Superman, Jim Lee artwork
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Superman with the Justice League by Jim Lee
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Hollywood actors who portrayed the "Man of Steel" throughout the years. Man of Steel
(The Superman Chronicles part 2 of 2, previously published in Panay News)
By Ronelo Ladiao
All sparks flying these past weeks all over the world for the screen debut of Superman Returns after nearly 20-year absence in the movie screens. Brandon Routh, the neophyte Hollywood actor discovered by prolific movie director Bryan Singer (X-men and X2: X-men United) through extensive auditions in 2002 finally wears the mantle of the “Man of Steel” that Christopher Reeves left for the world to remember.
Will Brandon Routh end up as the sexiest man alive in Hollywood later this year? I bet Hugh Jackman is another tough hunk rival to beat.
But before the Hollywood phenomenon, Kal-El (Superman’s real name given by his Kryptonian parents) soar the comic book realm and established his supremacy, a fame he share with Batman, X-men, Spiderman and other wondrous fictional superheroes.
Originally, Superman is the last survivor of the Kryptonian race in a far distant galaxy. As a part of the royal blood Kryptonian family, he possesses high level of superhuman capabilities such as flight that defies universal gravity, speed faster than light, vast superior strength, invulnerability from physical damage, x-ray vision and emits powerful thin red lazer blast from his eyes.
His god-like powers shown in the comic books contributed to the decline of Superman’s popularity in the middle of 1960s and early 1970s since Marvel Comics (DC Comics’ rival) brought new level of character development to mainstream comic book superheroes.
By early 1980s, comic book writer-artist John Byrne was asked to revamp and inject new concepts in Superman’s comic book continuity with his storyline “The Man of Steel” that retold Kal-El’s origin. The reformat comic book continuity of Superman become an instant success and dominated the best-selling list of comic books in America. Eventually, the comic book success of the greatest superhero spawned four movies in 1980s where Christopher Reeves become an instant superstar with his charismatic portrayal of Superman. But the actor’s accident that led to comatose and death left a void of emptiness of who fits to portray Superman again.
Though there were numerous attempts to resurrect Superman in the television (Lois and Clark, Superboy and a bunch of animated series), it proved to be futile or somehow mild-success for the record. But nothing can be successful as Smallville, a youth-oriented and early retelling of Superman’s teenage life in his hometown. Tom Welling, the young version of Clark Kent/Superman become an instant matinee idol among young Americans and Superman fans. In the TV series, he uses his untapped superpowers, secretly defended his hometown from the chaos caused by Kyrpton-mutated villains, develop a friendship with Lex Luthor (his future arch-enemy) and a touching love story with Lana Lang (his love interest before
In 1993, prior to the sensational debut of Smallville in television, Superman made a huge impact in the comic book continuity with his tragic death after he fought an invincible foe called Doomsday. Even the combined powers of Superman’s allies in Justice League were no match from this gruesome alien monster.
After Superman suffered fatal damage and died along with Doomsday, “Funeral for a Friend” storyline followed were Kal-El’s death was mourned by the world. Every DC Superhero attended his funeral that boosts the comic books sales into success.
“Reign of Superman” was another instant success as DC Comics introduced four superman versions in the storyline (it was a period after Superman was buried). The Cyborg Superman, teenage Superboy, ironman-like Man of Steel, Eradiator and a long-haired punisher-like Superman (no powers and uses guns as weapons). But later in the storyline’s climax, Cyborg was revealed as the major villain who plotted to deceive the world, Superboy was a genetic clone of Kal-El (he lived with Clark Kent’s parents after the major ‘supermen war’), Man of Steel was a Black American scientist who idolized Superman (he created a powerful armor with extreme weaponries), Eradicator was a lost Kryptonian who pose as another Superman and finally, the long-haired powerless Superman was actually the real Superman resurrected from death.
Superman's abilities have occasionally been removed or altered for dramatic reasons. In the late 1990s Superman comics, Superman loses his traditional powers and transforms into a being of electromagnetic energy. In this form, Superman can phase through solid objects, see frequencies of energy, and draw power from electrical sources. In order to maintain physical cohesion in this form, he needs to wear a containment suit. During this time, he is able to transform into the corporeal form of Clark Kent, but in his human guise he has no special powers.
Recently, some authors have implied that Superman's powers can reach unlimited levels, based on solar energy absorption and withdrawal of mental blocks. In "Our Worlds at War, Superman dives into the sun to gain sufficient energy to overpower Brainiac 13 (an major villain). In Superman/Batman, when Kara Zor-El (Supergirl) claims to be more powerful than Superman, he tells her that he put personal mean blocks on his powers as he grew up to keep from destroying the Earth, blocks that Supergirl does not have. Thus, while Supergirl can appear to be stronger, Superman just has greater self-control.
In an interview with Joe Casey (writer for Superman/Batman comic book series) he writes that Superman under his penmanship can re-arrange the Solar System and tear a star apart. "I've always seen Superman as this completely over-the-top, fantastic character who has ‘no’ limits whatsoever," writes Casey. Unencumbered by mental blocks, "Superman is unbeatable." (does that mean Superman is omnipotent and rivals the power of the Phoenix?). Recent rumors in the comic book industry imply that there might be an X-men/Superman crossover storyline that would embark the Phoenix to battle Superman for cosmic balance (it’s just rumors for now… but we will see how he fought a cosmic-hungry Jean Grey).
Throughout the years of movies and comic book success, Superman is not just another superhero icon to beat, he’s the comic book symbol of American dream, justice and freedom since his costume has resemblance with the American flag. His influence spans from music, television, modern pop culture, fashion and almost anything you can think of. Every time we realize danger and terrorism threatens our existence in the real world, we have this wishful thinking that a ‘superman’ will come and save us.
Bryan Singer is the man behind the resurrection of the ‘Man of Steel’ on June 28, 2006. Superman Returns will be the first-ever film to be shown in IMAX 3D screen in America and other parts of the world, a prominent achievement for the same man who brought the X-men in the movies.
In the new Superman movie, Singer holds true to the tradition of the past four Superman films since the storyline was rumored as the continuation where Christopher Reeves left off (let’s see). We all know that Singer is a trilogy-oriented type of filmmaker like what he did wit the X-men and this film is just the beginning of another infinite fateful ride for the last son of krypton and the man of steel who can rise from the ashes like a phoenix (if there might be a ‘Doomsday Saga’ and a funeral that would make the world weep for a hero).
For now, Brandon Routh is another Hollywood hunk to watch out for and his movie will fulfill another lifelong fantasy of many comic book fanatics.
Writer’s note: Superman Returns that introduced Brandon Routh as a caliber actor will fly in the big screen again with the making of the sequel, Superman: Man of Steel directed by Bryan Singer sometime in 2010. In Smallville TV series based on Clark Kent’s early life, the series is on its 8th season this year with the exception of Lex Luthor (the actor decided to quit his role) but the deadly villain Doomsday is rumored to be introduced soon.
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