Issue #29: Superman Red, Superman Blue, Superman Dark

Comic Books For the Week of thursday, September 4, 2008:

Tor #5 (of 6) (DC)

Noble Causes #36 (Image)



This week will be another week that I'll have to wait until next week to go to the comic store, so I will review these issues next week. Plus, I will look for Justice Society of America #18, which I missed last week.
This week I wanted to comment on the recent news from Warner Brothers that they will "reboot" the Superman movie franchise; mainly the comment by one studio executive that the studio will create movies with a "darker" tone ala The Dark Knight (as much as will be true to the character).
When I first read the latter comment on line, it raised a red flag with me. Superman is not a "dark" character. Some of the best Superman stories have placed Superman in dark situations that have vexed his soul. What has made Superman Superman is the power of his spirit when his posers may not be enough. To make him a "darker" brooding character full of angst would make him someone else, not Superman. Such a change for Superman would be putting Batman in Superman's costume.
Superman Returns had some "darker" aspects to Superman. The costume itself was not the classic bright hues of blue and red but darker, more muted hues. And Superman was not above what could be termed stalking when he used his x-ray vision to spy on Lois in her home with her fiance. Also, he was not above sneaking into Lois' son's bedroom at the end of the movie, even if the boy is his son.
It may not be a bad idea to "reboot" the Superman movie franchise. It certainly has worked for the Batman movie franchise. After Superman II and Batman Returns, both movie franchises sputtered and withered. And with Superman, as much as I enjoy watching Superman I and II, Ned Beatty's Otis, and Gene Hackman's campy portrayal of Lex Luthor are weak points of solid plots and stories. Kevin Spacey made a better. more evil and maniacal Lex, but could be less campy. Brandon Routh was a capable actor in the dual role of Clark / Superman, and I hope will get a chance to reprise his role in the next Superman movie.
A "darker" Superman movie will work if it pits Superman against "dark" and evil villains. I would like to see a more maniacal Lex Luthor that comic book readers are familiar with. And there is also Brainiac, who would be perfect for a "dark" Superman movie. Movie makers could really do a lot of things with Brainiac. He would be a great "toy" for them to play with.
The big question for studio executives is can they do it right? One thing that worries me is that it has taken WB executives a long time to decide on a plan to develop DC characters. For being perfectly positioned as a corporation with a comic book company as part of the corporate family, Time/Warner seems to have been slow to develop DC's big characters for a modern movie audiance. Marvel seems to have jumped ahead, at least before Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. And that was before Marvel created their own movie studio. The Dark Knight was a tremendous success, and is presently the #2 highest grossing movie in history. After Watchmen early next year (if it isn't derailed by a money grubbing lawsuit by 20th Century Fox), what's next, and when for WB? The longer it takes for the next DC movie to appear in theaters, the more momentum WB will lose. They run the risk of having to regroup once again and play catch up with Marvel Studios.
With the exception of the first Hulk movie, Spider-Man 3, both Fantastic Four movies and Ghost Rider, all Marvel properties, most super hero movies have been great ones. An ominous question is, after the big characters are used, will the next wave of super hero movies be good, or will we have a run of flops, and see the whole super hero movie train be derailed, like westerns in the past.

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