeat in his Boravia-based plot has set the stage for unpredictable alliances and confrontations in Man of Tomorrow. With Lex poised to join Superman in confronting Brainiac, unresolved tensions persist, promising drama and conflict that stem partly from earlier events involving Vasil Ghurkos.
Gunn has also hinted at a non-linear timeline in his DCU vision, raising the possibility of prequels or time-jumping narratives. Under this approach, characters like Ghurkos, though seemingly written off, could reappear in new contexts, ensuring that their presence is not entirely erased from the evolving cinematic universe.
With James Gunn Superman villain artwork generating discussion among fans, these new displays of Vasil Ghurkos’s imagery reinforce the DCU’s commitment to detailed world-building and creative iconography, leaving the door open for more surprises as the franchise develops.
https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1991202285880316103
