Superman News

PHOTO: Russell Crowe Is Jor-El

2:24 pm EST October 5th, 2011 | Comic Books, Movies | 1 Comment

He’s certainly a good actor, that’s for sure.

Topic: Superman

First Photo Of Henry Cavill As Superman

10:40 am EST August 4th, 2011 | Comic Books | 6 Comments

Oh, I don’t know about this. Something is off. The costume looks almost like armor. And where’s the spit curl?

Henry Cavill as Superman

Topic: Superman

DC Plans To Ruin Superman

2:25 pm EST July 18th, 2011 | Comic Books | 18 Comments

I know “I hate change” is the cry of every nerd, but I don’t like this. DC is planning to kill off both of Superman’s parents (not just Pa Kent), dissolve his marriage to Lois, and worst of all – take away his powers of flight and give him a suit of armor.

I understand the comics need to appeal to a wider base of readers, but the phrase “don’t tug on Superman’s cape” exists for a reason. Iconic figures are iconic for a reason. Superman is Superman.

Ugh.

Topic: Superman

Superman, The Reporter, For Real

3:59 pm EST July 1st, 2011 | Comic Books, Media | 3 Comments

CJR has a pretty superficial look at how journalism is portrayed in Superman: The Movie. The writer spends a lot of time writing about David Carradine’s monologue about how Clark Kent is just a front for Superman (a theory I think is a lot of bunk, especially in regards to post-Crisis Superman, where Clark is the main character and Superman is the outlet).

But even beyond that, the writer seems to have missed the role that the Daily Planet has in the world of Superman. First, Superman is at the planet because where better to be (in theory at least) than a major newspaper (the Planet is basically the New York Times of the DC Universe) to be at the nerve center of the world? If you’re Superman and you work at the Daily Planet, the world’s biggest most Superman-level stories come to you.

In Superman The Movie we see the major role of journalism in defining the world from the instance in which Lois Lane spends a night flying with Superman. As she lands and he flies away, she notes to herself about the stranger who has been nameless up until that point: “what a super man.” The next morning the lead story in the Daily Planet is “My Night With Superman” and that becomes his name. Furthermore, Superman chooses to speak only to the Planet because he knows they have respect and authority and will get the story right. In addition to his attraction to Lois, she is their best reporter. And while she begins falling in love with him, there she is with her notebook getting the answer to who he is (a visitor from a planet far, far away), why he’s there (to help), and what his vulnerabilities are (he can’t see through lead).

I concede that the movie does not have a lot of shoe leather reporting in it, but let’s not kid ourselves, Superman was a summertime action-adventure film, not a deep treatise on a reporter in the city.

That said, in the Superman comics, there have been instances where Superman has learned that he can best effect changes not as Superman, but as reporter Clark Kent. I remember an issue where he was able to expose the corruption behind a developer who wanted to tear down a home, not by using his fists as Superman but by digging into the company as reporter Clark Kent.

The comics have also dealt with the various outside influences on newspapers that we see in the real world. For a time in the late ’70s, Clark Kent wasn’t a print reporter but was a tv reporter for WGBS. A couple times, corporate conglomerates have purchased the Daily Planet in order to subvert its influence. Lex Luthor once bought the paper which eventually prompted Editor In Chief Perry White to quit in protest.

These outside forces want to subvert the Daily Planet because to the average every day citizen in the DC Universe, it is the news source they trust to give them the story in a fair, detailed manner. It’s a pretty good standard for news organizations in the real world.

Topic: Superman

Justice League Reboot: New Superman Costume? Sigh.

2:54 pm EST June 26th, 2011 | Comic Books | 6 Comments

An image has come out of the new, soon to be rebooted Justice League. Superman is of course front and center.

I don’t like his costume. It looks more like Iron Man style armor than the classic Superman gear. While I don’t expect for the costume to stay static, there is a classicness to the look that shouldn’t be messed with.

The Original: Golden Age Superman by Joe Shuster

The Iconic: Curt Swan’s Superman of the ’60s and ’70s were used in the movies

Reboot: John Byrne’s Superman was part of the 1980s restart of the Superman mythos with Man Of Steel. This is probably my favorite.

Ed McGuiness’ Superman of the 2000s was another, more manga inspired look that I still liked.

And special honors go to

Gary Frank

Frank Quitely

Who, while not “regular” artists on Superman have made work that is seriously “art” in all the ways you can describe it.

Other Superman looks I didn’t really like much: Jerry Ordway (ugh), Dan Jurgens (death of Superman era)

Topic: Superman

Russell Crowe In Talks To Play Jor-El

3:12 pm EST June 15th, 2011 | Comic Books, Movies | 2 Comments

The Hollywood Reporter says that Russell Crowe is in talks to play Jor-El, Superman’s birth father, in the upcoming movie. That’s an interesting casting choice. Crowe is one of my favorite actors.

Topic: Superman

Michael Shannon Is Zod

1:20 am EST April 11th, 2011 | Comic Books | 8 Comments

michael shannon Never heard of the guy…

Michael Shannon as General Zod will face off against Henry Cavill’s Superman in director Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel.

Warners Bros. announced Sunday that Shannon, who received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor for Revolutionary Road for his performance as a mentally-troubled man and who has also been seen as a stern federal agent in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, has been cast as Superman’s nemesis.

‘Zod is not only one of Superman’s most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others don’t. Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role,’ Snyder said.”

Topic: Superman

Amy Adams Is Lois Lane

6:23 am EST March 28th, 2011 | Comic Books | 12 Comments

Amy Adams Don’t like this casting.

This just in — three-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams will play journalist Lois Lane in Hollywood’s revival of ‘Superman.’

The 36-year-old star got the news on Sunday from director Zack Snyder, who phoned her from Paris, where he was promoting his just-opened film, ‘Sucker Punch.’ There had been a crush of Hollywood interest in the lead female role in the Warner Bros. project but Snyder said that after meeting with Adams, she was the clear choice to take on a character that dates back to 1938 and has long represented the strong, professional woman who can hold her own against any man – even if he can leap tall buildings in a single bound.

She’s too young to play Lois Lane. Easily the weakest casting choice in Superman Returns was Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane. Lois should be more sophisticated and world-weary, as a contrast to Clark. I’m just not seeing it here with Amy Adams.

Lois Lane

Topic: Superman

Diane Lane Playing Martha Kent In Superman Reboot

9:17 am EST March 3rd, 2011 | Comic Books, Movies | 1 Comment

Ok, this casting I kind of like:

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced today that Oscar®-nominated actress Diane Lane will play Martha Kent, the only mother Clark Kent has ever known, in the new Superman movie to be directed by Zack Snyder.

Snyder stated, “This was a very important piece of casting for me because Martha Kent is the woman whose values helped shape the man we know as Superman. We are thrilled to have Diane in the role because she can convey the wisdom and the wonder of a woman whose son has powers beyond her imagination.”

Lane will star with Henry Cavill, who was recently announced as the new Clark Kent/Superman.

Topic: Superman