Let's talk about Superman.

[_random_]

From the music thread:

Link to video.
Sad but true.

I love IFD, they're fun. And maybe everyone will like Superman again after DC reinvents him without red undies?

Funny you should mention that...
This is going to be the new suit. Many fans are, shall we say, less than pleased:

Personally, I say he should do more stuff like this:

Spoiler :

Would you be mocking his trunks if he were doing stuff like that on a consistent basis?

Yeah, not so much. Supe's just gotta reinvent his style, not his wardrobe. That said, he's kind of infringing on Batman's "righteous badass" territory there.
I

That scene from Birthright was actually a tribute to a Golden Age story, so it's not like there's no precedent for both characters to get their righteous badassery on.

This would probably be a better place to continue the discussion (with postcount!) To add one more topic for a general Superman discussion, does anyone else find the idea of Russell Crowe playing Jor-El in Snyder's reboot pretty awesome?

 

[SuperJay]

Had no idea bout Russell Crowe, that's... odd? But okay, interesting.

Somewhere around here - I think - somebody mentioned DC losing a lawsuit, and something about Warner Bros now owns the trademark to the "S" symbol, and something about Krypton or kryptonite... like DC isn't allowed to use those anymore?

More generally, beyond just Superman, what do you guys know about the "Entire DC universe reboots" thing? Are they really restarting every title at issue #1 and making every hero into a cutesy teenager?

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

Link to video.

Ignoring the John Williams theme, and the exceptionally over the top nineties-ness of it, greatest Superman song ever!

I really want to like Superman - but I always feel there's the obvious flaw that he's Superman, and can take on anything. I'd love to know what the best Superman comic stories are so I can give them a bash.

For the films, I love the first two, though they had their flaws. I'll still be optimistic about the next film, and I love Russell Crowe so having him in it is a good thing for me.

 

[_random_]

I really want to like Superman - but I always feel there's the obvious flaw that he's Superman, and can take on anything. I'd love to know what the best Superman comic stories are so I can give them a bash.

Anything by Elliot S! Maggin is good if you get a hand on some of his run. Other than that:
Birthright- A good contemporary take on his origins.
Kingdom Come- Set in the future of the DCU, deconstructs the post-Watchmen/TDKR dark & brooding vigilante popular at the time with some of the best artwork I've seen in a comic, courtesy of Alex Ross.
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?- The last pre-crisis Superman story, ties up the lose ends with all of his major villains with some fantastic writing by Alan Moore.
Red Son- A fun alternate history where Superman's spaceship lands in Soviet Ukraine instead of Kansas.
All Star Superman- Free from the constraints of regular DC continuity, embraces some of the campier elements of Superman's history while remaining enjoyable.

 

[Ajidica]

No discussion about Superman can be valid without refrencing Larry Niven's essay Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex.

 

[JtheJackal]

Superman for All Seasons is a great story and I have to strongly encourage anyone to read Red Son which is the best Superman story I have read.

Both of these stories are great for anyone who depressingly says Superman is boring because he is so powerful there is no drama.

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

I've been sorely tempted by 'Red Son' a lot, but I think my enjoyment depends on liking Superman in his original awesomeness. I'll keep a look out for the other stories you suggested, random, thanks

 

[_random_]

This has been out for a few days, but I figured it might be worth bumping the thread over. Here is the first official photo from the next Superman film, Zack Snyder's Man of Steel:

Spoiler :

http://i.imgur.com/KzdHo.jpg

Pretty cool looking. They may or may not have removed the trunks, but it definitely seems like they're going for a Superman who isn't afraid to throw some punches if necessary.

 

[SuperJay]

I hate to say it, but.... meh??

The outfit looks okay, but that guy doesn't look like Superman

 

[_random_]

The outfit looks okay, but that guy doesn't look like Superman

What about him? The hair is a bit off I guess, but he looks as much like Superman as anyone I've seen.

 

[Formaldehyde]

No discussion about Superman can be valid without refrencing Larry Niven's essay Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex.

Ha. Thanks for that blast from the distant past.

 

[classical_hero]

Link to video.

 

[Serutan]

No discussion about Superman can be valid without refrencing Larry Niven's essay Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex.

Ah, someone else with good taste...

@Superjay - Apparently DC is/has restarted their publications at issue #1.