Category: Misc

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Man Of Steel Round Table [Michael Bailey’s Views From The Long Box]

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Views From The Long Box 199: Man Of Steel Round Table – A three hour scene by scene discussion about Man Of Steel a year after by Superman fans.

Joining Michael Bailey (of The Superman Homepage, Fortress of Baileytude, From Crisis to Crisis/Superman Podcast Network, and more!) “in this mammoth episode are Andy Leyland (of Hey Kids Comics, The Palace of Glittering Delights, The Fantasticast and Listen to the Prophets fame and my permanent semi-regular co-host), Paul Spatro (of Back to the Bins and Listen to the Prophets fame) and Bob Fisher (of Superman Forever and Long Play fame).  We spend over three hours discussing Man of Steel in depth and deal with the more controversial aspects of the movie including the depiction of Jonathan Kent, the amount of destruction seen in the movie and the final battle between Superman and General Zod.  It’s a long conversation but I think it proves that you can talk about this movie with people and still walk away as friends.”

I have a ton of respect for the participants (and their work), their discussion, and civility.  Of course, I don’t agree with them on every point, but “reasonable minds will differ” and they prove the essential point that a difference of opinion doesn’t need to be accompanied by acrimony or degeneration.  They don’t pretend to speak for all fans but are honest about their feelings without belittling the feelings of others.

I appreciate the intelligent and genuine criticism as opposed to counter-factual bashing… and, of course, I’ll enjoy doing my best to answer some of the topics from my perspective eventually (not a direct reaction, just as the topics emerge).  It is not a love-fest, but an open-minded Man Of Steel fan should be able to listen to this without problems.  Not a “must listen” (then again, what is?) but I enjoyed it for what it was.  As illustrative as the podcast is of cordiality, it’s interesting that the venom to which some can approach this mere film almost proves the skepticism towards humanity presented by the film.  Be better!

A minor language warning, depending on where and how you’re playing it and the sensitivity to some swearing.

Anyways, if you can’t get enough commentary on a film that still has people talking even this far out, this might be the antidote to some of the mind numbingly bad bashing commentary out there, with a more even take on the film.  Enjoy!

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Superman in Six

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Happy New Year!  I hope you had as wonderful a holiday as I did.  With the time off without briefs to write or court to prepare for, I finally was able to catch up on a lot of Superman media and enjoy some of the Superman-related gifts I was given.  They ended up being a great sampling of Superman through several ages, mediums, and perspectives.  I was able to enjoy:

  • Superman: The Sunday Classics (1939-1942, 190 pages) – Anthology of full-color newspaper strips
  • It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman (1966, 50 minutes) – Broadway Musical Album
  • Superman: Comic Strip Hero (1981, 50 minutes) – BBC documentary in anticipation of Superman II
  • American Icon: Superman (2006, 50 minutes) – Public Radio following Superman Returns
  • Adventures of Superman (2013-2014, 51 issues) – Digital First Series out-of-continuity stories
  • Superman: Doomed (2014, 544 pages) – Recent New 52 story arc

Brief impressions or comments on each:

Superman: The Sunday Classics (1939-1942, 190 pages)

Of a different era, there certainly is a different style and elements that would be questioned for their political correctness today, but even the early strips contained many of the trappings we associate with Superman to this day, with the conspicuous absence of the power of flight (although the influence of the Fleischer cartoons might be seen in the later strips).  Superman has super breath, x-ray vision, telescopic vision, super hearing, and can render people unconscious with a nerve pinch.  He’s happy to help without thanks, but not afraid to threaten to extort information (or even a bank loan so a logger can make payroll).  Superman wants to be a journalist in order to be aware of trouble even in the first strip.  Although he’s repeatedly called the Man of Steel and the Man of Tomorrow, he’s actually successfully knocked out by narcotic gas in one story.  It’s easy to see why these could have been captured the imaginations of so many in its time.

It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman (1966, 50 minutes)

Not the best musical, but with with a few great numbers.  “You’ve Got Possibilities” is clever, catchy, and the anthem to my love life.  “Doing Good” and “We Need Him” are satirical insights into the public perception of Superman in the 60s while Adam West’s Batman was a television sensation.  The other numbers don’t do much for me, but they’re interesting to hear.

