1948-1950 - Superman Serials & "Atom Man vs. Superman"
Kirk Alyn donned the iconic red cape and boots as the first live-action Superman on film in a series of 15-chapter serials shown at movie theaters at the twilight of the forties. Alyn presented quite the befuddled, aloof Clark Kent while at the same time cutting a rather over-the-top, theatrical caped crusader. However, a precursor of what would later come to be known as "fanboy rage" may have first reared its oily head as early as 1948. While being popular in their time and finding a hungry audience, moviegoers crowding the lobby after finishing a matinee of Alyn's super-serials were not likely heaping much praise on the method-acting in any one of the chapters. Nor were the cinema-philes congregating by the exits taking Oscar bets after being overcome with awe at the intricacy of the inevitable cliffhanger that awaited the ending of each episode. No, the crowds came to see Superman! They came to see "Action"! They came to believe a man could fly! The only thing audiences couldn't believe were their own eyes after watching Kirk Alyn's Superman take off into the air. Only, it wasn't Alyn that was taking that great leap blasting into the sky. It was an animated Man of Steel that soared off into the clouds. Sure, Alyn's upper body and face shots were cut into the animation to give the illusion of man and cartoon being one, but this was too far of a stretch for even Superman to convincingly portray.
The disappointment that surrounded these flights of fancy is palpable. Surely, if there was an internet in 1950, the comic book community would no doubt erupt over this super bait-and-switch. Decades later, loyal fans remain upset at such a cheap shortcut being deployed to take Superman sky bound, in addition to muddying what is an otherwise decent entry into the annals of Superman lore. Thanks for reading and be sure to check back next week for Part 2 of "Up, Up, and Away!: A History of the Man of Steel in Flight", where I examine the next chapter of Superman's career in the air, analyzing the period from 1951-1975 that sees the Last Son of Krypton take the theatre stage as well as taking the leap to television, and how they each interpreted Superman's ability to fly!