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| American Legend! SUPERMAN, as personified by Christopher Reeve, protects Humanity. All images: copyright DC COMICS/WARNER BROTHERS |
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| The iconic 1938 comic book covers that launched the hero to the world. |
In and out of his secret identity as mild-mannered, bumbling spectacled Clark Kent in his day job as reporter on the all-important Daily Planet newspaper, Superman's life journey has seen him take on all manner of foes from Earth and space (including the varied schemes of the power mad businessman Lex Luthor), whilst his relationships with his human friends have blossomed, especially with friend/lover/spouse Lois Lane, the reporter with the ballsy streak who wins the Man of Steel's heart with the detonating speed of a green Kryptonite arrow, created during an arena where strong and sexy on-screen women like Bette Davis, LanaTurner and katherine Hepburn were coming to the fore, and who has evolved and became a woman of her time in subsequent incarnations and re-imaginings.
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| Kirk Alyn as the first on-screen SUPERMAN. Image: COLUMBIA. |
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| Followed into colour by George Reeves. |
Superman (1948) Columbia Movie Serial Episode One (Part 1 of 3) - YouTube
Adventures of Superman Season One Opening Credits - YouTube
The Adventures of Superman - YouTube
Superman ➟ The Comic Strip Hero (1 of 5) - YouTube
Look Up Into The Sky, The Story of Superman Part 1 - YouTube
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| A truly tough act to follow. The one and only Christopher Reeve in 1978's SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE. |
In the realm of comics Superman has continued to ride the tide of evolution, too- he helped push the allied cause in World War II, fought the racism of the Ku Klux Klan and saluted the brave men and women that survived and endured the world-changing events of 9/11 (heck, he's even boxed against Muhammed Ali!), and has been written and illustrated, killed off, brought back to life and endlessly re-imagined by some of the finest talents out there (including the likes of Curt Swan, Neal Adams, THE X-MEN's John Byrne and Frank Miller). On the film and TV screens he's caught the attention and beloved respect of generations of audiences. From his early days in the radio imaginations of the 40s and 50s, then as an animated triumph, he became the star of breathless cliffhanger COLUMBIA serials starring Kirk Alyn in the role, to the B/W and colour antics of the underrated George Reeves, who caught the early technology of the video age at just the right time, though tragically suffered the curse of typecasting, in the late fifties. A star of futher numerous colourful animated series into the seventies, he then returned as a living breathing star played by a later real-life superman and human inspiration, Christopher Reeve, in the first two (of four) phenomenally successful movies starting from the late seventies to the late eighties, making us believe all over again, and wonderfully, that a man could fly, from the creative talents of the Alexander Salkind film-making family, director Richard Donner (who caught the true zeitgeist of the character and brilliantly cast Reeve), alongside the romantic, majestic, legendary soaring into your heart and soul theme by John Williams.
Superman: The Movie - Opening credits HDV - YouTube
Superman (1978) New Trailer HQ - YouTube
The Making Of Superman The Movie 1978 (Part 1) - YouTube
Original Superman Trailer 1978 - YouTube
Superman II - Movie Trailer - YouTube
Superman III ( Trailer ) 1983 - YouTube
Superman IV ( Trailer ) 1987 - YouTube
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| Back on TV, Dean Cain's Superman gets a little heroic help from a masked Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher). |
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| SMALLVILLE brought a younger take to the franchise, with Tom Welling as Clark Kent. |
Eventually relinquishing the role, Reeve would enlarge his film and TV career beyond the cape, with the small screen seeing Superman making a less than blockbuster action style comeback after the movie series (and its SUPERGIRL spin-off) had diminished their then box-office potential, though his romance with Lois Lane was explored to popular acclaim and some hearty fun with the likes of the Dean Cain/ Teri Hatcher starring LOIS AND CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN. Befofe that, there would also be an earlier reasonably popular SUPERBOY series (starring Gerard Christopher). Then came the re-imagined exploits of Kal-El as Clark Kent before he donned the iconic costume, growing up in SMALLVILLE for ten very successful 90210'ish seasons (starring Tom Welling).
LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN Intro / Opening Credits - YouTube
Smallville Season 9 Opening Titles **HD** - YouTube
Superboy TV series - (1988-1992) - YouTube
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| SUPERMAN RETURNS, with Brandon Routh as Kal-El. |
Numerous unsuccessful attempts to get the movie franchise back on its feet (including aborted efforts from Tim Burton (with Nicholas Cage as a very different Superman) and BAD ROBOT wunderkid JJ Abrams) would come and go, but noted rising star director Bryan Singer, a critical and box office trustee what with his work in taking MARVEL COMICS THE X-MEN to the screen) finally brought the caped wonder back to celluloid and digital life in 2006, with his love letter to the Donner films that captured his and the fans imaginations in their formative years. Beautifully made, and with the Reeve lookalike Brandon Routh confidently, and much under-ratedly, handling the important tole with charm and strength, its a shame that SUPERMAN RETURN didn't quite catch the audiences interest as much as Reeve's version- Singer's aborted second film, planned to solidify the filmmakers lofty trilogy ambitions, not taking place..
Superman Returns Teaser HD - YouTube
Superman returns trailer - YouTube
Superman Returns Trailer - YouTube
Deleted Scene: Return to Krypton SCENE - Superman Returns MOVIE (2006) - HD - YouTube
Superman Blu-ray Anthology Trailer (Revised) [HD] - YouTube
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| Re-imagined once again, Henry Cavill is the 2013 take on the MAN OF STEEL. |
Now, in 2013, with DC COMICS/WARNER BROTHERS determined to make a more box-office friendly, audience relevant entry in the franchise, to prove that their comic book characters can be successfully translated to the big screen anew, like BATMAN recently had, filmmaker Zack Snyder (best known for his biceped action fest 300) brings an all-new take to Krypton's last son with the epic MAN OF STEEL, starring Henry Cavill, arriving in cinemas this month, and looks set to put action and adventure, alongside a very real story of family and love, back into our heroes steel blue, Earth-patritoic soul. From the scope of the trailers so far, with a supporting cast that easily matches that of the first 1978 SUPERMAN movie, its superb action scenes, special effects, and overall new attitude in portraying our hero, his family heritage and the effects of his discovered presence to the people of Earth, it looks a winner.
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| The new-look Superman with Lois Lane (Amy Adams). |
man of steel official trailer 1 - YouTube
Man of Steel - Official Trailer #2 [HD] - YouTube
Man of Steel - Official Trailer 3 [HD] - YouTube
Man of Steel - "Fate of Your Planet" Official Trailer [HD] - YouTube
Superman: Zack Snyder Short, New Logo for 75th Anniversary of Character
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| Entertainment Weekly's recent soaring cover celebrating Superman at 75. |
KOOL TV raises its glass to salute the man, the SUPERMAN (and the many people over the years bringing him to reality), whose beliefs in "truth, justice and the American way" are now so ingrained...
Celebrating SUPERMAN's epic life, ages of adventure (key issues and storylines), and heroism as a DC comics institution, alongside years of memorable friends and enemies, DORLING KINDERSLEY BOOKS have released a wonderfully nostalgic book, compiled and written by Daniel Wallace, full of classic art from the thirties to now, that's well worth getting hold of.
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| Some lovely spreads from the new DORLING KINDERSLEY release on the DC Comics icon: SUPERMAN: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE MAN OF STEEL. With thanks to DK for the images. |
Available from AMAZON: Superman: The Ultimate Guide to the Man of Steel Dk Superman: Amazon.co.uk: Daniel Wallace: Books
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