Superman: Comic Strip Hero (1981, 50 minutes)

The documentary aired after Superman II had debuted in the States but before the UK premier.  Cheeky and subversive (as you might expect from a British documentary about the American superhero) it doesn’t exactly celebrate Superman but it doesn’t dismiss him either.  You get to hear from Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, DC’s Editor-in-Chief at the time, and many diehard Superman fans.  However, you also hear directly from Fredric Whertham, Art Spiegleman, Larry Niven, and other dissenters who take issue with Superman… either specifically or symbolically as representative of the entire superhero comic genre.  The cynicism makes it apparent why in only a few years, Watchmen would thoroughly deconstruct the genre, The Dark Knight Returns would take hold, and Superman would be re-imagined and relaunched in Man of Steel all in 1986.

American Icon: Superman (2006, 50 minutes)

A full on analysis and deconstruction of Superman, you can read my thoughts on this here.  Briefly though, completely worth a listen!

Adventures of Superman (2013-2014, 51 issues)

I enjoyed this anthology for the clever ideas, intriguing twists, the sentimentality, and the tradition when unshackled by continuity.  It lacks a certain degree of depth of character capable of being perpetuated but I’m so happy this exists for the flavor.  I’ve been buying these digitally as they came out but never had a chance to read them all.  I hope they get released in a single physical volume.  I know that’s not their intended format, but it was a pleasure to read the Sunday Classics mentioned above and you may recall the epic Wednesday Comics (2010) in newspaper page aspect ratio and size.

Superman: Doomed (2014, 544 pages)

Overall, quite a serviceable story.  Not likely to be anyone’s favorite of all time but solid.  I don’t need my every Superman experience to be life-changing and sometimes it’s nice just to have a story to read.  The weakest tie-ins were the Supergirl crossovers in my opinion, but everything else seemed like it mattered enough to justify the crossover.

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American Icons: Superman [Studio 360]

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Originally broadcast July 6, 2006, one month after Superman Returns and rebroadcast May 31, 2013, one month before Man of Steel.

Studio 360 is a public radio program about the arts and culture hosted by Kurt Andersen and produced by Public Radio International and WNYC. If you enjoy documentaries, insight, commentary, or Superman, this is a must listen. You don’t have to agree with everything presented, and some parts are given only a cursory analysis, but the production is slick, high quality, transitions beautifully, tackles a gamut of thought-provoking topics, and features Bryan Singer, Margot Kidder, Brandon Routh, Jules Feiffer, Art Spiegelman, Michael Chabon, Howard Jacobson, just to name a few!

For those who love food for thought and Superman this was a delight to listen to.

The substance of the show is about 50 minutes and provides endless prompts for discussion, analysis, etc. Literally entire books have been written around the topics which this show can only touch upon. Nonetheless, I’ll do my best to briefly summarize a few of the ideas touched upon recalled from my morning commute. Most of the segments transition seamlessly so it isn’t always a case of discrete topics, but comes off almost as a stream of consciousness.

In this program, they touch upon:

  • Superman’s Jewish parallels and origins
  • Superman as a product of shy, nerdy, nebbish young men afraid of girls
  • Superman as a product of Martin Siegel’s murder in an armed robbery
  • Superman’s popularity allowing Siegel and Shuster to mature and get girls
  • Siegel wanting Superman to grow up too, reveal his secret to Lois to proceed as partners, but axed by DC as upsetting the successful formula
  • The conflict between DC and Siegel and Shuster
  • Superman’s constant evolution and multimedia explosion
  • Superman the musical as satire and inner monologue
  • The romance and love triangle
  • Comics as mere research & development for the films
  • Bryan Singer who didn’t read the comics but was enamored with Superman The Movie
  • Singer pitching relationships as something unsurmountable to Superman
  • Interpreting the triangle as masochistic because of the willful acceptance of humiliation and pain
  • Kidder’s performance as informed by real-life: monosyllabic with crushes and bossy with mere buddies
  • The appeal and purpose of Clark Kent
  • Jules Feiffer’s essay and proposal, the inspiration for the Kill Bill monologue
  • Superman’s duality as the Western film archetype of the law-abider and lawless strongman, see The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
  • Why is Clark Kent a journalist?
  • The historical context, ethics, and nobility of journalism, and Siegel’s desire to be a journalist
  • Discussion of the costume in film, the logo, and the shield
  • Comparing and contrasting the shield and the swastika
  • Superman as a Fascist ideal, Fascism, and absolute power

Even if you’re a longtime fan of Superman, you’ll probably find something new, surprising, or interesting within this, despite much of it being familiar. For an overview it is still professionally produced, well-researched by going to interesting sources, and peppered with appropriate audio. Give it a listen!

