A newly revealed piece of Superman concept art gives fans a fresh look at María Gabriela De Faría’s character, The Engineer. She appears in James Gunn’s upcoming DCU film, Superman. In the comics, her real name is Angela Spica. In the movie, she teams up with Lex Luthor as one of his strongest allies in the fight against David Corenswet’s Superman. Moreover, the Engineer has nanites in her bloodstream. As a result, she can manipulate matter and create solid objects at will. Thanks to these abilities, she stands out as one of the most dangerous metahumans in the DCU.
Superman Concept Art Unveils Alternate Engineer Design
Concept artist Constantine Sekeris recently shared unseen designs of The Engineer on social media. Although the final film design is similar in many ways, it is not entirely identical. By comparison, this alternate Superman concept art introduces several notable enhancements. Most notably, it features “breathing vents” specifically designed to support her nanotech-based powers. As a result, these additions not only enhance the realism of her abilities but also make them appear more believable and visually grounded on-screen.
Sekeris explained:
“Another great character to help bring to life from the comics… We stayed true to the source material and wanted to translate her look in a unique way that allowed her costume breathing vents when she started to use her nano tech, etc. She was very challenging and we all tackled [it] as a team. The very talented team over at @legacyeffects jumped in with stunning design work as well to help explore many ideas that I’m sure you will see in due time.”
This design, though unused, reflects the incredible effort poured into realizing one of the DCU’s more complex characters.
María Gabriela De Faría on Playing The Engineer in Superman
In Superman, The Engineer is a crucial member of Lex Luthor’s team. Although she eventually faces defeat in the final battle with Superman, her impact on the story is significant.
Reflecting on her time filming the movie in April 2025, María Gabriela De Faría said the role was one of the most demanding she’s ever tackled. She shared with Remezcla:
“This experience was super challenging physically, but it was also very challenging emotionally. My character as The Engineer is a very physical character. And not only because of the image that the character has in the comic, but because of all the things I had to do on set. It was a very long process that has left me with a gift, a love for movement.”
Her comments underline the dedication required to bring a visually and emotionally layered character like The Engineer to life.
With the release of this unused Superman concept art, fans are already speculating about The Engineer’s potential return. Given James Gunn’s vision for an interconnected DCU and The Engineer’s comic book ties to The Authority, it’s very possible Angela Spica’s story is far from over.
Her powerful design, sci-fi tech abilities, and rich comic legacy make her a strong candidate for future appearances, whether in solo stories or team-based films.
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Patrick Webb