Superman Stories You’d Like To See Get An Animated Film

[Vordan]

Animated films are different - there hasn't once been a Superman origin animated film.

Yep I was shocked to discover that given that I am fatigued by them happening so often in comics. But since we’ve never gotten an animated origin it will probably happen at some point and I’m ok with that. Just hope it’s not Secret Origin

[Shadowcat]

I’m embarrassed I didn’t include Time and Time Again. Phenomenal story, although would it only work as a standalone do you think?

Honestly, yes to both. I’d love to see continuity flow from the animated universe, but also, it would be quite easy to just eliminate a few of the extraneous details that would bog down the story.

[friendly-fire-press]

On that list I'd go with 'Exile' ...

But I'd much rather see Alan Moore and Curt Swan's 'Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?', Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder's 'Under the Skin', Charles Soule and Tony Daniel's 'Power Couple' or Howard Chaykin and Gil Kane's 'Distant Fires' ... but none of them were on the list ... oh well

[Vordan]

On that list I'd go with 'Exile' ...

But I'd much rather see Alan Moore and Curt Swan's 'Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?', Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder's 'Under the Skin', Charles Soule and Tony Daniel's 'Power Couple' or Howard Chaykin and Gil Kane's 'Distant Fires' ... but none of them were on the list ... oh well

Lol I’m starting to think I shouldn’t have made a poll at all. It was just me trying to think of storylines that seemed likely they would be adapted. There’s a ton I want to see adapted that I didn’t include in the poll.

[friendly-fire-press]

Lol I’m starting to think I shouldn’t have made a poll at all. It was just me trying to think of storylines that seemed likely they would be adapted. There’s a ton I want to see adapted that I didn’t include in the poll.

Lol yeah it's a bit tricky. There's so many good stories and everyone's got a whole bunch of different favourites, I just thought I'd mention a few of my favourites since we were on the subject (I meant no disrespect or anything). I do think 'Exile' would be a very good one to adapt, there were some awesome moments in that story. 'Secret Identity' would be a pretty cool one to see too

[Vordan]

Lol yeah it's a bit tricky. There's so many good stories and everyone's got a whole bunch of different favourites, I just thought I'd mention a few of my favourites since we were on the subject (I meant no disrespect or anything). I do think 'Exile' would be a very good one to adapt, there were some awesome moments in that story. 'Secret Identity' would be a pretty cool one to see too

No problem at all, in fact I asked people to list stories they’d like to see that weren’t included in the poll. You had some good picks!

[Adekis]

The problem with a lot of the ones listed (and the Morrison Action) is that they are origins of one sort or another (Birthright, Secret Identity. Speeding Bullets, Secret Origin). I thought that next to killing Superman or turning him evil, the next trope we were all sick of was "origin stories".

I agree in general, but there's just so much more going on with Morrison's Action run that I can't see it the same way as I see Secret Origin or Birthright. Well, actually, I don't see those two the same way either, Johns' go striking me as much more workmanlike than Waid's, but I digress. Either way I agree that neither should be adapted. But Morrison's different. Maybe one and a half issues of Morrison's Action are devoted to an origin story, and I don't see why more than one or two minutes of an animated adaptation would need to be devoted to the origin, absolute maximum. Maybe none. It's not like issues five and six couldn't be excised fairly easily.

That said, I totally agree with your idea of adapting Bronze Age stuff. I think that a Nightwing and Flamebird story, or Kryptonite Nevermore, could be truly awesome! The first Superman comic I ever remember reading was a collection of Nightwing and Flamebird stories from Jimmy Olsen # 140!

I'm not as sold on Lexor, as I always hated the ending to that arc where Luthor destroys Lexor and blames Superman for it. Always felt it was too "reset button"-y. But I love some of the earlier stories, like Hamilton's original showdown story between Luthor and Superman where Luthor goes back to jail to save their civilization, or the initial Brainiac / Luthor team-up where Luthor refuses to steal from Lexor because they need their resources more than he and Brainiac do. I like the Lexor stories because they showcase Luthor's good side, rarely emphasized both then and now, and the dramatic finale just undoes all of that. Part of it's the writers. Lex Luthor has always been an extremely varied character in terms of his characterization, and while Edmond Hamilton and Elliot Maggin viewed him as likable, funny and sympathetic, Cary Bates, who wrote Luthor Unleashed was of the all-too-common school of thought, along with Roy Thomas, that Luthor should be a deranged menace first and foremost. I've always sided more with Maggin and Hamilton in this particular debate; I just find their Luthor more interesting. Also, I'm not sure that a trilogy isn't too ambitious, but a single movie emphasizing the positive elements of Lexor could be phenomenal.