Studio 360 – American Icons: Superman

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Has Snyder Moved On? Is The WB Imposing Batman On Us?

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ZD7ZcVyI’ve received a lot of thoughtful responses to Zack Loves Superman. Many positive which I appreciate, but also some with additional concerns, which I’d like to address.

They raise plenty of good points that nothing in the video is relevant if Snyder is unreliable- either not completely honest about his feelings, playing politics, or if his feelings have changed- or if, irrespective of his feelings, Warner Brothers is mandating an emphasis on Batman in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. In either of those cases, I would tend to agree, but I’d also hope that neither situation is the case. We’re operating on very limited information. We have yet to see a single frame of confirmed footage or one iota of official plot. In the absence of facts our reactions are being guided by our emotions and pre-conceived notions and prejudices more than anything else.

Thus in the absence of such facts, I’m electing to be hopeful. I’m deciding to be optimistic. That choice makes anticipation for this film a wonderful, rather than a hand-wringing, experience.

Statistically speaking, of course, it’s still the safest way to travel.

Facts, inferences, evidence, and data can help quell anxiety, but even they can’t convince someone committed to worry or a position of dread. Of course, their fears could ultimately be entirely justified… but what a way to spend the next year of your life! (Or half-decade if including the other slated DCCU films!) I can only offer you some meager arguments… for those who want to believe, have faith, and have hope. I can’t prove the future will be good. I can’t make you hope. However, I can try to share mine. read more

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“Batman can kick Superman’s ass.” [archive]

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Originally written by me in 2005 on BlueTights.net as TheFlash

classic-superman-vs-batman

When people say: “Batman can kick Superman’s ass” they really mean one of three things:

  1. I like Batman more and think he can do anything.
  2. I think Batman can win a one-sided battle where he’s prepared and Superman isn’t; and I’ve read comics like that.
  3. I think Batman can beat Superman under specific circumstances, but all things being equal, Superman will almost always win.

With Case 1, there’s no arguing with these people. No matter what you say they are so blindly devoted they won’t listen to the other side. Don’t bother. With Case 3, I think the individual is reasonable enough and there’s no need to force them to say Superman will ALWAYS win unless we’re suffering from a bit of Case 1 ourselves, but with a Superman bent. I think a mixture of Case 2 and a little bit of 1 is the predominant viewpoint of people who say it.

The thing is, they typically don’t acknowledge the inequality in preparation or technology… it’s almost always a contrived circumstance to bring about a Bat-victory by the skin of Bruce’s teeth. Even if they do, they put their faith in Batman’s preparation and planning (and sometimes technology) to rule the day. The following addresses that (reposted):

Despite the incredibly persistent and wide-spread belief that Batman has a dozen plans up his sleeve to take out Superman, historically it’s been proven otherwise again and again. Let’s take some examples: read more

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The History of Superman’s Powers [Fanzig]

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by Juan Martin Ponce

Originally published in 2002 on Fanzig

Many different versions of Superman, who has been constantly published since 1938, have existed throughout the years. In this article I will discuss the number and level of his superpowers in each version. First, the Golden Age or “Earth Two Superman,” then the Silver Age or “Earth One Superman,” and lastly, the post-crisis Superman, the Superman introduced in John Byrne’s “Man of Steel” miniseries in 1986.

Some readers may believe a fourth version of Superman has existed since the reintroduction of his “silver-age” Krypton origin in Superman 166 (volume 2), but – in my opinion – there are only three versions, not four, because Superman 166 did not change the history or chronology of the post-crisis Superman. It only messed around with his origin (the history of these different versions and their first and last appearances will be material for a future article). read more