simply breathtaking!
Finally, Superman returned to the sky with a much bigger story to tell about his heroism.
Brandon's gentle looks fitted to the image of the low-profiled journalist, Clark Kent.
Bryan Singer found the iconic image of the man of steel in the face of Aussie actor, Brandon Routh.Son of Krypton
(The Superman chronicles part 1 of 2, previously published in Panay News)
By Ronelo Ladiao
"Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound"
1940s radio and TV series phrase used for Superman
After the havoc of World War I and communism slowly gain dominance in Europe and other parts of the globe, the world’s greatest fictional superhero was spawned in the pages of Action Comics #1 (later sold the rights of the character to Detective Comics, now DC Comics) in 1932 . Superman was conceived through the creative minds of Toronto-born Joe Shuster and Cleveland-born Jerry Siegel, subsequently appeared in various radio serials, television programs, films, newspaper strips, and video games in its more than nine decades of existence.
Superman is born on the planet Krypton and as an infant is rocketed to Earth by his scientist father, moments before Krypton explodes. The rocket lands on Earth, where amiable that couple Jonathan and Martha Kent found the baby and adopt him. As he grows in Smallville (his earthy hometown), he discovers that he possesses powers far beyond those of mortal men and women and resolves to use them to help others.
During his younger years, Clark Kent befriended a genius lad named Lex Luthor who belongs to a wealthy family in his hometown. But Luthor posses insatiable greed for world domination and tyrannical scientific ambitions that ruined their friendship. When not fighting the forces of evil as Superman, he lives among humanity as "mild-mannered" Clark Kent, a reporter for the Daily Star (later changed to The Daily Planet).
Clark works alongside reporter Lois Lane, with whom he is romantically involved. In current comics continuity, they are married; however, the character has several other relationships throughout his years in comics.
And when Clark devoted his life as Superman protecting the in world and disguised as a frail reporter of the Daily Planet, he had numerous encounter with Luthor who schemed dangerous plots to dominate the world through his LexCorp, a company that create sophisticated weaponries. In the present comicbook continuity, Lex Luthor became the president of the United States of America keeping his tyrannical visions behind his clean image for world peace.
But upon arriving to earth when Superman was still a baby, Krypton crystals simultaneously fell in different parts of the globe that radiates radioactive energy that weakens his power every time he had close contact with the alien mineral/substance (considered as Superman’s weakness) and mutated individuals who touches it. One of those who were mutated into powerful beings is Lex Luthor when he was a kid. The radioactive energy from the substance made him bald-headed and turned him into one-mega-genius entity. Later used his intellectual gifts for greedy interests. Luthor and Superman became bitter enemies after their friendship died a long time ago.
Superman ensures the safety of Smallville as his old hometown and Metropolis, the huge city where he pursues a tough career as a dynamic journalist. During his greatest moments protecting the world and letting justice prevail, Superman encountered cosmic beings with connections from his origin and his dead home planet Krypton.
Originally, he was named Kal-El which means “voice of God” according to the Hebrew language given by his dead Kryptonian parents. Kal-El was sent to earth to be saved as the last Kryptonian being that’s why he was called the “last son of Krypton” in the comicbook storyline. Kal-El was said to be the most powerful being of his kind that if his full potential will be unleashed, his power resembles like those of the greek gods.
In the comicbook, Superman met several Kryptonian beings both his lost relatives and criminal entities who were sentenced to be imprisoned in the phantom zone (Kryptonian prison for most-wanted criminals). One of those relatives is Kara-Zor El of Supergirl who later starred in her own comicbook and film in the 1980s. In fact, she married the long-haired and younger version of Lex Luthor for some time in the comicbook continuity.
Superman was considered as the greatest fictional character ever created when it began the superhero genre in American comicbooks. In addition to comic books, Superman has made the transition to radio, television, movies, Broadway and video games each on multiple occasions. Among the actors who have played the role are Kirk Alyn (1948 15-episode serial), Tim Daly (Superman: The Animated Series), George Newbern (Justice League), George Reeves (The Adventures of Superman TV show), Christopher Reeve (The 1980's Superman films), John Haymes Newton, Gerard Christopher (Both of the Superboy TV shows of the 80's), Dean Cain (Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman), Tom Welling (Smallville), and the newly-picked Brandon Routh for the iconic superhero’s resurrection in the big screen (Superman Returns). There have also been numerous animated cartoon series starring the Man of Steel.
But do you know that Superman was intentionally created as a villain before and not as a superhero or a good guy?
The comic book character, in 1932 and sold to Detective Comics, Inc (today DC Comics) in 1938,. As was written in the first edition of Action Comics #1 (June, 1938), the first Superman character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster was not a hero, but a villain. Their short story "The Reign of the Superman", concerning a bald-headed villain bent on dominating the world, appeared in a science fiction fanzine that Siegel published. Jerry reconceived the character in 1932 as a hero and began a six-year quest to find a publisher. Humor Magazines almost published an early version in 1933, but the company dropped their comics line before the book was finished. Frustrated, Siegel and Shuster took a job with Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson's National Allied Publications, where they created many other comic strips. With some experience under their belt, they finally positioned Superman as the lead feature in Detective Comics Inc.'s new title, Action Comics.
This coming June 28, 2006, two days in advance for the US film release of Superman’s glorious return to the big screen, Brandon Routh will portray the “last son of Krypton” as it will coincide to the continuity of Christopher Reeves dynamic portrayal of the last four Superman films.
Brandon Routh is an Autralian actor chosen by innovative director Bryan Singer who directed the explosive screen debut of the two X-men flicks. Critics claim that Routh is far more charismatic and fitted to portray Superman amid the legacy left by Reeves as one of the most successful superhero actor in the history of Hollywood.
Next time, Superman will unveil the full extent of his god-like power, his comicbook legacies, his messiah-like death and resurrection in “Man of Steel”, the second part of my Superman chronicles like you’ve never read before...
(To be continued)
No comments:
Post a Comment