[JAK]

I'm not as sold on Lexor, as I always hated the ending to that arc where Luthor destroys Lexor and blames Superman for it. Always felt it was too "reset button"-y. But I love some of the earlier stories, like Hamilton's original showdown story between Luthor and Superman where Luthor goes back to jail to save their civilization, or the initial Brainiac / Luthor team-up where Luthor refuses to steal from Lexor because they need their resources more than he and Brainiac do. I like the Lexor stories because they showcase Luthor's good side, rarely emphasized both then and now, and the dramatic finale just undoes all of that. Part of it's the writers. Lex Luthor has always been an extremely varied character in terms of his characterization, and while Edmond Hamilton and Elliot Maggin viewed him as likable, funny and sympathetic, Cary Bates, who wrote Luthor Unleashed was of the all-too-common school of thought, along with Roy Thomas, that Luthor should be a deranged menace first and foremost. I've always sided more with Maggin and Hamilton in this particular debate; I just find their Luthor more interesting. Also, I'm not sure that a trilogy isn't too ambitious, but a single movie emphasizing the positive elements of Lexor could be phenomenal.

Here's an interesting thought... maybe if they reached out to Maggin and ask him: what/how would you do the ending differently if you didn't have to hit the reset button due to it being in an ongoing comic series? Then, if he has a different ending and it's better for a story, use that. Or, if he does want to use the reset button, maybe he sees a different/better way to do it now?

I don't know how that'd fly, but it's just a thought I had.

[Vordan]

Here's an interesting thought... maybe if they reached out to Maggin and ask him: what/how would you do the ending differently if you didn't have to hit the reset button due to it being in an ongoing comic series? Then, if he has a different ending and it's better for a story, use that. Or, if he does want to use the reset button, maybe he sees a different/better way to do it now?

I don't know how that'd fly, but it's just a thought I had.

What’s the relationship between Maggin and DC nowadays? He might be interested or he might be fed up with DC like so many other old creators.

[JAK]

What’s the relationship between Maggin and DC nowadays? He might be interested or he might be fed up with DC like so many other old creators.

That's a really good question, actually - I'm not sure. Someone on here likely has an answer, though.

[Robanker]

Animated films are different - there hasn't once been a Superman origin animated film.

This is partly why I voted for some, the other reason being they genuinely do have some of my favorite moments in them. It's a great origin, what can I tell you? Even so, I'm most pleased Exile is getting the love it deserves. It'd be an interesting adaption and, given the trend of killing/turning him evil, shows a shaken Clark rediscovering what it means to be Superman. That feels necessary now more than ever, sad as I am to admit it.

[SiegePerilous02]

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

Some of the old Lexor stories would be good for adaptation material, throw in a team up with Brainiac

Gerber's Phantom Zone mini, an excuse to get some JL cameos in there.

That one Hamilton story where he ends up in Earth's far future and is powerless under a red sun.

[Vordan]

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

Some of the old Lexor stories would be good for adaptation material, throw in a team up with Brainiac

Gerber's Phantom Zone mini, an excuse to get some JL cameos in there.

That one Hamilton story where he ends up in Earth's far future and is powerless under a red sun.

I love that Hamilton story but it kind of got adapted in that DCAU JL episode with Superman and Vandal Savage. I’d gladly take a more “accurate” adaption however. I mean what the hell Doomsday got two movies right?

[Zero Hunter]

I would rather see the Geoff Johns story Superman and the Legion of Superheroes from his Action Comics run.

[Kuwagaton]

Maggin might actually show up if they ever asked him.

Shogun of Steel and War of the Worlds would be neat, going by what DC tends to do. I'd like a rather faithful animated feature where they take the Supergirl saga (keep her looking like Lana and call her Superwoman, problems solved) and a condensed version of Exile as one story.

No problem at all, in fact I asked people to list stories they’d like to see that weren’t included in the poll. You had some good picks!

Although it's still pretty interesting to see if one story is dominant or unanimous. Like there's some big thing they're forgetting. Probably the other big Johns story.