Superman: The Man of Steel

[The Joker]

Ok. Well here's the teaser for Snyder's Man Of Steel

Another one with Russell Crowe/Jor-El narration.

And probably the best quality SDCC footage out there.

Enjoy it before it's taken down.

[gordonblu]

Soul-Searching Superman. 

It might be better than first impressions assert, but I'm getting really tired of these kind of superhero movies. Is Clark gonna meet Liam Neeson on the crab boat?

[riddler]

We are kind of get origined out aren't we?

2003's hulk was a long, drawn out one without a villain
Batman begins was fine because fans wanted a proper bruce wayne origin.
spider-man's had his origin told twice on screen.

Anyhow here are some key reasons why a batman begins style movie would not work with superman;
-superman's origin isn't nearly as engaging as Batman's. Bruce wayne became batman due to corruption and tragedy. Clark Kent becomes superman because he's born with powers
-Batman had other great side characters to develop whom were not even villains. Alfred, Fox, and Gordon. Superman basically only has the love interests and his foster parents.
-batman needed development as far as his suit gadgets and batmobile. Superman is basically born with his crime fighting needs. He only has the simple suits
-Bruce Wayne leads an interesting life without his alter ego with wayne enterprises, being a rich playboy and public figure. He also does a lot more detective work and almost waits for night fall. Superman has a mildly interesting life as a reporter and doesn't need to do detective work, his powers take care of that
-gotham city itself is a more complex character than metropolis. And of course most of superman's youth is in smallville
-smallville went on for 10 years so those clamouring for a pre-superman Clark kent already got their fill. Even with all the above points being brought up, it's likely if a similar show about Bruce Wayne existed, Batman begins doesn't happen the same way.


I'm not overly interested in the origin i'm hoping most of the trailer shots are early scenes but at least it seems to be a darker version of superman which could be interesting. Also no lex luthor (nothing against Lex but Superman needs a rogue gallery developed)

[Silver Nemesis]

superman's origin isn't nearly as engaging as Batman's

I have to disagree with you there. In my opinion Superman's origin is easily the best of any superhero and is far more compelling than Batman's. Batman's origin is basically:

•   Parents killed
•   Training montage
•   "I'm Batman"

There have been some very enjoyable variations of this over the years, but the core elements – the key structural components I just highlighted that remain constant in every iteration – are not particularly complex. You can make them more complex, but they don't necessarily have to be. Superman's origin story is far more elaborate, even in its most basic form.

It's epic in scale, but also grounded in very relatable human experience. On the surface it's a science fiction story about the destruction of an entire planet, an intergalactic flight to sanctuary and the ascent of Earth's greatest hero. But at its heart it's a down-to-earth coming of age story about a young man trying to find his place in the world while he figures out how best to apply his gifts. Along the way he experiences ordinary relationships that everyone can relate to: with his parents, with his childhood friends, with his co-workers, and of course with the woman he loves. And these relationships aren't tacked on for the sake of it; they're absolutely integral to the narrative of Superman's life. So despite the science fiction trappings, Superman's origin is actually much more grounded in emotional reality than Batman's. At least I think it is.

It's full of memorable characters that are essential to the story. Batman's origin only really needs Bruce Wayne, his parents, Joe Chill and Gordon. And that's it. You can factor in Philip Wayne, Alfred, Leslie Thompkins, Henri Ducard, Lucius Fox and a dozen other characters if you choose. But they aren't essential. By contrast, you can't tell Superman's story without mentioning the role his family and friends play in his personal development. You can't relate the destruction of Krypton without mentioning Lara and Jor-El. You have to address the role Martha and Jonathan Kent play in his upbringing in Smallville. And you can't show Superman moving to Metropolis and getting a job at the Daily Planet without depicting Perry White and Lois Lane.

Seeing Clark mature and come to terms with his powers, with the fact he's an outsider, is a fascinating story. Having said that, it's one we've already seen adapted many times before.

•   Fleisher Studios' 'Superman: The Mad Scientist'
•   Adventures of Superman episode 'Superman on Earth'
•   Superman: The Movie
•   Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman episodes 'Pilot', 'Foundling' and 'Tempus Fugitive'
•   Superman: The Animated Series episodes 'The Last Son of Krypton: Parts I, II & III'
•   Smallville – a massive ten year origin story

I'm sure there are others I've overlooked. But the point is we all know Superman's origin. And great though it is, it's not a narrative I especially want to see again any time soon.

So far everything I've seen and heard concerning Man of Steel has left me feeling cold. When I saw the teaser before The Dark Knight Rises, the theatre remained totally silent. Afterwards I heard about six different people whispering "Was that Superman?" The trailer for a Superman movie shouldn't leave people in doubt. It should be obvious.

And I still think the title is ridiculous. The Man of steel wouldn't be too bad. But just Man of Steel? I cringed when that appeared onscreen during the teaser.

[gordonblu]

Don't forget the first chapter of the Columbia serial from '48 complete with cartoon rocket(also recapped in Atom Man Vs. Superman)!

We didn't get the trailer prior to our  DKR screening. After seeing it, I'm glad... I would have been to mad to enjoy anything about DKR.

[Silver Nemesis]

I've got to admit, I've never actually seen the Kirk Alyn serial right the way through. But I always thought the costume looked a lot better than the Batman suits from the 1940s serials.

Is the 1948 Superman serial worth watching?

[gordonblu]

It's slow moving and and somewhat dull, but it does have some nice moments, and I've always liked Kirk Alyn's take on the character. I also prefer Tommy Bond as Jimmy over Jack Larsen from the 50's series, Bond came across a little more street smart; incompetent but street smart.
To this day I still cannot stand Noel Neill as Lois, give me Phyllis Coates any day.

Atom Man vs. Superman is actually the better serial of the two, a little bit more action, plus an excellent performance by Lyle Talbot as Luthor.

[riddler]

alright after giving it more thought and reading through some superman graphic novels I can see your point about superman possibly having a better origin than batman. I can't see a TV series about a pre-batman Bruce wayne lasting 10 seasons. Still though I'd consider that enough of an argument against a drawn out origin of Superman;

we had no batman origin on screen prior to 2005 (movies or TV) whereas we have 10 seasons of it for superman. It's also been 30 years since we've had a film of Superman which comic fans feel is a true representation of the character, and even that is debatable as there is an argument claiming the Donner films are not standing the test of time (people hating the time travel element and lack of suspense).

[thecolorsblend]

It's also been 30 years since we've had a film of Superman which comic fans feel is a true representation of the character, and even that is debatable as there is an argument claiming the Donner films are not standing the test of time (people hating the time travel element and lack of suspense).

I've got issues with Donner that go way beyond just time travel stuff, although there's that too. Time travel raises all kinds of strange ethical questions that shouldn't be asked and, lest we forget, isn't really a power Superman had in the comics of the era (not the way Donner used it anyway). But whatever, Donner pretty much completely reinvented Krypton, Superman's relationship with the Kents, etc. The movie's iconic and important, no doubts there, but I think it's a bit overrated as far as a Superman origin story.

And speaking of origins, I'd argue it's crucial to show it for any character simply so the audience can relate to where he's coming from. We fans may think the origin story has been done to death but wide audiences haven't really seen an origin since, best case scenario, Lois & Clark in 1993. But you could also argue not since 1978.

[The Joker]

Re-posting the SDCC trailer.