Without a doubt, the coming of this summer's Man Of Steel film from Zack Snyder is the most anticipated film release in several years for this WhatCulture columnist. While I have always been a fan of Batman (Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy rightfully sits among the pantheon of all time great film trilogies) and all the other mainstream comic book icons, something about the character and the story of Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El of Krypton has always resonated with me, ever since I was a child. And at 38 years of age, I'm still not entirely able to narrow down why I relate to and love the character so much after all this time. It's this continuing pursuit of that knowledge and reasoning that has me waiting for June 14th 2013 with baited breath for the next chapter on my journey with the Man Of Steel. Please note that
SPOILERS LIE AHEAD - tread carefully and enjoy!
6. A Superman For All Seasons
Celebrating 75 years this year, the character of Superman spans three quarters of a century throughout broadcast radio, print, and film. From his early days as a brash, unrestrained superhero in the pages of Action Comics thru his time spent on radio and early television, and onto his birth inside Hollywood cinema in the late 1970's, Superman has been a symbolic fixture in our popular culture. Within the past several decades, however, the man of steel seems to have fallen by the wayside (the Smallville television show notwithstanding!), as if almost forgotten about to some extent (we will look at 2006's Superman Returns shortly), forced to sit on the shelf while Batman, Spiderman, and Ironman take center stage in cinema. But the character himself has not changed much during the passage of time. He has always stood for what's right, and opposed what is wrong, but the avenue through which he pursues his endgame has now now shifted over the past several years. With Snyder's Man Of Steel we will, once again, get a retelling of Superman's origins. But through this re-imagining we will get a modern, more updated version of the character's beginnings. And more importantly, on film we will get to see Clark make his journey towards becoming Superman, something that has yet to be explored in cinema. As a fan, this development in the (re)telling of his history has me excited and intrigued, but also a bit concerned that Hollywood may change too many of the little things that have been so vital in helping create the Superman we have grown to love over the years. Now let's take a quick look at how the story's changing...